Blood & Ravens

The Casket Girls #1

by A.D. Brazeau

Casket girl, Greer, will sacrifice everything to save her love and protect her friends.

22-year-old Greer is ripped from her small Paris life and thrust into the world of the casket girls of New Orleans. There she finds herself living in a convent, promised to a man who is a stranger to her. As Greer begins to experience dreams of a nightly visitor she calls the Dark Knight, she awakens to a frightening fact, the visions are real - Greer and her friends are being fed upon by whatever lurks in their casket-shaped cases.

Theron, a demon cursed by Hades to live his eternity as a blood-sucking vampire, finds his bitter, cold heart, warming to the woman who was to be nothing more than food. As he finds himself falling under her spell, he helps her and her friends, putting himself firmly in the path of Hades’ wrath. To free Theron, and save her friends, Greer must offer a sacrifice to the lord of the Underworld, but will it be enough, especially when Hades is the least of their problems?

Blood & Ravens, a dark, paranormal romance, takes place in 1728 New Orleans. This is book one of The Casket Girls Series.

Genres: Fantasy, Vampires

206 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 26, 2022

About the author

A.D. Brazeau is an award-winning author who writes what she loves. From dark and fantastical fairytale retellings to quirky romance, and everything in between, she loves nothing more than to immerse herself in new worlds. A.D. Brazeau is a book-obsessed wife, mother, and dog lover, who grew up surrounded by stories. Not much has changed. A.D. is from Colorado Springs, Co, and currently resides in Orange County, Ca.

Reviews

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A.D. Brazeau romanticizes and fantasizes the lives of the casquette girls of New Orleans. When Theron develops a conscience, he changes the odds that are so badly stacked against them.

Read full review in the 2022 October issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Micalah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood and Ravens is a historically based paranormal romance novel that has a premise that pulled me in from the very beginning. It is book one in a series. Greer is kidnapped and thrown into a ship and taken to New Orleans where she doesn’t know anything or anyone but she is required upon disembarking the ship to stay at a convent and be pushed into an arranged marriage that she wants nothing to do with. Although she keeps having dreams about a man at her bedside that she can barely remember. Enter Theron, the mysterious man at her bedside who can’t help but want her to notice him. I’m a sucker for the rough, tough bad guy who progresses in the story and ‘changes’ or reveals his heart and he’s really a big softie or he has feelings for ‘the girl’ he’s never had for anyone else before. I did enjoy the writing and the story had me hooked from the beginning and I had trouble putting it down, finishing it all in one night. I am looking forward to other books in the series that I hope include at least a little snippet of an update as to how these two are doing with Greer’s deal with Hades.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Blood & Ravens is the fantastic first instalment in A.D. Brazeau’s new series ‘The Casket Girls’. I have read a couple of Ms. Brazeau’s books before, but this one is definitely my favourite, so far. It had all the ingredients that I love to find in a great book…
*intriguing premise ….. tick
*wonderful characters who develop and grow over the course of the story ….. tick
*clever and creative world building ….. tick
*an interesting paranormal theme ….. tick
*historical details ….. tick
*a mysteriousness feel ….. tick
*gripping storyline ….. tick
*vampires ….. tick tick tick
*danger and suspense ….. tick
*romance ….. tick
*deliciously dark details ….. tick
*the promise of more exciting instalments ….. tick tick tick
I was intrigued right from the moment I laid eyes on the gorgeous cover, but the story I discovered under that beautiful cover was the real show-stopper. Couldn’t put it down. I need the next instalment STAT!
Happy Reading!

Thank you, A.D. Brazeau!

[Erin Knuth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historically based but with a paranormal twist, Blood & Ravens takes you to 18th century New Orleans, to a creepy convent where more than shadows roam. The book is spooky, thrilling, addicting, with serious Lucy & Dracula vibes.

I love seeing what the author has done with the casket girls, French women who traveled to the US for marriage. The found family and bonds between the women on the journey , at the convent, and as they break free is lovely. I can't wait to see where their stories go. And Greer and Theron? The spirited flower seller and her dark knight? Delicious. The twist at the end? Way to keep us panting for more!

Highly recommend for fans of gothic romance and dark gods.

[Santana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was intriguing from the very beginning. Greer, one of the main characters, is taken forcefully from her home and wakes up on a boat half starved and dirty. The only thing she remembers is a dream of a handsome man who is in the dark not fully seen.

Once docked, Greer finds out that she is a part of a group of women sent to a convent to live their days before an arranged man comes to take them away for marriage. Most women are there willingly. During the night, Greer has another dream about the man she deemed her “Dark Knight”. Coincidentally, another woman had a similar dream with a man visiting her whilst she slept as well.

Suspicion sets in and Greer tries to wake up when she feels the man's presence once more. Sure enough, he is real. As well as countless other men visiting the other women’s cots. The women who have been having nightly visitors are starting to get sick. Greer finds out that these men are vampires and they have been feeding off of the women making them weaker.

Theron, the man Greer deemed as her Dark Knight, is actually a demon cast out by Hades to live his remaining life as one of the soulless vampires. He was once ruthless and had no remorse. After meeting Greer, all that seemed to change. He is attracted to her somehow which he doesn’t understand. Theron lets Greer into the light of the supernatural beings around her. Theron knows that they cannot be but that doesn’t stop them from trying.

I really enjoyed the book. Greer is a headstrong woman who took her life into her own hands regardless out the outcome.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greer is kidnapped and wakes upon a boat having no clue what is going on. Finding out she is a casket girl, women from France who traveled by boat to New Orleans and were married off. Greer is not thrilled with the idea of marriage, but she finds herself in a haze while seeing what she believes is a man. Could such a thing happen, with Greer's life completely upside down she plans to find out what is true and what is not. Will Greer be able to find the truth and what happens when she does?

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, was not familiar with the Casket Girls story but I definitely want to know more now. I liked Greer, she could have just accepted her new fate but she is a strong woman who wants to find her own path. Definitely had a gothic feel to the story, the pacing was perfect. Will be reading more from this author.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I've read fictional works about the Cassquette Girls before, this is definitely up there as one of my favorite interpretations of their tales. At first, I wasn't all that sure of what to expect and was pleasantly surprised to discover there was more to this short story than I had originally guessed. I loved reading and learning about Greek mythology growing up, so it was nice to see a little of that playing in this book. I enjoyed how, though the story itself is short, everything came together at a good pace and held my attention from cover to cover. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series now!

[Buffyanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed exclusively for the October 2022 issue of InD’Tale Magazine.

https://indtale.com/reviews/paranorma...

[SaviLeeLind · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Greer and Theron. The push and pull between them, and the undeniable chemistry made the story magnetic. Greer was a strong and fierce heroine, and you cant help but fall in love with her character. Theron was very much a dark and broody soul with bad boy vibes. Together they are dark, intense, and fearsome. This was a dark tale I will not forget, and I am eager to continue to see if they couple thrives.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an okay story. I liked the idea of it which is why I read it. It seemed very slow at times and became more interesting as the story grew. I liked the ideas about where the casket girls come from. Very different. The characters are likable, easy to understand and follow their agenda’s. Maybe a chapter on Theron’s life as Hades friend then banishment to work for Rook which would bring him to current time and seeing Greer would have helped with his evolution a bit. Instead we hear about bits of it in his thoughts.

The secondary characters are interesting in their own way. The casket girls each have hopes and dreams that have been squished…or have they?

Overall it has potential for a good new series with a paranormal/fantasy element. The thought processes of the characters are done nicely.

[Trish Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was definitely a little different than what I’ve been reading lately. It did start slow for me. However, the characters of the story are well developed and the plot keeps you invested. It was a nice vampire interpretation mixed with some other depths of mythology. The story did not always pan out the way you think it will which is refreshing from the predictable nature that this genre can have.

[Kerry carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good read. It is a paranormal romance with other elements that make this book unique and different from other paranormal romances. The author does an amazing job of telling of a story that is dark and confusing at times but also gripping enough to keep the reader engaged and wanting to see what happens.

When Greer is kidnapped from her life in Paris she finds herself transported to a convent, set to marry a man she doesn't know or want to marry. Unwilling to submit to her fate she wants to escape and help her other Casket girls as well. She knows she needs to fight but what she is fighting against comes as a surprise even to her.

Theron has been cursed and kicked out of the underworld. He is sent to live his live as a vampire. He knows there is a plan in place for these Casket girls and the he should involve himself. However when he picks Greer as his meal he realises he's not the cold hearted monster he has been sentenced to be. He actually cares for this girl and he can't explain why.

Now together they are on a mission to save the casket girls from their fate. Theron's main aim is to save Greer from her fate. But with hell, demons, and the underworld to contend with will the force of Greer and Theron be strong enough to over come the obstacles against them?

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating story. The last thing Greer remembers was being on the streets of Paris. When she wakes, she’s on a filthy boat with lots of girls heading for a convent in New Orleans to get married off. At least that’s what they think. Theron and the others come in the night while they are sleeping. The others barely remember anything but Greer, somehow, remembers Theron visits. Greer tries to get to the bottom of this mystery as Sister Francis is having the girls meet the men they will be marrying. Nothing is as it seems. There are secrets everywhere. Plot twists will get you when you aren’t looking. This is a story that will get you when you aren’t expecting it. Vampires, Demons, and a few other surprises just make this POP! One of the best paranormal stories I’ve read in a bit. The characters aren’t all sugar coated and agreeing with everything. There are several characters like Sylvie that show their strength as they story goes along. Greer shows how much courage, resilience, and power she has. She is totally putting together a rebellion. Theron shows his love for Greer. The story was very good. The plot twists were in there so well that you didn’t see them coming. BAM, plot twist! These girls are butt kickers and survivors. The whole tone of the story is surviving. I highly recommend this series. This is book 1. I can’t wait to get book 2.

[Andrea Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood & Ravens By A.D Brazeau
5 Stars

Great read although from the start the cover changed on my kindle and I almost thought I picked up the wrong book lol

First, I never knew there was really something called A Casket Girl, and it seems it was a real thing, basically a girl brought from France to Marry aka A casquette girl. On that note it took this story and transformed it into something more fascinating and exceptional to keep my wanting more.

Greer the FMC was awesome, and I felt that she was more Intune to a lot of what is going on and special right from the start. Everyone else in the beginning on the boat seemed a bit naive and excited for the new life they were going into. I liked the suspense and shows how things don't always go as planned.

I always give out too much info when talking about a book and spoilers, but I usually keep it simple when I feel like I'm bursting. I am looking forward to buying the next book and reading more by this author.

[Katie Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood and Ravens by A.D. Brazeau is book one to The Casket Girls series. I honestly believe this is one of the best paranormal stories I have read in a long time and absolutely loved essentially everything about it. All the characters were all well-developed. I particularly loved Greer and Theron and their forbidden love as Theron is trying to please Hades but cannot help what he is feeling for his "little rabbit". Plenty of other paranormal aspects add lots of depth to this story. The gothic setting also gave me a certain aesthetic that I can never get enough of. The author's writing was exceptional and kept me engaged and the pages turning from beginning to end. I was overtaken by intrigue from the very first page, and it didn't stop even after the story ended. I am definitely hoping for more to come!

[Dahnielle Hibbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready, get set, get gripped!!! This book will hook its claws in and won’t let go until you read every word (and then it may just give you nightmares). Greer is ripped from the home she knows in Paris to be a casket girl in New Orleans. As if that wasn’t enough Greer realizes that all the casket girls, herself included, are being fed on by whatever or whomever sleeps in the casket shaped boxes.
This paranormal romance has everything you could want it to have, including great character, many details, loads of information, action, steam and even a touch on mythology with Hades making himself known. I really enjoyed this story and will be looking forward to the next installment in the series!

[Jessica Condra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! I really enjoyed this dark, paranormal romance! The author writes a seamless story that is engaging and easily flows. The characters and story really come alive through the writing and keeps the reader turning the pages. This is told from alternating points of view following main characters of Greer and Theron—whose stories intertwine. They are an odd pairing of characters, but I was intoxicated with reading their story and really loved the development of each of them. I also quite enjoyed the setting, both the time period and the city of New Orleans within that time period. I was unaware of the story of the casket girls prior to reading this, but I really enjoyed the take on those stories. This was an out of this world read that I highly recommend!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood and Ravens is book 1 of The Casket Girls series by A.D. Brazeau. This is the first book I've read by this author, but I'm already hooked and will definitely be finishing out this series. This is a historical paranormal romance type book with a dual perspective focusing on Greer and Theron. I love how the characters develop throughout this book, and it just keeps drawing you in. This book has a little bit of everything, and there's really nothing I didn't like about it. Greer and Theron seem like an unlikely combo, but Theron ends up helping Greer and her friends at his own peril. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series.

[Kat Mellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood and Ravens: this was a really unique book. I loved the little bit of history behind the casket girls and was definitely a new viewpoint (for me at least!) on a vampire storyline. The characters were well written, good story line, a few twists that I didn’t see coming, and a HEA that didn’t feel cheesy. Set up nicely for a sequel without a huge cliffhanger, which I love. Will definitely check out the next one.

[Jamie Truex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one in The Casket Girls series. I can't wait to get into book two! This one had me turning page after page to find out what happened next. I really liked Greer's character. Despite waking up and finding out she was kidnapped, just to be sold off as some strange man's wife, she never gives up. I loved the paranormal and enemies to lovers aspect. This book really kept my attention. I highly recommend this book. You won't regret it.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an Intriguing and encompassing book, definitely a 4.5* read
A new Author to me and I can say I will certainly be reading the rest of this series as it becomes available.
A mix of historical references, paranormal and romance
We meet Greer and follow the kidnapping, where she finds herself ensconced into a Convent and a marriage is arranged, and Theron the mystery man she senses is next to her bed. Theron cannot help but fight to change this=ns=gs as he has feelings for ‘the girl’ that he has not had in the past.
The world is described in vivid colour and the characters continue to develop anad grow as you find yourself falling deeper into the story.

[Amber Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood & Ravens by A.D. Brazeau was very well written. The flow of the story, the POV of each character, and the way the story unfolds in my opinion was top tier.

Greer is a smart and resourceful. Theron isn’t what I expected but it made the story interesting. I love enemy to lovers books and this one hit the mark. I cannot wait for the next one.

[Piper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the historical time period of this novel. Love has an amazing job on descriptive work. The characters are easy to read and very likeable. Been forced to marry a man in the convent who's she never met there a danger thst lies beneath.

[Madison Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[B.B. Florine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gothic New Orleans

I loved the overall ambience of this book. The whole setting, idea and historical time period sucked me in as soon as I heard about it. I’m not going to do a synopsis / recap as that’s been done in many reviews, but I’ll just say that if you enjoy this author’s style of laying a story out there and then gradually pulling you into the characters’ individual stories, you will enjoy this book. It has the darkness, the delicious hints of romance, and the immersive writing that make a fulfilling read in a not so laborious number of pages. Anxiously waiting for more Casket Girls! Bravo!

[Roxsanne Lesieur · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is the year 1782 and Greer is a young woman who sells flowers on the streets of Paris, she is independent and earning just enough to scrape by, but she is happy, that is until she is kidnapped and wakes up in New Orleans, she has no memory of how she came to be there, but as she drags her casket shaped trunk to a local convent, where she finds out that she is to marry a man whom the nuns have chosen for her, she is to become a Casket Girl. Theron is a demon who has been cast out of the Underworld and cursed by Hades to live as a vampire for eternity has travelled to New Orleans and found that his chosen food source for the journey is fast becoming something more, but he denies it as vehemently as he can.

As Greer settles in to life within the convent and gets to know the girls she shares the dormitory with, she becomes friends with a couple of them and they band together to find out what has happened to them and why, not to mention the strange dreams of her Dark Knight and how he treats her with a tenderness she has never experienced before. Meanwhile, Theron is trying his hardest to keep from feeling things he has no right to feel about his prey, however, when she wakes and discovers what is happening, he has no choice but to confront her about it, but he struggles to maintain the distance he needs and as more time passes, he realises that he doesn’t want to.

As their predicament becomes clear, Greer tries to convince her friends of what is happening, that the dreams she has been having are real and someone is really feeding off of her and her friends and that they are residing in their casket shaped cases, but as their wedding days draw nearer, they need a plan to escape. However, this path is not without dangers for both Greer and Theron and when they are confronted by Hades himself, will Greer be able to save all those she loves and now holds dear, or will it all end in disaster? This is a paranormal romance with a dark twist as danger lurks around every corner and darkness feeds off light as this dramatic story plays out in the streets of New Orleans, where nothing is as it seems and you are pulled into the twisted world behind the holiest of walls.

[Mandy Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 Stars

Blood & Ravens: A dark, paranormal romance (The Casket Girls #1) by A.D. Brazeau

This is the first book I've read by the author. Blood and Ravens will have you hooked from the beginning. It's also the first book in The Casket Girls Series.

Greer was living the best she could in Paris. That changes when she's taken off the streets and thrown on a boat. She dreams of this mysterious man and finds that he's real. The quote I chose for Greer is: “My head feels fine. I’m curious about something. The three of you volunteered for this, as did almost everyone else. Why? Why leave your home to find a husband on the other side of the world? You have no idea what you’ll be getting.”

Theron knows he shouldn't fall for his prey, but the little rabbit intrigues him. He wants to get back in Hades' good graces, but that isn't going to work. Now he's feeling things he shouldn't for Greer and that can be dangerous. The quote I chose for Theron is: “Well, you’re right about one thing, your friend is at the end. I told that blasted fool to go easy on her. She’s supposed to last until he can move on to the husband. But you’re wrong if you think you can do anything about it. You, my little rabbit, can’t hurt us. Even if you were at full strength.”

Highly recommended for Vampire Romance lovers.

[Vanessa Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was definitely not at all what I expected this book to be about just from the title. I was blown away by all the details and thought out plot that the author put into this book.

I love Greer as the main female character, a fierce protector of those who are important to her, kind to a fault, and stronger than people give her credit for. After being uprooted from her life in Paris and placed among the casket girls set to be married to a complete stranger. Greer makes friends with other casket girls and after feeling as though the dark dreams weren’t really dreams she starts realizing that her friends and herself are nothing more than food from a darkness no one can fathom. Theron who has claimed Greer as his own realizes his own feelings have not only put him in danger but Greer as well. Now facing Hades' wrath , Greer realizes she wants to save Theron but what can she offer to Hades, the god of the underworld? Why is it Theron can’t seem to let go of Greer?

I absolutely loved the mixing of Greek mythology with paranormal beings and how the author flawlessly incorporated them into one delicious story. I could not stop reading this book and now am off to get the second just so I can see what else happens! I am hooked and if you like paranormal romances with action and intrigue I think you will be too. This is definitely a must read!

[Karyn Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent paranormal romance by an author I had never read before. I’ve recently started reading more paranormal romance and I was attracted by the blurb of this book, so decided to give the author a chance. I’m glad that I took the chance as I really liked this book very much.
Set in 1782 in New Orleans, Greer had been happily selling flowers on the streets of Paris when she was kidnapped and put on a boat filled with other women and taken to Paris to stay in a convent until they were married off.
I loved reading Greer and Theron’s story. Women at that time we supposed to be meek and subservient. Greer was very much the opposite – sassy, opinionated and not scared to get into trouble. Theron could not help the attraction he felt towards her, even though she was supposedly just a thing for him to feed on.
I really enjoyed reading about the secondary characters in the book, the girls that Greer befriended on the boat journey over and at the convent. I particularly liked Desiree and hope we get to see more of her in this series. I admit I wasn’t too enamoured with Edith but she may be redeemed in time…or not.
This is a great book and I look forward to reading more of this series in the future.

[Mercedes Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great read. The main character, Greer, was very interesting to get to know. This book has twists and turns that keep you guessing and leaves you wanting to read more. I can’t wait to read the rest of this series. Seriously, this book left me wanting more. I could not put it down! If you’re looking for a book that involves supernatural, love, mystery, and friendship, then this is the book for you!