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lindagreen's review against another edition
4.0
This is a really unique book – sort of a cross between Princess Diaries and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The plot was excellent, the timing wonderful, and the main character was a breath of fresh air in today’s YA literature. Around Chapter 25, things to take a bizarre turn and the writing changed considerably. I’m not sure what happened but it seemed like the novel just stopped and someone else took up the cause. The characters and scenes and plots were no longer the same. I did enjoy the first part, however. It was a fun, light, summer read that takes you into Southern secret societies that aren’t as innocent as they might appear. (ARC edition)
kil3yp's review against another edition
4.0
This is not a groundbreaking work of staggering genius - it's full of stereotypes, yes. But it's also full of a lot of things that peak your interests and make you want to know more.
The characters aren't all that astounding - it's surprisingly the supporting characters that have more depth to them than our main character. I think the contrast between Sam and Sina was interesting, as well as the depth and loyalty bred into Madison and Hayes. Throw in a Southern setting, some hoodoo magic and you've got me sold. I didn't need a super strong heroine (in fact...she was sort of spineless at the end), I liked the premise and I wanted to know more about the back story and behind the scenes at Buzzard's Roost.
All that doesn't warrant a book four stars - but I rounded up because it actually beat my expectations (I'm also currently reading Land of Stories by Chris Colfer, and it's going poorly) and because it made me care enough that I want to read the second book. And interested me enough that when I discovered some samples of hoodoo spells in the back...I almost started wondering how crazy I would be if I actually tried one. Or three.
The characters aren't all that astounding - it's surprisingly the supporting characters that have more depth to them than our main character. I think the contrast between Sam and Sina was interesting, as well as the depth and loyalty bred into Madison and Hayes. Throw in a Southern setting, some hoodoo magic and you've got me sold. I didn't need a super strong heroine (in fact...she was sort of spineless at the end), I liked the premise and I wanted to know more about the back story and behind the scenes at Buzzard's Roost.
All that doesn't warrant a book four stars - but I rounded up because it actually beat my expectations (I'm also currently reading Land of Stories by Chris Colfer, and it's going poorly) and because it made me care enough that I want to read the second book. And interested me enough that when I discovered some samples of hoodoo spells in the back...I almost started wondering how crazy I would be if I actually tried one. Or three.
julesgou's review against another edition
3.0
Not my favourite.
I wasn't a fan of Alex. I thought it was really cool that she was into saving the plant and changing things up. But, then it got to the fact that she was so worried about herself. She could've done so much with her views and her Grandmother's money but she got so caught up in her image and her appearance that she forgot about all of those things that made her different. She was vain and because she was vain, she totally killed the things that I liked about her.
The plot was the plot. There were a couple twists at the end. Crouch went back and forth between the different perspectives and I thought that was an interesting way to see the entire story. I liked the different perspectives -it kept things interesting.
I don't know about this book. It was ok. The shallowness of the main characters totally killed it for me.
I wasn't a fan of Alex. I thought it was really cool that she was into saving the plant and changing things up. But, then it got to the fact that she was so worried about herself. She could've done so much with her views and her Grandmother's money but she got so caught up in her image and her appearance that she forgot about all of those things that made her different. She was vain and because she was vain, she totally killed the things that I liked about her.
The plot was the plot. There were a couple twists at the end. Crouch went back and forth between the different perspectives and I thought that was an interesting way to see the entire story. I liked the different perspectives -it kept things interesting.
I don't know about this book. It was ok. The shallowness of the main characters totally killed it for me.
lisamquinn's review against another edition
3.0
It's probably better that I didn't see the "Magnolia League #1" until I was on the last chapter....My disdain for EVERY book being in series is pretty well established by now..
But nonetheless, this was an interesting and engaging read...a little Southern charm, a little black magic. The dialogue was believeable and there were some lol moments. I'm not sure I'll read the ensuing sequels, but I'd recommend it to the kids.
Oh and by the way, I think the cover to the ARC is way more interesting than that girl, but I guess I'll have to see it in person before I judge.
But nonetheless, this was an interesting and engaging read...a little Southern charm, a little black magic. The dialogue was believeable and there were some lol moments. I'm not sure I'll read the ensuing sequels, but I'd recommend it to the kids.
Oh and by the way, I think the cover to the ARC is way more interesting than that girl, but I guess I'll have to see it in person before I judge.
keu482's review against another edition
3.0
This book is okay, but I had two problems with it. First the main character is a bit too much of a stereotype, she's the sorest of thumbs in a world of perfect pretty people and it's kind of hard to believe in her. It's nice that she's different but the author doesn't need to work that hard to prove it. Second this book ends on a cliffhanger (and not a great one), but doesn't have any indication of another book following it. I know most YA books are series these days, but a line about the second book would be nice. If only for my sense of closure.
Three and a half.
Three and a half.
mrskatiefitz's review against another edition
5.0
Years ago, the Magnolia League, desperate for the magic potions that bring them beauty, power, and prosperity, entered into an arrangement with the Buzzard family, the hoodoo practitioners who can create and perfect these potions.
Alexandria - Alex - Lee is the granddaughter of Magnolia League founder Dorothy Lee, and at the start of this book, which takes place in the present day, she is plucked from the communal farm where she grew up and thrown into upper class society in Savannah, Georgia. Her grandmother, whom she calls Miss Lee, fully assumes that Alex - who wears dreadlocks, smokes pot, and hates everything the League stands for - will transform herself and become a Magnolia as well. Two other MG's, Hayes and Madison, help Alex make the transition from her former life of secondhand clothes and herb-farming to her new life of glamour, fashion, popularity, and power.
Alex resists for a long time, but when she begins to give in to the League's ways of doing things, she slowly comes to reveal the ugly underside to the Magnolia League's magic. Sure, every Magnolia is rich, beautiful, and feared and revered by all - but these blessings come at a great price, and it's not just the Buzzards who have a sinister hold over the Magnolias.
I don't read much fantasy, and I'm really not into the paranormal stuff, but I love Southern fiction, and this book, magic and all, had me hooked from page one. Alex isn't the most likable heroine, but she is really funny, and more assertive than a lot of YA narrators. She is certainly stronger than Twilight's Bella Swan, for example. I found myself comparing this book to Twilight in certain respects, mainly because the push and pull between the Buzzards and Magnolias reminded me somewhat of the same sort of tension between the Twilight vampires and werewolves, but The Magnolia League is more sophisticated, and in my opinion, more interesting.
I really loved the many references to Southern authors, especially Flannery O'Connor, since I don't think many teens are familiar with her work, even though I think she has definite teen appeal. I also noticed a lot of pop culture references, which give the book a really contemporary feel. I often worry that books with those references become dated more quickly, but this one does give specific references to time - 1989 is the year Alex's mother made her debut - so I think even as time goes on, it will hold up because of that.
This book is truly addictive. It reminded me of all the books about the South that I love - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe by Fannie Flagg, The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, etc. - and really used the Southern atmosphere to enhance the creepy, mysterious tone of the entire story. It also made me think of the House of Night, with its various secrets and initiations. Like Zoey Redbird, Alex must learn the rules of her new surroundings before she can understand the wrongs being committed and the best way to stop them.
It's clear from the end of The Magnolia League that there will be a sequel, if not a series, to follow, and I will definitely be looking forward to that. I recommend this book to older teens, who don't mind frank discussions about drug use, sex, and other mature themes. It's definitely a high school book, and not something I'd be likely to hand to a 12 or 13 year old.
Alexandria - Alex - Lee is the granddaughter of Magnolia League founder Dorothy Lee, and at the start of this book, which takes place in the present day, she is plucked from the communal farm where she grew up and thrown into upper class society in Savannah, Georgia. Her grandmother, whom she calls Miss Lee, fully assumes that Alex - who wears dreadlocks, smokes pot, and hates everything the League stands for - will transform herself and become a Magnolia as well. Two other MG's, Hayes and Madison, help Alex make the transition from her former life of secondhand clothes and herb-farming to her new life of glamour, fashion, popularity, and power.
Alex resists for a long time, but when she begins to give in to the League's ways of doing things, she slowly comes to reveal the ugly underside to the Magnolia League's magic. Sure, every Magnolia is rich, beautiful, and feared and revered by all - but these blessings come at a great price, and it's not just the Buzzards who have a sinister hold over the Magnolias.
I don't read much fantasy, and I'm really not into the paranormal stuff, but I love Southern fiction, and this book, magic and all, had me hooked from page one. Alex isn't the most likable heroine, but she is really funny, and more assertive than a lot of YA narrators. She is certainly stronger than Twilight's Bella Swan, for example. I found myself comparing this book to Twilight in certain respects, mainly because the push and pull between the Buzzards and Magnolias reminded me somewhat of the same sort of tension between the Twilight vampires and werewolves, but The Magnolia League is more sophisticated, and in my opinion, more interesting.
I really loved the many references to Southern authors, especially Flannery O'Connor, since I don't think many teens are familiar with her work, even though I think she has definite teen appeal. I also noticed a lot of pop culture references, which give the book a really contemporary feel. I often worry that books with those references become dated more quickly, but this one does give specific references to time - 1989 is the year Alex's mother made her debut - so I think even as time goes on, it will hold up because of that.
This book is truly addictive. It reminded me of all the books about the South that I love - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe by Fannie Flagg, The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, etc. - and really used the Southern atmosphere to enhance the creepy, mysterious tone of the entire story. It also made me think of the House of Night, with its various secrets and initiations. Like Zoey Redbird, Alex must learn the rules of her new surroundings before she can understand the wrongs being committed and the best way to stop them.
It's clear from the end of The Magnolia League that there will be a sequel, if not a series, to follow, and I will definitely be looking forward to that. I recommend this book to older teens, who don't mind frank discussions about drug use, sex, and other mature themes. It's definitely a high school book, and not something I'd be likely to hand to a 12 or 13 year old.
daisy87's review against another edition
4.0
While reading the first part of this book I was preparing a gushing review in my head. And then came some stuff I had issues with. But in the end it sort of worked out, let me explain.
I really liked Alex. I liked that she wasn't overwhelmed by all the money and all it can buy. She grew up on a communal organic farm and has now been transported to Savannah and is the 'heiress' of a debutante society. I think everyone would have her reaction of 'wait, WHAT???', I know I would. She's being shoved into a role she isn't comfortable with and gets two friends sort of assigned to her, of course she's going to question it and protest.
The League has some magic they can tap into: hoodoo. And this can do lots of this for you, both good and bad. I got how this could draw Alex in and make things seem less clear for her. I thought the hoodoo magic was really intriguing, I'd never read anything about it before. I won't give away how they keep the girls skinny through this, but let me say that the explanation seemed incredibly likely to me.
So the first part of the novel was all good for me, and then came the part where Alex develops a relationship with a guy I will not name. Not only did it feel weird, but she does something that's straught out of the book 'How To Ruin Your Relationship'. I mean, really?? If you've read it, you know what I'm talking about. This REALLY bothered me. And the relationship itself... Well, I liked the guy, I thought he was kinda perfect for Alex. But I didn't believe what was happening, unlike the less realistic stuff about the whole society. The romance didn't feel natural somehow.
And OMG, that ending! It makes me want to transport to 2012 so I can immediately grab the next book and keep on reading! It's not exactly a cliffhanger, but I've got so many questions and I'm dying to find out what happens next.
So even though I had some problems with the romance part of it, I did really enjoy the book and would recommend it if, like me, you like YA and secret societies! And creepy magic! It's got it all.
My rating: 4 stars
I really liked Alex. I liked that she wasn't overwhelmed by all the money and all it can buy. She grew up on a communal organic farm and has now been transported to Savannah and is the 'heiress' of a debutante society. I think everyone would have her reaction of 'wait, WHAT???', I know I would. She's being shoved into a role she isn't comfortable with and gets two friends sort of assigned to her, of course she's going to question it and protest.
The League has some magic they can tap into: hoodoo. And this can do lots of this for you, both good and bad. I got how this could draw Alex in and make things seem less clear for her. I thought the hoodoo magic was really intriguing, I'd never read anything about it before. I won't give away how they keep the girls skinny through this, but let me say that the explanation seemed incredibly likely to me.
So the first part of the novel was all good for me, and then came the part where Alex develops a relationship with a guy I will not name. Not only did it feel weird, but she does something that's straught out of the book 'How To Ruin Your Relationship'. I mean, really?? If you've read it, you know what I'm talking about. This REALLY bothered me. And the relationship itself... Well, I liked the guy, I thought he was kinda perfect for Alex. But I didn't believe what was happening, unlike the less realistic stuff about the whole society. The romance didn't feel natural somehow.
And OMG, that ending! It makes me want to transport to 2012 so I can immediately grab the next book and keep on reading! It's not exactly a cliffhanger, but I've got so many questions and I'm dying to find out what happens next.
So even though I had some problems with the romance part of it, I did really enjoy the book and would recommend it if, like me, you like YA and secret societies! And creepy magic! It's got it all.
My rating: 4 stars
alexalovesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
(Review originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)
I actually picked up The White Glove War first was because I thought the setting sounded fantastic. I accidentally overlooked the fact that it’s actually the second book in a series, but luckily The Magnolia League was available for me to borrow from the library as well. It was with great surprise that I found myself tearing through the pages of these two books one afternoon off work.
The setting definitely did not disappoint me. I'm utterly fascinated by the culture in the Southern United States, and it was interesting to read a little more about it. It brought to life for me a place that I hadn't really been to before, as well as a type of society I'd never personally experienced. The addition of hoodoo to the mix definitely spiced things up!
The Magnolia League is certainly well-done. I like the fact that I was introduced to this large cast of characters, but not in a way that felt like the author was listing them and their attributes down one by one. Instead, it felt like I was gradually initiated into their world, meeting each character in organic a matter as possible. These characters could have been quite stereotypical, but I found them really refreshing because most of them were so... Southern.
The book definitely took on some magical twists and turns. I wasn’t very familiar with hoodoo (and knew just a teensy more about voodoo, actually), but after reading this book, I think I have a good grasp of what’s involved. While magic like that is a little scary to me, it definitely added an extra, unexpected oomph.
I love how this book tackled two stories simultaneously. One was the story of a girl thrown into a completely new environment, including how she reacted and how she adapted. The other was the story of corruption and deception in a group of very powerful people. Both elements wove together to create the compelling story in The Magnolia League, and I found myself really taken in by what was going on.
The romance definitely happened a bit quickly for my tastes, but I did really like it because I thought it was cute. I’m definitely happy that it didn’t play too big a role in the book; it was present but its presence was not suffocating at all.
The Magnolia League was a well-told story featuring secret societies, dashes of hoodoo, a teensy bit of romance and a group of unexpectedly interesting female characters. The ending would have been so annoyingly hanging... but I had book two, so all was well in the world.
I actually picked up The White Glove War first was because I thought the setting sounded fantastic. I accidentally overlooked the fact that it’s actually the second book in a series, but luckily The Magnolia League was available for me to borrow from the library as well. It was with great surprise that I found myself tearing through the pages of these two books one afternoon off work.
The setting definitely did not disappoint me. I'm utterly fascinated by the culture in the Southern United States, and it was interesting to read a little more about it. It brought to life for me a place that I hadn't really been to before, as well as a type of society I'd never personally experienced. The addition of hoodoo to the mix definitely spiced things up!
The Magnolia League is certainly well-done. I like the fact that I was introduced to this large cast of characters, but not in a way that felt like the author was listing them and their attributes down one by one. Instead, it felt like I was gradually initiated into their world, meeting each character in organic a matter as possible. These characters could have been quite stereotypical, but I found them really refreshing because most of them were so... Southern.
The book definitely took on some magical twists and turns. I wasn’t very familiar with hoodoo (and knew just a teensy more about voodoo, actually), but after reading this book, I think I have a good grasp of what’s involved. While magic like that is a little scary to me, it definitely added an extra, unexpected oomph.
I love how this book tackled two stories simultaneously. One was the story of a girl thrown into a completely new environment, including how she reacted and how she adapted. The other was the story of corruption and deception in a group of very powerful people. Both elements wove together to create the compelling story in The Magnolia League, and I found myself really taken in by what was going on.
The romance definitely happened a bit quickly for my tastes, but I did really like it because I thought it was cute. I’m definitely happy that it didn’t play too big a role in the book; it was present but its presence was not suffocating at all.
The Magnolia League was a well-told story featuring secret societies, dashes of hoodoo, a teensy bit of romance and a group of unexpectedly interesting female characters. The ending would have been so annoyingly hanging... but I had book two, so all was well in the world.
luaucow's review against another edition
3.0
My only complaint about this one was that I didn't believe the main character would really do that to her boyfriend. It went against her character and the author really didn't give her enough reason to do it.
thereadingzone's review against another edition
3.0
First of all, I like the ARC cover much better than the current cover.
As for the book, it's a fun, gothic magic story. Hoodoo, ghosts, and love spells- it will definitely appeal to teen girls. And it made me really want to visit Savannah, Georgia!
As for the book, it's a fun, gothic magic story. Hoodoo, ghosts, and love spells- it will definitely appeal to teen girls. And it made me really want to visit Savannah, Georgia!