Petals on the Wind (Dollanganger Series #2) by V.C. Andrews

Up in the attic there are four secrets hidden. Blond, beautiful, innocent little secrets struggling to stay alive...
Chris, Cathy, Cory, and Carrie had the perfect lives--until a tragic accident changed everything. Now they are trapped in their grandparents' attic, waiting for Momma to figure out what to do next. As the days turn into weeks and the weeks into months, the unspeakable horrors that plague them are rivaled only by the sinful jealousies that begin to rise.
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Given my obsession with the first novel in the Dollanganger series, you'd think I'd be in love with all of them. But honestly, Petals on the Wind didn't quite live up to expectations. Maybe I set the bar too high, but this book seemed a tiny bit forced and a little bit unrealistic. Not that the first book was all that real-sounding, but still. Cathy's failed attempts at love seemed way too crazy, and her abusive relationship with Julian seemed flat-out ridiculous at times. I understood why he did what he did, but still, Andrews seemed intent on ruining everyone's lives, even secondary characters. But the plot moved quickly and flowed well, making up for many of its flaws. Chris' undying lust (love?) for Cathy could be disgusting if I really wanted to think about it, but I didn't, and so he seemed sweeter and less incestuous. I think the incest was so burned into their blood it caused some unfortunate events, and that made me more pitying than grossed-out. Since Cory's death, Carrie had become depressed, and even though I cried when her story was concluded, I saw it coming, not because it was predictable, but because it was the right ending, no matter how sad. The children's fates are all horrible in their own ways, and Cory and Carrie's are the worst. The ending was fitting, though the trail of lost loves Cathy leaves was a tad overdone in my opinion. Overall, I couldn't wait for the next one (I read these books a few months ago) and I'm still as captivated as I was when I went into the series.
5 stars, a recommendation to fans of the first book. Again, don't pick up these books looking for a regular romance novel. Their dark and creepy at times, to say the least.