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Sweet Valley High #115
The Treasure of Death Valley
Elizabeth has struck it rich! On a special desert survival course, she discovers real gold nuggets and a treasure map. She knows she should forget the map and stick to the trail, but how can she resist the lure of adventure and more gold?
Jessica, wanting to be richer than Lila Fowler, leads the group on the treasure hunt. Little does she know that three convicted murderers are right on their heels....
Will the group abandon the temptation of gold? Or will their greed lead them into horrifying danger?
Join Elizabeth and Jessica in Book One of this terrifying two-part treasure-hunt miniseries!
Jessica, wanting to be richer than Lila Fowler, leads the group on the treasure hunt. Little does she know that three convicted murderers are right on their heels....
Will the group abandon the temptation of gold? Or will their greed lead them into horrifying danger?
Join Elizabeth and Jessica in Book One of this terrifying two-part treasure-hunt miniseries!
199 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
19 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,113 books1,846 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 - 14 of 14 reviews
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September 1, 2019In short: frustrating.
(I'm not going to rate this cause I'm an adult and this book is for not-adults, but I am gonna ramble on about it for a hot minute, apparently.)
Okay, I didn't come into this expecting some mind-blowing piece of literature. I picked this up because the last two months have been an abysmal reading period for me and I needed something quick n' easy to meet the monthly challenge theme I'm following. I vaguely remembered reading Sweet Valley books as a kid and enjoying them enough to once attempt to write my own novel where the twins went to France maybe? Anyway, idk why this one popped into my head so vividly earlier this week but it did and it fit the theme and it was on Amazon, so away I went.
The writing is okay - better than I expected honestly - but it did get repetitive sometimes; there's a lot of focus on the always-changing ways the characters perceive each other because teenagers and whenever someone did something that would very obviously sway the way someone else felt about them currently, the author felt it necessary to have that person be like OH!! they were MEAN to each other, guess they DON'T wanna kiss n' I can stop being a jerk now. Yeah, duh. It's not subtle, by any means. It also eased from one character's POV to another pretty smoothly and I was never confused as to who was thinking what.
The book never addresses the fact that at least half of these dumb dumbs would absolutely not have written the essay required to be considered for this hella dangerous desert hike.
The plot isn't particularly realistic, but that didn't bother me cause that's kind of the whole point of this series, to be dramatic and unrealistic.
Everyone is an idiot and mean to Elizabeth. Everyone is a brat, including Elizabeth. About two-thirds in, I suddenly remembered that Jessica used to be piss me off constantly as a kid because she's such an asshole. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is the saddest little baby who starts off standing her ground but after the dumb dumbs around her constantly blame her for other people's idiot decisions, she starts to believe that it really is her fault because she was foolish to trust other people. ELIZABETH. PLEASE. NO.
Oh, a nice surprise from a book this damn old was that Jessica, despite her hatred for Heather, was weirdly kinda feminist about it? Like, her hatred stems from the very valid issues of Heather aggressively hitting on her boyfriend and playing dumb to appeal to him. So, yeah, that was a thing.
I'm running out of steam and I need to go paw through my TBR in foolish optimism for a stronger September, so yeah. This was a mess but also I'm an adult who has no business reading this and def should've done better things with her time than write a nearly 500 word review about it. 🙃
(I'm not going to rate this cause I'm an adult and this book is for not-adults, but I am gonna ramble on about it for a hot minute, apparently.)
Okay, I didn't come into this expecting some mind-blowing piece of literature. I picked this up because the last two months have been an abysmal reading period for me and I needed something quick n' easy to meet the monthly challenge theme I'm following. I vaguely remembered reading Sweet Valley books as a kid and enjoying them enough to once attempt to write my own novel where the twins went to France maybe? Anyway, idk why this one popped into my head so vividly earlier this week but it did and it fit the theme and it was on Amazon, so away I went.
The writing is okay - better than I expected honestly - but it did get repetitive sometimes; there's a lot of focus on the always-changing ways the characters perceive each other because teenagers and whenever someone did something that would very obviously sway the way someone else felt about them currently, the author felt it necessary to have that person be like OH!! they were MEAN to each other, guess they DON'T wanna kiss n' I can stop being a jerk now. Yeah, duh. It's not subtle, by any means. It also eased from one character's POV to another pretty smoothly and I was never confused as to who was thinking what.
The book never addresses the fact that at least half of these dumb dumbs would absolutely not have written the essay required to be considered for this hella dangerous desert hike.
The plot isn't particularly realistic, but that didn't bother me cause that's kind of the whole point of this series, to be dramatic and unrealistic.
Everyone is an idiot and mean to Elizabeth. Everyone is a brat, including Elizabeth. About two-thirds in, I suddenly remembered that Jessica used to be piss me off constantly as a kid because she's such an asshole. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is the saddest little baby who starts off standing her ground but after the dumb dumbs around her constantly blame her for other people's idiot decisions, she starts to believe that it really is her fault because she was foolish to trust other people. ELIZABETH. PLEASE. NO.
Oh, a nice surprise from a book this damn old was that Jessica, despite her hatred for Heather, was weirdly kinda feminist about it? Like, her hatred stems from the very valid issues of Heather aggressively hitting on her boyfriend and playing dumb to appeal to him. So, yeah, that was a thing.
I'm running out of steam and I need to go paw through my TBR in foolish optimism for a stronger September, so yeah. This was a mess but also I'm an adult who has no business reading this and def should've done better things with her time than write a nearly 500 word review about it. 🙃
September 9, 2018
“Greed”
Richer than Lila?
The gold is theirs to unearth
It comes at a price
Quotes:
Jess: Remember, you’re talking to Jessica Wakefield. I’m the Queen of Reason.
“If there was one thing Jessica couldn’t stand, it was girls who played weak and dumb because they thought it was attractive to guys.”
Pot, meet kettle.
“Could it be possible that Jess loves money more than life itself?”
Yes, Liz. Yes it can.
Ken: What is it with those Wakefield women that makes them think they’re better than everybody?
Ken, I’ve been wondering that myself for so long.
Richer than Lila?
The gold is theirs to unearth
It comes at a price
Quotes:
Jess: Remember, you’re talking to Jessica Wakefield. I’m the Queen of Reason.
“If there was one thing Jessica couldn’t stand, it was girls who played weak and dumb because they thought it was attractive to guys.”
Pot, meet kettle.
“Could it be possible that Jess loves money more than life itself?”
Yes, Liz. Yes it can.
Ken: What is it with those Wakefield women that makes them think they’re better than everybody?
Ken, I’ve been wondering that myself for so long.
January 25, 2023
This is the first plot line that held my interest in these books for quite a stretch. The twins, trusty biyfriends Todd and Ken, Jessica's nemesis- Heather Mallone, and Bruce Patman have been left in the dessert for a 4 day survivalist hiking/camping trip. Dropping a bunch of kids, unsupervised, into the wilderness with backpacks, a map and a compass seems insane, but Sweet Valley High School arranged this shit. So the book was set up for ridiculous nature conflicts AND character drama. And they find a ton of old gold in a mine shaft--because why not? Stupid campy fun. 3 stars.
February 26, 2019
I first read this a few years ago and it's definitely not as good as I remember. Liz, Jess, Bruce, Ken, Todd and Heather are all supposed to be on a hike in Death Valley working as a team but that part didn't really last very long! They're all annoying, greedy and self-serving in this one. Heather's after Ken, both Liz AND Jess nearly kiss Bruce, Liz insults everyone, because they're being greedy they miss their pick up and as if that's not enough, there's some escaped convicts on the loose!.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2018
Elizabeth, Jessica and four other friends go on a survival hike through Death Valley. Only Elizabeth seems to take things seriously until they find some buried treasure. Then the treasure seems to be all they think about. But then a decision by Jessica puts them all in danger. Will the group be able to not only survive the elements but also each other?
January 23, 2023
Just finished Nightmare in Death Valley. It’s my birthday weekend, and I am reading kids books.
This books shows the dangers of greed, and superstition, as well as a dangerous gold dig and survival hike that has me wondering why the adults don’t rescues these kids, and call it off. Dangerous criminals are on the loose in this survival thriller from the series.
This books shows the dangers of greed, and superstition, as well as a dangerous gold dig and survival hike that has me wondering why the adults don’t rescues these kids, and call it off. Dangerous criminals are on the loose in this survival thriller from the series.
November 16, 2021
The twins and their boyfriends- as well as Bruce Patman and Heather Malone for some reason - go on a camping trip in Death Valley - soon they manage to not only get lost, with provisions soon running low but also to fall afoul of a criminal gang searching for gold...
November 13, 2020
Not fair
Goid book but we read three then have to buy the conclusion I’m not getting anymore it’s not right at all
Goid book but we read three then have to buy the conclusion I’m not getting anymore it’s not right at all
June 25, 2025
I liked this story, fun and different
April 3, 2012
Liz and Jessica hear a legend regarding great treasures in Death Valley. Todd goes with them to investigate the treasure. Predictably Jessica wants to be richer than her frenemy Lila so she forges on, shrugging off common sense.
I don't remember anymore how this story turned out but I remember that the twins and their friends became greedy--enough to pay no heed to the trouble that three convicted criminals bring to them.
More of Purplycookie’s Reviews @: http://www.goodreads.com/purplycookie
Book Details:
Title The Treasure of Death Valley (Sweet Valley High, #115)
Author Francine Pascal
Reviewed By Purplycookie
I don't remember anymore how this story turned out but I remember that the twins and their friends became greedy--enough to pay no heed to the trouble that three convicted criminals bring to them.
More of Purplycookie’s Reviews @: http://www.goodreads.com/purplycookie
Book Details:
Title The Treasure of Death Valley (Sweet Valley High, #115)
Author Francine Pascal
Reviewed By Purplycookie
May 22, 2007
I seem to remember there is a cliff hanger at the end of this, and I spent years trying to find the follow-up. Anyone know what happens?
June 21, 2013
I remember the cover but just not the story.
November 21, 2016
The least craptacular Sweet Valley book of them all.
May 2, 2017
This is still one of my favorite story arcs in the Sweet Valley world.
However, there is no way Heather, Jessica or Bruce would voluntarily write a winning essay to go on a camping trip. In the second book they changed it to say that the 6 were picked due to them being leaders at the school, and that makes so much more sense.
5 stars for pure nostalgia, naturally.
However, there is no way Heather, Jessica or Bruce would voluntarily write a winning essay to go on a camping trip. In the second book they changed it to say that the 6 were picked due to them being leaders at the school, and that makes so much more sense.
5 stars for pure nostalgia, naturally.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews