Rating: 
Summary: Ruby
Review: After reading The Flowers in the Attic series I began the Ruby series. I am drawn into V.C. Andrews writing style because she incorporates twist and turns in fate with little detection, leaving the reader shocked and astonished when they learn the truth. I also enjoy how she weaves deceitful people into her plots. In the story of Ruby the deceit of numerous people led to the sequence of obstacles a young girl must overcome after her grand-mere passes on and she learns the scandalous circumstances of her conception and birth. Upon discovery, Ruby sets out on an adventure to discover a whole new world, with a whole new family. I admire her for her courage and heart to do as she promised her grand-mere on her death bed because the challenges she faced would have made many crumble to nothing but dirt on the bottom of ones' shoe. I cannot wait to continue reading the series to see where the path lain for Ruby will take her. Will she succeed in the "rich world" or will she retreat back to the bayou?
Rating:
Summary: A good story set in an exotic world
Review: "Ruby", its three sequels and prequel are all written in the good old Virginia Andrews-style (which shows us that Mr Niederman, the ghostwriter chosen to finish the late author's works really succeeds in creating the athmosphere of her novels). Like all of her novels, this one features the rags-to-riches story, forbidden love and similar characters than those of her other novels, seasoned by the "good twin/evil twin" opposites that became very popular in literature ever since Erich Kastner's "Lisa and Lottie". Still this novel is very original, proving that true talent can write good stories even about old material. I especially love vivid the descriptions of life in New Orleans and the bayou. I didn't know anything about Cajuns before reading this book so it was new and exciting. This is the best book of the series, as in every series by V. C. Andrews but the sequels are quite good, too.
Rating:
Summary: Spectacular
Review: After all the books I've read by V.C. Andrews, which i will say is a lot, this is my favorite along with the rest of the series. When you begin reading this book you start to realize you become a part of Ruby and that's what makes it a great story. Everything she went through with finding out the truth about Paul and then leaving in search of her father and sister becomes a part of you and you then find you're relating to her pain and sorrow, her joy and hope. However, Gisselle was a great disappointment with her cruelty and selfishness. Then again, that is just what makes the story even better because you just love to hate her before it's over with. Using this example of Gisselle and the detailed events from the rest of the story, you realize how great a writer V.C. Andrews/The Ghost Writer is because you wish some of the things that happened in the story hadn't.However,you also realize if it hadn't happened and went in another direction, the story wouldn't have been so great. I recommend this book to any V.C. Andrews fan or even a first time reader.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: By far, one of the VERY best books I have EVER read. This story is so captivating it hooks you from the first pages. Though this book is somewhat long,(like 442 pages I believe) I read this book easily in 3 days. You literally cannot put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Ruby
Review: Definately one of the best books I've ever read and I am almost done with pearls in the mist. I have 3 more books left to go after it and I am excited to get to them. I read Ruby in one night. I started reading before it was time for bed and ended up staying up till 7 in the morning reading because I HAD TO FINISH IT! And the same with Pearls in the mist only I am getting so sleepy and give myself a break every now and then! I recomend this series for sure!! You can email me if you want ... and I would love to talk to anyone who has read it too. I live in Houma, Louisiana and 50 miles from N.O and I like this book alot. It is thew first book I have come across that actually has Houma in it. I can say that some of the places they mentioned still exist, although we do have swamp..there is more to here than just that. I know this book was written in 1994 but they make it sound like 1950. Houma has changed some since what they talk about in the book. Anyone want to ask anything you can email me. Michelle
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!!
Review: Girl finds the truth of her life, but thinks maybe life would have been better not to know the truth...Is the truth always good to know? Would life be better if we hide from the truth and pretend this does not exist? Read Ruby by V.C.Andrews to see how the truth comes out. A great deal of real life events and situations happen in this novel. I would certainly recommend reading Ruby. In Andrews' novel, Ruby, I found I could actually relate to some of the characters. One character I could relate to the most was the main character Ruby. She has many interesting reactions to some of the situations she gets put in, and I think I would react just the same way she had reacted. Seems the author may be trying to do a view on life and people, and how they relate to certain issues in the world today. For example, the author had Ruby go through a traumatic death of her grandmother. She had grown up and lived with this grandmother her whole life. I feel Andrews had her react as if people today would act in real life. Ruby acted very upset but realized she could not dwell on this forever because she would not be able to get anywhere in life. Ruby did not forget about this loved one, but she forgot about the horrible death and remembered all of the good times she had with her grandmother. Most people in real life today use this method also as a source of comfort, which is why I felt the author did a good job including this part in her novel. Another example of when the author connected Ruby to real life was when she learned her and her boyfriend were really brother and sister, by mother, and they could not be together. Ruby had fallen deeply in love with him and not much later found out she could no longer be with this guy. The author described Ruby's feelings very well to me. Makes me wonder how everything would be if I could not be with the person I love. What would I do? How would I react? I like this part of the story because I feel the author gets me involved in the situations with Ruby and makes me wonder in mind if this really did happen what would I do in this exact situation. If this were, I, I would probably react very upset and not know what to do at all. To sum it up, Ruby is a good novel that ties in a lot of real life situations so the reader can relate to what the author is saying. Having so many real life situations made the story very interesting. I have read other books by V.C.Andrews and enjoyed all of them. I think reading Ruby will get the reader interested in the story and motivate them to continue reading the rest of the series. I would definitely recommend anyone to read Ruby. This is surely a good start to what I'm sure will be a great series.
Rating: 
Summary: So far VC Andrews best....but I've got many to go
Review: Having read the Dollanganger and Casteel family series, this (the Landry family series) was indeed my favorite. It's so different. Both the Dollanganger and Casteel family series took place (mostly) on the East Coast. To have Ruby set in the colorful Louisiana bayou was thrilling! AND, the evil twin sister twist was pretty exciting, too. Ruby still has some of the maddening features that other Andrews characters have had, though. First, Ruby displays way too much tolerance. I would call her weak, but she triumphs over certain adversities -- she certainly has gumption and a stiff backbone to go from rags to riches (in true VC Andrews style) the way she did. However, the plethora of characters that walked all over her without her so much as raising an eyebrow makes you want to leap through the pages and smack her around a bit. I myself would have slipped a little arsenic in Giselle's tea and thrown Grandpere to the alligators in the swamps from day one - those characters were just too evil!! The characters are a little flat and one-sided -- those who are evil are evil through and through. Those who are sweet and innocent and kind stay that way. Also, Paul fawns over Ruby juuuuu-uuuust a wee bit much. Come on....guys will do a lot for a girl, but he was cute and successful -- he wouldn't have stuck around through so much drama. (And it gets even worse in All That Glitters, book 3 of this series.)
Rating:
Summary: So far VC Andrews best....but I've got many to go
Review: Having read the Dollanganger and Casteel family series, this (the Landry family series) was indeed my favorite. It's so different. Both the Dollanganger and Casteel family series took place (mostly) on the East Coast. To have Ruby set in the colorful Louisiana bayou was thrilling! AND, the evil twin sister twist was pretty exciting, too. Ruby still has some of the maddening features that other Andrews characters have had, though. First, Ruby displays way too much tolerance. I would call her weak, but she triumphs over certain adversities -- she certainly has gumption and a stiff backbone to go from rags to riches (in true VC Andrews style) the way she did. However, the plethora of characters that walked all over her without her so much as raising an eyebrow makes you want to leap through the pages and smack her around a bit. I myself would have slipped a little arsenic in Giselle's tea and thrown Grandpere to the alligators in the swamps from day one - those characters were just too evil!! The characters are a little flat and one-sided -- those who are evil are evil through and through. Those who are sweet and innocent and kind stay that way. Also, Paul fawns over Ruby juuuuu-uuuust a wee bit much. Come on....guys will do a lot for a girl, but he was cute and successful -- he wouldn't have stuck around through so much drama. (And it gets even worse in All That Glitters, book 3 of this series.)
Rating:
Summary: Ruby Meets Her Dad after Grandma Dies
Review: I can relate to how Ruby had felt when she left Houma for New Orleans. I was glad that her dad Pierre acknowledged and accepted. But I was sad when Pierre's wife Daphne yelled at Ruby for things that weren't her (R) fault. Whenever Ruby tried to tell her side of the story, Daphne refused to listen to her. It was good when Pierre stood up to Daphne after Ruby escaped from the mental institution. However Pierre should have stood up to Daphne from day one! I pretty much relate to Ruby because it hurts when I get yelled at for stuff that isn't my fault.
Rating: 
Summary: Another twisted and tormented Andrews family saga begins.
Review: I enjoyed the first half of this premiere novel in the Landry Saga far more the second half. All the gothic touches chill the reader in all the right places (I especially enjoyed the voodoo trappings), but the Cajun characters of Ruby's home were far more interesting than the spoiled rich brats in the New Orleans section of the story; and the tortures that Ruby endures at the hands of Gisselle and her cronies are so cruel and inhumane it makes the book difficult to enjoy. Nonetheless, there is more than enough mystery and intrigue in this family's story to make me want to immediately jump into the next book in the series the moment I finish this one.
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