character driven

Review: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

~ megs14malloy

Mad MabelMad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went into Mad Mabel. The synopsis didn’t jump out at me as a novel I’d need to read with any sort of immediacy. However, it is from Sally Hepworth and she’s never let me down.

I was afraid this would be more literary than I tend to enjoy, or that the little kid mentioned in the synopsis would drive me nuts. Spoiler alert: I’m not big on kids.

Regardless, I had to find out for myself how Mad Mabel was going to play out, and I’m so glad that I did. I loved this, full stop. I was on the brink of tears for like the last 15%. I can’t believe how emotionally-connected I became with these characters and this story.

Elsie, aka. Mad Mabel, will definitely be in the running for my favorite character of the year!!

The audiobook, narrated by Hannah Fredericksen and Jenny Seedsman, is absolutely the way to go, IMO. Their voice work brought this story to life. I was swept away and couldn’t put it down once I started.

We get both a past and present perspective from Elsie. The past perspective is filled with fascinating details as we learn about her family, her upbringing, and how she earned her reputation as Mad Mabel. Happily, this is one of those cases where both perspectives are equally compelling.

I loved learning about Elsie’s past because it added so much context to her present character, but the present was so fun as well. Elsie is 81-years old in the present perspective and her delivery and the way she interacted with others had me cackling on more than one occasion.

Equally though, there were moments that broke my heart. I feel like this range of emotions that I felt while reading this is a testament to Hepworth’s talent. I was so invested, I felt like I was a part of the narrative.

I would recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed Hepworth’s work in the past, but also to anyone who just really loves endearing elder characters. If you enjoyed Too Old For This, or The Marigold Cottage Murder Collective, I think you’ll really enjoy this one as well.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This story grabbed me by the heart and never let go. This will definitely be on my Best Books list for 2026!

View all my reviews

Review: Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez

~ megs14malloy

MayraMayra by Nicky Gonzalez
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mayra is a slow burn, debut Horror novel set at a mysterious house deep in the Florida Everglades. We follow Ingrid, who after years of radio silence, finally hears from her childhood best friend, Mayra.

While it might seem strange for Mayra to call Ingrid so suddenly, out of the blue, to invite her on a private weekend getaway, it’s actually pretty true to character. Mayra did always march to the beat of her own drum.

Desiring a shake-up, Ingrid impulsively accepts the invitation and sets out on a solo road trip towards her destination, using only the sketchy directions Mayra provided her with.

The Everglades are a tricky place. She’s out of reach of cell service, and as the swamp starts to feel like it will swallow her little car whole, Mayra wonders if she’ll ever actually get to reunite with Mayra.

Luck is on her side though, as she does eventually arrive at the quirky little house where Mayra is staying. The two fall into their old patterns of relating with one another pretty quickly, but soon enough the fun reunion is covered by a dark cloud: Mayra’s strange-behaving boyfriend, Benji.

Mayra did deliver on the solid Southern Gothic atmosphere I was hoping for, but unfortunately, it didn’t deliver much else. The setting was definitely my favorite aspect.

I enjoyed the way Gonzalez described the house, as well as the area around it. It had a true sense of place, which is something I always appreciate, and it was unsettling. I could feel the heaviness of it, of the air and natural surroundings.

Additionally, I did feel the development of Ingrid and Mayra’s characters, as well as their relationship history, was strong, but as far as a plot goes, it just didn’t go anywhere for me. It was too long-winded in the build, and sadly had me bored and frustrated.

I wanted answers, mystery abounds, but as I got to the end, I ultimately ended up with more questions than I had even at the beginning. The finale was way too fever dream for my tastes, and I was left feeling disappointed.

Too much build, too little payoff.

Overall, the 1st-half, that anticipation, was stronger for me than the 2nd-half. I wish it could have kept a solid level of interesting set-up, followed by an actual conclusion that made sense. It would have been a more satisfying read for me if that had been the case.

Sadly, we can’t love them all, and even though the content of this, stylistically, didn’t work for my tastes, I would still recommend it for fans of more Literary, character-driven, Horror, or fever dream narrative styles.

Thank you, Random House, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is a very solid debut, and I look forward to seeing what Nicky Gonzalez delivers next!

View all my reviews