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vll295's review against another edition
3.0
The Sweet Valley Books changed my life in the 5th and 6th grade. My friends and I would coordinate so that we could read all of the books. I remember reading them along with the BSC. As we got a little older, we also got to enjoy the TV Show. I enjoyed these books.
wintermomof4's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
I want to reread this series from my childhood, hopefully will review this then.
impybelle's review against another edition
3.0
I will always love classic SVH. Always. But this book is basically just remembered for the pornstache on the cover (it is, in fact, the picture I used to show my mother what was meant by the term 'pornstache' and she immediately understood) because the contents of the actual book don't matter a damn bit in the long run.
Elizabeth freaks out when Jessica stays out... All Night Long... because it means she has to cover for her twin. Again. I must admit that I will forever love a good Wakefield twin switch and I love that Liz manages to fool her mother and was so out of it as she attempted to work up the courage to pull said switch that she forgot that she'd have to eat two breakfasts. She gets to school, dressed as Jessica, and as far as I can tell doesn't actually go to any real classes? She takes her tour guide test (why is it being given during school hours?) and does reasonably well. She plays up the being confused for Jessica angle by giving Cara a (fictional) rundown of Jessica's outing with Scott, and then freaks out when she realizes that Jessica isn't going to make it in time for her own tour guide test. So Liz takes the test for Jessica and bombs it because she's not a cheater and also she and Todd just kinda broke up when he doesn't mince words when pointing out that Jessica is being selfish and treating Elizabeth rather poorly.
Rule #1 of dating Elizabeth Wakefield (or being her best friend) is that no matter how shitty Jessica has been to you, or is being to Elizabeth, only Liz can talk shit about her. And even that she's going to backpeddle in record time anyway, so don't agree with her or risk her wrath.
This, btw, is insane because at this point in the series both Todd and Enid have exceptionally valid reasons for outright *hating* Jessica but Elizabeth doesn't seem to realize how lucky she is that these two are both content to just bite their tongues 90% of the time and then make a quick sarcastic comment the other 10%.
The kicker for the book is the tour guide thing which is given SO MUCH importance that Elizabeth is willing to compromise her own morals in order to make sure that Jessica has even a shot of getting? Is literally not something that ever happens in the later books. Instead they spend their summers interning at the newspaper for the Thriller series or that time they were au pairs in Malibu. They're never official Sweet Valley tour guides and I, for one, am sad this was never a thing.
OH, and this is also the book that introduces the idea that Lila Fowler's father is someone other than George Fowler. It's included in the little character spotlight thing at the end of the book (Bill Chase is the other, and it's funny that they immediately start off with how handsome he is despite that Enid is given the "girl, please" look when she halfheartedly says she finds him "kinda cute" in the regular part of this book) and then nothing ever comes of it again.
Elizabeth freaks out when Jessica stays out... All Night Long... because it means she has to cover for her twin. Again. I must admit that I will forever love a good Wakefield twin switch and I love that Liz manages to fool her mother and was so out of it as she attempted to work up the courage to pull said switch that she forgot that she'd have to eat two breakfasts. She gets to school, dressed as Jessica, and as far as I can tell doesn't actually go to any real classes? She takes her tour guide test (why is it being given during school hours?) and does reasonably well. She plays up the being confused for Jessica angle by giving Cara a (fictional) rundown of Jessica's outing with Scott, and then freaks out when she realizes that Jessica isn't going to make it in time for her own tour guide test. So Liz takes the test for Jessica and bombs it because she's not a cheater and also she and Todd just kinda broke up when he doesn't mince words when pointing out that Jessica is being selfish and treating Elizabeth rather poorly.
Rule #1 of dating Elizabeth Wakefield (or being her best friend) is that no matter how shitty Jessica has been to you, or is being to Elizabeth, only Liz can talk shit about her. And even that she's going to backpeddle in record time anyway, so don't agree with her or risk her wrath.
This, btw, is insane because at this point in the series both Todd and Enid have exceptionally valid reasons for outright *hating* Jessica but Elizabeth doesn't seem to realize how lucky she is that these two are both content to just bite their tongues 90% of the time and then make a quick sarcastic comment the other 10%.
The kicker for the book is the tour guide thing which is given SO MUCH importance that Elizabeth is willing to compromise her own morals in order to make sure that Jessica has even a shot of getting? Is literally not something that ever happens in the later books. Instead they spend their summers interning at the newspaper for the Thriller series or that time they were au pairs in Malibu. They're never official Sweet Valley tour guides and I, for one, am sad this was never a thing.
OH, and this is also the book that introduces the idea that Lila Fowler's father is someone other than George Fowler. It's included in the little character spotlight thing at the end of the book (Bill Chase is the other, and it's funny that they immediately start off with how handsome he is despite that Enid is given the "girl, please" look when she halfheartedly says she finds him "kinda cute" in the regular part of this book) and then nothing ever comes of it again.
avalydia's review against another edition
3.0
Lol I love how the cover artist decided that a mustache was the ultimate way to convey a college man.
I also love Todd's continuous hatred of Jessica. We are all Todd.
I also love Todd's continuous hatred of Jessica. We are all Todd.
charlottefannon's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
smisaacs's review against another edition
4.0
This was an enjoyable installment! It was good to see Jessica a little karma at the end. I also liked that at the end of the book we got some insight into a couple characters that haven’t been focused on yet.
stagasaurus's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun holiday read. I found it quite refreshing that the premise on the book was over quite quickly and not dragged out over the entire novel. But it was lacking something of the gaudyness that you can normally rely on with these books. Or I'm getting immune.
It was entertaining in the moment but I feel it will be slightly unmemorable.
It was entertaining in the moment but I feel it will be slightly unmemorable.