Cinnamon

Shooting Stars #1

by V.C. Andrews

Cinnamon loves the shadows, because that's where no one can find her... For Cinnamon, dreaming of imaginary worlds and characters is her only escape from her mother's breakdowns. Her grandmother's overbearing control. Her family's turmoil. But Cinnamon is discovering something special about herself, a gift from deep within that sets her apart: a talent for the theater that would finally give her a chance...to truly "escape."

Genres: Fiction, Horror, Young Adult, Romance, Gothic, Thriller, Contemporary

184 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 2001

About the author

Books 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

Reviews

[Rabbit {Paint me like one of your 19th century gothic heroines!}]

DNF on page 10- I tried to get past this page, but I couldn't. The name Cinnamon, and her 2 edgy 4 me attitude made me go meh. I expect some quality out of my V.C Andrews reading experience. :P



On an unrelated note, can anyone recc me some decent criminal minds tumblrs or tumblrs that post a lot of criminal minds? That is one of my fandoms seriously lacking on my feed.

[Lexy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was good and I know VC Andrews rights very tough topics but they're very good topics I think that's why I like her books and style of writing.

[rebellyell666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inhalt:

Im ersten Band der Shooting-Star-Saga von V. C. Andrews, die schon als Ghostwriter-Reihe veröffentlicht worden ist, geht es um die junge Cinnamon, die ein träumerisches und melancholisches Leben führt. Sie möchte Schauspielerin werden.

Schreib-/Erzählstil:

V. C. Andrews wurde nach ihrem Tod als Marke weitergeführt. Der Ghostwriter hat sich mit ihrem unvergleichlichen Schreibstil weites gehend identifiziert und wagt auch neuere, modernere Themen in seinen Werken. Mir gefällt die Schreibweise und der Stil sowie die Auswahl der Charaktere wie immer sehr gut und ich habe das Buch verschlungen.

Meine Meinung:

Da „Cinnamon“ erst der Auftakt der Reihe der „Shooting Stars“ ist, ist der Einzelband mit gerade einmal 222 Seiten sehr knapp, aber trotzdem gut zu lesen. Man liest von Cinnamon und ihrer Vorgeschichte und erhält einen schönen Einblick in die Zerrissenheit der Jugend und der Seele und Art Cinnamons. Ein wunderbarer Anfang in die Psyche von vier Mädchen, die zusammen auf eine Schule gehen werden. Ich finde es sehr schade, dass Andrews Bücher so schlecht zu bekommen sind.

Fazit:

Ein wunderbarer Auftakt mit allem, was Andrews ausmacht: Ihr Schreibstil, eine böse Großmutter, eine verwirrte Mutter und ein merkwürdiger Vater sowie das Heranwachsen von Cinnamon.

[T.J. Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinnamon was an excellent read, I was surprised by how quickly I read through this book, it was fast paced and kept my interest throughout.
The lead heroine was a breath of fresh air compared to some VC Andrews' leading ladies I have read, Cinnamon had a fire to her and showed great maturity, her persona was that of a 21st century teenager while the ghostwriter still managed to capture a Gothic undertones. The family dynamic was not as sinister as previous Andrews books, Grandmother Beverly was very cynical (at least she was nowhere near as bad Olivia) and her views were extremely old fashioned which was unsurprising. The mother's story was heartbreaking, yet beautifully written - the loss of a child and her breakdown built an emotional barrier between Cinnamon and herself, the roles of mother/daughter became reversed as Cinnamon became more selfless and Amber became emotionally fragile. The relationships between Cinnamon, her mother and grandmother was very well written, but the father was a disappointment - apart from being a Mama's Boy with Beverly, his wrongdoings were merely brushed aside towards the end with an explanation that was meant to persuade the reader not to dislike him, but I still found him to be an extremely weak character.
As always the protagonists of Virginia Andrews has a talent or gift, for Cinnamon this is acting despite her being modest about her acting ability and using it as a form of escapism when the harsh truths of reality became too much for her.
There were echoes of "Flowers in the Attic" in regards to Cinnamon's safe haven being the attic, where she rehearses her lines, creates stories and where she brings her love interest to share the secrets of the house.
Cinnamon was an excellent read and I plan to read the remaining prequels in the "Shooting Stars" series and seeing how the four heroines stories come together and conclude in "Falling Stars"

[Amie's Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed these books as a young teen, but now that I am older I realize that every one of her books follow a similar plotline.

Abused and neglected child tries to find a way to escape her situation.

I rate this book as 3 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐

[Stephanie Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice easy read. I love the becoming an actor aspect.

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 sterren- Nederlandse paperback
Recensie volgt later. Uitgeleend aan Marjo.

[Jordyne Renn · Rating 4 out of 5]

odd as always

[Heather Campsmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

had some elements of the old V.C. works it reminded me of Flowers In the Attic , maybe because the Attic is the central part of the story.

[Rebecca Jones-Howe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't have high hopes for this one. All the V.C. Andrews "mini series" books are pretty lacklustre compared to the trashy melodrama of her earlier family sagas. Nevertheless, I dove right in and could appreciate some of the differing elements. Cinnamon (name never explained) holds her own a lot better than other Andrews protags BUT she comes off really bratty and whiny.

The plot is pretty much a Mad-Libs version cut and paste formula. Nothing of any consequence really happens, but the standard V.C. Andrews characters are there, including the "strange mother", the "mean matronly figure", the "mean girl" (hardly there, but there), and others. I quite liked the family home in this one, and I do wish that more of the story happened there. I feel like this story could have been improved upon if it had more time to breathe, but this series was clearly restricted to being within a certain word count (all the books in the series are around 180 mass-market paperback pages), and thus suffered because of it.

I do a full "grown woman" review of V.C. Andrews books on my blog, wherein I balance my love of trashy V.C. Andrews books and my love of quality literature, and you can check out my full spoiler-infused review of Cinnamon HERE.

[Mackenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read quite a few V.C. Andrews books by now, and I've found they all (or mostly all) have a few quirks in common. There's just something about the way they're written that makes them feel like they're meant for a younger audience... (Like Cinnamon still calling her parents "Mommy" and "Daddy" as a senior in high school) even though they tend to contain some really mature themes. (Though to be fair, her relationship with Clarence was probably the healthiest relationship I've read in a V.C. Andrews book.) There are also some common villains running through each series... The overbearing grandmother, the overly superficial mother, the abusive or unfaithful father... We see a few of those familiar faces in this first book, but overall, it was a lot more lighthearted than I was expecting.

I liked Cinnamon, though. The only other mini-novel series of Andrews's that I have to compare it to is the Orphans series, and Shooting Stars is off to a good start. I liked Cinnamon as a narrator. (And I'm already wondering who's going to narrate the book where they all come together.) I didn't mind her spirits or fantasies. If anything, I thought it was a really nice tie-in to her talent being acting. It made sense, at least, that her passion arose from a desire to escape her real life. And while she could be viewed as a bit of a bully at times, I liked her confidence. It's not uncommon for the main protagonist to be the odd one out, or the kid at the bottom of the school's social ladder, but it was nice to read a story where the main character never puts up with it. The book had its flaws... (to be honest, I think the writers could do a much better job if they'd stop trying to stick so closely to the V.C. Andrews formula) but I liked Cinnamon as a character. And the fact that we're starting out with such a strong personality makes me excited for the story where we get to see the four girls brought together.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I was in college, lo, these many years, ago, nearly everyone carried a copy of Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews. At the time, I was reading Dune, the Foundation and Empire books and occasionally cracking one of those expensive things known as textbooks, so I didn’t pay too much attention. But the other day in the used book store at the library, I saw this series and thought, Why not see what the fuss was about?

Seems there’s a couple of things I was unaware of. First, that Ms. Andrews’s typewriter ribbon ran out, according to Wikipedia, in 1986. The books I picked up were all published in 2001. Again, according to Wikipedia, books written under the name V.C. Andrews have since been ghostwritten by one Andrew Neiderman, who has also written The Devil's Advocate. Well, whaddya know.

The present book is the first book in the “Shooting Stars” series and relates the story of Cinnamon, a high school senior whose mother has suffered a nervous breakdown following a stillbirth. They live in an old house in upstate New York, one built by a retired Civil War colonel. Pictures of the colonel’s family and their spirits still hang around the house, especially in the attic. People at school think Cinnamon’s a witch. Cinnamon has a male friend she confides in but no girlfriends. Her closest girlfriend is her mother. Her father is emotionally distant and lurking in their house is domineering, disparaging Grandmother Beverly. In the midst of all this emotional upheaval, Cinnamon wins the lead role in the school play, Death Takes a Holiday.

It's a simplistic, but carefully written.

[Lashae Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author uses the craft of beginning and tension in the story. The beginning of the story, it starts off already placing the reader into a situation involving the mother losing control and it keeps you reading because you want to find out what is going with the mother. The tension of the story is between Cinnamon and her family, she has a conflicting of escaping her family problems and finally discovering an interest of her own that doesn’t involve her family.The author uses the crafts well in telling the story. The beginning of the story had me engaged and from how the story started I could already see that the family had a lot going on and Cinnamon was like the person stuck in between everything.I would tell my student to try starting their stories off with a mystery or sometime of engaging event where the reader wants to continue reading. One way they can do this is by presented part of the problem or conflict in the story, but not giving the events leading up to it or the resolution.

[BookeryBliss · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found that this book was okay, but it was just half-anused rehashing of Andrews' original ideas. Once again the name Ainsley was used for a character. I am noticing more and more of regurgitated names. Dell, Ainsley, TAYLOR has been in MANY. Just so many half-hearted characters. that barely have a personality.
I did enjoy the plot twists, however, it was enough to keep me reading. Though after attempting to read all of the books under Andrews' name, I will be soon sick of books discussing mental illnesses.
Cinnamon is very close to a Mary-Sue, but its not an all around terrible book. I will be continuing with this series and hopefully they aren't too lame.
I believe this series came before the Gemini series, so I'm hoping for slightly better character development. I wont lose hope.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed Cinnamon . Cinnamon is a book that is very modern unlike V.C.’s other works which seem to be timeless. You can put your finger on which decade this book takes place in. I think I enjoyed it too because Cinnamon is involved in the theater. I love theater and dream of performing. I could live vicariously through Cinnamon in this book. (much the same way I did with Lightening strikes) This book also brought back memories of my own turbulent teenage years. Though this book didn’t have nearly the drama of other V.C. Andrews novels I enjoyed it just the same. This book is better than any Orphans or Wildflowers novel, in my opinion.

[Melanie Clark]

no stars.
it took me so long to finish this book because I kept falling asleep.
hated: the fact that the protagonist was literally named Cinnamon.
how the book ended so tidily at the end.
the detailed description of their house.
the emphasis on the spirits however, their importance was never showcased. I seriously wanted Cinnamon to see them. didn't happen. the grandmother taking over everything was unnerving but Cinnamons passive-agressive attitude bothered me too. I get that she was bullied and had low self-esteem but ugh.
I have to continue the series but not without a break in between. I have had all I can take of V.C Andrews for one week.

[Gossamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a nice read. I haven't read much V.C. Andrews. Currently at my Mom's and she's a big V.C. Andrews fan. So I thought I'd give it a try. It's a straightforward read about a girls life and how she lives in the world around her and deals with various life ordeals. I'd have to say if she were a real girl she'd probably be better adjusted than some and in other ways a bit off but that's what helps her deal. And if it works and it's not broken....

Only took me about 2.5 hours to read the whole book.

[Patience B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read alot of V.C. Andrews books, this is the first one that I have read that was geared more towards young adults. I have to say that it was pretty good, Andrews style has always had a layer of darkness. alot of the twists and turns weren't there, but the insanity that Andrews adds to all of her characters was in eveidence. It wasn't a bad book, I would read it again, but it was by no means a favorite.

[Deb Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn by the cover and then it was Cinnamon Carlson. So, I figured why not? I read VC Andrews years ago and had drifted away from her. It pulled me in and the premise was one that I rathr enjoyed. A dramatically inclined teenager with a slight dysfunctional family. I read it all in one lovely afternoon session and it was a splendid read for myself. Will find the others now at our library.

[Opal Moon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really love V.C. Andrews but honestly her original work is so much better than the ghost written work in her name. Cinnamon was an okay read. It was quick. It caught my attention but I also felt like it was corny and unrealistic. I'm still very interested to continue on in the Shooting Stars series.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cinnamon, Ice, and Honey. Seriously, those names! At least the fourth one here was just plain Rose, but even V.C. Andrews (or her ghost-writer) has a way of making Rose sound like an obnoxiously fake name.

[Jessica Banker · Rating 2 out of 5]

The shooting stars series is a wonderful drama series by vc andrews. she knows how to twist a tail of deception lies lust love drama sadness fear and many other emotions. you will know the main character as if she was you... quite enjoyable!

[Ashley]

This was the first V.C Andrews book that i have ever read. I rather enjoyed the book, it had twists in it that i did not expect to happen at all. Grandma Beverly had to be my least favorite character because of how everything had to be here way.

[Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book in the series. A fast story that basically tells us about Cinnamon, who as a teen girl lives with her burdens from a strict grandmother, who reaches for her mother when her mother becomes sick, who ends up trying to please her mother by becoming something her mother believes in.

[Kait · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a ok book

[Dawn]

The first book in the Shooting Stars series. An enjoyable read, but not anything as good as V. C. Andrews earlier books.

[Mama X · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely easy read but worth reading. Classic V.C. Andrews.

[Miranda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful. I read the majority of this book while stuck in a waiting room with nothing else to read.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was alright... you can definitely tell Neiderman wrote this one though. However it was good for a short read.