Member Reviews
Pocket Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Broken Glass. I voluntarily chose to review this book and my opinion is freely given.
Identical twins Haylee and Kaylee Fitzgerald have been forced to be mirrors for each other, as their mother has drilled them each to be one part of a whole. What happens when the independence of one threatens the other?
Broken Glass is teenage angst to the point of ridiculousness. The fact that Haylee was able to set her sister up so completely that even the police had trouble finding a crime was completely unrealistic. The author has made Haylee the dominate personality, with her sister Kaylee under her thumb, but you would think that the submissive twin would have seen through her sister's antics. Broken Glass is the second book, taking place directly after the set up occurs, so the plot has very little movement. Readers learn of Kaylee's situation and of the one in which Haylee and her parents find themselves. Overall, I was completely underwhelmed by the plot and the story as a whole. For this reason, I would not recommend Broken Glass to other readers.
The story continues in Broken Glass as one of the twins goes missing. I loved how the chapters were made up switching from one twin to the other as the story progressed and I can't say this is one of my all time favorite Andrews stories but it is ranking among one of the creepiest.
I didn't like the first book or couldn't get into it... sorry wasn't my cup of tea I shall say! But I tried!
Review: Although it has been more than two decades since I first picked up a story by V.C. Andrews, the author still has the power to give me chills.
This story, Broken Glass, is the second in the Mirror Sister series, but I read it easily as a stand-alone book. It tells the story of twin girls, Kaylee and Haylee. As is typical with this author, the storyline is rich with foreshadowing. In a classic case of good twin/bad twin, a set of circumstances is put into play, leaving me with goosebumps. For two girls who were practically treated as one person by their mother, it was unsettling to see the lengths that Haylee goes to become her own person.
The storyline focusing on Anthony and Kaylee was horrifying in itself. The author did an exceptional job creating this horrific situation. Kaylee’s feelings of being trapped are well expressed and Anthony certainly does his part as the crazy kidnapper even though in his mind, Kaylee’s a willing partner. It was especially interesting to delve into Haylee’s world where she starts to adjust to life without her sister. Her relationships, especially with her parents, provide a window into her true feelings.
What would have been a perfect crime eventually crumbles, with plenty of unexpected twists and turns. From the well-developed characters to the perfectly choreographed scenes, this story once again took me to a place of darkness where V.C. Andrews reigns as one of the best authors. The next installment, which concludes the series, should be phenomenal.
Broken Glass, a squeal to The Mirror Sisters, by V.C. Andrews, is a "what happened after" story.
This time it's not just Kaylee's book, this time Haylee has half of the story. It's like YA Psycho or like an episode of Criminal Minds.
The Mirror Sisters and Broken Glass are written in very differently and since they are written under V.C. Andrews name, it could be possible, that they are written by different authors.
But once again, this most appalling story is written very enchantingly.
What can I say about “Broken Glass?” I feel like this can sum it up for all fans of V.C. Andrews books: It is exactly what you want and expect to find in one of them, meaning creepy and a guilty pleasure. It’s a fun story that continues the story of Haylee and Kaylee, two of the world’s creepiest twins. A perfect beach read.
I have never met a VC Andrews book I didn't love and this is no different. Broken Glass was such a great read, I struggled with putting it down. The way the author writes the story lines, the struggles, the attention to detail of the characters is a beautiful thing to read. The point of view swapping between the two sisters, being able to see both sides, made the story more interesting.
VC Andrews has a gift of telling the story of less than normal families, the struggles , the evil. I have been hooked since Flowers in the Attic, and based on this latest, I will continue to be hooked for the long haul.
Sometimes you think you know someone and yet deep down they can be someone completely different. That is the basis upon which this book and series is drawn from.
While I had not read book one, it was easy to fall right in to this story and know exactly what was going on. The author has an awesome gift with tying the stories together so you do not feel lost. That only brings the story to a head and allows you to thoroughly enjoy it.
With one twin missing and the other dealing with the fallout at home, we get to read a dual point of view and really get to know the twisted personality that is housed in the twins. Stemming from issues with their mother, one sister does something unthinkable and now her twin is in the hands of a stranger, in a delicate balance for her own life.
Plot twists and anticipation heat this story up and the ending is yet another surprise, with a bit of a cliffhanger in anticipation for book 3. The author throws in a few breath-holding scenes that had me reading till the wee hours. Thrilling and a definite page turner.
Haylee and Kaylee are identical twins and brought up by a mother who is obviously mentally unstable and forces them to be identical in every way
Kaylee is the nice twin and Haylee the evil one - but when she sets up Kaylee to get her out of her life what she does is unforgivable - how can Kaylee move on with her life when she finds out that it was her twin - the other side of herself that planned the abduction - how could she possibly feel such hatred for her sister
This is the second book in the series and I am looking forward to the third - the feel of this book is more back to the original style of the Flowers in the Attic - twisted but compelling whereas some of the later ghost written books I couldn't get into at all
After reading the blurb, I immediately purchased book 1 so that I could properly lose myself in Broken Glass. There were some missteps with plot development and characterization continuity , however, the story was good on the whole.
Fans of V.C. Andrews will not be disappointed with the second book in the "Mirror Sisters" series, BROKEN GLASS. Perfect blend of pulse pounding suspense, psychological twists, and perseverance. Definitely recommend!
Oh, how I waited for this book to be released. Impatiently I counted down the weeks until I finally could continue to read the story about Haylee and Kaylee, the Mirror Sisters. And then finally, there it was, “Broken Glass”. Once I got stared it was impossible to stop reading. I felt the dread and fear Kaylee had to endure. I wanted to scream at Haylee, to stop being such a terrible sister. I can’t understand how somebody can have so much hatred towards another being. Not to mention that Kaylee is her sister! She can’t have a conscience at all. Even if she did suffer being brought up by a mother with problems. Nothing can excuse what Haylee did to her sister, her family and even Anthony Cabot. Never. I hope that she is going to be punished hard, not just getting a slap on the wrist. But I fear that she is too manipulative and will talk herself out of it. And yes, Anthony is a creep and has some mental health problems. But Haylee sat him up just as much as she did Kaylee. How can Kaylee get on with her life now after being betrayed from the one she thought was part of herself? How can she not hate her sister? And most of all, how will Haylee’s life will be now that everyone knows what kind of person she is?
I so enjoyed this story and can’t wait for the next book to come out. Drawn into the life of Kaylee and Haylee I felt like a part of the family. And this is what makes a good book. The feeling you get when reading it, this feeling when your heart starts recing and you have to close your eyes for a moment just to calm down and remind you that it’s a book and not your life going on. If you like psychological thrillers I highly recommend this series, you won’t be disappointed.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books!
Broken Glass (The Mirror Sisters, #2)
by V.C. Andrews
What a masterful use of suspense V. C. Andrews used in this book. The reader is waiting for the moment of resolution from the beginning of the story. Her masterful use of prose and detail gives the book a dynamic build to the end of the book. Your nail biting anxiety of fear for Kaylee begins with the Mirror sisters. Broken Glass looks at the darker side of what Haylee has involved her sister in. The delusion and violence of Anthony is climaxed by the surprise just before the end of the book. I hope that Shattered Memories will bring a resolution to the conflict of the sibling rivalry.
Broken Glass is the second book in the newest series from V.C. Andrews. I hadn't read anything by her previous to the first book in the Mirror Sisters series, and to be honest I didn't love that book. I thought it had the potential to be really good, but found that the story didn't really get going until the end. By the end of that book, I was super excited for the second book to come out because things had just started to get interesting. I did like Broken Glass. There was a lot of action and a ton of drama. I like that it switches back and forth between the sisters for their point of view and that there are two entirely different things going on since they are in different places. I felt really bad for Kaylee, stuck in such a terrible situation and I couldn't wait to see what would happen with Haylee once she got herself out of the mess she was in. I am not sure if I will read the third book that comes out next year or not, but it is likely I will feel the need to find out what happens with these girls, especially after how Broken Glass ended. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense or drama.
OK, I will admit it - V.C. Andrews' books have always been a guilty pleasure for me. And this one does not disappoint. I have not read the first one in the series, but I did not feel deterred by that. This is a good book in this new series and has all of the normal aspects that a good V.C. Andrews book has - dark, depressing, dishonest, secret-keeping characters and themes, along with twists and turns and an unexpected ending. If you like V.C. Andrews' other books, you will enjoy this one as well.
I received a review copy of this novel from Netgalley. Thank you to the author and publisher Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for the chance to review.
Alright, I confess, even with the ghost writer taking over VC's legacy I still, from time to time, give the work he puts out a shot to see if he can possibly recapture the "magic" the non-ghost written books have. This one, while having some of that, just felt flat to me. Even though I didn't read the first novel this one was easy enough to follow. The POV switches between the two sisters, Haylee & Kaylee, one of them hopes for rescue out of a plot that the other sister put in place and the other is manipulative and a little out there for having done such a thing in order to gain her own independence away from her sister and the trauma their mother inflicted upon them.
It was interesting enough to see if a third book is planned but over all I just wasn't enthralled by it.
Warning: Broken Glass is the second book in the Mirror Sisters series so this review will contain spoilers for the first book.
Haylee and Kaylee are identical twin sisters that when born their mother insisted that there would never be a difference between the two girls. They were raised dressing alike, their rooms kept exactly alike, given the same toys or even if one received a hug the other must also get one too. The girls weren’t allowed to develop an identity of their own for fear of upsetting their mother and they quickly learned to always try to please her to keep the peace in the family.
As Haylee and Kaylee got older it became clear to them that their mother expected perfection and would not tolerate any disobedience, if one twin was punished then the other was too. The girls were home schooled and even expected to perform and learn the same so if one fell behind the other would pretend to need help. This was their life until the twins were finally allowed to attend school were young Haylee began to test the waters and her independence much to the dismay of Kaylee.
Haylee came up with a plan to separate herself from her sister once and for all. She developed a relationship online with a man telling Kaylee that she was going to meet her new “boyfriend” in person one night while the girls were supposed to be seeing a movie. Only Haylee at the last minute asked Kaylee to take her place and tell the man that Haylee wouldn’t make it. When Kaylee met up with him he kidnapped her which had been Haylee’s plan all along.
Broken Glass picked up right where the first book of the series left off after the night of the kidnapping. The POV switches between the chapters following Kaylee in her captivity and Haylee playing the grieving twin left behind. They story has two sides to it now while getting to follow along and hope for Kaylee’s rescue but yet also cringe that a sibling like Haylee could be so twisted and manipulative to send her own twin into such danger.
I couldn’t help but be completely hooked reading this second installment of the series. This first had the feel of the original V.C. Andrews stories with the twins mother obviously putting the girls through psychological trauma their whole lives but the pace seemed a bit slow in moving the story forward. This second book had enough going on in it that I was kept quite engaged wondering how the story would turn out.
Overall, I think this has been my favorite read of the ghostwritten books in the V.C. Andrews catalog which never seemed to live up to the original works. Now I can’t wait to see what happens in book in the rest of this series.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
A dark and gloomy read that was disappointing and lackluster. I had to DNF it.
I had not read book one in this series but it was easy to follow along and wasn't confused at all.
I very much liked this book. It is very well written and it got me interested in the story pretty much right away.
The ending was a bit of a surprise and this book ended with a cliffhanger.I can't wait for the third book to come out.
I give this 4 out of 5.
V.C. Andrews has been (and continues to be) one of my favorite authors. I read just about everything written under the Andrews name and have never been disappointed. With that being said, this book (and series) is amazing! It's dark and gloomy, quite deceitful (in terms of characters) and classic Andrews storytelling. This my friends, is also the type of book that will instantly hook you and make it hard to put down until you finish the last word. Highly recommended!