This book was like Pretty Little Liars for girlies who read Holly Jackson, and I absolutely ate it up!
My only critique is that I wish the romances weren’t so glossed over, but it made sense since there was so much going on plot-wise.
Overall, the twists and turns were so juicy that I did stay up until 2am to finish it because I could not put it down

Can true monsters really walk among us behind a mask of normalcy? Can there be deeper secrets rippling underground in a secret society, known only by a select few? Olivia Worley set out to uncover the truth in THE DEBUTANTES.

Ah…Mardi Gras, that special time each year when the debtantes are being presented into society at the Les Masques Ball. When Margot Landry, last year’s Queen was found dead the day after her reign ended, a pall was lingering over this year’s celebrations. When a masked jester disrupts the party in a shocking act, tongues are wagging. Then, this year’s Queen, Lily LeBlanc disappears on the night of her coronation. She sent a message to 3 of her maiden court to meet her the following morning. When April Whitman, former frenemy, Vivian Atkins, soccer star and Piper Johnson, Lily’s boyfriend Wyatt’s twin sister arrive at the meeting, Lilly is nowhere to be found. What did Lily want with them? Why did she summon them and then no-show? When it becomes apparent that Lily has disappeared her family contacts Marty Rutherford from the local police to investigate her disappearance. The girls however decide to investigate on their own, and that means working together to uncover what is beneath the surface of their own hometown.

The girls are convinced that the jester was sending a message and they set out to find out who he truly is. Along the way they are introduced to an underground secret society. While the girls try to infiltrate Pierot, they receive help from unexpected sources while being threatened with their own secrets revealed if they don’t stop investigating.

I really enjoyed this YA thriller. Olivia Worley always seems to hit the vernacular of the teenage years and this lead to a very enjoyable read for me. I could feel the tension rising as the girls.’ secrets became known and their race to find out where Lily is/was and what truly happened to Margot Landry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

I have been trying to read more YA books lately to find appropriate books to put in my classroom library., so thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for sending me the e-arc of this book. I love the setting of this book. It made me feel like I was right there in New Orleans. There were many twists and turns in this book. Some twists were not so shocking while others got me. I loved the Pretty Little Liar vibes the Debutantes were giving. Very entertaining! I think my students would love it.

It’s been a year since the previous year’s debutantes came out at New Orleans’s Les Masques Ball. It was decided to go ahead with this year’s ball, even though last year’s Queen met an untimely death the night after she was crowned at the ball. Margot Landry had taken an overdose of drugs, and while it was very sad, she had been known as a wild child. This year’s Queen will be Lily LeBlanc, and some of her Maids are concerned about what could happen.

April is a photographer and socially awkward, not thrilled about the whole debutante culture, but she’s agreed to be a Maid to make her father happy. Vivian is a popular girl and a fierce soccer player, and Piper is the twin sister to Lily’s boyfriend Wyatt. They are hoping to get through the Ball with no incidents, but when the Jesters come out to dance before the Queen and the Maids, everything changes. A video of Margot is played over the Queen and her court, ending with Lily being slashed, bright red staining her white dress.

The red turned out to be paint, and Lily was not harmed, but everyone couldn’t help but wonder if the stunt was about Margot’s death. The Ball breaks up and everyone leaves, but Lily texts April, Vivian, and Piper the next morning to meet up. The Maids all show up, but their Queen never comes. The three teenagers decide it’s time they try to find out what happened to Lily, and they wonder if the previous Queen, Margot, really overdosed the year before or if she was killed.

Their investigation takes them through the history of the balls, even to the warehouse where the Mardi Gras floats are stored. They find out about a secret society where powerful men in the city meet up to celebrate their success and enjoy the company of younger women. And when the girls find out that not only had Margot been to a feast at the secret society, but Lily had been there also, asking about Margot. Piper, Vivian, and April know that Margot’s death and Lily’s disappearance are tied to that secret society, but going up against such powerful men will not be easy. And with each of the Maids having potentially life-altering secrets of her own, will they find a way to bring the powerful men to justice, or will they just destroy their own futures?

The Debutantes is a fascinating young adult thriller steeped in the history and traditions of New Orleans. It’s about the fight against classism, sexism, and all the judgments society is quick to saddle young women with. As these women try to save their friend from the evil that surrounds them, they are also fighting to protect their families and carve out pathways to their futures.

I found The Debutantes maddening. I felt for these young women, and I enjoyed going on this journey them, even when they were making bad decisions for themselves. But I struggled with the misogyny they faced. I grew up with some of that, and it still enrages me, so there were scenes in this book that were so frustrating and difficult to read. But it’s still a valuable story, and the way the women stand up for themselves and for each other is heart-warming and redemptive. I do recommend this book, but know that if you care at all about women, you will be very angry at some of these scenes and have trouble getting through them.

Egalleys for The Debutantes were provided by Wednesday Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Ok,admit it. This cover had you stopping to check out this book. It sells THE DEBUTANTES before you even get a chance to read the synopsis. The story opens at a ball during Mardi Gras. But not just any ball, it's Les Masques Ball, the ceremony all of the young local women want to win. Quenn of the Les Masques is a crown everyone of them craves. Last year's Queen met an untimely end. This year's Queen is determined nothing will ruin her day.....until a jester interrupts the party and makes threats that leave them shaken. But all is not lost, Queen Lily contacts three of her court to meet her the next day. They will show, Lily will not. This is the back story that will send these three young women on a search to find what is left of the Ball's magic. Olivia Worley has spun the story into a tension filled atmosphere where no one can be trusted and what you thought you knew.......well, you didn't. The story travels at light speed and when the brakes stop, the end is not even close to what you guessed. WOW!!!!

Instantly gripping, "The Debutantes" is quick and engaging young adult thriller. It definitely gives me nostalgic 90s vibes, reminiscent of the many thriller/horror authors of the day. I will definitely be putting Olivia Worley on my list of authors to read more of in the future.

**Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.**

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this novel.

The pinnacle of some young women's lives is to be a part of the debutante ball in New Orleans. Last year's debutante queen, Margot, was a wild child who was found dead soon after being crowned. This year, everyone is hoping for the best but then the ball is taken over by someone who wants to disrupt the ball and spoil the debut of the 3 debutantes as well as this year's queen, Lily. Then Lily disappears, forcing the 3 debutantes to band together to solve what happens.

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley, is a YA Mystery Thriller. It really captures what I think New Orleans is like, although I have no idea about the world of debutante balls and the rich. It's a fast read and fairly enjoyable.

The Les Masques Ball is the biggest event of Mardi Gras season for New Orleans' elite. Last year's queen, Margot Landry, was found dead under mysterious circumstances, casting a shadow over the event. Lily LeBlanc, this year's queen, is expected to restore the ball's reputation—until the night descends into chaos when a masked jester sabotages the ceremony, covering Lily in fake blood. Soon after, Lily goes missing, leaving three of the debutantes in her court—Vivian, Piper, and April—scrambling for answers. As the girls investigate, they uncover hidden rivalries, buried lies, and shocking connections, all pointing to a dark truth: what happened to Margot may not have been an accident, and Lily could be next.

This was an addictive book that perfectly captured the vibrant yet dark energy of New Orleans. The mix of Mardi Gras traditions, old-money secrets, and cult-like twists makes the story stand out, with a setting that feels as electric as the characters. While it takes a little time to get used to each girl's voice, their different personalities and growing friendships while investigating make the mystery even more engaging. It would be perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars or One of Us Is Lying! Overall this book, while predictable at times, was filled with many twists that kept me guessing until the end and the setting really makes it unique! If you love fast-paced mysteries with drama, betrayal, and unexpected alliances, this one's definitely worth reading! I gave it 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

I chose this book because I love New Orleans. It is a city with such history, rich culture and traditions. The story is fast-paced, and even though it's a young adult novel it's not so teen-y as to turn off older readers.
But, the longer I read it started to feel like a hard jab at New Orleans culture and tradition... I couldn't really tell if the author was playing up what she feels is the darker side of tradition for the sake of a good fiction story or truly trying to expose what she believes to be an ugly truth.
Left me a bit jarred really.
Still a good story overall.
For any parents looking for content warnings there's quite a bit of language, underage drinking (condoned and loosely supervised by adults), and basically what amounts to child abuse in psychological and physical forms. There are no graphic descriptions but the implications are very clear.

It’s the last Wednesday of October, so you know what that means. Book review time! This month, I went with a more traditional YA thriller mystery type thing. The Debutantes by Olivia Worley was released on the 29th (Tuesday) from St. Martin’s Press. As usual, I must thank them and NetGalley for access to an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Let’s do it!

The Debutantes follows Vivian, Piper, April and Lily as they each struggle to come to terms with their places in life, the mistakes they’ve made, and the traditions they’ve inherited from the elite of New Orleans. The Les Masques Ball is the event of the year where teenage girls are paraded in front of their parents and the rest of the city’s elite. The Queen and her Maids. This year is no exception, despite the fact that last year’s queen died. When a protest takes place at the event, tensions run high. But when Lily, this year’s queen, goes missing, the adults are oddly unconcerned. A text from Lily to Vivian, Piper, and April urges the trio to discover the truth behind her disappearance. And what does it have to do with the death of the previous queen?

The plot ends up being super convoluted. There’s the secret society type club that everyone knows about. Then, there’s a secret society within the not-so-secret society that’s just for the white dudes. It’s basically a bunch of dudes in power that do weird stuff in front of barely legal girls and who also help each other cover shit up when one of them does something illegal. Yeah. It’s not a great club. Anyway, the plot consists of kidnapping, murder, attempted murder, harassment, blackmail, etc. It’s not bad, it’s just too much. And the ending is one of those unsatisfying ones where some people get off without any repercussions because they’re rich and no one will talk about their involvement. I know that’s how it would happen in real life, but I don’t read books to see what would happen in real life. I want the spoiled little rich girls who claim they hate their lives to actually rat out the people in power. They only do a half-assed job of it though, so only two people get their comeuppances. Boo.

The characters were all pretty unrelatable. The parts of their personalities that should be relatable feel forced and unnatural. The stuff that feels natural is the rich girl privilege. Which is fine. Lean into it. Don’t force the other stuff. Lily obviously doesn’t hate her position of power, so stop telling me she does. She’s manipulative and gross. Let her be herself. Vivian’s weird lust for Wyatt doesn’t even exist except to forward an unnecessary plotline. Either weave it throughout the book or leave it out. Piper just feels like a caricature. April is probably the best character and honestly, this should have been her story. Get rid of Lily and just make it about April figuring out what happened to Margot. But I’m sure younger people who are still learning about people will like most of these characters.

The writing isn’t bad, but it’s not great either. The book starts out too slow then rushes through the ending. I enjoyed the descriptions. That’s about it.

Ultimately, The Debutantes wasn’t my cup of tea. A lot of my issues with the book are just me problems. I won’t go looking for other books by Worley, but if I stumble across one that sounds interesting, I’d probably pick it up.

Overall, I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. Two and a half, really. If you like convoluted YA thrillers, check it out. Otherwise, it’s just kind of meh.

This is a very well-written YA thriller with great characters and an amazing mystery to uncover. The setting in New Orleans is also one of my faves for thrillers. Three friends—April, Vivian, and Piper—are on a quest to find out what happened to their friend Lily who disappeared after being crowned Queen of the Les Masques Ball.

This book was so good. As I read more, I felt like I was watching a movie. After one queen was found dead a year ago, this year's debutant ball is filled with tension. After a minor mishap, everything seems to be okay, but something happens suddenly. Three girls will have to work together to determine what is going on and if it has to do anything with the last queen's death. There were so many characters that you felt like something was off about them. Then others made you believe they were completely innocent, and it was unbelievable they were not. It was such a thrilling read from start to finish.

I really enjoyed this book! It gave me Pretty Little Liars vibes which was so fun. The book was told through multiple POVs which was fun. It definitely kept me interested in finding out what happened next. I did get a little lost in the beginning, having to remind myself who each POV was and how they were related to the character that went missing, but once I got that down I really enjoyed it. 

It surprised me with the twists at the very end! There were a couple that I guessed, but overall a lot the twists I was surprised by. I loved the setting of New Orleans and was able to get a good picture in my mind while reading. I also really enjoyed the debutante storyline and culture, I found it fun to read about. 

Overall, the book was a fun fast-paced ya thriller with a lot of twists and would be a fun read  around Halloween of even around Mardi Gras, since the book the set around that holiday. If you’re a fan of Pretty Little Liars or love a fun mystery this is the book for you!

Such a fun read! Right from the start I was hooked and could not out it down. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns. This was highly addictive and I can't wait to read more by this author now.

I had to restart this book three times. Not because it isn’t good because it definitely is, but because I was attempting to read it at the same time as I was reading a few other books and that was a mistake. There are quite a few characters and with some much going on it was easy to lose track of things. But once I focused in, I definitely ended up enjoying this one. It’s been years since I’ve been there but as anyone who has ever been there knows, New Orleans leaves a lasting impression. There is just no place like it (good and bad) and makes for a great setting as does the backdrop of the ball. Interesting characters and a twisty storyline kept me entertained until the very end. Definitely recommend for those that enjoy YA thrillers. Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-debutantes-olivia-worley/1144473221?ean=9781250881465&bvnotificationId=13daab1d-9637-11ef-87f2-0affe0b622c1&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/323218111

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

I had no preconceived notions coming in, and this was better than I thought it would be. Nothing to earthshaking or different, but the New Orleans Debutante Ball connection was very different and interesting. I was amazed that this still occurs in the US, but then again, NOLA is it's own world. The different POVs (4, I think) were a little hard for me to sort out - I'll blame (non-existent) early onset Alzheimer's. Getting past that, this kept my interest and was pretty well-written.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

In my creative writing classes for high school students, we talk about social commentary quite a bit and we talk about how authors can use thrillers and horror stories to make their points. The Debutantes by Olivia Worley fits that criteria through it's peak into a world of extreme privilege. What makes the story even more compelling is its New Orleans setting. Olivia Worley has created a cast of badass, smart characters and a story full of twists and turns.

Thank you to NetGalley, Olivia Worley, and St. Martin's Press for the eBook. This is an exhilarating suspense thriller filled with cat-and-mouse tension. Just when you think you've grasped the twist, another revelation emerges that will leave you reeling!

A dark look into New Orleans Mardi Gras and Debutante culture!

We have three main characters here that all revolve around Lily, the debutante queen. Vivian, her best friend; Piper, her boyfriend's sister; and April, someone she used to be sorta friends with. The day after the debutante ball, Lily goes missing and these three take it upon themselves to investigate.

This was dark, twisty, and a very fun time. I saw a few twists coming but there were some I definitely didn't! It took me a minute to get all the characters sorted but once I did, it was easy to follow and get sucked in.

This is one of those books that I felt a very certain kind of anxious that I only get when young women are put into dangerous situations with unpredictable men. I was on the edge of my seat during some chapters, desperately hoping our trio might have some luck on their side and make it out okay.

Overall, this book did not disappoint! If you are a fan of Pretty Little Liars, I definitely think you would enjoy this! A solid 4 stars!

Thank you to @netgalley for this ARC!

I am a major fan of YA thrillers & this did not disappoint. After the disappearance of the new Les Masques Ball, three debutantes are on their own investigation to find out what happened to her. Obviously, this book is full of twists, turns, secrets, and all things New Orleans. I really liked that you get three different perspectives, though it did take me a few chapters to distinguish between them. And the plot twist in the "Five Months Later" section... well done. If you enjoyed Pretty Little Liars, I think you’ll enjoy this just as much as I did!

Thank you NetGalley, Olivia Worley, St. Martin's Press, & Wednesday Books for an arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!