The Debutantes by Olivia Worley was my most highly anticipated read of 2024.
I loved her debut People to Follow. And she absolutely nailed her second novel.
The storyline and the setting of this tale immediately drew me in and held me captive right to the very end.
The writing style and the character depth as well as the storytelling made me addicted to this book.
The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle.
A great story that was utterly compelling me very entertaining.
This is a must read YA thriller!

Thank You NetGalley and Wednesday Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Give me all the books set in New Orleans. The city itself felt like a character in this book. This was such a fun YA thriller and I really enjoyed uncovering the secrets hiding behind the Debutantes world.

The story revolves around Lily, the latest Les Masques Ball Queen who goes missing immediately after the ball. Coincidentally Margot, the previous year’s Queen died right after hers. Now 3 Maids, Vivian, Piper and April, an unlikely trio of collaborators start their own investigation into what happened to Lily.

This story looks at a darker side of this Southern “tradition”. Beyond pretty girls in pretty dresses. It was full of twist and turns but still managed to explore some deeper themes - the sexism, racism, classism woven into some of these traditions. I also enjoyed the multiple points of view and getting to know Piper, April and Vivian. If you’re looking for a twisty, bingeable YA thriller, I definitely recommend you check out The Debutantes.

Thanks to Wednesday Books, St. Martin’s Press
& NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A spectacular social event, a murder, and four girls with secrets all connected to the dead girl... and now the killer might be someone they know. This was a murder mystery told from various POVS all in first person. The mystery jumps in time and you follow along with various characters as they discuss their own memories and motivations and try to solve the mystery. I wish I could say I liked it more however it just fell flat for me. the story being told in 1st person with multiple POVS made it hard to differentiate the voices of the characters and if I'm being honest I did lose who I was reading from POV's multiple times. The mystery was okay for me but the actual format of the story made it hard to follow along with and invest in. While this wasn't for me I think it would make a fun mystery read for someone else.

Release Date: October 29,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book was dedicated to New Orleans, and Worley captured this city perfectly. I visited last year for a wedding, and it was such a unique locale. I’ve never been anywhere like it. There was so much history and wealth in some parts of town, and then a few streets over it was run-down and a place you didn’t want to be after dark.

While this book focused on more of the sinister, sordid parts of the city, culture and its people, you can tell the author loves it, jagged edges and all. She infused such a strong sense of place into this book. Coupled with the dark, almost theatrical tone and predatory themes, the whole atmosphere worked really well for me and was my favorite part of this book!

The characters had their own secrets and less than admirable actions, too; however, they were all really similar to each other. Because the voice didn’t change much between them and they all had pretty similar backgrounds, I couldn’t keep track of whose POV I was reading until well over halfway through the book. They did eventually become more distinct, but I wish they’d had more unique voices from the jump.

If you’re a fan of Pretty Little Liars, I think you’ll really like this one. It had a fast pace with some edge-of-your-seat moments that I didn’t see coming. The ending did leave me a bit underwhelmed. It felt rushed, chaotic and too outlandish to me, but I can’t deny that there were a ton of surprises in how it all came together!

The first 80% gets four stars from me with the last 20% feeling more like a three star read, so I'm settling on 3.5 stars. But I do still think it’s worth the read for the setting alone! The New Orleans backdrop really brought this story to life in so many ways and kept me hooked throughout the book.

I’ll definitely be trying more from this author in the future!

The Debutantes - Olivia Worley
Rating - 3/5
Setting - New Orleans
Pub Date - 10/29/24

Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. If you like stories about cults, the wealthy up to no good, and YA thrillers, this one's for you. The story follows three young girls, Piper, April, and Vivian who are "maids" at a coming of age Debutante Ball. All three girls are connected by the year's queen, Lily, rich, beautiful, and influential.

After the ball, Lily goes missing, sending each of the girls clues to where she disappeared to. The story follows the three maids as they uncover inner secrets of their families and the society in which they've grown up, all while trying to find out what happened to Lily.

I liked this story-- it was very well written, fast paced, and a good read. The author didn't shock me, which is why i rated this as an average read.

My thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martins Publishing for the ARC of "The Debutantes" in exchange for an honest review.
Welcome to 'Pretty Little Liars' = New Orleans division. And there's troubles and danger ahead for four of the 'Maids' who make their high society debut at one the city's most prestigious Debutante Balls.
It's no easy event for the participating Debs, especially the one crowned Queen. Margo, the last one, ended up dead of a drug overdose. (Or did she?)) And newly crowned Lily has her reign interrupted by a costume Jester who 'Carrie's' the party by spilling fake blood on her. More mystery, anxiety and surprise reveals ensue when Lilly disappears. and the mysterious Jester torments three Maids in her orbit - Vivian, April and Piper.
Our dynamic trio, each of them with separate ties to Lily, take it upon themselves to get to the bottom of her vanishing, even though it puts each of them at risk at having their own deeply hidden secrets laid out in public.
For everyone who could never get enough 'Pretty L.L." seasons to satisfy them, this one's a far-fetched but enthralling adrenalin rush from start to finish. And what's even better is author Olivia Worley drenching her thriller in New Orleans lore and atmosphere. Her four vividly portrayed Debutantes aren't just up against common criminality. fueled by raging teen hormones - they find themselves facing no less than Patriarchal evil handed down through centuries of New Orleans history.......a philosophy and mindset that treats women and girls as subservient objects.....and completely disposable should they threaten long honored traditions.
This all leads to a spectacular, melodramatic and, literally overheated finale that cries out for a film or series adaptation. Over-the-top and borderline silly, but for these girls and their adversaries, I wouldn't want it any other way. A pure fun read that keeps you captivated until you're sure you've uncovered every last pretty little secret.

The Debutantes delivers a glittering yet eerie dive into New Orleans high society, where secrets lurk behind every Mardi Gras mask. Olivia Worley’s YA thriller centers on three debutantes—Vivian, Piper, and April—who are forced into an uneasy alliance when their Queen, Lily, vanishes after the Les Masques Ball, a year after another debutante, Margot, met a mysterious end. The night of the ball, a sinister figure in a Jester costume hijacks the evening, sparking fresh fears of foul play.

Worley’s vivid portrayal of New Orleans’s elite social scene is mesmerizing, weaving the city’s rich traditions into a dark, twist-filled plot. The three main characters have layered backstories, and their unlikely camaraderie adds depth as they untangle a web of lies that might connect Lily's disappearance to Margot's death. The Jester’s haunting presence adds suspense, heightening the stakes as the girls race to expose the truth before another tragedy strikes.

While the mystery keeps you hooked, the pace occasionally slows, but fans of thrilling YA dramas will appreciate this darkly glamorous tale. Perfect for readers who love Jessica Goodman and stories like The Agathas.

Title: The Debutantes  
Author:  Olivia Worley        
Genre:   Mystery/thriller, YA      
Rating:  4 out of 5

For the New Orleans elite, the Les Masques Ball is sure to be the social event of the season—if they can avoid another dead Queen. When debutante Margot Landry was found dead the morning after her reign at last year’s ball, it was a tragedy, but not a shocking one. Margot was a wild child with a self-destructive streak, nothing like this year’s Queen, Lily LeBlanc. With a perfectly poised debutante on the throne, everything is going according to plan…until the ball is hijacked by a mysterious figure in a Jester costume. That night, Lily sends a text to three of the Maids on her royal court—her best friend, Vivian; her boyfriend's sister, Piper; and April, her former frenemy—asking them all to meet the next morning. But Lily never shows up.

On the surface, these three debutantes don’t have anything in common except their exclusive private school and their ties to Les Masques. But soon, they realize why Lily brought them together: something dark is lurking beneath the glamorous surface of the debutante world, and it might be the reason she disappeared. And the further the girls dig, the more they begin to suspect that Margot's death may not have been an accident—and that Lily may be next. When the Jester starts threatening to expose their own secrets, this unlikely trio must team up to uncover the monsters behind the Mardi Gras masks—before they’re left with another dead debutante.

Not going to lie, this creeped me out on several levels. I used to live outside of New Orleans, so this, while fictional, did not seem completely outside the realm of possibility to me. The writing is solid in this and the setting was vividly done and did justice to New Orleans itself. Debutante culture was both creepy and infuriating, but I thought the mystery and the twists and turns were well-done, keeping me guessing until the end.

Olivia Worley was born in New Orleans but now lives in NYC. The Debutantes is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

The Debutantes offers an intriguing young adult mystery set against the vibrant backdrop of New Orleans and its elite Mardi Gras traditions. When debutante Lily LeBlanc, the season’s Queen, vanishes the morning after a masked ball—echoing the tragic death of last year’s Queen, Margot Landry—her friends Vivian, Piper, and April find themselves drawn into a dangerous game to uncover the truth. The mystery thickens as the trio realizes Margot's death might not have been accidental, and a sinister figure known as the Jester threatens to reveal their darkest secrets.

The story’s setting within New Orleans’ exclusive debutante culture brings an exciting and unique flair, blending the allure of Mardi Gras with dark, suspenseful undertones. The multiple points of view add depth, though they can sometimes be tricky to follow. Each character’s perspective enriches the mystery, though remembering whose viewpoint is in play can occasionally break the story’s flow.

While the plot has some predictable twists, it remains engaging, and the suspense keeps building as Vivian, Piper, and April work to unmask the Jester. I found the book compelling, especially as I don’t typically read YA novels. The combination of tradition, secrets, and suspense makes *The Debutantes' Masquerade* an enjoyable read, especially for fans of young adult mysteries where teens must take matters into their own hands.

A great YA mystery! Kept me guessing with many twists and turns. I enjoyed the character development and the story line as well. A book perfect for fans of the Agatha’s??? Sign me up!
I really enjoyed this book.

Thanks to Wednesday Books, and the author, Olivia Worley for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Debutantes!

Such a fun, exciting, frustrating, and dramatic story. I didn't love all of the characters but this was YA at its best.

thanks publisher and netgalley. all thoughts and opinions are my own

somewhat predictable at times but still a fun YA thriller . I loved the setting of New Orleans and enjoyed the three young ladies learning to trust each other and work together to find their missing classmate

My rating 3.5 ⭐️

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley, I think my only issue with this book is when I finish a book I’d like to be like OMG or wow or woe didn’t see that coming and I had none of that when the book was over. Now that I’ve gotten that out the way I do want to say the author did a great job portraying New Orleans its traditions colloquialisms and everything people love about our fair city with one exception. It was win the main character said she wanted to move somewhere where she could hold a girls hand and not raise eyebrows. I mean come on I had to ants and an uncle with ever-changing partners that were also my uncles in the 70s it’s not called the big easy for nothing I’m sure in the little bitty hicktowns you may get that but not in New Orleans proper I just found it crazy and a wrong portrayal of such a great town. Wow this is a long review and I’ve said nothing about the book as far as the book goes I think for younger readers this is a great book I think the more discerning readers and those who want a little mystery with their mystery it won’t be for them but I would recommend for teenagers or very young adults. #NetGalley, #OliviaWorley, #TheDebutantes,#NewOrleans,s

I really enjoyed this book and loved the way it all played out. It has multiple POVs which was so fun to read because everyone is hiding something as they try to figure out where their missing friend has gone. It discusses some heavier topics such as death and murder so that may be a trigger for some. I loved that we see a friendship form throughout the book between all the characters, even if it seems very unlikely they would be friends. Overall, the plot was very fast paced and twisty and I did NOT see the ending coming!

A book packed with secrets; the first paragraph hooked me right in. We have some teens from successful families, young women being marked as Maids and Queens at a debutante ball, and secret societies, and all of this is happening in New Orleans. This book is packed with teen drama, old crusty white men in this weird secret societies and the people involved which was WILD, and ending was a tad eerie, I was for it lol, I liked this book.

The Debutantes is set in New Orleans and as wild as that city is, so is this story!
One of the city's Debutantes dies and a year later another is missing. Their friends start searching the city to uncover all the secrets that people want kept hidden.
I couldn't put this book down. It was fast paced and the story kept moving along (which I loved). The only thing I found difficult was all the POVs. At first it was difficult to keep track of which girl was now telling the story.

Thank you St. Martin's Publishing Group and Netgalley for this ARC.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an e-ARC of The Debutantes in exchange for an honest review.

Taking place in New Orleans, it’s debutante season and most of the girls are excited. There is some suspense in the air, as last year’s queen mysteriously died soon after the ball. When this year’s queen goes missing her three friends begin to work out what happened and discover far more secrets than they expected.

I love the high school, mystery genre. It’s very fun and can be nostalgic. The characters also usually fit into some sort of mold that is entertaining but fitting! All of this was present in this novel and I liked the three main characters. They were fully realized and unique, it reminded me a little of Pretty Little Liars!

The mystery in this was alright. I didn’t predict the ending, which is always great. I did find this book felt a little anticlimactic. Everyone’s big secrets were revealed and I was like “that’s it?”. After that, I found myself just a little disappointed reading through the rest of the book.
It took a little while for the action to pick up and I never felt that the characters were in any real harm. That suspense was missing. Maybe I’ve been reading too many wild horror books lately and just wanted a little more from this.

Overall though, if you want a little mystery novel taking place in New Orleans with some great characters I recommend picking this one up!

I was worried this book would be to YA, although it is YA I enjoyed the story. Overall the book has good twists and turns. The ending was unexpected. I also enjoyed the New Orleans setting of the book. It's a good mystery thriller with a Southern charm.

You can’t put lipstick on a pig.

In the bayou of weird that is New Orleans, the debutante balls with their Queen and Maids are some of the most culty and backwards traditions you may hear about. Taking place during Carnival (leading up to Mardi Gras), debutante balls present young women dressed in all white to society so that their Queen can accompany the King of their Krewe (and yes, it’s spelled that way for a decidedly racist reason) on their parade float. It’s misogynistic, classist, and rather gross, all things considered.

If there’s one thing I enjoy reading about in any book, it’s culty stuff. The Debutantes is a great mix of fast-paced whodunit mystery and suspense thriller with three different POVs told in first-person. There’s anxious April, a photographer who is great at observation but not so good with people; headstrong Vivian, who was the Queen’s best friend but didn’t see this coming; and intelligent Piper, top of their class and the biggest believer in the debutante traditions out of all of them. They’re all hiding something, but all of them are also invested in discovering the answers to three questions: Where did Lily LeBlanc disappear to? What really happened to Margot Landry? Are the two events connected?

My usual issue with books in this genre is either pacing or romantic subplots that feel extraneous, given the storyline. Thankfully, Olivia Worley doesn’t fall into either trap. The book starts off like any normal book would, but it takes off before you’re even 10% of the way in and doesn’t truly slow down in any substantial way until the end. While there is a hint of romance in one character’s subplot it’s nominal and mentioned only in passing, which I’m thankful for. A lot of YA books I’ve read this year haven’t passed the Bechdel Test (despite the amount of female authors or the amount of female characters), but this book passes it in spades as the characters talk about their families, friendships, futures, fears, and feelings. They see issues and look for solutions together. They see problems and try to solve them. They also fight, like teenage girls are wont to. They are stressed out, exhausted, and having to deal with more than any other teenage girl usually would because the adults in their lives aren’t doing their jobs.

Overall, it was a fun YA thriller read, though I kind of wish it had come out closer to Mardi Gras. I also wasn’t quite sold on the ending. April’s storyline kind of fell flat for me towards the end when it started out so promising, while Piper’s turned out to be more profound than I thought at first. It had its flaws but I’d still recommend it.

I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: YA Fiction/YA Mystery/YA Thriller

The Debutantes had me hooked from the first page! As a huge fan of Pretty Little Liars, I was instantly drawn to the secrets, lies, and hidden agendas swirling around New Orleans’ elite. The mix of glamour and danger at the Les Masques Ball makes for a thrilling backdrop, and I felt like I was right there at Mardi Gras, caught up in the sparkle and suspense.

I loved how real and flawed the characters felt—Vivian, Piper, and April each brought something unique to the story, and their unlikely friendship was just as intriguing as the mystery itself. The twists kept coming, and every time I thought I had things figured out, the story threw in another surprise. By the end, I was so invested that I didn’t want to put it down.

If you’re into suspenseful thrillers with strong friendships, dark secrets, and that edge-of-your-seat feeling, The Debutantes won’t disappoint.