I devoured it as I do anything from V.C. Andrews and liked it a lot but for most of the first part of the story I grew a bit tired of Corliss's constant Miss Goody Two Shoes attitude. I mean okay I get it already but still can't help feeling who is that squeaky clean in real life? I understood the picture the author was trying to paint but feel by spending so much time putting Corliss on a pedestal took away from important sections that needed more expansion. The novella did open a lot of emotions in me though....sadness, betrayal, and a bittersweet revenge. By the end of the book I had warmed up and understood Corliss more and am ready to carry on into the next parts of the story.

This was an overall unimpressive book. Readable, enjoyable, and rather typical in a VC Andrews fashion. Also mostly unremarkable. I'd read a couple others in this series, but am,not finding a heavy desire to continue. I can't imagine reading a whole book on these characters.

Since this is one of four novellas that lead up to the book Bittersweet Dreams, it's not fleshed out as much as a normal length book would, but just enough backstory on Corliss to understand why she is at her new school and to understand what happened to her before she went there. I really like the idea that these girls are STEM girls and we'll get to learn about four of them. Corliss has to deal with mean girls and their horrible treatment of her - spiking her drink at a school function, leaving her looking like she's trouble when she's really the good girl. I have not yet read Bittersweet Dreams, but think once I've read the four novellas that I will give it a try!

This buildup using novellas to explore characters before the final full length story, reminds me of V.C. Andrews' Orphans series, Wildflowers series, and Shooting Stars series.

Corliss/Donna

A long time fan of Virginia Andrews, I jumped at the chance to read these short prequels to Bittersweet Dreams. I really enjoyed Corliss and then Donna, the first two 'Girls of Spindrift'. They really help set the scene for the main story, which I now cannot wait for! Although I obviously know they are not written by the actual Virginia Andrews, they are very much in the style I would imagine her to write in, in today's society. Four stars from purplebookstand and eagerly awaiting the main book!

Being released this summer from Pocket Star eBooks are the first two books in the all-new e-novella series "The Girls Of Spindrift" by V.C. Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author of Flowers in the Attic and My Sweet Audrina. There will be four e-novellas in the series, which will all form a prequel to the novel Bittersweet Dreams (2012).

CORLISS, Book One of the Girls of Spindrift, was released today! It centers on an incredibly intelligent teenager named Corliss. Despite her high IQ, she doesn't have very many friends, mostly due to her shyness and her difficulty of fitting in with the other students at the Los Angeles high school. Though she has always been known as the 'good girl" in school, Corliss gets in a bit of trouble at a school party, where a group of girls spikes her drink.

After a trip to the emergency room, which scares her parents to death, Corliss decides to get even with her classmates.

DONNA, Book Two of the Girls of Spindrift, will go on sale on August 14th! It centers on a half Latino, half Irish teenager named Donna, who is the most gifted student at her high school. Her teachers have no clue what to do with her, as it seems she always has the correct answers to every test she takes. Of course having a high IQ comes with a price, as Donna isn't very popular at school.

Out of nowhere, a boy becomes interested in Donna, which leads to her stepping outside of her comfort zone. Everything in her life seems to be perfect, well, that is until a violent confrontation rocks her world.

Final Thoughts: I vaguely remember reading Bittersweet Dreams by V.C. Andrews (aka written by the ghost writer, Andrew Neiderman). I had to go back and reread my original review to refresh my memory. Let's just say my thoughts weren't exactly kind about the novel, though I was probably nitpicking a bit too much at the time. The novel centered on a gifted teenager named Mayfair Cummings. Despite being smart, she was the outcast of her class. She never really felt loved, well, until her teacher, Mr. Taylor, started to give her some romantic attention. The novel ended with Mayfair being sent to a private school for the gifted called Spindrift. There she's introduced to a few other students, including Corliss and Donna.

Like Bittersweet Dreams, The Girls Of Spindrift are written for a Young Adult audience. The Gothic-tone that filled the pages of the 'real' V.C. Andrew's writings are long gone now. However, both CORLISS and DONNA aren't exactly a waste of time to read. At under 70 pages, both titles are really quick reads. Both are written in the point-of-view of the titles' characters, making the narrations flow nicely. Yes, the plots are thin, but that's to be expected with the shorten page count. Basically, you get a brief background story about the other girls at Spindrift. I wondering if there is going to be a future sequel novel (or novels) that takes place at Spindrift, as we (us readers) only get a glimpse of what life is like at the school.

Overall, The Girls Of Spindrift Books 1 & 2 are average coming-to-age stories. While diehard Flowers of the Attic fans might be slightly disappointed by the way these two stories are written, young readers and/or fans of Bittersweet Dreams will be probably enjoy them more.

I'm really excited to see where this new Spindrift series is headed.

Corliss, the first novella in the series, started out really good. I was able to connect with Corliss and truly felt bad for some of the things she had to deal with at her high school, especially when it involved the cliques and the party that deeply affected her. I did wonder though why all of the adults doubted her. For someone who was smart and clearly a level-headed person with a very promising future, why were they even questioning her when it came to the drugs and whether she knew about them? Even her own parents seemed to doubt her honesty.

The part that I didn't like was towards the end when she went from being a strong and confident young lady to a loose and much to care-free teenager. I didn't like how quickly she responded to her boyfriend. To me, that just made me question everything I believed about her from the beginning.

Overall, I'm looking forward to the rest of the books in this series. Seems as though they touch on things that young adults deal with in today's society and that makes them interesting.

**ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

http://fkrants.blogspot.com/2017/06/corliss.html

Good girl tries to get back at bad girls but things go wrong and she must leave her home to protect her family against these nasty girls!

Corliss is book 1 - of a four part sequel to a larger book from famed writer 'V.C. Andrews.'

I've read a lot of V.C. Andrews. A LOT. Granted, it's been a few years since I read my last one, but this was lacking in everything. EVERYTHING.

I don't think there's been a change in ghost writer, but it seems as though this was written by a college student looking for extra credit. The story is lacking in structure and frankly, lacking in complete story.

Corliss is smart. Very smart. She's too smart (and kind of an ass) to all of her classmates. "Something" happens and changes Corliss's life.

Ugh, it was just so boring and ....not good.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is the prequel to Bittersweet Dreams. I do have to say that you really don't need to read Bittersweet Dreams before hand because Corliss is only introduced at the end of the story. I enjoyed reading this because I know there is more to come to this series and finding out about each character before hand is great. I love knowing a little bit about the characters before getting into the story. I can't wait to read the rest of the books.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I have read every V.C. Andrews book and have always been a fan. This is a very short book and I didn't feel that the characters had enough time to tell their story.
I loved Corliss and she reminds me of similar V.C. characters I have seen in the past. I think what I like most about her is she doesn't stand down and is very opinionated. Her father reminded me of Willow's father and while he loves her, he holds very high standards of her, like most V.C. Andrew fathers.
I loved the mean girls of this story, while they are more ruthless, they reminded me of Fanny. They are simple and don't seem to have to very much depth to them.

I didn't understand how she was not believed, knowing that she was the top of her class and was known to be an extreme good girl.

I hope the books have some more texture and actually the Spindrift school because while it is about the Spindrift girls and how they come to be there, it actually doesn't offer anything about the school.

Book Blurb:
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Flowers in the Attic and My Sweet Audrina series, now Lifetime movies, comes a haunting new novella featuring a mysterious, highly intelligent teenaged girl as she struggles to survive high school and understand her place in this complex, sometimes dangerous world.

Corliss is not like other girls at her Los Angeles high school. Incredibly intelligent, shy, and a loner, she has difficultly in fitting in. What’s worse, a clique of girls is out to get her after she refuses to take drugs with them, leading to a violent confrontation. When Corliss is unknowingly drugged, her entire life is turned upside down and no one—not even the handsome valedictorian who had agreed to go out with her—looks at her the same way. Will she be able to return to her high school or is there another path she can take? And where will it take her?

{Excerpt}
When I first read the concept for the Girls of Spindrift series I was intrigued. When I learned that the first novel, Corliss by VC Andrews, was available as an early read through a site that I review books through I had to jump on it. I’ve been a VC Andrews fan since I was a teenager so having a new series by her is amazing. However, once I started reading I was greatly disappointed...

Read more on my blog!
http://southeastbymidwest.com/2017/07/book-review-corliss-by-vc-andrews-girls-of-spindrift/

It ended kinda weird.
The story as a whole was pretty good though, and not what I had expected at all.
I liked Corliss. I didn't get why no one believed her, she seemed like a trustworthy gal from the get-go, but still she was doubted when she told what happened one night... that night.
I'm looking forward to seeing what the next one, Donna, is about. I hope it's a lead-up for something greater.

3.5/5

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 Intrigued stars.

Instead of a short-story, I'd call this a serial.

To be honest, as an old-school V.C. Andrews fan, I wasn't sure what to expect, as I stopped reading the ghost-written books about a decade or so ago. I began reading V.C. Andrews in the late 80s, early 90s when I was about 10 years old. When the opportunity arose to read this series, as well as after checking out the blurb, I honestly went into reading thinking I would be disappointed. I know that sounds odd, but I think that actually was a help, not a detriment, as I thoroughly enjoyed Corliss.

Corliss was a very short introduction to Corliss, our narrator. Four character introductions, showing events leading up to their admittance into Spindrift, tying into the full-length novel, Bittersweet Dreams.

Corliss is a genius, a teenage Temperance Brennan (Bones). She's highly intelligent, cerebral to the point she has a difficult time interacting with her peers, making friends, or dealing with her family. Her mind works on a different wavelength than normal folks. Her narration made it difficult to connect at first, but after I realized her characterization, it made it much easier.

Corliss doesn't have any girl friends – she's too smart, risk-assessment, and she is also beautiful. A self-admitted Beyoncé. Since she and her family are poor, she's at a public school that is barely teaching its students as it is, let alone the brightest of the bright. Corliss isn't 'smart,, like how we mean when we say genius – it has another meaning entirely.

She's struggling, because in order to get a college acceptance, where they want well-rounded academics, she has to take care of her younger siblings instead of engaging in extracurricular activities, which also puts a divide between her and her peers.

After something horrific (the event gave me gut-twisting feels), Corliss is set adrift farther than before, so when the opportunity arises for a different life, she takes it with both hands, even with the guilt of leaving a family who doesn't understand her behind.

Corliss' introduction left me wanting more, eager to read Donna to see how the next narrator ends up at Spindrift, and is making me feel anticipatory for when the girls finally make it to the school. No doubt, in true V.C. Andrews fashion, nothing good will come from where they will end up.

I cannot wait to read more. I'm seriously surprised.

Recommended to fans of V.C. Andrews, readers who enjoy young-adult-aged characters, and those who love twisty, gut-twisting thrills.

Gorgeous cover.

Young Adult age-range: 14+ due to drug-use, bullying, and sexual situations.

I'm intrigued by where this series is going. Strong female leads, a mysterious school...this is getting interesting! Looking forward to the next installment.

Corliss is not like other girls at her Los Angeles high school. Incredibly intelligent, shy, and a loner, she has difficultly in fitting in. What’s worse, a clique of girls is out to get her after she refuses to take drugs with them, leading to a violent confrontation.

When Corliss is unknowingly drugged, her entire life is turned upside down and no one—not even the handsome valedictorian who had agreed to go out with her—looks at her the same way. Will she be able to return to her high school or is there another path she can take? And where will it take her? - Goodreads

This book is a novella. Therefore, it is fairly quick to read (and this will be a short review) but it provides some form of fulfillment when you need a book to read in between your next big read. 

Corliss is a genius, who is constantly being bullied and feeling isolated because of her smarts. Despite what happens to her, she still remains diligent on her studies but now with a purpose to right the wrong against her.

My biggest issue with this book is VC Andrews makes an assumption that because A happened Corliss is now prone to do B. I actually was fairly annoyed by that because it didn't make sense to me for it to happen. If it was something she wanted to do before being drugged then I would be okay with it but it doesn't appear to be that way. 

As it is a quick read,  I enjoyed this book but it left a lot of questions as to what next and as to the purpose of the story. What do I get from it? 

Overall, I am curious about this series and how everything connects.

2.5 Pickles

I enjoy a good VC Andrews book, they're a nice guilty pleasure. Nothing too hard to digest here, but also a lot of dark, gothic fun for an afternoon read. Yes, some awful things happen, but the way that it's written, it never feels hopeless. It may be a tale that his been told before, high school girl is bullied, but it's told in that special VC Andrews way.

This ebook is very short, but that works great for this short tale. Anything else would have felt dragged out. This ebook is part of a four part prequel for the Andrews' book "Bittersweet Dreams." I haven't read the full novel yet, but I believe I would have enjoyed Corliss even more if I had.

The novella ends with Corliss being accepted to Spindrift, the school for special teens. I think the book serves as a great teaser for "Bittersweet Dreams," or as complementary reading for those who have already read the novel. For me personally, it made me want to read Bittersweet Dreams so I can find out what happens and who Corliss will meet there.

Bottom Line: I found the story quite interesting, and I think it will appeal to fans of VC Andrews' work. I will definitely be reading "Bittersweet Dreams" and the additional four "Girls of Spindrift" novellas.

3☆ Short read

Corliss is a very short book.
I have mixed views on this one.

I understand this is part of a series of
The four Girls of Spindrift e-novellas together form a prequel for Bittersweet.

However something is missing.
You are dropped straight into the story with not a clue really what's going on.

You can only assume you are at a school and students are trying to force Corliss to take 'X' a type of Drug.
Which she refuses

The story is a little jumbled and not quite explained very well.
One minute Corliss says no, next you can only assume her drink is spiked, rushed to hospital, next she is having a sexual encounter with Jackson who becomes her boyfriend.

The school that Corliss is invited too is not mentioned at all. It's mentioned at the very end. As far as I was aware from reading the blurb that the new special school features heavily in the books. But there is no explanation as to what the school is or what it's about.

Maybe that will come once all four students are introduced.

I think it has potential. But as it stands it's very rushed and the reader isn't really introduced to Corliss properly. To be honest I don't know anything about her or why she is special.

Would I recommend this book.... It's a tough one. Yes I would because it has potential. But on the other hand this book is rather confusing.
So I am undecided!

 I will read book 2 as I am curious to see if there is any change or any more information about the school.

I also want to add how beautiful the cover is. It really stands out.

Think this is perfect for YA fans

Corliss is my very first story by V.C Andrews so when I go the chance read it . I was very intrigues to find out what it was about. The minute I got the chance to read this story I dived into it and thoroughly enjoyed it . In this story we follow Corliss who because of the fact that she is incredibly intelligent has an issues to fitting in with her peers, eventually everything escalates and results in Corliss getting drugged . I really felt for Corliss in this book because after she got drugged she was looked at differently by so many people and not in a good light but at the same time we began to see her stand up on her own and seek out answers and while at time I was worried for her I was happy for her at the same time . I felt like this story gave me a lot of background information on this character as well set up for what happens next and I cannot wait to find out what happens next. I am just so excited to find what will happen next in the Birds of Spin drift series.

I have read almost all of V.C. Andrews books starting with Flowers in the Attic that released long ago.I love the Gothic feel of them. This is the first novella in a series of four prequels leading up to Bittersweet Dreams. Corliss, is a very intelligent girl, more so than her classmates and her teachers as well. In class the teachers ignore the other students to converse with just Corliss since she knows the materials and this makes the students think she is stuck up. Popular girls at the school think they are all that and they rule the school as catty high school girls tend to do. The girls do drugs for excitement and don't like being warned by Corliss of how bad they are for them. When Corliss drinks a spiked drink at a party she loses control and has to be taken away by ambulance. The drink was given to her by her date but he wasn't the one spiking it, the girls did when they distracted him and added something to it. After her release from the hospital she sets the girls up in a drug sting in the girl's bathroom. After they leave a dead bird on her porch with a cord around it's neck Corliss's father goes to the school and they insist she goes to a private school for her continued education. The school is for the developmentally advanced and going there will keep her safe as well. I very much enjoy reading V.C. Andrews books and look forward to reading the rest of the prequels in this series.
Pub Date 12 Jun 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Corliss is a story about a gifted high school student It is part of a series called the Girls of Spindrift. There will be 4 novellas leading up to other stories (from what I understand). This novella is well written with good character development, but the story seemed a bit rushed, maybe to keep it short. But I am looking forward to reading the others and then hopefully they will all come together well.