I struggled through this book.
It did not feel at all like any of the flower of the Attic Books, and while I know the original Author VC Andrews has been dead, I feel like if they are going to keep writing under the name they could at least try to make it like the other books
But not this one.
The timeline did not feel real. It felt like there was no research done, that the author just picked a date and decided to go with it.
I also did not like the characters, they were not realistic to me nor were they consistant.

Out of the Attic by V.C. Andrews is the second book of a prequel series to the author’s famous Dollanganger series that began with Flowers in the Attic. Beneath the Attic was the first book that took readers readers back to the great grandmother of the Dollanganger children who were locked in that attic.

This series features Corrine Dixon who was at the age she was looking for a suitor to marry when she met Garland Foxworth. Garland was wealthy and handsome and intrigued Corrine but when she met up with him without a chaperone things went too far leaving Corrine pregnant however Garland did the right thing and married her bringing her to Foxworth Hall.

Now I’m sure a few people are asking how an author who died in the mid-80s is still releasing new material and that is due to her family hiring a ghostwriter to continue her work. Andrew Neiderman has written the books over the past several decades and some are still good but yet others I wish I didn’t keep getting pulled back by nostalgia, this would be one of those times. While I didn’t mind Beneath the Attic I think stretching this flashback to the grandmother further just lost my interest. If you loved the original series you may want to try this but this one just wasn’t for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This story as well as the whole series is entirely riveting. The twists and turns in these books are entertaining.

I should have known better than to trust a new V.C. Andrews book. I read it for nostalgia’s sake and was disappointed on every level. They just need to let this rest.

This was immensely disappointing as a fan of V.C. Andrews books. While they have been ghostwritten for many years since her death, they have typically followed her formula and the characters made sense. In this novel, so many things didn’t make sense...

Book 249 towards my goal of 280! 3.5/5 stars for this adult historical fiction read. I just can't stop reading about the Foxworth family, the ones that started my love for VC Andrews. If you enjoy the original series and family this series follows, I believe you'll enjoy this prequel series as well. Loved the cover. Narration was great. Does have 1 significant trigger warning, if you're sensitive to any please ask before jumping in <3

When you pick up a #V.C. Andrew book you know ahead what your getting.This one #Out of the Attic #2 in the series is a bonus.Our author has decided to really add bonus material for the reader.Its like all her others a wonderful read.A beloved Dollanganger legend that began two generations before Corrine Foxworth locked her children in Flowers in the Attic.
The series started forty years ago.And now V.C. Andrews death kicked off the renaissance in 1979.Ghostwriter #Andrew Neiderman .
Thank you,
#Netgalley,#V.C. Andrews And #Gallery Pocket Books

I've been reading VC Andrews since I was a really young girl, and although I know she's been gone for awhile, I've followed the publications of her prior work (along with things ghostwritten under her name & branding) because I just have this weird, sick, nostalgic feeling for reading things about twisted individuals. This one isn't quite on par with the previous entries in the series, but I still enjoyed it! It prompted a watching of all the Lifetime movies, and wow - what a series!

The book explained the 3 generations before the story. I was both excited to read this book and disappointed at the same time. The writing for me didn't live up to the earlier novels. The book had some dark and evil things happening. This was just the 2nd book for the 3 part sequel.

I have read this author for years. Loved getting back into it. Great read. I know some say it was a bad book or poorly written but i disagree. Cant wait to read more!

I loved the Dollanganger series as a teen so I eagerly jumped at requesting this ARC. I think my teenage self would’ve really enjoyed Out of the Attic. For me now as an adult, it fell a little flat for me and I was waiting for more to happen. Luckily, it reads quick enough.

Corrine and Garland’s relationship shows how the family becomes so twisted in later years. I didn’t care for any of the characters. I couldn’t even like Corrine a little bit. If you are obsessed with Flowers in the Attic series, then you likely will find this book interesting as far as getting a little background on the family.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆
3.5 Stars

Spoiler-Free Review

Out of the Attic is the tenth installment in the Dollanganger series, aka Flowers in the Attic. While the latest installment in the long-standing series, Out of the Attic is the second in a series of prequels, events taking place long before those in the original debut with Flowers in the Attic.

Q/A to help V.C. Andrews' readers:

Can a reader pick up this novel up as a standalone without confusion? No.

Does the reader have to read all nine previous books before diving into Out of the Attic? No.

Suggestion/recommendation for those who don't want to read such a long-standing series, or wish to read the prequels before diving into the 'current' storyline, start with Beneath the Attic.

Did V.C. Andrews herself write this novel? No. Andrew Neiderman is the writer who authored the novel, as well as most novels published under the V.C. Andrews' brand over the past 30+ years. If you enjoyed novels written within that time frame, then it was Neiderman's voice you enjoyed.

As a fan of the historical genre, I don't qualify myself as an expert. However, I should stress that if historical accuracy in word-usage/household items/setting is a major pet peeve of yours, steer clear.

The original Corrine is the narrator of the novel, piecing events in history together to complete the puzzle that is the Dollanganger series. Showcasing her life at the hands of her husband, Garland, while featuring Malcolm's childhood. As a woman in the late 1800s, Corrine had little option on how to live her life, which led to dark consequences.

In classic dark horror gothic, to the backdrop of the oppressive Foxworth Hall, expect taboo subject matter, episodes of violence, sexual assault, and being held hostage by choices you've made because you have little choice in the matter.

My biggest complaint is simply how Corrine's voice shifted throughout the novel, not truly authentically hers. As a sheltered young woman in an era where her worldview would have been narrow, sometimes her voice was that of a twenty-year-old, but other times it was that of someone closer to fifty or sixty.

While I believe Out of the Attic to be a worthy addition to the Dollanganger series, that doesn't necessarily mean I was totally engrossed. A mix of reader's block, the historical accuracy errors, and the narrative age shifting, I did struggle to finish the novel.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I remember reading "The Flowers in the Attic" series years ago when I was probably too young to dive into them, but none the less I knew I had to request this title. I love love love this book. I think it gives you so much of an insight into the rest of the books. Out of the Attic is a prequel to the flowers in the attic series and it an absolute must read. I enjoyed this so so much. It was well written and I enjoyed it immensely.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

I read Flowers in the Attic series when I was a young girl. I don’t remember much detail from it but I did enjoy the first three books when I was younger so I was looking forward to reading the prequel.

Typically I love the detail and backstory you get from a prequel. That was not the case this time. I found the whole story, while well written, to be boring. I think I would have enjoyed picking up where I left off instead of jumping to the 10th book written by a ghostwriter.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

I've been reading V.C. Andrews books since the very beginning.
Yes, I've seen some bad reviews since the actual author has passed away many years ago and we have another author ghost writing it .
But something about this writing style, the gothic feel, the surprise waiting around every corner in the dark mansions. Most of these stories have the same story line basically, and you know what's coming but it keeps me coming back for more every time.
This is the only author I read in this genre and I really enjoy these books and will continue to read them all!

Published February 4th 2020 by Gallery Books
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I wish I could have loved this as much as flowers in the attic, but it just didn't have the same voice. It didn't get under my skin. It may be a personal preference thing, or it may be that it's because it's a ghostwriter.

Out of The Attic is the story of how Corrine spent her time while her husband, Garland was away for business and she suspected a possible affair .
Corrine tried to busy her time getting involved with a local women’s group . She ends up meeting an artist at a party and talks her husband into letting her get her her portrait painted as a gift for him.
This book is ok but drags in areas and becomes somewhat boring . I’m not sure whether this is because it’s meant to live up to Flowers in the Attic standards and falls short or it just lacks creativity.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC for my honest review.

This book picks up where Beneath the Attic left off. While it was slightly better than the previous, it will wasn't up to par with what V.C. Andrews gave us while she was still alive. I'm interested in learning more and more about the Foxworth/Dollanganger family, but timeline issues made this very difficult to finish!
Thanks to V.C. Andrews, Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

First of all, thank you Netgalley and Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.

This book is the second of a prequel trilogy which is a tie-in from Flowers in the Attic, written forty years ago. It takes us back to the early years of Corrine's marriage with Garland Foxworth. At only twenty-one (she got married when she was seventeen and secretly pregnant with her first son, Malcolm), she faces the challenges of being the wife of an aristocratic and wealthy man and how she deals with her new life.

Written in Corrine's perspective, this book makes me feel contradictory emotions. I found Flowers in the Attic (book one of the Dollanganger series written many years ago) a fascinating and intense story when I read it almost ten years ago. I also found Beneath the Attic, the first book in this “new” trilogy, really interesting. This second prequel book? Not so very much.

Let me explain. Book one sets solid roots so you want to look forward the other books. This one makes you wonder if you're reading the correct book. The sequence of events comes back and forth, confusing the reader sometimes.

Also, this book looks like it was written by an amateur writer, not someone who has a lot experience about creating a story. And the inconsistencies in the plot are monumental! Sometimes  I felt like I was reading a 1980's mediocre soap opera screenplay than a book which story takes place in 1895.

When I opened my ARC and started reading, the first upsetting moment was when I read the phrase “picking up where Beneath the Attic left off...” Not true, actually. Out of the Attic starts five years after Corrine and Garland's engagement (the ending of Beneath the Attic shows Corrine preparing her wedding). What happened in those years? There's a short prologue that tries to answer my questions, failing in doing so. No, I didn't wanted a full-details-story, but at least a more coherent explanation would be nice.

Then, there were the main characters. I found them superficial. The Garland you see in this book is so different than the one you read in the original series, that you can't really connect with him. Not to mention Corrine, which doesn't makes you feel any sympathy for her, even in the most terrible moment she has to face later in the story.

(Okay, I have to admit it: in that specific event I did feel pity for her. Just. A. Little. Bit.)

Resuming it, there's no substance in them, no inner growth, especially in Corrine. The fact that she got married so young and with no preparation to deal with marriage and kids in a high society world isn't an excuse at all.

To be fair with the book, it has good moments. The event mentioned before —ain't gonna give spoilers!— was really intense. Like that, other parts of the story shine with its own bright. And the epilogue has a interesting twist that I found very intriguing and captures my attention enough to look forward book three (Shadows of Foxworth —the last of the trilogy).

“The Star Wars Prequels Effect” in a 19th Century-based book? Unfortunately, this is the case here. In conclusion, a story with a lot of potential wasted in favor of frivolity.

I know most people who read the first and second books wanted more and more. I did. I read all of the books in the series, and then I got this book. I have not read most of the other new, but I will, as I want to know the back story. As for this one, it was not what I expected. The writing was not horrible, but it was not as good as the original, But don't get me wrong, it was a good book. And it answers many questions.