Product Description
Laura Logan dreams of a glorious Cape Cod day when all the dark secrets are swept away....

For Laura Logan, life on Cape Cod has been nearly perfect, full of magical days spent enjoying the sea with her beloved twin brother, Cary. But then, like the creeping of the tides, the vicious rumors at school begin -- cruel voices saying unspeakable things about the Logans. Laura tries to ignore them, but not until handsome, gentle Robert Royce moves to their town does she feel truly carefree and happy again.

While Robert's smile drives the shadows from Laura's heart, she still worries about Cary, whose gloomy moods drift in like the coastal fog. And then Grandma Olivia issues a chilling threat, forbidding Laura to see Robert ever again. Alone to suffer because of dark secrets no one will explain, Laura obeys...until the miracle of a glorious summer leads her back into Robert's arms. But dark thunderclouds have been gathering on the horizon, and when they suddenly burst with tragedy, they howl a name from the Logans' shameful past that plunges Laura into a silent, terrible agony. Now Laura can only dream of the warm, sun-filled life she so desperately desires.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (80)

excellent
The book was in excellent condition for being used. It was far better than I expected and I feel extremely satisfied. It couldn't be in better condition if I borrowed it from a teacher's personal library.

Interesting
This book broke the usual pattern of previous VCA books by being about a cousin of the main protagonist rather than their children. But then, the ending of Unfinished Symphony pretty much wrapped up everything to give Cary and Melody a happy ending. My beef with this series is how helpless and fragile May is made simply because of her deafness, this is ridiculous. Other than that, the Logan family series had been decent, and this book gives us a surprising peek into the Logan family secrets.

After all, what had happened to Laura Logan when she ended up in the institution that Olivia had placed her in? This book offers an surprising peek at Uncle Jacob and the love he was capable of. It's pretty clear why Laura's family love her so much, so it offers an explanation for the way the family was in the first book of this series. However, Grandmother Olivia certainly hasn't changed much as she shows the same iron will before and after Laura's death. I do wish this book had some more details (what happened between Chester and Haille, for one, and so on and so forth) but this book is still a fairly enjoyable read.

VERY FAST DELIVERY
VERY FAST DELIVERY HAD NO PROBLEMS SMOOTH TRANSACTION WHAT THEY DESCRIBED IS WHAT I GOT

Good read
I thought the first part was ok. But in the middle, when the author goes on about Robert and Laura's relationship and Cary's jealousy, it just seems a little too boring. It seems to drag on and on before Laura and Robert have their accident. Is it just me, or does anyone else see a hint of incest here? The way Cary thinks and feels about his twin sister just doesn't seem right. I know he really loves and cares about her, and that's ok. But sometimes I get the feeling Cary would rather be her boyfriend than Robert.

VC Andrews
I bought these selections for my stepdaughter, who can't seem to put them down. A very smart purchase for me because I had no idea how much she enjoyed reading until now. ... Read more

Product Description

Delia Yebarra survived a treacherous desert crossing to protect her friend Ignacio from murder charges. Now, the time has come once again to leave her tiny Mexican hometown: Delia's cousin Edward convinces her to return to his world of wealth and privilege in Palm Springs, and soon Delia, a beautiful and popular senior at an exclusive private school, is living the American dream. But Delia will quickly discover that high society has a very dark underside.

Delia's malicious cousin Sophia is sparking horrific rumors with Delia at their center. Racing to do damage control, Delia's mortified aunt Isabela introduces her troublesome niece to the handsome son of a wealthy Mexican American politician. An attraction sparks and a whirlwind romance begins...but Delia's heart won't let her forget her humble roots -- or Ignacio. And when tragedy tears her world apart, will it be too late to save the one she cares about the most? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

great value
I was very pleased with the condition of all the books. 2 of them were just like new, thank you, I will enjoy reading them.

Delia's Heart
The book was impossible to put down. Read it in two days!Masterpiece as always!

This sucked.
I am an "older"reviewer (in my early 30's) having become interested in VC Andrews books after the Flowers in the Attic movie came out (even though the movie sucked). I started reading VC Andrews in jr. high and pretty much spent those years and through high school and the beginning of college reading all the books through the Ruby series. I was done when I read Melody and decided that it wasn't anything new and different. The formula was the same and I was tired of it. However, I recently discovered that the Delia series was to take place in Southern California (where I live) and the heroine was Latina (which I am) so I decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately for me though, it was a big waste of time and money. I thought the author generalized Mexican culture. If the author had mentioned the exact area Delia came from it would have lent the story a bit of authenticity. I guess I could have stopped reading the books after the first one, but something compelled me to finish the series. Possibly, hoping that it would get better (it didn't), or maybe thinking that the character developments would somehow reveal a major plot twist... like maybe Delia would die and the story would pick up from her child (nope). Delia's character development was unevolving and her constant poor decision making made me feel like she deserved all that happened to her. I couldn't relate to her at all on ANY level, and I couldn't even root for her because she seemed like she never learned and was always going to be the damsel in distress, going around making stupid decisions left and right. To sum it up, the writing was bad, I didn't like the characters and the ending was lame.

btw-In my opinion, Heaven series was the best and will always be by far the most interesting of all the VC Andrews books.

A fine drama
This second book in the new Delia series deserves a place in any general lending collection, especially where patrons have prior enthusiasm for V.C. Andrews' dramatic characters and style. Here Delia has survived a desert crossing to protect a friend from murder charges but again must leave her tiny Mexican hometown for Palm Springs - only to face a malicious cousin and troubled Mexican-American politics and family relationships alike. A fine drama continues and needs no prior introduction to prove accessible and compelling.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
DELIA'S HEART is the second part of the journey for Delia Yebarra.We first met Delia in DELIA'S CROSSING.After the death of her parents, her long-lost aunt, Tia Isabela, brings Delia to the United States and a life of luxury that Delia could only have dreamed about.

In DELIA'S HEART, Delia has managed to survive for a time living under Isabela's roof.Delia's cousin, Edward, is now at college with his friend, Jesse.Delia is attending the posh private school with her cousin, Sophia.And now, with her new friend, Fani, Delia has attracted the attention of Adan Bovio, the son of a senatorial candidate.

Still struggling to fit in at school, just when Delia thinks things are going good, something else fans the flames of gossip.It doesn't help when Delia turns down a date with Christian Taylor, one of the most popular boys at school.It doesn't help when her cousin, Edward, buys her a fancy sports car to spite his sister (her cousin), Sophia.And it certainly doesn't help when Adan accompanies Delia to a birthday party and then proceeds to snub the birthday girl.

But things may finally be looking up for Delia when her Tia Isabela starts treating her more as a daughter than her real daughter, Sophia.As long as Delia has the attention of Adan, nothing can go wrong.

But as with any V.C. Andrews' story, readers already know that there's always a dark cloud hiding somewhere.And DELIA'S HEART is no exception.When a spring break trip to Mexico with her cousin Edward and Jesse leads to the arrest of her long-lost beau, Ignacio, life for Delia returns to the days when she first made the crossing to her new home.

Can Delia have any happiness in her life?Will Adan's love be enough or will she be reunited with Ignacio?Will time find Delia living back in Mexico once and for all?

Hopefully, all of these questions and more will be answered in the final part of the trilogy, DELIA'S GIFT.

Reviewed by:Jaglvr ... Read more

Product Description

WAS THE HUDSON FAMILY DESTINED TO LIVE IN THE SHADOWS OF THE PAST? OR WOULD LUCK SHINE ON THE NEWEST GENERATION? THE ANSWER LIES AT...

THE END OF THE RAINBOW

Rain's precious daughter, Summer, is about to turn sixteen. Her future lies wide open before her and she carries her mother's wise advice close to her heart: life is hardship, but above all, life is hope. Like all girls her age, Summer dreams of growing up and making her own life, of falling in love and finding her soul mate.

But a devastating tragedy will force Summer to stare into the cold eyes of adulthood long before she is ready. She will learn very quickly about hardship -- but what of hope? Is she as strong as her courageous mother? Or will she crumble?

All her life, Summer has lived on the Virginia estate where the Hudson family's secrets have lurked among the shadows for generations. Now it is time for Summer to discover secrets of her own. Some she will keep. Some she will share. Some will force her to flee the only place she has ever called home. And some will haunt her for the rest of her life.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Ugh
This is one of the worst sequels that Neiderman has ever written. Instead of focusing on family secrets and twists or even the heroine herself, this book actually centered on Harvey, Summer's best friend and later boyfriend. No time is spent exploring past events or the repercussions of said past events (unlike Seeds of Yesterday, Gates of Paradise, or Midnight Whispers, which concentrated a lot on how the secrets of the past affected the heroines of these books) Harvey goes looking for his dad, and it unfolds into a plot that you see only in movies not even worthy of the 'B-movie' quality rating.

This book was disappointing overall, so don't let the pretty cover distract you.

V C Andrews
My grandaughter started reading the first in this series and was hooked. I read all four books and really enjoyed them. We discuss the characters and problems they encounter. She is reading the last book now and wants more. Her exact words were, " Finally I can read the same books you do Grandma."

WASTE OF MY MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SUMMER IS SUCH A BORE. IF YOU LIKE BORING STORIES READ THIS! THE ONLY HALF INTRESTING PART IS HARELY! I LIKE RAIN WAY BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


IF YOU LIKE GOOD BOOKS GET FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC OR EYE OF THE STORM.

summers rainbows..
I had never read VC Andrews, or Virginia Andrews before, and I really enjoyed this book.
Actually I wasn't well and I kept my head stuck in this book for hours and it was like a pain-reliever!

The novel is about a girl named Summer who has had a rich and pampered life.
Shortly after her 16th birthday, however, she is raped.
Wanting to escape the bad memories, shereadily agrees to follow her best male friend Harley out of town, as he searches for his birth father.
But, Harley's 'father' is evil, and lives with a crazy old witch!
Summer and Harley are locked in an attic and poisoned!
Will they get out????!!

Crazy story, heh?But I enjoyed it(like I said).
I have taken-out 3 more Andrews books, but it bothers me to hear they are all basically the same story ( ?? )
I have started reading Gates of Paradise and it certainly seems familiar!!! I hope it and the others will be fun, and not monotnous, to read.

Again, I really liked Summer's story.

*sigh*
I started reading the Andrews novels over 10 years ago and was totally hooked.Rain was the first Andrews novel I'd read since the Landry series.

I started reading the novels again because I wanted something fun to read while studying for the Bar Exam.The other books in this series were bad, but End of the Rainbow is one of the worst novels I've ever read.I kept reading the other novels because I kept expecting Rain to lose her inheritence or something unpredictable to happen.

I really don't think the ghostwriter planned this novel very well.It was as if he had one storyline going and decided near the end to have Summer and Harley trapped in the basement.Ridiculous.

If End of the Rainbow is any indication, the better days of the V.C. Andrews novels are over. ... Read more

Product Description
Hidden Jewel is the fourth thrilling novel in the V.C. Andrews Landry series. Following All That Glitters, the spellbinding story of Ruby Landry's daring struggle to find a happy life with Beau Andreas and to protect their precious daughter. Sheltered from sorrow, innocent young Pearl thrives in the sunshine of a loving home...except for the haunting nightmares of her earliest years, and the dark family secrets she worries will one day shadow her destiny....

Raised in a New Orleans mansion filled with kindness and laughter, Pearl dreams of becoming a doctor. With all the finest families wishing her well, her high school graduation party is almost as festive as Mardi Gras itself. But still, she fears that she will never know the essence of romantic passion, or her family's buried secrets. Yet her summer job in an elegant old hospital is fascinating...and an experienced intern is eager to share his friendship with her.

But the sultry Louisiana heat cannot dispel her family's sinful legacy, the snakelike treachery of a man who threatens Pearl's innocence, or an awful portent of disaster. After a cruel accident befalls one of Pearl's twin brothers, the bayou that seized him beckons to Ruby who flees, tormented, back to her Cajun roots. Pearl's faith in her mother abides, but she cannot hold back her tears when her other brother falls deathly ill, and her father retreats into his own bourbon-soaked world.

Pearl's dreams of success swirl away with the hurricane winds, and she journeys to the swamps in search of her mother and the shocking truths of her heritage. In the warm embrace of a gentle Cajun man, she discovers a blessed refuge. But, until the storm clouds clear, Pearl cannot savor the springtime sweetness that always, always seems beyond tomorrow.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

A Gem of a Book
I can't say that this is the best book in the Landry series. I liked the other daughters' (Annie, Christie) stories, but this book isn't bad and deserves 4 out of 5 stars. I'm sorry to say that a death triggers the series of events here, that's what happened to Annie and Christie, but this book is overall a decent read. Remember Buster Trahaw? You thought he was gone forever, didn't you? Oh ho ho. And surprisingly, Gladys also comes back - so this story is still an exciting read. Two thumbs up!

Hidden Away.
I love that it takes place in the early 80's of Garden District. Ruby and her family are finally happy!

I didn't like that the handsome -tanned sultry with soft pink lips- Beau turned into a secluded bachellor! Not there is anything wrong with that!!!!! Ruby looks awful and rented out- like another D!! I love the magic which is needed in order for Pearl to bring her family together again!

The finale of finding "mom" was so freakish to me! That's what created a thrill for US- the gay readers! I also love the how Pearl finally learned the ways of "earning her juice" at the end of the book!!!

Good Book
This book for me was a little boring in the beginning. I felt as though it would have been more interesting if Ruby was narrorating the story.But as I read it more, it really did interest me. My favorite book from the Landry series is "All that Glitters". All in all, it was a good book, glad that they all were happy in the end.

My favorite of the series so far...
I thought the first 3 book in the series were just o.k. & I was glad to see that this 4th book finally pulled me into it.This book is about Pearl, Ruby's daughter.This book was adventurous & took you back & fourth to the Bayou.I couldn't understand how Pearl recall as much as she did from her childhood when she lived in the Bayou because wasn't she like 9 months or something like that when she lived there?This is my least favorite series of V.C. Andrews's series but I did enjoy this book.

Pretty Good
Pearl is a lot smarter than some of the other VC Andrew's characters, but I found some things to be odd. I couldn't figure out why she called her parents "mommy and daddy" when she is 17 years old. She was very strong when she tried to find her mother, but I felt like when she found Jack, she fell for him a little quickly. He could have easily just turned out to be some jerk. This story line is a little different than the other novels, there are not as many twists and turns. Basically the biggest part of the novel was finding her mother Ruby. I give it 4 stars because I didn't find it as interesting or unique as the other novels, but it is good. ... Read more

Product Description
Growing up on the thriving plantation called The Meadows, Lillian Booth cherishes the brightest, happiest dreams....

Lillian's world is full of grand parties, of sunshine and promises, as thrilling as the fairy tales Mama spins for her and her little sister, Eugenia. No one, not even her cold, stern Papa and her Bible spouting sister Emily, can crush her spirits -- until the day Emily reveals the shattering secret at Lillian's birth, a secret Mama sadly cannot deny. Still Lillian refuses to believe Emily's hateful claim that she is evil, a curse...even when sweet, gentle Eugenia loses her fragile hold on life, and Mama retreats further into her fantasies. But when tragedy befalls her best friend, the one boy whose tender heart mirrors her own, Lillian comes to believe Emily's grim words. Meekly, she endures her penance, finding a strange solace in the endless repetition of prayers in a room stripped of all comforts. Lillian's heart is torn anew when, in a drunken haze, Papa subjects her to the most brutal degradation. Then Papa loses The Meadows in a card game, and Lillian is faced with a new and terrifying prospect. Arrogant, handsome playboy Bill Cutler will return the plantation -- if Lillian will marry him! Now Lillian must leave her girlhood home behind, and make a bold new beginning as the mistress of a hotel called Cutler's Cove... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

really great prequel
I really enjoyed this book. Wicked and twisted as it was I found it rather interesting learning why and how the grandmother became the way she was. Miss Emily and her father were the true evils of this series. and I found it very interesting going into the charactors before you knew them. a very interesting book which was perfect for the series of books that are my favorites.

Ah, memories
This was actually the first VCA book I ever read. It was given to me by a cousin who was done with it, and at first I thought that was all there was to it. Then my stepmother said 'Oh, VCA? I remember this book called Flowers in the Attic, and I read it back in highschool...'

Naturally, this started me off on VCA. At that point, the Logan series wasn't yet finished (it was 1997 or 1998, I think) The first few books I read were not in order, but now, having read ALL of the VCA books from the Dollangangers through the Logans, I am very happy that my cousin gave me that book to read!

While some people didn't enjoy the Cutler series because Neiderman wrote it, I had a good time with this series, and Darkest Hour served as an excellent prequel to a good series.

It is a shame that Neiderman stopped putting so much effort into the books after he completed the Logan series, though...

VC Andrews books
Every one in our household enjoys these wonderful books by V.C. Andrews. They are very interesting and always a thrill to read.

It was okay when I was fourteen, but...
then I grew up and dug out my Andrews books after they'd been sitting in my closet for a time. I reread this morbid tale one night as I tried to fall asleep. At first it entertained me. But having parted ways with these stories for years, I realized that it was the same spark that got people to read books like Mommie Dearest or Flowers in the Attic. People love to be shocked. And this is a book with nothing but horrible things befalling our 'beautiful' heroine with no bright light ahead of her. It seems that all of the good guys in VCA books are beautiful and most of the bad guys are ugly. And did I mention the rape scenes were absolutely disgusting?

I rest my case...

an idea
I would love to read a story written from Charlotte's point of view.Sure, Darkest Hour was prteey good, but it does not explain why Charlotte was afraid of Lillian.Maybe the Cutler series needs her to tell her story, about how Emily treated her. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (53)

Hmm
Like Butterfly and Crystal, Brooke is another girl hard on her luck. But this made-for-teens series is simply not VCA caliber - and no VCA fan should expect it to be so. However, most of us had to learn the hard way, by reading the book itself. It'd have been okay if this was written under a different name and not passed off as a VCA book.

I was hoping that Brooke's new dad would be the one to have mental issues, because Butterfly and Crystal's new moms were the ones with mental issues. But Brooke's mom is completely obsessed with beauty and even adopts Brooke based on her looks and places certain demands on the poor girl. So she gets the distinct impression that her new mom just wants a dress-up doll to play with instead of a real daughter. :/

Boring Brooke
Brooke is yet another tiresome little book in the Awful Orphans Miniseries.
Makes use of the stock characters 'Vain Trophy Wife', 'Emasculated Rich Guy', 'Bitchy-Rich-Girls who are frightened of Sport' and 'Persecuted Waif'. The Second last stock character-of well off private school girls being bad at sport (and the way All Girls Schools are portrayed in VC Andrews novels generally) is so innacurate that this reviewer assumes that Andrew Neidermann has spent his whole life in a cave. The only good thing about Brooke is that the heroine is a sporty girl rather than the usual VC Andrews 'Artist'. Aside from that sliver of originality in this otherwise stereotyped, formulaic miniseries, nothing good can be said of Brooke. I strongly recommend against buying this waste-of-paper-that-pretends-to-be-a-book, no matter how cheap it is.

Brooke,a novel that MUST be read
Brooke is the third book, in the seventh series of the V.C. Andrews novels. Brooke is a novel in The orphans Miniseries. When this book is read, keeping up with the novels is absolutely necessary. Brooke is the middle of a series, and starting them all over is a must! It is very good and makes you feel what she is feeling. It can relate to everyday life and the troubles of trying to be someone else. If you like this or are interested, try starting from the beginning. The beginning of the V.C. Andrews book is novels is The Dollanganger Series, and the first book is Flowers in the Attic.

Well, not great...yet
Brooke is a completely new version of Butterfly, however there is one large difference, more of which I will come to later.Pamela Thompson wants to live through Brooke, by making her into a beauty queen, just like she was.Brooke, however, just wants to play softball for the private girl's school she attends.Peter Thompson, Pamela's husband is proud of Brooke's accomplishments on the field, but he can't help her at home, Pamela definitely runs the house.Eventually, Brooke, unlike Butterfly refuses to give in to Pamela's desire to take over her personality, has to leave the home after causing Pamela to age....or have a nervous breakdown.

Better than the first two, not as good as Raven, but definitely getting there.Please editor, work harder...

Wowzers good book!
A girl that likes sportsanda grown women wanting to live thou a adoted daughter A true story of what really matters Any one who is about ready to adout read this book it tells you what not to do Which some need that spelled out They are not their to fullfill your spot in thir life life to do things they couldnt do! Read it Great Book!!![.] ... Read more

Product Description
Driven from the Dumas Mansion back to her beloved bayou, Ruby's only hope is that fate will let her begin anew...

Living again in a humble shack, Ruby is determined to make a secure and happy home for her precious infant daughter, Pearl. Paul Tate -- her first love, whom she was forced to abandon -- is at her side once more, now a man of dazzling wealth. When he whisks her into his grand house, it seems their future is assured. As mistress of Cypress Woods, Ruby can forget even the shocking reason she and Paul must wed in a secret ceremony and remain husband and wife in name alone.

But the thick, expensive walls of Cypress Woods cannot shut out the terrible memories that have woven their fabric over her destiny, or the cold eyes of Paul's mother, Gladys, reminding Ruby of the secret she must keep to give Pearl a loving father. Then her venomous twin sister, Gisselle, arrives to taunt her with news of Beau Andreas, the true father Pearl has never met, and the only man Ruby will ever long for with all her body and soul, Desperate to find the complete, fulfilling life she craves, Ruby builds a precarious new existence, a flimsy shanty of hope that the first flood washes away. Only when the storm exposes the very blackest evils of the past will she glimpse the rainbow's fragile promise, a morning of sunshine and laughter with a family of her own.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (56)

Good book
Pearl in the Mist wasn't the best book in the Landry saga, but it is made up for in this book. The twin angle is really played here - for some rather unexpected results. And unlike Secrets of the Morning/Twilight's Child in the previous series, the babydaddy in this one is actually a nice guy - so I'm not sure which guy to root for here.

Of course, Daphne is up to her usual tricks - and if that's not enough, you have Gladys Tate. With them and Giselle, Ruby sure does have a lot on her plate. Plenty of exciting stuff happens - action, drama, secrets and what have you. I would have to say that this is my favorite book in the Landry series.

Great Read!
As a part of the Landry series by V.C. Andrews, this book was very hard for me to find elsewhere because I believe it is out of print. V. C. Andrews lovers will love the twist and turns in this novel. As an avid book reader of all genres, I highly recommend this book and basically all of V.C.'s books.

Series is still good but I'm not loving it...
Well, so far this series has not grabbed me & really pulled me into the book but it's all right.I find myself finding many mistakes.In book #1 the spelling for Grandmere's friend was Thibbodeau & in book #2 it was all of a sudden Thirbodeau & in book #3 it was Thibodeau.2 b's then an r & no 1 b.Also, in this book at one point Ruby was remembering the day that she painted Beau nude & remembered that later that same day was when they made love for the first time but it wasn't later that day it was immediately after she painted the portrait.I just feel that the author of this book is not even that much into the series that they're forgetting little details.These aren't huge things but I'm finding many little things like this that's just irritating me.This is the 5th series I've read of V.C. Andrew's so far & I have to admit that I think it's my least favorite.I would recommend an earlier series from her & skip this one.

Suspenseful
All that Glitters, begins a year after Ruby returns to Houma, and gives birth to Pearl. The book is very suspense-filled, and has many dark chills in it. It is sort of like a soap opera. But it has the same senario as all of past V.C. Andrews books. What makes it fun, is that it takes place in the swamps of the bi-yu!!!

I found it suspenseful and faced-paced because, in the first half of the book, Ruby marries her half-brother, Paul. But they keep their distance from each other! Still they both pretend Pearl is their child, and they reside, in the deep swamps of Houma.

All of a sudden that brick wall falls, and Ruby is living with Beau in New Orleans, as her twin sister Giselle.

There is a chilling climax that will leave you reading the last three chapters without putting the book down. You will enjoy it!

Although you might think Ruby is a little self-ish to the people who love her the most.

GREAT , Suspensful !
This was great! It was very suspensful,Gladys made me so mad! I felt kind've sorry for Paul though! ... Read more

Product Description

RAIN HAS SEARCHED FOR A PLACE TO CALL HOME. BUT THERE'S NOWHERE TO HIDE WHEN THE NIGHT SKY LIGHTS UP WITH TERROR....

Torn from the embrace of her poor but loving family, Rain Arnold now lives surrounded by opulent riches but feels more like an outsider than ever before. Her heart's true passion -- the theater -- may prove to be her salvation, as she embarks on a journey to unmask a legacy of long-buried family secrets.

Enrolled in one of England's most prestigious drama schools, Rain is sent to London to live with her great-aunt, Lenora, of the renowned Endfield family. Their estate is breathtakingly austere, filled with antiques and a long, storied history. But something isn't right. Rain hears footsteps at night, and the high-pitched laughter of a little girl. She sees strange lights in rooms that are supposed to be closed off. And everything about the place -- the air, the silence, even the somber household staff -- is as cold and soulless as a museum. Behind the icy sheen of wealth and privilege lies something unspeakable. Something that could turn Rain's most precious dreams into an inescapable nightmare.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (60)

Lightning Strikes
Good story & well written. I love V. C. Anderws but at times her stories seem entrined with other books she's written. This was very different & I enjoyed it very much.

What?
This book was one of the most laughable I have ever read. It wasn't nearly as bad as any of Mr. Neiderman's newer works (April Shadows, Secrets in the Attic, etc) and had SOME traces of VCA elements in it. But still, this book was rather subpar, as was the rest of the series. The "secrets" in this book fall flat, and aren't really intriguing.

love VC Andrews
I started reading VC Andrews about 20 years ago and have been reading them ever since! This is great reading for when I just want to relax!!

lightning strikes
this is the second book in the hudson series.this book was just a tiny bit better than the first.in this book, rain is sent to london to study acting at a prestigious drama school.rain finds herself in a few bad situations.she finds a few secrets that are hidden in the house of which she is staying.the secrets are so wrong, that if they were found out, the family would be ruined. when rain is called back to the states for a death in the family, she finds that war is set to begin.a war that she never thought she would have to fight.

Book Review
I was reading this book and compared to the others in this series this was not my favorite one. It was hard to follow in some spots, and when you think you have figured out what is going on with the characters, it leads you to a different direction.
But out of all the V.C Andrews books this was a little different in plot. I would recomanded this book to anyone who likes mystrey and would enojoy getting lead in the wrong direction
... Read more

Product Description
Fate whisked Ruby from a simple life in the Louisiana Bayou. But her new riches bring more treachery than happiness...

Even after a year as a Dumas, Ruby still wonders at the splendor of the family's New Orleans mansion, and rejoices in the love of the father she had never known. But true happiness in her new home is as elusive as d swamp mist. Ruby must carefully avoid a venomous enemy: her stepmother, Daphne, who cringes and sneers at her backwater upbringing. And Ruby's every effort to befriend her twin sister, Gisselle -- especially since Gisselle's crippling accident -- is answered with bitterness and vicious backstabbing.

So idyllic Greenwood -- the exclusive girls' boarding school that her father has chosen for his daughters' senior year -- seems to promise some peace from the conniving Daphne, and maybe even a fresh start with Gisselle. But Ruby's kind isn't welcome at Greenwood, and the legendarily strict headmistress, Mrs. Ironwood, plots with her stepmother to make her life miserable. Meanwhile, Gisselle is on a mission to break every school rule, leaving Ruby to suffer the humiliating punishments. But Ruby doesn't lose hope -- until a terrible tragedy leaves her alone in a world that never really wanted her. Ruby will have to summon every last ounce of her Cajun strength to reclaim her home, her future, and the happiness she once knew.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Enjoyable tale
I didn't enjoy the Landry series as much as I enjoyed the first three VCA series, but the Landry books are still an entertaining read, and Andrew Neiderman's efforts show here unlike his later books (The Hudson series and so on afterward) This series is unique in that it has identical twins, which is something our protagonists never had to deal with before. Ruby was an entertaining read and I liked this book, but I must say that I was somewhat disappointed with the ending. I mean, it just felt like a repeat of Dawn's dilemma in 'Secrets of the Morning' with not much variation in the details. It does pick up in the next book, 'All that Glitters', so you can kind of consider this as a 'stepping stone' novel in the Landry saga.

v.c pearl in the mist
I had it, loan it to a friend and never got it back. Was so thrilled that i could find it and buy it here on amazon and best of all is that i found the cover that i originally had. They were shipped quickly and arrived in perfect condition. Thank you.

Good but I'm still waiting for the series to grab me...
Pearl in the Mist is the 2nd book in the Landry series.Once again this book follows Ruby as she & her twin sister Gisselle set off to an all girl school in Baton Rogue.I like this series so far but I'm still waiting for it to grab me & really pull me into it.So far I'm not big on any of the guys in the book & Ruby needs to grow a backbone.I'm recommending this series in hopes that it will keep getting better.

Great
This book has a lot of chills surrounding Ruby. She has a stepmother that despises her. Her sister tries to make her miserable, and her boyfriend is being way more forceful.So he can have sex with her. This is a good second book, and will have you excited about the 3rd novel.

Pretty Good *SPOILERS*
This book was pretty good until that part with GISSELLE, you know what I mean when you read it. I just didn't buy it. ... Read more

Product Description
Melody Logan was as alone as a solitary gull, with only the wild Atlantic wind to lift her spirits....

When Melody Logan's mother died in a car accident, Melody lost the last shred of family she had ever known. She was practically a stranger to the Logans, her wealthy relatives on Cape Cod, where she now drifted on a sea of dark secrets. In the eyes of gentle Aunt Sara, Melody was a replacement for her dead daughter, while for Uncle Jacob she was a reminder of the family's shameful past. Only good-hearted Cary seemed to care, and since it was revealed that she and Cary weren't truly cousins, the affection that had always surged between them now crested in thrilling waves.

But Melody knew she could never truly echo Cary's loving promises until she discovered her own buried identity. Despite Grandma Olivia's daggerlike threats, Melody sought out Belinda, a mysterious, half-crazy woman who was her real grandmother. Belinda gave Melody hope -- and a glimmer of the pearls of truth she knew were hidden in the shifting Cape Cod sands. Somehow, someday, the story of her past would be her hard-won treasure, to be savored in a world of sunshine and happiness...where she truly belonged. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

Mildly enjoyable read
To me, Heart Song was a weak point in the Logan family series. There's nothing really deep or dark here, and the story pretty much plods on. There's some entertaining parts, and of course there is Melody versus Olivia, that is always fun to read about as Melody strives to discover her paternity and the revelations that follow her in her quest to discover this secret - and the surprise twist answer she gets. Overall a fairly entertaining if slow read. It picks up in the next book.

Great Book
VC Andrews is amazing.The book is great - all "her" books are. (they are ghost written by Andrew Neiderman).The seller shipped it fast and it was as promised.

Eh
This book was alright. Not the best one in the series, but I think it still gave some insight about the lead character, Melody. The one thing that's always bothered me about V.C. Andrews is that I don't think she ever makes clear what time frame she's writing about. I can probably guess, but I know I won't be right. I assume Melody is set during the 70's or early 90's. I can only imagine that Laura is written during the late 50s or early 60s just because of how strict her bible wielding father is. Plus he was always adamant about praying before eating and reading the bible and who Laura could date. I don't think that kind of parenting is common these days, but I could be wrong.

Heart Song by Veronica
In the story, Heart Song, Melody Logan, the main character, was living among what seemed strangers to her.Her mother Haille recently died in a car accident so she has to go live with her relatives on Cape Cod, leaving everyone she knows behind in West Virginia.When she gets there, she finds out that they are strange people and have lots of secrets.
Melody finds out that her cousin Laura Logan just recently died too in a boat accident.At the Logan's house, her Aunt Sarah thought of her as a replacement of her dead daughter, her uncle Jacob thought of her as the devil's daughter, her cousin May who is deaf always seems lost and confused most of the time, and her cousin Cary, who was the only one that really cared for her.
Her cousin Cary finds her a job with a man named Kenneth Childs, he is an artist and her job is to clean his home and studio.Everyone thinks Kenneth Childs is Melody biological father.In the artist's studio, there is a secret room that is always locked.One day, when the artist is gone, Cary comes over and they get suspicious about the room.They open it by screwing the hinges off the door.Melody is very surprised to find pictures of her mom that Kenneth had drew but Melody doesn't say anything about it.
One day, her grandma Olivia tells her that she isn't her real grandmother.Her real grandmother Belinda, was put away in a resting home by her sister Olivia because Olivia makes everyone believe that Belinda is crazy.When Melody discovers who her real grandmother is, goes to visit her and the grandmother tells her secrets that no one in her family knows about.Later, Melody also discovers that she and Cary aren't really cousins and after they found out, they reveal their feelings and affections for each other.
Suddenly, a surprising accident in the family occurs, her Uncle has a heart attach and decides to tells Melody things about her mother that no one else can know about.Then, one day in a magazine, she finds a model that looks exactly like her mom but cannot be her mom because her mom is dead.So Melody seeks out to find out more about the model that looks like her mom.
The story is very interesting because it tells you how a girl has to suddenly grow up when her mom dies and has no body to go to except her relatives that live in a different city and are practically strangers to her and have lots of secrets.It is very exciting to find out how Melody starts to discover the secrets of her family and how she falls in love with her Cary, a guy that she thought it was her cousin.

A rather dull read
This book was rather dull, and it took almost the entire book to let the reader know the identity of Melody's maternal grandfather- we learn nothing else of intrest from the plot. The love scenes between Cary and Melody are a bit much to bear, considering that they are 2nd cousins.But if you consider the fact that no one seems to be upset with the idea that Hallie(Melody's Mom) ran off and married her first cousin we should not be surprised. If you are bored on a rainy sunday, pick this up at a book store. ... Read more

Product Description
Happy and innocent, Dawn's daughter Christie has grown up in the safest, most loving of homes...

Yet Christie can't help feeling as if a dark cloud hovers over Cutler's Cove...a cloud whose origins lie in her family's troubled history, and the many questions no one, not even Dawn, will answer. Only one person can always chase away her blues: Gavin, Daddy Jimmy's young and handsome stepbrother.

Then, in one harsh night, Christie's world is changed forever. She is shocked to discover her Uncle Philip's unbrotherly love for her mother but even worse is the way he now looks at Christie, his eyes bright with tortured passion. Fleeing to New York City, she finds her real father...a pathetic, helpless has-been. Desperate and heartbroken, she turns to Gavin, who travels with her to The Meadows, the plantation where Christie was born. In Gavin's arms, in the first, tender moments of true love, Christie finds a refuge from her painful memories. But The Meadows is blighted by its own dark secrets -- and all too soon Christie is torn from Gavin's embrace. Now as black storms of evil gather around her, Christie must struggle to break the cruel bonds of the past...to defy the curse that has haunted Cutler's Cove for generations.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

Good and sad book.!
When I read this book from the Cutler family series I actually cried A LOT I get very attached to the books I read and this one was the most touching to me.!

amazing, even for a new charactors' take
I was surprised when I got to this book and it was just as great as the others were. usually when they get to the next generation the story is kind of boring and tiresome but I loved how Christy had a story that linked with her parents yet it was her own. they didn't bring grandmother cutler back up to taunt her. they brought somebody you hadn't thought could be that way. and they made it a really interesting story with the kids. so much that it stopped irritating you after a while that the parents were no longer there. Great book. Superb series.

Just too predictable.The same as Annie in Gates of Paradise
I was very disappointed in this one.This book is almost the same as the ending of the Casteel series.This book is written by the ghost writer, and it seems that all of his books are just a like.It's predictable.It's so similar to Gates of Paradise, it's almost like the names were just changed.

Flowers in the Attic is much better, as well as the the first three books in the Heaven series.

This book is trash.

So-so
I enjoyed the first book in the Cutler series, but later in the 4th & 5th books, it seemed very similar to the Casteel series. When I read this book espicially, I had felt like I was reading the Casteel series allover again. It is a good book, but also very familiar.

An appropriate title for a good book...
If you've read the preceding Dawn books, then you're bound to enjoy this, despite some of the sad things in here. The Meadows - previously highlighted in 'Secrets of the Morning', come into play here, this time as a refuge instead of a prison for poor Christie, Dawn's daughter. Overall, this series reflects the best of Neiderman's efforts to ghostwrite for VC Andrews, and I enjoyed it a lot. ... Read more

Product Description

THEY BEGAN AS STRANGERS -- FOUR TEENAGE GIRLS WITH NOTHING IN COMMON BUT THEIR MISERABLE CHILDHOODS. SOON, THEY WOULD REALIZE THAT THEIR SECRET PASTS HAD BOUND THEM TOGETHER FOREVER....

Misty, Star, Jade, and Cat first came together in Dr. Marlowe's group therapy sessions. They trusted no one but each other -- and even that bond was fragile at best. One by one, each of the Wildflowers told her own story and bravely unveiled the inner wounds inflicted by years of lies, deceit, and untold family secrets; each revealed the shocking tales of how their parents hurt them, used them, or simply abandoned them. And as they shared their darkest feelings, they no longer felt like lost souls with nowhere to turn. Finally, years of loneliness and pain gave way to the realization that someone else in this world understood them. But then the sessions ended, and the girls didn't know if they would ever see each other again.

Now they are coming together one more time. Jade has sent out invitations to her parents' mansion -- the sprawling, opulent homethat served as a battleground for much of her young life. There, the four will rekindle their bonds of friendship and trust. But this time, away from Dr. Marlowe's watchful eye, it will be different. Today, in the mansion's attic, Star, Jade, Cat, and Misty will take each other's hands and swear to tell the real truth -- the shattering secrets that lie deep within them like smoldering coals. And once the darkest secret of all is spoken aloud, there will be no turning back. For there may be some things the Wildflowers should leave buried forever.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (51)

Interesting book
After 'Into the Garden', the quality of Neiderman's work dropped. Personally, I feel the best of his work was the Cutler series, but the Landry and Logan series were also good. Orphans was okay. Wildflowers was more interesting, and this book isn't a shabby read. But after that, forget it. The Hudson series (Rain and onwards) was bad.

Cat tells this story, and I was glad that she did, because she had the most interesting story out of the four girls. I remember being all excited when this book came out, and counting down the calendar days for its release. Overall this book was a fun read (not good or deep, just light and fun, despite the dark themes in here) I wasn't really surprised that Howard came back, and I was glad to learn more of Cat and Howard's relationship (and history)

What I didn't understand was Lea giving Cathy to Geraldine. The whole situation was just ludicrous. Yes, parts of it made sense, but Lea should have known better than to give Cat to her bitter adopted daughter and a son-in-law that didn't even want to marry Geraldine in the first place. It had some good points, but could have been so much better, only if Neiderman had tried hard here like he had for the Cutler series, Cat's story would have been much improved.

Don't waste your time
++**Warning Spoilers Ahead**++

This book is a real doosie, by far the worst V C Andrews book I have read so far, the story was unrealistic and totally unbelievable. I have a fair idea where the Andrews Ghost writer pulled this book from (ie. somewhere that the sun does not shine).

"Into The Garden" continues the saga of the "Wildflowers series" specifically following the character Cathy "Cat". The novel has a good start, delving into lost secrets of Cat's family, in true Andrews fashion. But the novel takes a strange turn when Cat's mother mysteriously dies and the four friends (Cat, Misty, Jade and Star) decide that instead of reporting the death to the police they should bury the body in the back yard. The premise to this decision is that this will save Cat from going into foster care, and as a bonus the girls can use Cat's house as their very own clubhouse, for the purpose of throwing parties and sleeping with boys.

The bizaar thing about this story is the lack of regard and remorse these friends show throughout the novel, and the rash decision of disposing the body without little thought to consequences. At seventeen you would think that they had some brains rattling around in their head, but apparently these girls have no intelligence and no concious at all. Perhaps these "Orphans With Parents" family problems and abandonment actually stemmed from their parents realising that their daughters were born without souls. Can people really be that unconciable??

The ending is also bizaar with a slapped together sum up, which features the return of Dr. Marlow.

Overall, this book gives this reader the feeling that the author gave little thought to the plot and just wrote down any old thing in his head as he went along.

Trully one of the worst reads I've had in a while.

Hot!
These girls aren't like the "Runaway" girls. But they make some shocking decisions. As soon as you read the book, you feel the chill it contains. I thought the senario was going to be predictable. Kind of like in the first four V.C. Andrews series. But when Geroldine suddenly died, I knew this book would take a wirl of exicitment. The characters are unrealistic, and I am surprised they even got along. But they pulled through the hard times.

When Cat and her friends buried Geri, it showed how naive they were to try and cover up the truth. I guess hat's what it took, to keep Cat from living with foster parents. They were all very naive, but halarious! You will question the audacity, these girls have! They have some major nerve.

To say this is terrible would be an understatement!
This was, perhaps, one of the worst books I'd ever read in my entire life. It started off as good, but immediately went downhill as soon as they buried the mother in the backyard (can't they get into serious trouble for that?). In fact, it was so bad I couldn't even finish it, and usually, I'm the type to finish what I start. It's totally unrealistic, vapid, and the characters aren't even people you can care about.

This book makes me cringe just thinking about it.

Don't buy, if you know what's good for you, but if you'll read any trash, go ahead and waste your money. Don't say I didn't warn you.

A Late Bloomer's Adventures
Cat really did come out of her shell in this book.I was glad when she went to the brunch at Jade's house.As for Geraldine, good riddance.It was a shock that Howard was going to pin his killing Geraldine on Cat if she (C) didn't do what he said.As for Stuart, his big loss when he didn't come around after all things came out.I was glad when Dr. Marlowe got custody of Cat.I hope to hear a story about Cat's college adventures. ... Read more

Product Description
As Mrs. James Gary Longchamp, Dawn is blissfully happy. But a legacy of deceit and betrayal still haunts her...

At last Dawn can create a haven of warmth and love for her beautiful baby girl, Christie, and her darling Jimmy. Dawn is a huge success as the new owner of the Cutler's Cove hotel...and soon she and Jimmy will be blessed with a child of their own.

Yet Dawn cannot quell her forebodings of evil. She can sense Grandmother Cutler's presence everywhere...can feel her bitter hatred as if the old lady plotted her vengeance from the grave. When Dawn discovers that her brother, Philip, still clings to his mad, shameful passion for her, she is heartstricken. Her spiteful, jealous sister, Clara, is far easier to ignore...until the day Clara's childish rage explodes into violence, destroying Dawn's most cherished, precious dream.

Then Christie's father, debonair singing star Michael Sutton, returns. Now, as the heartaches and scandals of the past threaten to engulf her, Dawn must fight for her steadfast Jimmy...for only with Jimmy's love can she find the rainbow at the end of the storm. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Amazing book
Really good book. In my opinion I think it was the most intense out of the whole series because it goes into great detail. I really loved the cutler family saga very, very twisted yet great books.!

Superb
This whole series is just superb. Really wonderful. the stories are interesting and well thought out. and you get to see Dawn go down a road and become somewhat similiar to grandmother cutler. it's an interesting take when usually most of her stories don't go that far. it was really a great read.

Dawn finally grows up...
Twilight's Child is my favorite volume from the Cutler series. It isn't a mere transitional book. There is an emotional custody hearing, two elaborate weddings, despondency so bad that it causes a death, a jealous psycho's violent revenge, the birth of twins (of course), a creepy persistent obsession with a half-sister, and an extortion attempt by a sleazy ex-lover. And more. Best of all, Dawn has finally grown from a whiny airheaded starstruck kid into the assertive and competent owner of the Cutler's Cove hotel. No longer gullible, she risks Jimmy's resentment by exposing long-lost Fern for the no-good little schemer she is...and by the last chapter, a long-awaited dream comes true.

Hotel Ownership?
The only thing I would like to say is...I never understood why the hotel was left to Dawn? I mean, I understand that Dawn was picked over Randolph, Bill's son? It isn't often that a daughter is chosen to continue the family's legacy besides the son? I guess I never understood how he found out that Laura Sue was pregnant by him and not Randolph? I mean, if Randolph thought Dawn was his daughter, isn't it possible that she could have been? And might have been? We needed Laura Sue's story so desperately to sette this. And how did Grandmother Cutler find out that she was carrying her husband's child instead of Randolph's? There should have been a DNA test done here, for crying out loud!! And more importantly, in "Dawn", didn't Dawn declare that Laura Sue and Randolph shared a bedroom? But, when Bronson told the story to Dawn, he made it sound like they had separate bedrooms, which they must have had in order for old man Cutler to rape her!! It's all confusing. Why would Grandmother hate Laura Sue because HER husband raped her? Doesn't make sense, either.

Wonderful continuation of Dawn's story
After the bombshell dropped in 'Secrets of the Morning' and all the stuff that Dawn had to go through, it seems that now, finally, she has a place of her own (even if it wasn't the one she had planned for herself) After her trials and tribulations, it seems to us that things should be okay now... right? Right???

Of course not. While she is able to gain some happiness for herself, she still has people to contend with, namely Clara Sue. And what's that? Uh oh, Phillip still hasn't gotten over her...

This book is a worthy continuation of Dawn's story, and the ending does bring some satisfaction. Overall, 4.5 out of five for a good read. ... Read more

Product Description
Two books in one: If There Be Thorns and Seeds of Yesterday, from V.C. Andrews's classic series that begins with Flowers in the Attic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Series!!!
This is a must read series for teenagers and adults. The unique writing comes to life as you fell your in the story itself. It protrays a rare but eye opening form of abuse!! ... Read more

Product Description

The four Dollanganger children had such perfect lives -- a beautiful mother, a doting father, a lovely home. Then Daddy was killed in a car accident, and Momma could no longer support the family. So she began writing letters to her parents, her millionaire parents, whom the children had never heard of before.

Momma tells the children all about their rich grandparents, and how Chris and Cathy and the twins will live like princes and princesses in their grandparents' fancy mansion. The children are only too delighted by the prospect. But there are a few things that Momma hasn't told them.

She hasn't told them that their grandmother considers them "devil's spawn" who should never have been born. She hasn't told them that she has to hide them from their grandfather if she wants to inherit his fortune. She hasn't told them that they are to be locked away in an abandoned wing of the house with only the dark, airless attic to play in. But, Momma promises, it's only for a few days....

Then the days stretch into months, and the months into years. Desperately isolated, terrified of their grandmother, and increasingly convinced that their mother no longer cares about them, Chris and Cathy become all things to the twins and to each other. They cling to their love as their only hope, their only strength -- a love that is almost stronger than death. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (473)

AWESOME
Awesome book, ive been looking for this forever, and they knew just where to find!!!!thanks sooo much

The "Horror" of "Flowers" - Phenomenal
First off, I would not consider this to be a horror book, but I see how the story is horrific. It's more fitting to say it's southern Gothic-ish. I'm 18 and just discovered these books and fell in love with them - I know I'm super late. I picked this book up and finished it within two whole days give or take a few hours. I ABSO-FRIKIN-LUTELY loved this book. I had read other reviews on FITA that criticized the writing and subject matter and whatnot. I can certainly see this raising riots with certain groups of people in it's time of release and even today.

*May contain some spoilers*

Basic premise, I guess to say is that the Dollanganger (strange foreign unheard of name no idea how to pronounce) is a normal, average (anything but), middle-class family of the Pennsylvania suburbs - the American Dream, right? haha. Quite an introduction and the first chapter is filled with anecdotes that just wheel you in. Then it all falls apart when the father, Chris D. Sr. dies in a car crash. The kids are packed up and forced to move with their mother to her childhood home of Foxworth Manor and they were really in for it...for this is where the bulk of the story and tragedies take place.

I found the characters to be amazing in their own right like Cathy, Chris, and the twins Carrie and Cory from their dialogue to their actions. There were of course many heartbreaking moments and tear-jerkers. This contributes to the realism of the story - which makes for great reading might I add. I'm into dark stuff so I happened to really enjoy this and I winced while reading here and there but I really was on the brink of tears at the scene where The Grandmother whipped Chris and Cathy and that whole moment. You may ask why didn't they try and escape at when the opportunity came (i still believe the four of them together could have taken down that witch of a grandmother) but we have to remember that they are kids who adored their mother and clung to false hopes. I happened to enjoy the writing and found it well-written and it appealed more since it was in first-person; so I inevitably identified with the protagonist being that teen girl with stubbornness and animosity and being as cynical as I am. The bond between the children is one that can't be missed and it was such an interesting contrast between the characters though they are related in the most biological way possible and then some.

The children are the focus of the story and it is a coming-of-age story among the horrible and unthinkable acts of violence and suffering. Although incest is an unspeakable taboo in our society, you can't help but feel for Chris and Cathy (and even their parents) throughout the book. "The Dresden Dolls" are so perfect that maybe they are too perfect with their looks, brains, and many talents; since there isn't much diversity in the "Foxworth" gene pool, could Carrie and Cory's stunt growth manifest that very relationship of half-uncle and half-niece/half-brother and half-sister (spoiler). You also have to wonder if what transpired between this pair of brother and sister was inevitable since there is obviously a cycle that cannot be broken (as witnessed throughout the rest of the series). Everything seems to shift in part 2 of the book when the teenage hormones and curiosity and frustration boils over the surface and Chris and Cathy act out on their URGES (although it is violently initiated by Chris and ironically Bart W. was the catalyst of sorts). V.C. Andrews dared to touch on taboo themes like incest (especially of such close relations) and then there is that underlying psychological nature of Freudisms: every girl ultimately wants to marry her father (by that i mean find that guy that is akin to him, so to speak) - Daddy's Girl and every boy ultimately wants to marry his mother [obviously Chris demonstrates this in the book on many occasions] - Momma's Boy. Although three of the four kids escape their prison, it will forever stay with them and haunt them for the rest of their lives because they had to pay the price for the "sins" of their predecessors - and that is what is so sad.

If you have any emotions and a heart, no matter your stance, you have to feel for these two main characters doomed to end up as their parents for it is the circle or cycle of life - we kinda are our parents, though you can make your destiny if you believe to. But do to the circumstances the children are put understand created such characters that made for a hell of a story (that continued on...in a cycle). Which may be another hidden theme, that clever V.C. Andrews.

Over zealous religious hypocrisy that drives rebellion, a mother broken down by humiliation and made antagonisticby greed, innocence lost, evil doings, wealth, abhorrence, corruption by power, the unthinkable, and a battle of wills all makes for this spell-bounding tale.

A strange, disturbing horror story
Flowers in the Attic is a novel with limited resources - it's characters were few, and they seldom leave the property in which they are confined to. However, it was captivating, and absolutely held my attention. I felt the children's desperation for their mother to understand what they were going through, and the grandmother was an absolutely evil character that I detested until the very end. The book was vivid and descriptive, and I feel that the author did very much with so little - she made a book about four children trapped in a room for years actually interesting. Watching how things progress from the siblings receiving expensive gifts from their mother to having to almost eat rats from the attic when they are starved was written very well.

As for the negatives, I found the characters to be very unbelievable in both their actions and their dialogue. I understand this is a "fairy tale", but the way they spoke was so exaggerated and melodramatic it became irritating. They switched from sounding very childish ("Oh, golly day, Chris was ever so smart!") to sounding as if they were reading from a text book or lines from a very dramatic soap opera. Also, I was disappointed in the ending - I thought the twist was excellent; however, I wanted revenge, and I was disappointed when that didn't happen. I understand this is a series, but I wished it would have been wrapped up in one novel rather than being dragged on.

The incest did not bother me (maybe because I'm an only child? Ha ha), but at times it did seem very far-fetched that it only took three years of confinement for two siblings to have consensual sex. Despite this I thought it was written in good taste, without being too explicit. It did not stray away from the real disturbing story about four children kept hidden away from the rest of the world. A highly recommended read.

Unforgettable
I read this book as a teenager and yet that plot, those scenes, the children, they never left my mind. I would read it again.

Good good good
This is a good book!!! I watched the movie as a child and just finished the book it is great!!! a must read!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Horror and tragedy in every V.C. Andrews book. ... Read more

Product Description
At last, Dawn can create a haven of warmth and love for her beautiful baby girl, Christie, and her darling Jimmy.Yet Dawn cannot quell her forebodings of evil.She can sense Grandmother Cutler's presence everywhere, can feel her bitter hatred from the grave.When Dawn discovers that her brother, Philip, still clings to his mad, shameful passion for her, she is heartstricken.Her spiteful, jealous sister, is far easier to ignore - until the day Clara's childish rage explodes into violence, destroying Dawn's most cherished, precious dream.Then Christie's father, debonair singing star Michael Sutton, returns.Now, as the heartaches and scandals of the past threaten to engulf her, Dawn must fight for her steadfast Jimmy - for only with Jimmy's love can she find the rainbow at the end of the storm. ... Read more