Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Great fun, very Anne Rice-ish (circa Interview with Vampire) - definitely looking forward to the sequel.
*second round, on audio: I'm not crazy about how the reader does the men's voices (especially Adele's father - who is annoying anyway) but overall, a great ride.
*second round, on audio: I'm not crazy about how the reader does the men's voices (especially Adele's father - who is annoying anyway) but overall, a great ride.
nicccccccccco
but he has green eyes
and different... powers....
but still nico-y
i approve
i loved it a lot
but he has green eyes
and different... powers....
but still nico-y
i approve
i loved it a lot
Great magical fun
I loved the backdrop of New Orleans in this book and the way the author tied together the history of the city with the present. It did feel like a bit of character overload at times- theres just a very large cast, but a great story overall.
I loved the backdrop of New Orleans in this book and the way the author tied together the history of the city with the present. It did feel like a bit of character overload at times- theres just a very large cast, but a great story overall.
Excellent writing, story and atmosphere. Can't wait to read The Romeo Catchers. Alys Arden writes pure magic! New Orleans is brought to life and becomes it's own character in this rich story. Highly recommend
The Casquette Girls by Arlys Arden is a young adult paranormal romance story. Adele Le Moyne (just turned sixteen) is returning home to New Orleans with her father after being away for two months. They had to evacuate the state (Louisiana) when a big hurricane came through the area and then stalled causing considerable damage. Adele was sent to live with her mother, Brigitte Dupre in Paris (who put her in a boarding school) while her father, Macalister (Mac) Le Moyne worked in Miami. They do not know what they will find when they return to their home and the bar that her father owns.
After arriving home strange things start happening to Adele. She can move metal items with her mind. What is going on? She then finds a journal of her ancestor Adeline Saint Germain that provides some needed information along with some new friends who have some interesting abilities. Adele and her new friends are going to have to work together to battle the vampires that have invaded New Orleans (and are killing off the citizens of the city). Will these three teenagers be able to battle the evil in their community?
I enjoyed The Casquette Girls. It is a long novel, but once you get involved in the book you do not notice. Some sections are a little slow (especially when Adele is ogling the handsome vampire), but I enjoyed how the author tied the past (Adele’s ancestor) to the present. Some things are a little predictable (like the truth about Adele’s mother—I could see that coming from the very beginning—sorry I do not want to spoil your reading pleasure), but overall The Casquette Girls is a good book to read. I give The Casquette Girls 4 out of 5 stars. The writing is good, but Adele’s temper (which always seemed to be out of control) really got on my nerves after a while. I also enjoyed this author’s paranormal take on the young girls who came from France with their casquettes (casket shaped luggage). I will be watching for more books from Arlys Arden.
I received a complimentary copy of The Casquette Girls from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more details check out my blog: http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-casquette-girls.html
After arriving home strange things start happening to Adele. She can move metal items with her mind. What is going on? She then finds a journal of her ancestor Adeline Saint Germain that provides some needed information along with some new friends who have some interesting abilities. Adele and her new friends are going to have to work together to battle the vampires that have invaded New Orleans (and are killing off the citizens of the city). Will these three teenagers be able to battle the evil in their community?
I enjoyed The Casquette Girls. It is a long novel, but once you get involved in the book you do not notice. Some sections are a little slow (especially when Adele is ogling the handsome vampire), but I enjoyed how the author tied the past (Adele’s ancestor) to the present. Some things are a little predictable (like the truth about Adele’s mother—I could see that coming from the very beginning—sorry I do not want to spoil your reading pleasure), but overall The Casquette Girls is a good book to read. I give The Casquette Girls 4 out of 5 stars. The writing is good, but Adele’s temper (which always seemed to be out of control) really got on my nerves after a while. I also enjoyed this author’s paranormal take on the young girls who came from France with their casquettes (casket shaped luggage). I will be watching for more books from Arlys Arden.
I received a complimentary copy of The Casquette Girls from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more details check out my blog: http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-casquette-girls.html
I don't have the urge to ever visit America. I know that I will not like New York and many other big cities. I assume it's gonna be way too busy, way too big and way too overwhelming. However, there's one city in the US I'd like to see once in my life: New Orleans. The city of music, the city of festivals, the city of dead, the city of supernatural, the city of the swamps and the beignets. The city with a unique soul. At the moment I can't travel to NOLA myself. So, I travel by book!
This book has a slow start and I can totally understand why people would give up on it. It's a big book, which can be intimidating in itself already and when it takes a long time for the exciting elements to show their faces and colors it can be hard to push through. I'm insanely happy that I did push through and didn't give up on the book in the beginning. It takes a while, yes, but it's really really worth it in the end. That much that I had to finish this book even though I was exhausted from work.
I've never been to New Orleans myself, but the author describes the city in such a way that it almost feels like I'm walking around there myself. It's clear that the author knows the city inside out. She knows the best places to get coffee, the best clubs, the best shops and the most historical buildings. It's also amazing to see the city build itself up again after the storm hit it. Slowly more and more places open and the city regains more and more of its soul throughout the book.
And then there's the plot. The moment the vampires and other supernaturals are stepping into the light it's like we're sitting in a rollercoaster. We've been going up slowly, waiting for the moment we'll fall down and then all of a sudden it happens. Secrets are revealed, history is uncovered, powers are unlocked and every loose end and every throwaway line all of a sudden becomes important! I can't wait to dive into the sequel!
This book has a slow start and I can totally understand why people would give up on it. It's a big book, which can be intimidating in itself already and when it takes a long time for the exciting elements to show their faces and colors it can be hard to push through. I'm insanely happy that I did push through and didn't give up on the book in the beginning. It takes a while, yes, but it's really really worth it in the end. That much that I had to finish this book even though I was exhausted from work.
I've never been to New Orleans myself, but the author describes the city in such a way that it almost feels like I'm walking around there myself. It's clear that the author knows the city inside out. She knows the best places to get coffee, the best clubs, the best shops and the most historical buildings. It's also amazing to see the city build itself up again after the storm hit it. Slowly more and more places open and the city regains more and more of its soul throughout the book.
And then there's the plot. The moment the vampires and other supernaturals are stepping into the light it's like we're sitting in a rollercoaster. We've been going up slowly, waiting for the moment we'll fall down and then all of a sudden it happens. Secrets are revealed, history is uncovered, powers are unlocked and every loose end and every throwaway line all of a sudden becomes important! I can't wait to dive into the sequel!
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
This book was very long. And drawn out. I'm sure some of the pointless characters in this book will play more of a role in the next book. But seriously, there was so much build up that I lost interest often. I had to force myself to keep going with this book. I'll probably read the 2nd but we will see.
2nd read. Odd how much I now love this series. I did listen on audio both reads. The first one was at ‘normal speed’ so that could have been why it felt so long.
2nd read. Odd how much I now love this series. I did listen on audio both reads. The first one was at ‘normal speed’ so that could have been why it felt so long.
If I had one word to describe this book, that word would be slow. SLOOOOWWWW. I am from Louisiana and was looking forward to reading a book about the aftermath of a hurricane (Katrina, but not named as such in this novel). Unfortunately, more than halfway through I had to quit reading because not much resembling plot development was happening, and what little there was didn't make me happy.
Adele is coming back to New Orleans after "The Big Storm" destroyed the city and forced the majority of its citizens to evacuate and never return. Adele and her father's house was mostly spared, but the rest of NOLA is in horrible shape and no one knows when or if help is coming. The streets are deserted and dark, and dead bodies that seem to be unrelated to the storm are popping up.
As our main character tries to return to some semblance of a normal life with work and school, several issues come up that just won't let her be normal. She discovers she has a strange power she doesn't understand at all, and that it can be traced back generations. Adele also becomes the focus of three young men's lives and is having a hard time figuring out which of them is sincere.
In the midst of all this, vampire rumors start making their rounds in the French Quarter. Adele must find out the truth about her secret powers and how they tie into the vampire stories haunting the city.
At first, I really liked the heroine of the story. Adele is excited to come back to the city she loves so much and start rebuilding, even when problems keep plaguing her and her father. But as soon as the sexy guys show up in her life, it seemed to me like all her reasoning went out the window. This book does not have any insta-love, thankfully, but I do so hate when one girl is instantly adored by every guy she comes in contact with.
So, in addition to the New Orleans post storm plot, I was excited to read this novel because I was told there would be vampires. I got to more than halfway done with this book, and the first vampire had yet to make an appearance. There were, inexplicably, pirates though.(??)
I didn't really hate the way the book flashed back and forth between the present day and Adele's ancestor's diary, but I thought it was a bit clunky and didn't quite tie together the way to could have.
I'm disappointed that I couldn't finish this book, but really, if the author hasn't gotten to things mentioned in the synopsis by the halfway point, that is taking way too long. I just wasn't interested enough to see how things ended.
Adele is coming back to New Orleans after "The Big Storm" destroyed the city and forced the majority of its citizens to evacuate and never return. Adele and her father's house was mostly spared, but the rest of NOLA is in horrible shape and no one knows when or if help is coming. The streets are deserted and dark, and dead bodies that seem to be unrelated to the storm are popping up.
As our main character tries to return to some semblance of a normal life with work and school, several issues come up that just won't let her be normal. She discovers she has a strange power she doesn't understand at all, and that it can be traced back generations. Adele also becomes the focus of three young men's lives and is having a hard time figuring out which of them is sincere.
In the midst of all this, vampire rumors start making their rounds in the French Quarter. Adele must find out the truth about her secret powers and how they tie into the vampire stories haunting the city.
At first, I really liked the heroine of the story. Adele is excited to come back to the city she loves so much and start rebuilding, even when problems keep plaguing her and her father. But as soon as the sexy guys show up in her life, it seemed to me like all her reasoning went out the window. This book does not have any insta-love, thankfully, but I do so hate when one girl is instantly adored by every guy she comes in contact with.
So, in addition to the New Orleans post storm plot, I was excited to read this novel because I was told there would be vampires. I got to more than halfway done with this book, and the first vampire had yet to make an appearance. There were, inexplicably, pirates though.(??)
I didn't really hate the way the book flashed back and forth between the present day and Adele's ancestor's diary, but I thought it was a bit clunky and didn't quite tie together the way to could have.
I'm disappointed that I couldn't finish this book, but really, if the author hasn't gotten to things mentioned in the synopsis by the halfway point, that is taking way too long. I just wasn't interested enough to see how things ended.