Heavenstone Secrets [Hardcover]

Sigh. Where do I start? The cardboard characters? The simplistic yet contrived family secrets and insanity, the predictable sibling rivalry, or the yawn-inspiring revelations? Let's not forget the recycled TITLES (April Shadows/Girl in the Shadows ---> Secrets in the Attic/Secrets in the Shadows ---> Heavenstone Secrets/Secret Whispers) This particular book is even more disappointing after you read the synopsis for its sequel (which can be accessed at the 'Complete VCA' site - a truly fine and wonderful site. Despite my feelings for Andrew Neiderman himself, I certainly don't hold it against the site)

Andrew Neiderman isn't even trying anymore. He writes his own novels and usually releases at least one a year (not including these "VCA" books) and I don't feel any passion in these books. When VCA died over 20 years ago, Neiderman did a good job of finishing the books she was unable to finish. He deserves kudos for that. And even though some people didn't like the Cutler series, I enjoyed it, and am happy he wrote the Dawn books. Landry and Logan series weren't as good, but still enjoyable.

Then he did the Orphans miniseries... and the VCA collection was never the same again. Longtime fans of VCA - myself included - have watched in dismay and disgust as disappointing after increasingly disappointing series are given VCA's good name. If Neiderman wants to keep writing these books - though if he apparently doesn't care to try anymore, why even bother? - then at least give VCA her dignity back and write these tween books under HIS own name. The brilliant mind who penned the Flowers in the Attic series as well as the Heaven series does NOT deserve to have her name on this embarrassingly poor book.

If Neiderman does derive some sort of enjoyment of writing these books, then it's better that he write them under his own name. These books don't have any of the old VCA feel to them, even. These stories resemble nothing of Flowers in the Attic or Heaven, or Audrina, and people who start with a new VCA book (not knowing of the real VCA books) have commented on how surprised they are at this bad writing.

For goodness' sake, Mr. Neiderman. This has gone on long enough! How many books did VCA write? 11! How many years? Not even a decade! How many books did YOU write? About 50! How long? Almost 25 now! The horse has been long dead, time to bury it, flogging just makes the problem worse. VCA didn't do ANYTHING to deserve her name being abused like this.

She spun out fine villains like Malcolm and Olivia Foxworth, Damian and Vera Adare, Tony Tatterton and Luke Casteel along with Kitty Setterton/Dennison. Let's not forget Clara Sue and Philip Cutler, and Grandmother Cutler and Pa and Emily Booth... I'm surprised that since Neiderman made such good villains in the Cutler series, he's making crappy, one-dimensional villains now.

VCA's (the real VCA, of course) made her series about not just families, but GENERATIONS. In Seeds of Yesterday, Malcolm and Olivia Foxworth have been long dead, but their hate and their deeds still leak down to the younger generations... Leigh, Heaven, and Annie were all tormented and lusted after by Tony, Emily tortures Lillian and then her granddaughter... you get the idea. There's none of that family secrets/generational thing here (and hasn't been for a long time, actually. Rain and Willow were both half-@$$ed on family secrets and very sparse, and after that, no more as Neiderman started writing shorter series.

One thing I miss a lot is the keyhole and stepback images. That was briefly restored (for the Attic Secrets series) and then dropped again. I loved the stepbacks because of the family/character picture groups. It was fun to try to identify them and see who was who (or wonder at the inaccuracies, like the one in Garden of Shadows). Some might think that covers are trite compared to the book itself, but these stepback images/family pictures were classic. And now what do we have? Cassie (at least I think so, because of the facial expression on the girl, even though Semantha's the main character of this book)

Why has the formula been changed? Cassie? Semantha? SEMANTHA??? We had Heaven, Dawn, Ruby, Melody, Rain, Willow... and then all of a sudden it stopped. And now we have stupid, horribly misspelled names like Semantha.

And as a final insult to VCA... you know what the cover of this book says? (Yes, I have seen/held the book myself) It says... 'From the creator of Flowers in the Attic'. I almost did a double-take, just to make sure that I had read the statement correctly. How insulting to Ms. Andrews herself!

Yes, seriously. That's what the book cover says, and if you also click on the book here on its page to enlarge it, you can see for yourself! Hello, publishers? Are you paying attention? Andrew Neiderman is NOT V.C. Andrews!

I really wanted to like this one... I tried to give it a shot. But UGH! I mean really - It was so forced. The whole premise of how poor Semantha has everything happening because she won't stand up for herself. The Dad and Mom were completly controlled by their children namely Cassie and for what? Nothing turned out well. I am not interested in the new book at all. I have no desire to find out what will happen to Semantha .. maybe I would read it if it was about Anna. But no - no desire to see further of Sementha's lack of identity.

This was a horrible story. How many times was she going to have the same conversation with her older sister? Led me down a path of expectation and did not deliver. I will no longer pick a new book by VC Andrews......this shadow writer should be ashamed!

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 28 reviews  2.9 out of 5 stars