Mayhem: A Novel by Estelle Laure – My Review

Title: Mayhem: A Novel

Author: Estelle Laure

Release Date: July 14th 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

The Lost Boys meets The Female of the Species in this supernatural feminist YA novel.

It’s 1987 and unfortunately it’s not all Madonna and cherry lip balm. Mayhem Brayburn has always known there was something off about her and her mother, Roxy. Maybe it has to do with Roxy’s constant physical pain, or maybe with Mayhem’s own irresistible pull to water. Either way, she knows they aren’t like everyone else.

But when May’s stepfather finally goes too far, Roxy and Mayhem flee to Santa Maria, California, the coastal beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem’s questions about who her mother is, her estranged family, and the mysteries of her own self. There she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and it opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage in her family, the very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good.

But when she gets wrapped up in the search for the man who has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she is forced to face the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost.

From the acclaimed author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back, Estelle Laure offers a riveting and complex story with magical elements about a family of women contending with what appears to be an irreversible destiny, taking control and saying when enough is enough.

This book had me at The Lost Boys mashup. That is one of my favorite movies and I wondered if this book would do it justice.

I went into this excited about the mashup, not going to lie. I wanted to see how the author was going to incorporate it into the story. I gotta say it was interesting. I didn’t hate it. While I appreciated the mashup, I worried if there was blatant copying of said movie. Worries aside, I began reading. The story was pretty enjoyable for me. I was surprised that this YA read had a dark vibe to it. I personally loved that. Being set in the 80’s was also a plus for me. A total 80’s chick right here! I loved the mystery surrounding the magic. The author gave just enough for the reader to know but still keep it a mystery. The characters were pretty cool. Some I wasn’t sure about but you can’t love them all! 

Tragedy, secrets, and empowerment is what fueled the story for me. This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I plan on checking out more of her work. All in all, this was enjoyable for me and I recommend giving it a chance. Especially if you’re a fan of said movie. I give this 4 stars.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*