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??

No i got rid of them and they were the original covers

OMG that Annie Whitman photo DOES look like Courteney Cox. Speaking of CC True Entertainment have been showing the miniseries of Judith Krantzs Till We Meet Again and a young CC is in it.

I always look out for them in charity shops but never see them. Think I might ask for Sweet Valley Confidential for my birthday - although Jessica and Todd? No. Just no. Noooooooooooo!

Was it Jeffery who was Liz's random middle boyfriend who Jess kissed?

Best thread ever Do you remember the twins who played Jess and Liz on tv? They appeared in The Basketball Diaries with Leonardo DiCaprio being raunchy and druggy. I remember being taken aback!!
Another series - The Boyfriend Club - was filled with stereotypes too. Plus the message that you must have a boyfriend. Loved them!!!

God Jeffery was so boring. I loved it when Todd came back - a millionaire's son, handily.

I still have some of my books. I might have read one or two on kindle unlimited as well blush

Jessica kissed Jeffrey, she kissed Todd, I know Elizabeth kissed Sam and then he got together with Jessica, I can't remember if she was dating Todd or Jeffrey when she cheated with Sam.

I loved the tv series. My mum used to record it for me.

ShouldhavebeenJess The club was Club X. I really shouldn't remember that lol

Random i think the one where Todd came back was the last one of the original SVH series that i read.

It was called In Love Again but i cant remember the number.

midnight. Club X! God, such an original name, Mr Patman! Aahhh, Bruce....

They never had much luck with boyfriends..Either died or turned out to be a murderer or something

And the twins' 'identical gold lavalier necklaces' Sounded so glam!

Imfine I was just about to ask if anyone else had read The Boyfriend Club! Even as a preteen I realised how utterly shite it was and was embarrassed getting them out at the library!

The Sweet Dreams books were always good too!

Yeah and of course it turns out that Bruce has it rigged so Jessica gets all the dares!

Jessica was always getting involved with dodgy guys. The one Chris who she cheated with when she was Sam and who stalked her. The police were called and he was taken to a pyschiatric unit. There was another guy whom her and Lila were competing for, he was dating them both at the same time and she ended up locked in his apartment and Nicholas saves her along with Elizabeth. I'm pretty sure there was a college guy that fancied Elizabeth and asked her out but Jessica being the jealous witch she is, tricks Elizabeth and Jessica goes out with him pretending to be Liz. He tries to get Jessica drunk and invites her upstairs.

Regina's brother Nicholas also had a thing for Liz. She was tempted but stuck with boring old Todd, whose nickname on the basketball team was Whizzer Wilkins. Presumably because he liked to piss loads?

Amazing thread!

I read the "if you lived here you'd be perfect now" book (ie the book version of the blog a pp linked to).

The books were all written by ghostwriters who were given a SVH manual which included key descriptions (Spanish style kitchen - every job Alice got she'd do it light airy and Spanish style 😂), Bruce's jet black hair, the Twins' Pacific blue eyes... Also hence there being no continuity.

Where were the parents/grown ups? Why were they never in class? Why was there a celebration dance/prom every week?! Jessica had a massive personality disorder, which is just as well I guess given how many times she was kidnapped/assaulted/had boyfriends die on her...!

I wasn't allowed to read SVH as my mum thought it was corrupting but I did read and love all the class of books - there was 88, 89 and 90, then 88 went off to uni...

Loved them all but I can't remember a thing except Linda A Clooney was the "writer"

lol I hated Todd! He was such a drip.

I remember Nicholas. He had a thing for Liz, told her he loved her after he met her at a party and she was all" you don't even know me". They went out on a couple dates once Todd moves. Jessica of course fancies him as soon as she heard he's rich. Even before they meet!

I'd love to be Jessica's pyschotherapist!

I saw Helena's link earlier, and deffo agree they do little for positive body image. As a dark haired, olive skinned 'curvy' girl (with no gold lavalier necklace) I often felt lacking. Was definitely a 'Robin'.

Although I kind of liked Lila in a way. Spoiled uber- bitch, but she had her issues.

Enid, who used to be Alex, bloody hell. Self reinvention to the max.

Lila was the best! She DGAF what anyone thought of her.

Huh? Enid used to be Alex?! Enid was the most boring character ever and now you're telling me she was a transexual?!

I liked how Lila was the only character Jessica could be a little intimidated by.

Female Alex! Had alcohol abuse problems?

Moved to SV as Enid

Oh yes.... I do remember some sort of confessional to Elizabeth about her 'past' - she was writing letters to an ex or something (and Jessica possibly interfered). Was this around the time of the Prom Saga? So gotta get them on Kindle...