Heavenstone Secrets

The two Heavenstone sisters live with their parents in an old Kentucky mansion. The older sibling Cassie is the perfect Heavenstone as she behaves properly everywhere. The younger sister Semantha is prettier, but somehow pales next to her accomplished older sibling. It is hard to live up to the perfect definition of her parents when everything frightens you which is what Semantha feels. Her biggest fear is that of Cassie who always orders her around when their parents are not there to see the other side. When mother becomes ill and hospitalized, Cassie takes over her role in the household. She scares Semantha even more as the younger Heavenstone feels like a criminal under interrogation by her sibling and fears what her sister is doing to her and her father even as she conceals something that will be obvious in a few months. The concept of good seed bad seed has been a round a long time (Bette Davis in Dead Ringer, Whatever happened to Baby Jane? and Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte). However, V.C. Andrews keeps it fresh due to Cassie as the perfect teen Machiavellian manipulator though it helps that her pathetic parents prefer not to dig below the surface. Semantha overkills the victim defense as much of the story line she whimpers about her fear of her sister and just about everything else. Although entertaining as readers will wonder if hormones running wild will bring a backbone to Semantha The Heavenstone Secrets contains no Flowers in the Attic. Harriet Klausner

As a die-hard VC Andrews fan, I really enjoyed this new novel, Heavenstone secrets!! I was so excited when I bought it from the store. Every time, there is a different series to read. I can hardly wait for the next book, Secret Whispers!!

Our favorite author (ghostwriter) has come through for us again! The Heavenstone Secrets is a gripping tale of bitter betrayal. I couldn't read it fast enough! Over the course of the years, we've had several evil grandmothers; evil mothers; even an evil aunt! But this was something new. An evil sister! Cassie was a wonderful villainess... I hated her almost from the very beginning! Her warped love for Daddy. The way she nearly despised Mother. The way she treated her sister Samantha. It was gripping to watch Cassie's evil plan unfold! Thank you, Mr. Neiderman, for delivering another VCA winner. As I read this book, I loved the parts that were new to the VCA world, that were different from prior novels. I've said it before and I will say it again... Mr. Neiderman seems to be able to channel Virginia Andrews and bring her words and her worlds to life. I cannot wait for the next book in the series and I am already looking forward to whatever series comes after that! Just imagine if the publisher had never published these fascinating novels with a ghostwriter after Miss Andrews passed away. What we would have missed! Thank you!

I just finished The Heavenstone Secrets and really enjoyed the book. I would agree with some that the books written after her death by the ghost writer are not the same as the ones written before her death but this one is really well written. The characters are very interesting and the plot really keeps you in. I would ignore some of the negative reviews for this book because as a lot of them are just from bitter readers who dislike the books the ghost writer has written, especially ignore the reviews written BEFORE the book was even published as I highly doubt they have actually read the book.

Every V.C. Andrews book has an angle, a hook that works for me. This one stands out because we have what is normally a sibling rivalry situation twist into something far deeper and more intriguing. I particularly liked the setting and the way the older sister manipulates not only the younger sister, but the adults as well. She is one of the most fascinating V.C. villains, and as with all of them, you can't help but pity them as well as despise them, but after all that's the magic of the V.C. Andrews novels. I'm already hooked on Secret Whispers and have read only the segment in the back of The Heavenstone Secrets. Any reader of family intrigue will love this book!