The Debutantes

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The Debutantes
Jessica Goodman meets The Agathas in this taut, twisty YA thriller set in the glittering world of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, where secrets--and bodies--never stay buried.

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

Editor reviews

2 reviews
intriguing YA thriller
Overall rating
 
3.0
Plot
 
3.0
Characters
 
3.0
Writing Style
 
3.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
THE DEBUTANTES is an intriguing YA thriller set among the New Orleans elite. After the previous queen of the debutante ball was found dead, this year's is under increased scrutiny, so when the new queen goes missing, her friends must do whatever they can to prevent the same fate from befalling her.

What I loved: The setting was fantastic, and I loved this deeper look into debutante balls, the wealthy, and the things that lurk under the surface. The story does a good job of diving into these themes even while the thriller is driving the story forward. The characters were compelling enough that I wanted to follow their stories and figure out what was really going on throughout the story. There were also some really great twists along the way.

What left me wanting more: I found the beginning of the book a bit confusing with the different characters and points-of-view, keeping everything straight. It made for a bit of a slower read, as early on, I needed to keep going back to remind myself of who is who and such. It did move more smoothly as they began to differentiate more through the story and the later parts of the book were really engaging.

Final verdict: Overall, THE DEBUTANTES was an intriguing YA thriller with some engaging themes and good twists.
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Do you want to be a debutante?
Overall rating
 
3.0
Plot
 
3.0
Characters
 
3.0
Writing Style
 
3.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
The Debutantes was a fast-paced thriller that shows the dark and mysterious side of secret societies and the debutante world in New Orleans, filled with these elements as a part of history and culture. The author knows New Orleans – not just the touristy places but also the society and history. The Krewes are the ultimate in rich people's not-so-secret societies, and I love what the author does with them—told from several of the girls' perspectives as they try to find Lily and what truly happened to Margot the night of the ball. This book had so many twists and turns that I was truly surprised by the ending. The mystery is taut and compelling, and the setting is eerie and vivid! If you are looking for a mystery/ thriller that is more on the young adult side. I would highly recommend this book.
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