3.5 ⭐️ This was a fast, easy YA thriller. I have to admit that I liked this more than I thought I would. The multiple POVS was easy to follow. Overall, I’d recommend this.

I was highly looking forward to reading The Debutantes by Olivia Worley. Disappearances and chaos ensues around young debutantes in the city of New Orleans. At times, it was difficult to remember whose viewpoints I was reading as it switches between several characters. However, the story was engaging and I couldn't wait to read the conclusion. I really enjoyed the fact that it took place in New Orleans, a city that I adore. It made me want to get back there asap (but not with the whole murder/kidnapping elements!).

3.5 Stars
This YA mystery/thriller that follows the POV of multiple debutantes trying to find their missing friend. The girls learn quickly that no one can be trusted and everyone has a secret. The more they dig and search the more danger they are in. The ending was definitely unexpected! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

3.5 stars

thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

One thing about me is im always going to eat up a ya mystery/thriller book. I loved how faced paced and exciting this was and all the twists that made me want to keep reading!

I also enjoyed the different povs from the characters and how they’re each relatable in their own way. Also enjoyed the whole ‘secret society’ aspect of this. There were some strong topics in this that might be triggering for other readers so I hope there’s trigger warnings in the future for those who need them.

Lastly I would say is usually ya mystery/thriller books are a hit or miss with me because I’ll usually guess the plot twist or it’s just too “childish” (even for a ya book) but with this one I didn’t guess the ending plot twist and was surprised.

I did not think I was going to love this book as much as I did considering I had no clue about any of the debutante stuff which is pretty heavy in this book, of course but I actually ate this up. It was so thrilling and fun and I love a good ya thriller/mystery. This had majorrrrr pretty little liars vibes and I was living for it! Although I had to google some stuff about the debutante balls it’s not something that’s really necessary, I was just really intrigued by the whole aspect and now need to read more stuff like this!! Definitely recommend this book! Thank you NetGalley for sending me an arc!

I received an ARC of this book from St. Martins Pres via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. This is my second YA novel by this author, and once again I learned some new vocabulary, the expression "aux me." I am always amused by how the "young ones" speak!

The chapters are told in alternating viewpoints, as so many books are, and I definitely had trouble remembering who was who and who was speaking. I particularly was getting confused between Vivian & Piper; I saw another reviewer mentioned the same thing.

I think some chapters really just weren't necessary and made the book longer than it needed to be. I did enjoy all the descriptions of New Orleans, a city which I knew very little about prior to this book. The author does a fantastic job painting the picture of a small town within a city, its prejudices, its history, its customs.

The very last chapter was a twist, but I honestly was a bit confused. I don't think I could explain what actually happened in the end or who did what.

Still, this was not a bad read. It would be a good beach book.

A great YA Mystery thriller read brought to you in New Orleans. Follow the debutantes as they band together and overcome generations of misshapenings. Friendships form and break but your family is your blood. This book will show you just how far families are willing to go to protect their own blood and keep their reputation in tact.

These teenagers are pretty self resourceful and badass! I was hooked from the first couple chapters. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC #TheDebutantes #OliviaWorley #NetGalley

This was a good story. I enjoyed it. This takes place in New Orleans at a ball. Last year the queen crowned was dead the day after she was picked to be queen and Theo trying to avoid that this year.

Thanks so much to Olivia Worley and St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for the eARC to review. This was my first read by Worley. It was definitely worth the read. I love a good YA mystery book. This is perfect for any YA reader. It’s also based in Nee Orleans how could I not like it. Definitely one to add to your TBR list.

This one was pretty far-fetched. I love a good boarding schools/private school, privileged kids misbehaving plot and I love a unique setting. The Debutantes made me feel like I truly was in the middle of New Orleans with these bratty, rich kids, so 5 stars for atmosphere. BUT, 3 stars for believability. The tangled web was too much for these teens to really have been involved with. And speaking of the teens, I couldn’t tell the three main girls apart for probably the first 30% of this novel. And once I did know who was who, I couldn’t decide if I cared because they put themselves in such precarious positions to “solve the mysteries” which were the potential murder of one girl and the disappearance of another girl who none of the adults seemed worried about. I just couldn’t really suspend my disbelief enough to truly immerse myself.
Again, though, the atmosphere is great and maybe I’m just too old for a YA thriller these days.

While I enjoyed the story overall, sometimes the characters were a bit hard to keep straight. The different POVs were nice except that there were so many of them. Had been a while since I had read a YA book, especially a thriller so this was a nice change of pace. Definitely kept me interested until the end.

Umm...NOLA? Masquerade ball? Murder? Do i need to say more or are you sold? This book was fun, wild, and super twisty and I 10/10 recommend it if you love a good mystery/thriller! I usually figure out who did it but this took me completely off guard. I loved it!

“Growing up in New Orleans, the first thing you have to learn is that we’re all going to be under water one day. ”
Here are reasons to read the YA Mystery book:

Louisiana Debutantes - a group of Louisiana Debutantes get presented in a yearly event called Les Masques
Missing Girl - but right after the ball is hijacked by a masked figure, the queen disappears
Secret Society - this might be a direct connection to the death of last year’s queen, and a secret society with their parents as members

While this book is YA, I felt like this book really leaned into a more adult book on the topic and what happens. It was a fast paced book, but to be honest, sometimes it was hard to keep the characters and their point of views straight at first. They seemed to have the same voice. But I liked the mystery and the twist a lot, so that is one reason I recommend it.

This book was such a fun read. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I genuinely wasn’t able to predict what was going to happen until it all started coming together in the end. I loved all the characters and the setting was perfect. New Orleans is such a mysterious place that I thought it was the perfect backdrop for a thriller.

I loved that we got to see the story from three very different characters' perspectives. Each girl had such a different approach to everything and I think that is what made the chapters mesh together well. As a reader, I was able to see more than just one side of the story which is something I like!

I think this book will be a great addition to the YA thriller genre and I can't wait to see it on shelves in a few months.

I need a sequel! I don’t even know what it would be about but I need to know more about these secret societies and their dirty laundry.

Juicy secrets, lies and drama filled teens make the perfect YA thriller. I loved pretty little liars back in high school and this definitely felt at home in the same genre. I appreciated the different POVs to get all sides of the story and it kept me wanting more till the very end. Definitely a fun read!

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley - thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (Wednesday Books) for my eARC.

Set in the winter of their senior year, these debutatnts in New Orleans, Louisiana have some secrets to uncover. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen McManus!

At the annaul debutante ball, Lily is splattered with blood and mysteriouly disappears. April, Piper, and Vivian think there's more to the story and they set out to uncover the truth. But, as they do the mystery keeps building until the ultimate climax. This book was an easy, fast, and thrilling YA mystery. I found it to be somewhat predictable, but that didnt' stop me from reading with enthusiasm until the very end.

High school seniors aren't exactly known for being the least dramatic individuals, in real life or in literature. In some books, this can be annoying. However, in this book I think it really worked. The young women were very self-centered in many ways that ultimately led to the story being drawn out very natrually. That said, they also formed a common bond and came together for a common goal. I really liked how each of the characters played a role in the story unfolding and it was clear that the author was careful to consider this in planning.

I would highly recommend this novel and I am excited I had the opportunity to read it!

3.5 stars

The Debutantes is a decent YA murder mystery novel. I really enjoyed the setting (the author is from New Orleans, too) and backdrop of using a Debutante ball. However, I felt like the plot was fairly predictable and wrapped up a little too neatly in the last few chapters.

I'm not a huge fan of multiple POVs, especially when the characters hedge that they have a hidden secret that they don't want anyone to know...it seems like a cheap device to artificially build suspense, and the tactic was used quite a few times.

Ultimately, this wasn't the best YA mystery I've ever read, but it was still enjoyable. Fans of Karen McManus will probably like it!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I can already tell this is a book that will sit with me for a while to come. On the surface, it’s a YA murder mystery, but a few chapters in it becomes apparent it’s more than just that. Set against the alluring backdrop of New Orleans, a city rife with dichotomies, The Debutantes is a coming of age story about power, friendship and the relationships that tie our society together. It’s all, quite blatantly, about what it’s like to be a woman in the South, to grow up in a society where once you get married, your name all but disappears. Invitations addressed to Mrs. Husband’s full name are commonplace.

As a girl from the South, I have a special love for books set there, especially ones like this that address the history as is clashes with modernity. To some, the whole premise of this book might seem fantastical. But as someone who attended a pre debutante cotillion in high school and has seen many of her peers return for the full ball in college, I could see all too well how such a kingdom could be built. I admire how Olivia Worley deftly presents, through the Queen and her Maids, several of the results that come from such a set up. And with the twist at the end, as a reader I’m left wondering if the moral of the story is that some roots and traditions in society are too deep to be changed, almost as if you can burn down the facade, but the bones remain.

I was so excited to be chosen for this book not only because I found the cover and storyline interesting but also because I was about to travel to New Orleans so it was very timely! New Orleans is one of my favorite cities so it was fun to read a book set there. I felt the author did a great job setting up the story and immersing us in the behind the scenes world of NOLA, a world that tourists and many locals are not a part of. And although I had some suspicions, she kept me guessing about everyone's part in the mystery and how it all would play out in the end. The book kept me invested and entertained until the last page. I would definitely read another book by this author!