April Shadows by Virginia Andrews

APRIL HAD ALWAYS FELT LIKE AN OUTSIDER. Her older sister Brenda was tall, athletic, competitive, and sure of herself. But April Taylor was short, sensitive, and overweight -- and she couldn't bounce back from their father's cutting criticisms the way Brenda did.

April didn't know why their once-loving dad had become a coldhearted monster, but she was sure it had something to do with her. And she could see how his cruel behavior was tearing away at her gentle mother. But a glimmer of happiness returns when Brenda brings home her college roommate: beautiful, bewitching Celia. And April wonders if she might not be so different from Brenda after all.

It has been soooooooooo long since I read a Virginia Andrews book but, was in Books Etc and they had a 3 for 2 offer, I just couldn't find the last one so picked this up. The only others I read was the Dollanganer series and My Sweet Audrina.

This was quite different from the last series I read so nothing to compare, which is good. I found some of the characters a little irritating to start off with but, I guess that is just the way of them, I felt for April though but, Brenda was such a whinger!

The whole family for me seemed so pitiful but, there was something here that just wanted me to keep reading, the ending of the book was quite sad and I really felt (again!) for April so going to have to read the next one to find out what happens.

This book also dealt with homosexuality issues quite sensitively I thought, I have heard some reviews claim shock and covering this issue in this series but, Viriginia's past books cover incest and rape but, that's OK? Go figure ...

Its not a book I would highly recommend its quite an easy seemed almost a Young Adult read but, I like those so no complaints there, and it could also be quite depressing in parts so not one to read if your feeling down in the dumps!