Jealous Lies

Sweet Valley High #30

by Francine Pascal (Creator)

Backstabber...

It's pledge season for Pi Beta Alpha, and everyone in the exclusive Sweet Valley High sorority expects Sandra Bacon to nominate her best friend, Jean West. But Sandra's tired of always hearing about Jean's perfect figure, terrific grades, and fantastic cheerleading. The sorority is the only thing Sandra has that Jean doesn't, and even though Jean is her best friend, Sandra wants to keep Pi Beta Alpha for herself.

When Sandra unwillingly becomes Jean's pledge sponsor, she's determined to do everything she can to insure Jean doesn't make it through the pledge period. But how far can Sandra go and still remain friends with Jean?

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Romance, Teen, Contemporary

135 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

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

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teenaged girls are the worst. We meet best friends Jean and Sandra here. With friends like these who needs enemies? Jean desperately wants to join the sorority Sandra is in. Again I ask were sororities a thing in high school? Not in Canada but the States has always been different so who knows. Maybe they didn't realize there would be a spin off university series one day. Anyway Sandra doesn't want Jean to join and sets out to sabotage her. There's boy trouble, poor Tom getting caught in this stupid battle that will mean nothing in the long run. Jean realizes Sandra is a horrible person and friend and they fight only for them to make up in the end, of course they do.
The b plot involves Stephen wanting to quit school to work on a cruise ship. This sort of confused me as they mention a friend who owns the cruise ship. I've never heard of individuals owning a cruise ship just big companies so this sounds more like a yacht, but whatever. Everyone pretends they're glad he's going, Stephen gets upset and decides to stay.
The book ends with the arrival of Jeffrey French. I hated him as a kid and hoped Todd would return. Now that I realize how awful Todd is I wonder how I'll feel about Jeffrey. Also considering Enid and Lila apparently are making moves on the poor guy it'll be interesting to see how they end up together.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

High school girls are insecure, image obsessed and terrible to each other, especially when you add in sorority shenanigans. I'm fairly certain that even in the 1980s, there weren't any such things as high school sororities, so this book is simply bizarre in its plot from the getgo. Additionally? The Pi Betas don't actually seem to DO anything other than simply exist to decide who gets to join, so the appeal of the group is lacking. Sandra and Jean are perhaps two of the blandest characters ever. Book moved up by a star only because we see how stupid Steven Wakefield actually is- a cruise ship gig? Seriously? 2 stars for stupid fluff escapsism.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't remember reading this one as a kid but I do know that me and Sandra would have squared up by the flag pole and not be friends anymore.

[anolinde · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like 2.5.

I mean, aside from the fact that I'm not really sure why we're supposed to care about Sandra Bacon or Jean West, this was okay. I don't really buy that Jessica and Lila would let Sandra back into Pi Beta Alpha after the stunt she pulled, though, especially since she's clearly not one of the more glamorous members and likely has little social clout within the group. But whatever.

lol Steven

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let’s start at the beginning with Pi Beta Alpha. I have a couple thoughts. 1. Why does SVH have a sorority? 2. Is Pi Beta Alpha the only sorority at SVH? 3. How is Enid a member of the sorority, even if Liz nominated her which doesn’t make sense because Liz should know Enid wouldn’t enjoy it, who second Enid’s nomination? 4. Why are Lila, Jess and Cara basically running this sorority when they are only Juniors? Are there no seniors in Pi Beta Alpha? 5. How did Jean not get in it the first time. Sure, she was busy with a music project but was she so busy she couldn’t go to 1 party and do dumb stuff at school? Now that I’ve got that off my chest, it’s time for the plot. It’s pledge season at Pi Beta Alpha and Sandra Bacon knows everyone expects her to nominate her best friend Jean West. But, Sandra is feeling jealous of Jean because Jean is better at everything. The only thing Sandy has is Pi Beta Alpha. Instead of just talking to Jean and telling her how she’s feeling, Sandy decides to make it impossible for Jean to complete her pledge tasks. So, she tells Jean she has to invite Tom McKay to the party at Cara’s apartment. (Side note why is the party at Cara’s appartement and not Lila’s mansion???) Tom McKay hates Jean because she didn’t say hi to him in the halls? I don’t know, it’s confusing. Tom is also everything Jean thought she didn’t want in a guy, he loves the outdoors and tennis. Despite Sandy’s meddling, Jean and Tom fall in love and Jean eventually realizes she would rather have Tom then be in Pi Beta Alpha even though she thinks without PBA, her friendship with Sandy will fall apart. Eventually Sandy and Jean have a talk, Jean is accepted into PBA and Lila/Jess the ‘leaders’ of PBA decide not to kick Sandy out even though she was meddling. The b-plot involves Steven Wakefield deciding he wants to live out his Below Deck fantasies on his friend’s dad’s cruise ship, so Liz, Jess, Cara and the Wakefield parents decide to make it seem like they won’t miss him so he will stay in college. It works and they all live happily ever after. Finally, I need to mention the Friday the 13 dance at the high school. Because Jean and Dana Larson are born on Friday the 13’th, they have to start the dance by announcing into a microphone which boy they want to dance with and then slow dance with that boy while the whole school watches. And this is common knowledge to everyone except for Tom McKay? The whole thing sounds stupid and incredibly awkward and I don’t know what Penny Ayala (head of the dance committee) was thinking.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most interesting part of this book was a look at Sweet Valley's "exclusive" sorority Pi Beta Alpha and its pledge period. I have so many questions about this sorority. Is this a school sponsored program? Are there any rival sororities? Why isn't there an "exclusive" fraternity? How is Jessica the president when she is just a junior? What are the requirements for getting in? Elizabeth and Enid are both members? I don't remember them saying they had to do any of the crazy hijinks that Jean West did. Anyway, the tendency for women to compare themselves to each other is real and on full force here. Ultimately, I with Jean and Sandra would have given the sorority the boot by the end. Pretty standard SVH fare.

--
**Review Note - I have been re-reading the Sweet Valley High series one book at a time for my podcast, “Lessons From Sweet Valley.” The following is the unique SVH rating system that I use on goodreads for these books alone…

5 Stars - The book is worthy of being read outside of the series purely as an exemplary example of YA fiction.
4 Stars - The book contains an element, storyline or theme that sets it apart from your average SVH tome.
3 Stars - The book adequately meets the expectations of an SVH book as it exists in the Sweet Valley universe.
2 Stars - The book falls below the SVH standards in terms of subject matter, characters or overall story.
1 Star - Offensive by SVH standards! Any of those re-reading the series should skip entirely

[Starry · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a doozy... we have someone other than Jessica going to extreme sabotaging lengths to make sure someone does not join this super swank sorority which I think exists so the girls can sharpen their claws ahead of college sorority. Sandy Bacon is determined that her own best friend (who she views as being superior to her in all things) stay out of the sorority because then she won't have the upper hand in their relationship, and she needs hand. Jean is the girl who wants to join the sorority and has to run around town messing with a boy to be allowed in... he messes back because Sandy makes sure that he knows all about the sorority pledge tasks and these two dolts while messing with each other actually fall in love. We are still not supposed to know for sure if Jean will choose the sorority or the boy, and we have to wait and see if Sandy can ever redeem herself or should she just leave the Valley and burn in hell forever?

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

BORING. Barely two stars. Sandra is just awful and so manipulative. This goes beyond jealousy. However that wasn't the big turn-off. Both characters fell flat for me. Their personalities weren't just shallow, they had no dimension, no backbone to who they were. I got a glimpse of them in the last book and they were better there than in here. Honestly a bit of a waste of a book. If it wasn't for scenes with other characters I like, this would be a one star. Blah!

[K.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sandra has become jealous of her best friend, the 'perfect' Jean, and she is going out of her way to block her from pledging Pi Beta Alpha - the one thing Sandra has that Jean doesn't. Can Liz Wakefield help the friends sort things out before their friendship is ruined forever? Of course! She's St Liz!!!

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

The subplot was funny, and Jean and Sandra were great mean girls (versions of old Jessica Wakefield if you ask me). However, I’m disappointed that this mean girls story is more of a romance story for me.

[Heidi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one kinda sucked. Steve is such an immature jerk, and who cares about a fight between two minor characters?

[Reading with Cats · Rating 3 out of 5]

In which it is proven that teen girls in Sweet Valley are viscous little beasts.

[Lizzie the Book Hoarder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandra tries to keep her best friend out of the sorority for fear it will ruin their friendship but could her actions ruin it instead? Steve wants to quit school.

[Kodie · Rating 1 out of 5]

In which one chick is jealous of her friend and instead of talking it over she just decides to make her life hell.

[ThymeOperator · Rating 3 out of 5]

OMG WHO would act this way!! It's like Carrie crossed with Mean Girls crossed with total insanity. And that sorority jacket on the cover...!

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sandra is boring, but this book gave me an unintentional chuckle: "Jessica had turned Tom McKay off the female sex forever." Well, I guess that's how it happened!

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still find it so funny that Sweet Valley (high school) has a sorority. I guess all is fair in love and pledging! This is so 1980’s California core.

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jealous Lies
Sandra Beacon and Jeanie West are the best of friends, yet Sandra can’t help but to be a little jealous. Jeanie’s popularity has good looks, and she seems to excel at everything she touches.

There’s only one thing that Sandra has that Jeannie doesn’t. She’s a member of SVH’s exclusive sorority Phi Beta Alpha. And it’s pledge season.

Everyone expects her to nominate Jeannie. Sandra doesn’t really want Jeannie in because it’s “her thing”. She does nominate Jeannie because everyone expects her to, but she gives her (what she thinks) is an impossible pledge task.

All the pledges have to invite a date the other Sorority sisters pick. Sandra learns that Tom McKay and Jeannie kind of have a run-in, so she picks Tom thinking there’s no way he’ll accept (even tho Jeannie’s gorgeous).

Lila gives her a tip and she, Jeannie, and Sandra go watch Tom play. Jeannie chats him up, flirts with him a little bit, and they start hanging out. She asks him to the pledge party and he says yes.

Tom has had a crush on Jeannie for a while, but he doesn’t think they have much in common. And actually, sees her as kind of shallow.

Since her trick didn’t work, Sandra goes to Tom’s job and “hints” that the only reason Jeannie asked Tom out was because it was a pledge task. Tom of course gets pissed and decides to teach Jeannie a lesson.

So on the night of the party, he lies and tells her he’s coming then calls and says he has food poisoning. Jeannie believes this until Sandra gets her to call the hospital.

Jeannie tells her future sorras that she’s going to invite Tom to the Friday the Thirteenth dance and when asked (because it’s her birthday) to do the honor of the first dance, she’ll pick another guy. They accept this as a suitable pledge task.

So she goes to Tom’s house and starts spreading it on thick, offering to “take care of him” since he’s supposed to be sick. Tom falls for it and starts to fall for her even more.

He takes her on a special date to a fairground and after they kiss she falls in love back with him and knows there’s no way she can do her pledge task.

Tom reveals to her that he stood her up on purpose because Sandra told him about the task. Jeannie confronts Sandra and she tells her she just did it because the other girls were pressuring her not to be to easy on Jeannie.

At the dance Jeannie does call Tom’s name. But the Phi Beta’s give her a break because Sandra confesses, she messed up the first task. Sandra and Jeannie both get to be Phi Beta’s and Tom and Jeannie are now in love.

The other plot is about Steve wanting to drop out of college and work on his friend’s father’s ship. Everyone decides to do reverse psychology on him and act like they want him to go. He then decides he wants to stay.

My Thoughts:
Hmm! I thought Tom McKay was gay. I thought that’s where they were going when they said that Jessica had turned him off women and that he didn’t date.

I remember in the middle school series he use to read his mother’s fashion magazines. At least it stayed consistent with the tennis.

Wonder what ever happened to his surly brother Dylan? Knowing that later he turns gay, I wonder was Jeannie not Jessica the one that pushes him in that direction.

Knowing this I just can’t take him and Jeannie seriously as being *in love*. He probably saw her brothers on a visit and thought Mmm... She probably snapped her fingers in front of his face like “Tom! HELLO!”.

I was also thinking NEVER underestimate “good girls”. Jeannie to be “sweet” thought up that scheme quick to play Tom. I kinda knew she wouldn’t have the heart to go through with it, but I liked that she had a “dark side”. It actually would have been interesting if she “had” gone through with it in a twist and made him look crazy. Then that *really* would have been a reason to push him to be gay in the next odd-something years.

Just like I knew Steve wouldn’t leave, but what if he had? And I saw this “method” first on the Cosby show. Wait a minute. It’s interesting that Amy’s pledge date (Aaron Dallas) is the one Steve ends up with later.

And speaking of these assignments. I thought (from watching television) the point of the asking a date thing was for the sisters to pick unattractive dates for them as assignments only to have them get there and realize it’s all a “prank”. Not to pick dates they actually *like*.

I may have a little bit more respect for Phi Beta because had it been the other way it would have just been a high school version of The Unicorns. Remember them?

The other tasks seem silly. Some of them have to sneak in the guy's locker room and still towels? (Just go after school). Amy has to walk backward all day.

But this is one of the books I remember owning (and probably still have), but the details were hazy.

Rating: 7
I liked “Dark” Jeannie even though she didn’t last a hot minute.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the most toxic friendships in the SVH series and it didn't age well. My recommendation would be to skip thia title. Sandra doesn't want her friend Jean to be in her sorority and she does some pretty mean things to try and keep her out.

Also, the Wakefield family has a little "crisis" as Steve announces his plan to quit college and work on a cruise line. It will take some scheming from his twin sisters for him to have his doubts.

Tied with book 4 for being a 1 star read.


Goodreads review published 03/08/24

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Source: I read this book online via Open Library.
Cost: Free

Title: Jealous Lies
Series: Sweet Valley High #30
Author: Francine Pascal // Kate William
Overall Rating: 3 stars

Okay, so, correct me if I'm wrong but this is the first time we meet Sandra and Jean, right? So why are they getting a full, 150 odd page book dedicated to them? I don't care about them. The high school sorority thing is probably my least favourite storyline/fact about this book. It's just seemingly pointless, and Sandra makes such a big hoo-haa about it, it makes me care even less. Honestly, she seems like a pretty awful friend in my opinion. I do love that we got to know Steve a bit better in these books, and the whole reverse psychology thing with him dropping out of school made me laugh so much!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my least favorite of the Sweet Valley High series. Booorrring. We dont really *know* these characters or care if they are in the sorority or not.

The best part of the book was was Steve wants to drop out of school and go on a cruise ship. Everyone convinces him not to go by convincing him they want to him to go. Thats some mean reverse psychology.

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these books. They have such awesome stories and I remember all of them. I really like that the problems of youth are played out in this series. It was just a lot of fun to read and grow up with.

[Keli Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE THE JACKET AND THE BOOK!

[Cws]

JAR4-Pas

[Tanya Rivera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun reading for the early teen years. Loved them from the age of 12 - 15

[Nykki]

Read all the books in the 30s...can ya see where I am going with this??

[Sheila Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember the cover just not the story.

[Forever Young Adult]

Graded By: Erin

Read the drinking game and review here.

[Ashley Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turrible.

[Hillary]

Backstabbing! Reverse psychology! Cruise ships! And, because this is Sweet Valley, true love...or whatever it's called when you've been dating the guy you're into for exactly 10 days.