Secret Brother: A Novel (The Diaries Series Book 3)

I have been an FITA series fan since 1989. when I first read FITA. I was always heartbroken over Cory's death but, I just accepted it by the 2nd book POTW. When I learned about the Diary Series giving more insight to FITA by Christopher's side, I was elated and read the 1st book in 2 days. I read reviews on the second book before purchasing it and was so angry to find out Cory was alive and how many reviewers found the book so creepy, I finally read the 2nd book in the series and yes I felt almost betrayed by the fact of Cory is still alive and that it was very creepy. I was so upset over the 2nd book that I didn't want to read the 3rd. The reviews were mixed, mostly negative, but I just thought what the heck you already read the first 2 and I might as well read the last.I am very glad I did!! Yes the story was not about Cory more about Clara Sue, but how many answers were we really going to get from Cory who was very young when he was shut up in the attic for 3 yrs before he was dropped off at the hospital? How much could he really understand what was going on during that time?I will say when I started to read this book, I had absolutely no desire to do a review on this book nor give it 5 stars but I did and here is why:To start off the first part of the book, I absolutely HATED Clara Sue, while I understood her little brother died; I didn't understand her anger and selfish behavior and she was downright mean! It was not until she had a change of heart about the whole situation and really started to look at things differently. Then I understood her. She kind of reminded me of Cathy, with her determination and anger.Cory was still heartbreaking because you could almost feel his pain in this book because of FITA. He was very important to this particular story as I know alot of the reviewers did not see it that way. Even though Clara Sue dismissed her second encounter with him ( Willie's bedroom) by thinking that she could not get him to trust her, he did take to her more so than she had realized. They were both healing from all they had lost and they did form a bond even if it was slight, it was still there.The thing is this story took a completely different twist. Finally, one of the four children had made it to a better life that was able to break free from the anger, resentment, and torment of the what happened in the attic. Cory, who only became important to FITA was his supposed death, now is the one who survived and broke the patterns that seemed to seem to plague his family line and be able to grow, flourish, and go one with his life. That is what made this story so great. He had love, acceptance, and people he could trust. He had no need for revenge or anger.I know that when I found out from the 2nd book that he was alive, My first thought was Carrie's death was for nothing and no one had any disclosure and I was so angry that the author would do that to the fans of FITA but to see that at least one of them made it, was better and that made it a good ending to a series of what I have always perceived to be filled with sadness, now can end on a different but good note.

Love VC. Andrews books. All are long reads so you have to have enough time to spend reading. Continuing series.

For being only 23 years old I have been a "Flowers in the Attic" fan most of my life since I saw the original '80s movie as a small child. When I discovered it was a movie based off an actual book, I was even ecstatic and excited. My husband bought the original four books for Christmas for me a few years ago and just these past few months I've dedicated all of my free time from work and every day stresses to read "The Dollanganger Saga" and "Christopher's Diary". Tonight I just finished "Secret Brother", and I'm honestly very, VERY disappointed in the book.When it was discovered in "Echoes of Dollanganger" that Cory was still alive, with a family of his own, and had bought the Foxworth property to build his own home, I was so over joyed and excited that I almost cried to my husband that "CORY IS STILL ALIVE, HE NEVER DIED". I honestly was hoping that "Secret Brother" was going to be Cory's telling of what happened from the time he was taken from the attic to where he was now, but I was sadly mistaken.Not going to give away spoilers any more than I should, but this unfortunately wasn't what I was hoping for and very disappointed. I feel that this was just a way to drag on the series and that ideas were ran out of.All this story is about is a teenage girl, which understandably is angry at the loss of her brother along with half of her family already that her grandfather took in "a poisoned boy" (Cory) that was abandoned at the hospital the same time her brother passed. All this is about is her expressing more of her anger and frustrations, as well starting to take on destructive behaviors to lash out at her family for forgetting her brother to take in Cory.Cory won't say much about where he's from and what happened due to the trauma and his health was severely affected by the arsenic, but he only mentions names and has emotional breakdowns when he's triggered. This story only goes over a few month span, nothing goes into him growing up into adolescence nor adulthood, or anything of he's tried to find Chris, Cathy, and Carrie once he was an adult. It's really hard to believe that Cory was Alive all this time and Chris, Cathy, and Carrie were made to believe he was dead all these years, when they all could have been reunited.Obviously, Cory being alive still was an after-thought to continue the story of the four children locked away in an attic. Although it wasn't a bad idea at all, but there's so much missing of what should have happened or what could have since he lived. It broke my heart to find out that Cory was Alive the whole time and no attempt to reunite was made. The four kids loved each other so very much and were all each other had. I really wish this ended better or had a different story line.Overall I'm giving it a 3 star, simply because Cory was getting better and it's seen throughout the story. Maybe one day there will be a book where Cory actually narrates his life from the attic to out of the attic.I'm excited for "Beneath the Attic", though! And will review it once I have read it :)

VC Andrews work as usual great would suggest this to anyone wanting to read her work. God bless you and thank you for your time

First of all i love the flowers in the attic series! I read it the 1st time when i was 13 years old im now 40 years old! I actually named 2 of my boys after some of the vc andrews book series! While this series isnt perfect such as with dates and things i still loved it and i want more! I think the author needs to go back and write another book that ties kristen, kane, and corey together! How did corey remember, and why was foxworth being rebuilt? What happend to clara sue and grandpa william? And What happened to cindy, bart, joary, toni, and the twins darren, and deidre, and melodie? And how did corey react to his new found family? Did kristen and kane find out later that they could be possibly related! This could definitly be the story that never ends lol! I still have many more unanswered questions! As i stated its not perfect its no longer vc andrews its neiderman! But regardless who wrote this series i loved it! For all the people complaining about it, if you dont like the series dont read it! Its public knowledge that vc andrews passed away many years ago! These books are written for entertainment purposes and i feel like the author accomplished that! Either way i want MORE from this series and possibly a spin off of the casteel series! They were both my absolute favorites! Thank you mr neiderman so much for continuing all the work you have done up till now and it the future!

Zustand des Buches ist sehr gut, fast wie neu. Das Buch hat keine Markierung oder stärke Gebrauchsspuren, die das Lesen stören könnten.

Really good story. So surprised that Cory was still alive.

Thankyou

Excited to read on my holiday..Great book

Ok