A few days ago I reviewed Secrets in the Attic by V.C, Andrews/Andrew Neiderman and this book, Secrets in the Shadows, is the sequel to that. I did not like Secrets in the Attic. I felt it was boring, had a recycled plot and had awful characters. So, was Secrets in the Shadows any better? I’ll tell you the synopsis and then my thoughts. This review will be spoiler free.

Synopsis

Everyone Says
Her Mother Was Crazy.
Is She Doomed to Repeat the Past?

Up in the attic, that’s where Alice’s mother used to escape to…and it’s where, so Alice has been told, she plotted the murder of her own stepfather. Now, years later, with her mother locked away for life, the attic is where Alice finds comfort in her aloneness, writing poetry and painting pictures. When Alice finally finds the courage to come out of her shell, exchanging her dowdy looks for flattering clothes and makeup, her life completely opens up — she even attends the prom with a cute, popular boy. But it’s a night that turns quickly tragic — sending her newfound happiness crashing down around her, and hurtling Alice into a shattering new life, one that leads her to a shocking reunion with the shadows she had fled.

My Thoughts

I liked this book a tad bit better than the first one. The storyline was more interesting and just the characters over all were more detailed. I really liked that a lot of the story was focused on Duncan, Alice’s boyfriend. I desperately wish that Neiderman, Andrews’ ghost writer, would include not just more male characters but make them main characters as well. I think it would really add something to these books that are always told from a female point of view. I felt like the book had a nice flow, unlike the first, and I like the way the story was concluded.

This two book series is definitely not the best. If you are a big V.C. fan, like myself, and just read all of them then yeah give these a read. However, if you’re new I would start out with Flowers in the Attic, the Logan family or Landry family stories. Do you enjoy V.C. Andrews’ books? What is your favorites? Thanks for reading and have a great day!