Cover Image: Mayhem

Mayhem

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I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

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Estelle Laure has written an extremely powerful novel with Mayhem. I was beyond impressed with this novel and if it’s any indication of Estelle Laure’s skill, I have a feeling I’m going to love her other books as well.

Mayhem starts off a little slower than I would normally prefer but I never found my interest waning. It features such a unique, well-rounded cast of characters that I couldn’t help but be intrigued by their stories. Mayhem and her mother have lived a colorful life and Mayhem is just looking for a place to belong. Santa Maria and the Brayburns seem like the perfect fit for her from the start. They were definitely hiding things from Mayhem at first (which really annoyed me) but once they opened up and accepted her, it was like she’d always been part of their family.

I will admit, the drugs aspect (it is set in 1987, I get it) wasn’t really my cup of tea but I understand how it played into the story. I felt that Mayhem, Kidd, Neve, and Jason were all forced to grow up at a very young age and that really showed when they were doing some rather questionable things (like mushrooms). There were some rather trippy scenes that I didn’t care for but it’s a minor complaint.

As far as the Lost Boys and Craft similarities, I can’t actually speak to those because I have never seen either. Mayhem can stand by itself though without those comparisons. It’s got some historical fiction aspects, some horror, and some fantasy. It really has a little bit of everything for the picky readers out there.

Overall, Mayhem is not my usual read but I’m glad I decided to step out of my comfort zone with this one. I will be checking out more of Estelle Laure’s work here in the future.

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"Mayhem" by Estelle Laure is a dark and atmospheric young adult novel that blends elements of magical realism with coming-of-age themes. While the book has its strengths, I found it to be a somewhat underwhelming read.

One of the notable aspects of the story is the author's ability to create a haunting and atmospheric setting. The small town of Santa Maria is vividly portrayed, with its eerie secrets and a sense of foreboding that permeates throughout the narrative. The incorporation of magical elements adds an intriguing layer to the plot, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.

However, despite the promising premise, I felt that the execution fell short in some areas. The pacing of the story was uneven, with certain parts dragging on while others seemed rushed. This affected the overall flow and made it challenging to fully engage with the plot. Additionally, the character development felt lacking, and I struggled to connect with the main protagonist, Mayhem. While her journey of self-discovery and empowerment is an important aspect of the story, it didn't resonate with me as much as I had hoped. Furthermore, the writing style, though descriptive, occasionally veered into melodrama and overly poetic language. While this may appeal to some readers, I found it distracting at times and it detracted from the overall impact of the narrative.

Despite my reservations, I appreciate Estelle Laure's attempt to tackle important themes such as family, mental health, and the power of self-acceptance. The underlying messages and the exploration of generational trauma added depth to the story.

In conclusion, "Mayhem" offers a captivating premise and explores meaningful themes, but it falls short in terms of pacing, character development, and occasionally, the writing style. While it didn't fully meet my expectations, I believe that readers who enjoy atmospheric and magical coming-of-age stories may still find elements to appreciate in Estelle Laure's novel.

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This book is not something I usually read, but I loved it. The little band of characters was interesting. I couldn't put it down. I did a tour stop for this on my old book blog.

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Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. It's a little slow paced for my liking, Although there were components of the story that I did like: magic, the aesthetic, and the fact that we have a female protagonist, I simply think that this novel is not for me.

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this was an okay book, left me wanting a little bit more than what i got. will read from this author again

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Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I liked the description and cover but after 10% I had to DNF. I’m sure other readers will enjoy. I’m very grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy.

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I loved the premise, but it ultimately fell flat for me as I didn't connect with the characters and the pacing was off.

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Thank you Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. I love the Lost Boys movie, and liked the similarities in this book. There are enough differences throughout the book, so you don't have to worry about them being too similar. This book was enjoyable to read. I liked following the characters, and the storyline. It was a little predictable, but that is okay. I think the book could have been longer and more fleshed out. If you like Lost Boys, and YA fantasy you should give this a read.

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really wanted to like this book a lot more. The Lost Boys references were too exact to enjoy, the Frog brothers, the sax player on the beach, the hideout. Every time there was a reference it took me right out of the story…it was distracting.

Brayburns, she would say. In my town, we were the legends.

I wanted to know more history about the Brayburns, more fleshed out. This book would have been more enjoyable and unique without mentioning The Lost Boys so directly.

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This book was beautifully rendered and well plotted. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and have been recommending it to my students. I didn't come in with any references to The Lost Boys and so wasn't biased by that connection. This was a fun, fast read.

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Okay so Mayhem was about a girl coming home to rejoin her family after a tragedy drove her mother to leave and start over somewhere new. What she hasn't been told is that her family is full of secrets including one that impacts her as the latest girl in the Brayburn line.

The family seems to have the power to control water but also feels slightly vampiric, I know it's been compared to the Lost Boys but there were a few moments that were pretty confusing in the book. I did love the story that felt pretty magical but I was confused at certain times by what was actually happening in the book. The writing was good and I am looking forward to seeing what else Estelle Laure brings to the table.

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy!

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Really amazing read. The story behind Mayhem and how her and her mom thrived against her stepdads abuse was crazy. This has become a favorite read of mine,

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I love the 80s so I am hypercritical of books set in this time period. Of all the 80s books I've read, this one didn't hit home with me. There are other books of this genre and time period that I have enjoyed more.

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Ok right off the bat, I wanted to love this book because of the comparisons....did I love it? Nope, didn't even like it. Too much of unneeded content thrown in that didn't sit well with me. Thank you for the early opportunity though!

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Do I like science fiction? No. Did I like Wilder Girls, which was in the comp titles? No. Did I love the cover? YES.

I should have known better getting myself into this, but I just really want to like a book like this, but I keep getting cheated each time. Largely more my own fault probably.

There was just too much going on with this book for me to fully focus, and I’m someone who arguably can have a short attention span, so this book was difficult for me.

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Mayhem and Roxy recently moved in with Elle and her foster kids. Roxy promised never to return to Santa Maria, but Mayhem has no idea. She is ignorant about Brayburns. A familial legacy, secrets to ourselves and others are discussed in this book.

“3.” Lyle aided. That's it. I thought the image of a child growing up in a violent household was spot on. Throughout the novel, I felt Mayhem's sorrow as the abuse damaged her and her mother. That life didn't automatically improve after the abuser and victim were physically separated. The abuse was not glamorized.

And she sobs. We don't. The fact that we don't speak of it makes it go away. It was so powerful that I had to reread and comprehend some of it. “Don't allow people's views confuse truth,” I'll always remember. Hearing anything forces you to admit something else, shattering your self-contained storyline.

The story's business names were great. ‘Why didn't I think of that?' I'd stop reading to exclaim to a friend. A comic shop. Brilliant! That left the story's omissions. During the magic moments, I wasn't always sure what was up. I couldn't always see what was going on.

A few paragraphs later, I found out what happened in one scenario involving the killer. I expected more page time for the killer. Their story point was resolved far too quickly.

Were we the only ones who didn't always grasp it? Many critics have linked this story to "The Lost Boys." Were you able to see the movie? Some of the story's most magical components seemed to be crafted so that a film-goer would grasp them without extra explanation.

In particular, I was intrigued by Neve. She barely gave a few glimpses into her life before Elle. We're safe from them, Neve whispers gently. “Reasonable.” I've never enjoyed insta-love, even if it grows on you. Nope. And despite having many aspects I should have liked, the plot never clicked for me. I found the story and some of the characters shallow. The magic worked, but I could only explain it hazily. I felt like I got a taste of everything but not the whole thing.

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I have elected not to read and review this book due to time constraints. Thank you for the opportunity.

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Right off the bat, let's get the content warnings out of the way. Domestic and child abuse. Extreme violence. Kidnapping. Murder and off page suicide. Having read a book about SA, I was sent a copy of this book from the publisher (thank you Wednesday books!) Given the subject matter though, I wasn't in the right head space and put it off until this year's weekend of reading.

Imagine my surprise to find out the book takes place where I went to high school. Good ole Central Coast town of Santa Maria. Santa Maria - where your BBQ is tasty, your Future Farmers are on the rise, and there is no beach in sight. Because it's not on the coast. It's inland. I was disappointed when I was reading about Santa Maria's great beaches, and it felt like the author had never stepped foot there.

Putting that aside, I was excited about the Lost Boys and Craft mash-up elements that the book promised to have. But...it's basically the plot of the Lost Boys verbatim but instead of vampires, it is magic more in line with The Craft. No new takes. Just straight from the movie.

While Mayhem is a character that you can root for, the kids that are living in the Brayburn house were not as well fleshed out. I felt nothing for them and didn't care about their being in the story at all. I was curious to find out who the kidnapper was, and what would happen with Mayhem's stepfather, but that was it for me. Nothing else held my interest, and I found myself skimming through the book.

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What an interesting story! Told in a few different timelines and POVs, this story was fairly easy to follow and become engrossed.

Mayhem Blackburn is no ordinary girl, well none of the Blackburn girls are ordinary. Royalty to the citizens of Santa Maria, they hold onto a deep run, unspoken yet widely known secret.

This story is a great read with a bit of angst, trepidation, wonder, and love.

Give it a read!

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