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Wildflowers #5
Into the Garden
They began as strangers -- four teenage girls with nothing in common but their miserable childhoods. Soon, they would realize that their secret pasts had bound them together forever....
Misty, Star, Jade, and Cat first came together in Dr. Marlowe's group therapy sessions. They trusted no one but each other -- and even that bond was fragile at best. One by one, each of the Wildflowers told her own story and bravely unveiled the inner wounds inflicted by years of lies, deceit, and untold family secrets; each revealed the shocking tales of how their parents hurt them, used them, or simply abandoned them. And as they shared their darkest feelings, they no longer felt like lost souls with nowhere to turn. Finally, years of loneliness and pain gave way to the realization that someone else in this world understood them. But then the sessions ended, and the girls didn't know if they would ever see each other again.
Now they are coming together one more time. Jade has sent out invitations to her parents' mansion -- the sprawling, opulent home that served as a battleground for much of her young life. There, the four will rekindle their bonds of friendship and trust. But this time, away from Dr. Marlowe's watchful eye, it will be different.
Today, in the mansion's attic, Star, Jade, Cat, and Misty will take each other's hands and swear to tell the real truth -- the shattering secrets that lie deep within them like smoldering coals. And once the darkest secret of all is spoken aloud, there will be no turning back. For there may be some things the Wildflowers should leave buried forever....
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
25 people are currently reading
2577 people want to read
About the author
V.C. Andrews
371 books9,166 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 73 reviews
May 19, 2018
]I really did like this book but it also made me mad at some parts.
January 15, 2016
I have read just about all of V.C. Andrews' books at one time or another. I did quit after the ghostwriter did started writing two-book series instead of five though. I liked this book the best in its series, mainly because it has more of an exploration of Cat's story and ties up the loose ends. Plus there's friendship, romance, family drama, adoption secrets, betrayal and burying a body in the backyard!!! Shit definitely happened on this book. Also, while the writing is not high quality, it's also not the worst I've ever read. It held up well.
September 4, 2015
As bad as this series/mini series was, I finished it in two days.
This was not only a satisfying conclusion to the series, but probably the best book out of the five.
That's not saying a lot, but nonetheless, I enjoyed it.
I found most of the characters to be more likeable in this final book than in many of its predecessors.
Considering the fact that this is probably a book Andrew Neiderman churned out to rake in some cash, it's not too bad.
This was not only a satisfying conclusion to the series, but probably the best book out of the five.
That's not saying a lot, but nonetheless, I enjoyed it.
I found most of the characters to be more likeable in this final book than in many of its predecessors.
Considering the fact that this is probably a book Andrew Neiderman churned out to rake in some cash, it's not too bad.
March 6, 2023
Another great read - never saw the end coming.
May 22, 2018
VC Andrews has always been a favorite of mine since my childhood days. I have read (and re-read) all of her books, and although I am much older now and find that some of her work is better than others, I still enjoy the twists and turns, strangeness and mystery that continues to captivate my interest.
With that being said - it might also explain why I find the ghostwriter's quality of work lacking and less memorable than Andrews' true writing, especially with the newer, more modern series.
If your looking for a quick read that you can probably finish than give it a shot, but if you're looking for a timeless piece of work that will make your heart race and leave you speechless - read VC Andrews' original stories.
With that being said - it might also explain why I find the ghostwriter's quality of work lacking and less memorable than Andrews' true writing, especially with the newer, more modern series.
If your looking for a quick read that you can probably finish than give it a shot, but if you're looking for a timeless piece of work that will make your heart race and leave you speechless - read VC Andrews' original stories.
May 29, 2017
'Into The Garden' is the final book in my all time favorite series 'The Wildflowers'. It takes off following Cat, a sheltered girl with a very traumatic past. Family secrets unravel and tragedy strikes, leaving Cat with no place else to turn but her newfound friends and fellow OWP's (orphans with parents): Misty, Star, and Jade. Will they truly be able to help one another, each harboring pain and traumas of their own? Or will that ultimately be their downfall, leaving Cat lost and on her own to deal with the mother of all secrets?
March 22, 2019
Check out this, other reviews, and more fun bookish things on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
Into the Garden is the fifth and final installment in the Wildflowers series, which is written under the V.C. Andrews name. While I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the series, for some reason I have a special place in my heart for Into the Garden - I thought it was incredibly suspenseful and full of thrills, twists, and turns that really tied the whole series together.
While the rest of the books in the Wildflowers series - Misty , Star , Jade , and Cat - were all smaller books (usually around 180 pages or so), this one was a full length novel, and there's good reason for it - there is so much going on in this book that there is no way any reader could ever be bored with it.
Of course, like with many books (especially V.C. Andrews books), I had my fair share of problems that I just couldn't get over, causing me to only give this book 4 stars out of 5. I'm going to try to talk about what happens in this book without giving out any spoilers, but this time around I'm not really sure I'm going to be able to help it if I end up giving them away - so if you didn't read the books or follow along with my other reviews (which are linked above!), then I apologize if I spoil anything for you!
In the previous books in the series, we heard each girl's story - all four of them. In Into the Garden, we head back into the life of Cat, who is the narrator for the book. Of course, all the rest of the girls take their proper places in the book, too. They have become friends now, bound by the secrets that they have shared in Dr. Marlowe's group therapy. From family troubles to boy troubles to dealing with serious issues that aren't for the faint of heart, these four girls have bared their souls to each other.
But nothing will prepare them for what's about to happen now.
With Cat's horrible family history, and an adoptive father who is now out of the picture (or is he?), Cat finally feels safer - until something happens to her adoptive mother and she panics and tells the girls.
Trying their hardest to keep Cat out of foster care and in the same area so that they can still be friends, they do what they need to do - and they must suffer the consequences of the horrifying secret that they are about to share - a secret that will do more than just bind them forever.
When things start to go wrong with their plan, and they realize that they have bitten off more than they can chew, the girls start to panic. It doesn't help that Cat's adoptive father has returned, and wants to know what is going on...
I really enjoyed this book, like I said. I felt that it wrapped the series up nicely, giving a satisfying ending to those who stuck around through it all. I was shocked about how the events unfolded in the book, though - I definitely did not expect some of those twists and turns, and I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of the novel!
My one problem in this book that I simply cannot get over is how different the characters seemed in this book compared to their individual stories. The only one who seemed the same (sarcastic and guarded) was Star. Misty and Jade just seemed kind of off to me - Misty had taken on a bubbly, girly personality that she simply did not seem to have in the rest of the books. Jade took on a personality that just seemed...un-Jade like, I guess? I'm not sure. I just felt like they were distant; they felt as though they were merely thrown together without much thought to their personalities in the other four books. It really took away from the story in my eyes, and this is why I took a star off.
If you're looking for an interesting series that is both dark and twisty, the Wildflowers series is definitely the kind of series that you should consider picking up. The first four books are kind of short, and the last book is 384 pages, so it's traditional novel length.
I kind of wish there were more books in this series, if I can be honest. I really enjoyed it a lot, and I was bummed when I turned the last page. I loved reading about these girls and the lives they lived, as well as the trials and obstacles that they had to overcome. I have a special place in my heart for this series and will reading it again in the future, I think!
Into the Garden is the fifth and final installment in the Wildflowers series, which is written under the V.C. Andrews name. While I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the series, for some reason I have a special place in my heart for Into the Garden - I thought it was incredibly suspenseful and full of thrills, twists, and turns that really tied the whole series together.
While the rest of the books in the Wildflowers series - Misty , Star , Jade , and Cat - were all smaller books (usually around 180 pages or so), this one was a full length novel, and there's good reason for it - there is so much going on in this book that there is no way any reader could ever be bored with it.
Of course, like with many books (especially V.C. Andrews books), I had my fair share of problems that I just couldn't get over, causing me to only give this book 4 stars out of 5. I'm going to try to talk about what happens in this book without giving out any spoilers, but this time around I'm not really sure I'm going to be able to help it if I end up giving them away - so if you didn't read the books or follow along with my other reviews (which are linked above!), then I apologize if I spoil anything for you!
"We had all revealed so many intimate secrets to each other. Sometimes, sharing such things ties people together tightly, binds them in knots that are almost impossible to break. Each revelation is like another string wrapping around our hearts, binding us together forever."
In the previous books in the series, we heard each girl's story - all four of them. In Into the Garden, we head back into the life of Cat, who is the narrator for the book. Of course, all the rest of the girls take their proper places in the book, too. They have become friends now, bound by the secrets that they have shared in Dr. Marlowe's group therapy. From family troubles to boy troubles to dealing with serious issues that aren't for the faint of heart, these four girls have bared their souls to each other.
But nothing will prepare them for what's about to happen now.
"Bedroom doors had to be kept closed. Maybe so the secrets wouldn't slip out.
Or...
Slip in."
With Cat's horrible family history, and an adoptive father who is now out of the picture (or is he?), Cat finally feels safer - until something happens to her adoptive mother and she panics and tells the girls.
Trying their hardest to keep Cat out of foster care and in the same area so that they can still be friends, they do what they need to do - and they must suffer the consequences of the horrifying secret that they are about to share - a secret that will do more than just bind them forever.
When things start to go wrong with their plan, and they realize that they have bitten off more than they can chew, the girls start to panic. It doesn't help that Cat's adoptive father has returned, and wants to know what is going on...
I really enjoyed this book, like I said. I felt that it wrapped the series up nicely, giving a satisfying ending to those who stuck around through it all. I was shocked about how the events unfolded in the book, though - I definitely did not expect some of those twists and turns, and I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of the novel!
My one problem in this book that I simply cannot get over is how different the characters seemed in this book compared to their individual stories. The only one who seemed the same (sarcastic and guarded) was Star. Misty and Jade just seemed kind of off to me - Misty had taken on a bubbly, girly personality that she simply did not seem to have in the rest of the books. Jade took on a personality that just seemed...un-Jade like, I guess? I'm not sure. I just felt like they were distant; they felt as though they were merely thrown together without much thought to their personalities in the other four books. It really took away from the story in my eyes, and this is why I took a star off.
If you're looking for an interesting series that is both dark and twisty, the Wildflowers series is definitely the kind of series that you should consider picking up. The first four books are kind of short, and the last book is 384 pages, so it's traditional novel length.
I kind of wish there were more books in this series, if I can be honest. I really enjoyed it a lot, and I was bummed when I turned the last page. I loved reading about these girls and the lives they lived, as well as the trials and obstacles that they had to overcome. I have a special place in my heart for this series and will reading it again in the future, I think!
August 14, 2012
The only thing that makes this book obvious, that it was written 10+ years ago, is the fact that they are all using landline home telephones and they have no idea where each other is if they dont answer the phone! Crazy how quickly technology changes. This book was the perfect finale to a GREAT series!! I loved every minute. I was so glad it was almost 400 pages long, because I didnt want these books to end. Poor Cat, she really did go through hell and back up until the very end and I loved how the girls truly were loyal and caring friends. This book was filled with crazy unexpected twists and turns and I loved the suspense. Her "father" was an utter creep, he did heaps of gross things in this book and her "Mother/Sister/Random Stranger" Geraldine, good riddance. I cant wait to read another series of VC Andrews. ASAP!! 5 stars from me :) Goodbye Misty, Star, Jade and Cat - you were great characters to read about!!
April 7, 2020
This book was a rather strange continuation of what I had thought was a completed series. This was one of the few VC Andrews books--since first reading the Flowers in the Attic series--that actually made me experience a "Holy shit!" moment. It was good, and though I had not initially expected to "accept it as part of the series" I ended up doing so quite willingly. Good book. It centers mostly around Cat and her experiences post-counseling. Very good book, but with a more modern feel to it. It didn't seem to have the particular style or tone that the she usually had. Which makes me suspect that this was one of her ghost-written works.
August 25, 2012
This was by far the best of the Wildflowers Series! It was a great ending to all of the girls stories! I've also been a huge V.C. Andrews fan for many years, and have reread many of her series alot! The best ones are when they were actually written by V.C. Andrews (such as the Dollanganger and Casteel Series; and of course My Sweet Audrina). But the Wildflowers series is one of the better ones written by the ghostwriter. I read through this book very quickly because I didn't want to put it down. Of course many of the scenarios in the book are very unbelievable but thats why I have always been a fan!
June 24, 2013
I reread this book (again) because my playbook was dead and it was the only book under my bed...and I was too sick to get up and find another.
Into the Garden is book five in the Wildflowers Series by VC Andrews. Books one through four are based on the struggles of each girl during their sessions with Dr Marlowe. They've each been hurt by the ones they love through abuse or neglect. With their sessions over, the girls are reunited again and form a real friendship. They're close now and reveal the truth about their stories.
Into the Garden is book five in the Wildflowers Series by VC Andrews. Books one through four are based on the struggles of each girl during their sessions with Dr Marlowe. They've each been hurt by the ones they love through abuse or neglect. With their sessions over, the girls are reunited again and form a real friendship. They're close now and reveal the truth about their stories.
April 23, 2014
Good ending to this series, I think. At first, I was disappointed that this book wasn't told in Jade's, or even Star's, perspective. Later, I decided that I was happy it was told in Cat's. I don't think there would have been too much story if it were told by a different girl. I had some issues with it, hince why I couldn't give this 5 stars. The ending kind of left me craving more though, even if I was happy with it. What happens next? Does Cat get a happy ending? Do the girls stay in touch? etc.
August 20, 2014
In true VC Andrews fashion, this book had a little bit of everything that makes this author full of suspense. So the book dwelt around Cat's mother, who really was her sister, but then Cat finds out she's really not related to her at all. The girls make a huge mistake of burying Geraldine in the back yard. Of course this is what makes the book hard to put down. But in the back of my mind, it really goes to show that even though these adolescents seem to know what they're doing, they really need more therapy from the way they were brought up in their young lives.
October 23, 2014
This was my first encounter with V.C. Andrews work, not "Flowers in the Attic". I later found out that this wasn't even actually V.C but rather a ghost writer. I have seen read another of these "4 small books, one group book" series and to be honest, I can't tell you which is which. I recall simply zipping through all four small books in a night and then the larger one the next but nothing sticks out after 10 years. I liked them enough to keep reading but that was about the extent of it.
June 19, 2014
what the actual frick. the characters felt incredibly different from the miniseries books (other than Cat...). Jade was almost a cult leader, it felt like. I'm surprised it didn't end with them drinking the KoolAid. And they're all in it together... but then boys. Misty especially seemed to become even more ditzy when she was getting some. Also, WHY DIDN'T SHE JUST CALL THE POLICE OH MY GOD ABSOLUTELY NO COMMON SENSE STUART WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH A BRAIN.
April 24, 2009
LOVED this book! A perfect ending for the Wildflowers series. The book more or less is about the character of Cat, and the revelations that she stumbles upon regarding her family and who she really is. Things do take an eerie turn and Cat relies on the girls to help her out. A real page-turner. I finished this book in 2-3 days.
August 10, 2013
This was probably my favorite of all of the The Wildflowers series. The twists and turns made it great, along witht he charcter development in Cat and the other girls. Although I can't seem to pull my head around how utterly cheesy and utterly 90's everything in this books is, it was a good read, nto much else to say.
May 6, 2011
A very strange book...of course I didn't read the first few of the series but this one was enough for me.
I was very happy that the girls had a better future at the end of this story then the horrible beginnings they all endured...the parents should be prosecuted and punished severely!
I was very happy that the girls had a better future at the end of this story then the horrible beginnings they all endured...the parents should be prosecuted and punished severely!
April 15, 2015
cathy tells the story of the four girls that meet up after the doctor introduces them.when they find out cathys mom/sister dies they worry cat will end up in a foster home so they all get together to help her to find a solution to the problem..things get crazy and out of hand as time goes on.....
July 18, 2014
I was super happy when I found a copy of this in the bookstore the other day coz it's so hard to find! Gulped it down because it's awesome. Pretty unrealistic, yes but it got me hooked so it's great. And I really liked "The Wildflowers" even though I don't usually read those kind of stuff.
May 10, 2014
Easy to read. Book is okay. I have read some others Virginia Andrews' books also, this was same quality than others. The last page is missing from this book which I have but I think I didn't miss much because of that. :)
December 5, 2014
one of the best, most loved series/authors of all time. V.C. Andrews books are something so easily recognizable and new books continue to evolve to go with the times and bring in a whole new generation of loving readers
December 16, 2009
Had to read it after getting the four mini books for a good price at a used book store. It was worth the $4 or so it cost me on half.com. Good conclusion to the series and a fast read.
April 26, 2010
A decent book but not the same as some of her original earlier work. I guess for me i'm used to all the twist and turns and there was just not as many in this book.
Read
July 27, 2011you must have gotten the wrong one then bc into the garden is the ending to their stories. the first 4 are each of their separate stories and how they got there.
August 22, 2011
superrrrrrrrr nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i even wanted to go inside the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i even wanted to go inside the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 21, 2014
good great ending
October 25, 2014
v.c. andrews books are all absolutely amazing and very easily distinguishable from any other authors. i love the darkeness, secrets, lies, very addicting, i have almost every single book!
November 29, 2014
v.c. andrews books are all absolutely amazing and very easily distinguishable from any other authors. i love the darkeness, secrets, lies, very addicting, i have almost every single book!
January 16, 2016
dnf at 60%
I wasn't feeling it anymore, and I got really annoyed with the writing style and characters by now.
I think I won't be reading Virginia Andrews for some time.
I wasn't feeling it anymore, and I got really annoyed with the writing style and characters by now.
I think I won't be reading Virginia Andrews for some time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews