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Sweet Valley High #5
All Night Long
Has Jessica gone too far?
Elizabeth Wakefield knows her beautiful twin can handle almost any guy—most boys are just no match for Jessica's seductive charms. But Scott Daniels, Jessica's latest love, is more of a man than a boy, much older and much more experienced than anyone Jessica's ever dated.
When Jessica sneaks off to a college beach party with Scott, Elizabeth's afraid of what could happen. And when her twin sister isn't back by morning, Elizabeth's fear turns to alarm. Why has she stayed out all night long?
Elizabeth Wakefield knows her beautiful twin can handle almost any guy—most boys are just no match for Jessica's seductive charms. But Scott Daniels, Jessica's latest love, is more of a man than a boy, much older and much more experienced than anyone Jessica's ever dated.
When Jessica sneaks off to a college beach party with Scott, Elizabeth's afraid of what could happen. And when her twin sister isn't back by morning, Elizabeth's fear turns to alarm. Why has she stayed out all night long?
144 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
28 people are currently reading
848 people want to read
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,139 books1,843 followersFrancine Paula Pascal was an American author best known for her Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High, the backbone of the collection, was made into a television series, which led to several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University. Although most of these books were published in the 1980s and 1990s, they remained so popular that several titles were re-released decades later.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
June 5, 2012
Original for the Snark Squad here.
This is a book with a plot, and stuff, but clearly what you should know about this book is that it features one damn fine porn 'stache on the cover. What you should know about ME is that this made me entirely way too excited about life.
You're welcome, dear friend, for that close-up.
We open book #5 with Jessica checking herself out in a mirror. Again. Some more. It's practically tradition by now. She's asking Elizabeth if her outfit is sexy enough for her new, 18-year-old, porn-stachioed man, or ScottStache.
Liz protests and says their mother would never approve of Jess going out with this guy. Jessica ignores Elizabeth and goes to the lake with ScottStache and his college friends anyway.
Jessica talks a lot about being able to handle herself around men. Not so much with the actually being able to, though, as she ends up walking through the woods with ScottStache and then he unties her top and rape!kisses her. Jess fights back and demands that ScottStache take her home immediately.
He scoffs and informs her that this is an overnight trip and she isn't going anywhere. Jess is in hot water because 1.) she never asked permission to stay out all night long and 2.) she is supposed to take a test the next day so that she and Liz can be Sweet Valley tour guides.
Sweet Valley tour guides.
Sweet Valley. Tour guides.
Hmm.
The recap of this book is also the birth of the famous-around-the-Snark-Squad Youth Mauling Bear. I'll just copy and paste:
"Dude, as she’s bumbling about the woods ‘o rape, she even goes as far as blaming Liz for not making her stay in Girl Scouts when they were kids.
I just… I don’t even know what to say anymore.
Maybe it’s all this talk of woods and bears and annoying youths, but I am reminded of something: There’s a little known story in the Bible about the prophet Elisha. See, he was walking along one day, minding his own business, doing official prophet things I’m sure, when some “youth” started yelling at him and basically called him baldheaded. Elisha was bad ass though, and was all, “I curse you in the name of Lord, yo,” and he kept walking. Some time later, two female bears just came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the youths.
This might be the first time I’m reading SVH and wishing it were more like the Bible. Where the heck is a youth mauling bear when you need one?"
Will Jessica ever get out of the woods? Will her parents find out that she was out all night long? How will Liz possibly make any of this her problem? Will Liz and Jess get to tour guides of Sweet Valley?
Tour guides of Sweet Valley.
Tour guides. Of Sweet Valley.
Hmm.
This is a book with a plot, and stuff, but clearly what you should know about this book is that it features one damn fine porn 'stache on the cover. What you should know about ME is that this made me entirely way too excited about life.
You're welcome, dear friend, for that close-up.
We open book #5 with Jessica checking herself out in a mirror. Again. Some more. It's practically tradition by now. She's asking Elizabeth if her outfit is sexy enough for her new, 18-year-old, porn-stachioed man, or ScottStache.
Liz protests and says their mother would never approve of Jess going out with this guy. Jessica ignores Elizabeth and goes to the lake with ScottStache and his college friends anyway.
Jessica talks a lot about being able to handle herself around men. Not so much with the actually being able to, though, as she ends up walking through the woods with ScottStache and then he unties her top and rape!kisses her. Jess fights back and demands that ScottStache take her home immediately.
He scoffs and informs her that this is an overnight trip and she isn't going anywhere. Jess is in hot water because 1.) she never asked permission to stay out all night long and 2.) she is supposed to take a test the next day so that she and Liz can be Sweet Valley tour guides.
Sweet Valley tour guides.
Sweet Valley. Tour guides.
Hmm.
The recap of this book is also the birth of the famous-around-the-Snark-Squad Youth Mauling Bear. I'll just copy and paste:
"Dude, as she’s bumbling about the woods ‘o rape, she even goes as far as blaming Liz for not making her stay in Girl Scouts when they were kids.
I just… I don’t even know what to say anymore.
Maybe it’s all this talk of woods and bears and annoying youths, but I am reminded of something: There’s a little known story in the Bible about the prophet Elisha. See, he was walking along one day, minding his own business, doing official prophet things I’m sure, when some “youth” started yelling at him and basically called him baldheaded. Elisha was bad ass though, and was all, “I curse you in the name of Lord, yo,” and he kept walking. Some time later, two female bears just came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the youths.
This might be the first time I’m reading SVH and wishing it were more like the Bible. Where the heck is a youth mauling bear when you need one?"
Will Jessica ever get out of the woods? Will her parents find out that she was out all night long? How will Liz possibly make any of this her problem? Will Liz and Jess get to tour guides of Sweet Valley?
Tour guides of Sweet Valley.
Tour guides. Of Sweet Valley.
Hmm.
January 6, 2018
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.
August 23, 2023
Re-read 2023
Let's take a moment to admire the serious stache on the cover of this book. In the 80's that was a college man. I am pretty sure in the 90's we would probably have called him a drug dealer. In the 2000's he's probably a guard in a women's prison.
Jessica's dating a college man! Elizabeth is so worried about her sister's future that she and Todd have a huge fight. Is this the end for SVH's hottest couple?
Yeah, the Jessica storyline was legitimately a few chapters. But the Elizabeth and Todd arc was interesting. Todd is the only one that seems to see Jessica for who she is and was the voice of reason. Then again, no one can fault Elizabeth's loyalty to her twin. Liked the surf championship story. Also, this book came with a great bonus about the background stories of introverted surf guy Bill Chase and rich girl Lila Fowler.
Goodreads review published 22/08/23
Let's take a moment to admire the serious stache on the cover of this book. In the 80's that was a college man. I am pretty sure in the 90's we would probably have called him a drug dealer. In the 2000's he's probably a guard in a women's prison.
Jessica's dating a college man! Elizabeth is so worried about her sister's future that she and Todd have a huge fight. Is this the end for SVH's hottest couple?
Yeah, the Jessica storyline was legitimately a few chapters. But the Elizabeth and Todd arc was interesting. Todd is the only one that seems to see Jessica for who she is and was the voice of reason. Then again, no one can fault Elizabeth's loyalty to her twin. Liked the surf championship story. Also, this book came with a great bonus about the background stories of introverted surf guy Bill Chase and rich girl Lila Fowler.
Goodreads review published 22/08/23
July 3, 2022
I had forgotten so much about this one, most definitely including that absolute pornstache on the cover. If that dude is 18, I'm the Queen of England.
I'd also forgotten how ultimately dumb this one was when it had the chance to be good. I appreciate the (minimal) message that a girl has the right to say no even after being flirty and wearing a bikini and kissing a yeah-I'm-sure-you're-only-18 year old guy. Jessica gets overwhelmed and a little scared when Scott turns out to be one giant raging boner, and she tells him to stop. Which…good! And he actually does, which sadly is probably the most fictional thing in this story. But then he ditches her and when she finds her way back to the party house, he's like "either bang me or sleep on the floor" so she sleeps on the floor. Somehow she makes her way home the next day eventually, though did we ever know how? I finished this an hour ago and I've already forgotten.
But like…this whole thing is pitched as the entire plot, and it's really not. There's all this annoying bickering between Elizabeth and Todd, the stupid test the girls have to take so they can become Sweet Valley tour guides (LOLOLOLOL), and Enid hating Jessica nine ways to Sunday. It just ultimately felt so pointless. Not that I wanted anything worse to happen to Jessica, but like…what was the message here? If you date a 38 year old adult film producer masquerading as a college student, he might sloppy kiss you, try to cop a feel, then make you sleep on the floor while he snoozes off his hangover?
Important life lessons.
Oh well. It was fun to remember how much everyone in this book except for a few people absolutely hates Jessica's guts.
I'd also forgotten how ultimately dumb this one was when it had the chance to be good. I appreciate the (minimal) message that a girl has the right to say no even after being flirty and wearing a bikini and kissing a yeah-I'm-sure-you're-only-18 year old guy. Jessica gets overwhelmed and a little scared when Scott turns out to be one giant raging boner, and she tells him to stop. Which…good! And he actually does, which sadly is probably the most fictional thing in this story. But then he ditches her and when she finds her way back to the party house, he's like "either bang me or sleep on the floor" so she sleeps on the floor. Somehow she makes her way home the next day eventually, though did we ever know how? I finished this an hour ago and I've already forgotten.
But like…this whole thing is pitched as the entire plot, and it's really not. There's all this annoying bickering between Elizabeth and Todd, the stupid test the girls have to take so they can become Sweet Valley tour guides (LOLOLOLOL), and Enid hating Jessica nine ways to Sunday. It just ultimately felt so pointless. Not that I wanted anything worse to happen to Jessica, but like…what was the message here? If you date a 38 year old adult film producer masquerading as a college student, he might sloppy kiss you, try to cop a feel, then make you sleep on the floor while he snoozes off his hangover?
Important life lessons.
Oh well. It was fun to remember how much everyone in this book except for a few people absolutely hates Jessica's guts.
September 18, 2014
i took three pages of snarky notes mostly dealing with how my hatred of jessica was almost obscured by how truly awful this freddie mercury-looking rapist on the cover was, how much enid wanted to get into elizabeth's pants, what a bitch elizabeth was, and how todd wilkins probably had at least one jail sentence as a result of his inability to deal with any level of his own anger.
November 3, 2012
I was an avid reader of SVH books a couple of decade ago and remember getting keenly involved in Liz'z and Jess's lives and petty troubles. But this one left me wondering why on earth I was that keen on the series. This one seemed contrived, cheesy, pointless. It didn;t give me the same pleasure I used to get earlier following the series. Maybe I've finally grown up (mentally, I mean)
March 24, 2022
The titular "all night long" truly happens in the first two chapters and the following pages deal with the fallout, mostly that Elizabeth needs to impersonate Jessica and take a test for her, and bombs. Which Jess blames her for. Typical early series shenanigans.
The date rapey-ness of the book really gets smoothed over—I kinda felt terrified for Jessica left alone with a drunk college guy who kept groping her. But the next day she's just like "he's a pig, I handled it!" and goes on with her life. Cripes.
As it's an early book, some of the "series bible" stuff is off: the cheerleaders dress in blue and white (we all know the Gladiators colors are crimson and white,) and Todd is mentioned as being a star baseball player as well as basketball (was that ever a thing?) This book still has Lila and Cara as cheerleaders as well; they get kicked off the squad for playing a silly prank against a rival school in a random future book between this one and book 10, and only Cara tries out again. I can't imagine Lila as a cheerleader at all. Too much sweat and work and encouraging others.
The date rapey-ness of the book really gets smoothed over—I kinda felt terrified for Jessica left alone with a drunk college guy who kept groping her. But the next day she's just like "he's a pig, I handled it!" and goes on with her life. Cripes.
As it's an early book, some of the "series bible" stuff is off: the cheerleaders dress in blue and white (we all know the Gladiators colors are crimson and white,) and Todd is mentioned as being a star baseball player as well as basketball (was that ever a thing?) This book still has Lila and Cara as cheerleaders as well; they get kicked off the squad for playing a silly prank against a rival school in a random future book between this one and book 10, and only Cara tries out again. I can't imagine Lila as a cheerleader at all. Too much sweat and work and encouraging others.
May 13, 2020
This cover!!
March 1, 2015
Source: I read this online via Openlibrary.
Title: All Night Long
Series: Sweet Valley High #5
Author: Kate William & Francine Pascal
Overall Rating: 3 Stars
Yes! A dramatic improvement on the last one, you want to know, because we discovered that Jessica has emotions and Elizabeth isn't perfect! I mean, Francine was giving us a touch of character development here and I am liking it. I remember book 6 very well, so lets hope it continues! In this installment, Jessica goes gallivanting in the woods with the sexy (Look at that cover, damn) 18 year old Scott. She's Jessica Wakefield, she can tie men around her baby finger can't she? Well, no, apparently not. When he basically tries to rape her and refuses to bring her home, she's forced to stay with him all night. Nothing happens though. And Elizabeth is left to switch places with her to make sure that she doesn't get in trouble. But will this leave Liz in trouble? Hell yes because her and Todd have a fight! An actual argument. They aren't the perfect couple afterall! But of course, everything gets sorted in the end. Isn't that dandy!
I just think this is a lot different to the body shaming in book four. I remember reading book 6 and I'm so excited to actually read it, I'm even going to try and hoke out my old copy of it!
Title: All Night Long
Series: Sweet Valley High #5
Author: Kate William & Francine Pascal
Overall Rating: 3 Stars
Yes! A dramatic improvement on the last one, you want to know, because we discovered that Jessica has emotions and Elizabeth isn't perfect! I mean, Francine was giving us a touch of character development here and I am liking it. I remember book 6 very well, so lets hope it continues! In this installment, Jessica goes gallivanting in the woods with the sexy (Look at that cover, damn) 18 year old Scott. She's Jessica Wakefield, she can tie men around her baby finger can't she? Well, no, apparently not. When he basically tries to rape her and refuses to bring her home, she's forced to stay with him all night. Nothing happens though. And Elizabeth is left to switch places with her to make sure that she doesn't get in trouble. But will this leave Liz in trouble? Hell yes because her and Todd have a fight! An actual argument. They aren't the perfect couple afterall! But of course, everything gets sorted in the end. Isn't that dandy!
I just think this is a lot different to the body shaming in book four. I remember reading book 6 and I'm so excited to actually read it, I'm even going to try and hoke out my old copy of it!
June 17, 2019
Bad. So bad.
OMG, Jessica is dating Pornstache from Orange is the New Black!!! Look, proof!!!
This book was so horribly disgusting, like the last one, but I had to give this a one star. Seriously, Scott is so gross. But I was so surprised the authors didn't take it all the way. It's weird that they really don't mention S-E-X in any of these early books. Oh yeah, they make out and Scott slips his hands down Jess' bikini bottoms, but that's it. **Trigger warning: Are you seriously telling me that this skeezy, college-aged, pornstache guy would stop when this little high-school girl tells him to?? There's no way. And the reason I gave it one star, besides the skeeze, was because the Scott storyline was basically 2 chapters and then he was gone. Like, he's on the cover!
Read my full review at See Jenn Read!
OMG, Jessica is dating Pornstache from Orange is the New Black!!! Look, proof!!!
This book was so horribly disgusting, like the last one, but I had to give this a one star. Seriously, Scott is so gross. But I was so surprised the authors didn't take it all the way. It's weird that they really don't mention S-E-X in any of these early books. Oh yeah, they make out and Scott slips his hands down Jess' bikini bottoms, but that's it. **Trigger warning: Are you seriously telling me that this skeezy, college-aged, pornstache guy would stop when this little high-school girl tells him to?? There's no way. And the reason I gave it one star, besides the skeeze, was because the Scott storyline was basically 2 chapters and then he was gone. Like, he's on the cover!
Read my full review at See Jenn Read!
October 24, 2010
It was hard to put these down, it became my personal goal to read them all!!!! (said with an evil laugh).
June 21, 2020
Kyllä nää vaan jaksaa viihdyttää
December 4, 2024
JESSICA, YOU ARE THE ACTUAL LITERAL WORST BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE THE LANGUAGE TO PROCESS SEXUAL ASSAULT MAKES ME SO SAD
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March 22, 2012Jessica should henceforth be referred to as the Virgin Slut, or perhaps the Slut Virgin. She runs off for a weekend with some college guy and his friends at a lake and ends up stranded after cock-blocking him and causing him to destroy her cellphone in a fit of rage. (Yes, another lame 2008 rewrite, apparently.) Then she guilts Elizabeth (who apparently is much more forgiving than everyone else you've met in the prior books) into covering for her and taking some test for her, which Elizabeth bombs because Todd dumps her for covering for Jessica.
They ultimately make up, of course, because he needs to critically injure her in the next book, and Jessica's biggest comeuppance for her weekend of (non) debauchery is a Poison Oak rash. Waah.
They ultimately make up, of course, because he needs to critically injure her in the next book, and Jessica's biggest comeuppance for her weekend of (non) debauchery is a Poison Oak rash. Waah.
February 11, 2017
Ahh, book number 5, or what I like to call Jessica And The Guy With The Pornstache.
This book was pretty short, and the main conflict was over with in the first 40 pages. Jessica learns a valuable lesson here - you can't get away with teasing college guys the way you can get away teasing high school guys - at least in the world of Sweet Valley!
This book was published the month I was born, and it really makes me feel old! Maybe I'm silly for reading these, but I credit them with my love for reading, and it's always fun taking a stroll down memory lane.
This book was pretty short, and the main conflict was over with in the first 40 pages. Jessica learns a valuable lesson here - you can't get away with teasing college guys the way you can get away teasing high school guys - at least in the world of Sweet Valley!
This book was published the month I was born, and it really makes me feel old! Maybe I'm silly for reading these, but I credit them with my love for reading, and it's always fun taking a stroll down memory lane.
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January 31, 2012Curses, another reissue! Although I loved the added bit where
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January 4, 2015I remember having to special order this one because my local waldenbooks never seemed to have it in stock. I also remember thinking my parents would never let me read a book with such a scandalous cover. I remember thinking the word scandalous was very sophisticated, like that slutty slutty Wakefield twin.
November 29, 2017
I thought this book would an exciting adventure about the consequences of sneaking out, but I was wrong. The adventure was actually a depressing Elizabeth tragedy. I felt sorry for Jessica at first, but then she basically destroyed the moral for me. How does she sleep at night?
October 1, 2007
Oh my Gosh!!! Jessica's boyfriend is in college and he thinks that makes it OK to try and take her bikini top off! NO!!!!
December 31, 2007
Jessica, you slut, going around with a guy who looks like a gay porn star!
June 12, 2008
I was a little scared to read this book I mean what if it was BAD!!!!! I mean it says ALL NIGHT LONG!!!!! now when I look back........... dude looks like a PEDOPHILE
February 2, 2013
I think I was a little young when I read this one, lol
April 7, 2016
While one of the twins learns a hard lesson in this fifth volume, this entry in the series was also harder-edged due to sexual content and profanity. Proceed with caution.
April 1, 2019
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.
February 22, 2008
Book blurb: Elizabeth Wakefield knows her beautiful twin can handle almost any guy . most guys are just no math for Jessica's seductive charms. But Scott Daniels, Jessica's latest love, is more of a man than a boy, much older and much more experienced than anybody Jessica's ever dated.
When Jessica sneaks off too a college beach party with Scott, Elizabeth's afraid of what could happen. And when her twin isn't back by morning, Elizabeth's fear turns to alarm. Where's Jessica? Why has she stayed out all night long?.
The A Plot: Jessica is getting ready to go to a college beach party with Scott, despite her mother vetoing the idea, and not only does she not care that she's going directly against her parents' wishes, she's bragging about it to Elizabeth, excepting her to a) keep quiet about it. b) cover her back should anything go amiss (which - knowing Jessica - something of course will). If I were Liz and I knew my sister was heading for trouble, I'd have done something about it already then - no matter if that'd make her hate me for life or not. But then, that's just me.
I find this exchange interesting: "I'm not promising anything," Elizabeth said. "If she asks me, I'm not going to lie." Jessica leaped from the bed, facing Elizabeth squarely, hands planted on her hips. "Some friend you are!" Unfazed, Elizabeth replied dryly, "I'm probably the best friend you've got Jess, you just don't know it."
As for Liz' first comment - famous last words. Of course she's going to lie. Anything not to get poor Jessica in trouble! . As for her second... well, yes and no. True, not many other people would put up with Jessica's abuse for so many years. But if she really was such a good friend, she'd risk Jessica's wrath and involve her parents more often.
Anyway, enough moralizing and on with the snarking!
Turns out Jessica doesn't have nearly as much fun at the party as she thought she would. They're all much older and more sophisticated (snort!) than she is, and she feels distinctly out of place. It doesn't help that Scott is much more physical than Jessica feels comfortable with, and she keeps trying to get away from him.
... which makes it really, really odd that she just a couple of pages later agrees to go into the woods with him, ending up in an abandoned boathouse, where she has to fight him off as he slips his hand down the back of her bikini bottoms (gasp!), loosens the string of her bikini top (shock!) and reveals to her that this is no mere afternoon beach party, it's an all-nighter (horror!), so there's no chance of her returning to SV that night - unless she wants to walk.
To his credit, after Scott's initial "you know you wanted this, you're practically naked!" (yeah she's wearing a bikini, it's a beach party, how did he THINK she'd be dressed? 12 layers?), he actually doesn't attempt to rape her, but taunts her with the fact that she played with fire and got a little scorched, and then leaves to go back to the house, where Jess - being unable to get to a phone - has to spend a miserable night on the floor. Poor, poor Jessica.
(Reading this so shortly after the review of "Don't Go Home With John", I can't help but think that it's a wonder Jess doesn't get as shaken up as Lila did. Once she's safely back home, she never thinks about the experience again! Silly girl, who doesn't learn from her mistakes.)
Back home, Elizabeth is getting in a frenzy with worry because Jessica isn't home when she wakes up the next morning, and doesn't dare tell her parents, because then she'll be in trouble too, for not saying something earlier. Excuse me? Ah, but I forget. This is Sweet Valley, and everything is always Elizabeth's fault. Fortunately Jessica calls right as Elizabeth is going down to breakfast (why did Liz pick up the phone instead of her mom? As far as I know the twins don't have their own private number like Claudia does. And why doesn't her mom ask who it was? But I digress), tells her that she's alright, and that she'll be right back, and makes Liz promise to cover for her. Not knowing what else to do Liz goes along with it, and eats breakfast twice! First as herself, then - dressed in Jessica's clothes - as her sister, fooling even her own mother! Poor, poor Elizabeth.
At school Liz is alternative Jessica and herself, depending on who she's together with, and what's smartest for the moment. How on earth she manages to do that, without somebody catching on to it, I'll never know. SVH must be really, really huge. Elizabeth and Jessica both have a tourist guide test that day (must be a SV thing - I've never heard of any school arranging that!), and after not enough contemplation, Elizabeth goes against her better judgement and decides to take Jessica's test for her. Unfortunately Todd calls her out on it, and instead of listening to his good arguments for not cheating on the test, she blows up at him for talking trash about her sister, and breaks up with him, leaving her a mess for the test, and thus failing it.
Jessica turns up shortly after school finished for the day, not at all the worse for wear after her experiences in the woods, and totally ignores Liz' worry, immediately heading off to go through some cheers with Lila and Cara. She's just been through what to anybody else would be a harrowing experience, and she worries about cheering routines? Jessica surely is something else.
No more is mentioned about Scott at all showing me very clearly that the A plot wasn't that Jess got stranded in a potentially very dangerous situation, but that Liz tried to cover for her, loosing her boyfriend and her dignity in the process. And yet you KNOW she'd do it all again in a heartbeat. Yet another girl who doesn't learn from her mistakes.
Of course, being Sweet Valley, the twins can never be at odds for long. Jessica blows up when she finds that 'she' failed the test, and accuses Liz of doing it on purpose because she's jealous and wanted Scott for herself, but then turns on a penny when she's offered to retake the test as the teacher "could see she was obviously sick". Todd and Elizabeth make up too, and all's well that ends well... for now.
The B Plots are basically non-existing. Just some talk about a surfing competition that Bill Chase (naturally) wins (but how on EARTH is "Chase Is One" a good headline for an article about his success? I don't get it...) and a LOT of foreshadowing about the trouble that is to come, once Todd buys his motorcycle...
When Jessica sneaks off too a college beach party with Scott, Elizabeth's afraid of what could happen. And when her twin isn't back by morning, Elizabeth's fear turns to alarm. Where's Jessica? Why has she stayed out all night long?.
The A Plot: Jessica is getting ready to go to a college beach party with Scott, despite her mother vetoing the idea, and not only does she not care that she's going directly against her parents' wishes, she's bragging about it to Elizabeth, excepting her to a) keep quiet about it. b) cover her back should anything go amiss (which - knowing Jessica - something of course will). If I were Liz and I knew my sister was heading for trouble, I'd have done something about it already then - no matter if that'd make her hate me for life or not. But then, that's just me.
I find this exchange interesting: "I'm not promising anything," Elizabeth said. "If she asks me, I'm not going to lie." Jessica leaped from the bed, facing Elizabeth squarely, hands planted on her hips. "Some friend you are!" Unfazed, Elizabeth replied dryly, "I'm probably the best friend you've got Jess, you just don't know it."
As for Liz' first comment - famous last words. Of course she's going to lie. Anything not to get poor Jessica in trouble! . As for her second... well, yes and no. True, not many other people would put up with Jessica's abuse for so many years. But if she really was such a good friend, she'd risk Jessica's wrath and involve her parents more often.
Anyway, enough moralizing and on with the snarking!
Turns out Jessica doesn't have nearly as much fun at the party as she thought she would. They're all much older and more sophisticated (snort!) than she is, and she feels distinctly out of place. It doesn't help that Scott is much more physical than Jessica feels comfortable with, and she keeps trying to get away from him.
... which makes it really, really odd that she just a couple of pages later agrees to go into the woods with him, ending up in an abandoned boathouse, where she has to fight him off as he slips his hand down the back of her bikini bottoms (gasp!), loosens the string of her bikini top (shock!) and reveals to her that this is no mere afternoon beach party, it's an all-nighter (horror!), so there's no chance of her returning to SV that night - unless she wants to walk.
To his credit, after Scott's initial "you know you wanted this, you're practically naked!" (yeah she's wearing a bikini, it's a beach party, how did he THINK she'd be dressed? 12 layers?), he actually doesn't attempt to rape her, but taunts her with the fact that she played with fire and got a little scorched, and then leaves to go back to the house, where Jess - being unable to get to a phone - has to spend a miserable night on the floor. Poor, poor Jessica.
(Reading this so shortly after the review of "Don't Go Home With John", I can't help but think that it's a wonder Jess doesn't get as shaken up as Lila did. Once she's safely back home, she never thinks about the experience again! Silly girl, who doesn't learn from her mistakes.)
Back home, Elizabeth is getting in a frenzy with worry because Jessica isn't home when she wakes up the next morning, and doesn't dare tell her parents, because then she'll be in trouble too, for not saying something earlier. Excuse me? Ah, but I forget. This is Sweet Valley, and everything is always Elizabeth's fault. Fortunately Jessica calls right as Elizabeth is going down to breakfast (why did Liz pick up the phone instead of her mom? As far as I know the twins don't have their own private number like Claudia does. And why doesn't her mom ask who it was? But I digress), tells her that she's alright, and that she'll be right back, and makes Liz promise to cover for her. Not knowing what else to do Liz goes along with it, and eats breakfast twice! First as herself, then - dressed in Jessica's clothes - as her sister, fooling even her own mother! Poor, poor Elizabeth.
At school Liz is alternative Jessica and herself, depending on who she's together with, and what's smartest for the moment. How on earth she manages to do that, without somebody catching on to it, I'll never know. SVH must be really, really huge. Elizabeth and Jessica both have a tourist guide test that day (must be a SV thing - I've never heard of any school arranging that!), and after not enough contemplation, Elizabeth goes against her better judgement and decides to take Jessica's test for her. Unfortunately Todd calls her out on it, and instead of listening to his good arguments for not cheating on the test, she blows up at him for talking trash about her sister, and breaks up with him, leaving her a mess for the test, and thus failing it.
Jessica turns up shortly after school finished for the day, not at all the worse for wear after her experiences in the woods, and totally ignores Liz' worry, immediately heading off to go through some cheers with Lila and Cara. She's just been through what to anybody else would be a harrowing experience, and she worries about cheering routines? Jessica surely is something else.
No more is mentioned about Scott at all showing me very clearly that the A plot wasn't that Jess got stranded in a potentially very dangerous situation, but that Liz tried to cover for her, loosing her boyfriend and her dignity in the process. And yet you KNOW she'd do it all again in a heartbeat. Yet another girl who doesn't learn from her mistakes.
Of course, being Sweet Valley, the twins can never be at odds for long. Jessica blows up when she finds that 'she' failed the test, and accuses Liz of doing it on purpose because she's jealous and wanted Scott for herself, but then turns on a penny when she's offered to retake the test as the teacher "could see she was obviously sick". Todd and Elizabeth make up too, and all's well that ends well... for now.
The B Plots are basically non-existing. Just some talk about a surfing competition that Bill Chase (naturally) wins (but how on EARTH is "Chase Is One" a good headline for an article about his success? I don't get it...) and a LOT of foreshadowing about the trouble that is to come, once Todd buys his motorcycle...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2025
Elizabeth is such a doormat.
However, what is this biography at the end about Lila? George isn’t really her father? Obviously I know that’s not true (I’ve read “Fowlers of Sweet Valley” thank you very much) but I’m shocked that’s the direction they were trying to go in these early books. Why didn’t I remember that?
However, what is this biography at the end about Lila? George isn’t really her father? Obviously I know that’s not true (I’ve read “Fowlers of Sweet Valley” thank you very much) but I’m shocked that’s the direction they were trying to go in these early books. Why didn’t I remember that?
July 2, 2024
Jessica is a bitch
March 21, 2025
Wherein Elizabeth’s inability to establish boundaries with Jessica gets her into some major pickles.
2.75 stars
2.75 stars
February 12, 2024
An engrossing book of the series where Jessica gets into trouble and Liz and Todd have a tiff. It treads lightly on issues like assult while at the same time showing Jess's presence of mind to handlw the situation.
Liz is uncharacteristically not just doing the twin routine but also lying and willing to cheat. I think in the later books, the wholesomeness of Todd rubs off on her. There is also s side story about Will.
Liz is uncharacteristically not just doing the twin routine but also lying and willing to cheat. I think in the later books, the wholesomeness of Todd rubs off on her. There is also s side story about Will.
February 4, 2018
These books are so addictive.
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