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Sweet Valley High #1
Double Love
Will Jessica steal Todd from Elizabeth?
Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are identical twins at Sweet Valley High. They're both popular, smart, and gorgeous, but that's where the similarity ends. Elizabeth is friendly, outgoing, and sincere—nothing like her snobbish and conniving twin. Jessica gets what she wants—at school, with friends, and especially with boys.
This time, Jessica has set her sights on Todd Wilkins, the handsome star of the basketball team—the one boy that Elizabeth really likes. Elizabeth doesn't want to lose him, but what Jessica wants, Jessica usually gets ... even if it ends up hurting her sister.
Meet the Wakefield twins, their guys, and the rest of the gang at Sweet Valley High....
Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are identical twins at Sweet Valley High. They're both popular, smart, and gorgeous, but that's where the similarity ends. Elizabeth is friendly, outgoing, and sincere—nothing like her snobbish and conniving twin. Jessica gets what she wants—at school, with friends, and especially with boys.
This time, Jessica has set her sights on Todd Wilkins, the handsome star of the basketball team—the one boy that Elizabeth really likes. Elizabeth doesn't want to lose him, but what Jessica wants, Jessica usually gets ... even if it ends up hurting her sister.
Meet the Wakefield twins, their guys, and the rest of the gang at Sweet Valley High....
182 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,070 books1,734 followersFrancine Pascal (May 13, 1938— ) is an American author best known for creating the Sweet Valley series of novels. In 1982 she created the characters and the stories for the first six books and her agent, Amy Berkower of Writers House sold them to Bantam Books. Book number one is mostly written by Ms. Pascal. From then on she wrote the stories for every book ever published in the series. After the first book ghostwriters were hired and edited by Dan Weiss' packaging company.
Ms. Pascal was married to writer John Pascal (July 8, 1932 - January 7, 1981), and her brother was Broadway lyricist Michael Stewart (August 1, 1924 – September 20, 1987).
She now divides her time between homes in New York and the south of France.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/franci...
Ms. Pascal was married to writer John Pascal (July 8, 1932 - January 7, 1981), and her brother was Broadway lyricist Michael Stewart (August 1, 1924 – September 20, 1987).
She now divides her time between homes in New York and the south of France.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/franci...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 776 reviews
November 10, 2007
"Francine Pascal," or whoever actually wrote these books, taught me how to read. Nancy Drew was my angel in first grade; by third, the Wakefield sisters were my guiding light, and if it weren't for them, I'd be television literate today. As it is, I cannot hold an informed conversation with members of my cohort about the Snorks or Family Ties, and I spend all my free time on a book-themed social networking site....
O, Jessica! O, Elizabeth! How unjust it seemed at the time that I must share my name with the wanton airhead twin, while brainy, responsible, wonderful Elizabeth wrote for the school newspaper, and clearly had all her kind, charitable, writerly priorities in perfect place. Elizabeth would never have been friends with cruel, spoiled, predestined cocaine addict Lila Fowler! Elizabeth's finer nature meant she hung around with poor bespectacled Enid, even though she was ugly and boring. In retrospect, Jessica's teenage life looks like a lot more fun, while Elizabeth seems a bit like a neurotic, miserable, misplaced martyr figure with sparkling aquamarine eyes and a red Spider Fiat, but hey....
These books indelibly scarred me by establishing deeply bizarre expectations for a particularly unrealistic adolescence that I am still trying to come to grips with missing. Nonetheless, I think it was worth it. When I was in elementary school, I had friends who weren't allowed to read Sweet Valley High, who were left with the vastly inferior Sweet Valley Twins series, which was stupid and boring with no boyfriends or kidnapping or motorcycle crashes, and was just about going to ballet lessons and Unicorn Club meetings.... LAME! If I'd been stuck with those books, I just wouldn't have read. Parents, if you want your kids to become serious readers, you should let them read garbage. Garbage! These books were glorious, reeking, wonderful piles of filthy GARBAGE, and I loved them like crazy, and I still do.
Viva las Wakefields!
O, Jessica! O, Elizabeth! How unjust it seemed at the time that I must share my name with the wanton airhead twin, while brainy, responsible, wonderful Elizabeth wrote for the school newspaper, and clearly had all her kind, charitable, writerly priorities in perfect place. Elizabeth would never have been friends with cruel, spoiled, predestined cocaine addict Lila Fowler! Elizabeth's finer nature meant she hung around with poor bespectacled Enid, even though she was ugly and boring. In retrospect, Jessica's teenage life looks like a lot more fun, while Elizabeth seems a bit like a neurotic, miserable, misplaced martyr figure with sparkling aquamarine eyes and a red Spider Fiat, but hey....
These books indelibly scarred me by establishing deeply bizarre expectations for a particularly unrealistic adolescence that I am still trying to come to grips with missing. Nonetheless, I think it was worth it. When I was in elementary school, I had friends who weren't allowed to read Sweet Valley High, who were left with the vastly inferior Sweet Valley Twins series, which was stupid and boring with no boyfriends or kidnapping or motorcycle crashes, and was just about going to ballet lessons and Unicorn Club meetings.... LAME! If I'd been stuck with those books, I just wouldn't have read. Parents, if you want your kids to become serious readers, you should let them read garbage. Garbage! These books were glorious, reeking, wonderful piles of filthy GARBAGE, and I loved them like crazy, and I still do.
Viva las Wakefields!
April 26, 2023
I loved this series when I was young, so I wanted to reread it to see if it ignited some memories. The opening tune to the TV-show played in my mind as I listened to the first book, and I felt so happy to dive into the high school dramas again. Who doesn’t secretly love the world of teenagers? The book was still entertaining, so it gets four stars from me!
August 5, 2012
SVH: WTF?
Cover Models: Jessica and Elizabeth
Page count: 182
Special Event: Some sorority thing.
Number of times "a hundred and thirty-seven" was mentioned: Two, plus five hundred and thirty-seven and seven hundred and thirty-seven. See below.
Mental Illness Winner of the Week: Jessica. Is there any surprise there?
Jessica's Bitchyness scale: ***** (out of five)
WTFery Meter: ****1/2 stars (out of five)
-------------------------
Quotes & Snarky comments:
What a peach:
On butting into their brother's, Steven, love life:
Final thoughts:
Elizabeth = Goody-two-shoes doormat.
Jessica = Satan incarnate.
Sounds like a bad sitcom.
Disclaimer: I am not a teenager or preteen, but an adult. Supposedly. Everyone keeps telling me I am but I'm not sure I'm buying what they're selling. Therefore my views are based from that perspective rather than someone in the target age range. I inhaled these suckers when I was young, hale, and hearty, so in an apparent moment of weakness have decided to re-visit one of my favorite old series in a fondly-remembered, tongue-in-cheek, and mostly sarcastic approach. So since I couldn't manage to devise a rating system for SVH books, I came up with this little way to have some fun, which is in the review form you've (hopefully) just read. Why else would you be reading this if you hadn't read all the way through anyway? Sometimes me not so bright. ;P
Next review: Secrets
Cover Models: Jessica and Elizabeth
Page count: 182
Special Event: Some sorority thing.
Number of times "a hundred and thirty-seven" was mentioned: Two, plus five hundred and thirty-seven and seven hundred and thirty-seven. See below.
Mental Illness Winner of the Week: Jessica. Is there any surprise there?
Jessica's Bitchyness scale: ***** (out of five)
WTFery Meter: ****1/2 stars (out of five)
-------------------------
Quotes & Snarky comments:
What a peach:
"How can you be best friends with somebody as blah as Eeny Rollins? I don't want you to go over there. Somebody might think it was me talking to her." - Jessica Wakefield, page 18Jessica's thoughts about Liz's lack of enthusiasm at being accepted into the sorority, Pi Beta Alpha:
"No big deal? Elizabeth, how can you say that? How can you even think it? You've got to be seven hundred and thirty-seven kinds of idiots not to be excited about associating with the best girls at Sweet Valley High. What's wrong with you?" - page 34/5Isn't she simply the sweetest girl in the world? (note: Enid was also accepted.)
On butting into their brother's, Steven, love life:
"You can do whatever you want, Elizabeth Wakefield, but it's just not in my nature to be cold and selfish when it comes to the happiness of a member of my family!" - page 39This as she attempts to steal Todd away from Liz the whole book. Yeah, real selfless of ya, Jess.
"He has got to be the most wonderful boy in a hundred and thirty-seven states!" - Jessica, page 108Uh, she does realize there are only 50, right?
Elizabeth wondered how her sister could possibly descend from cloud nine with Todd Wilkins to the pits of depression so fast and simply because she had to do a little thing like help fix dinner. - page 108I bet a psychologist (or a whole team of them) is the only one that could help you figure that out, Liz. What follows immediately afterward sees Jessica having a complete meltdown. Seriously.
"This family has got to be the biggest bummer in five hundred and thirty-seven cities!" - Jess, page 111
"You selfish little twerp," Steven said, glaring at Jessica. - page 114Hear, hear! Way to go Steve!
"I'll never forgive you, not if I live to be a hundred and thirty-seven years." - Jessica, page 182Aah! Please don't live that long, please. 8O
Final thoughts:
Elizabeth = Goody-two-shoes doormat.
Jessica = Satan incarnate.
Sounds like a bad sitcom.
Disclaimer: I am not a teenager or preteen, but an adult. Supposedly. Everyone keeps telling me I am but I'm not sure I'm buying what they're selling. Therefore my views are based from that perspective rather than someone in the target age range. I inhaled these suckers when I was young, hale, and hearty, so in an apparent moment of weakness have decided to re-visit one of my favorite old series in a fondly-remembered, tongue-in-cheek, and mostly sarcastic approach. So since I couldn't manage to devise a rating system for SVH books, I came up with this little way to have some fun, which is in the review form you've (hopefully) just read. Why else would you be reading this if you hadn't read all the way through anyway? Sometimes me not so bright. ;P
Next review: Secrets
January 3, 2023
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Oh, Sweet Valley. You were Young Me's dramatic fix, scratching an itch that wouldn't be scratched until I discovered Asian dramas and bodice-rippers years and years later. There was a point in my life where I tried to wear one purple thing every day, just like Jessica, because I wanted to be an honorary "Unicorn." And even though Jessica was the pretty, popular, fashionable one, Elizabeth was the one I wanted to be friends with, because she wanted to be a writer and loved to read-- just like me.
I recently bought books 1-12 bundled on Kindle for, like, $1.99, which is a pretty sweet deal (maybe even a Sweet Valley deal? LOL). I read a lot of the elementary and middle school-set ones, but DOUBLE LOVE was the only Sweet Valley High book I ever read, maybe because my parents thought they would be too spicy for middle grade me? This book was honestly pretty wild, like a teenage soap opera-- a dangerous older guy who takes minors for underage drinking, a family of drug addicts, and lying about sexual assault to get revenge on guys rejecting you? And people think this series is wholesome and old-fashioned. LOL.
I don't want to say too much about this book because spoilers, and there really isn't a solid plot except for drama, but the gist of this book is: Elizabeth and Todd like each other but aren't going out with each other because of misunderstandings (most of them named Jessica) and the fact that they're both spineless weasels who are afraid of confrontation and that includes confronting each other. The other main plot thread is that Jessica is a sociopath and a pathological liar who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, and those things that she wants mostly include a) whatever her sister has that she doesn't and b) boys, the more the better, especially if they are effusive in their admiration.
Compared to a lot of teen books written by middle-aged ladies, this one felt more "teen" than most, although there is an overuse of the word "terrific" and "golly-gee"-type sentiments, and I was a little surprised that this high school also has sororities (was that a thing?? do high schools have sororities and rush weeks?). I also had an "lol" moment where they go to a burger place for "clams and milkshakes." What is this, New England? Who are these teens going to the malt shop for seafood? Is this burger joint owned by Wolfgang Puck? Sweet Valley seems to be a Santa Monica-inspired town so maybe Wolfgang has a summer home there where he cooks for the Fowlers and the Patmans on weekends, I don't know. But what I do know is that this is glorious trash and it's reinforced why I liked it so much as a kid.
2.5 stars
May 8, 2021
these books made me feel worse about myself than my parents, the media and every man i've ever known combined. i mean, talk about a self-esteem body slam, these books damaged pretty much every lady i know in the 24-34 age range.
But fuck it if I still don't want to be those dumb twins ugh!! THAT FRANCINE PASCAL IS GOOD!!!
But fuck it if I still don't want to be those dumb twins ugh!! THAT FRANCINE PASCAL IS GOOD!!!
February 12, 2021
Sweet Valley High, Book 1: Double Love
It's no wonder that
I had unrealistic views
Of the world after
Reading this bullshit
Series so avidly. Jess
Is a bitch; Liz is
A doormat. The Sweet
Valleyans are moronic
Gossips. Jessica
Tries to steal Liz's
Crush. Liz cries a lot. Jess jumps
Into a Porsche with
A cheeseball wanna-
Be date rapist who takes her
To a bar (gasp!). Cop
Takes her home. She lets
The cop believe she's Eliz.
Much gossip ensues.
The whole school believes
This BS; not one soul stops
To think, hey, maybe
We're gossiping 'bout
The wrong twin! MORONS. Jess goes
To the dance with Todd,
Liz's crush. Dances
Sexily. Liz goes with a
Dork, because she's nice
That way. Side stories
Abound, but they are even
More dull than the main
One. Cheesy dude Rick
"Talked the way he drove - fast and
Dangerously." He
Also nicknames Jess
"Heaven." Is anyone else
Here suppressing the
Urge to vomit? Jess
Claims Todd wouldn't keep his hands
Off her. Liz: repulsed.
Rick tries to kidnap
The girls and take them to the
Evil bar. Todd saves
The day. Liz and Todd
Realize Jess's lies. They kiss.
Liz is in love. Dumb,
Melodramatic
Language abounds. Oh, did I
Mention Liz irons
Her jeans? She does. And
She gets the school to once more
Confuse the twins with
Each other so that
Jessica gets thrown in the
Pool. The End. (And I
Will never get those
Two hours of my life back.)
Francine Pascal sucks.
I hope you enjoyed
This foray down Memory
Lane. Dare I read more?
It's no wonder that
I had unrealistic views
Of the world after
Reading this bullshit
Series so avidly. Jess
Is a bitch; Liz is
A doormat. The Sweet
Valleyans are moronic
Gossips. Jessica
Tries to steal Liz's
Crush. Liz cries a lot. Jess jumps
Into a Porsche with
A cheeseball wanna-
Be date rapist who takes her
To a bar (gasp!). Cop
Takes her home. She lets
The cop believe she's Eliz.
Much gossip ensues.
The whole school believes
This BS; not one soul stops
To think, hey, maybe
We're gossiping 'bout
The wrong twin! MORONS. Jess goes
To the dance with Todd,
Liz's crush. Dances
Sexily. Liz goes with a
Dork, because she's nice
That way. Side stories
Abound, but they are even
More dull than the main
One. Cheesy dude Rick
"Talked the way he drove - fast and
Dangerously." He
Also nicknames Jess
"Heaven." Is anyone else
Here suppressing the
Urge to vomit? Jess
Claims Todd wouldn't keep his hands
Off her. Liz: repulsed.
Rick tries to kidnap
The girls and take them to the
Evil bar. Todd saves
The day. Liz and Todd
Realize Jess's lies. They kiss.
Liz is in love. Dumb,
Melodramatic
Language abounds. Oh, did I
Mention Liz irons
Her jeans? She does. And
She gets the school to once more
Confuse the twins with
Each other so that
Jessica gets thrown in the
Pool. The End. (And I
Will never get those
Two hours of my life back.)
Francine Pascal sucks.
I hope you enjoyed
This foray down Memory
Lane. Dare I read more?
September 27, 2018
I was obsessed with this series when it was first released. I was about 11/12 years old when I got hooked. I'd sit on the floor in the bookshop and have half the newest book read by the time my mum said it was time to go.
My high school life was nothing like these books so these were pure escapism for me. Pure fantasy. I recall loving all of the series and had my set on display until I hit my Goth years at 15 when they went to be replaced with much darker books like Dracula and Poe.
5 stars for this first book and the series. Fond memories of my early teens reading these.
My high school life was nothing like these books so these were pure escapism for me. Pure fantasy. I recall loving all of the series and had my set on display until I hit my Goth years at 15 when they went to be replaced with much darker books like Dracula and Poe.
5 stars for this first book and the series. Fond memories of my early teens reading these.
Read
October 2, 2016I remember reading this in High School, but I can't remember if I enjoyed it or not hahaha
August 18, 2023
Re-Read 2023
It's turning into a year of nostalgia as I weave re-reads in between ARCs and liquidation of my TBR. Thanks to my Kindle Unlimited membership I am revisiting some of my favorite childhood reads.
The Sweet Valley High series which began appearing on shelves in 1983 was much sought after by many a girl in my grade 5/6 class. My mother didn't want me to read them because she felf the subject matter might be too mature. So I used to have a few people smuggle them to me and I would hide them in my desk at school. Too risky to bring them home. What a rebel I was! The only thing I was allowed to have at home was the Sweet Valley board game.
Now re-reading them as a 41 year old, I think if my mother would have a read a few she would have realized that the most atrocious part of these books were characters that overuse exclamation marks and judge everyone.
At the heart of the story are the Wakefield twins, Elizabeth and Jessica. They live with their lawyer father, Ned, interior designer mother, Alice and older brother, Steven. We kind of have a good twin/bad twin situation where Jessica wants to date Todd Wilkins, the football star and Elizabeth's crush. Jessica just wants to be popular and Elizabeth aims to be a successful journalist. We also meet or hear mention of several side characters that will appear in many of the books- Lila Fowler, Enid, Winston Egbert, Bruce Patman, Tricia and Betsy Martin etc.
Did some of the dialogue make me laugh or cringe?Absolutely yes! But I cannot help but admit that I sure did still fall under Frances Pascal/Kate William's spell.
Goodreads review published 15/08/23
It's turning into a year of nostalgia as I weave re-reads in between ARCs and liquidation of my TBR. Thanks to my Kindle Unlimited membership I am revisiting some of my favorite childhood reads.
The Sweet Valley High series which began appearing on shelves in 1983 was much sought after by many a girl in my grade 5/6 class. My mother didn't want me to read them because she felf the subject matter might be too mature. So I used to have a few people smuggle them to me and I would hide them in my desk at school. Too risky to bring them home. What a rebel I was! The only thing I was allowed to have at home was the Sweet Valley board game.
Now re-reading them as a 41 year old, I think if my mother would have a read a few she would have realized that the most atrocious part of these books were characters that overuse exclamation marks and judge everyone.
At the heart of the story are the Wakefield twins, Elizabeth and Jessica. They live with their lawyer father, Ned, interior designer mother, Alice and older brother, Steven. We kind of have a good twin/bad twin situation where Jessica wants to date Todd Wilkins, the football star and Elizabeth's crush. Jessica just wants to be popular and Elizabeth aims to be a successful journalist. We also meet or hear mention of several side characters that will appear in many of the books- Lila Fowler, Enid, Winston Egbert, Bruce Patman, Tricia and Betsy Martin etc.
Did some of the dialogue make me laugh or cringe?Absolutely yes! But I cannot help but admit that I sure did still fall under Frances Pascal/Kate William's spell.
Goodreads review published 15/08/23
August 20, 2020
3 STARS for a blast from the past! While I didn't find that the writing was good, I had fun with this trip down memory lane. One of my fondest book memories is reading these in Elementary School thinking I was so cool reading books about High School kids. I remembered a little about these blonde bombshell twins, but of course I didn't remember how corny and ridiculous much of the book can be. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with the time in which it was written and the age group it's written for. I hear the writing changes quite a bit throughout the series though. Elizabeth Wakefield is the older and very likeable twin. Jessica, the younger twin, is just horrible. She's a terrible sister, a bad friend, and just an overall nasty person. Hopefully she gets a little better as the books continue, because I would like to re-read some more of these in the future.
February 24, 2008
I read a lot of these books, so this review goes for the entire series.
I found these books in middle school and fell in love with them. I hadn't been a big reader up to this point, but these books drew me in and wouldn't let me go. I read nonstop. I read during class when I was supposed to be learning. I read during dinner. I read in bed. I loved these books. I was convinced that when I had children I would have twin daughters and name them Elizabeth and Jessica. One of my friends bought all these books and let me read them. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next one.
These are probably dated by now, but I think middle schooler girls would still like them if they'd give them a chance. I miss those days of reading something I loved all day long.
I found these books in middle school and fell in love with them. I hadn't been a big reader up to this point, but these books drew me in and wouldn't let me go. I read nonstop. I read during class when I was supposed to be learning. I read during dinner. I read in bed. I loved these books. I was convinced that when I had children I would have twin daughters and name them Elizabeth and Jessica. One of my friends bought all these books and let me read them. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next one.
These are probably dated by now, but I think middle schooler girls would still like them if they'd give them a chance. I miss those days of reading something I loved all day long.
January 18, 2023
How did I never notice before that Jessica is pretty much Brenda, and Elizabeth is so totally Brandon??
June 5, 2017
The good news is I read a BUNCH of these as kid and still grew up to be a feminist.
The bad news is basically everything else??
http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers...
The bad news is basically everything else??
http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers...
September 28, 2019
Overall a good book, you will learn few things from it, or at least it will be a good refresher, although it is not bringing any new ideas, worth reading.
December 29, 2011
The entire premise behind "Childhood Trauma" is to go back and re-read the books we grew up with. I, however, never actually read Sweet Valley High as a kid, which gave me the unique perspective of being able to read these for the first time as a(n) (almost completely) functioning adult.
Oh. My. God.
In short, Jessica Wakefield is a bitch. A really, really pretty bitch. Her sister, Elizabeth Wakefield is a doormat. A really, really pretty doormat.
In the first SVH book, Liz has fallen head over perfect-size-six-ass in love with Todd (affectionately known on our blog as Throat Punch Todd or TPT.) Jess decides this can't happen because all boys must love her. So, basically we get a book full of Jessica cockblocking her own sister, Elizabeth crying a whole freakin' lot and uh, doormat-ing. A lot.
Jess gets sexually harassed by someone because that is what happens in Sweet Valley. A lot. The police are called and Jess lets them think that she is Liz, because she is a horrible human being.
Todd decides that Liz is a bad, bad girl, because of the whole cops/bar thing and will not even look at her in the cafeteria anymore. Todd takes Jess to the school dance, but he's watching Liz the whole time
Jess is pissed. It all culminates in Jess falsely accusing Todd of rape, because if there is one thing we should teach the youth of America, it's that you should lie about rape when you don't get your way.
All's well that ends well when Liz and Todd talk it out and realize that Jess is just a crazy bitch. Liz forgives her sister. The End.
So glad I read this.
You can check out the full recap over at Childhood Trauma: "Double Love" or Welcome to Sweet Valley Cry.
Oh. My. God.
In short, Jessica Wakefield is a bitch. A really, really pretty bitch. Her sister, Elizabeth Wakefield is a doormat. A really, really pretty doormat.
In the first SVH book, Liz has fallen head over perfect-size-six-ass in love with Todd (affectionately known on our blog as Throat Punch Todd or TPT.) Jess decides this can't happen because all boys must love her. So, basically we get a book full of Jessica cockblocking her own sister, Elizabeth crying a whole freakin' lot and uh, doormat-ing. A lot.
Jess gets sexually harassed by someone because that is what happens in Sweet Valley. A lot. The police are called and Jess lets them think that she is Liz, because she is a horrible human being.
Todd decides that Liz is a bad, bad girl, because of the whole cops/bar thing and will not even look at her in the cafeteria anymore. Todd takes Jess to the school dance, but he's watching Liz the whole time
Jess is pissed. It all culminates in Jess falsely accusing Todd of rape, because if there is one thing we should teach the youth of America, it's that you should lie about rape when you don't get your way.
All's well that ends well when Liz and Todd talk it out and realize that Jess is just a crazy bitch. Liz forgives her sister. The End.
So glad I read this.
You can check out the full recap over at Childhood Trauma: "Double Love" or Welcome to Sweet Valley Cry.
June 15, 2019
RATING: 4/5
Sweet Valley High is a young adult book series set in the 1980s. Most of the characters are 16 year-olds trying to get by, either by avoiding or contributing to the typical, everyday drama teenagers tend to attract.
The plot revolves around the gorgeous and popular Wakefield twins, Elizabeth and Jessica. While Elizabeth (Liz) is sweet and kind-hearted, Jessica (Jess) has a tendency to be selfish and malicious.
It’s the classic good twin-evil twin cliché
Jess doesn’t seem to care about anyone but herself, but Liz is always willing to forgive and forget in the name of sisterly love.
At the beginning it felt like I was reading a play because of the exaggerated and kind-of cheesy dialogue. However, once you get used to that, falling in love with the Sweet Valley universe is not hard at all. It’s fun, cute and definitely a guilty pleasure for me.
On a more serious note, I had the chance to reflect on how different things were forty years ago, and how society has evolved. The female characters are definitely NOT damsels in distress waiting for a Prince Charming to “take care of them”, but they do display certain behaviors that could be considered sexist and degrading to women. At times I wanted to crawl inside the book, bring those girls into our world, and show them how we do things in 2019.
Reading about a different time period and a world unlike my own is always refreshing. In some ways the 80s was a simpler time, and if I had a time machine, I would gladly spend a day over there.
I don’t know if Jessica, Elizabeth or any of their friends are all that relatable, but they sure are entertaining. I’m looking forward to reading about their adventures in “the best high school no one ever went to”, as described by Francine Pascal, the author.
Sweet Valley High is a young adult book series set in the 1980s. Most of the characters are 16 year-olds trying to get by, either by avoiding or contributing to the typical, everyday drama teenagers tend to attract.
The plot revolves around the gorgeous and popular Wakefield twins, Elizabeth and Jessica. While Elizabeth (Liz) is sweet and kind-hearted, Jessica (Jess) has a tendency to be selfish and malicious.
It’s the classic good twin-evil twin cliché
Jess doesn’t seem to care about anyone but herself, but Liz is always willing to forgive and forget in the name of sisterly love.
At the beginning it felt like I was reading a play because of the exaggerated and kind-of cheesy dialogue. However, once you get used to that, falling in love with the Sweet Valley universe is not hard at all. It’s fun, cute and definitely a guilty pleasure for me.
On a more serious note, I had the chance to reflect on how different things were forty years ago, and how society has evolved. The female characters are definitely NOT damsels in distress waiting for a Prince Charming to “take care of them”, but they do display certain behaviors that could be considered sexist and degrading to women. At times I wanted to crawl inside the book, bring those girls into our world, and show them how we do things in 2019.
Reading about a different time period and a world unlike my own is always refreshing. In some ways the 80s was a simpler time, and if I had a time machine, I would gladly spend a day over there.
I don’t know if Jessica, Elizabeth or any of their friends are all that relatable, but they sure are entertaining. I’m looking forward to reading about their adventures in “the best high school no one ever went to”, as described by Francine Pascal, the author.
December 5, 2012
This book made me want to add a new shelf titled "Barfy". This was horrible! I thought I'd read a couple of Sweet Valley High books as a kid but realized it was the Sweet Valley Twins series after I started reading this. There were so many hilariously bad things to highlight! Here are a few of my favorites:
"I make it a habit to know where all the foxiest chicks in Sweet Valley live." Shudder...
"She was so beautiful and fragile at that moment, Steven thought, her brown eyes shining, her hair floating about her oval face in a red-gold cloud." WTF does that mean? Whose hair "floats"? Was it a perm gone awry?
"Can we talk later? There's so much I want to tell you. How about a long conversation over clams and a shake at the Dairi Burger tonight?" The only proper answer to this inquiry is, "Who DOESN'T want to have a long chat over clams and milkshakes?" It's the combo of champions!
"Within seconds, he had jumped into his Datsun and was speeding after them." The mention of a Datsun is just amazing!
As a child, I only read books 1 and 2 of the Sweet Valley Twins series. After reading this book, I remembered why! Jessica is an insufferable brat and Liz is a wuss. These fools have nothing on Ramona Quimby.
"I make it a habit to know where all the foxiest chicks in Sweet Valley live." Shudder...
"She was so beautiful and fragile at that moment, Steven thought, her brown eyes shining, her hair floating about her oval face in a red-gold cloud." WTF does that mean? Whose hair "floats"? Was it a perm gone awry?
"Can we talk later? There's so much I want to tell you. How about a long conversation over clams and a shake at the Dairi Burger tonight?" The only proper answer to this inquiry is, "Who DOESN'T want to have a long chat over clams and milkshakes?" It's the combo of champions!
"Within seconds, he had jumped into his Datsun and was speeding after them." The mention of a Datsun is just amazing!
As a child, I only read books 1 and 2 of the Sweet Valley Twins series. After reading this book, I remembered why! Jessica is an insufferable brat and Liz is a wuss. These fools have nothing on Ramona Quimby.
January 13, 2011
Nostalgia! I LOVED these books as a schoolgirl!!!! This series helped me become the avid reader I am today. My Mom or Dad would take me every couple weeks to buy one at the local B Dalton Booksellers at the mall once I had saved up enough of my allowance to get a new one.
December 14, 2018
I wasn't a huge Sweet Valley High fan growing up, but the summer before college I discovered Sweet Valley University. It left me with some seriously unrealistic expectations, but man of man those books were so stinking fun.
I had more or less forgotten about the Wakefield twins until I listened to an episode of the SSR Podcast about one of the books. I then listened to Paperback Crush and was filled with an intense desire to revisit the twins. I'm now the owner of the first twelve books in the series and it was the exact palate cleanser that I needed.
Jessica Wakefield is a complete sociopath and her family is full of people who are either A) enablers, or B) completely terrified of her. I'm actually surprised that Jessica didn't eat Elizabeth in the womb. I'm not kidding.
This book was ridiculous and left me feeling snarky and ready to dish with literal anyone who will listen. If you want a quick read that will have you rolling your eyes, speaking out loud to the text, and leave you feeling like you just got away with eating cake for breakfast with little to no consequences, then this is the book you should pick up.
I had more or less forgotten about the Wakefield twins until I listened to an episode of the SSR Podcast about one of the books. I then listened to Paperback Crush and was filled with an intense desire to revisit the twins. I'm now the owner of the first twelve books in the series and it was the exact palate cleanser that I needed.
Jessica Wakefield is a complete sociopath and her family is full of people who are either A) enablers, or B) completely terrified of her. I'm actually surprised that Jessica didn't eat Elizabeth in the womb. I'm not kidding.
This book was ridiculous and left me feeling snarky and ready to dish with literal anyone who will listen. If you want a quick read that will have you rolling your eyes, speaking out loud to the text, and leave you feeling like you just got away with eating cake for breakfast with little to no consequences, then this is the book you should pick up.
August 27, 2016
I have a truly terrible confession to make. While I consider myself a Sweet Valley fan, have joined a LiveJournal fan club for the series and own the much-awaited sequel, I had never read 'Double Love' until yesterday. I read Sweet Valley books in the early 2000s, when most of the early books in the series were out-of-print or just not stocked at my local library. So as a result, when I graduated from the Babysitters Club on to the Sweet Valley series I ended up reading the horrible 90s add-ons, such as Jr. High and Senior Year, and the reissues of the later books in the SVH series, where the twins work as au-pairs in France and get jobs at a fashion magazine. Not REAL Sweet Valley, I know. So when I read Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later last year, I felt horribly guilty that I considered myself a fan and had never read the original, early-80s books. So I bought a used, 3-in-1 collection of the first three books from Amazon Marketplace. And there it sat on my shelves until yesterday, when I was stuck in bed all day with a stomach bug and really could not face reading any more of Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded. So, instead, I devoured this book.
I kind of expected that I might hate this book. I've read some Babysitters Club books recently that I missed out on as a child and they just don't measure up to the ones that I have nostalgic memories of. While 'Double Love' isn't going to make it on to my list of favourite Sweet Valley books of all time, I do wish I'd had the chance to read it as a teenager as I'm sure that I would have loved it. SO MUCH DRAMA! Especially for such a short book. It follows the typical pattern of all the SVH books: Jessica schemes to get something, Elizabeth takes ages to figure out what she's done and then tricks her into some lame revenge plot. Of course, being thrown into a swimming pool makes up for spreading lies about your twin sister and accusing a boy of attacking you! Jessica pretty much gets away with murder in these books. But I can so see the appeal. What girl hasn't dreamed about having a twin sister? Or, if you're not American, isn't this the perfect image of what every teenager imagines American high school to be like?
I know that these books gave me totally unrealistic ideas of high school when I read them when I was 11, and convinced me that life just wasn't worth living if you didn't have a boyfriend. But they're a lot of fun and it's kind of sad that teenagers today don't have a similar series to be obsessed over. Sure, I'd rather my daughter was ploughing through the entire works of Louisa May Alcott than Francine Pascal, but if these sorts of books actually get teenagers interested in reading then I'm not going to complain. They do have some sort of moral values, the 80s references (Liz having a typewriter on her desk!) are brilliant. I don't think the updated versions will be anywhere near as good. So, for nostalgic fun I'm giving this 7/10.
I kind of expected that I might hate this book. I've read some Babysitters Club books recently that I missed out on as a child and they just don't measure up to the ones that I have nostalgic memories of. While 'Double Love' isn't going to make it on to my list of favourite Sweet Valley books of all time, I do wish I'd had the chance to read it as a teenager as I'm sure that I would have loved it. SO MUCH DRAMA! Especially for such a short book. It follows the typical pattern of all the SVH books: Jessica schemes to get something, Elizabeth takes ages to figure out what she's done and then tricks her into some lame revenge plot. Of course, being thrown into a swimming pool makes up for spreading lies about your twin sister and accusing a boy of attacking you! Jessica pretty much gets away with murder in these books. But I can so see the appeal. What girl hasn't dreamed about having a twin sister? Or, if you're not American, isn't this the perfect image of what every teenager imagines American high school to be like?
I know that these books gave me totally unrealistic ideas of high school when I read them when I was 11, and convinced me that life just wasn't worth living if you didn't have a boyfriend. But they're a lot of fun and it's kind of sad that teenagers today don't have a similar series to be obsessed over. Sure, I'd rather my daughter was ploughing through the entire works of Louisa May Alcott than Francine Pascal, but if these sorts of books actually get teenagers interested in reading then I'm not going to complain. They do have some sort of moral values, the 80s references (Liz having a typewriter on her desk!) are brilliant. I don't think the updated versions will be anywhere near as good. So, for nostalgic fun I'm giving this 7/10.
November 30, 2007
nov 30 2007 - More than 15 years on, I still want to strangle Jessica for being a manipulative, shallow little bitch while also backslapping Elizabeth for being such a pushover little marmy twin!
So here's my SV story.
I was completely addicted to these books. It started when I was either 8 or 9 when my dad bought me a SVT from the bookstore I spied in the bookstore. From then on until I was 14, I've read everything in SVT, SVH and SVU and I had the complete collections. I went on a holiday and during that time, our house was flooded and about 500+ of my books (other YA novels - all Christopher Pikes, Nancy Drew) were wet and beyond saving. I got home and they were burning all the wet books in our backyard and I was just heartbroken.
Now I'm planning on getting all the SVH's again. I just bought the first 25 books on Ebay to again start my collection. I can't wait to get them! :-D
So here's my SV story.
I was completely addicted to these books. It started when I was either 8 or 9 when my dad bought me a SVT from the bookstore I spied in the bookstore. From then on until I was 14, I've read everything in SVT, SVH and SVU and I had the complete collections. I went on a holiday and during that time, our house was flooded and about 500+ of my books (other YA novels - all Christopher Pikes, Nancy Drew) were wet and beyond saving. I got home and they were burning all the wet books in our backyard and I was just heartbroken.
Now I'm planning on getting all the SVH's again. I just bought the first 25 books on Ebay to again start my collection. I can't wait to get them! :-D
Want to read
April 7, 2008Sweet Valley! Home to perfect size-six California-gorgeous Wakefield twins Jessica (the sociopath and flirt) and Elizabeth (the writer and actually, a bit of a sociopath herself).
I loved reading these books as a youngster. They seemed so grown-up! And looking back on them now, they still seem grown-up. So many tragedies, everybody was always hardcore in love (without having sex), they dressed all mature and everything was drama, drama, drama. My goal is to get my hands on as many of these as I can find - I don't think I saved them at home. They're totally messed-up and wrong books - check out "The Dairi Burger" website and the LJ group "1bruce1" for millions of examples why - but so deliciously silly and wonderful.
I loved reading these books as a youngster. They seemed so grown-up! And looking back on them now, they still seem grown-up. So many tragedies, everybody was always hardcore in love (without having sex), they dressed all mature and everything was drama, drama, drama. My goal is to get my hands on as many of these as I can find - I don't think I saved them at home. They're totally messed-up and wrong books - check out "The Dairi Burger" website and the LJ group "1bruce1" for millions of examples why - but so deliciously silly and wonderful.
June 6, 2012
Sweet Valley was never again as Sweet Valley as in this book. Jessica was never again either so devious or so quick to change emotions as to suggest she has a serious personality disorder, Elizabeth was never so saintly or such an incredibly deadly doormat, Todd never again had anything approaching a personality. Liz is particularly awesome - she spend the entire book weeping over what a terrible person she is not to roll over and beg herself to trample on her quite quickly enough, although she's always pretty fast off the mark. But Jess is vintage Jess - not merely "full of live" and "vivacious" as she was later, but a compulsive liar and manipulative little bitch.
It's utterly dreadful, and it deserves every one of the five stars.
It's utterly dreadful, and it deserves every one of the five stars.
November 6, 2017
2/5
Maybe it’s because this book was published so long ago, but like how does anyone like either of these twins?
Jessica is a total bitch, who actually seems to think attempting to steal her sister’s would-be boyfriend is no big deal.
Meanwhile Elizabeth wouldn’t know a spine if it walked up and inserted itself into her back.
Neither of these girls were likeable and it wasn’t even a good thing like it can be for some novels. Instead they were two girls that I wanted to yell at, entire book.
And yet another pet peeve of mine in romance novels, especially young adult, even though Todd insults and belittles Elizabeth, her happy ending is still going out with him. *deep sigh*
Maybe it’s because this book was published so long ago, but like how does anyone like either of these twins?
Jessica is a total bitch, who actually seems to think attempting to steal her sister’s would-be boyfriend is no big deal.
Meanwhile Elizabeth wouldn’t know a spine if it walked up and inserted itself into her back.
Neither of these girls were likeable and it wasn’t even a good thing like it can be for some novels. Instead they were two girls that I wanted to yell at, entire book.
And yet another pet peeve of mine in romance novels, especially young adult, even though Todd insults and belittles Elizabeth, her happy ending is still going out with him. *deep sigh*
August 10, 2021
I want to reread this series from my childhood, hopefully will review this then.
February 4, 2016
Sort of like an episode of a Disney Channel show, but with a more convoluted plot and a cliffhanger ending.
October 13, 2019
Going back to read this after thirty years has been a little overwhelming. I can’t believe I ingested this garbage in such quantities. In the first (wretchedly written) book of the massive series there are multiple cases of body shaming, slut shaming and a pretty flagrant example of classic victim blaming. Don’t forget the scene where Jessica fakes a sexual assault.
I want to go back in time and apologize to my 10 year old brain for drowning myself in this shitty writing. 😢
I want to go back in time and apologize to my 10 year old brain for drowning myself in this shitty writing. 😢
December 22, 2020
No wonder I am so messed up if this is what I was reading as a pre-teen. Jessica Wakefield is a terrible human with sociopathic tendencies. And Elizabeth? She needs a therapist stat for that codependency. Incredibly unrealistic is the nicest thing I will say about it. The casual misogyny and astronomical white privilege exhibited make it nearly unreadable.
I’m going to hate read #2 because I can’t believe how much I loved these as a kid.
I’m going to hate read #2 because I can’t believe how much I loved these as a kid.
Read
December 8, 2022Grabbed the ebook for .99 to see how it aged and if my tween daughter might like it. Bailed on page one where Jessica talks about how “disgusting” and “fat” she is.
I don’t remember these books making me feel bad about myself? But maybe I’ve blocked it out or this message was so pervasive that I simply absorbed it.
I wanted to be these twins, was obsessed with this series, had the board game and everything, but now I don’t want my daughter to read it.
I don’t remember these books making me feel bad about myself? But maybe I’ve blocked it out or this message was so pervasive that I simply absorbed it.
I wanted to be these twins, was obsessed with this series, had the board game and everything, but now I don’t want my daughter to read it.
April 23, 2019
Wow, Reading these through modern eyes is tough. Jessica is such a sociopath.
Summary: The one where Jessica tells Liz that Todd sexually assaulted her because she knows that they are secretly interested in each other.
Rating is based on 11-year old me's opinion.
Summary: The one where Jessica tells Liz that Todd sexually assaulted her because she knows that they are secretly interested in each other.
Rating is based on 11-year old me's opinion.
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