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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
An easy read and had a lot of potential, just didn't quite hit the mark for me. The mystery behind Ellie's childhood was enticing and I was invested, some of the development of her mother along the way also had promise...but ultimately I wasn't impressed with the reveal, the introduction of a buried relationship seemed rushed and superficial. Again, so much promise... And like many other reviewers said, the ending was just so ill-planned, even if there is a planned sequel.
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Ellie Pringle has been left a house in Charleston by a grandmother who she hasn't spoken to in years. By returning to that house she is going to end up bringing back memories of her past and just may learn about her and her family things that she never knew. But will she end up in a better place after making such a big change in her life?
Ellie Pringle has been left a house in Charleston by a grandmother who she hasn't spoken to in years. By returning to that house she is going to end up bringing back memories of her past and just may learn about her and her family things that she never knew. But will she end up in a better place after making such a big change in her life?
Ashley Farley is one of my must-read authors and I have been reading her books since her very first one came out. I know when I start one of her books, that I am going to be lost in the world she has created. Magnolia Nights is her newest book and I just devoured it, but then I didn't want it to end.
When Ellie learns that her estranged grandmother has left her her estate in her will, Ellie goes back to the town and that house, a place that she has little memories of and a place full of secrets. What could've happened in that house all those years ago to make her forget that time in her life? The truth starts to come out after she finds her mother's old journals and and she remembers the horrible situation that she and her mother found themselves in.
This story is an intense tale of discovery, love, evil, and being able to get over the past to find happiness. And it's a story of secrets, lots of secrets. Ellie is an amazingly strong woman who had my admiration and support from the very first page. I loved how she just took on that house, and those memories and secrets, and turned her bad situation into a good one.
When Ellie learns that her estranged grandmother has left her her estate in her will, Ellie goes back to the town and that house, a place that she has little memories of and a place full of secrets. What could've happened in that house all those years ago to make her forget that time in her life? The truth starts to come out after she finds her mother's old journals and and she remembers the horrible situation that she and her mother found themselves in.
This story is an intense tale of discovery, love, evil, and being able to get over the past to find happiness. And it's a story of secrets, lots of secrets. Ellie is an amazingly strong woman who had my admiration and support from the very first page. I loved how she just took on that house, and those memories and secrets, and turned her bad situation into a good one.
This is book number one in the Magnolia series and can I just say, I HAD to download the second book already!
Ashley Farley is a tremendously, amazing writer that knows how to draw her reader in from page 1! This is the book that keeps you up until 4am reading because you just couldn’t put it down.
We begin our story with Ellie, a woman who’s broken up with her loser ex boyfriend and has come across the country from San Francisco to Charleston, South Carolina. She’s inherited her evil grandmothers house and money. Now, to figure out the secrets this old, creepy house holds.
After that, who wouldn’t want to read and dive into old haunts and a horrid families past?
I have to say, if I haven’t said it yet, Ashley Farley is my new, favorite author! She reminds me of Mary Higgins-Clark, which is a huge compliment!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
FYI, most of her books are on Kindle Unlimited, do yourself a favor and download one of her quick and obsessive books! I promise you won’t be able to put it down!
Ashley Farley is a tremendously, amazing writer that knows how to draw her reader in from page 1! This is the book that keeps you up until 4am reading because you just couldn’t put it down.
We begin our story with Ellie, a woman who’s broken up with her loser ex boyfriend and has come across the country from San Francisco to Charleston, South Carolina. She’s inherited her evil grandmothers house and money. Now, to figure out the secrets this old, creepy house holds.
After that, who wouldn’t want to read and dive into old haunts and a horrid families past?
I have to say, if I haven’t said it yet, Ashley Farley is my new, favorite author! She reminds me of Mary Higgins-Clark, which is a huge compliment!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
FYI, most of her books are on Kindle Unlimited, do yourself a favor and download one of her quick and obsessive books! I promise you won’t be able to put it down!
I love love love Ashley's books and this one is no exception. I think I heard this will be a series (or at least a 2nd book) which I am glad of because there is so much more to the story that hasn't been told yet.
This book is about learning about the past and coming to terms with it, finding love and strengthening family. There is even a little bit of action and mystery - a very well rounded book.
This book also reminded me of Flowers in the Attic with the strict grandmother and her actions and comments to her daughter and granddaughter.
Ellie has inherited the estate from the crazy grandmother. She has mixed feelings, as anyone would, about the house and everything else. But it is also cathartic because she knows she is repressing something but isn't sure what. You do find out but not giving it away, you'll have to read the book to find out.
The book does leave you hanging a little bit because Ellie's story is not complete and there are some other things that are revealed that need to be addressed more fully. Yes I know it is vague but has to be to not spoil part of the story.
This book is about learning about the past and coming to terms with it, finding love and strengthening family. There is even a little bit of action and mystery - a very well rounded book.
This book also reminded me of Flowers in the Attic with the strict grandmother and her actions and comments to her daughter and granddaughter.
Ellie has inherited the estate from the crazy grandmother. She has mixed feelings, as anyone would, about the house and everything else. But it is also cathartic because she knows she is repressing something but isn't sure what. You do find out but not giving it away, you'll have to read the book to find out.
The book does leave you hanging a little bit because Ellie's story is not complete and there are some other things that are revealed that need to be addressed more fully. Yes I know it is vague but has to be to not spoil part of the story.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
The plot was enjoyable and had a lot of potential. I didn’t really enjoy the writing style - it seemed like some areas were drawn out while others were super rushed. It almost seemed like some random thoughts were just thrown down without trying to make the story flow.
Note: I received a free ARC of "Magnolia Nights" from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
“Magnolia Nights” is a novel that had great potential but appeared to run out of steam through the last quarter of the book. The story begins by introducing us to Ellie, who has recently inherited her estranged grandmother’s estate in Charleston, South Carolina. We learn that her mother is deceased, and she didn’t know her father until she was 6. Ellie, escaping from a bad relationship in California, moves into the old house and begins debating on whether she should stay or sell.
Over the course of her life, Ellie has tried to remember what happened during the early childhood years she spent with her grandmother and mother. Through therapy, she becomes convinced that something traumatic must have happened to her and that by being in that house again she might be able to conjure her suppressed memories. For decades Ellie’s grandmother had employed Maddie, a housekeeper/servant/you-name-it kind of employee, and when Ellie inherits the house she continues her employment. Because Maddie was a fixture in the house for so long, Ellie is hopeful that Maddie will be able to help her discover what happened to her so many years ago. Maddie is reluctant to help, but with the discovery of her mother’s journals Ellie soon has enough back-story to go on.
I thought the premise of the story was great. The idea of having suppressed memories released through the discovery of Ellie’s mother’s past is a captivating plot, so the book engaged me quickly. After Ellie began reading her mother’s journals things got a little sticky for me. It wasn’t entirely clear to me whether we were actually reading her journal entries or if the journals were just a plot device used to get us to Ashton’s life. I would assume the latter if not for one remark in an early Ashton chapter when she said something like, “you remember when…” which makes me feel like she’s talking to someone. I thought it would have been more effective to have Ellie in the first-person role and for us to read Ashton’s journey in the third-person instead.
During Ellie’s search for truth, the author adds in a romantic interest, Julian, which further causes the story to spiral downward. The dialogue between the two is cheesy and clunky, and the speedy onset of their relationship felt entirely implausible to me. Though I did like Julian’s character, I wasn’t impressed with the way the author threw him at Ellie so easily so that they could “make love” all the time. Additionally, I think the writing here demonstrates that the author is not comfortable writing sexual scenes because anytime the characters had sex it was very much written like this: “Then they made love. She got up to get food and then they made crazy love again. And again.” There are no details, no feelings—nothing that should be included when one decides to make sex a part of a story. I think that it was a mistake to add this extremely intimate relationship so quickly.
Aside from the clunky romance subplot, the story was actually decent at this point. I was fascinated by how horrid the grandmother was revealed to be, and I truly thought that the author was going to deliver some crazy plot twists that would impress me. Unfortunately as soon as Ellie makes her final big discovery from the journals, the story is obliterated. Ellie embarks on a quest to find someone she didn’t know existed, that person ends up being awful, and then the story leaves us with our mouths open saying, “What?” It felt as though the author was tired of writing, so she took what should have been a large plot development and rushed through it in a couple of short chapters. There is no real resolution. We never truly learn all of what happened to Ellie during her first years. The author has dropped a stop sign on us in the worst possible way.
It wasn’t intriguing writing on her part that led her to write this ridiculous ending: It was either laziness or that she ran out of time. The last 30 percent of the book really ruined the entire novel for me, which is a shame since I had expected such good things. In the future, I would hope that the author realizes that she needs to close out her plot points rather than add absurd new ones at the last minute.
“Magnolia Nights” is a novel that had great potential but appeared to run out of steam through the last quarter of the book. The story begins by introducing us to Ellie, who has recently inherited her estranged grandmother’s estate in Charleston, South Carolina. We learn that her mother is deceased, and she didn’t know her father until she was 6. Ellie, escaping from a bad relationship in California, moves into the old house and begins debating on whether she should stay or sell.
Over the course of her life, Ellie has tried to remember what happened during the early childhood years she spent with her grandmother and mother. Through therapy, she becomes convinced that something traumatic must have happened to her and that by being in that house again she might be able to conjure her suppressed memories. For decades Ellie’s grandmother had employed Maddie, a housekeeper/servant/you-name-it kind of employee, and when Ellie inherits the house she continues her employment. Because Maddie was a fixture in the house for so long, Ellie is hopeful that Maddie will be able to help her discover what happened to her so many years ago. Maddie is reluctant to help, but with the discovery of her mother’s journals Ellie soon has enough back-story to go on.
I thought the premise of the story was great. The idea of having suppressed memories released through the discovery of Ellie’s mother’s past is a captivating plot, so the book engaged me quickly. After Ellie began reading her mother’s journals things got a little sticky for me. It wasn’t entirely clear to me whether we were actually reading her journal entries or if the journals were just a plot device used to get us to Ashton’s life. I would assume the latter if not for one remark in an early Ashton chapter when she said something like, “you remember when…” which makes me feel like she’s talking to someone. I thought it would have been more effective to have Ellie in the first-person role and for us to read Ashton’s journey in the third-person instead.
During Ellie’s search for truth, the author adds in a romantic interest, Julian, which further causes the story to spiral downward. The dialogue between the two is cheesy and clunky, and the speedy onset of their relationship felt entirely implausible to me. Though I did like Julian’s character, I wasn’t impressed with the way the author threw him at Ellie so easily so that they could “make love” all the time. Additionally, I think the writing here demonstrates that the author is not comfortable writing sexual scenes because anytime the characters had sex it was very much written like this: “Then they made love. She got up to get food and then they made crazy love again. And again.” There are no details, no feelings—nothing that should be included when one decides to make sex a part of a story. I think that it was a mistake to add this extremely intimate relationship so quickly.
Aside from the clunky romance subplot, the story was actually decent at this point. I was fascinated by how horrid the grandmother was revealed to be, and I truly thought that the author was going to deliver some crazy plot twists that would impress me. Unfortunately as soon as Ellie makes her final big discovery from the journals, the story is obliterated. Ellie embarks on a quest to find someone she didn’t know existed, that person ends up being awful, and then the story leaves us with our mouths open saying, “What?” It felt as though the author was tired of writing, so she took what should have been a large plot development and rushed through it in a couple of short chapters. There is no real resolution. We never truly learn all of what happened to Ellie during her first years. The author has dropped a stop sign on us in the worst possible way.
It wasn’t intriguing writing on her part that led her to write this ridiculous ending: It was either laziness or that she ran out of time. The last 30 percent of the book really ruined the entire novel for me, which is a shame since I had expected such good things. In the future, I would hope that the author realizes that she needs to close out her plot points rather than add absurd new ones at the last minute.
This was a quick, easy read and I enjoyed finding out the family history alongside the protagonist. I thought the big reveal of the deep trauma she experienced as a child was clever, but I feel like it was rushed in places and drawn out in others. I would have liked more at the ending instead of feeling like she stopped caring about her characters.
I received an advance reader copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley.
I received an advance reader copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley.