I really enjoyed this book although it was outside of my usual genre preferences. The Women of Dauphine has made me interested in reading other paranormal/supernatural novels as well. It also had a really nice lesbian main character and a sweet, pretty realistic sapphic romance (other than the ghost parts).
The story begins with an eight year old Cassie moving into an old house and meeting fifteen year old ghost Gem. Slowly the two become best friends and a little more than best friends as well. As their romance progresses, Cassie is also dipping her foot into dangerous waters and dealing with very unpleasant and homophobic parents.
I liked the representation, the acknowledgement of unpleasant happenings (e.g. sexual assault) and the author's writing style. This book definitely intrigued me even when I didn't enjoy the scenes, and I do recommend this to fans of YA paranormal/ghost romances and even fantasy lovers.
I did not like the sometimes stilted or unnatural writing, but it's mostly great. Great read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an electronic copy to read and review.

I have many mixed feelings about this book. It was wildly engaging, but particularly the end disappointed me. It went into really deep topics and then abandoned it halfway. It left me raw. It didn’t resolve those feelings. It’s like she tried to stamp a band aid on them.

This offered no emotional resolution. She’s obviously a good writer, but this feels unfinished. I keep feeling like I need to come back and finish the book, but there is no more book to read.

It’s well written but the ending was like she rushed to give it a positive spin.

Overall I couldn’t decide if I wanted to give it 5 stars for the quality of most of the book, or 3 for the unresolved ending, so I gave it 4.

An uncomfortable read as a non LGBTQIA person, but necessarily uncomfortable. If you get my meaning. It’s so upsetting what Cassie endures abc knowing people still suffer like this is unbelievable, but that’s why I say necessary uncomfortable read. These need to be shared and read so people understand, but rant over beyond that the book is wonderfully written, Cassie is a great strong inspiring character. Highly recommended read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Gay girls? Paranormal circumstances? Heck yeah!

Over-descriptive conversion therapy? Become a whole other story in the middle before going back to the original setting? Less heck yeah.

I really wanted to love this book and I just couldn't. I think if you're a little more into the paranormal than I am or a little less squeamish, this book would be a good fit. It just didn't work for me though.

(Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.)

The Women of Dauphine may perhaps be the first fictional book i've read that recounts the adversities of those in the LGBTQIA community might have faced. I've avoided books like this as i found hit really close to home.



So, thank you so much to the publishers at NineStar Press for providing me with this ARC, also an opportunity for me to branch out into foreign genre.



It was horrifying to read the horror and humiliation that Cassie had to endure. There were so many wrongs and the book did well translating alarming realities through a near fantastical retelling.



The horrors documented was inspired from the truth, and i don't believe it's strayed far from it either, having knowledge said horrors is very much prevalent in real life.



I'm awfully proud of how the Cassie, as well as the other queer characters in the book, who remained strong despite the obstacles thrown at them. And Cassie being who she is so unabashedly is awe-inspiring.



There is authenticity in Cassie's story, and author Deb Jannnerson did wonderful job on creating a compelling narrative.



3.8 stars.