Mayhem by Estelle Laude

What I Loved:

I loved the mystery involved in this story. There is a mystery surrounding the girls’ deaths and a mystery about Mayhem’s history. I enjoyed watching both unfold.

How I Felt:

Mayhem is a story that created a lot of emotions for me. I was really impressed with the author’s ability to put such feeling into the story. The characters deal with abuse and drug use, and the emotional rollercoaster that goes with it.

The character Mayhem, has moved to California with her mother and ends up caught up in this murder mystery, while also discovering some secrets about her own bloodline. I liked her character growth as she learned more about herself, and I enjoyed her relationship with her mother.

The plot was a draw and somewhat of a negative for me. The claim that this was for fans of Lost Boys had me intrigued, and it was very closely aligned to Lost Boys. I think that it was a bit too much sometimes. I enjoy retellings, but I would have liked to see a bit more deviation.

I thought that the first half of the book was very emotional and would be a great story for readers that enjoy the emotional angst a story can bring out. The second half though, felt different. It was raw and paranormal with a very different vibe from the first half. So I think it works well for anyone that enjoys an ever-changing feeling to a book.

Overall, I enjoyed Mayhem because of the mystery and the emotional pull of the story. I would have liked to see more variation from Lost Boys, but that’s just me, and I think that anyone that hasn’t been introduced to Lost Boys will not be affected by this at all. It’s a gripping story that takes you places in the story you weren’t expecting, and I loved that.

To Read or Not To Read:

I would recommend Mayhem to readers that like a paranormal YA mystery.

Where to Find This Book:

Mayhem by Estelle Laure is available at these sites on July 14, 2020!

Amazon Kindle | Amazon | Goodreads

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

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.

Just the Facts:

Mayhem by Estelle Laure
Genre: YA Mystery
Page Count: 304 pages
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pub Date: July 14, 2020

Estelle Laure is a Vonnegut worshipper who believes in love and magic and the power of facing hard truths.

She has a BA in Theater Arts from New Mexico State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and thinks everyone should have to wait tables or work in a kitchen at least once in their lives.

She lives in Taos, New Mexico with her children.