To think Mr Collins from the Sweet Valley High books was a tad creepy?

[SamanthaBrique]

I found some SVH books in a free bookshop recently. I devoured them as s tween so thought I'd see how they stack up these days.

Apart from the twins being ridiculous (Jessica is a psychopath and Elizabeth sanctimonious) and the author's hatred of fat people, Mr Collins the English teacher was way too creepy. Why was he always hanging out with 16 year olds? Even at weekends he'd host picnics for them, he'd give up his free time to take them camping. Surely there was something dodgy going on??

The other screwy timeline thing in SVH was the special edition books that were always set around holidays. There were two winter ones (where they went skiing and Liz dreamt Jessica had died and the one where Suzanne comes back to make amends because she has cancer, but then she doesn't) two spring ones (twins go to France, twins stop with aunt in the country) and two summer ones (Malibu, and I can't remember the other)

So they had two years worth of holidays in one school year, seemingly

Talking of the OP and Mr Collins, funny when Suzanne accused him of sexual assault most people believed her. Maybe they all thought he was inappropriate too

Yeah they had a lot of winters in one year!!!

I remember Steven girlfriend dying and then trying to find someone who looks and is like her.. Think he got with someone but dumped her cause she wasn't tricia or whatever her name was

laylabelle

snarkvalley.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/64-the-ghost-of-tricia-martin/

Odd things I remember from SVH.

Winston turning 17 (I think) and moaning about a quarter of his life gone. I routinely calculate my age in "Winston Years" now.

Jessica once wearing a pair of tight jeans and a tucked in plain white T-shirt, and this being described as "effective".

That it taught me what the word "quintessential" means.

What? Whaaat?! I thought I was a SVH fan but you guys have blown my mind! Steven turned out to be gay? Jessica married Todd? Werewolves?! What the huh?

I think I left around the Prom Thriller point. Margo....what are the chances?

"This thread is awesome", exclaimed ShouldHaveBeenJess as she twirled her blonde ponytail between her perfectly manicured fingers, and squinted at the screen with her azure blue eyes. "Just too, too funny! I always knew Mr Collins was a.......Elizabeth! Noooo!"

I bought the 20 (or was it 30?) years later book, as well as the novellas. Felt weird to read about the twins using Facebook etc. And Mr C didn't even make an appearance!

I loved SVH and SWeet Valley Twins.

Did anyone read the Cheerleaders series? They were also written by a variety of people with hit and miss success. But I loved those books. Poor but beautiful Mary Ellen. Bendy Olivia. Poor little rich boy Preston.

I know my mum binned them about 25 yrs ago. I still mourn them.

As a child I was obsessed! But now looking back the misogyny, racism and sizeism was rampant, no wonder I had issues. There are some great sites snarking them though - 1Bruce1 and Dairi Burger. - great for a trip down memory lane!!! And Mr. Collins if you're nasty... such a perve.

Talking about screwy teen book worlds, does anyone remember Easy Connection? An art school teen is raped by a superstar rock god, who falls in love with her then emotionally abuses her to marry him?! In modern terms: WTAF?? That could have damaged my poor teen self, luckily I read it amongst loads of other trashy teen books

Jess you forgot to mention your perfect size 6 figure and your Spanish tiled kitchen!

Deaf girl was Regina Morrow who died in SVH book 40 On The Edge after doing cocaine.

Suzanne Devlin from SVH book 11 Too Good to Be True Im doing this without Googling.

Yes i read a few of the Cheerleaders ones.

And a couple of the Couples ones too................id forgotten those.

SVH Book 26 Hostage was when Regina was somehow imprisoned somewhere and dropped a compact out of the window with a message in it.

SVH Book 41 Outcast was about Molly Hecht who was ostracized because she had something to do with Reginas death.

Did anyone read the Fearless books? I can only remember bits of them but they were okay.

Oh dear I was addicted to SVH when I was a teenager! oh don't forget that supermum Alice Wakefield had her own business, cooked from scratch every night and could have passed for the twins' sister!

Also loved Cheerleaders, and those random love story books (first one was called ps I love you I think?)

I'm slightly envious that my kids will get to read the Harry Potter books as kids, I would have loved those when I was growing up!

It is interesting to see the difference between YA books from 20/30 years ago and now.

Questionable - I just remember that the main character was called Gaia?

I am loving this thread. This was my whole childhood.

I remember seeing the Point Horror books in the shops years ago but i had got too old for YA by then.

Suzanne was the one who tried to seduce Mr Collins and he turned her down, even though it's implied that he had a hard-on after she threw herself at him!

The sweet valley high books are on kindle unlimited for anyone wanting to relive their youth!

Stacey had diabetes in the BSC.

Jessica was mortified Steven was dating Tricia as they stayed in a run down neighbourhood and her Dad was an alcoholic.

Helena I nominate you for Mastermind; specialised subject: SVH!

Also loved Point Horror; once you read a few, you could pretty much guarantee that the 'nicest' teen would be the serial killer, but great fun nonetheless.

Didn't the dad have an affair at some point? Or at least Jessica suspected him of having one?

Jess

I vaguely remember that. And the mum, Alice, was once engaged to Bruce Patman's dad!

Speaking of Bruce, does anyone think John Barrowman was the original model for him? Courtney Cox was apparently the model for Annie Whitman. I can actually remember Courtney from some of the covers of Sweet Dreams books!

samantha at John Barrowman! I loved Bad Boy Brucie, though. Remember when Jessica joined his 'club' and had to do a load of dares? What was the club called?

Helena. Do you still have the books? I miss mine!