If you are a girl who grew up in the 80s, then you probably at one point read a Sweet Valley Twins orSweet Valley High series. Not only did I love anddevour both series, but I credit them with initiating my love of reading. Yes, they may seem cheesy and simplistic now, but back then, they brought to life everything a young girl could want: a twin sister (come on, who didn’t want a built-in best friend?), hot guys, snobby high school villains with enough moments of morality to keep you simultaneously loving and hating them, and let’s not forget that they were gorgeous, smart, and popular!
I remember that I was in the fourth grade when my best friend first introduced me to the Wakefield sisters. And alas, my life has never been the same. I went on to read and read and read. And the more I read, the more my tastes in my reading material grew. And the more they grew, the more I learned about myself and the world. Without them, I may never have majored in English. Without them, would I still be a book lover?
Sometimes young adult and children’s books aren’t given enough credit. They don’t always need to be literary canons to qualify as quality reading. Once you hook a previous non-reader, no matter what the book, you’ve got them for life. And thanks to Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield and their gaggle of friends and frenemies, I am a book lover for life.
Sometimes young adult and children’s books aren’t given enough credit. They don’t always need to be literary canons to qualify as quality reading. Once you hook a previous non-reader, no matter what the book, you’ve got them for life. And thanks to Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield and their gaggle of friends and frenemies, I am a book lover for life.
So, you can only imagine my shock to hear that the Sweet Valley girls are making a return! Only now, they are no longer girls, but young women of 27 years old. Francis Pascal has written an adult novel, starring Southern California’s favorite twins. According to reviews, gone is the innocence of youth, which has caused quite a bit of debate among die-hard fans, who grew up loving the sisters and the life lessens taught within each book. This book is a sexier, grittier Sweet Valley, but with some of the old familiar faces. Lily Fowler, Enid Rollins, Todd Wilkins, and Bruce Patman make a return. The premise of the book, called Sweet Valley Confidential, is that Jessica is about to marry Elizabeth’s ex, Todd.
The book was released March 29th and has already been pushed onto the New York Times Bestseller list due to the all-grown-up unwavering fans. I, for one, will not miss out on an opportunity to catch back up with the Wakefield girls – cheesy or not – because I owe them. They created the Word Nerd. J
For more information on the book and fans and critics reactions, follow the link.
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