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Sweet Valley High #97
The Verdict
Innocent until proven guilty...
The verdict isn't in yet on Elizabeth Wakefield. But her twin sister, Jessica, has already convicted her and won't even talk to Elizabeth. Now that Jessica has Todd, will life ever be the same for Elizabeth?
Pamela has transferred to Sweet Valley High to be closer to Bruce Patman, the boy she really loves. But Bruce still won't look at her. Pamela's made a final break with her past - but is it enough?
Between building a relationship with his new female roommate, Billie, and being there for his troubled family, Steven Wakefield is completely worn out. It's clear that he can't do both - but what is more important to him?
... Margo has arrived in Sweet Valley, and is ready to take over her new life - even if it belongs to someone else!
The fourth title in an explosive seven-part mini-series... Sweet Valley will never be the same!
The verdict isn't in yet on Elizabeth Wakefield. But her twin sister, Jessica, has already convicted her and won't even talk to Elizabeth. Now that Jessica has Todd, will life ever be the same for Elizabeth?
Pamela has transferred to Sweet Valley High to be closer to Bruce Patman, the boy she really loves. But Bruce still won't look at her. Pamela's made a final break with her past - but is it enough?
Between building a relationship with his new female roommate, Billie, and being there for his troubled family, Steven Wakefield is completely worn out. It's clear that he can't do both - but what is more important to him?
... Margo has arrived in Sweet Valley, and is ready to take over her new life - even if it belongs to someone else!
The fourth title in an explosive seven-part mini-series... Sweet Valley will never be the same!
209 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1993
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356 people want to read
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,139 books1,845 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 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 5, 2024
Who ever would have expected it...? The golden girl of Sweet Valley is on trial—for manslaughter. (Note that this review contains spoilers for a decades-old book; you have been warned. Also, it's wicked long. You have been warned again.)
I'm deep into this miniseries reread, and nothing makes sense anymore. Well, actually, a couple of things do make more sense—I've read enough other reviews to learn that yes, the ill-fated Jungle Prom was covered in another book, just not one from the main series. I've also, unfortunately, read enough other reviews to have some sympathy for Jessica, sociopathic as she is; an argument can be made that she's traumatized and devastated by both grief and guilt and lashing out and really does not have anywhere near the support she needs. There's also an argument to be made that when she talks about what Elizabeth deserves, she's projecting—talking about herself. "You know, I never did understand what you saw in Elizabeth," she chattered on. "I mean, even before she started wrecking people's lives and killing people, she wasn't exactly a prize. Everyone always thought she was so sweet and good, but I knew her—I knew the real Elizabeth. And she's cold and selfish and conniving. She uses people to get what she wants and then twists it around to make it look like she was doing them a favor." (126)
Oh man. Now I want to write a paper. It's probably just as well that I'm not in grad school anymore and can't torture my classmates with this sort of thing.
But also...do remember that she spiked Elizabeth's drink at the dance, which is why Elizabeth was driving drunk when Jessica's boyfriend Sam was killed; nobody else knows this, and Jessica is willing to see Elizabeth go to jail for it.
"You know, the way everyone's acting," she remarked after a while, "you'd think they felt sorry for Elizabeth, like she didn't even do anything—like she's the victim instead of the criminal."
"She's not a criminal," Todd snapped.
Jessica stared at him. "You're not coming to her defense, are you?"
Todd looked down at his right hand, which had tightened into a fist, crumbling the cookie he held. "I. . . no, I just—"
"Because she wouldn't appreciate it, Todd—take my word for it." Jessica's voice grew cool. "And I don't appreciate it, either. It makes me feel like, like—" Suddenly her eyes brimmed with tears. "Like you don't care about what I'm going through." A sob caught in her throat and she ducked her chin, hiding behind a curtain of hair so the kids at nearby tables couldn't see her crying. "I thought—I thought you were on my side now."
Todd put a hand on Jessica's arm. "Of course I'm on your side," he said quietly. "But that doesn't have to mean . . ."
He didn't finish the sentence, but it was easy to guess what he'd been planning to say. "Yes, it does," Jessica said, her voice quavering with intensity. "You can't have it both ways, Todd. You can't be on her side and also on mine. You have to choose, and you did choose," she reminded him. She placed her hand on top of his and smiled up at him, her eyes still sparkling with tears. "Right?" (23)
Back to the A plot. The expensive lawyer Ned Wakefield hires to defend Elizabeth basically gives up when Elizabeth says that she doesn't know how she got drunk...so Ned decides to take on the case himself. With only, apparently, his undergraduate-student-of-a-son as legal support. Never mind that there's no indication that Ned has ever practiced criminal law. Never mind that his son doesn't practice any kind of law. There's nothing a Wakefield can't do!
Now, the expensive lawyer's strategy was to get frustrated when Elizabeth can't remember anything, and give up. Ned's strategy is...to get frustrated when Elizabeth can't remember anything, and get increasingly grim about the outcome. Here are some things Neddy boy doesn't do: he doesn't seek out potential witnesses from the dance who might have seen Elizabeth and Sam drinking (orrrr seen their drinks being spiked). He doesn't find some sort of investigator or expert to examine tire tracks to figure out whether there might have been another car. He doesn't have the Jeep Elizabeth was driving examined to see if there are clues (or excuses) there. He doesn't do a single thing that a semicompetent lawyer (or, for that matter, police officer, but we all know the Sweet Valley police are beside the point here) might think of to defend his daughter...except tell her to try harder to remember.
(Have I mentioned that it's been a bare few weeks since the accident, and Elizabeth is already going to trial? Aside from the unusually fast justice system in Sweet Valley, Ned also doesn't try to buy more time.)
Regardless, the trial takes place. Lizzie's in trouble because Ned's only strategy is to hope she remembers something that will save her. But wait! A surprise witness! One who claims total responsibility! (And who sobs with apology for Elizabeth and Ned...but not for, say, the parents of Sam, who is dead.) Instant freedom for Lizzie, with only a slap on the wrist for intoxication. (Guys, I don't think this is...how it works? Like, she was still involved in a deadly car crash, and still intoxicated, and Jessica has remained mum about the whole reason Elizabeth was intoxicated—so there's no reason for the judge to think that Elizabeth didn't get smashed, get in a car, smash said car up of her own volition.)
The surprise witness is called Gilbert Harding, by the way, and I'm only noting that because he has never shown up before, as far as I know never shows up again, and makes for a very convenient scapegoat here.
Meanwhile, we have B plots: there's Jessica's continued pursuit of Todd (and Todd's continued idiocy); there's the way everyone still thinks that Bruce's love interest is a tramp ("Why should you be sorry?" Jessica asked Amy. "Pamela's a tramp and that's all there is to it." (56)) and the shock that Lila, of all people, is the one to defend Pamela. There's Lila meeting her mother after fourteen years. And of course there's Margo.
Here's Todd and Jessica:
Abruptly, the song he and Jessica were dancing to faded into something new. The tempo downshifted; the beat became pulsing and slow. Jessica's eyes locked onto Todd's and she drew closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, her body swaying seductively.
Any illusions Todd might have had about this being a harmless, platonic evening flew out the window. He was holding Jessica in his arms—the moment couldn't be more romantic. And the worst part was he was enjoying himself. This wasn't playtime; this wasn't "therapy."
My God, how can we be doing this? he wondered as Jessica raised her face to his, her eyes glowing as soft and bright as the stars overhead. Tonight of all nights? Todd's feet faltered and even though Jessica's body was warm against his, he shuddered as if from a sudden chill. We might as well be dancing on Sam's grave, he realized. And Elizabeth . . .
"Kiss me," Jessica whispered, her arms tightening around him.
Obediently, Todd bent his head, pressing his lips lightly against hers. He intended the kiss to be brief, but somehow he found his mouth lingering on Jessica's. The slow passion of the music seemed to hold them together, melding their bodies into one. The kiss grew deeper, and longer. . . . Finally, Todd abandoned himself to it. The kiss was tangible and real, something they both could feel and understand—something to hold on to in all the heartbreaking confusion that swirled around them. (29)
Now...I get that they are hormonal teenagers who have been going through the wringer. But don't let's forget that Jessica is throwing herself at Todd to punish Elizabeth for drunk driving; don't let's forget that Todd, who professes to love Elizabeth and want to be back in her good graces, hasn't so much as reached out to Elizabeth to see how she's doing. Todd's bright ideas: first, run to Elizabeth and Jessica's brother and tell him that he's been cheating on Elizabeth with her twin but wants Elizabeth back:
"So, what do you think I should I do?" Todd asked. "Do you think there's any hope? Do you think Elizabeth would ever take me back?"
"I really don't know," Steven admitted. "You say you love her, but is there any reason she should believe you?" (54)
And second, he writes Elizabeth a (presumably dramatic) letter asking her to forgive him. This is not a bad idea in and of itself—it gives her time to think it over, as Todd notes—although I'd argue that they're due for a whole lot of conversation before forgiveness comes into play. (It's not even about dating Jessica, although there's an argument to be made that he's functionally cheating on both of them throughout the course of all this—it's the complete abandonment of Elizabeth when things get rough.) But Todd has learned nothing about Jessica over the past 96 books, so...he assumes that if he drops it through the mail slot, this won't happen:
Jessica leaned back against the wall and stared blankly at the letter lying in her palm. After a long moment, she laughed out loud, amazed by Todd's stupidity. "Did he really think I wouldn't see this?" she asked the empty hallway. (66)
Oh, Todd. Let's hope he's pretty, because he sure is dumb.
Bruce proves that he is a human manifestation of toxic sludge. I guess that isn't all that surprising, but he hits new lows in this one. Here he is, perpetuating the same falsehoods that have already made Pamela's life hell at her old school:
Then Bruce laughed, his attitude shifting abruptly to one of mock insouciance. "Besides, I got what I wanted out of Pamela—the same thing every other guy's gotten from her. I can live with that." Jumping up from his chair, Bruce strode from the room. (59)
And here he is again, showcasing his 'wit':
"Heading home already, Pamela?" he heard himself call after her. "Why not stick around school a little longer? You could catch the tail end of football practice, or do you like basketball players better?" Pamela turned back toward him, her eyes stricken. For some reason, her pain only egged Bruce on. "No, let me guess," he drawled. "You'd rather sit in on a faculty meeting—you're ready for some older men."
Laughing at his own wit, Bruce climbed into the Porsche and started the engine. He didn't give Pamela another glance—that was part of her punishment—but as he backed out of the parking space, he couldn't help glimpsing her in the side mirror. In the instant before he roared off, leaving her standing in a cloud of dust, he could see the tears streaming down her face. (78)
Later Bruce realizes that, oh! Pamela might be a slutty slut, but he's also a slutty slut, so he probably shouldn't be judging her so harshly, because double standards and all. Honestly, it's almost worse that Pamela's reputation is down to a smear campaign built on falsehoods, because even as Bruce realizes that Double Standards Are Bad, Who Knew?, and even as Pamela falls gratefully into his arms (ffs, Pamela, hold out for someone who hasn't spent the last three books denigrating you because he thinks you're not a virgin)...the book is still perpetuating those double standards, no? Pamela has a reputation, the book assures us, but she isn't actually a slutty slut. She's worthy of redemption. She's worthy of yet another boy who has treated her terribly! What joy for Pamela.
Lila's mother Grace is still around, and Lila is happy as a clam about it and scheming to get her parents back together. She barely blinks when she learns that her mother grew up rich but her father is a butcher's son—she and her father really don't talk, huh—or when her mother tells her that her father basically lied his way into declaring Grace an unfit mother and keeping her from even having visiting rights because she was unhappy in their marriage. I mean, okay, Lila's shocked for a second. And then within the next two pages all is forgiven, and she's scheming a happily-ever after for her parents. (Her mother has terrible taste in men; don't ask me about the boyfriend she's brought back from France.)
And Margo: she's scheming and steaming her way to Sweet Valley, her mental-health symptoms getting less consistent by the book (at a guess, they're based on schizophrenia and/or multiple personality disorder, but let's not insult people who have those disorders by pressing that association). We learn that the brother of one of her recent victims is on her tail...and Margo becomes ever more convinced that Elizabeth's life should be hers.
I'm deep into this miniseries reread, and nothing makes sense anymore. Well, actually, a couple of things do make more sense—I've read enough other reviews to learn that yes, the ill-fated Jungle Prom was covered in another book, just not one from the main series. I've also, unfortunately, read enough other reviews to have some sympathy for Jessica, sociopathic as she is; an argument can be made that she's traumatized and devastated by both grief and guilt and lashing out and really does not have anywhere near the support she needs. There's also an argument to be made that when she talks about what Elizabeth deserves, she's projecting—talking about herself. "You know, I never did understand what you saw in Elizabeth," she chattered on. "I mean, even before she started wrecking people's lives and killing people, she wasn't exactly a prize. Everyone always thought she was so sweet and good, but I knew her—I knew the real Elizabeth. And she's cold and selfish and conniving. She uses people to get what she wants and then twists it around to make it look like she was doing them a favor." (126)
Oh man. Now I want to write a paper. It's probably just as well that I'm not in grad school anymore and can't torture my classmates with this sort of thing.
But also...do remember that she spiked Elizabeth's drink at the dance, which is why Elizabeth was driving drunk when Jessica's boyfriend Sam was killed; nobody else knows this, and Jessica is willing to see Elizabeth go to jail for it.
"You know, the way everyone's acting," she remarked after a while, "you'd think they felt sorry for Elizabeth, like she didn't even do anything—like she's the victim instead of the criminal."
"She's not a criminal," Todd snapped.
Jessica stared at him. "You're not coming to her defense, are you?"
Todd looked down at his right hand, which had tightened into a fist, crumbling the cookie he held. "I. . . no, I just—"
"Because she wouldn't appreciate it, Todd—take my word for it." Jessica's voice grew cool. "And I don't appreciate it, either. It makes me feel like, like—" Suddenly her eyes brimmed with tears. "Like you don't care about what I'm going through." A sob caught in her throat and she ducked her chin, hiding behind a curtain of hair so the kids at nearby tables couldn't see her crying. "I thought—I thought you were on my side now."
Todd put a hand on Jessica's arm. "Of course I'm on your side," he said quietly. "But that doesn't have to mean . . ."
He didn't finish the sentence, but it was easy to guess what he'd been planning to say. "Yes, it does," Jessica said, her voice quavering with intensity. "You can't have it both ways, Todd. You can't be on her side and also on mine. You have to choose, and you did choose," she reminded him. She placed her hand on top of his and smiled up at him, her eyes still sparkling with tears. "Right?" (23)
Back to the A plot. The expensive lawyer Ned Wakefield hires to defend Elizabeth basically gives up when Elizabeth says that she doesn't know how she got drunk...so Ned decides to take on the case himself. With only, apparently, his undergraduate-student-of-a-son as legal support. Never mind that there's no indication that Ned has ever practiced criminal law. Never mind that his son doesn't practice any kind of law. There's nothing a Wakefield can't do!
Now, the expensive lawyer's strategy was to get frustrated when Elizabeth can't remember anything, and give up. Ned's strategy is...to get frustrated when Elizabeth can't remember anything, and get increasingly grim about the outcome. Here are some things Neddy boy doesn't do: he doesn't seek out potential witnesses from the dance who might have seen Elizabeth and Sam drinking (orrrr seen their drinks being spiked). He doesn't find some sort of investigator or expert to examine tire tracks to figure out whether there might have been another car. He doesn't have the Jeep Elizabeth was driving examined to see if there are clues (or excuses) there. He doesn't do a single thing that a semicompetent lawyer (or, for that matter, police officer, but we all know the Sweet Valley police are beside the point here) might think of to defend his daughter...except tell her to try harder to remember.
(Have I mentioned that it's been a bare few weeks since the accident, and Elizabeth is already going to trial? Aside from the unusually fast justice system in Sweet Valley, Ned also doesn't try to buy more time.)
Regardless, the trial takes place. Lizzie's in trouble because Ned's only strategy is to hope she remembers something that will save her. But wait! A surprise witness! One who claims total responsibility! (And who sobs with apology for Elizabeth and Ned...but not for, say, the parents of Sam, who is dead.) Instant freedom for Lizzie, with only a slap on the wrist for intoxication. (Guys, I don't think this is...how it works? Like, she was still involved in a deadly car crash, and still intoxicated, and Jessica has remained mum about the whole reason Elizabeth was intoxicated—so there's no reason for the judge to think that Elizabeth didn't get smashed, get in a car, smash said car up of her own volition.)
The surprise witness is called Gilbert Harding, by the way, and I'm only noting that because he has never shown up before, as far as I know never shows up again, and makes for a very convenient scapegoat here.
Meanwhile, we have B plots: there's Jessica's continued pursuit of Todd (and Todd's continued idiocy); there's the way everyone still thinks that Bruce's love interest is a tramp ("Why should you be sorry?" Jessica asked Amy. "Pamela's a tramp and that's all there is to it." (56)) and the shock that Lila, of all people, is the one to defend Pamela. There's Lila meeting her mother after fourteen years. And of course there's Margo.
Here's Todd and Jessica:
Abruptly, the song he and Jessica were dancing to faded into something new. The tempo downshifted; the beat became pulsing and slow. Jessica's eyes locked onto Todd's and she drew closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, her body swaying seductively.
Any illusions Todd might have had about this being a harmless, platonic evening flew out the window. He was holding Jessica in his arms—the moment couldn't be more romantic. And the worst part was he was enjoying himself. This wasn't playtime; this wasn't "therapy."
My God, how can we be doing this? he wondered as Jessica raised her face to his, her eyes glowing as soft and bright as the stars overhead. Tonight of all nights? Todd's feet faltered and even though Jessica's body was warm against his, he shuddered as if from a sudden chill. We might as well be dancing on Sam's grave, he realized. And Elizabeth . . .
"Kiss me," Jessica whispered, her arms tightening around him.
Obediently, Todd bent his head, pressing his lips lightly against hers. He intended the kiss to be brief, but somehow he found his mouth lingering on Jessica's. The slow passion of the music seemed to hold them together, melding their bodies into one. The kiss grew deeper, and longer. . . . Finally, Todd abandoned himself to it. The kiss was tangible and real, something they both could feel and understand—something to hold on to in all the heartbreaking confusion that swirled around them. (29)
Now...I get that they are hormonal teenagers who have been going through the wringer. But don't let's forget that Jessica is throwing herself at Todd to punish Elizabeth for drunk driving; don't let's forget that Todd, who professes to love Elizabeth and want to be back in her good graces, hasn't so much as reached out to Elizabeth to see how she's doing. Todd's bright ideas: first, run to Elizabeth and Jessica's brother and tell him that he's been cheating on Elizabeth with her twin but wants Elizabeth back:
"So, what do you think I should I do?" Todd asked. "Do you think there's any hope? Do you think Elizabeth would ever take me back?"
"I really don't know," Steven admitted. "You say you love her, but is there any reason she should believe you?" (54)
And second, he writes Elizabeth a (presumably dramatic) letter asking her to forgive him. This is not a bad idea in and of itself—it gives her time to think it over, as Todd notes—although I'd argue that they're due for a whole lot of conversation before forgiveness comes into play. (It's not even about dating Jessica, although there's an argument to be made that he's functionally cheating on both of them throughout the course of all this—it's the complete abandonment of Elizabeth when things get rough.) But Todd has learned nothing about Jessica over the past 96 books, so...he assumes that if he drops it through the mail slot, this won't happen:
Jessica leaned back against the wall and stared blankly at the letter lying in her palm. After a long moment, she laughed out loud, amazed by Todd's stupidity. "Did he really think I wouldn't see this?" she asked the empty hallway. (66)
Oh, Todd. Let's hope he's pretty, because he sure is dumb.
Bruce proves that he is a human manifestation of toxic sludge. I guess that isn't all that surprising, but he hits new lows in this one. Here he is, perpetuating the same falsehoods that have already made Pamela's life hell at her old school:
Then Bruce laughed, his attitude shifting abruptly to one of mock insouciance. "Besides, I got what I wanted out of Pamela—the same thing every other guy's gotten from her. I can live with that." Jumping up from his chair, Bruce strode from the room. (59)
And here he is again, showcasing his 'wit':
"Heading home already, Pamela?" he heard himself call after her. "Why not stick around school a little longer? You could catch the tail end of football practice, or do you like basketball players better?" Pamela turned back toward him, her eyes stricken. For some reason, her pain only egged Bruce on. "No, let me guess," he drawled. "You'd rather sit in on a faculty meeting—you're ready for some older men."
Laughing at his own wit, Bruce climbed into the Porsche and started the engine. He didn't give Pamela another glance—that was part of her punishment—but as he backed out of the parking space, he couldn't help glimpsing her in the side mirror. In the instant before he roared off, leaving her standing in a cloud of dust, he could see the tears streaming down her face. (78)
Later Bruce realizes that, oh! Pamela might be a slutty slut, but he's also a slutty slut, so he probably shouldn't be judging her so harshly, because double standards and all. Honestly, it's almost worse that Pamela's reputation is down to a smear campaign built on falsehoods, because even as Bruce realizes that Double Standards Are Bad, Who Knew?, and even as Pamela falls gratefully into his arms (ffs, Pamela, hold out for someone who hasn't spent the last three books denigrating you because he thinks you're not a virgin)...the book is still perpetuating those double standards, no? Pamela has a reputation, the book assures us, but she isn't actually a slutty slut. She's worthy of redemption. She's worthy of yet another boy who has treated her terribly! What joy for Pamela.
Lila's mother Grace is still around, and Lila is happy as a clam about it and scheming to get her parents back together. She barely blinks when she learns that her mother grew up rich but her father is a butcher's son—she and her father really don't talk, huh—or when her mother tells her that her father basically lied his way into declaring Grace an unfit mother and keeping her from even having visiting rights because she was unhappy in their marriage. I mean, okay, Lila's shocked for a second. And then within the next two pages all is forgiven, and she's scheming a happily-ever after for her parents. (Her mother has terrible taste in men; don't ask me about the boyfriend she's brought back from France.)
And Margo: she's scheming and steaming her way to Sweet Valley, her mental-health symptoms getting less consistent by the book (at a guess, they're based on schizophrenia and/or multiple personality disorder, but let's not insult people who have those disorders by pressing that association). We learn that the brother of one of her recent victims is on her tail...and Margo becomes ever more convinced that Elizabeth's life should be hers.
December 30, 2014
There is entirely too little Margo in this one, and she doesn't up her body count from 3 (two children and one old lady). But Miss M is getting closer to what she wants, and she sees it all too clear : Elizabeth Wakefield has the perfect life. (Although not so perfect right now). She has the perfect parents, the perfect brother, the perfect friends, the perfect boyfriend and a twin sister - Margo has always wanted a twin sister. Margo FINALLY arrives in Sweet Valley in this book, and she surveys the town and people who are friends with Liz and is confident that she has made the perfect decision. And, you know, honest to god, I like her more than Jessica. At least Margo is honest with herself about how good she is at being able to manipulate others. Jessica, meanwhile, is basically every annoying disease in the book, possibly even borderline personality, because in this book she is trying to convince Todd of how HORRIBLE Liz is, what a MANIPULATOR she is. When, of course, she is really referring to everything she's ever done to her sister.
Jessica becomes quite terrifying, refusing to let herself feel ANYTHING for what she did (actually being the one to kill her own boyfriend by spiking his and Liz's punch) and even telling Todd what to feel. At one point Todd tells her he can't just SHUT OFF his emotions, and you can just see and feel Jessica the Impenetrable Ice Queen gripping him, saying, "Yes. You can," which is exactly what she says. I hope the ghostwriters realized at the time that they were creating one of the best/worst villains of our time.
Lila provides a wonderful respite from all the nastiness with her newfound levelheadedness and compassion. She and Amy (!) realize how unfair they were to be part of the group that gossiped about newcomer Pamela Robertson in the beginning (it all reeks of Annie Whitman-like disdain), so they take Pam under their wings (genuinely) and set asshole Bruce Patman straight about Pam's reputation. It was so wonderful to see characters, and normally stuck-up characters at that!, turning it around for real and actually realizing the errors of their ways.
Too much time is wasted between couples in these books, as they all say and do dumb shit and instead of just TALKING things out they all just mope around in their misery. Todd may be sincere in missing Liz, but he refuses to just confront her, and I wouldn't take any of that bullshit. If he actually loved her, he'd get off his fat ass, suck up his pride, and tell her how much he missed her and how sorry he is about everything that happened between them. Instead, he's off sucking face with The Evil Twin (and no, I don't mean Margo, although he does suck face with her too).
Jessica becomes quite terrifying, refusing to let herself feel ANYTHING for what she did (actually being the one to kill her own boyfriend by spiking his and Liz's punch) and even telling Todd what to feel. At one point Todd tells her he can't just SHUT OFF his emotions, and you can just see and feel Jessica the Impenetrable Ice Queen gripping him, saying, "Yes. You can," which is exactly what she says. I hope the ghostwriters realized at the time that they were creating one of the best/worst villains of our time.
Lila provides a wonderful respite from all the nastiness with her newfound levelheadedness and compassion. She and Amy (!) realize how unfair they were to be part of the group that gossiped about newcomer Pamela Robertson in the beginning (it all reeks of Annie Whitman-like disdain), so they take Pam under their wings (genuinely) and set asshole Bruce Patman straight about Pam's reputation. It was so wonderful to see characters, and normally stuck-up characters at that!, turning it around for real and actually realizing the errors of their ways.
Too much time is wasted between couples in these books, as they all say and do dumb shit and instead of just TALKING things out they all just mope around in their misery. Todd may be sincere in missing Liz, but he refuses to just confront her, and I wouldn't take any of that bullshit. If he actually loved her, he'd get off his fat ass, suck up his pride, and tell her how much he missed her and how sorry he is about everything that happened between them. Instead, he's off sucking face with The Evil Twin (and no, I don't mean Margo, although he does suck face with her too).
November 30, 2023
3.5 stars. We've had another ghostwriter switch, possibly back to the original one, because events have changed yet again - not the least of which is that the Brazil trip, the original prize for the Prom Queen, has suddenly been mentioned again. More storylines are also wrapping up, which is a good thing because the Wakefield family drama is starting to overtake everything.
There are really only two storylines outside of the Wakefield family in this book:
(1) Pamela Robertson has transferred to Sweet Valley High and continues to find herself ostracized by one and all, due to the false rumors from Big Mesa that ruined her reputation. She attempts to join the tennis team, but gives up even on that. Bruce is outright cruel to her, and Pamela brushes off friendly overtures from others, including Roger Barrett Patman. She ultimately decides to start volunteering at Project Youth with an afterschool program for young kids. Amy Sutton (of all people, considering the nasty rumors she herself spread in the last book) approaches Pamela and invites her out, along with Lila. Pamela figures she has nothing to lose, so why not? Turns out that she, Amy, and Lila really hit it off and even go shopping together at the mall. Amy then has a heart-to-heart with Bruce. At the end of the book, a Big Mesa boy attempts to accost Pamela in the SVH parking lot, and Bruce rides to her rescue. He apologizes, and they are on their way to repairing their relationship.
Bruce continues to be a complete asshole in this storyline, and Pamela comes off a bit pathetic in her longing for him, especially after their nasty encounter following tennis practice. I kinda wish she'd thank him for his assistance in scaring off the Big Mesa dude, then basically be - thanks, but no thanks, I deserve better than you. But this is Sweet Valley, so that's not going to happen.
(2) Lila continues to bond with her mother, and watches in fascination and hope as her parents begin to reminisce about their early days together. She's convinced they are falling for each other again, and pretty much nothing can deter her, not even when Grace finally tells her why she abandoned Lila all those years ago. According to Grace, she and George had a whirlwind romance and married quickly, but her family disapproved and George was intimidated by Grace's family fortune. He started working 24/7 to earn his own fortune, and the rift between them ultimately grew too wide to bridge. Grace left George and took Lila with her; George threatened to have her declared an unfit mother, and actually succeeded, wielding his newfound power and influence to gain sole custody of Lila. George apparently thought that doing this would make Grace come crawling back to him because her family fortune suddenly vanished, but instead she left the continent altogether. George deliberately kept Grace from Lila until Lila's mental health crisis necessitated her return.
I had definitely forgotten this bombshell of an explanation, likely because I'm pretty sure it was 1000% retconned in The Fowlers of Sweet Valley. I can't believe George was so callous and cruel as to drive his own wife away if she wouldn't toe his line, all because of his own issues with her generational wealth. What an asshole! Lila seems certain that True Love Will Conquer All, but damn. I know what's coming, and I want some serious grovel to make up for this.
The good thing about Lila's plotline is that Grace's ~lover~ Pierre is mercifully absent from this book. I guess this ghostie could've done without his drama, too, LOL!
And now, onto the Wakefields...
(3) Steven and Billie have settled into a best-buddy-roomies sort of vibe, and Steven finds himself leaning heavily on Billie during all the stress and strain of Liz's trial. He ultimately divulges some information to her (especially about his mother's strange behavior) and accuses Billie of spreading gossip when random people come up to him and ask him about his mother's nervous breakdown. Billie leaves their apartment; Steven realizes she didn't tell anyone anything that he'd told her in confidence; and he gathers some nerve to go and apologize to her at the end. She accepts his apology and they stand around grinning like idiots at each other, because apparently romantic love can blossom even under extremely stressful circumstances.
(4) Todd has finally figured out that spending time with Jessica is getting him nowhere near Elizabeth. He goes to Steven for advice (a great scene in which Steven asks him what the hell he's thinking, professing to still love Liz while dating her twin) and ultimately decides to write her a letter, asking for a sign that she's willing to forgive him. The sign never comes, and Todd despairs. He continues to go out with Jessica but it's obvious to one and all that he is still mooning after Liz. He even tries approaching Liz, but she can't handle dealing with him after everything else that's happened.
Of course, Liz never received Todd's letter; Jessica intercepted it and tore it up, and then proceeds to lie to Todd about how Liz is cold and vindictive and wants nothing to do with him. It's obvious that Jessica is cracking up, but she feels so isolated from her family that she's clinging to Todd like he's her last anchor in a storm. The harder she clings, the more he wants away, and it's just awkward and awful, all around. Perhaps it's this storyline, above all else, that makes Frannie's supposed Todd/Jessica endgame even more unbearable in SVC. These two characters have no chemistry, and Jessica is acting like a vindictive bitch. Even her friends have noticed that she's losing her grip on reality and are questioning her motives and actions, yet somehow this was supposed to be the endgame all along? No dice, Frannie.
(5) Elizabeth stands trial for vehicular manslaughter in Sam's death, and this whole plot arc is just painfully, cringingly awful. Whereas the previous investigation and arrest had been at least somewhat near the realm of reality, the trial scenes are straight from fantasyland. I read them and just kept thinking, "this is not how this works - how any of this works!" In Sweet Valley, not only is Ned allowed to serve as his daughter's criminal defense attorney (with assistance from his pre-law undergrad son), but apparently all a trial is is the prosecutor putting Liz on the witness stand day after day and continually questioning her about the night of the accident. This goes on for 3 days, before a surprise witness pops up and confesses all. Apparently there was another driver who crashed into the Jeep head on, causing the accident, and then left the scene. He didn't come forward until the very last minute, because he didn't want pretty honor student Liz to take the blame for his actions. Liz is cleared of the manslaughter charge but is convicted of DWI and loses her license.
I mean, just throw your hands up because it's completely ridiculous. Even soap operas get criminal trials more right than this. It's completely ridiculous, but considering how badly the ghosties had painted Liz into the corner, I guess they considered it their only way out.
Liz is free and her family celebrates. Alice Wakefield had reverted to 1950s TV housewife because she felt so helpless during the investigation and trial, but Liz's acquittal brings her back from the brink. It simultaneously pushes Jessica off the cliff, because she sees her family celebrating Liz's "victory" and reads it has nothing but cold rejection and betrayal.
Never mind that Jessica is bringing most of this on herself by refusing to talk to Liz. Elizabeth wants to make up, but Jessica continues to ice her out, and to keep Todd away from her, even though Jessica knows Todd wants nothing to do with her. Jessica has stopped mourning Sam and has become obsessed with punishing Liz for getting away with killing him. Jessica is a mess.
(6) Margo's storyline is retconned, too; she's back in Cleveland now, having killed the little old lady in the bus station bathroom, instead of the Houston train station as per the last book. SHe's back on the bus again, still heading for LA but doing it the hard way. She finally arrives in LA, only to be confronted by Josh Smith, Georgie's older brother. He accosts her in a diner but other men come to her defense and she escapes. She takes a detour to San Diego before finally arriving in Sweet Valley. She goes to Valley Mall when she arrives, soaking in the atmosphere of her new hometown. She even sees Amy, Lila, and Pamela, and considers whether or not they'd be her friends. (She decides Amy is too pretty and might have to die, LOL.) Margo buys a blond wig and tries it on, and is reading the LA papers when she spots an update on Elizabeth's trial. She learns that Elizabeth has a twin sister, and her plans really start to gel into place. All she needs are some contacts, and she's ready to start taking over Liz's life!
Margo manages to get through this book without killing anyone, but Josh is on her tail and he apparently knows all about her past (Nina and Long Island). How he tracked her down is anyone's guess at this point; I know Josh continues to pursue her though the rest of the miniseries but am not sure if his backstory/investigation to this point comes out. I guess we'll see!
Aside from the ridiculousness of Liz's trial, this was a pretty solid read; I liked it better than The Arrest and was content to not have a Wacky Hijinks subplot going on in an attempt to lighten the mood. If it wasn't for the inconsistencies with the story that make it obvious there's more than one hand stirring this pot, it would be a solid five stars. Unfortunately, it's just a little more sloppy than I remember.
There are really only two storylines outside of the Wakefield family in this book:
(1) Pamela Robertson has transferred to Sweet Valley High and continues to find herself ostracized by one and all, due to the false rumors from Big Mesa that ruined her reputation. She attempts to join the tennis team, but gives up even on that. Bruce is outright cruel to her, and Pamela brushes off friendly overtures from others, including Roger Barrett Patman. She ultimately decides to start volunteering at Project Youth with an afterschool program for young kids. Amy Sutton (of all people, considering the nasty rumors she herself spread in the last book) approaches Pamela and invites her out, along with Lila. Pamela figures she has nothing to lose, so why not? Turns out that she, Amy, and Lila really hit it off and even go shopping together at the mall. Amy then has a heart-to-heart with Bruce. At the end of the book, a Big Mesa boy attempts to accost Pamela in the SVH parking lot, and Bruce rides to her rescue. He apologizes, and they are on their way to repairing their relationship.
Bruce continues to be a complete asshole in this storyline, and Pamela comes off a bit pathetic in her longing for him, especially after their nasty encounter following tennis practice. I kinda wish she'd thank him for his assistance in scaring off the Big Mesa dude, then basically be - thanks, but no thanks, I deserve better than you. But this is Sweet Valley, so that's not going to happen.
(2) Lila continues to bond with her mother, and watches in fascination and hope as her parents begin to reminisce about their early days together. She's convinced they are falling for each other again, and pretty much nothing can deter her, not even when Grace finally tells her why she abandoned Lila all those years ago. According to Grace, she and George had a whirlwind romance and married quickly, but her family disapproved and George was intimidated by Grace's family fortune. He started working 24/7 to earn his own fortune, and the rift between them ultimately grew too wide to bridge. Grace left George and took Lila with her; George threatened to have her declared an unfit mother, and actually succeeded, wielding his newfound power and influence to gain sole custody of Lila. George apparently thought that doing this would make Grace come crawling back to him because her family fortune suddenly vanished, but instead she left the continent altogether. George deliberately kept Grace from Lila until Lila's mental health crisis necessitated her return.
I had definitely forgotten this bombshell of an explanation, likely because I'm pretty sure it was 1000% retconned in The Fowlers of Sweet Valley. I can't believe George was so callous and cruel as to drive his own wife away if she wouldn't toe his line, all because of his own issues with her generational wealth. What an asshole! Lila seems certain that True Love Will Conquer All, but damn. I know what's coming, and I want some serious grovel to make up for this.
The good thing about Lila's plotline is that Grace's ~lover~ Pierre is mercifully absent from this book. I guess this ghostie could've done without his drama, too, LOL!
And now, onto the Wakefields...
(3) Steven and Billie have settled into a best-buddy-roomies sort of vibe, and Steven finds himself leaning heavily on Billie during all the stress and strain of Liz's trial. He ultimately divulges some information to her (especially about his mother's strange behavior) and accuses Billie of spreading gossip when random people come up to him and ask him about his mother's nervous breakdown. Billie leaves their apartment; Steven realizes she didn't tell anyone anything that he'd told her in confidence; and he gathers some nerve to go and apologize to her at the end. She accepts his apology and they stand around grinning like idiots at each other, because apparently romantic love can blossom even under extremely stressful circumstances.
(4) Todd has finally figured out that spending time with Jessica is getting him nowhere near Elizabeth. He goes to Steven for advice (a great scene in which Steven asks him what the hell he's thinking, professing to still love Liz while dating her twin) and ultimately decides to write her a letter, asking for a sign that she's willing to forgive him. The sign never comes, and Todd despairs. He continues to go out with Jessica but it's obvious to one and all that he is still mooning after Liz. He even tries approaching Liz, but she can't handle dealing with him after everything else that's happened.
Of course, Liz never received Todd's letter; Jessica intercepted it and tore it up, and then proceeds to lie to Todd about how Liz is cold and vindictive and wants nothing to do with him. It's obvious that Jessica is cracking up, but she feels so isolated from her family that she's clinging to Todd like he's her last anchor in a storm. The harder she clings, the more he wants away, and it's just awkward and awful, all around. Perhaps it's this storyline, above all else, that makes Frannie's supposed Todd/Jessica endgame even more unbearable in SVC. These two characters have no chemistry, and Jessica is acting like a vindictive bitch. Even her friends have noticed that she's losing her grip on reality and are questioning her motives and actions, yet somehow this was supposed to be the endgame all along? No dice, Frannie.
(5) Elizabeth stands trial for vehicular manslaughter in Sam's death, and this whole plot arc is just painfully, cringingly awful. Whereas the previous investigation and arrest had been at least somewhat near the realm of reality, the trial scenes are straight from fantasyland. I read them and just kept thinking, "this is not how this works - how any of this works!" In Sweet Valley, not only is Ned allowed to serve as his daughter's criminal defense attorney (with assistance from his pre-law undergrad son), but apparently all a trial is is the prosecutor putting Liz on the witness stand day after day and continually questioning her about the night of the accident. This goes on for 3 days, before a surprise witness pops up and confesses all. Apparently there was another driver who crashed into the Jeep head on, causing the accident, and then left the scene. He didn't come forward until the very last minute, because he didn't want pretty honor student Liz to take the blame for his actions. Liz is cleared of the manslaughter charge but is convicted of DWI and loses her license.
I mean, just throw your hands up because it's completely ridiculous. Even soap operas get criminal trials more right than this. It's completely ridiculous, but considering how badly the ghosties had painted Liz into the corner, I guess they considered it their only way out.
Liz is free and her family celebrates. Alice Wakefield had reverted to 1950s TV housewife because she felt so helpless during the investigation and trial, but Liz's acquittal brings her back from the brink. It simultaneously pushes Jessica off the cliff, because she sees her family celebrating Liz's "victory" and reads it has nothing but cold rejection and betrayal.
Never mind that Jessica is bringing most of this on herself by refusing to talk to Liz. Elizabeth wants to make up, but Jessica continues to ice her out, and to keep Todd away from her, even though Jessica knows Todd wants nothing to do with her. Jessica has stopped mourning Sam and has become obsessed with punishing Liz for getting away with killing him. Jessica is a mess.
(6) Margo's storyline is retconned, too; she's back in Cleveland now, having killed the little old lady in the bus station bathroom, instead of the Houston train station as per the last book. SHe's back on the bus again, still heading for LA but doing it the hard way. She finally arrives in LA, only to be confronted by Josh Smith, Georgie's older brother. He accosts her in a diner but other men come to her defense and she escapes. She takes a detour to San Diego before finally arriving in Sweet Valley. She goes to Valley Mall when she arrives, soaking in the atmosphere of her new hometown. She even sees Amy, Lila, and Pamela, and considers whether or not they'd be her friends. (She decides Amy is too pretty and might have to die, LOL.) Margo buys a blond wig and tries it on, and is reading the LA papers when she spots an update on Elizabeth's trial. She learns that Elizabeth has a twin sister, and her plans really start to gel into place. All she needs are some contacts, and she's ready to start taking over Liz's life!
Margo manages to get through this book without killing anyone, but Josh is on her tail and he apparently knows all about her past (Nina and Long Island). How he tracked her down is anyone's guess at this point; I know Josh continues to pursue her though the rest of the miniseries but am not sure if his backstory/investigation to this point comes out. I guess we'll see!
Aside from the ridiculousness of Liz's trial, this was a pretty solid read; I liked it better than The Arrest and was content to not have a Wacky Hijinks subplot going on in an attempt to lighten the mood. If it wasn't for the inconsistencies with the story that make it obvious there's more than one hand stirring this pot, it would be a solid five stars. Unfortunately, it's just a little more sloppy than I remember.
August 14, 2014
The one where I gouged out my eyeballs with a blunt object...
Read
April 23, 2025The Verdict
Ned is trying to piece over with Liz what happened the night of the Jungle Prom. She goes on trial in 2 days. Liz again tries to remember. She remembers being there with Todd, but she was dancing with Sam while Todd got crowned King. He asks if she remembers leaving with Sam, but this is the part where she goes blank. Ned tries to press her and asks about if she remembers drinking or another car driving them off the road. She says flashing lights, glass, blood, and metal and the sound of sirens, but she just can’t remember anything all. All she can remember is dancing with Sam and dropping out of the race for Prom Queen so Jessica could win the trip to Brazil.
Ned (tho frustrated) promises her they’ll win this thing. She sees Jessica in the hallway and wants to run after her. She starts to cry thinking about how Jessica and Todd hate her (and she’s torn her family apart). Todd meets up with Jessica -still thinking of Elizabeth. Later that night, Jessica can’t sleep from continuous nightmares about Sam. So, she gets up and finds her mother in the kitchen (mending). She says she’s fine.. but it’s 2 in the morning. Jessica knows the real deal. Alice is barely holding it together. Jessica thinks about making up with her sister (for her parents).
But then she thinks NOPE! NOT GONNA HAPPEN! Liz would be found guilty and that’s what she deserves. It’s not her fault. Liz is the one who killed Sam. Alice is about to suggest something but Jessica says no before she can get it out. She says she’s not helping Liz and runs out of the room. Margo looks at her purse and all her treasures. She looks at the paper she stole from the old lady and thinks about how perfect Elizabeth is and the only difference between them-their hair color-. There’s an old man that gets on the bus and he asks her where she’s going. So, Margo tells him her mother gave her away when she was young and not married.
She says she left her on Christmas Eve on the steps of a church and she was never seen again. She says she was fortunate to be raised by a kind family (the Browns). Still, she never stopped dreaming of finding her mother. Every Christmas someone made an anonymous donation. Someone at the church looked for the doner and it it was her. She wound up in California and she’d send something to try to help her. The man is touched (cries). When he gets out he says he wishes he could take her to his sisters and puts five dollars in her hand and gives her a sandwich.
Bruce is surprised to see Pamela in the hallway but when she smiles at him he walks past her. Pamela tells herself she’s not there just for Bruce. She needs a do-over, but her reputation has followed her and in class she gets glances and whispers. She vows to stick out tho. Besides, the Wakefield twins are facing much worse. At lunch, Bill, Dee-Dee, Winston and Ken are talking about the trial, and Jessica comes over and sits by Todd. They try to pretend they aren’t talking about the trial but she laughs this off and asks why it would upset by justice being served. This chases them all off.
For a second, Todd tries to defend Liz, but Jessica says he can’t be on her side and Liz’s. And he *is* on her side. Right? Todd just agrees without another word. Billy turns out to be a great roommate! She’s neat, considerate, and good company. Mr. Wakefield calls Steve and asks for his advice and Steve is happy over this -tho he’s just a pre-law student-. He tells his dad his strategy is as air tight as you can get considering. Steven promises he’ll be there this night. Billie has made Chinese food but Steven can’t eat. Billie comforts him and tells him even tho she might not have been in his situation, he’s never alone. They share a tender moment.
Jessica convinces Todd to go to the Beach Disco the night before the trial. Todd tries to tell himself it’s just platonic, but when a slow song comes on and Jessica tells him to kiss her, Todd lets go and gives in. Mrs. Wakefield has turned herself into June Cleaver and is cleaning and cooking everything in sight and neglects to see that her daughter is scared and needs her the night before the trial. The first man who takes the stand is someone who appeared after the accident. He didn’t see anything. Then it’s Liz’s turn. She looks out in the audience and sees Enid and Todd but no Jessica (and lets a tear fall).
Todd gets angry at the attorney “badgering” Liz-who still can’t answer any of the questions-. He starts to feel guilty when he realizes how much pain Liz is in and how he should have been there for her. Still, after the trial he chickens out and can’t face her and tells Enid he’s going back to school. Jessica convinces Todd to take her for a drive and they end up at the beach. Todd tells Jessica he’s confused and she realizes she is *not* the one he wants. So, she tells him that its just him and her, that being together is the right thing, and that Liz took Sam (and herself) from them. Todd again gives in to Jessica’s kisses.
Billie comes to the Dairi Burger and lifts Steve’s spirits. Liz comes in and Billie offers her a chance to hang with them at the movies, Liz turns it down and says she needs to get use to doing things alone. Steven spirits drop again and he decides to tell Billie everything that’s going on with his family.
Pamela comes in, sees Liz sitting alone and decides to go over to her, but Liz gets her food and leaves. Paula sees Bruce with his friends and they sneer at her. She waits until they leave, gives Bruce time to leave so she won’t bump into him, then she leaves. Todd goes to Steven’s place and confesses that he’s still in love with Liz but he’s been dating Jessica and asks if he thinks there’s still a chance for him and Liz. Instead of kicking him out (which is what I wish Steve would have done), he tells him he doesn’t know. Lila, and Amy see Pamela at a soccer game and feel sorry for her. (Jessica doesn’t). Jessica surprises them by bad mouthing her father (who she says doesn’t have a prayer of winning) and her mother (who she says isn’t far from losing her last marble).
Roger tells Bruce he didn’t mean to suggest Pamela was easy. He was just trying to advise him not to rush into anything and to get to know her better first. He says he should at least talk to her and hear her out. Bruce tells him to mind his own business. Then he laughs and says he got what he needed from her. The same thing all the other guys got. So, he’s cool. Roger vows to be a friend to Pamela. He owes her. Todd decides to write Liz a letter and say that if she wears the silver and turquoise bracelet he gave her and touches it he’ll know everything is ok and he can come to her.
We find out that Grace and (George?) had their first date at a clam bar but their first official day was a couple days later at a jazz club. Their song was “It Had To Be You.” Grace makes a comment about the Wakefields sticking together when Lila tells her about what Jessica’s been saying. She says they’re all they have. Jessica finds Todd’s later to Liz and then realizes she doesn’t really want Todd. She wants Sam. At the trial, the prosecutor tries to put holes in Liz story by showing that she remembered exactly what she had on. Making it seem like she’s only remember what she *wants* to remember and blocking the rest out of guilt.
A guy named Bart comes up to Steven and tells him he’s sorry about Liz and he’s sorry about his mom losing her mind and being in the hospital. Steven tells him it’s a lie even though he knows it’s kinda true. Todd turns down Jessica’s suggestions they go out after his practice but tells her maybe tomorrow. Jessica sees that he wants to as her about the letter so she lies and says Liz has turned cold. She got a letter from someone but she ripped it up. She won’t even talk to Enid. With this she destroys the last lingering hope Todd was.
Bruce is planning tennis and can’t keep his mind on his own game for watching her, In the parking lot they bump into each other and he asks her why doesn’t see stick around to see the basketball or football team. Or maybe it’s older men she’s into. When he looks back, he sees her crying. Steven comes into his apartment angry and accuses Billie of telling everyone about his mom. He says she betrayed him but she says it was him that betrayed her. Then she says she’ll be out of there tomorrow. Despite him thinking a minute ago, he wishes she’d go away, he knows this isn’t *really* what he wants and he drops his head unto his arms. Jessica stands there and watch’s Ned’s last ditch attempts to try to get Liz to remember and she’s about to burst with her horrible secret. They see her and invite her to come into the room but she runs off.
Margo arrives in California and buys a ticket to Sweet Valley one way. She stops at a diner and then runs into… Josh (Georgie’s older brother). Josh tells her he’s into her. He knows about the fire. He knows about the little girl that died and he knows she was the one that killed Georgie (and he’s going to call the cops). Margo acts like she doesn’t know who he is. Then she gets loud and causes the attention of the other people in the diner. A man comes over to him and tells him to back off. Then there’s chaos. Josh yells out not to let her fool them. She killed his brother and she’s wanted. In the chaos, she gets out of there, buys a ticket to San Diego, and gets on the bus (grateful that she got away). Margo tells herself her happiness will come in due time but not before.
Lila and Winston are at the trial. They offer their sympathy about his mom’s state and they say Jessica told them about it. Steven realizes it must have been Jessica not Billy. For some reason, Jessica has decided to come. Liz acknowledges she knows she was drunk, but not how she got drunk. She says someone must have spiked her drink. Jessica thinks no you can’t prove it. But she doesn’t know she’s stood up and Alice tells her to sit back down. Jessica thinks what if on some level she knows it was her. The attorney says he has no more questions. A surprise witness is called.
Gilbert Harding is called to the stand. Gilbert was in SV that night visiting his girlfriend. They had a bad argument and they broke up. He was upset and drinking and that night he side swiped the jeep and panicked and took off. Liz is found not guilty but because she was drinking her license is suspended indefinitely. Todd goes straight to Liz. Liz tho isn’t aware of anything but going home with her family. Jessica looks at Todd and thinks she has to make him see what she sees. Justice had *not* been served. Jessica comes to Todd and presses up on him. She tells him lets get out of there and he lets her escort him out of the court room.
Lila and Amy stop by Project Youth. Lila says she’s not uncomfortable with and is considering being one of the volunteers. When they get there Pamela is there. Pamela sees them and ducks into one of the rooms. Lila says she hopes she’s not there for conseling. Amy admits she feels guilty for running her big mouth. Lila says she feels like she hasn’t gotten a fair shot. No one’s even tried to get to know her. Amy asks is it too late to get her and Bruce back together. Lila says it’s never to late. It turns on Pamela is there to work with the younger kids (8-year-olds). Lila and Amy invite her to get a soda. Pamela thinks it’s a trick but still she accepts. The only other one that had attempted to be nice to her was Roger and she didn’t trust him and blew him off.
During dinner, everyone is celebrating Liz. Jessica finally explodes and yells at her family that even though the trial is over SAM IS STILL DEAD! After school, Amy asks Bruce for a ride home. She chatters on about tennis and the cheerleading squad -and the cheerleaders complaing that Jessica needs to step down as co-captain-. She’s considering suggesting Jessica go to Project Youth and she slides in a mention of Pamela. She apologizes to Bruce and says she did her a disfavor. She’s smart and fun. She says take her. A lot of people thinks she’s just an airhead (snorts) but anyone who knows her knows that. Just like with him. If she didn’t know him she’d think he was a spoiled, cocky, arrogant, heartbreaker (and again this is CORRECT). Before she gets out she says one more thing. Pamela is still in love with him.
Margo finally makes it to Sweet Valley and runs into Lila, Amy, and Pamela. She thinks the blond one is too pretty and might have to go. Grace is distracted when Lila is trying to tell her about Pamela and Jessica. She tells her she’s thinking of what she’s going to do next. Lila wonders why she can’t just move back. Grace then tells her the story about her and her father. George was 27. She was 19. They got married after 2 months. They came from different backgrounds. He didn’t come from money. He created his. She came from “old money”. Geroge’s father was a butcher. She said true love can overcome a lot but they had too many stumbling blocks. He worked constantly and when he was home, they fought. She started to turn back to her family and friends. When Lila was a small baby, she threatened to live him. He promised he’d change, but she knew differently. So she took Lila and went back to her parents’ house.
He came after her and gave her an ultimatum. If she didn’t come home with him, he’d take his new found money and power and take Lila away. She lost even visiting rights and custody. Grace says she believed that she was in good hands with him and would be brought up with everything a little girl could want. After this, her family lost all their money and she learned to be more independent. She always vowed she’d return to her. This leaves Lila with mixed feelings. Grace tells her not to blame her father. She was different back then and he did bring them back together. Lila vows to reunite her family because she knows her parents are falling in love again whether they like it or not.
Liz and Todd bump into each other and it’s awkward. He wants to mention the letter but remembers what Jessica said. She kinda rushes off and he stands there feeling like she’ll never give him a sign. Bruce thinks about Amy’s advise and thinks well you never know. And then like he can judge someone. He’s not a saint himself. He’s kind of an ass! Bruce runs into a guy harassing Pamela and then comes to her rescue and apologizes. Jessica is out with Todd but his mind isn’t there. She starts to bad mouth Liz and says she was cold and selfish and she always knew the real her. Todd tries to remind her of the prom (and Sam) but she doesn’t want to think about that. Bille and Steve make up. Liz tries to make up with Jessica, but Jessica just walks away. Liz thinks Jessica isn’t just in mourning. She’s changing into someone she’ll never know again.
Margo sees the article that Liz was acquitted. She tries on a blond wig and thinks all she needs is blue-green contacts. A plan is forming in her brain. She’s Elizabeth Wakefield and she has a twin sister.
My Thoughts
As I’m reading this -and this thought came up before- did no-one even CONSIDER that the punch has been spiked? But then obviously I shouldn’t have a lot of faith in SVH security because there never should have been a fight between SVH and Big Mesa. If this was a SWEET VALLEY HIGH prom, why was it open to Big Mesa students? Now, true enough in the 11th grade, when I had my junior prom-and then come to think of it also my senior prom- the guys I went with one went to another high school. The other had been since out of HS. BUT I had to get tickets for them. If you didn’t have a ticket, you didn’t get in.
Gilbert’s story sounds so familiar. Recently something similar to us. It was late into the morning hours and a loud explosion noise was heard. The next day it was discovered that the mail box was hit pretty hard and our mailbox is STONE. Some neighbors had ring cams. Some others got in the car and followed the other car up the hill-which I thought was pretty BOLD!- It turned out a young guy had gone to a club, watched his friend get shot, was “messed up” (probably drunk), and ran into our mailbox. He “claimed” he was gonna come back the next day and it wasn’t his intention to just run off and leave it that way. MMM HMM! (Really he probably just got caught and was embarrassed). The front of his car was TOTALED and their were pieces in the street. No one got killed tho. It’s lucky he didn’t kill himself and it was just a mail box he ran into.
Believe it or not there was another incident where a car ran into the side of our house. During the Bruce-Pam storyline, I just kept wondering why Pamela still wanted this guy. Was he really any better than her ex? If someone can believe something about you that quick that’s not true and not even want to her you out and judge you based on what someone else says is that the person you REALLY want to be with? Actually all the guys were STUPID! Bruce doesn’t talk to Pamela. Todd doesn’t talk to Liz. Steven doesn’t talk to Billie. I think they all had a sip off that punch that Liz got drunk off! And Jessica is just a special kind of crazy. I was just waiting for her to try to turn Todd into Sam. I really wouldn't have been surprised if in her delusion this is what happens next!
Rating: 5
Ned is trying to piece over with Liz what happened the night of the Jungle Prom. She goes on trial in 2 days. Liz again tries to remember. She remembers being there with Todd, but she was dancing with Sam while Todd got crowned King. He asks if she remembers leaving with Sam, but this is the part where she goes blank. Ned tries to press her and asks about if she remembers drinking or another car driving them off the road. She says flashing lights, glass, blood, and metal and the sound of sirens, but she just can’t remember anything all. All she can remember is dancing with Sam and dropping out of the race for Prom Queen so Jessica could win the trip to Brazil.
Ned (tho frustrated) promises her they’ll win this thing. She sees Jessica in the hallway and wants to run after her. She starts to cry thinking about how Jessica and Todd hate her (and she’s torn her family apart). Todd meets up with Jessica -still thinking of Elizabeth. Later that night, Jessica can’t sleep from continuous nightmares about Sam. So, she gets up and finds her mother in the kitchen (mending). She says she’s fine.. but it’s 2 in the morning. Jessica knows the real deal. Alice is barely holding it together. Jessica thinks about making up with her sister (for her parents).
But then she thinks NOPE! NOT GONNA HAPPEN! Liz would be found guilty and that’s what she deserves. It’s not her fault. Liz is the one who killed Sam. Alice is about to suggest something but Jessica says no before she can get it out. She says she’s not helping Liz and runs out of the room. Margo looks at her purse and all her treasures. She looks at the paper she stole from the old lady and thinks about how perfect Elizabeth is and the only difference between them-their hair color-. There’s an old man that gets on the bus and he asks her where she’s going. So, Margo tells him her mother gave her away when she was young and not married.
She says she left her on Christmas Eve on the steps of a church and she was never seen again. She says she was fortunate to be raised by a kind family (the Browns). Still, she never stopped dreaming of finding her mother. Every Christmas someone made an anonymous donation. Someone at the church looked for the doner and it it was her. She wound up in California and she’d send something to try to help her. The man is touched (cries). When he gets out he says he wishes he could take her to his sisters and puts five dollars in her hand and gives her a sandwich.
Bruce is surprised to see Pamela in the hallway but when she smiles at him he walks past her. Pamela tells herself she’s not there just for Bruce. She needs a do-over, but her reputation has followed her and in class she gets glances and whispers. She vows to stick out tho. Besides, the Wakefield twins are facing much worse. At lunch, Bill, Dee-Dee, Winston and Ken are talking about the trial, and Jessica comes over and sits by Todd. They try to pretend they aren’t talking about the trial but she laughs this off and asks why it would upset by justice being served. This chases them all off.
For a second, Todd tries to defend Liz, but Jessica says he can’t be on her side and Liz’s. And he *is* on her side. Right? Todd just agrees without another word. Billy turns out to be a great roommate! She’s neat, considerate, and good company. Mr. Wakefield calls Steve and asks for his advice and Steve is happy over this -tho he’s just a pre-law student-. He tells his dad his strategy is as air tight as you can get considering. Steven promises he’ll be there this night. Billie has made Chinese food but Steven can’t eat. Billie comforts him and tells him even tho she might not have been in his situation, he’s never alone. They share a tender moment.
Jessica convinces Todd to go to the Beach Disco the night before the trial. Todd tries to tell himself it’s just platonic, but when a slow song comes on and Jessica tells him to kiss her, Todd lets go and gives in. Mrs. Wakefield has turned herself into June Cleaver and is cleaning and cooking everything in sight and neglects to see that her daughter is scared and needs her the night before the trial. The first man who takes the stand is someone who appeared after the accident. He didn’t see anything. Then it’s Liz’s turn. She looks out in the audience and sees Enid and Todd but no Jessica (and lets a tear fall).
Todd gets angry at the attorney “badgering” Liz-who still can’t answer any of the questions-. He starts to feel guilty when he realizes how much pain Liz is in and how he should have been there for her. Still, after the trial he chickens out and can’t face her and tells Enid he’s going back to school. Jessica convinces Todd to take her for a drive and they end up at the beach. Todd tells Jessica he’s confused and she realizes she is *not* the one he wants. So, she tells him that its just him and her, that being together is the right thing, and that Liz took Sam (and herself) from them. Todd again gives in to Jessica’s kisses.
Billie comes to the Dairi Burger and lifts Steve’s spirits. Liz comes in and Billie offers her a chance to hang with them at the movies, Liz turns it down and says she needs to get use to doing things alone. Steven spirits drop again and he decides to tell Billie everything that’s going on with his family.
Pamela comes in, sees Liz sitting alone and decides to go over to her, but Liz gets her food and leaves. Paula sees Bruce with his friends and they sneer at her. She waits until they leave, gives Bruce time to leave so she won’t bump into him, then she leaves. Todd goes to Steven’s place and confesses that he’s still in love with Liz but he’s been dating Jessica and asks if he thinks there’s still a chance for him and Liz. Instead of kicking him out (which is what I wish Steve would have done), he tells him he doesn’t know. Lila, and Amy see Pamela at a soccer game and feel sorry for her. (Jessica doesn’t). Jessica surprises them by bad mouthing her father (who she says doesn’t have a prayer of winning) and her mother (who she says isn’t far from losing her last marble).
Roger tells Bruce he didn’t mean to suggest Pamela was easy. He was just trying to advise him not to rush into anything and to get to know her better first. He says he should at least talk to her and hear her out. Bruce tells him to mind his own business. Then he laughs and says he got what he needed from her. The same thing all the other guys got. So, he’s cool. Roger vows to be a friend to Pamela. He owes her. Todd decides to write Liz a letter and say that if she wears the silver and turquoise bracelet he gave her and touches it he’ll know everything is ok and he can come to her.
We find out that Grace and (George?) had their first date at a clam bar but their first official day was a couple days later at a jazz club. Their song was “It Had To Be You.” Grace makes a comment about the Wakefields sticking together when Lila tells her about what Jessica’s been saying. She says they’re all they have. Jessica finds Todd’s later to Liz and then realizes she doesn’t really want Todd. She wants Sam. At the trial, the prosecutor tries to put holes in Liz story by showing that she remembered exactly what she had on. Making it seem like she’s only remember what she *wants* to remember and blocking the rest out of guilt.
A guy named Bart comes up to Steven and tells him he’s sorry about Liz and he’s sorry about his mom losing her mind and being in the hospital. Steven tells him it’s a lie even though he knows it’s kinda true. Todd turns down Jessica’s suggestions they go out after his practice but tells her maybe tomorrow. Jessica sees that he wants to as her about the letter so she lies and says Liz has turned cold. She got a letter from someone but she ripped it up. She won’t even talk to Enid. With this she destroys the last lingering hope Todd was.
Bruce is planning tennis and can’t keep his mind on his own game for watching her, In the parking lot they bump into each other and he asks her why doesn’t see stick around to see the basketball or football team. Or maybe it’s older men she’s into. When he looks back, he sees her crying. Steven comes into his apartment angry and accuses Billie of telling everyone about his mom. He says she betrayed him but she says it was him that betrayed her. Then she says she’ll be out of there tomorrow. Despite him thinking a minute ago, he wishes she’d go away, he knows this isn’t *really* what he wants and he drops his head unto his arms. Jessica stands there and watch’s Ned’s last ditch attempts to try to get Liz to remember and she’s about to burst with her horrible secret. They see her and invite her to come into the room but she runs off.
Margo arrives in California and buys a ticket to Sweet Valley one way. She stops at a diner and then runs into… Josh (Georgie’s older brother). Josh tells her he’s into her. He knows about the fire. He knows about the little girl that died and he knows she was the one that killed Georgie (and he’s going to call the cops). Margo acts like she doesn’t know who he is. Then she gets loud and causes the attention of the other people in the diner. A man comes over to him and tells him to back off. Then there’s chaos. Josh yells out not to let her fool them. She killed his brother and she’s wanted. In the chaos, she gets out of there, buys a ticket to San Diego, and gets on the bus (grateful that she got away). Margo tells herself her happiness will come in due time but not before.
Lila and Winston are at the trial. They offer their sympathy about his mom’s state and they say Jessica told them about it. Steven realizes it must have been Jessica not Billy. For some reason, Jessica has decided to come. Liz acknowledges she knows she was drunk, but not how she got drunk. She says someone must have spiked her drink. Jessica thinks no you can’t prove it. But she doesn’t know she’s stood up and Alice tells her to sit back down. Jessica thinks what if on some level she knows it was her. The attorney says he has no more questions. A surprise witness is called.
Gilbert Harding is called to the stand. Gilbert was in SV that night visiting his girlfriend. They had a bad argument and they broke up. He was upset and drinking and that night he side swiped the jeep and panicked and took off. Liz is found not guilty but because she was drinking her license is suspended indefinitely. Todd goes straight to Liz. Liz tho isn’t aware of anything but going home with her family. Jessica looks at Todd and thinks she has to make him see what she sees. Justice had *not* been served. Jessica comes to Todd and presses up on him. She tells him lets get out of there and he lets her escort him out of the court room.
Lila and Amy stop by Project Youth. Lila says she’s not uncomfortable with and is considering being one of the volunteers. When they get there Pamela is there. Pamela sees them and ducks into one of the rooms. Lila says she hopes she’s not there for conseling. Amy admits she feels guilty for running her big mouth. Lila says she feels like she hasn’t gotten a fair shot. No one’s even tried to get to know her. Amy asks is it too late to get her and Bruce back together. Lila says it’s never to late. It turns on Pamela is there to work with the younger kids (8-year-olds). Lila and Amy invite her to get a soda. Pamela thinks it’s a trick but still she accepts. The only other one that had attempted to be nice to her was Roger and she didn’t trust him and blew him off.
During dinner, everyone is celebrating Liz. Jessica finally explodes and yells at her family that even though the trial is over SAM IS STILL DEAD! After school, Amy asks Bruce for a ride home. She chatters on about tennis and the cheerleading squad -and the cheerleaders complaing that Jessica needs to step down as co-captain-. She’s considering suggesting Jessica go to Project Youth and she slides in a mention of Pamela. She apologizes to Bruce and says she did her a disfavor. She’s smart and fun. She says take her. A lot of people thinks she’s just an airhead (snorts) but anyone who knows her knows that. Just like with him. If she didn’t know him she’d think he was a spoiled, cocky, arrogant, heartbreaker (and again this is CORRECT). Before she gets out she says one more thing. Pamela is still in love with him.
Margo finally makes it to Sweet Valley and runs into Lila, Amy, and Pamela. She thinks the blond one is too pretty and might have to go. Grace is distracted when Lila is trying to tell her about Pamela and Jessica. She tells her she’s thinking of what she’s going to do next. Lila wonders why she can’t just move back. Grace then tells her the story about her and her father. George was 27. She was 19. They got married after 2 months. They came from different backgrounds. He didn’t come from money. He created his. She came from “old money”. Geroge’s father was a butcher. She said true love can overcome a lot but they had too many stumbling blocks. He worked constantly and when he was home, they fought. She started to turn back to her family and friends. When Lila was a small baby, she threatened to live him. He promised he’d change, but she knew differently. So she took Lila and went back to her parents’ house.
He came after her and gave her an ultimatum. If she didn’t come home with him, he’d take his new found money and power and take Lila away. She lost even visiting rights and custody. Grace says she believed that she was in good hands with him and would be brought up with everything a little girl could want. After this, her family lost all their money and she learned to be more independent. She always vowed she’d return to her. This leaves Lila with mixed feelings. Grace tells her not to blame her father. She was different back then and he did bring them back together. Lila vows to reunite her family because she knows her parents are falling in love again whether they like it or not.
Liz and Todd bump into each other and it’s awkward. He wants to mention the letter but remembers what Jessica said. She kinda rushes off and he stands there feeling like she’ll never give him a sign. Bruce thinks about Amy’s advise and thinks well you never know. And then like he can judge someone. He’s not a saint himself. He’s kind of an ass! Bruce runs into a guy harassing Pamela and then comes to her rescue and apologizes. Jessica is out with Todd but his mind isn’t there. She starts to bad mouth Liz and says she was cold and selfish and she always knew the real her. Todd tries to remind her of the prom (and Sam) but she doesn’t want to think about that. Bille and Steve make up. Liz tries to make up with Jessica, but Jessica just walks away. Liz thinks Jessica isn’t just in mourning. She’s changing into someone she’ll never know again.
Margo sees the article that Liz was acquitted. She tries on a blond wig and thinks all she needs is blue-green contacts. A plan is forming in her brain. She’s Elizabeth Wakefield and she has a twin sister.
My Thoughts
As I’m reading this -and this thought came up before- did no-one even CONSIDER that the punch has been spiked? But then obviously I shouldn’t have a lot of faith in SVH security because there never should have been a fight between SVH and Big Mesa. If this was a SWEET VALLEY HIGH prom, why was it open to Big Mesa students? Now, true enough in the 11th grade, when I had my junior prom-and then come to think of it also my senior prom- the guys I went with one went to another high school. The other had been since out of HS. BUT I had to get tickets for them. If you didn’t have a ticket, you didn’t get in.
Gilbert’s story sounds so familiar. Recently something similar to us. It was late into the morning hours and a loud explosion noise was heard. The next day it was discovered that the mail box was hit pretty hard and our mailbox is STONE. Some neighbors had ring cams. Some others got in the car and followed the other car up the hill-which I thought was pretty BOLD!- It turned out a young guy had gone to a club, watched his friend get shot, was “messed up” (probably drunk), and ran into our mailbox. He “claimed” he was gonna come back the next day and it wasn’t his intention to just run off and leave it that way. MMM HMM! (Really he probably just got caught and was embarrassed). The front of his car was TOTALED and their were pieces in the street. No one got killed tho. It’s lucky he didn’t kill himself and it was just a mail box he ran into.
Believe it or not there was another incident where a car ran into the side of our house. During the Bruce-Pam storyline, I just kept wondering why Pamela still wanted this guy. Was he really any better than her ex? If someone can believe something about you that quick that’s not true and not even want to her you out and judge you based on what someone else says is that the person you REALLY want to be with? Actually all the guys were STUPID! Bruce doesn’t talk to Pamela. Todd doesn’t talk to Liz. Steven doesn’t talk to Billie. I think they all had a sip off that punch that Liz got drunk off! And Jessica is just a special kind of crazy. I was just waiting for her to try to turn Todd into Sam. I really wouldn't have been surprised if in her delusion this is what happens next!
Rating: 5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2012
Sweet Valley residents apparently don't need a formal verdict to come out regarding Elizabeth's guilt over Sam's death. No, in this case what matters is the popular opinion of most, specifically of Liz's family. If her own twin sister and longtime boyfriend both think that Elizabeth's a pariah and is guilty of the crime she's charged with, then what is the use of a trial?
Amidst all of this--even with the arrival of a deux et machina in the form of a surprise witness taking the stand--what's instrumental and remains unaddressed is that of Jessica not owning up to her part in Sam's demise. And yes, I'm aware that even after all of this, it'll still be Elizabeth and Todd as the golden couple once more but then what's new?
Evil Margo is strangely not as evil in this book. I want a grislier tale since that's what we're supposedly going for, isn't it?
More of Purplycookie’s Reviews @: http://www.goodreads.com/purplycookie
Book Details:
Title: The Verdict (Sweet Valley High, #97)
Author: Francine Pascal
Reviewed By: Purplycookie
Amidst all of this--even with the arrival of a deux et machina in the form of a surprise witness taking the stand--what's instrumental and remains unaddressed is that of Jessica not owning up to her part in Sam's demise. And yes, I'm aware that even after all of this, it'll still be Elizabeth and Todd as the golden couple once more but then what's new?
Evil Margo is strangely not as evil in this book. I want a grislier tale since that's what we're supposedly going for, isn't it?
More of Purplycookie’s Reviews @: http://www.goodreads.com/purplycookie
Book Details:
Title: The Verdict (Sweet Valley High, #97)
Author: Francine Pascal
Reviewed By: Purplycookie
December 31, 2023
I will be rating all of these "Margo" books with 5 stars, not because of their literary merit but because they are ABSOLUTELY INSANE and amazing. These books started my love affair for Sweet Valley, and re-reading them while sick has been so much fun.
I mostly remember these books because of Margo (duh) and poor Sam, but I had forgotten about Lila's storyline. I just wanted to give her a hug while reading this!
I mostly remember these books because of Margo (duh) and poor Sam, but I had forgotten about Lila's storyline. I just wanted to give her a hug while reading this!
April 12, 2016
The third book in the six part mini series.
A continuation of the action from the previous book, with Elizabeth about to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter. Margo is a real psycho – I thought they did a really good job of portraying just how unhinged and dangerous she is.
It was nice to see Bruce and Pam sort things out in the end, and Todd continues to be the biggest wet blanket on the planet.
A continuation of the action from the previous book, with Elizabeth about to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter. Margo is a real psycho – I thought they did a really good job of portraying just how unhinged and dangerous she is.
It was nice to see Bruce and Pam sort things out in the end, and Todd continues to be the biggest wet blanket on the planet.
June 8, 2010
and the awfulness continues... i was in desperate need of some major trash to read after 4 Louise Erdrich novels in a row (I gotta have my thinking cap on while reading Ms. Erdrich)... this was the perfect literary vacation... it was almost as if I got a little dumber while reading this.
July 15, 2021
Elizabeth's trial is underway, and she STILL can't remember shit from her night of unbeknownst drinking one spiked cup of punch, and Jessica, while occasionally feeling a tiny bit guilty for her part in the drunk driving incident that killed Sam, is still not ready to fess up, despite the increasing likelihood of her twin's conviction- her original attorney is replaced by Ned Wakefield with help from college freshman Steven, and its pretty clear these 2 Wakefield men have no idea how to defend her. Luckily, in Sweet Valley, things tend to work out for the Wakefield family, so nobody panics. The crazy ass Margo continues to make her way to Sweet Valley, inexplicably determined to Single White Female herself into the twins lives. Not a great installment, but it moves the ridiculous plot of this miniseries along. 2 stars.
February 20, 2019
This was better than the previous one but boy, are some of the characters annoying. Jess and Todd need a slap - not that I condone violence in any way, shape or form you understand - but there you have it. Quite why Ned and Alice didn't make Jess see a counsellor remains a mystery - I first read this a few years ago and I'm still none the wiser about this.
March 30, 2023
Ned wouldn't be allowed to be Liz's attorney. There's conflict of interest for one. He's her father.
This book is shockingly written. In the previous one it said Sam died instantly and yet in this one Liz wonders if he died instantly or did he suffer? Obv the ghost writer didn't write the previous ones.
Liz's self hatred gets tiresome.
This book is shockingly written. In the previous one it said Sam died instantly and yet in this one Liz wonders if he died instantly or did he suffer? Obv the ghost writer didn't write the previous ones.
Liz's self hatred gets tiresome.
April 27, 2016
great
June 21, 2013
I remember the cover just not the story.
Read
September 28, 2017the SVH soccer team has cheerleaders and bruce gets woke to gender-based double standards.
Read
April 6, 2018Jessica
Jessica was such a bitch in this book. She didn’t even try to talk to Elizabeth. And to hide the letter knowing Todd wrote it for Elizabeth. Jessica ain’t shit
Jessica was such a bitch in this book. She didn’t even try to talk to Elizabeth. And to hide the letter knowing Todd wrote it for Elizabeth. Jessica ain’t shit
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews