Book Review: Mayhem, by Estelle Laure

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

“Listen, it won’t be long now,” he says. “You should get some rest while you can. When you wake up, if I’m not right here, go back to the water and you’ll be okay. Just remember that.”

I don’t know what’s going to happen to me. Part of me thinks nothing will at all, that I’ll wake up in the morning and this will all have been some silliness, Julianna’s letter the fantasies of a bored wife and mother, Neve and her warnings some drugged-out joke. The rock beneath me heats me from the inside out, and as I fall asleep with Kidd snoring beside me, I decide no matter what happens next, I will never regret being here, taking mushrooms, drinking the water, holding Jason’s hand. I’m glad we came to Santa Maria. Things are finally real, they’re finally happening. I can finally sleep.

Superhuman knowledge and powers sound super useful, both to the individuals who have them, and the community which benefits. Hopefully everyone can agree to use those powers for good.

Official synopsis:

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.

Mayhem’s story is all about girl power! Braeburn women are special. Once they have the water from the secret cave, they’re unstoppable. They’ve taken it upon themselves to use their powers to stop those who want to do evil in Santa Maria.

When Mayhem arrives in Santa Maria, there are already a few kids who live with her aunt and regularly imbibe the water. It gives them powers, but their powers look like a soft breeze compared to the howling wind that the water brings about in Mayhem. Together they can keep Santa Maria safe for all the mere mortals, and the mortals are grateful for their interventions.

This story was emotionally satisfying, as Mayhem and her cohorts got revenge on behalf of the defenseless. Overall, I’d give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. The 80s vibe was fun and familiar, and watching a battle between good and evil turn out right is always rewarding.

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Becki Bayley is a Cherry Coke guzzling, Fun-Dip enjoying, sun-worshipper. She enjoys watering her flowers and reading on her porch. See more of her adventures on Instagram, where she posts as PoshBecki.