What Mae Brings

A Novel

Young Adult - Mystery
192 Pages
Reviewed on 04/22/2023
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

Author/Artist/Actress, SAG-AFTRA/IMDb: Melissa Mandisa.
My varied experiences throughout my life inspired me to write “What Mae Brings.” I always strived for an honest and meaningful life, and grew up rather innocent in my outlook on the world. I’ve experienced great times in my life, but with that I’ve also experienced many of the darker sides of humanity and society. I’ve learned there is good and bad in everyone and everything, and that life is trying to understand where you fit, without falling into the gaps, in your quest for a good life. How staying strong and being brave can help one grow, but how do you keep from hardening along the way, or losing the innocence of one’s own humanity and compassion? There is a fine line, and I wanted my characters to explore that line. I feel very close to the characters I created. I tried to give them my honest breath and yet let them continue to breathe on their own.
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did writing it!
~ Melissa L. Berger

    Book Review

Reviewed by Maria Victoria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

What Mae Brings is a gripping young adult mystery novel by Melissa L. Berger. The story unravels as Mae goes through the ads and rental listings in the paper. The young woman is in a new town where she will be attending college. Hoping to land a job and find an inexpensive place, she decides to explore. She finds a guesthouse she can afford and impulsively takes it although she has some reservations about the strange owner. Despite some discomfort, she settles in and things take a mysterious and dangerous turn when she finds a duffel bag while following a trail in the woods nearby. What follows is a series of events where she becomes involved in finding out the truth about the mysterious disappearance of a girl named Genevieve.

Melissa L. Berger’s What Mae Brings is one of those mystery novels that readers will find difficult to put down. The mystery unravels in the first chapter and continues until we turn the last page. This is because the story is filled with baffling twists and turns that will keep you completely immersed in the narrative. The plot is perfectly structured and is designed to heighten the story’s tension. I find the character of Mae, the main protagonist, relatable. At times vulnerable and at times strong, she is someone readers can easily identify with. Melissa Berger is a master storyteller who seamlessly weaves together a complex and mysterious narrative that is a must-read for fans of the genre looking for a fascinating read.