Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
September 2022: 3.75 stars
The ending kept going and going and going. I thought it would never end. But I really enjoyed the rest! Not sure if I'll reread the second book though.
July 2017: 4 stars
The ending kept going and going and going. I thought it would never end. But I really enjoyed the rest! Not sure if I'll reread the second book though.
July 2017: 4 stars
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is a wopping 560 pages. I alternated between listing to it on audiobook and reading my physical edition. The writing was easy to read; not too flowery, but not too plain either. My favorite thing about the prose was the choice to include bits of history and traditions of New Orleans into the story, it made the story feel more authentic. I feel like this probably really helped readers not from or around the New Orleans area get a better understanding of the city.
Something that I did want to mention is that there is a lot of french throughout the book. I think that could make it a little more challenging for some readers. Though, the bits of french didn’t seem to be vital to the story, they were more of a character trait.
One of the things that impacted me the most was at the very beginning of the novel when Adele and her father are traveling through Mississippi back to Louisiana. I’ve been through a lot of hurricane’s in my lifetime, and that includes Katrina. (I know most people have heard of that storm.) The description of the destruction that hurricane’s cause is described perfectly. For me though, I think it was a little more chilling to think about what it might look like because I have seen the devastation fist hand. I don’t have to imagine, the images come from my memories.
From what I can tell this plot is meant to be a mystery. It was pretty refreshing. It’s nothing new(as far as a mystery being part of a paranormal themed novel), but something about how it was done really appealed to me. I would classify this book as paranormal romance. The paranormal aspects of this novel were interlaced with the normal world. So in modern day New Orleans we have magic, witches, and vampires.
The paranormal aspects in this book fit the setting perfectly. It doesn’t seem forced at all because of all the legends about witches, ghosts, vampires, and so on that we grow up with in Louisiana (A few of them are even mentioned in this novel). Let me just say, there are a lot of myth’s and legends in Louisiana.
The romance was not the main focus of the novel which I really appreciated. All too often I see the romances in YA given the drivers seat and the main plot rides shotgun. I think the two were woven together quiet nicely. However, I am not a big fan of the whole love triangle trope that was present in this novel. I ended up liking both love interests as characters though, in spite or my grudge against love triangles. (Which is obviously a personal hang up.)
CHARACTERS
I want to start off by giving Alys Arden a round of applause. I had no trouble at all telling the characters apart. They all had their own unique voice and they also had their own internal struggles which made them very rounded characters.
Adele: I originally thought Adele was going to become a very needy damsel in distress character. I was pleasantly surprised with her. She turned out to be a very self reliant character.
Desiree: I originally disliked Desiree, but she ended up becoming a really great character. At first she came off as rude and stuck up, but as the story went on she became more down to Earth with a hint of sass.
Issac: Everything I want to say about Issac is pretty much a spoiler. So I’ll just say this. He’s a talented artist with a secret and a good heart. One thing that did annoy me that is that Adele’s father always wanted Issac to “keep her safe” which irritated me a bit, because I felt like he was saying that she wasn’t able to take care of herself, but I get it, New Orleans is dangerous at the point in time the story is told. Everyone should have a buddy, but I don’t think she needed a protector.
Nicco: To me, Nicco, seemed like a very conflicted and mysterious character. In a way it almost felt like he didn’t like who/what he was That really drew me to him.
REPRESENTATION
There wasn’t a lot of sexual or race diversity from what I could tell. However, some is better than none.
Desiree, who is a main character is black. At least I assume she is black. She was described as having “toffee colored skin”.
Rin is a character who we only see a few times in the book, but he really stuck with me 1.) because of his sexuality. He is gay. 2.) because he reminded me of someone I know. Though Rin is white I could not stop picturing him a black voodoo priest with very eccentric clothing choices. Don’t ask me why, ask my brain.
Something that I did want to mention is that there is a lot of french throughout the book. I think that could make it a little more challenging for some readers. Though, the bits of french didn’t seem to be vital to the story, they were more of a character trait.
One of the things that impacted me the most was at the very beginning of the novel when Adele and her father are traveling through Mississippi back to Louisiana. I’ve been through a lot of hurricane’s in my lifetime, and that includes Katrina. (I know most people have heard of that storm.) The description of the destruction that hurricane’s cause is described perfectly. For me though, I think it was a little more chilling to think about what it might look like because I have seen the devastation fist hand. I don’t have to imagine, the images come from my memories.
From what I can tell this plot is meant to be a mystery. It was pretty refreshing. It’s nothing new(as far as a mystery being part of a paranormal themed novel), but something about how it was done really appealed to me. I would classify this book as paranormal romance. The paranormal aspects of this novel were interlaced with the normal world. So in modern day New Orleans we have magic, witches, and vampires.
The paranormal aspects in this book fit the setting perfectly. It doesn’t seem forced at all because of all the legends about witches, ghosts, vampires, and so on that we grow up with in Louisiana (A few of them are even mentioned in this novel). Let me just say, there are a lot of myth’s and legends in Louisiana.
The romance was not the main focus of the novel which I really appreciated. All too often I see the romances in YA given the drivers seat and the main plot rides shotgun. I think the two were woven together quiet nicely. However, I am not a big fan of the whole love triangle trope that was present in this novel. I ended up liking both love interests as characters though, in spite or my grudge against love triangles. (Which is obviously a personal hang up.)
CHARACTERS
I want to start off by giving Alys Arden a round of applause. I had no trouble at all telling the characters apart. They all had their own unique voice and they also had their own internal struggles which made them very rounded characters.
Adele: I originally thought Adele was going to become a very needy damsel in distress character. I was pleasantly surprised with her. She turned out to be a very self reliant character.
Desiree: I originally disliked Desiree, but she ended up becoming a really great character. At first she came off as rude and stuck up, but as the story went on she became more down to Earth with a hint of sass.
Issac: Everything I want to say about Issac is pretty much a spoiler. So I’ll just say this. He’s a talented artist with a secret and a good heart. One thing that did annoy me that is that Adele’s father always wanted Issac to “keep her safe” which irritated me a bit, because I felt like he was saying that she wasn’t able to take care of herself, but I get it, New Orleans is dangerous at the point in time the story is told. Everyone should have a buddy, but I don’t think she needed a protector.
Nicco: To me, Nicco, seemed like a very conflicted and mysterious character. In a way it almost felt like he didn’t like who/what he was That really drew me to him.
REPRESENTATION
There wasn’t a lot of sexual or race diversity from what I could tell. However, some is better than none.
Desiree, who is a main character is black. At least I assume she is black. She was described as having “toffee colored skin”.
Rin is a character who we only see a few times in the book, but he really stuck with me 1.) because of his sexuality. He is gay. 2.) because he reminded me of someone I know. Though Rin is white I could not stop picturing him a black voodoo priest with very eccentric clothing choices. Don’t ask me why, ask my brain.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I had a lot of fun with this book, even though it took me longer to read than expected (my first time in a few years using a kindle). Adelle was a fun protagonist, and I expected the whole vampire thing to be cheesy, but it managed to not be. The setting of New Orleans was perfect, and helped shape a different dynamic for the witches versus vampires thing. My favorite parts was learning about the history of Adelle's and others' families, and somehow I didn't see a certain twist coming even though I should have. This book was a solid 4 out 5 and I look forward to reading the second soon.
adventurous
mysterious
I really loved this book. The characters were amazing and believable. Post Storm NOLA felt like a character itself and the twisty plot really sucks you in.
The Casquette Girls is one of the most magical books I have ever had the pleasure of reading! Adventure, fantasy, and spellbinding characters light up on the page as Arden transports you to the crescent city smoother than New Orleans jazz. Get ready to be immersed in this rich, colorful world full of magic and mayhem, unlike anything you've ever read. A beautiful tribute to a beautiful city; a dedication to history, and all it holds secret; and a love letter to young girls whose hearts are in their homes 💖💖💖 I am forever grateful to Alys Arden for writing this phenomenal book! I will follow her work anywhere!
I’ve always had a kinda thing for vampires. And this author created possibly one of my favorite vampire characters ever in a book. So I totally fell for this story that spans three centuries, two continents and weaves together the magical, mystical, supernatural, into a gut-wrenching paranormal mystery and romance that will have you on the edge of your seat until the end.
But when it comes to the ending, it did not leave me happy. For me, this was the sort of passionate throw of the book across the room ending. Without getting into too many spoilers let's say it bothered me how certain characters were oblivious to what was happening and that the vampires who were shown to have such a degree of humanity and capacity to love and sacrifice and didn’t get the chance to see that more fully fulfilled.
Am I being soft on the vampires and hard on the humans in this book? Possibly, but there are also a few other strings left untied in the end. We never get the answers to some of the questions that have had us hanging on for so long. Do I wish I never read the book? Absolutely not, but I wish perhaps there were a way to read this book being less attached to the ending I thought I would get. More clues along the way. And for me, just a bit more resolution.
But when it comes to the ending, it did not leave me happy. For me, this was the sort of passionate throw of the book across the room ending. Without getting into too many spoilers let's say it bothered me how certain characters were oblivious to what was happening and that the vampires who were shown to have such a degree of humanity and capacity to love and sacrifice and didn’t get the chance to see that more fully fulfilled.
Am I being soft on the vampires and hard on the humans in this book? Possibly, but there are also a few other strings left untied in the end. We never get the answers to some of the questions that have had us hanging on for so long. Do I wish I never read the book? Absolutely not, but I wish perhaps there were a way to read this book being less attached to the ending I thought I would get. More clues along the way. And for me, just a bit more resolution.