Book Review: Heavenstone Secrets

Author: V.C. Andrews (Ghost Writer)
Title: Heavenstone Secrets
Publisher:  Pocket Star
Publish Date: December 2009
Rating: 1 Stars
Book Blurb: SECRETS ARE AT HOME HERE . . .

The Heavenstone sisters live with their mother and father in a grand old mansion in bluegrass Kentucky. Semantha, the younger and prettier one, is afraid of so many things— darkness, strange noises, mysterious whispers in the night. But nothing frightens her more than her sister, Cassie. She is older and wiser, and always telling Semantha what to do, what to wear, and how to behave around those wicked boys at school. Semantha has her eye on one special guy—but Cassie has other plans for her. In the Heavenstone house, big sister knows best.

. . . AND THERE’S NO ESCAPE.

When tragedy strikes like a lightning bolt from heaven, Semantha’s life becomes a living hell. Under Cassie’s constant, watchful eye, she feels like a prisoner—a helpless pawn in her sister’s cruel game. When Cassie begins wearing their mother’s clothes and vying for their father’s affections, Semantha realizes she must bring their twisted sibling rivalry to an end . . . before a new generation is born.

Review: Sometimes you read a book even though it is bad because something about it interests you. With Heavenstone's Secrets this isn't the case. I read the whole thing because it was like a train wreck that I couldn't stop looking at.

V.C. Andrews books weren't the best stories, but once you started them you couldn't seem to put them down. You wanted to know what was next. The ghost writer who has been V.C. Andrews since she passed away in 1986, is getting sloppy. This story was weird, but there was nothing to explain away the weirdness.

Cassie wanted to be her mother and she slowly does things to make that happen, except for sleeping with her father. In a real V.C. Andrews novel, that probably would have happened. Instead she takes control of her little sister, Semantha's (what kind of name is that anyway) life and makes it miserable. But nowhere in the story does the writer explain why she wants to be Mama Heavenstone.

Then there is Semantha. Oye, the character was so wimpy, she made me want to scream. Cassie was only 2 years older than she was. I can't see any girl that was in her teens taking the orders Cassie was giving without a rip roaring fight, respectable family or not.

The other thing that bugged me were the parents. They even let Cassie boss them around. Hell, the dad's followed his daughter so blindly that his wife ended up DEAD! (Not saying how...you just have to read the book and share in my pain) .

I will probably read Secret Whispers only to get some closure from this book. (And I'm a a masochist) If you are thinking of picking up this book, I seriously advise you to put it DOWN!