Jessica Takes Manhattan

Sweet Valley High Super Editions #8

by Francine Pascal (Creator), Kate William

Jessica Wakefield and Lila Fowler are headed for the Big Apple! They're psyched for a week of Broadway shows, superstretch limos, major shopping...and New York guys. Jessica's fun begins the moment she steps on the plane and finds she's sitting next to rock star Ryder Mitchell. There's an immediate spark between Jessica and Ryder--in fact, things are so hot, they promise to meet for an ultra-romantic date at the top of the Empire State Building in three days.



But things don't go as planned. The staff at their ritzy hotel mistakes Lila for Princess Charlotte, a visiting royal. Lila and Jessica don't mind the VIP treatment...until a gang of kidnappers mistakes Lila for the princess, too--and holds the girls for ransom!

Genres: Young Adult, Chick Lit, Teen

227 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Francine 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.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

First SVH book I've read in forever that I actually enjoyed. Maybe because there's no Elizabeth and tons of Lila? Maybe because there's a rockstar in disguise and a crazy kidnapping plot? I don't know. It was stupid, but entertaining.

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this as a kid and it holds up pretty well. Also the cover is beautiful!

[Carla Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

this one was pretty good honestly jessica's mostly a psycopath but she'd be great if you were kidnapped, so there's that. i miss sam (woodruff).

[Barbara Swauger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this! It was exciting and unpredictable!

[Marian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enh. This is pretty much where Sweet Valley and I broke up, so I don't have any nostalgia glasses to don while re-reading this.

If you like your SVH without Elizabeth, this is definitely one to keep in mind as she only appears very, very briefly. Otherwise, Lila and Jessica go to NYC and romance blossoms.

Remember Bo, Lila's boyfriend from DC? Yeah, I think that's a bit of a trick question for a lot of people, actually. Anyway, he's in this and there's a case of mistaken identity (the employees at the hotel Lila's staying in think she's Princess Charlotte of Le-whocares and this means Li and Jess get an upgrade while the princess and her bodyguards are a little confused.) and Jessica falls in love with the newest popstar who probably hasn't been mentioned before or since.

It was a quick read and it wasn't bad, it just didn't quite have the zing you'd expect from a Jessica and Lila adventure. And that's even with the kidnapping and the girls saving their bumbling boyfriends, though that last bit did help.

This is also the last book before the series started using the Daniel twins on the covers and that's teased at the end of the book. /trivia

[Meaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to love this series as a pre-teen. This book was by far the best out of the series. It is every little girls dream to fall in love with a pop star in a chance encounter. The book had twists and turns and it kept my little 12-year-old butt at the edge of its seat. So, if you are a pre-teen or have a daughter that is around that age - suggest it!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird reading about the World Trade Center.

[Sheila Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read so many of these books I can't remember all of them.