Bumpy Oak Books

**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.