What I Read in December 2025

Hi, friends! Welcome back to our little corner of the internet. Today I wanted to discuss the series that has had me in an absolute CHOKEHOLD this past month. And that is, the utterly bonkers world of the Dollanganger family.

I feel like to get involved in the V.C Andrews universe, there is so much background that you need. The first being that after V.C Andrews death, Andrew Neiderman took over as her guest writer. As a result, many of V.C Andrews books were not actually penned by her, but Neiderman instead. For the Dollanganger world, the first four books were by Andrews herself, and all of the books published afterwards were by Neiderman. I’m currently reading what could be considered the fifth book in the Dollanganger series and I can tell that it was not written by Andrews! But more on that in my January recap. (Though I have read that half of this book was written by her, I can definitely sense an overall shift in the writing style).

I’d also like to include two Youtube channels who covered V.C Andrews and ultimately were what inspired me to read this series. Even watching these videos and knowing all of the spoilers, I still IMMENSELY enjoyed this series and still found myself shocked at many points throughout and didn’t feel deprived.

I haven’t watched any of the TV shows or movies that depict the series, but I’m definitely curious! I’ve read that they are cheesy and campy, but that can be fun!

There is SO much about this series that I’d love to get into, but to do that spoiler-free is absolutely impossible, so I will give the briefest synopsis possible. And while this synopsis may sound as though it’s a spoiler, truly, it is not!

The Dollanganger family, nicknamed the Dresden dolls lovingly by the community, for their blonde hair and blue eyed beauty, have it all. A loving, doting father, a beautiful and kind mother, four siblings that adore one another, Chris, Cathy, Carrie, and Cory. Until one night, the beloved patriarch of the family is killed in an automobile accident. They are all horribly distraught and our protagonist, Cathy, watches as her mother begins to disappear within herself, unsure of how to care for her four children. Her mother begins frantically writing letters, though Cathy is unsure the recipient of these frenzied letters. Finally, their mother sits them down on the couch to tell them that she comes from a family that is rich beyond anything that they could possibly imagine.

The issue being, that she has been estranged from this family for many years. Her father mustn’t know that she had children from her marriage to their father, as he did not approve of her husband. Their grandmother now knows they exist, but is severely displeased by the four children’s mere existence. The family of five takes a train to the grandmother and grandfather’s mansion, only for the children to realize they are to stay in the attic for just one night… but then one night becomes two… becomes three… and on and on and on.

What follows throughout the series is absolute MADNESS. It is dark subject matter, but for whatever reason, it did not leave me feeling heavy, like similarly dark series can. V.C Andrews prose is beautiful, even as she’s describing horrific things and I found myself feeling as though I knew this family, that the peril they were in was all too real. Cathy serves as our protagonist for the first, second, and fourth book, and I absolutely loved being in her head. Even when she does the craziest things, you can’t help but find yourself rooting for her and hoping she is succesful in all of her plots, even if some are asinine.

Since I don’t want to spoil these books, I will simply rank the four based on how much I enjoyed them. And if anybody else has read this series, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to discuss. I’ve tried to explain to people in real life the love that I have for this series, but people (rightfully) look at me like I’m insane when I start to go into the specifics of what happens.

Flowers in the Attic (2) The setup for the entire series is so wonderful and this book sets up such a strong foundation for all of the characters, their thoughts, their dreams, and their fears. I would give this one 5/5 stars.

Petals in the Wind (1) This book is absolutely INSANE and is peak Cathy. She is constantly scheming in this book and it is so incredibly entertaining to read. I would give this book more than 5/5 stars, if I’m being fully honest.

If There Be Thorns (4) This is the only book not told from Cathy’s point of view, and I think that’s ultimately the reason that I placed it last. It’s also a little bit slow. Still, I would probably give it 3/5 stars.

Seeds of Yesterday (3) This book made me SOB at the end. I was absolutely ruined. At times, this book is a little slower, but I still enjoyed it and no matter the books that come after, this will always be the final installment to the Dollangangers to me. 4.5/5 stars.

And that’s all that I read in the month of December! I was sick after Christmas, so I spent much time reading, and was able to finish the whole original Dollanganger series. As I said earlier, I’m currently reading Garden of Shadows, the fifth book released, and the prequel that shows us the story of their grandmother, Olivia Foxworth. I cannot wait to finish it and talk about it!

XOXO,

Mattie Mae