WELCOME TOBOOKIN' WITH BINGO'S
"ARE YOU LISTENING? DAY"
I AM EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THIS FRIDAY'S
"ARE YOU LISTENING? DAY"
AUDIO BOOK CHOICE IS.....
GIVEAWAY ENDED
AUDIO BOOK CHOICE IS.....
GIVEAWAY ENDED
TEN YEARS LATER
The Audio Book
BY FRANCINE PASCAL
ABOUT THE AUDIO BOOK:
Now with this striking new adult novel from author and creator Francine Pascal, millions of devoted fans can finally return to the idyllic Sweet Valley, home of the phenomenally successful book series and franchise. Iconic and beloved identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield are back and all grown up, dealing with the complicated adult world of love, careers, betrayal, and sisterhood. WANT MORE SWEET VALLEY RIGHT NOW?? Become a fan of Sweet Valley Confidential on Facebook or Twitter.
Click 
for an audio excerpt
for an audio excerptABOUT THE AUTHOR:
FRANCINE PASCAL is the creator of the Sweet Valley High series and one of the world's most popular fiction writers for teenagers and the author of several bestselling novels, My Mother Was Never A Kid (Hanging out with Cici), My First Love and Other Disasters, as well as the series Fearless. Her adult novels include, Save Johanna! and If Wishes Were Horses (La Villa) and the non-fiction, The Strange Case of Patty Hearst. Pascal is on the Advisory Board of The American Theatre Wing. Her favorite sport is a monthly poker game. She lives in New York City and France.
MY THOUGHTS/REVIEW:
So you will find my review of SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL, the audio book, probably much different than the many that are out there already. I saw some and pretty much they are all the same as they come from people who KNOW the series. I can only review this from my point of view. So, I will tell you, unlike many of the reviews I saw, I thought the audio book of SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL was a fun way to pass time while I worked, did puzzles, or drove my car. As a really simple bit of chick-lit, it didn’t disappoint me because I realized early on that this was not the great American novel but rather an entertaining diversion. I especially liked the audio book format and how parts were divided up “regionally” telling about what was going on in New York and Sweet Valley, back and forth.
I was introduced to the twins and Elizabeth, who I came to find out with the many flashbacks, was the scholarly and “good” twin. She has run off to live in New York where she gets a job working for a Broadway Review paper. Her “escape” to New York is predicated by finding out that her beloved twin, Jessica, had cheated on Elizabeth with her beau, Todd Wilkins. Breaking her engagement, and her heart, Elizabeth wants to be as far away from Sweet Valley, and her sister, as she can. Normally, you’d be surprised that she wasn’t spending more emotional time blaming Todd but most of Elizabeth’s concerns were aimed at Jessica.
Meanwhile, Jessica is beside herself as she loves her sister so much but doesn’t know how to fix this. She loves Todd and they are going to be married but hates what this has done to her relationship with her twin. Todd, seemed to me at least, to be a jock who now lives out his grown-up life as a sports writer, of sorts. Of course, from what I gather from Jessica’s past, this isn’t a first for her. In fact, I believe it will be at least her second or third marriage! Also, Jessica is the talk of all of Sweet Valley as people rightfully side with sweet Elizabeth who has been betrayed by her own sister. Jessica, who works for a cosmetics company, is living with Todd and he seems very attentive and caring. His story is one that is supposed to make you feel his anguish at having hurt Elizabeth but knowing he had no choice as his love for Jessica is too strong. That said, don’t think any of these characters is really as deep as I have made them out to be.
It is eight months since Elizabeth has been betrayed and now she is to return to Sweet Valley for her grandmother’s birthday. She isn’t going to let anything ruin that for her Granny but she is going with much trepidation. Meanwhile, Jessica is having to deal with her rich husband who she actually left without telling him she was going as she had enough of the fun, jet-set, rich life style (huh?). As Elizabeth’s story line in New York goes, she is taking a “friend” with her so she doesn’t have to show up alone.
What happens at Grandma’s birthday is somewhat of a mess! Are we surprised? Well, perhaps by all the screaming in a public place but after all, this is Sweet Valley and it is FICTION! Along with all this sweet familial tale, what appears to be popular regulars from the series are in SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL at least enough to find out what has happened to them. I imagine that had I read even half of the 150+ books, I would want to know as well. Readers will find out some shocking, some sad, and some quite predictable updates on Winston Egbert, Carolina Pearce, Enid Rollins, Cara Walker, Steven Wakefield, and more. Lastly, is the not very nicely portrayed Bruce Patman who, however, turns out to be Elizabeth’s best friend as he evidently changed when his parents were killed in an accident. Now he is supportive of Elizabeth, but also secretly in love with her as well. How the story ends and who winds up with whom is about all I won’t tell you and you will have to listen for yourself. However, I think if you have been a fan, you’d get a kick out of the audio book especially, and if you are like me and want a fun way to pass a few hours with some really light chick-lit that at times is quite laughable, then listen up. Who said every book has to be WAR AND PEACE? I say, have a spring fling and just enjoy this one!
ALERT: SPOILERS (but do you care?)
SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL: Ten Years Later by Francine Pascal is the greatly anticipated latest update on the lives and loves of the Sweet Valley High group. In the 1980s, Pascal began writing her Sweet Valley High books and before one could say chick-lit, a well-loved and cherished series was born. With over 150 books, Pascal gave a generation a place they could relate to and dream about--Sweet Valley. California. Their heroines were the lovely and lively twins, Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield. Flocks of young girls for the most part, were raised on the Wakefield gals and couldn’t wait for the next book in the series to come out. It is said that Pascal had ghost writers for many of the books but I am not the expert to know if that is true or not. I am, in fact, such a NON-expert on anything Sweet Valley, because (are you fans seated?) I never read the books! I remember hearing about them but my life was long past that stage when they became popular. So you will find my review of SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL, the audio book, probably much different than the many that are out there already. I saw some and pretty much they are all the same as they come from people who KNOW the series. I can only review this from my point of view. So, I will tell you, unlike many of the reviews I saw, I thought the audio book of SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL was a fun way to pass time while I worked, did puzzles, or drove my car. As a really simple bit of chick-lit, it didn’t disappoint me because I realized early on that this was not the great American novel but rather an entertaining diversion. I especially liked the audio book format and how parts were divided up “regionally” telling about what was going on in New York and Sweet Valley, back and forth.
I was introduced to the twins and Elizabeth, who I came to find out with the many flashbacks, was the scholarly and “good” twin. She has run off to live in New York where she gets a job working for a Broadway Review paper. Her “escape” to New York is predicated by finding out that her beloved twin, Jessica, had cheated on Elizabeth with her beau, Todd Wilkins. Breaking her engagement, and her heart, Elizabeth wants to be as far away from Sweet Valley, and her sister, as she can. Normally, you’d be surprised that she wasn’t spending more emotional time blaming Todd but most of Elizabeth’s concerns were aimed at Jessica.
Meanwhile, Jessica is beside herself as she loves her sister so much but doesn’t know how to fix this. She loves Todd and they are going to be married but hates what this has done to her relationship with her twin. Todd, seemed to me at least, to be a jock who now lives out his grown-up life as a sports writer, of sorts. Of course, from what I gather from Jessica’s past, this isn’t a first for her. In fact, I believe it will be at least her second or third marriage! Also, Jessica is the talk of all of Sweet Valley as people rightfully side with sweet Elizabeth who has been betrayed by her own sister. Jessica, who works for a cosmetics company, is living with Todd and he seems very attentive and caring. His story is one that is supposed to make you feel his anguish at having hurt Elizabeth but knowing he had no choice as his love for Jessica is too strong. That said, don’t think any of these characters is really as deep as I have made them out to be.
It is eight months since Elizabeth has been betrayed and now she is to return to Sweet Valley for her grandmother’s birthday. She isn’t going to let anything ruin that for her Granny but she is going with much trepidation. Meanwhile, Jessica is having to deal with her rich husband who she actually left without telling him she was going as she had enough of the fun, jet-set, rich life style (huh?). As Elizabeth’s story line in New York goes, she is taking a “friend” with her so she doesn’t have to show up alone.
What happens at Grandma’s birthday is somewhat of a mess! Are we surprised? Well, perhaps by all the screaming in a public place but after all, this is Sweet Valley and it is FICTION! Along with all this sweet familial tale, what appears to be popular regulars from the series are in SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL at least enough to find out what has happened to them. I imagine that had I read even half of the 150+ books, I would want to know as well. Readers will find out some shocking, some sad, and some quite predictable updates on Winston Egbert, Carolina Pearce, Enid Rollins, Cara Walker, Steven Wakefield, and more. Lastly, is the not very nicely portrayed Bruce Patman who, however, turns out to be Elizabeth’s best friend as he evidently changed when his parents were killed in an accident. Now he is supportive of Elizabeth, but also secretly in love with her as well. How the story ends and who winds up with whom is about all I won’t tell you and you will have to listen for yourself. However, I think if you have been a fan, you’d get a kick out of the audio book especially, and if you are like me and want a fun way to pass a few hours with some really light chick-lit that at times is quite laughable, then listen up. Who said every book has to be WAR AND PEACE? I say, have a spring fling and just enjoy this one!
GIVEAWAY
THANKS TO STEPHANIE AND THE GOOD FOLKS AT MACMILLAN AUDIO BOOKS, I HAVE THREE
COPIES OF THIS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED
AUDIO BOOK TO GIVE AWAY!
--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES, PLEASE
--INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS IN COMMENT
--ALL ENTRIES/COMMENTS MUST BE
SEPARATE IN ORDER TO COUNT
AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRY
--NO P. O. BOXES, PLEASE
--INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS IN COMMENT
--ALL ENTRIES/COMMENTS MUST BE
SEPARATE IN ORDER TO COUNT
AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRY
HOW TO ENTER:
+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL ABOVE BY READING ABOUT IT, AND LISTENING TO THE AUDIO AND VIDEO, THAT WOULD MAKE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS AUDIO BOOK
+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND LEAVE A LINK I CAN FOLLOW IN THE ENTRY
+1 MORE ENTRY: GO TO SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL TEN YEARS LATER WEBSITE HERE. LOOK AROUND AND COMMENT ON SOMETHING INTERESTING YOU FIND THERE
GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, APRIL 17!
GOOD LUCK!!!
6 PM, EST, APRIL 17!
GOOD LUCK!!!
