What do you think?
Rate this book
Birdlane Island: A Novel
From the #1
New York Times
bestselling author of the Flowers in the Attic and Landry series—now popular Lifetime
movies—an evocative and tender tale of star-crossed lovers on an isolated island.
Off the coast of Maine, on an island shaped like a seagull in flight, shrouded by mists off the bay, lives a novelist Jason Lorraine and his teenage daughter Lisa. They live a simple life, largely cut off from the mainland, and Lisa’s weak health poses a frequent concern.
After the sudden and untimely death of Lisa’s mother, Jason becomes even more reclusive and protective. Lisa is forbidden to see Jamie, the charming fisherman’s son who has quickly become her closest confidante in her grief. The star-crossed lovers steal time with one another, but fate intervenes, and they may never find a happy ending. A brooding artist from out of town, Kyle, arrives and brings more color to Lisa’s world. As Lisa fights for love, independence, and agency, will her beloved island become her sanctuary or her prison?
Off the coast of Maine, on an island shaped like a seagull in flight, shrouded by mists off the bay, lives a novelist Jason Lorraine and his teenage daughter Lisa. They live a simple life, largely cut off from the mainland, and Lisa’s weak health poses a frequent concern.
After the sudden and untimely death of Lisa’s mother, Jason becomes even more reclusive and protective. Lisa is forbidden to see Jamie, the charming fisherman’s son who has quickly become her closest confidante in her grief. The star-crossed lovers steal time with one another, but fate intervenes, and they may never find a happy ending. A brooding artist from out of town, Kyle, arrives and brings more color to Lisa’s world. As Lisa fights for love, independence, and agency, will her beloved island become her sanctuary or her prison?
- GenresFiction
304 pages, Paperback
Published October 28, 2025
About the author
V.C. Andrews
369 books9,265 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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 3, 2026
DNF I’ve never been a VC Andrews reader so I don’t have much loyalty or knowledge of the style but this was catalogued as mystery at my library…. Not so much. The main character wasn’t very likable. Felt choppy in many places. Just not my kind of book
March 4, 2026
**
Lisa has lived carefully all of her life due to a heart condition on a small island off the coast of Maine. Shielded by her mother's love and the loyalty of her best friend Jamie, she's not hurt by her father's indifference. As she grows towards adulthood, she is torn between her dreams and the safety of what she's always known.
This is such a strange book. This is a completely reworked story from Virginia's incomplete The Obsessed, rather than an attempt to complete that story. The core plot points (and incidentally the most interesting ones) from that excerpt are either missing or implemented strangely. Every single character has a different surname, for some reason.
Originally, The Obsessed hinted at Lisa's father's uncomfortably protective love- here, he couldn't care less about her. Also, he was an author- here the family are just more generic wealthy business owners. At first I thought the Frances added nothing to the book. Making Lisa's father a twin, I thought would also hearken to the end of The Obsessed Lisa's mother and her role in the story is complete different- in The Obsessed she was selfish and secretive, but here she's just another perfect, loving mother.
On the one hand, this book is pretty inoffensive, and happily lacking the worst of Neiderman's writing tics. Some of the descriptions are nice, and Lisa is pretty spirited- although she becomes tiresome once she becomes an adult and a know-it-all. The romantic conflict could have been interesting, but it was all so emotionless.
Compared to what it could have been, this is just another disappointment.
On another note, this is the last book Andrew Neiderman wrote as V.C. Andrews. (It was previously reported that he was working on more Dollanganger novels after this one.) Hopefully, we will finally get the rest of Virginia's unpublished work and excerpts.
Personal history: Purchased.
The Obsessed:
1. The Obsessed Original incomplete novel
Lisa has lived carefully all of her life due to a heart condition on a small island off the coast of Maine. Shielded by her mother's love and the loyalty of her best friend Jamie, she's not hurt by her father's indifference. As she grows towards adulthood, she is torn between her dreams and the safety of what she's always known.
This is such a strange book. This is a completely reworked story from Virginia's incomplete The Obsessed, rather than an attempt to complete that story. The core plot points (and incidentally the most interesting ones) from that excerpt are either missing or implemented strangely. Every single character has a different surname, for some reason.
Originally, The Obsessed hinted at Lisa's father's uncomfortably protective love- here, he couldn't care less about her. Also, he was an author- here the family are just more generic wealthy business owners. At first I thought the Frances added nothing to the book. Making Lisa's father a twin, I thought would also hearken to the end of The Obsessed Lisa's mother and her role in the story is complete different- in The Obsessed she was selfish and secretive, but here she's just another perfect, loving mother.
On the one hand, this book is pretty inoffensive, and happily lacking the worst of Neiderman's writing tics. Some of the descriptions are nice, and Lisa is pretty spirited- although she becomes tiresome once she becomes an adult and a know-it-all. The romantic conflict could have been interesting, but it was all so emotionless.
Compared to what it could have been, this is just another disappointment.
On another note, this is the last book Andrew Neiderman wrote as V.C. Andrews. (It was previously reported that he was working on more Dollanganger novels after this one.) Hopefully, we will finally get the rest of Virginia's unpublished work and excerpts.
Personal history: Purchased.
The Obsessed:
1. The Obsessed Original incomplete novel
October 14, 2025
I absolutely loved this book. To me it’s not the normal VC Andrews book that I’ve read in the past. It was beautifully written as ever, but it told a much more subdued story about a crappy dad and a love on an island. It’s so hard to put this review into words because this book is gripping but not in a horror sense as there is no horror or thrills, but in a way that you are invested in the the details of Lisa’s life. I loved it!
November 4, 2025
elp I was a huge fan of VC Andrew's back in the day, so i was curious to see what they would be publishing under her ame years after her death. it definitely doesnt measure up. But at the same time. it's not completely off course for what rould be written It just doesnit give the same gothic kinda vibe. If youre looking for loads of drama and super cringe arental content with repressed teen girls who rebel by making weird choices in their partners, And there's the family business which even now Im not 100 percent sure what it is but I know it's something to do with the ocean because it had ships at least I think.
Maybe it was just too deep for my simple mind. There's lots of metaphors to try and interpret and understand and maybe that's what tured me off. I just want to escape and not do homework Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review
Maybe it was just too deep for my simple mind. There's lots of metaphors to try and interpret and understand and maybe that's what tured me off. I just want to escape and not do homework Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review
March 22, 2026
Andrew Neiderman’s final V.C. Andrews novel draws inspiration from the original author’s unfinished manuscript, though it ultimately leans far more into romance than gothic horror.
Unlike the original draft referenced in her biography, this version is written in the first person rather than third, and shifts its focus away from a sinister father figure to the daughter, Lisa. In many ways, Lisa resembles Audrina Adare from My Sweet Audrina. While Audrina’s isolation stems from trauma, Lisa’s is tied to a medical condition, yet both characters share a deeply sheltered existence. There are also echoes of the Landry series throughout, particularly in the parallels between Lisa and Ruby, both of whom are creatively inclined heroines navigating restrictive environments. As with many V.C. Andrews heroines, Lisa possesses a clear artistic talent, and the novel places significant emphasis on her development as an aspiring artist alongside her budding romance with her childhood sweetheart.
There are moments that feel like deliberate homages to both Andrews’ original gothic tone and Neiderman’s continuation style. As someone who has a nostalgic fondness for these books, I found this entry to have a distinctly bittersweet quality. However, rather than immersing the reader in a chaotic web of secrets and revelations, the story unfolds too gently, adopting an almost slice-of-life approach that lacks tension and urgency.
One of the most striking departures lies in Lisa’s parents. In the original concept, her father was portrayed as a struggling novelist with a darker, more unsettling edge, while her mother was a restless housewife seeking excitement through an affair with a fisherman. Here, however, they are reimagined as a tense but ultimately unremarkable couple, which removes much of the tension that defined earlier works. There are also faint similarities to the family dynamics seen in Flowers in the Attic, particularly Garden of Shadows, though these elements feel far less developed and lack the same sense of menace.
The narrative structure is particularly disorienting in the opening chapters. The story begins with a ten-year-old Lisa in the prologue, only to move backwards to her starting kindergarten in chapter one, before jumping ahead to her mid-teens by chapter two. This early lack of clear chronological grounding makes it difficult to orient yourself within Lisa’s timeline, and that sense of inconsistency carries through the rest of the novel, making it challenging at times to track her development and age.
While the story itself can feel uneven, it also introduces a troubling romantic dynamic. A love triangle emerges involving Lisa and an older mentor figure in his thirties, whose interest in his adolescent protégé is treated as unremarkable by everyone except her bitter aunt, while her high school sweetheart drifts in and out of the plot like the waves. Similarly, Lisa’s heart condition feels more like set dressing than a meaningful narrative thread, having little impact on the plot or her character development until it reaches a vague and unconvincing resolution.
The story ultimately drifts through a bland love triangle, repetitive family conflicts, and an ending that feels notably anticlimactic.
While the story itself can feel uneven, the audiobook narration by Kelly Fish is a standout element. Despite earlier expectations of a different narrator, Fish delivers a strong performance that adds depth and engagement to the story, though some character voices can occasionally feel inconsistent and distracting.
It’s strange to think there will be no more V.C. Andrews books. As a finale, Birdlane Island offers a much quieter send-off than expected—less a storm of gothic drama and more a gentle, and ultimately underwhelming, goodbye.
Unlike the original draft referenced in her biography, this version is written in the first person rather than third, and shifts its focus away from a sinister father figure to the daughter, Lisa. In many ways, Lisa resembles Audrina Adare from My Sweet Audrina. While Audrina’s isolation stems from trauma, Lisa’s is tied to a medical condition, yet both characters share a deeply sheltered existence. There are also echoes of the Landry series throughout, particularly in the parallels between Lisa and Ruby, both of whom are creatively inclined heroines navigating restrictive environments. As with many V.C. Andrews heroines, Lisa possesses a clear artistic talent, and the novel places significant emphasis on her development as an aspiring artist alongside her budding romance with her childhood sweetheart.
There are moments that feel like deliberate homages to both Andrews’ original gothic tone and Neiderman’s continuation style. As someone who has a nostalgic fondness for these books, I found this entry to have a distinctly bittersweet quality. However, rather than immersing the reader in a chaotic web of secrets and revelations, the story unfolds too gently, adopting an almost slice-of-life approach that lacks tension and urgency.
One of the most striking departures lies in Lisa’s parents. In the original concept, her father was portrayed as a struggling novelist with a darker, more unsettling edge, while her mother was a restless housewife seeking excitement through an affair with a fisherman. Here, however, they are reimagined as a tense but ultimately unremarkable couple, which removes much of the tension that defined earlier works. There are also faint similarities to the family dynamics seen in Flowers in the Attic, particularly Garden of Shadows, though these elements feel far less developed and lack the same sense of menace.
The narrative structure is particularly disorienting in the opening chapters. The story begins with a ten-year-old Lisa in the prologue, only to move backwards to her starting kindergarten in chapter one, before jumping ahead to her mid-teens by chapter two. This early lack of clear chronological grounding makes it difficult to orient yourself within Lisa’s timeline, and that sense of inconsistency carries through the rest of the novel, making it challenging at times to track her development and age.
While the story itself can feel uneven, it also introduces a troubling romantic dynamic. A love triangle emerges involving Lisa and an older mentor figure in his thirties, whose interest in his adolescent protégé is treated as unremarkable by everyone except her bitter aunt, while her high school sweetheart drifts in and out of the plot like the waves. Similarly, Lisa’s heart condition feels more like set dressing than a meaningful narrative thread, having little impact on the plot or her character development until it reaches a vague and unconvincing resolution.
The story ultimately drifts through a bland love triangle, repetitive family conflicts, and an ending that feels notably anticlimactic.
While the story itself can feel uneven, the audiobook narration by Kelly Fish is a standout element. Despite earlier expectations of a different narrator, Fish delivers a strong performance that adds depth and engagement to the story, though some character voices can occasionally feel inconsistent and distracting.
It’s strange to think there will be no more V.C. Andrews books. As a finale, Birdlane Island offers a much quieter send-off than expected—less a storm of gothic drama and more a gentle, and ultimately underwhelming, goodbye.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2026
This slow-paced novel ultimately felt rather dull, as though it was striving to explore big themes but did so in an abysmal way.
The writing is simple and seems aimed at a middle-grade or possibly YA audience. While that isn’t inherently a problem for this kind of premise, the execution felt uneven. At times, the dialogue slipped into cliché, which made it harder to stay engaged.
The characters lacked depth, and the plot was predictable at nearly every turn.
It’s an easy quick read thankfully and I’m just disappointed because it doesn’t feel V.C Andrews at all.
The writing is simple and seems aimed at a middle-grade or possibly YA audience. While that isn’t inherently a problem for this kind of premise, the execution felt uneven. At times, the dialogue slipped into cliché, which made it harder to stay engaged.
The characters lacked depth, and the plot was predictable at nearly every turn.
It’s an easy quick read thankfully and I’m just disappointed because it doesn’t feel V.C Andrews at all.
April 22, 2026
So incredibly mediocre. Protagonist as a child has the same voice as protagonist as a teen in love and later as a young woman. It feels as if it is written by a 7th grader, full of unsophisticated sentence structure and predictable, stilted dialogue with weak metaphors.
This is really bad, but the only reason I finished it was because it was short and I was already halfway through to counting it for 2026 when I realized I hated it.
This is really bad, but the only reason I finished it was because it was short and I was already halfway through to counting it for 2026 when I realized I hated it.
December 7, 2025
My goal this year was to finally finish my four year catch-up on the V.C. Andrews back catalog (having stopped at Family Storms) and thus be prepared to stay current with the new annual releases. Goal achieved!
So it was somewhat surprising when it was announced earlier this year that Birdlane Island would be the final new book. I say somewhat only because ghostwriter Andrew Neiderman is now in his mid-80s and the rights to V.C. Andrews now belong to the A&E Television Networks.
As the final standalone novel and with this being the only 2025 release, I was a tad hopeful this book would be of the same quality level as Capturing Angels which I consider the best standalone novel (once My Sweet Audrina no longer became a standalone novel with the release of the sequel Whitefern). Alas, it was not. Honestly, I cannot sum up this book any better than the chef's kiss of a review by 'Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle' so go read that one.
2.5 to 3 stars - being a bit generous since 1) it is the final - and let's be real AT LAST - book and 2) references the origin story of the tennis bracelet (1978 US Open with Chris Evert) so as a tennis fan that gets a bit of extra credit from me.
My final rank order of the standalone novels is:
Capturing Angels, The Silhouette Girl, Bittersweet Dreams, Birdlane Island, The Unwelcomed Child, Sage's Eyes, Becoming My Sister, Into the Darkness.
This book fulfilled the 2025 PopSugar challenge prompt #16 - A book set in or around a body of water.
So it was somewhat surprising when it was announced earlier this year that Birdlane Island would be the final new book. I say somewhat only because ghostwriter Andrew Neiderman is now in his mid-80s and the rights to V.C. Andrews now belong to the A&E Television Networks.
As the final standalone novel and with this being the only 2025 release, I was a tad hopeful this book would be of the same quality level as Capturing Angels which I consider the best standalone novel (once My Sweet Audrina no longer became a standalone novel with the release of the sequel Whitefern). Alas, it was not. Honestly, I cannot sum up this book any better than the chef's kiss of a review by 'Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle' so go read that one.
2.5 to 3 stars - being a bit generous since 1) it is the final - and let's be real AT LAST - book and 2) references the origin story of the tennis bracelet (1978 US Open with Chris Evert) so as a tennis fan that gets a bit of extra credit from me.
My final rank order of the standalone novels is:
Capturing Angels, The Silhouette Girl, Bittersweet Dreams, Birdlane Island, The Unwelcomed Child, Sage's Eyes, Becoming My Sister, Into the Darkness.
This book fulfilled the 2025 PopSugar challenge prompt #16 - A book set in or around a body of water.
April 15, 2026
Just couldn't get into this one
April 7, 2026
This was not good. My mother still has a whole collection of original Andrew’s books from her child & teen years, so I continue to buy the new books to add to the collection. Whoever is ghost writing some of these new books is just awful. The lack of detail & description is so bad, I couldn’t even tell you what the main character might look like in my mind. I felt like I was constantly being moved from one thing to the next with absolutely no detail or intricate conclusion. It was very predictable & any sort of conflict just sort of “ends”. I don’t even know how to explain what I am trying to convey as the book lacked so much.
December 2, 2025
i feel like because this is a stand-alone novel that a lot of story got packed into a small book, rather than the usual VC Andrews style of stretching a story across a series, that the story said a lot without saying anything. It seemed like there a was so many decent storylines and juicy drama to get into, but we didn't ever get into it. There was build up to things that just ended up to be normal things which also wrap up nicely in a happy ending. This did not feel like the usual VC Andrews and I was mildly disappointed that this is the last of the franchise.
November 29, 2025
By all standards a typical VCA (Neiderman) book. This one no doubt appears to be standalone, unless they go into the life of one of Lisa's family members in another installment. This one felt a bit more Mary Higgins Clark than VCA; that is to say - this one was had a more hopeful and upbeat ending than most VCA books do, even the newer ones. I'd go as far as to say the overall tone was lighter and it almost chronicled Lisa's life like a memoir instead of your typical VCA (Neiderman) book.
November 9, 2025
This is a moody family drama set on an Island in Maine. After her mother’s death, fragile Lisa lives under her father’s strict protection until forbidden love and a mysterious newcomer stir up secrets and rebellion. Atmospheric and emotional, it’s classic Andrews — haunting, romantic, and a bit predictable.
November 10, 2025
Slow paced novel of the Baxter family & their dynasty. Lisa’s health concerns, Melville’s greed & Grandfather ‘s astute awareness of the greed is the basis of the book.
October 13, 2025
Before we dive into the melodramatic mist-drenched mess of Birdlane Island, let’s talk about the very real, very weird publishing séance that is the "V.C. Andrews" brand. Because yes, V.C. Andrews has been dead since 1986. And yet! She has released over 80 books posthumously. Which is either a miracle or the longest-running literary cosplay in modern publishing.
The man behind the curtain? Andrew Neiderman. A real-life horror novelist who got hired by Andrews’ estate to take over after her death. Like a gothic ghostwriter slash literary shapeshifter. Yes, ghostwriter is the right term, but Neiderman is less “taking dictation from the beyond” and more “bingeing soap operas and sprinkling in incest vibes.” He’s been doing this for nearly four decades. At this point he’s written way more "V.C. Andrews" than V.C. Andrews ever did. The man is basically method acting a dead author. Honestly? Respect.
Now, Birdlane Island is the latest offering from the undead factory, and it’s giving classic Andrews ingredients: tragic girls, controlling men, forbidden love, and an isolated setting with heavy fog and heavier metaphor. But instead of attic siblings or cursed bayou bloodlines, we get Lisa, a sheltered teenager with a weak heart, a protective (read: suffocating) novelist dad, and a ghost of a dead mom haunting everyone’s grief and decision-making.
This island? Literally shaped like a seagull, which feels like a weird flex, but go off. Lisa’s life is cottagecore if the cottage was emotionally stunted and full of repressed feelings. Her only real lifeline is Jamie, a sweet fisherman’s son who’s got total “will die tragically at sea” energy. Naturally, Dad hates him. Naturally, they sneak around anyway. And naturally, that blows up in a way that has Neiderman slash Andrews written all over it in glittery trauma cursive.
Enter Kyle, the brooding out-of-towner with just enough emotional damage to be YA catnip and just enough age ambiguity to make me nervous. He’s painting things. He’s saying cryptic things. He’s probably a metaphor. And Lisa, who has the emotional experience of a Regency debutante and the medical history of a Victorian invalid, is suddenly balancing teen lust, suffocating grief, and the slow realization that her island paradise might actually be a prison wrapped in sea fog.
Now look. If you’re expecting narrative coherence or character logic, you might want to exit the island now. But if you’re here for overwrought drama, deeply weird parental energy, and emotionally repressed girls learning to rebel by making chaotic boyfriend choices, this is your boat. Hop in. We’re rowing into angst.
But here’s the thing. The further we get from V.C. Andrews' original work, the more this whole ghostwritten saga feels like a dim photocopy of its former self. Birdlane Island hits the classic emotional beats, dead mom, forbidden love, maybe-boyfriend-who’s-actually-a-literal-red-flag, but it never sinks its teeth in. There’s no truly shocking twist. No unholy family secret. It’s giving Lifetime, not Gothic Unhinged. And yeah, the writing tries to channel that signature drama, but it’s all a little too clean, too safe, too... emotionally gluten-free.
It’s not terrible. It’s just a ghostwriter trying to keep a 40-year-old ghost of a brand alive while writing a novel about a girl trapped on an island, trapped in her grief, trapped in a story that keeps trying to be deeply evocative while kind of just treading water.
Three stars. It’s weird and overwrought and occasionally lovely in that Lifetime-movie, soft-focus lens way. But it’s not Flowers in the Attic. And honestly, it’s starting to show.
Big dramatic curtsy and a misty island thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC. You really said “would you like some vintage melodrama with your maritime metaphors?” and I said “absolutely, I’ll bring the wine.”
The man behind the curtain? Andrew Neiderman. A real-life horror novelist who got hired by Andrews’ estate to take over after her death. Like a gothic ghostwriter slash literary shapeshifter. Yes, ghostwriter is the right term, but Neiderman is less “taking dictation from the beyond” and more “bingeing soap operas and sprinkling in incest vibes.” He’s been doing this for nearly four decades. At this point he’s written way more "V.C. Andrews" than V.C. Andrews ever did. The man is basically method acting a dead author. Honestly? Respect.
Now, Birdlane Island is the latest offering from the undead factory, and it’s giving classic Andrews ingredients: tragic girls, controlling men, forbidden love, and an isolated setting with heavy fog and heavier metaphor. But instead of attic siblings or cursed bayou bloodlines, we get Lisa, a sheltered teenager with a weak heart, a protective (read: suffocating) novelist dad, and a ghost of a dead mom haunting everyone’s grief and decision-making.
This island? Literally shaped like a seagull, which feels like a weird flex, but go off. Lisa’s life is cottagecore if the cottage was emotionally stunted and full of repressed feelings. Her only real lifeline is Jamie, a sweet fisherman’s son who’s got total “will die tragically at sea” energy. Naturally, Dad hates him. Naturally, they sneak around anyway. And naturally, that blows up in a way that has Neiderman slash Andrews written all over it in glittery trauma cursive.
Enter Kyle, the brooding out-of-towner with just enough emotional damage to be YA catnip and just enough age ambiguity to make me nervous. He’s painting things. He’s saying cryptic things. He’s probably a metaphor. And Lisa, who has the emotional experience of a Regency debutante and the medical history of a Victorian invalid, is suddenly balancing teen lust, suffocating grief, and the slow realization that her island paradise might actually be a prison wrapped in sea fog.
Now look. If you’re expecting narrative coherence or character logic, you might want to exit the island now. But if you’re here for overwrought drama, deeply weird parental energy, and emotionally repressed girls learning to rebel by making chaotic boyfriend choices, this is your boat. Hop in. We’re rowing into angst.
But here’s the thing. The further we get from V.C. Andrews' original work, the more this whole ghostwritten saga feels like a dim photocopy of its former self. Birdlane Island hits the classic emotional beats, dead mom, forbidden love, maybe-boyfriend-who’s-actually-a-literal-red-flag, but it never sinks its teeth in. There’s no truly shocking twist. No unholy family secret. It’s giving Lifetime, not Gothic Unhinged. And yeah, the writing tries to channel that signature drama, but it’s all a little too clean, too safe, too... emotionally gluten-free.
It’s not terrible. It’s just a ghostwriter trying to keep a 40-year-old ghost of a brand alive while writing a novel about a girl trapped on an island, trapped in her grief, trapped in a story that keeps trying to be deeply evocative while kind of just treading water.
Three stars. It’s weird and overwrought and occasionally lovely in that Lifetime-movie, soft-focus lens way. But it’s not Flowers in the Attic. And honestly, it’s starting to show.
Big dramatic curtsy and a misty island thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC. You really said “would you like some vintage melodrama with your maritime metaphors?” and I said “absolutely, I’ll bring the wine.”
January 24, 2026
When I first learned of this book, which seemed to be related to the original VC Andrews' unpublished novel, the Obsessed, I jumped on it immediately. That likely affected my experience with the book that we did get. This did not, for me, read like a VC Andrews novel. Yes, I am aware this is by the ghostwriter.
Some Andrews conventions were present - the first-person narration, loads of atmosphere, family drama, and a protagonist with talent in the arts. Add in a mysterious illness that made her health precarious, and we are good to go. Childhood love interest? Check. Older, sophisticated rival for said love interest? Check. Family secrets...eh, kind of, technically.
Present and working, though, are sometimes two different things. What is Lisa's illness? :shrug: Is it even real? :shrug: Is its sudden absence real? :shrug: Family member drops bomb. Okay. Other family member drops another bomb. Oh. Okay. Don't talk about it again. Lisa is great at art. Lisa is great at business. Love triangle resolves offstage. A trip to another country takes literally a handful of paragraphs, no real ramifications.
As a fan of the original author's work, I came away disappointed. Were I coming into this expecting a more even-keeled general fiction, I might have had a different experience. As an Andrews novel, this did not work for me. For readers craving a VC Andrews novel, I would rather recommend Flowers in the Attic or My Sweet Audrina.
Some Andrews conventions were present - the first-person narration, loads of atmosphere, family drama, and a protagonist with talent in the arts. Add in a mysterious illness that made her health precarious, and we are good to go. Childhood love interest? Check. Older, sophisticated rival for said love interest? Check. Family secrets...eh, kind of, technically.
Present and working, though, are sometimes two different things. What is Lisa's illness? :shrug: Is it even real? :shrug: Is its sudden absence real? :shrug: Family member drops bomb. Okay. Other family member drops another bomb. Oh. Okay. Don't talk about it again. Lisa is great at art. Lisa is great at business. Love triangle resolves offstage. A trip to another country takes literally a handful of paragraphs, no real ramifications.
As a fan of the original author's work, I came away disappointed. Were I coming into this expecting a more even-keeled general fiction, I might have had a different experience. As an Andrews novel, this did not work for me. For readers craving a VC Andrews novel, I would rather recommend Flowers in the Attic or My Sweet Audrina.
January 26, 2026
I am so sad that this is the last " VC. Andrews" book to be published. I've been reading these since I was 12 and I'm 48 now and not wanting to let go. Of course the books are fairly predictable and in no way amazing literature, but they were comfortable in their rales of teen angst in a gothic setting. I wish they'd hand these off to another writer now that Neiderman is upon 80, some new blood to capture Andrew's 'storytelling genius.' or whatever. As it is there's a lot of series I missed over the years to keep me busy.
As for this final novel, the protagonist's name is Lisa, which pleased me to no end as that is my name, good send off. I enjoyed the novel, but I felt there were a few plot holes. Even asshole fathers and aunts should be able to have moments where they aren't being 1 dimensional villains. Where/when/why did Lisa's mother have a relationship with an Irish man. Did I miss something? Also , Lisa's loverboy older boyfriend wouldnt be going to jail in Maine for the immoral act of getting a 17 year old in trouble, a quick Google search told me so. Anyway I loved the book as it is.
As for this final novel, the protagonist's name is Lisa, which pleased me to no end as that is my name, good send off. I enjoyed the novel, but I felt there were a few plot holes. Even asshole fathers and aunts should be able to have moments where they aren't being 1 dimensional villains. Where/when/why did Lisa's mother have a relationship with an Irish man. Did I miss something? Also , Lisa's loverboy older boyfriend wouldnt be going to jail in Maine for the immoral act of getting a 17 year old in trouble, a quick Google search told me so. Anyway I loved the book as it is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2026
3.5 stars. Lisa has a heart condition and has to live carefully. Her father is distant and only cares about his fishing company that his father started. She is very close with her mother until she dies tragically. Her grandfather is her constant. She is an artist and really only has one friend, Jamie, who is in love with her. She navigates this reclusive world as best she can.
This was mostly a family drama with a few twists and dark things thrown in because it is a VC Andrews book. It was more enjoyable than her other new ones.
This was mostly a family drama with a few twists and dark things thrown in because it is a VC Andrews book. It was more enjoyable than her other new ones.
November 20, 2025
These books have been one of my guilty pleasures for as long as I can remember. Although mostly predictable and following a similar plot I still looked forward to reading each new release. I will miss the stories.
January 24, 2026
I had high hopes for this one, having loved and devoured Andrews’ books in the past. This was an okay story but not as good asI had hoped. There were typical Andrews themes of family dysfunction, sexual predators, and a young woman in a difficult situation, weaved throughout the story.
May 14, 2026
Not the most realistic of stories, but an enjoyable read nontheless. Also the main character is never called Lisa, so that was exciting! Almost everyone was described as “stout” even someone over 6 foot which was puzzling.
November 17, 2025
Not the VC Andrews of my youth but still a good overall story about a girl growing up on Birdlane Island where fishing is the main way of life.
Want to Read
December 10, 2025A
February 21, 2026
A good little story
February 25, 2026
I'm surprised at how much I didn't like this book. It was slow and just never picked up.
February 26, 2026
This was a creepy snoozefest.
March 2, 2026
I liked the premise of the story and it had a happy ending.
March 15, 2026
Granddaughter who inherits the rich estate and fishing company. Quick read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2026
Such a great read
January 8, 2026
This is the last book under V. C. Andrews. It didn't grab my attention right away, but I still found it to be a good read. Lots of twist and turns and surprises.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews