**I was provided an electronic ARC by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Actual rating: 3.5

Estelle Laure's Mayhem follows the titular character as she navigates the difficulties of her life, the importance of family and home, and perhaps the type of magic that has persisted through the generations. Part hard-hitting contemporary, part murder mystery, part magical realism, Mayhem is not for the faint of heart. I have compiled a list of trigger warnings for those interested that will follow at the end of my review.

I found that I loved Estelle Laure's writing style, and that she handled heavy topics tastefully and respectfully. That being said, she did not shy away from the raw and painful aspects associated with the topics she chose to cover. There was a sort of foreword at the beginning of the novel in which the author addressed some of her choices, and I was grateful for its inclusion.

I did not find myself overly in love with the characters themselves, but I sure do love the generational magic trope. While I wasn't attached to Mayhem in particular, I was very much pleased with how her story was told overall and felt the journal entries and their placement were impactful. I did not find the ending particularly compelling, and was a little disappointed by the way the issues were pseudo-resolved.

While I wouldn't describe this book as "my type of thing" per se, I absolutely enjoyed it, and look forward to future works from the author.

Trigger Warnings include, but may not be limited to the following: domestic violence, child abuse, suicide, prescription drug abuse, alcohol abuse, victim blaming, rape, murder, and illegal drug use.

There's a promising concept here, but unfortunately the direction it took didn't work for me and I won't be continuing it. That being said, there's a lot going for this story and some especially potent lines that I'm sure readers will connect to and enjoy.

This book took on several heavy topics such as rape, murder, suicide, substance abuse, and the grief and complicated emotions surrounding them. Our main character, Mayhem, has a codependent relationship with her mother where they hold each other up (mostly Mayhem supporting her mother) to survive the abuse endured at home. Even when they leave Texas and are in a totally different environment the two of them continue with their behaviors and thought processes they used to cope, which is accurate since the trauma isn’t something that goes away on its own (if ever).

This is touted as a feminist mash-up of The Lost Boys and The Craft. I’ve never read The Lost Boys and I half-watched The Craft once, so I can’t say if it really lived up to that. The bits of stake-outs and plotting to take down bad guys were nice as we got to see women characters getting stronger and taking justice into their own hands. It was nice to see strong women who make bad decisions have moments of weakness, don’t conform to being conventionally beautiful while also be a badass hero. (Elle I’m talking about you!)

The writing was descriptive and emotive, but that didn’t make the scenes drag and become boring. The pacing was done well also, there was plenty of dialogue and movement of the story. The story caught my interest, and the unknown of the mysterious Brayburns and the missing girls in their city also made it interesting because it’s a coming of age thing but also had bigger issues.

I feel like around the second half things speed up, but also character relationships began to muddy, in my opinion. Some relationships started to form/change quickly and I still felt like I didn’t see enough development to warrant a relationship developing. I feel like the story could’ve been more of a banger without the focus on romance at all. Towards the end, it felt like we were just winging things which put me off also.

In the end, I gave this book 3 stars as a happy medium because the plot was interesting, and it did make valid points about trauma and nuances around it, but I didn’t end up loving how things wrapped up or how some characters ended up being.

-- I received a free digital review copy of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. --

I've been loving all the queer witchy reads recently, so I was very intrigued by Mayhem. However, the execution of the promising concept was not as accomplished as I had hoped. The story and characters are kept rather simplistic, and issues are either not resolved or resolved very easily. I could have put away the book at any point without caring much either way.
I've read all of the individual elements the book was made out of in better iterations in other stories recently and their combination here did not work for for me. All in all, it was a very mediocre experience, to be honest.

This was a very enjoyable read for me! It was quick and kept me engaged the entire time. Even though it was definitely taken from the Lost Boys story, it had some unique differences.

That being said, I can't give a specific summary, it all felt hazy... I know there were teenagers and magical water and they were saving the town. So if the story were more fleshed out, the book could have been amazing.

*Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mayhem Brayburn and her mother finally escape from her abusive stepfather, heading back to her mother’s hometown where the Brayburn family name is feared and revered. In the wake of multiple disappearances in the community, Mayhem starts to learn about the dangerous power running in her blood.

Mayhem is a YA supernatural thriller with dark twists, which is outside my usual comfort zone. The story and the writing surprised and impressed me, and I ended up enjoying it a lot. The book was inspired by the movie The Lost Boys, an ‘80s teen vampire movie. I don’t remember the details of the movie enough to be bothered by the resemblance, but I do think the cameo appearance of the same characters is a bit much. Apart from that, the ‘80s California vibes were very atmospheric. Picture surfers, beach bonfires, amusement park rides, and a lurking magic and danger.

I liked the parts about the matriarchal family history, told mostly through letters, but I would have liked a little more detail about the powers they possess. The female characters are strong, sometimes scarily so, and I felt the pull of the friendships and family relationships. It contains a lot of triggering material, including physical and sexual abuse, and drug addiction. If you think you would enjoy a dark supernatural ‘80s beach party, you should give this a try!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5

Mayhem is being described as a “YA feminist mash up inspired by The Lost Boys and The Craft.” I didn’t really get The Craft or a lot of feminist vibes from this book. There were a decent amount of The Lost Boys references but almost too much. It was still a quick read that had magic, mystery, and family aspects.

Mayhem and her mother Roxy flee to Santa Maria after Mayhem’s stepfather went too far one night. Unlike Roxy, Mayhem is excited to be returning to the Brayburn family home and is hoping to find some answers about her family. Soon Mayhem falls into her aunt’s adopted kids and learns she is from a magical family where the magic runs through the females, which Mayhem is next in line to inherit.

*I received a reviewer copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a lot of dark parts to it, but was really good. I really enjoyed the different creatures and it was super scary at times.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

** spoiler alert ** TW: Rape, Domestic Abuse, Drug Abuse, Suicide

This book dealt with some really dark topics and had the characters go through some rough things. For me this book was really tough to follow, I could not tell what it wanted to be or what it was going to do. I know at one point I thought this book was gonna be about mermaids or about different supernatural creatures and it ended up about magic water? That gave them the ability to see peoples memories or thoughts, to see the if a person was good or bad, the "magic system" in this book felt confusing and lack luster and had a hard time with the pacing. I find it hard to believe that the people of Santa Maria would be okay with a family with "powers" taking the law into their own hands.

I originally thought this was going to be about mermaids so I was a little disappointed, but in despite of a misunderstood premise (which I take full responsibility for!) I absolutely adored this book. I enjoyed the morally grey choices by various characters, thought Laure balanced mystery/withholding details with telling an engaging and comprehensible story. I adored her relationship with Roxy, and how this fluctuated throughout the novel. READ THIS BOOK

"I need her to live. I want to tell her that I’m okay with being part of this fight and that I’m okay being covered in dirt. This is my life and it’s the life she gave me and that all the other Brayburns inherited before her ever since Juliana, and it’s the life I want."

I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at St. Martin’s Press. When Mayhem Brayburn and her mother, Roxy, flee an abusive household, they wind up in Santa Maria, California, where the Brayburn family are legends. Roxy hasn’t returned since the tragic suicide of her husband, Mayhem’s father, and Mayhem is desperate to know everything there is to know about her family. Staying with her aunt and her three foster children, the kids introduce her to the world of strange magic that runs through the Brayburn women. When girls begin disappearing from the beach, they set out to bring justice upon the Sand Snatcher, and Mayhem will have to decide whether vengeance is worth the price. Trigger warnings: death, parent death, suicide, rape, abusive households/physical abuse, gaslighting, drugging, alcoholism, addiction, underage drug use, detox, chronic pain, vomiting.

I wavered between three and four stars on this, so don’t let my rating dissuade you if this sounds like something you’d be interested in. It’s a well-put together novel with a host of strong female characters, a cool setting, and a reasonably interesting plot. The 80s Santa Maria of the novel is like stepping into another world of bonfire parties, year-round carnivals, and the lurking menace of the beach at night. The Lost Boys (1987) references are clear (although that takes place in Santa Carla–I don’t understand the name change), including a cameo appearance by the Frog brothers which, while fun, has nothing whatsoever to do with the plot. There are plenty of lurking mysteries throughout the novel, from where the Brayburn women got their power and what happened to Mayhem’s father to who’s been kidnapping girls off the beach at night.

Mayhem’s complicated relationship with her mother, Roxy, is the most compelling relationship in the book. They know each other better than anyone and protect each other first, always, but there’s still tension and resentment about how Roxy could stay in an abusive home for so long and cut Mayhem off from the rest of her family. It’s as much a novel of self-discovery as anything, as Mayhem learns her family’s secrets and comes to terms with her own place in that legacy–and whether or not she wants it to be the same as the women who came before her. As a novel that explores the fallout of abusive homes and female family relationships, it’s very successful. I’m less impressed by the rest of the characters, namely Elle’s foster children, Jason, Kidd, and Neve. Neve is sort of a stock rebel, Kidd is, well, a kid, and Mayhem’s romance with Jason feels somewhat forced, but I’m usually not in favor of romantic subplots.

The world-building is a little vague for my tastes, and there’s never an explanation for where the Brayburns’ power ultimately comes from. The chapters are interspersed with diary entries from various Brayburn women that expand on their history, but those also provide few answers. While we have the sense that the characters, Mayhem and Roxy in particular, have made real progress, everything isn’t tied up neatly by the end of the novel. All those combined left me with the feeling that things never quite came together as well I was hoping, but sometimes it’s better not to have every question answered. It’s much more a novel about characters and atmosphere, and readers who go into it with that in mind shouldn’t be disappointed.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

Mayhem is a story full of youthful spirit, rebellion, and magic. After leaving an abusive step-father with her mother, Mayhem seeks refuge on her aunt's farm. Shortly after arriving, Mayhem learns that her family are witches, and has to decide whether or not she will accept the powers to help protect her family and anyone who looks to harm people in her town.

The magic system is truly unique, and I loved that there were set limits. The characters are each unique and I loved how the rebellious teens were integrated into the family drama throughout the story.

The only issue that I had with this story was that halfway through the book the characters who had been portrayed as one way, started acting completely different without any real transition. I wish there was more of a connection between the portrayals.

Mayhem by Estelle Laure is a YA novel about a teenage girl, Mayhem and her family. It was kind of confusing in the beginning. The story is told with several flashbacks that span generations and the whole backstory to this family is left completely ambiguous. Finally at around 50% of the novel does it come together and something actually happens. The last half of the book is way better than the first half.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book looked interesting to me both from synopsis and from the cover. The cover is so beautiful, and I was excited to start reading it. I will say this, I have never seen/read The Lost Boys or the Craft, so I had nothing to compare it to. I wasn’t sure what I was getting into in regards to that. Anyways, overall, it was okay. I really didn’t love it, or more specifically, I really liked the beginning of the book, but by the time we got to the middle I was no longer interested, and by the end I was bored.

The Writing
So, I think the writing is excellent. There is little I have to complain about the writing. I think the format of the book was lovely, we get past and “present” in this case 1987. So sometimes it made me blink to realize it wasn’t in present day. Although I feel like there could have been some benefit of it being set in present day. Overall, I think the writing was good and it worked.

The Pacing
The pacing was good at first, and then about halfway through the book it felt like everything changed, and then the book lost its momentum. It just felt awkward to me, and I didn’t enjoy the pacing all that much.

The Plot
Part of the problem with the pacing I think, comes from the plot. The plot is there, but I felt that a) the first part of the book was more entertaining before we even get to the meat of the “plot” and b) the actual plot took place in the last 20% of the book. Which is why the pacing felt awkward to me. If the book had been more plot focused I think it would have worked better. As it stands, it feels like it was supposed to be plot and character driven, and unfortunately, I think it fell down in the character section as well.

The Characters
I liked Mayhem at first. I think she was the best character of the lot. The rest of them were just…I don’t know. I felt that if the plot wasn’t actually going to be the main focus, and the character driven arcs were, we should have had more character development. We don’t really get that. For the most part the characters are static, and it is just okay overall. I liked Mayhem, and I think she was a good character. Overall, I felt that it was lackluster in terms of characters. I didn’t particularly really like anyone aside from Mayhem and to an extent Kidd.

Overall
It was an okay book. I think 2.5 stars, closer to 3 is about what I would rate this book. So strong at the beginning, and then it fell off. It was a huge disappointment to me. I was excited for it, but it just…didn’t do anything. I felt lost, and underwhelmed overall.

Slated for release this July, Mayhem is a coming of age story set in the 1980s. Perfect for fans of 80s movies this book reads like a mix of The Lost Boys and Practical Magic. Nostalgic and familiar while being fresh and unexpected, this book of magical realism provided a nice escape from reality right now!
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

It is rare that I will put a book down and not give it my 5o page quota. but this one was a rare dud that was just horrific to try to continue reading. Right away, the reader is greated with a letter from the author explaining that she started the story with a rape which was the first time she dealt with some things. That really isn't the way to greet your reader; please see Laurie Halse Anderson's treatment of the same dilemma. Instead, the letter seemed to sensationalize it. Then the opening chapter was full of dramatic language, the kind more akin to Jane Eyre than YA circa 1973. For example, an opening line: "Losing Lucas has embittered me to the world, to every couple on the beach" then later says "Fate is umbilical for her." Maybe for a Gen Xer keen on reliving her bad emo-phase of poetry age 13/14, this book will be interesting, but not for me. Reading some pages in, I just don't care about the characters, and so dear reader, I abandoned it.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

I started this book a while ago, and I couldn't get myself to continue. The summary and cover really pulled me in, but ultimately, the opening chapters did not hold my attention for long, and I found myself wishing that I could be reading something else that interested me.

TLDR;
1. The pacing was too slow.
2. The opening chapters did not provide a good hook.
3. I found little sympathy for the characters who I should've had an emotional connection to.

This book started off slow for me. I was almost ready to set it down as there was hardly no action. I am glad I didn't as it was enjoyable but it really didn't wow me like I expected. Now the way the Brayburn's take care of the town reminded almost of something I watched on TV. I can't think of it exactly but in some ways it was similar. Roxy and Mayhem which by the way I love the name! Do not have it easy, and when Roxy returns to her hometown which she swore she never would things unravel. Mayhem is more open as a teenager and we even see Roxy kind of open up to become a whole new person. It seems their hometown is one of magic for the Brayburns sadly though it is not without heartache. Mayhem and her new family have a job to do and one that the town truly appreciates. I have seen some reviews that mention certain characters remind them of The Lost Boys and since I have never seen that movie I am going to have watch it.

I think the author did good with the characters and the way they acted like normal teenagers, it just really truly lacked that wow factor in the plot. I wanted more of the magic sense, I wanted to experience the withdrawals that certain characters would have being off of the magical water. I wanted more examples of the Brayburns protecting their town. We don't truly get any other stories except a mention of vampires (which we never see) and then the Serial Killer.

It was the tagline that made me want to pick up the book

A YA feminist mash up inspired by The Lost Boys and The Craft.

How could I resist a book that is a mash up two of my favorite movies? I couldn't really see The Craft in the book but I did love all the references to TLB. I had a huge grin on my face with the Frog brothers showed up in the story. I think there was enough of the references that they didn't take away from the story. They helped add something familiar to the story. The lore around the Brayburns was really well written and very believable. As a character Mayhem Brayburn worked really well and I loved her growth. I enjoyed the darker theme in this book with the murders and magic. I would say there are a few trigger warnings for this book rape, drug abuse, abuse and murder. I have already have recommended this to few of my friends even before I was done reading it. This has to be in my top 5 books I have read so far in 2020 if not my top read this year.