The rules of this challenge require that I attempt to read eleven V.C. Andrews books over the course of this year.
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WHAT ON EARTH IS WRONG WITH ME???
Okay.
I'm definitely planning on revisiting the Dollanganger series:
Flowers in the Attic√
Petals on the Wind
If There Be Thorns
Seeds of Yesterday
Garden of Shadows
I hope they're just as bad as I remember. I suspect they'll be worse.
I'm not sure what my other six picks will be. I must do some V.C. Andrews research.
I can't believe I just typed that sentence.
Haha, this is gonna be fun. Be sure to post your thoughts on them once in a while because I'm sure it'll be funny to watch you be horrified :)
Posted by: Steph | 06 January 2009 at 09:08 AM
Why?
Posted by: Brian F. | 06 January 2009 at 09:11 AM
Oh dear . . .
Posted by: Andrew Karre | 06 January 2009 at 09:56 AM
Weren't a bunch of them written after the real V.C. Andrews died?
Posted by: teacherninja | 06 January 2009 at 10:11 AM
This is brilliant. Maybe I should do this too? My favorite series was the Casteel Series. I definitely read the Cutler series, Landry series, and Logan series too, but after that I gave-up. I actually think the Dollanganger series was my least favorite. Which is a bit ironic considering it's the only series she actually wrote in its entirety.
Posted by: Erin | 06 January 2009 at 10:40 AM
There is no research like V.C. Andrews research.
Posted by: Liviania | 06 January 2009 at 12:30 PM
Steph: I think my horror may know no bounds.
Brian: I really don't know. Because the memory of reading Flowers in the Attic in fifth grade still haunts me and I want to exorcize it?
Andrew: Tell me about it...
Teacherninja: Yep. She's still "writing" even though she died in 1986. But only the earlier books are eligible for the challenge. According to Wikipedia, though, the only series she wrote in its entirety (almost) was Dollanganger. (Neiderman finished the last one.)
Erin: Oh, you just said that about Dollanganger, didn't you? Oops. Anyway, you should go for it. It'll be way fun. If it doesn't break our brains. I think I'm adding Casteel and My Sweet Audrina to round my list out.
Posted by: Leila | 06 January 2009 at 12:33 PM
Rumor has it that those five series we made eligible were based on notes she left behind for Andrew Neiderman. I haven't read them myself - so I'm REALLY in the challenge - but Taren has, and she says everything past that is is totally not worth reading whatsoever.
But wow, do I look forward to seeing the horror.
Steph
Posted by: Steph | 06 January 2009 at 12:54 PM
Oh and I mean she left notes behind, not for Neiderman exactly, but he made use of them. (I'm not sure whether this is verified anywhere or not, though.) I don't know how happy she would've been with how long this ghostwriting stint has been going on...
Posted by: Steph | 06 January 2009 at 12:56 PM
The story that went around when I was in fifth grade was that she'd died and then they (ahem) contacted her spirit through a medium and wrote the books that way!!
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But that may have just been our ten-year-old selves getting confused about the term "ghost-writer".
Posted by: Leila | 06 January 2009 at 12:59 PM
Ooo, tempting now that I've read Steph and Taren's blogs. I did want to check out a new to me author this year...!
Posted by: Sarah I. | 06 January 2009 at 01:15 PM
Hahahaaha! Funny, that. Personally, I don't know how he keeps going for so long. I mean, how recyclable IS incest as a plot device?
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Don't even answer that. >.<
Posted by: Steph | 06 January 2009 at 01:18 PM
Ah, yes. I remember the ill-spent days of my youth hiding out in a dark corner reading those incestuous books!!! I don't think I could revisit them, though. Good luck!
Posted by: Michelle T. | 06 January 2009 at 07:28 PM
I will admit to reading a fair few VC Andrews books in my teens. I think I even owned copies of many of them. My Sweet Audrina was my favourite! Good luck rereading them though!
Posted by: Michelle | 08 January 2009 at 09:17 AM
The Casteel and Cutler series are recommended from this quarter, my roommate in particular. I read a number of them in high school but I'm afraid of them all now.
Posted by: katsie | 10 January 2009 at 01:18 AM
The Casteel and Cutler series are recommended from this quarter, my roommate in particular. I read a number of them in high school but I'm afraid of them all now.
Posted by: katsie | 10 January 2009 at 01:22 AM
i have read at least 36 of her books in order in one school year...give or take a few. i love vc andrews. and i saw a comment up there on if someone else did the books for her. yes. she did the flowers in the attic, petals on the wind, if there be thorns, seeds of yesterday, my sweet audrina, heaven and dark angel. a man by the name of Andrew Neiderman who wrote the devils advacate is doing the rest. and lol coincidently i just spent five hours on my boyfriends project. i did an essay on v. C. andrews. lol. i had fun.
Posted by: kiera | 14 January 2009 at 05:42 AM
okay you all need 2 shut up bacause vc andrews is my fav author of all time! Many people around the world heart them and so do I ! I have read the Doppleganer series & sweet audraina and they are the best books in the world even better than twilight which i own also so ha!
Posted by: lindsay wooldridge | 14 March 2009 at 02:02 PM
Leila I am SO SORRY if I spoiled this for you. I should have taken a better look at the site before I spilled out all the information, did I ruin it for you? In the Dollaganger series I think Garden of Shadows is the best. However, as I pointed out earlier, some of the descriptions are almost word for word the same in GOS as they are in FITA.
I would love to blog with you on some of these books, Heaven being my favorite series. If ya tell me what you are reading I can re-read it. There was much talk of making a movie sequel to FITA out of POTW. After reading you might see how this movie would have almost been a porno flick. I do not think you could translate it into a movie and have anyone still be on Cathy's side. I like the book, her revenge is delicious, but every man she sleeps with kicks the bucket, except of course, Chris. YUCCCK.
Carrie's story was the saddest, by far, and made me cry when her final lines are given.
The rest of the series has to have you just believe and accept Cathy and Chris as a normal couple, and I never could choke that down, so, in my opinion this is her worst series. While I understand going through puberty while living as a mother and father figure with your two much younger siblings, having your sexual awakening, and all, I still cannot swallow having sex with my brother. I do have a brother, and we are pretty close, but I once dated a guy that kind of looked like my brother and I just could not bring myself to get involved with someone who just resembled him. For this reason I don't care much for this series, except for GOS, where incest is treated as sin, and punished.
Tell me where you are at and I will see if I can catch up and we can talk about it.
I joined a book club here in Santa Clarita, CA, where I live, about two years ago. The first book we read was The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald,(heavy sigh) then we read Light in August by William Faulkner, (bigger heavy sigh) and then I quit, those people were boring, the books were torture to read, and I didn't like to wear hats and drink tea.
An online book club! Horror novels, fantasy, sci-fi, I am there. Classics like The Mists of Avalon (where the author said "Clean shaven in the Roman fashion so many times I finally threw the book out the window and started drinking.) are not my thing. I went to high school, I graduated from college and I have read many books that are considered "required" I want a book club for the stuff you have no business reading, but just cannot help it.
I have rambled on and on, and at no time, made any real point.
Do I sound like Cathy Dollanganger now? Oh dear, I am going to start feeling everything in colors now...I better go drink...
Posted by: Laura Roberson | 02 May 2009 at 09:59 PM
My Sweet Audrina.
Posted by: jessica | 07 July 2009 at 03:32 PM
my favorite series is the culter series but i have read and reread all the books except the last few new ones i think after ruby they were not as good. maybe i have a twisted mind but i can totally understand the crazy plots of these books.
Posted by: amy | 17 August 2009 at 01:22 AM
I am a teenager right now and I love the V.C. Andrews books. My favorate series is the Logan family! Its romantic,crazy,and secretive. The Dollangangers series was so twisted, and I do have to attmit the whole brother,and sister thing was weird. Although I totally loved the suspense wondering if they were ever going to be together. The Casteel series I have no words for I cryed so hard when Troy Tatterton killed himself,and when her brother died. I believe that part was her falt she didnt think at all. Pritty much I feel realy bad for those unlucky girls. Ok i know that these storys never happend but i cant help myself. Well bye!
Posted by: sky marie | 14 September 2009 at 07:23 PM
Oh ya and iv almost read all of them!
Posted by: sky marie | 14 September 2009 at 07:26 PM
In the spirit of solidarity, I would like to share with you That Time I Re-Read Dawn.
http://booksidoneread.blogspot.com/2009/07/dawn-v-c-andrews.html
Be brave.
Posted by: raych | 14 November 2009 at 11:53 AM
i saw the whole heaven series at a thrift store, and in a fit of masochism bought them all. just finished "heaven", and found this blog by google-searching 'VC Andrews sucks'..am really amazed at all of the positive reviews she gets..
Posted by: shibagirl | 03 December 2011 at 06:16 PM