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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
I read this book as part of a birthday read along for The Booket List on Facebook.
This book has a little bit of everything. I don't even know how to properly categorize since it has so many elements from different genres woven into it. Also witches, who doesn't like witches!?
For a while, I was kind of confused as to where the plot was ultimately going, but I was thoroughly enjoying the journey. This starts off as a post-apocalyptic story. Adele has returned from visiting her mother in France after the massive storm that destroyed New Orleans. She struggles to go back to her every day life. Because of the curfew and crime heavy atmosphere, her father pushes Isaac on Adele as her part time protector. However, Adele also manages to attract the attention of another newbie in town, strange and mysterious Nicolo.
As people continue to disappear around town, Adele discovers she has a strange power and uncovers her ancestors diary. As she begins investigating, she finds that many of these things are linked and the newcomers in town are angry about a centuries old curse. The mystery of the curse was put together really intricately. I loved seeing Adele and her friends try to solve it from the present and Adeline and her coven take the steps they did to eventually cast the curse.
One thing that kind of bothered me was the love triangle. At first, it was really confusing because I couldn't tell if Adele actually liked one of the guys, and I definitely shipped her with the other so... whoops. The ending was pretty crazy and I'm really interested to see what will happen in the next book.
This book has a little bit of everything. I don't even know how to properly categorize since it has so many elements from different genres woven into it. Also witches, who doesn't like witches!?
For a while, I was kind of confused as to where the plot was ultimately going, but I was thoroughly enjoying the journey. This starts off as a post-apocalyptic story. Adele has returned from visiting her mother in France after the massive storm that destroyed New Orleans. She struggles to go back to her every day life. Because of the curfew and crime heavy atmosphere, her father pushes Isaac on Adele as her part time protector. However, Adele also manages to attract the attention of another newbie in town, strange and mysterious Nicolo.
As people continue to disappear around town, Adele discovers she has a strange power and uncovers her ancestors diary. As she begins investigating, she finds that many of these things are linked and the newcomers in town are angry about a centuries old curse. The mystery of the curse was put together really intricately. I loved seeing Adele and her friends try to solve it from the present and Adeline and her coven take the steps they did to eventually cast the curse.
One thing that kind of bothered me was the love triangle. At first, it was really confusing because I couldn't tell if Adele actually liked one of the guys, and I definitely shipped her with the other so... whoops. The ending was pretty crazy and I'm really interested to see what will happen in the next book.
Let’s me just start off by saying WOW! I really enjoy book set in Louisiana. It was great to read about places Adele went to and know where they are and what they look like.
Adele (and really Adeline’s)journey was an intricate pattern blending past and present that at times seemed to parallel perfectly. The history that Arden pulls into this spectacular story in wonderful.
The mystery, suspense and bits of romance are a perfect cocktail.
Adele (and really Adeline’s)journey was an intricate pattern blending past and present that at times seemed to parallel perfectly. The history that Arden pulls into this spectacular story in wonderful.
The mystery, suspense and bits of romance are a perfect cocktail.
4.5 stars
I received a free digital copy from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest feedback.
This book has been getting a bit of hype recently as people start to review it in time for it's publishing date and I can honestly say that it really deserves it. The Casquette Girls seems to have pretty much everything you want in a book - sense of place, atmosphere, friendship, magic, supernatural and history.
Adele is returning to New Orleans a few short months after the devastating Hurricane Katrina. Adele and her father have no idea what or who they will be returning to and all they do know is that the city is home and it needs them to bring it back to life. But Adele has more to worry about than fixing up the neighborhood when she appears to develop magic powers, plus dead bodies sucked dry of blood are showing up around the French Quarter. With the help of an ancestor's secret diary, Adele must combat an ancient curse and create a secret witchy coven along the way.
One of the best bits in this book is the sense of place and the atmosphere that is described around the areas of New Orleans and specifically the French Quarter where Adele goes. It's so natural for her to have friends who dress as vampires, scientists for café workers, tour guides dressed like romance novel covers and much more and I loved it. Adele is a very likeable character, she takes the devastation of her home and her favourite places so bravely and really strives to carry on with school and work when it would be easy to crawl into a ball. She is also very accepting of her magic and isn't one of these people that keeps refusing it exists. I loved Adele's relationship with everyone in the book and there's a deep sense of Adele's belonging in the place. The way she knows and communicates to everyone and how they respond to her really brings to mind the fact she grew up in the cafes and bars of the French Quarter (in a good way mind you!)
There were so many diverse characters from Africa-America, Creole, French, Italian not to mention personalities. The hot and cold Niccolo, the exuberant but deadly Gabe (who I couldn't help but really like), mysterious Emilio, the absent mother, the caring father (who reminded me of Lance in Arrow), and the unlikely best friends Desiree and Isaac.
I found myself really enjoying the book and its pace which took a while to build up naturally because of the focus on the effects of the storm. I loved the dip into the history of the place now and again plus Adeline's diary to her father and her details of what had happened with her spell. I would have liked much more about Adeline and what happened to her(why did Isaac keep having dreams about Adeline and fire for instance, was it just the magic thing?) and who the hell her dad was. I felt like i was still grasping for some additional information by the end of the book about Adeline, her father, Isaac and Desiree's sides of the story which was skipped over plus Niccolo's decision at the end. Why was he so happy to let Adele hide him away. I feel like Emilio and Gabe were always hinting things about him and his connections to Adele. Also how did her mom die, how was she turned etc. I did miss for backstory sometimes I would love to have been in his mind for a while (NOVELLA PLEASE!). Hopefully some of these questions will be answered in the next book.
I recommend anyone looking for a bit of magic to wrap themselves in to pick up this book. I don't think it will disappoint. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
I received a free digital copy from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest feedback.
This book has been getting a bit of hype recently as people start to review it in time for it's publishing date and I can honestly say that it really deserves it. The Casquette Girls seems to have pretty much everything you want in a book - sense of place, atmosphere, friendship, magic, supernatural and history.
Adele is returning to New Orleans a few short months after the devastating Hurricane Katrina. Adele and her father have no idea what or who they will be returning to and all they do know is that the city is home and it needs them to bring it back to life. But Adele has more to worry about than fixing up the neighborhood when she appears to develop magic powers, plus dead bodies sucked dry of blood are showing up around the French Quarter. With the help of an ancestor's secret diary, Adele must combat an ancient curse and create a secret witchy coven along the way.
One of the best bits in this book is the sense of place and the atmosphere that is described around the areas of New Orleans and specifically the French Quarter where Adele goes. It's so natural for her to have friends who dress as vampires, scientists for café workers, tour guides dressed like romance novel covers and much more and I loved it. Adele is a very likeable character, she takes the devastation of her home and her favourite places so bravely and really strives to carry on with school and work when it would be easy to crawl into a ball. She is also very accepting of her magic and isn't one of these people that keeps refusing it exists. I loved Adele's relationship with everyone in the book and there's a deep sense of Adele's belonging in the place. The way she knows and communicates to everyone and how they respond to her really brings to mind the fact she grew up in the cafes and bars of the French Quarter (in a good way mind you!)
There were so many diverse characters from Africa-America, Creole, French, Italian not to mention personalities. The hot and cold Niccolo, the exuberant but deadly Gabe (who I couldn't help but really like), mysterious Emilio, the absent mother, the caring father (who reminded me of Lance in Arrow), and the unlikely best friends Desiree and Isaac.
I found myself really enjoying the book and its pace which took a while to build up naturally because of the focus on the effects of the storm. I loved the dip into the history of the place now and again plus Adeline's diary to her father and her details of what had happened with her spell. I would have liked much more about Adeline and what happened to her
I recommend anyone looking for a bit of magic to wrap themselves in to pick up this book. I don't think it will disappoint. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
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.
3.8 stars. Review as follows:
http://thecelebritycafe.com/2016/02/alys-ardens-casquette-girls-great-ages/
http://thecelebritycafe.com/2016/02/alys-ardens-casquette-girls-great-ages/
I received this book ages ago (sorry! Still catching up on my crazy arcs request list, won’t do the same mistake again) and was excited (even belatedly) to read it.
It had been a while before this since I read any witchy/vampy ya story and I found myself hesitating after a few chapters. There was several things that got my eyes roll and I feared it was sadly going to be the worst kind of tropey story you can find in the genre...HAPPILY, it turned out to not be the case.
Granted the tropes are here, there is no escaping them, no matter genre you read, but I finally entered the story and enjoyed the New Orleans side very much included in the story.
The city, as you can imagine, is a true character herself, still vibrant and full of magic and life, even if in this story it has been utterly wrecked, not unlike it has been in real life.
In the author’s note, it states that she has been brought up in NO and I think it translate in her writing on how she writes her city.
Given the history of the city, I’ve found myself surprised to not have read many supernatural books set in New Orleans. It is the perfect setting.
What I also liked is that the story, while indeed featuring romance, did not make such a big deal about it. And even when it was put upfront, I felt the author, via the heroine, was aware of that aspect and I think she handled it well.
It’s a mix of original vampire stories, as well as New Orleans lore and history, a touch of romance and friendships and characters that have distinct identities.
It is diverse and set up an interesting magic lore, that might gain to be more explained.
As a french reader, I was a bit put off by the french in there. I hope the mistakes have been corrected in the final version.
And to be clear, I am not talking about the local New Orleans french, which I know nothing about but about the many characters who are supposed to be native/fluent in France’s french (as they come from there). There were many mistakes in my arc copy that hurt my french speaking eyes.
But really, in all I enjoyed the story and will look to get the next book.
It had been a while before this since I read any witchy/vampy ya story and I found myself hesitating after a few chapters. There was several things that got my eyes roll and I feared it was sadly going to be the worst kind of tropey story you can find in the genre...HAPPILY, it turned out to not be the case.
Granted the tropes are here, there is no escaping them, no matter genre you read, but I finally entered the story and enjoyed the New Orleans side very much included in the story.
The city, as you can imagine, is a true character herself, still vibrant and full of magic and life, even if in this story it has been utterly wrecked, not unlike it has been in real life.
In the author’s note, it states that she has been brought up in NO and I think it translate in her writing on how she writes her city.
Given the history of the city, I’ve found myself surprised to not have read many supernatural books set in New Orleans. It is the perfect setting.
What I also liked is that the story, while indeed featuring romance, did not make such a big deal about it. And even when it was put upfront, I felt the author, via the heroine, was aware of that aspect and I think she handled it well.
It’s a mix of original vampire stories, as well as New Orleans lore and history, a touch of romance and friendships and characters that have distinct identities.
It is diverse and set up an interesting magic lore, that might gain to be more explained.
As a french reader, I was a bit put off by the french in there. I hope the mistakes have been corrected in the final version.
And to be clear, I am not talking about the local New Orleans french, which I know nothing about but about the many characters who are supposed to be native/fluent in France’s french (as they come from there). There were many mistakes in my arc copy that hurt my french speaking eyes.
But really, in all I enjoyed the story and will look to get the next book.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Adeline has been in school in Paris while her hometown of New Orleans recovers from Katrina, and her city may never be the same. This book is full of characters that I would love to meet if I ever get to The Crescent City; the flamboyant ghost tour leader, the short order cook/drag queen, the old lady who runs the voodoo/herb shop, the older French couple who run the local cafe - and those are just the supporting cast!
Oh, and did I mention hot vampires? Because there are several of those.
I was surprised to learn that this is Arden's first book; she is a master at evoking an acute sense of time and place. I could practically feel the swampy heat of a city without electricity or air conditioning, and I may have swooned for Adeline when she finally got some fresh milk for her coffee, or her first burger after months of eating canned food. The added flashbacks and historical details made this book even more enjoyable for me.
So if New Orleans, historical fiction, things that go bump in the night, and magical boys are ticked boxes for you, you should DEFINITELY read THE CASQUETTE GIRLS.
Oh, and did I mention hot vampires? Because there are several of those.
I was surprised to learn that this is Arden's first book; she is a master at evoking an acute sense of time and place. I could practically feel the swampy heat of a city without electricity or air conditioning, and I may have swooned for Adeline when she finally got some fresh milk for her coffee, or her first burger after months of eating canned food. The added flashbacks and historical details made this book even more enjoyable for me.
So if New Orleans, historical fiction, things that go bump in the night, and magical boys are ticked boxes for you, you should DEFINITELY read THE CASQUETTE GIRLS.
AMAZING!
I loved this book! This first couple captured my attention because it being based in New Orleans rift after the hurricane , then you being in all the magical elements and it was amazing! I loved everything about this book. The background, the setting the plot and of course the love triangle. There is nothing better than a book that captures me with a plot and adds a romance on top of it!!!! I literally can't wait to start the second book!!!!! So many plot twist and OMG moments!!! I definitely recommend his book!!!
I loved this book! This first couple captured my attention because it being based in New Orleans rift after the hurricane , then you being in all the magical elements and it was amazing! I loved everything about this book. The background, the setting the plot and of course the love triangle. There is nothing better than a book that captures me with a plot and adds a romance on top of it!!!! I literally can't wait to start the second book!!!!! So many plot twist and OMG moments!!! I definitely recommend his book!!!
I loved this book. It was grossly entertaining and I could feel the ambiance of post storm New Orleans. Ardent did an excellent job merging the future and past story lines and keeping them both interesting and engaging. I was also pleased with Adele's character. Unfortunately, many times in teen lit the main character is ditzy and prone to multiple stupid decisions. I was very pleased that Adele did none of these things. Was she an emotional teenager, of course, but she was smart and used her wits. I was very impressed and am looking forward to reading the next book.
This book was provided for free by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
This book was provided for free by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review