The Magnolia League

The Magnolia League

By Katie Crouch

Published by Poppy

Published on May 2011

Summary taken from Goodreads:

After the death of her free-spirited mother, sixteen-year-old Alex Lee must leave her home in northern California to live with her wealthy grandmother in Savannah, Georgia. By birth, Alex is a rightful, if unwilling, member of the Magnolia League, Savannah's long-standing debutante society. She quickly discovers that the Magnolias have made a pact with a legendary hoodoo family, the Buzzards. The Magnolias enjoy youth, beauty and power. But at what price?

As in her popular adult novels, Crouch's poignant and humorous voice shines in this seductively atmospheric story about girls growing up in a magical Southern city.

I really wanted this book to take off.  I loved the idea of having a society full of secrets, of magic, and of historical themes.  This book had all of these things. 


What this book didn't have- was depth.  I know, that is harsh, and I don't mean it that way.  I just didn't get to know the characters very well- I felt as though this could have been the first half of a novel.  I know very little about the Magnolia League, Alex, or her grandmother.  Alex supposedly went through a change, but I just didn't believe it- it was too fast.  I also had a really hard time understanding the voodoo- I don't think it was fully explained.

Now that being said, I am absolutely willing to give the second book a chance.  I know, some of you may be asking "Why on earth would she read the second book if she wasn't crazy about the first?"  The book itself was ok- it wasn't terrible.  But like I said, it simply felt superficial.  But I did love the concept of the story and how it moved.  I am eager to see what will happen in the second book because I have a hunch that it will be a little more action packed.

Have you read this book?  What do you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts!