I‘m a sucker for an Egyptian mystery/adventure but when I heard it was to be a duology, I waited to have the second in hand before cracking this open! Considering that cliffhanger of an ending, I‘m glad! Main character Inez leaves Argentina after receiving a letter about her parents‘ disappearance in the desert. Always longing to join them, she hopes to uncover the truth of what happened to them. Some predictable turns & Inez‘s naïveté soured it.

After a planned Mother‘s Day party is a disaster when no one completes party errands, a debate ensues over who has it rougher— parents or kids. Alice “swaps” places with the twins for the weekend— she has to get rollerblade-a-thon donations for Jessica & complete Elizabeth‘s media report while the twins take on household responsibilities plus designing a sun porch for their neighbor. It‘s fun to see Alice really get into it despite VCR trouble!

I‘ve enjoyed several of McFarlane‘s other novels, but this one fell a bit flat for me… Georgina‘s caught in a bit of arrested development at 30. Though she wants to write, she keeps taking jobs without trajectory & not using her time to write. After an epically bad day gets worse, the silver lining lands her a temporary bartending job with a flash from her past. I struggled connecting with Georgina & her family here but liked the central romance.

The Hairnet brings in a guest teacher for them to learn about the Holocaust. On his first day, he appoints new student Brian Boyd & Brooke Dennis as leaders. Brian picks anyone he “cool” & Brooke gets the leftovers. Brian likes the encouragement of rules, expanding “IN” beyond the class. Aaron Dallas is his right hand man, but slowly realizes the real lesson. We learn Aaron‘s grandfather is a Holocaust survivor & Melissa‘s mom comes back to life!

I can see why this was a #GoodreadsChoiceWinner for the year! I couldn‘t stop listening to this one! The performance is great & all of these wedding people really came to life! When Phoebe leaves her suddenly empty MO home, she plans a nice last room service meal & that‘s it forever. But as the only non-invitee at the RI hotel for Gary & Lila‘s wedding, the bride won‘t let her lavish 6 day celebration be spoiled. The quick intimacy draws you in!

After a parent-teacher conference, everyone agrees that Elizabeth is too smart to stay in the 6th grade. She gets a whole new schedule, & to her twin‘s horror (especially since this means Liz is invited to 7th/8th only parties!), immediately becomes a 7th grader! Steven helps with a reverse psychology plan, but though Liz aces her new classes, she lacks the fashion sense needed & feels out of place with spin the bottle in particular! New to me!

I think this was my favorite book club pick of the year for our club! I literally couldn‘t put it down and stayed up late to finish it in practically one sitting! Williams manages three timelines between two main narrators with most chapters ending on a cliffhanger, making it easy to justify another chapter (or 3) at a time! It led to a very lively discussion (even among the DNFers!) & while the Egyptian storyline was a miss for some, I loved it!

This 3rd #SweetValleyTwinsValentinesDay features (another) dance to celebrate! To raise money, the Boosters are selling personalized cheers that couples can use to ask each other to the dance; meanwhile Liz gets too much into the spirit by writing overly romantic lovegrams to put in the Sixers. When Jake Hamilton embarrasses Lila by asking Brooke, she invents an 8th grade boyfriend from Lovett Academy! Will she get caught up in her many lies??

I had so much fun reading my April #BookOfTheMonth pick! I wish I‘d read it in the warmer parts of the year, but reading by tree light does add a certain magic! This adventure fantasy— complete with seadragons, neat marking magic where tattoos come to life, a quest & romance— makes for a fast-paced & exciting read! Hanalei hasn‘t returned to her home since her father‘s betrayal, but when forced her return, it‘s a different welcome than envisioned!

Despite the cold/flu season in #SweetValley, Mr. Bowman‘s English class puts on a highlights version of Romeo & Juliet. Both Jessica & Lila want the titular role, & bet that the loser comes to school wearing the warts meant for the nurse‘s costume! Jessica, despite driving the house nuts with all of her practicing, succumbs to the sickness, Liz pulls a switch & auditions for her! But with Todd as Romeo, Liz wants the part! Shenanigans galore! Fun!

The first #HitchToScreen book made for a quick (& surprisingly seasonal!) listen that was really well performed (despite the book being read by a man, when I would have expected a lady since the book is from Mary Ellen‘s POV!). After the death of her mother, she travels to the Cornish coast to live with her aunt & uncle at the titular inn. But she quickly realizes that the inn has a dark reputation & soon she strives to unmask its secrets!

This 7th #SweetValleyChristmas is another memorable one! Janet Howell‘s co-hosting a party with her older brother, Joe, Steven‘s best friend. Steven doesn‘t want to be embarrassed by his baby sisters so he schemes to get his parents to forbid them from going! All of this being treated like a kid makes the twins wish to be grown-up! A (2nd) Christmas carnival grants their wish & they‘re busting their seams & forced to join the work force! Such fun!

I‘ve been curious about this literary horror novel for a while & I was delighted to learn that my cousin had just finished reading it with her book club to have someone to immediately talk about this strange story with! I loved the audio performance… & may not have stuck with this one otherwise, considering the chaotic climax. The themes & gore balanced out here, & I loved the creative processes here but had a hard time connecting with Samantha.

Amy‘s worried her parents are about to divorce— but it turns out that Mr. Sutton‘s already been divorced & has another daughter with his first wife that he didn‘t know about until Amy was 5. A year & a half older, Ashley lives in NYC & loves ballet, but she wants to get to know her dad. Amy‘s jealous at first, but soon comes to her senses! Lila is shockingly nice here & best of all, Jessica gets a book on hairstyles from around the world!

I enjoyed listening to the first installment in the #AgentToriHunterSeries but was happy to be less distracted by constantly hearing my name by physically reading this sequel! Picking up just a few months later, this one finds Tori still finding her new career path after return to her small MN hometown. The violent murder/kidnapping from the start hooks you in, but I preferred the more personal plot of the first one. Looking forward to the third!

It‘s 2 weeks before (another) #SweetValleyHalloween when Jessica finds the perfect witchy dress & decides the Unicorns will host a “Monster Ball” with an SVH band. Liz makes friends with Kala, a Native American girl in town for the month. Fowler Enterprises has two potential sites for their spooky party— a ramshackle cabin on Sleepy Hollow that they fix up. But when they find artifacts & remains (plus a seance later), Kala helps save the property!

This #NewAdultThriller comes with a gripping premise— at a DC university, the psychology department runs a study on student psychopaths in exchange for tuition. But the participants are turning up murdered! With multiple perspectives & unlikely alliances, it‘s a fast-paced listen but the killer‘s motivation comes out in too much of a Scooby Doo-esque reveal for this to be completely satisfying. Plot holes & thin characterizations left me wanting!

Ben Oliver (no relation to Grace) is new to SVH as a freshman & despite having skipped a grade, quickly becomes popular— even taking over Steve‘s position on the basketball team! And when he runs against Steven for class treasurer, Steven declares him his sworn enemy! When Jessica goes on a date with Ben, a siblings war erupts! Steven dates Jessica‘s enemy, Veronica! Neither Wakefield likes their new dates, & it all comes to a head at Casey‘s!

I had so much fun reading this one!! My first introduction to Osman‘s writing, I already can‘t wait to dive into his earlier books! While my #bookclub didn‘t love this one as much as I did, I‘m so excited to give a copy to my own much loved, soon-to-be-retired FIL in the hopes that we may go solve murders together! Funny & gripping— though I solved the biggest twist pretty early— I loved scene-stealing Rosie & want the sequel right now!! So fun!!!

Maria Slater goes behind the camera to film the Boosters special performance for the unveiling of the #SweetValleyMall‘s new international food court— but the day‘s ruined when a jewelry store is robbed, the cheer pyramid falls. Lila & Jess start a hilarious competition to prove who is the best Booster. Liz can‘t stop trying to solve what turns into a string of mall thefts (even getting grounded!) while writing reviews of the new restaurants. Fun!

I absolutely loved this coming-of-age novel that encompasses love, family, acceptance, friendship, forgiveness & faith. I think it‘d be a great book club book with plenty to discuss in this gripping listen performed by the author. Born with ocular albinism, Sam Hill faces merciless bullying from the start when the Catholic nuns try to bar from attending their school. But the “Devil Boy” & his family never give up, spanning 1950s-80s! Excellent!

This one feels a bit different with more real-life references than the books usually have! Plus, we get to see the cat Mischief and Mrs. Harrington again who helps out Liz, Lila & Olivia with their project on McCarthyism. Oddly, Janet, Kimberly & Betsy are into beatnik poetry while Ellen‘s private phone line causes a stir until Jessica cooks up trouble with 3-way calling! Rumors almost split the Unicorns up for good! But my copy ends mid-sentence!

THE UNHONEYMOONERS was my first experience with this great writing duo, so my hopes may have been a little too high for this novella sequel giving Olive‘s identical twin her own romantic comedy. The full cast feeling is fun & it‘s certainly a quick listen, but it‘s not as funny or charming as I expected. Brody‘s big secret fell flat for me (& seemed to need more research— though throwing together a HI wedding in a week was equally implausible).

In this 3rd #SweetValleySpringBreak, the twins snorkel for treasure. Jessica talks her twin into the forbidden Pirate‘s Cove. The undertow isn‘t worth the barnacle covered findings—but they glimpse a shipwreck. Liz starts having nightmares & a mysterious chain letter arrives. Between her dreams & research—plus the discovery of what‘s beneath the barnacles make this fun! Best of all, are the disasters that befall Lila for not doing the chainletter!

Wow!! What a debut novel!! Magical realism doesn‘t always work for me, but Lang executes this brilliantly here! Even with the male performer getting on my nerves (the female one was great, though!), I couldn‘t stop listening to this blend of a feral child story, romance, magical weather & fantastic characters! Everyone really sprang to life! I didn‘t want Waylon‘s story to end! So well-written— I can‘t wait to read more from this talented author!

Annoyed with Aaron Dallas‘ immature behavior (he crushes graham crackers into crumbs before pouring them in his mouth like a total 4th grader!) & childish fashion (neon shorts & Donald Duck tees!), Jessica breaks up with him before Rick Hunter‘s party. After giving Liz the idea for a classifieds section for The Sixers, a personal ad craze takes over thanks to Jess! Even 7th & 8th graders get into it! Soon everyone is broken up & mayhem erupts!

This 2nd book in the #LadyPetraInquires series moves a bit slower than the first one. Petra‘s tasked by the queen to investigate the murder of the head matron of the London Asylum for Female Orphans—it also cleanly ties up the cliffhanger from the first book as she also learns more about her fiancé‘s death 3 years earlier. As the threads tie together, the plot falls into predictable paths. I didn‘t love the deceptive friends but did love the dogs!

Jessica decides to do her New Orleans project on voodoo… mostly because she‘s starting to think it really works! She makes a doll of Steven to get back at him & almost immediately her punishments come true! She also tries to use her powers for good to heal a boy‘s leg who lives at the shelter (she may not be as saintly as her sister, but she‘s still kind). When Steven seems to be wasting away, she needs to scale back! Lila throws a GWTW party!

I‘ve loved so many of Rowell‘s earlier novels that I had especially high hopes for her latest…but unfortunately this one just isn‘t one of my favorites. The past sections shine in capturing the unrequited love common in high school, but I just had a hard time warming up to the characters. Shiloh‘s negativity couched as pragmatism is wearying & I hated how dismissive she was of Cary‘s goals to escape their rougher part of Omaha. Just disappointing!

12 students join a special creative writing class— Liz wants Todd to be in it, but he with an undefeated basketball team & his dad‘s pressure, he‘s not sure he can. He decides to give it a chance & then really gets into it—even skipping practice! Mr. Wilkins tries to have the teacher fired & Todd feels like he has no choice but to flee. Liz talks him into staying & it works out! Also, the twins buy their first bras in a hilarious series of tries!

I was so happy to read most of this one snuggled up against my husband to easily share the fantastic facts about the range of animals included here. Rundell includes wombats, Greenland sharks, raccoons, giraffes, swifts, lemurs, hermit crabs, seals, bears, narwhals, crows, hares, wolves, hedgehogs, elephants, seahorses, pangolins, storks, spiders, bats, tuna & golden moles— encouraging humans to do their best to treasure these precious creatures.

In this second #SweetValleyValentine‘s for SVMS, the school is hosting a dance with a DJ. In the days leading up, the Unicorns raise money for the Children‘s Hospital by organizing two days of “master/servant” where students can volunteer to be a servant or pay $5 to be the boss for the day. Jessica uses this for matchmaking while Liz & Todd get into a hilarious prank war instead of anything romantic for the holiday! It‘s cute one for sure!

It‘s been a few years since I last read anything of Erdrich‘s, but she‘s an author that I always keep an eye out for! This year I am the closest I have been in a while to reading a book from each state, but I still needed #NorthDakota, so I started listening to this one! The author performs though initially I wished for a cast list since a variety of the community emerges here in this historical novel based in part on Erdrich‘s own grandfather.

Usually the heaviest sleeper in the house, Jessica is the only one to stir when the house rumbles around her. In the morning, they learn this is the first #SweetValleyEarthquake since 1972! Liz wants to write about it for The Sixers, but Jess is the only one who seems to have experienced it. As usual, she starts exaggerating & soon has talked herself into predicting the next quake! Lila wants to humiliate her, so she throws a party, tees are made!

#VacationReading—the book I read (mostly on the plane)& the book I bought while in Key West! My husband and friends were nice enough to make the trek to both bookstores & I couldn‘t resist a signed book(& tote)! As for my November #BOTM pick, this found family fantasy made me feel nostalgic, would be great to read out loud to a younger reader & could‘ve used a map! I appreciated the thorough ending that tied up literally everything! Strong debut!

This 6th #SweetValleyChristmas is my favorite! In an It‘s A Wonderful Life-esque twist, Elizabeth gets a taste of a Sweet Valley without her, after she wants to disappear after giving away the Christmas party fund to a family at the homeless shelter, her guardian angel, Laura, shows her— Sarah Thomas & Denny Jacobsen are both dead, the Wakefield family‘s in shambles (divorce, tattoos— the Unicorns are Sharks) & life without her just isn‘t Sweet!

Set in 1980 Birmingham, this mystery comes from two perspectives trying to solve a disturbing string of murders— an investigation by 14-year-old Ava, involved since a discovery during her own pursuits of her version of a Body Farm on the local roadkill, & the more official one by the police. Well-performed, I definitely found myself listening at every chance & loved that the ending interview confirms that this isn‘t the last we‘ll see of Ava!

While Elizabeth & her friends look for seashells, Denny Jacobsen & his brother surf. But when a big wave knocks Denny out, Liz doesn‘t hesitate to dive in & save him! Afterwards, Denny starts worshipping her which Liz finds annoying—especially since it incurs Janet‘s wrath since she has a huge crush on Denny. And so the scheming begins for how Janet can save Denny‘s life instead. This one is genuinely hilarious & just plain fun from start to end!

This #YAThriller hooked me with its alternating perspectives from identical twins, Saffron & Georgia. Though not alike—& barely even friends after Saffron‘s posting embarrassing videos online. But they continue to play Sole Survivor with the same group of seven others. When Saffron speculates which of their group archetypes would win the game in real life, a rogue AI grants her wish in this oddly deadly mashup of Willy Wonka & The Breakfast Club.

When the Unicorn Club visits Lila, she enthusiastically shows them all the steps to Melody Powers‘ latest video. Rock TV holds a school contest & the Unicorns organize a band for the grand prize of (another!) VCR for the school. Lila demands to be the lead singer but other than dance moves, she can‘t sing it… so she forces nerdy Johanna Porter to sing while Lila lip syncs. Surprisingly, Lila raises Johanna‘s confidence & gives her a makeover!

Three mothers of children at an elite Atlanta private school come together for a fundraising committee. Each woman harbors big secrets and their coming together helps them each change their lives for the better as their secrets come to light. It‘s a quick listen, albeit rather predictable and I‘m not sure how genuine their friendship ever really feels. Still, it‘s well-performed and kept my attention until the end!

The Unicorns scramble for an idea for their charity carnival booth before landing on the creation of a love potion (pineapple punch). Meanwhile, the Wakefield siblings make bets over who will get tickets to the upcoming Johnny Buck concert with the Sweet Valley Tribune & Mr. Bowman raffling off tickets for the charity carnival. Meanwhile, nerdy Peter Burns overcomes the Unicorn‘s disdain in his pursuit of Mary Wallace proving the potion works!

I‘m not the target audience, as I‘m about as far from having a green thumb as possible (I manage to kill even the hardiest ones!) & despite my deep love for #MurderSheWrote (referenced within the book!), #CozyMysteries aren‘t my go-to. Maggie returns to the small MA town where her grandmother raised her after the collapse of her marriage. Dodging a greedy cousin & persistent real estate developer, she finds a body & investigates! Too predictable!

Jessica loves making Lila jealous & when SVMS‘ soccer team makes it to a higher division, she loves the extra attention she gets from Aaron Dallas dedicating his goals to her. When they learn the field must be enlarged, Jessica fundraises hard, but wealthy Mr. Fowler pulls through & puts Lila in the spotlight. So, Jessica switches sides & tries to stop the expansion which will require cutting down trees. Meanwhile Liz‘s journalism improves here!

This quick listen sucked me right in! A fan of Banghart‘s YA Fantasy, this foray into YA Thriller makes for an exciting & fun time! Jessa, despite being the younger sibling, is a natural rule-follower, mess cleaner & committed to a life plan. Though her parents don‘t allow friends over without supervision, they make an exception for Jessa & her 3 besties to have a sleepover in their remote & haunted home. But a storm changes their lives forever!

The hospital is fundraising for the children‘s wing with a talent show. Jessica wants to be in it, but Elizabeth‘s Pea-Pong fame isn‘t special enough for it. But the morning after the twins fall asleep in the den, jokes that they are psychic turn into something more than funny as they correctly guess each other‘s answers time and again! But the more they practice for the show, the worse their abilities seem to get. Can Maria help them cheat?

With multiple perspectives, a late-1990s & a modern storyline plus multimedia content, this writing duo‘s second novel makes for an engaging mystery. Jess Fadley disappeared in only moments from the front of her home while her younger sister looked away for only ten seconds. 24 years later, the grisly discovery of remains brings new focus on what was actually a string of disappearances. Red herrings & a real twist beg for this one to be discussed!

Another favorite featuring yet another abandoned #SweetValley mansion! In this 2nd spring break, Jessica finds a barnacle-encrusted necklace that soon captures all of her attention & seems to cause recurring nightmares. When Liz finds it, she falls victim to it next—with cousin Robin following suit as they all work as extras in the movie filmed in the mansion. Working together, they learn the real story of the Keller mansion & the cursed necklace!

Recommended by my very favorite author, this historical ghost story set in the frigid & isolated Arctic Circle, this makes for an unsettling listen. Jack joins this small research expedition, almost immediately at odds with one of his older & rougher companions. When circumstances strand him alone with the huskies, it‘s more than just the months of darkness that add to the chill… It‘s a quick listen & one that‘d make for a good book club pick!

This is another memorable installment! New student Anna Reynolds is not only different because of her interest in aerobics & health food but also because she‘s SVMS‘ first deaf & Asian student. Adept at reading lips, this is still a huge transition, but she quickly makes friends with both twins. Cammi Adams seems to be avoiding Anna— but only because she knows all about being deaf from living with her parents. Cammi risks her secret to help Anna!