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Hudson #2
Lightning Strikes
RAIN HAS SEARCHED FOR A PLACE TO CALL HOME. BUT THERE'S NOWHERE TO HIDE WHEN THE NIGHT SKY LIGHTS UP WITH TERROR.... Torn from the embrace of her poor but loving family, Rain Arnold now lives surrounded by opulent riches but feels more like an outsider than ever before. Her heart's true passion -- the theater -- may prove to be her salvation, as she embarks on a journey to unmask a legacy of long-buried family secrets. Enrolled in one of England's most prestigious drama schools, Rain is sent to London to live with her great-aunt, Lenora, of the renowned Endfield family. Their estate is breathtakingly austere, filled with antiques and a long, storied history. But something isn't right. Rain hears footsteps at night, and the high-pitched laughter of a little girl. She sees strange lights in rooms that are supposed to be closed off. And everything about the place -- the air, the silence, even the somber household staff -- is as cold and soulless as a museum. Behind the icy sheen of wealth and privilege lies something unspeakable. Something that could turn Rain's most precious dreams into an inescapable nightmare....
292 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
70 people are currently reading
2898 people want to read
About the author
V.C. Andrews
370 books9,075 followersBooks published under the following names - Virginia Andrews, V. Andrews, Virginia C. Andrews & V.C. Endrius. Books since her death ghost written by Andrew Neiderman, but still attributed to the V.C. Andrews name
Virginia Cleo Andrews (born Cleo Virginia Andrews) was born June 6, 1923 in Portsmouth, Virginia. The youngest child and the only daughter of William Henry Andrews, a career navy man who opened a tool-and-die business after retirement, and Lillian Lilnora Parker Andrews, a telephone operator. She spent her happy childhood years in Portsmouth, Virginia, living briefly in Rochester, New York. The Andrews family returned to Portsmouth while Virginia was in high school.
While a teenager, Virginia suffered a tragic accident, falling down the stairs at her school and incurred severe back injuries. Arthritis and a failed spinal surgical procedure forced her to spend most of her life on crutches or in a wheelchair.
Virginia excelled in school and, at fifteen, won a scholarship for writing a parody of Tennyson's Idylls of the King. She proudly earned her diploma from Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth. After graduation, she nurtured her artistic talent by completing a four-year correspondence art course while living at home with her family.
After William Andrews died in the late 1960s, Virginia helped to support herself and her mother through her extremely successful career as a commercial artist, portrait painter, and fashion illustrator.
Frustrated with the lack of creative satisfaction that her work provided, Virginia sought creative release through writing, which she did in secret. In 1972, she completed her first novel, The Gods of the Green Mountain [sic], a science-fantasy story. It was never published. Between 1972 and 1979, she wrote nine novels and twenty short stories, of which only one was published. "I Slept with My Uncle on My Wedding Night", a short fiction piece, was published in a pulp confession magazine.
Promise gleamed over the horizon for Virginia when she submitted a 290,000-word novel, The Obsessed, to a publishing company. She was told that the story had potential, but needed to be trimmed and spiced up a bit. She drafted a new outline in a single night and added "unspeakable things my mother didn't want me to write about." The ninety-eight-page revision was re-titled Flowers in the Attic and she was paid a $7,500 advance. Her new-generation Gothic novel reached the bestseller lists a mere two weeks after its 1979 paperback publication by Pocket Books.
Petals on the Wind, her sequel to Flowers, was published the next year, earning Virginia a $35,000 advance. The second book remained on the New York Times bestseller list for an unbelievable nineteen weeks (Flowers also returned to the list). These first two novels alone sold over seven million copies in only two years. The third novel of the Dollanganger series, If There Be Thorns, was released in 1981, bringing Virginia a $75,000 advance. It reached No. 2 on many bestseller lists within its first two weeks.
Taking a break from the chronicles of Chris and Cathy Dollanganger, Virginia published her one, and only, stand-alone novel, My Sweet Audrina, in 1982. The book welcomed an immediate success, topping the sales figures of her previous novels. Two years later, a fourth Dollanganger novel was released, Seeds of Yesterday. According to the New York Times, Seeds was the best-selling fiction paperback novel of 1984. Also in 1984, V.C. Andrews was named "Professional Woman of the Year" by the city of Norfolk, Virginia.
Upon Andrews's death in 1986, two final novels—Garden of Shadows and Fallen Hearts—were published. These two novels are considered the last to bear the "V.C. Andrews" name and to be almost completely written by
Virginia Cleo Andrews (born Cleo Virginia Andrews) was born June 6, 1923 in Portsmouth, Virginia. The youngest child and the only daughter of William Henry Andrews, a career navy man who opened a tool-and-die business after retirement, and Lillian Lilnora Parker Andrews, a telephone operator. She spent her happy childhood years in Portsmouth, Virginia, living briefly in Rochester, New York. The Andrews family returned to Portsmouth while Virginia was in high school.
While a teenager, Virginia suffered a tragic accident, falling down the stairs at her school and incurred severe back injuries. Arthritis and a failed spinal surgical procedure forced her to spend most of her life on crutches or in a wheelchair.
Virginia excelled in school and, at fifteen, won a scholarship for writing a parody of Tennyson's Idylls of the King. She proudly earned her diploma from Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth. After graduation, she nurtured her artistic talent by completing a four-year correspondence art course while living at home with her family.
After William Andrews died in the late 1960s, Virginia helped to support herself and her mother through her extremely successful career as a commercial artist, portrait painter, and fashion illustrator.
Frustrated with the lack of creative satisfaction that her work provided, Virginia sought creative release through writing, which she did in secret. In 1972, she completed her first novel, The Gods of the Green Mountain [sic], a science-fantasy story. It was never published. Between 1972 and 1979, she wrote nine novels and twenty short stories, of which only one was published. "I Slept with My Uncle on My Wedding Night", a short fiction piece, was published in a pulp confession magazine.
Promise gleamed over the horizon for Virginia when she submitted a 290,000-word novel, The Obsessed, to a publishing company. She was told that the story had potential, but needed to be trimmed and spiced up a bit. She drafted a new outline in a single night and added "unspeakable things my mother didn't want me to write about." The ninety-eight-page revision was re-titled Flowers in the Attic and she was paid a $7,500 advance. Her new-generation Gothic novel reached the bestseller lists a mere two weeks after its 1979 paperback publication by Pocket Books.
Petals on the Wind, her sequel to Flowers, was published the next year, earning Virginia a $35,000 advance. The second book remained on the New York Times bestseller list for an unbelievable nineteen weeks (Flowers also returned to the list). These first two novels alone sold over seven million copies in only two years. The third novel of the Dollanganger series, If There Be Thorns, was released in 1981, bringing Virginia a $75,000 advance. It reached No. 2 on many bestseller lists within its first two weeks.
Taking a break from the chronicles of Chris and Cathy Dollanganger, Virginia published her one, and only, stand-alone novel, My Sweet Audrina, in 1982. The book welcomed an immediate success, topping the sales figures of her previous novels. Two years later, a fourth Dollanganger novel was released, Seeds of Yesterday. According to the New York Times, Seeds was the best-selling fiction paperback novel of 1984. Also in 1984, V.C. Andrews was named "Professional Woman of the Year" by the city of Norfolk, Virginia.
Upon Andrews's death in 1986, two final novels—Garden of Shadows and Fallen Hearts—were published. These two novels are considered the last to bear the "V.C. Andrews" name and to be almost completely written by
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
June 2, 2022
Epic Fail Alert Part Deux!!!
Yes, it behooves me to admit I read Part Two of the so-called "thrilling" Hudson series. And more than likely, I'll be reading the last one as well.
No, I lied. I'm done. I'll let some other poor sap slog through this tripe. My brain just can't take any more.
So, I left off on Point of Fail #9: The terrible, unacceptable colorist fail of Rain's sister Beni from the first book. Even in 2002, this kind of blatant colorism should have been called out and dragged for the messed-up message it sent as well as a prime example of why white authors (even ghost ones) should have had a diverse critique group that would have at least challenged this hot mess. Beni as the darker-skinned sister was portrayed in the most stereotyped manner possible, from being the "troublemaker" to being over-melodramatically jealous of Rain's lighter skin/white adjacent looks. The message here is basically dark-skinned heroine equals bad and therefore bad things that happen to dark-skinned heroine is her fault. Yikes. Colorism is still - unfortunately - very real and very much with us, but at least now we're talking about about it more and not allowing this kind of bias to just be the norm. At one point in time I thought of retconning Beni as a fan fic and allowing her to tell a different story because I preferred her to Rain.
Point of Fail #10: Rain ends up in London, once again taking the world by storm (no pun intended). On her way to theatrical bliss, she finds her real father, gets laid twice, and discovers that her psycho uncle likes to play dress-up with little maids in a dollhouse.
Point of Fail #11: Back at home, Rain has become a filthy rich heiress, and her real family isn't thrilled in the least.
Point of Fail #12: Not that I'm a prude, but what's this with all the unsafe sex? Why can't a V.C. Andrews novel feature a female character who isn't dropping her panties in every third or fourth chapter? I don't mind sex in a novel when it makes sense, like in romances, where there are two people expressing love in a physical way. And why is Rain having sex with her brother/not brother? It's the height of tacky, and while it worked for shock value in the Dollenganger Series, but enough already! That is, unless there some unresolved issues in the Andrews' family that should be coming out. You guys might want to call Dr. Phil for an intervention or something.
Silly me, I was hoping that somehow, the ghost writer(s) would vindicate themselves by allowing Rain to become more than a single-dimensional figure. What was I smoking?
Yes, it behooves me to admit I read Part Two of the so-called "thrilling" Hudson series. And more than likely, I'll be reading the last one as well.
No, I lied. I'm done. I'll let some other poor sap slog through this tripe. My brain just can't take any more.
So, I left off on Point of Fail #9: The terrible, unacceptable colorist fail of Rain's sister Beni from the first book. Even in 2002, this kind of blatant colorism should have been called out and dragged for the messed-up message it sent as well as a prime example of why white authors (even ghost ones) should have had a diverse critique group that would have at least challenged this hot mess. Beni as the darker-skinned sister was portrayed in the most stereotyped manner possible, from being the "troublemaker" to being over-melodramatically jealous of Rain's lighter skin/white adjacent looks. The message here is basically dark-skinned heroine equals bad and therefore bad things that happen to dark-skinned heroine is her fault. Yikes. Colorism is still - unfortunately - very real and very much with us, but at least now we're talking about about it more and not allowing this kind of bias to just be the norm. At one point in time I thought of retconning Beni as a fan fic and allowing her to tell a different story because I preferred her to Rain.
Point of Fail #10: Rain ends up in London, once again taking the world by storm (no pun intended). On her way to theatrical bliss, she finds her real father, gets laid twice, and discovers that her psycho uncle likes to play dress-up with little maids in a dollhouse.
Point of Fail #11: Back at home, Rain has become a filthy rich heiress, and her real family isn't thrilled in the least.
Point of Fail #12: Not that I'm a prude, but what's this with all the unsafe sex? Why can't a V.C. Andrews novel feature a female character who isn't dropping her panties in every third or fourth chapter? I don't mind sex in a novel when it makes sense, like in romances, where there are two people expressing love in a physical way. And why is Rain having sex with her brother/not brother? It's the height of tacky, and while it worked for shock value in the Dollenganger Series, but enough already! That is, unless there some unresolved issues in the Andrews' family that should be coming out. You guys might want to call Dr. Phil for an intervention or something.
Silly me, I was hoping that somehow, the ghost writer(s) would vindicate themselves by allowing Rain to become more than a single-dimensional figure. What was I smoking?
December 1, 2018
Rating: 3.5
This book has a lot of your standard VC fare from creepy great uncle and butler. A (raised as but not blood related) brother who wants to romance the MC. Also most of the characters are rich.
The MC is biracial ( and illegitimate le gasp), and mostly set in the UK. I think this is a first for VC novels.
The MC had her moments but over-all was likeable.
This was a fun WTF read which is all I want in a VC novel. Lol
This book has a lot of your standard VC fare from creepy great uncle and butler. A (raised as but not blood related) brother who wants to romance the MC. Also most of the characters are rich.
The MC is biracial ( and illegitimate le gasp), and mostly set in the UK. I think this is a first for VC novels.
The MC had her moments but over-all was likeable.
This was a fun WTF read which is all I want in a VC novel. Lol
February 4, 2020
4.5 stars
Lightning Strikes is the second novel in the gripping Hudson series.
The drama and the excellent writing made this another winner.
Onto the next instalment.
*Book #43/72 of my 2019 coffee table to-read challenge, cont. 2020
Lightning Strikes is the second novel in the gripping Hudson series.
The drama and the excellent writing made this another winner.
Onto the next instalment.
*Book #43/72 of my 2019 coffee table to-read challenge, cont. 2020
August 16, 2024
4.5/5 ⭐️
Definitely liked this book a lot better than the last one. Lots of family drama and secrets with a nice hint of creepiness.
Definitely liked this book a lot better than the last one. Lots of family drama and secrets with a nice hint of creepiness.
July 14, 2019
Only 2.5 stars but...
November 29, 2011
**Spoiler Alert**
Lightning Strikes was a good read. I have read some of the reviews on this book and I disagree with most of what I have read in them saying that this book is stereo-typical and that the author being a ghost-writer was not good. I don’t find this VC Andrew novel to be stereo typical at all. This book is the 2nd in the series about Rain, a Black and Caucasian girl who finds herself in let- down after let-down from everyone around her. VC Andrews has plenty other novels in where the characters are Caucasian and are just as “messed up, have trashy lives and big family secrets” as this novel does. I wonder if the people who think this book is stereo typical because Rain is half Black have read any other VC Andrews novels? If they haven’t then they would find this is just the VC Andrews trademark of writing. Mostly being about trashy family secrets. I don’t believe race has anything to do with it.
Now, moving on to the book itself, in Lightning Strikes, we follow Rain in her journey through life in London to go to school to pursue acting. Like most of VC Andrew novels, there is plenty of drama and mystery in some of the characters. Rain goes on to have intercourse with her “brother” Roy. After this incident occurred his reaction surprised me. He had been chasing her for a while now and kept talking about how he wanted her and when he finally got her in bed it was so casual it shocked me. One of the new characters in this book that I truly liked a lot was Great Aunt Leonora. She was a little “ritzy” but she still treated Rain properly and friendly. I was very sad when Grandmother Hudson passes away towards the end of the book. She was the one true person who knew of Rain’s secret and who guided her along her journey of finding out who her real mother was and biological family was. Rain’s Great Uncle Richard was a pervert. Hiding his perverted secret in that cottage with the maid and then tried to do the same thing to Rain. He didn’t know that she was his niece but he was still a pervert. Rain meets her biological father in this book and that incident of meeting him and finding out who he was, really didn’t add any suspense to the story. It could have been left out and not made a difference in the story itself. He just didn’t have an impact like I was expecting him to have. Boggs was a nosy character that was annoying. He seemed to show up at the most oddest of times and was a jerk to Rain. He himself had his own secrets that are revealed in the end of the book. My view of him changes a bit when his reasoning of why he was how he was is revealed. He had good intentions as a father, but I just don’t think he knew how to go about it. I was proud of Rain at the end of the book when her family tries to bribe her with money to go away and she refuses to take less than what her Grandmother Hudson left for her in her will. YOU GO GIRL!
The way VC Andrew’s ghost writer has written these novels really feels like you’re watching a soap opera and not reading at all. This is a plus for me. I enjoyed this book considering that some of the plot deals with plays and acting which is of no interest to me. I did also enjoy some of the London “talk & slang”. I am looking forward to reading the 3rd book in the series and finding out what happens now with Rain, since everyone or almost everyone knows she is related to them. I also want to see what happens with her relationship with her “brother” Roy.
Lightning Strikes was a good read. I have read some of the reviews on this book and I disagree with most of what I have read in them saying that this book is stereo-typical and that the author being a ghost-writer was not good. I don’t find this VC Andrew novel to be stereo typical at all. This book is the 2nd in the series about Rain, a Black and Caucasian girl who finds herself in let- down after let-down from everyone around her. VC Andrews has plenty other novels in where the characters are Caucasian and are just as “messed up, have trashy lives and big family secrets” as this novel does. I wonder if the people who think this book is stereo typical because Rain is half Black have read any other VC Andrews novels? If they haven’t then they would find this is just the VC Andrews trademark of writing. Mostly being about trashy family secrets. I don’t believe race has anything to do with it.
Now, moving on to the book itself, in Lightning Strikes, we follow Rain in her journey through life in London to go to school to pursue acting. Like most of VC Andrew novels, there is plenty of drama and mystery in some of the characters. Rain goes on to have intercourse with her “brother” Roy. After this incident occurred his reaction surprised me. He had been chasing her for a while now and kept talking about how he wanted her and when he finally got her in bed it was so casual it shocked me. One of the new characters in this book that I truly liked a lot was Great Aunt Leonora. She was a little “ritzy” but she still treated Rain properly and friendly. I was very sad when Grandmother Hudson passes away towards the end of the book. She was the one true person who knew of Rain’s secret and who guided her along her journey of finding out who her real mother was and biological family was. Rain’s Great Uncle Richard was a pervert. Hiding his perverted secret in that cottage with the maid and then tried to do the same thing to Rain. He didn’t know that she was his niece but he was still a pervert. Rain meets her biological father in this book and that incident of meeting him and finding out who he was, really didn’t add any suspense to the story. It could have been left out and not made a difference in the story itself. He just didn’t have an impact like I was expecting him to have. Boggs was a nosy character that was annoying. He seemed to show up at the most oddest of times and was a jerk to Rain. He himself had his own secrets that are revealed in the end of the book. My view of him changes a bit when his reasoning of why he was how he was is revealed. He had good intentions as a father, but I just don’t think he knew how to go about it. I was proud of Rain at the end of the book when her family tries to bribe her with money to go away and she refuses to take less than what her Grandmother Hudson left for her in her will. YOU GO GIRL!
The way VC Andrew’s ghost writer has written these novels really feels like you’re watching a soap opera and not reading at all. This is a plus for me. I enjoyed this book considering that some of the plot deals with plays and acting which is of no interest to me. I did also enjoy some of the London “talk & slang”. I am looking forward to reading the 3rd book in the series and finding out what happens now with Rain, since everyone or almost everyone knows she is related to them. I also want to see what happens with her relationship with her “brother” Roy.
December 10, 2018
Even though I must have read this a few times, apart from remembering she went to drama school in England, I had forgotten everything.
While I do feel sorry for Rain during a lot of this book, there were times when I just wanted to scream at her to stop being an idiot. Mainly when it comes to her relationship with Roy.
Rain has stated several times throughout the book, that she views Roy as a bother and nothing else. She has also told him this, but he seems to dismiss this and thinks she will come round. So instead of just shutting that shit down and saying 'I will always see you as a brother, please stop acting creepy with me', she sleeps with him. What!? why!? I don't understand! The way he acts around her is super creepy and weird.
I also wouldn't have minded some more elaboration on what great uncle Rickard was doing in that dolls house, also very weird!
Although I didn't enough this as much as I did when I was a teenager, I did struggle to put it down so it's still pretty entertaining. And I can't remember anything about the rest of the series, so am looking forward to the re-read.
While I do feel sorry for Rain during a lot of this book, there were times when I just wanted to scream at her to stop being an idiot. Mainly when it comes to her relationship with Roy.
Rain has stated several times throughout the book, that she views Roy as a bother and nothing else. She has also told him this, but he seems to dismiss this and thinks she will come round. So instead of just shutting that shit down and saying 'I will always see you as a brother, please stop acting creepy with me', she sleeps with him. What!? why!? I don't understand! The way he acts around her is super creepy and weird.
I also wouldn't have minded some more elaboration on what great uncle Rickard was doing in that dolls house, also very weird!
Although I didn't enough this as much as I did when I was a teenager, I did struggle to put it down so it's still pretty entertaining. And I can't remember anything about the rest of the series, so am looking forward to the re-read.
April 28, 2021
I'm not sure how to feel about this one.
It had a lot of elements that made the story unique, even for a V.C. Andrews book. But most of the story was pretty uneventful. I could have done without all the school story and the parts with the other students. I just didn't care. I get that those are the parts that will shape Rain's personality and will help her develop, but as far as the plot went (book and series), they just didn't matter. I hated that the grandmother wasn't really in this one, especially since she died. There just should have been more of her. I can't wait to find out what happens with the will. I want Victoria to lose, even just for spite.
Great uncle Randall was just f-ing creepy. I mean, just to have whatever girl who works for him to pretend to be his daughter, then get her pregnant. I mean, WTF?? I have to know how that plays out, even if Rain isn't in England anymore. I do hope that she goes back and visits with her father and his family. It must be crazy to have four half-siblings and none of them know about you because your neither of your parents will tell them.
It had a lot of elements that made the story unique, even for a V.C. Andrews book. But most of the story was pretty uneventful. I could have done without all the school story and the parts with the other students. I just didn't care. I get that those are the parts that will shape Rain's personality and will help her develop, but as far as the plot went (book and series), they just didn't matter. I hated that the grandmother wasn't really in this one, especially since she died. There just should have been more of her. I can't wait to find out what happens with the will. I want Victoria to lose, even just for spite.
Great uncle Randall was just f-ing creepy. I mean, just to have whatever girl who works for him to pretend to be his daughter, then get her pregnant. I mean, WTF?? I have to know how that plays out, even if Rain isn't in England anymore. I do hope that she goes back and visits with her father and his family. It must be crazy to have four half-siblings and none of them know about you because your neither of your parents will tell them.
March 30, 2020
As much as I loved the Rain series as a teenager, I really struggled to remember anything about the plot in this book. What did strike me, was that as a teenager, I felt really sorry for Rain and thought a lot of bad things happened to her that weren't her fault. However, as an adult, I view her behaviour a bit differently. I still feel sorry for her but by the end of this book, she has slept with three different people without using protection. She is meant to be a smart girl! She also willingly goes into the cottage with her great uncle after she knows what he gets up to in there.
I was very sorry when grandmother Hudson died at the end of the book. It does seem that everyone in Rain's life dies, or she sleeps with them.
I can't really remember what happens in the next book but I am still interested to read it.
I was very sorry when grandmother Hudson died at the end of the book. It does seem that everyone in Rain's life dies, or she sleeps with them.
I can't really remember what happens in the next book but I am still interested to read it.
August 13, 2013
Summary: Rain made a bond with Grandmother Hudson soon after residing with her in Richmond. Latish dies of cancer and Roy an Rain meet in the hospital and he still tells her how much he loves her. How he wants her to think of him like any other man and not as a brother but she is still unsure.
Rain finds out that a man in charge of a dramatics school of fine arts has seen her in the star lead of her school play and wants her to come to London to attend his school. Grandmother Hudson has a sister and brother in law in London that she can stay with while she goes there as long as she is a servant for them.
Once in London she finds the home of her Great Aunt Leonor and Great Uncle Richard to be quite different than her Grandmother's Estate. There are two maids/cooks, Mary Margaret and Mrs. Chester. Then there is "Boggs" who is head master of the home and keeps an eye on everything and keeps all the staff in check.
So still not known to Leonora and Richard, Rain attends the school and starts a relationship with one of the singers there, Randall. And finds many things in the house and adjoining cottage to be very bizarre. Great Uncle Richard is obsessed with the daughter he and his wife lost at a young age to heart failure (Heather) and conducts himself in very unusual ways in the small cottage on the property.
He tries to involve Rain in his strange activities but she won't have it. Leonora also has her own crazy ways of keeping her dead daughters memory alive.
Randall helps Rain find her real Father, Larry Ward. He has been living in London for a while with a wife a daughter and a son. He is a professor at a college majoring in shakespearean literature. She accidently makes herself known to him and after discovering the truth he tells his wife and wants to get to know Rain better. Rain is scared and doesn't know how to trust him because of her past.
Roy visits Rain in London and they have their first sexual experience. She doesn't know if she should regret it or embrace it for now.
Randall has an affair with another girl but says it was a mistake and asks Rain for her forgiveness.
Grandmother Hudson dies. The truth is finally reviled even though none really wanted to know it. Richard and Leonora basically kick Rain out. They go back to America to attend the funeral and have the reading of the will. Rain finds out that she has a very generous portion of Grandmother Hudsons riches and this makes Victoris very upset. She wants to contest the will.. Grant tries to get Rain to settle for only half that she is entitled to but she wont agree.
Rain stays in her Grandmothers home and hopes to return to London and continued her studies in the theater. She sill has more question to be answered.
Rain finds out that a man in charge of a dramatics school of fine arts has seen her in the star lead of her school play and wants her to come to London to attend his school. Grandmother Hudson has a sister and brother in law in London that she can stay with while she goes there as long as she is a servant for them.
Once in London she finds the home of her Great Aunt Leonor and Great Uncle Richard to be quite different than her Grandmother's Estate. There are two maids/cooks, Mary Margaret and Mrs. Chester. Then there is "Boggs" who is head master of the home and keeps an eye on everything and keeps all the staff in check.
So still not known to Leonora and Richard, Rain attends the school and starts a relationship with one of the singers there, Randall. And finds many things in the house and adjoining cottage to be very bizarre. Great Uncle Richard is obsessed with the daughter he and his wife lost at a young age to heart failure (Heather) and conducts himself in very unusual ways in the small cottage on the property.
He tries to involve Rain in his strange activities but she won't have it. Leonora also has her own crazy ways of keeping her dead daughters memory alive.
Randall helps Rain find her real Father, Larry Ward. He has been living in London for a while with a wife a daughter and a son. He is a professor at a college majoring in shakespearean literature. She accidently makes herself known to him and after discovering the truth he tells his wife and wants to get to know Rain better. Rain is scared and doesn't know how to trust him because of her past.
Roy visits Rain in London and they have their first sexual experience. She doesn't know if she should regret it or embrace it for now.
Randall has an affair with another girl but says it was a mistake and asks Rain for her forgiveness.
Grandmother Hudson dies. The truth is finally reviled even though none really wanted to know it. Richard and Leonora basically kick Rain out. They go back to America to attend the funeral and have the reading of the will. Rain finds out that she has a very generous portion of Grandmother Hudsons riches and this makes Victoris very upset. She wants to contest the will.. Grant tries to get Rain to settle for only half that she is entitled to but she wont agree.
Rain stays in her Grandmothers home and hopes to return to London and continued her studies in the theater. She sill has more question to be answered.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2013
I read the book called Lightning Strikes written by V.C. Andrews which is the next book after the other book I read which was called Rain. I thought the theme of this book was similar to the theme of the first book because she’s still trying to find a place where she’s loved. The theme I thought of in the last book was money or being rich can’t give love or a place to call ‘home’. Also what I think this book’s theme could be about would be to believe and to succeed. The reason why I thought of this theme is because during the novel, she tries to search for her biological father in England. She believed in herself, and she found him. When her grandmother told her she shouldn’t go looking for this man, Rain almost listened to her. But she did what she wanted and got some closure from meeting her real father. She didn’t know if it was the right thing to do to be in his life because of what she was taught from her strict, rich, over ruling family that taught her nothing but what not to do in life. She even wrote her grandmother a letter asking her if it was the right thing to do. “Dear Grandmother, I have an important thing to tell you and ask your advice about. With a friend at school, I located my real father, using the little information my mother had given me about him. (234).” She goes on talking about her father to her grandmother, but she also asks her if it’s the right thing if she starts to get to know him. “Am I making a terrible mistake? Should I permit him to make a decision about revealing me to his wife? Should I just walk away and try to forget him? What do you think my mother would say if she found out about all this? Of course, I don’t want to upset you, but I don’t have anyone I can trust here or anyone wise enough to give me advice (234).” I think that her family is taking over her and she can’t make decisions on her own. She doesn’t do the things she wants, she always asks opinions of what to do from a kind of family that does nothing but judge and gives her no answers besides the answer ‘no’.
This book had the same writing style as the first book. The chapters were about the same length, which were about 20 pages each. The font style was the same throughout the whole entire novel. Except if someone wrote a letter to another person in the novel, the words were usually italicized. Just as the first novel, Rain, the author did very well of describing settings and characters to give a good visual of what everything looked like.
This book had the same writing style as the first book. The chapters were about the same length, which were about 20 pages each. The font style was the same throughout the whole entire novel. Except if someone wrote a letter to another person in the novel, the words were usually italicized. Just as the first novel, Rain, the author did very well of describing settings and characters to give a good visual of what everything looked like.
April 8, 2011
Inhalt:
Die junge Rain Arnold, die in den Slums von Amerika heran gewachsen ist, findet sich plötzlich in einer Familie wieder, die reich und wohlsituiert in Richmond lebt. Die Hudsons haben die unehelich geborene Rain nach ihrer Geburt an ein armes Paar verkauft – nun ist sie in der Familie zurück. Als sie von Großmutter Hudson nach England auf eine Schule für bildende Künste geschickt wird, ahnt sie noch nicht, wie ihr weiteres Schicksal sich stricken wird…
Schreib-/Erzählstil:
Die Hudson Saga entwickelt sich langsam zu meinem Favorit nach meinem absoluten Highlight der Cutler Saga, die für mich immer mein heimlicher Liebling bleiben wird. V. C. Andrews geht in der Hudson Saga doch sehr auf Spannung und schafft es dadurch mehr als genug, den Leser mitzureißen und ihm immer wieder Wendungen an die Hand zu geben. Die Charaktere bilden sich noch mehr heraus und auch das Ende sorgt für den richtigen Auftakt eines dritten Bandes.
Meine Meinung:
Ich bin immer glücklich, die Sagas jeweils im Gesamtpaket ersteigert zu haben. Leider werden die Bände nicht mehr aufgelegt – hier und da findet man zwar noch einzelne Ausgaben, aber zusammenhängend sind diese nicht verfügbar. Man fragt sich zu Recht: Warum? Wieso kann man es verschmerzen, diese Autorin untergehen zu lassen und ihre potentiellen Leser auszugrenzen? V. C. Andrews’ Reihen schaffen es immer wieder, dem Leser zu zeigen, welchen Sog das Leben entwickeln kann – dabei dreht sich zwar vornehmlich viel um inzestuöse Beziehungen, aber in der Hudson-Saga wird davon nur wenig Gebrauch gemacht. Vielleicht hat der Ghostwriter, der nach Andrews Tod engagiert worden ist, auch keine rechte Lust mehr, auf dieses Stilmittel zurück zu greifen. Finde ich überhaupt nicht schade, sondern eher positiv.
So entwickelt sich vor dem Hintergrund eines modernen Londons die aufblühende Karriere einer viel versprechenden jungen Frau, die sich nicht scheut, Paroli zu bieten, Missstände aufzudecken und ihr Recht einzufordern, beachtet zu werden. Mich packte schier die Lust, das ganze Buch an einem Nachmittag zu lesen, weil es so spannend und ausgefeilt geschrieben ist – und das habe ich dann schlichtweg getan.
Fazit:
Nach meinem Tipp der Saga rund um die Cutlers muss man Rain Arnold (eigentlich Hudson) eine Chance geben, mit ihrer markanten Stimme den Menschen zum Lesen zu bewegen.
Die junge Rain Arnold, die in den Slums von Amerika heran gewachsen ist, findet sich plötzlich in einer Familie wieder, die reich und wohlsituiert in Richmond lebt. Die Hudsons haben die unehelich geborene Rain nach ihrer Geburt an ein armes Paar verkauft – nun ist sie in der Familie zurück. Als sie von Großmutter Hudson nach England auf eine Schule für bildende Künste geschickt wird, ahnt sie noch nicht, wie ihr weiteres Schicksal sich stricken wird…
Schreib-/Erzählstil:
Die Hudson Saga entwickelt sich langsam zu meinem Favorit nach meinem absoluten Highlight der Cutler Saga, die für mich immer mein heimlicher Liebling bleiben wird. V. C. Andrews geht in der Hudson Saga doch sehr auf Spannung und schafft es dadurch mehr als genug, den Leser mitzureißen und ihm immer wieder Wendungen an die Hand zu geben. Die Charaktere bilden sich noch mehr heraus und auch das Ende sorgt für den richtigen Auftakt eines dritten Bandes.
Meine Meinung:
Ich bin immer glücklich, die Sagas jeweils im Gesamtpaket ersteigert zu haben. Leider werden die Bände nicht mehr aufgelegt – hier und da findet man zwar noch einzelne Ausgaben, aber zusammenhängend sind diese nicht verfügbar. Man fragt sich zu Recht: Warum? Wieso kann man es verschmerzen, diese Autorin untergehen zu lassen und ihre potentiellen Leser auszugrenzen? V. C. Andrews’ Reihen schaffen es immer wieder, dem Leser zu zeigen, welchen Sog das Leben entwickeln kann – dabei dreht sich zwar vornehmlich viel um inzestuöse Beziehungen, aber in der Hudson-Saga wird davon nur wenig Gebrauch gemacht. Vielleicht hat der Ghostwriter, der nach Andrews Tod engagiert worden ist, auch keine rechte Lust mehr, auf dieses Stilmittel zurück zu greifen. Finde ich überhaupt nicht schade, sondern eher positiv.
So entwickelt sich vor dem Hintergrund eines modernen Londons die aufblühende Karriere einer viel versprechenden jungen Frau, die sich nicht scheut, Paroli zu bieten, Missstände aufzudecken und ihr Recht einzufordern, beachtet zu werden. Mich packte schier die Lust, das ganze Buch an einem Nachmittag zu lesen, weil es so spannend und ausgefeilt geschrieben ist – und das habe ich dann schlichtweg getan.
Fazit:
Nach meinem Tipp der Saga rund um die Cutlers muss man Rain Arnold (eigentlich Hudson) eine Chance geben, mit ihrer markanten Stimme den Menschen zum Lesen zu bewegen.
March 25, 2016
This is the second book in the Hudson series, featuring Rain Arnold. After getting a scholarship to a prestigious acting school, Rain is shipped off to London to live with an an aunt and uncle who don't know she's their half-neice. In true VC Andrews fashion, Rain gets into some bizarre situations while staying in a mysterious mansion.
Rain was a lot more whiny in this book than she was in the first. She was trying to "find herself" and anytime she was complimented, she went on a tirade on how she was sick of people seeing her as "different". I didn't pity Rain at all, she had so many opportunities fall on her lap and was kind of snobby in her indifference. She makes friend with the nerdy singer, Randall who shows her around London and tries to make Rain feel at home. Rain is overcome with passion (again) and they fool around only for Rain to realize he isn't the one. She is overcome with passion a third time with Roy only to realize she still thinks of him as a brother. Again, Rain seemed so level-headed in the first book and she was a hot mess in this one.
There was a lot of mystery in this book, which was actually well written, in my opinion. I enjoyed trying to piece together the odd noises and strange behaviors of the occupants of the mansion. Again, pretty typical stuff for VC Andrews with evil-ish butlers and uncles that look at Rain incestuously...but there was some shocking revelations throughout that kept the book interesting. It ends with yet another triumph for Rain only for her to mope about it. Hopefully she gets herself together for the next novel...
Rain was a lot more whiny in this book than she was in the first. She was trying to "find herself" and anytime she was complimented, she went on a tirade on how she was sick of people seeing her as "different". I didn't pity Rain at all, she had so many opportunities fall on her lap and was kind of snobby in her indifference. She makes friend with the nerdy singer, Randall who shows her around London and tries to make Rain feel at home. Rain is overcome with passion (again) and they fool around only for Rain to realize he isn't the one. She is overcome with passion a third time with Roy only to realize she still thinks of him as a brother. Again, Rain seemed so level-headed in the first book and she was a hot mess in this one.
There was a lot of mystery in this book, which was actually well written, in my opinion. I enjoyed trying to piece together the odd noises and strange behaviors of the occupants of the mansion. Again, pretty typical stuff for VC Andrews with evil-ish butlers and uncles that look at Rain incestuously...but there was some shocking revelations throughout that kept the book interesting. It ends with yet another triumph for Rain only for her to mope about it. Hopefully she gets herself together for the next novel...
July 10, 2023
I’ve always liked this one a little better than the first and the only thing really missing was more Grandmother Hudson interactions. I haven’t read this one in a while and forgot quite a lot of key details so it was almost like reading this for the first time. I can’t recall any previous VCA books taking place in another country so this was a nice change of scenery.
I loved seeing Rain becoming more confident of herself and who she wants to be. Everything she encounters, even the twisted stuff, was interesting, though some of it felt borrowed from other series at times. The interactions between Rain and her father were surprisingly positive for a VCA novel.
The climax was unexpected, exciting, and sad all at the same time. I only remember a few details about the next book as well so it will be interesting to see what happens next. This isn’t quite a 4.5 read, but more like a 4.25 one since I did like it a bit better than the first. Going to keep the rating at 4 stars for simplicity sake.
I loved seeing Rain becoming more confident of herself and who she wants to be. Everything she encounters, even the twisted stuff, was interesting, though some of it felt borrowed from other series at times. The interactions between Rain and her father were surprisingly positive for a VCA novel.
The climax was unexpected, exciting, and sad all at the same time. I only remember a few details about the next book as well so it will be interesting to see what happens next. This isn’t quite a 4.5 read, but more like a 4.25 one since I did like it a bit better than the first. Going to keep the rating at 4 stars for simplicity sake.
January 3, 2016
I had planned on reading this entire series. The story line kept me reading, even though some of it irritated me. The writing is mediocre. Then I saw the price to download the next book in this series on Kindle ($15!!) and decided it's not worth it. I look at 1/2 price books and the regular book store. Couldn't find it. It's selling for a penny on Amazon from 3rd party sellers, but then I have to pay shipping and that seems silly too for this type of book. If the price goes down or I find it cheap somewhere, maybe I'll continue, but until then, this series is officially on pause for me.
Another annoying thing about this on Kindle was the insane amount of typos. Words starting with "th" were constantly changed to the letter "m". I don't know if this is a Kindle only issue, or if that was an original printing error, but there were times I almost had to translate whole paragraphs.
Another annoying thing about this on Kindle was the insane amount of typos. Words starting with "th" were constantly changed to the letter "m". I don't know if this is a Kindle only issue, or if that was an original printing error, but there were times I almost had to translate whole paragraphs.
May 4, 2013
I enjoyed this installment, and found the plot very interesting but slightly unusual. . . by Andrews' standards. The plot was very fast, filled with twists and turns that some of were expected, and others were not. Although this book was entertaining, it seems to lack the orginial Andrews' quality (like the De Beers,if you need an example).
The characters dont have as good of developement as past novels, but thats become expected after reading Neidermans later series.
I like the drama that this book ended with, however, and I cant wait to see how it all ends up in the next book.
Overall a decent book, but not V.C. Andrews-like.
The characters dont have as good of developement as past novels, but thats become expected after reading Neidermans later series.
I like the drama that this book ended with, however, and I cant wait to see how it all ends up in the next book.
Overall a decent book, but not V.C. Andrews-like.
December 9, 2013
This is second of the Hudson series. Rain found out that the parents that raised her were not her real parents. She now is living with her real grandmother in her mansion but still needs to keep secret her real identity. Her mother had her very young with an African American man.e If her real family found out there could be a scandal.
Now she is being sent to England to live with her grandmothers sister.
The reader can feel the agony she goes through keeping her secret. The horror of the secret she learns about her great uncle and the joy of new friends and great discoveries.
Being a big fan of V.C. Andrews I enjoyed this series.
Now she is being sent to England to live with her grandmothers sister.
The reader can feel the agony she goes through keeping her secret. The horror of the secret she learns about her great uncle and the joy of new friends and great discoveries.
Being a big fan of V.C. Andrews I enjoyed this series.
March 9, 2017
this is the second book in the hudson series. this book was just a tiny bit better than the first. in this book, rain is sent to london to study acting at a prestigious drama school. rain finds herself in a few bad situations. she finds a few secrets that are hidden in the house of which she is staying. the secrets are so wrong, that if they were found out, the family would be ruined. when rain is called back to the states for a death in the family, she finds that war is set to begin. a war that she never thought she would have to fight.
Currently reading
April 11, 2011I cannot fully express my adoration of reading V.C. Andrews. And this book has reminded me why these series were some of my favorites, while growing up. Rain Arnold is a very likeable character, and Andrews a very reliable narrator. I love how she delves into the mind of a bi-racial girl and what it could have been like being raised in the ghetto of Washington D.C., but still be able to interweave life in the Old Country with its tea and crumpets and high society.
May 22, 2013
In this book, Rain goes to live with her creepy great-uncle and her lovely great-aunt. I really liked how Andrews used the peculiar cottage to really prove the strangeness throughout Rains family and how one little tragedy can change your world forever.
When in London, Rain meets Arnold. They develop a close relationship; he helps her find her real father. I loved this book!
When in London, Rain meets Arnold. They develop a close relationship; he helps her find her real father. I loved this book!
September 7, 2014
Again, this book is very similar to other books by this author. Most of the book was uneventful, and slow moving. It was no surprise that Rain's great uncle has mental issues and that she gave into having relations with Roy. Of course I want to see what happens next, though, so hopefully the story line will pick up for the next book.
October 23, 2012
The second book in the Hudson series. Rain is in London studying to be an actress. Her great-aunt and uncle think she is a charity they are housing for her sister. Rain meets her real father. At the end her grandmother dies and Rain inherits quite a bit of money.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2013
Second in a trilogy and although it would stand well on its own a great progression of the amazing, powerful story of a young girl thrown into a storm. The characters are well explored as is their relationship to one another. There are some lighter moments too. All in all a fantastic book
September 22, 2022
#64
Own on Nook.
FS: "I started up the stairs...when I drew close to the bedroom door, I heard what sounded like someone humming a children's song...I stood there a moment longer and knocked."
LS: "I hoped and prayed I was right in thinking it did for me, too."
Own on Nook.
FS: "I started up the stairs...when I drew close to the bedroom door, I heard what sounded like someone humming a children's song...I stood there a moment longer and knocked."
LS: "I hoped and prayed I was right in thinking it did for me, too."
January 7, 2015
the story continues with the second book in the series as she starts to live with her great aunt and uncle who have no idea who is is.she finds her real father and works towards becoming an actress and still everyone is disowning her.
September 26, 2017
It was good but in one scene Rain sees her great aunt in cottage acting like a little girl yet when she finds out that Mary Margaret is pregnant. Rain said it was her she saw. Did anyone else catch that?
September 16, 2011
OK story about a girl who finds her birth family and goes to London to study acting. She encounters some strange people there.
February 20, 2012
Full of mystery, misery and anomaly. Love the way V.C. Andrews choice of words and his use of metaphors.
April 17, 2012
V.C. Andrew books has always been one of my little guilty pleasures!
December 30, 2014
It moved a bit slow but I think it's a good follow up to Rain. I felt satisfied.
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