Misty (Wildflowers #1) by V.C. Andrews

My mom has always had a ton of books by V.C. Andrews in her bookshelf, and to be honest, I think the only one I ever read was Flowers in the Attic. I read that when I was probably like 13 or so, and I loved it, but for whatever reason never really looked to read any of her others.

I recently helped my mom clean out her bookshelf to look for Flowers in the Attic, as well as the rest of the books in the series, because I wanted to read them again, and I came across others books that she has by V.C. Andrews, as well. I actually came across the Wildflowers series because when I was looking, her bookshelf decided to collapse (directly onto my head, of course), and it was a painful ordeal – but I found a ton of books to bring home and read (much to my husband’s dismay).

Anyway, I decided to start this series first, because I love the whole prospect of them being in short novels (only about 150-200 pages each), and thought that since I’m so busy right now, it would be easier to read them. Needless to say, I’ve been reading one of them a day.

“We live in such a perfect world. Why were we so imperfect?”

Misty, along with three other girls, are meeting their therapist, Dr. Marlowe, for group therapy. During this therapy, they are each to take a turn telling about their lives and what circumstances led them there, together. Four girls, all from different walks of life, all with different stories, and they are all about to be told.

Misty is the first to tell her story to the others. She is the first to tell her story about her home life, which isn’t so great – her father is dating a girl closer in age to Misty than himself, and her mother only cares about herself and her looks, making Misty feel as though is alone. All Misty ever wanted was an actual, normal family, and instead, she got parents who constantly aim cruel remarks at each other – often through Misty.

“‘It’s funny how when you’re little, you miss all the little lies. They float right past you, but you don’t wonder about them much. For a long time, you think this is just something adults still do after being kids – pretend. Then one day you wake up and realize most of the world you’re in is built on someone’s make-believe.'”

While Misty’s parents might love her, she doesn’t love them. She is tired of all the cruel things her parents say and do, and when she meets a boy, she thinks that she could have someone to talk to – until she finds out that he isn’t that great of a guy, and he hurts her, too.

When she meets someone else, she wonders if maybe she can help him, and he can help her – they both live in less than ideal conditions with their parents, and one day, Misty makes a decision that impacts her life and leads her to therapy with Dr. Marlowe.

Misty’s character is quite quirky and almost fun – she makes jokes and she smiles, despite all the circumstances. She really brings a lot of emotion into her story, and hers is definitely one that will have you hanging on, feeling the same emotions she feels. I love Misty’s character.

Misty’s story is intriguing enough and keeps you hooked on her every word, and the way the other characters interact with one another really helps the story along. I love how not all of them get along at first, and then they eventually realize that maybe they have more in common than they originally thought – especially after Misty is finished.

After reading Misty, you’re going to want to dive right into the next novel in the series, Star. While they are quick reads, they pack a big punch, and there is so much emotion behind them. Of course, if you like character driven stories with a lot of personal development (and ones that often have dark twists), definitely don’t hesitate to read this!