Cover Image: Broken Glass

Broken Glass

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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I hate to admit that I've fallen behind, yet again, on my reviews. I meant to review Broken Glass on it's release date on February 28th, but thanks to a few setbacks, an unwanted cold/flu bug, and a few other things that I not going to talk about on here, I have gotten terribly behind on writing my posts.

Published by Pocket Books, Broken Glass is the second in the Mirror Sisters series. Despite the fact that the name V.C. Andrews is printed on the cover, she's not the author. The real V.C. Andrews died in 1986. Shortly after her death, a ghostwriter, Andrew Neiderman was hired to write under name.

It's no big secret that I'm not the biggest fan of ghostwriter's work in recent years. The books have loss their Gothic vibe and have slowly turned into the run-of-the-mill young adult thrillers. A few of these titles are decent reads, while others are horribly written. In my humble opinion, it's time for a new ghostwriter, preferably a female author who can write in a Gothic tone, but until then (if ever) I will tolerate the current novels and hope for the best.

In the first novel Mirror Sisters (you can read my review here), we (us readers) were introduced to Haylee and Kaylee Fitzgerald, identical twins who shared literally everything thanks to their controlling mother. It ended in a cliffhanger with Haylee planning on meeting up with an older man she had met on the internet. Not feeling very well on that very night, and not wanting to disappoint the man, she talks her sister, Kaylee, into taking her place. Unexpected to them, the man happens to be a nutcase and kidnaps Kaylee.

Final Thoughts: I didn't exactly like or hate the first novel, though I did thought it was forgettable. At the time I couldn't imagined how the ghostwriter would drag the story into a second novel, let alone a third installment. (Yep, the third novel, Shattered Memories, comes out this year.) Despite my mixed emotions, I went ahead and read an ARC of Broken Glass. This time around the plot is better planned out and has a better flow to it. Yes, there's no Gothic vibe here, and the way the novel is written feels like a Sweet Valley High book from the 1980s; so you can pretty much guess that the title is targeted for teenagers instead of adult readers.

Is Broken Glass a better than Mirror Sisters?

Sure. It's better written than the first novel, but it also has its own share of problems. None of these issues takes away any enjoyment from reading the book; it's mostly just nitpicking on my part.

Overall, while Broken Glass isn't exactly the best read in the world, it's not that bad either. If you liked the first novel, then you'll probably like this one.

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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.

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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!

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The second book in the "Mirror Sisters" series picks off right where book one left off. Told from both perspectives, we see how Haylee deals with the success of her plan and how Kaylee deals with her abductor and being captive. While this book mainly regurgitates much of what made the first book boring, it does nothing to make the story more exciting. Haylee's parts especially showed this, as she kept reminding readers how alike she and Kaylee are. Kaylee's parts were somewhat more interesting, yet at the same time, it still left much to be desired.
There were many missed opportunities in this book that could have really spiced things up and made it more of what readers of classic V.C. Andrews know and love. Although this book left feelings of disappointment, the cliffhanger ending once again leaves enough to keep readers intrigued on how this story ends. Hoping the last book will give us fans that V.C Andrews feeling that we have been missing while the two sisters - and their parents - finally come to terms with what it truly means to be sisters, and of course, twins. 2.5 stars.

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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!

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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.

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Broken Glass
By: V.C. Andrews
Reviewed By: Long Island Dreams Book Reviews
Star Rating: 4 out of 5
Broken Glass is the long awaited sequel to the V.C. Andrews smash hit, “The Mirror Sisters”
The novel opens with Haley Fitzgerald’s diabolically twisted plan to have her twin sister Kayley kidnapped becoming a frightening reality.
Kayley’s abductor, Anthony Cabot, is a chilling cross between Norman Bates from Psycho & the Grandmother from V.C. Andrews Flowers in the Attic. Anthony is the epitome of evil, yet at times a glimpse of goodness peeks through. Will Kaylee survive the trauma of her captivity? You will have to read to find out. I assure you that you will be captivated from cover to cover.
My favorite thing about this book is that it seems to pay tribute to V.C. Andrews early works. In many ways I felt like I was visiting with familiar characters & events. For instance Kerry Fitzgerald was the epitome of many V.C. Andrews mother’s. I saw glimpses of Corrine, Jillian and even Sara Atwell.
“The Mirror Sisters” series is a modern day FITA, Heaven & Celeste. Truthfully it is the culmination of all V.C. Andrews works.
Be sure to read ”Broken glass” and if you have not already done so pick up a copy of “The Mirror Sisters. You will not be sorry you did.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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