Sweet Valley Confidential Review and Giveaway!

A couple years ago I told you about a pipe dream of mine…I wanted to be a writer.  But not just any kind of writer.  I wanted to have a published novel.  What I didn’t tell you is when I began to dream about writing and what played a big part in it.

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I’ve always been a HUGE reader.  One series I read every book in was Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley High .  They were the first books I could remember myself becoming the characters as I read it.  I could hear Elizabeth and Jessica voices as if I were watching a play.  I knew them inside and out.  I so badly wanted to have that special spot to read and write under our large pine tree in our yard, just like Elizabeth had…only I was too afraid of bugs to climb under the branch of my pine tree…so while, at the time, I thought I wanted to BE Elizabeth in the book, I really wanted to be just like Francine Pascal.  I wanted to, one day, write a series just like Sweet Valley Twins or Sweet Valley High.

So when I was approached about reviewing (a giving a copy away!) Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later by Francine Pascal, I jumped at the opportunity.  You see, Sweet Valley Confidential takes place 10 years later.  It shows you where the characters are now.  I like that stuff!  I was convinced I would love the book….which I will say I liked it…I won’t say I loved it.  The simple reason why I can’t say I loved the book…I believe the word “like” was WAY over used.  Jessica and Elizabeth are supposed to be 27 years old in this book…I would think that by the time they turned 27, they would stop talking like a “valley girl”.  If Francine Pascal had chosen to use “like” when Jessica or Elizabeth were actually speaking, that would be one thing.  However, there were times when the two of them were thinking and it was written in “valley girl” speak.  That.was.annoying.

Ten years after graduating from Sweet Valley High, the Wakefield twins have had a falling out of epic proportions. When Jessica commits what can only considered a complete and utter betrayal, Elizabeth flees to New York to escape the pain and immerse herself in her lifelong dream of becoming a serious reporter. Things seem to be going well: new job, new friends, new romances, but still there’s a burning anger inside that won’t die.

Jessica remains in California, dealing with the fallout of her heart-wrenching choices and holding onto what semblance of normalcy she can. She has a career she loves and friends she’s known forever, but she misses her sister, her oldest and best friend. Sweet Valley remains the beautiful California home of her youth, but passions are beginning to arise that will likely cause earthquakes in this otherwise peaceful town.

 Despite the distance between them, the sisters are never far from each other’s thoughts. Jessica longs for forgiveness, but Elizabeth can’t forget her twin’s duplicity.

Uncharacteristically, she decides the only way to heal her broken heart is to get revenge. Always the “good” twin, the one getting her headstrong sister out of trouble, Elizabeth is now about to turn the tables…

Overall, I liked the book.  Mainly because it was one of those things I grew up with…I knew EVERY character and I really liked going back to something that was so familiar.  Especially something that has so many positive memories for me….something that is a big reason as to why I want to write today.  So Francine…if you’re reading this and you have any pointers on how I can jump start a writing career like yours, please let me know!

Would you like to win your very own copy of Sweet Valley Confidential:  10 Years Later?  Read below for details on how YOU can win!

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This giveaway will run from today 5/30/11 until June 10th at 8pm.  One winner will be chosen at random and emailed.  Once emailed, the winner had 48hrs to respond with their shipping address or a new winner will be determined.