A law school friend of Ned‘s drops his six and seven year old sons off for the weekend. Elizabeth is at first excited to play with them, but Eric and Wesley are real pranksters. And when the twins try to prank them back, they are the ones who get in trouble! With no other solution in sight, they run away to the fort Elizabeth built. It‘s the first time they run away, but certainly not the last!

I couldn‘t resist immediately diving into this sequel to Skyward! Like the first, it‘s a lot of action but this one expands the world-building, bringing in the revelations of the ending with the truth of the situation of humanity within the galaxy. I enjoyed the variety of alien creatures here as Spensa and her charming spaceship take on an opportunity to spy on their enemies directly by infiltrating them. The ending makes me anxious for more!

The Wakefield family flies to the Grand Canyon, marking the twins‘ first flights, followed by camping, whitewater rafting, mule rides and hiking. At first, Elizabeth and Jessica are as close as ever, but when they find a diamond ring, the fighting begins. Jessica wants to keep it to have bragging rights over Lila; Elizabeth wants to sell it and get a computer. I always get a thrill when Liz stands up for herself! But the ring‘s owner gets it back!

Welp… my first bailed book of 2024… I hate to give up on a book, but this one just isn‘t for me! The description sounded so promising but the author‘s rather flowery prose didn‘t match the immediate violence throughout. And while I usually can stomach some grisly scenes, I need to care about the characters which didn‘t happen with the size of cast. They felt at a remove and the research bordered too closely to info-dumping to capture my interest.

The first summer Super Snooper case has these second graders all attending a day camp in a former monastery… one with a history of a monk‘s ghost lingering on. Strange happenings start taking place from vandalism to ghost sightings! This one has some Scooby Doo vibes but it‘s fast and fun!

This has been on my TBR for years and while I have enjoyed Sanderson‘s fantasy novels, this #YASciFi didn‘t really appeal as much… But I started listening & literally couldn‘t stop! I was so sucked in, I ran late all day & pretended to go to bed early just so I could finish listening!! Spensa‘s story as she struggles to make her dreams come true, learn the truth about her father‘s death that changed everything & repair a snarky ship is fantastic!

It‘s Field Day for the Sweet Valley Elementary School! They head to Secca Lake where nerdy Andy Franklin insists on searching for signs of UFOs. Jessica, Elizabeth, Todd, Winston, Lila, Ellen, Amy and Charlie all tag along after lunch to both tease and then get scared of what they find! Andy‘s bravery shines…but I don‘t really remember him in any of the other series! Plus the twins show off what three-legged race naturals they are!

Three estranged sisters find their way back to one another in Ward‘s latest novel. I‘ve been a fan of hers since first discovering her in 2008! Leading up to librarian youngest sister‘s, Sylvie‘s, wedding, I enjoyed seeing all three of these women develop over the course of the book. My husband and friend especially got a kick out of the menus included here! A fast and entertaining read, I am looking forward to reading whatever Ward writes next!

I‘m a huge fan of Roach‘s, but I admit that the subject matter is why it was the last one of hers on my TBR… it‘s my least favorite of hers for sure. The humor that I usually chuckle along with falls flat & disrespectfully here. Plus, the research here feels redundant across her other books— from bird strikes & other animal testing like in Fuzz, cadaver handling in Stiff, fabrics & extreme temperatures in Packing for Mars & smells & poo in Gulp!

Dr. Snapturtle‘s Animal Hour is both of the twins‘ favorite shows and they‘re thrilled when the second grade class goes to a taping. But when they sneak back into the studio for Jessica‘s jacket, they see the vet scream at his dog, Duke. They spread the word about how mean he is and start to agree with Caroline‘s rumor he isn‘t a vet but an actor with a silly name. Mrs. Otis brings him back to clear his name & when he saves a dog, all‘s forgiven!

This one hooked me from the very start! Dr. Sloan Hastings is assigned as part of her fellowship to delve into forensic genetics (like what brought down the Golden State Killer) and in testing her own DNA, winds up in the thick of a 30 year old cold case. She, along with her birth parents, went missing in 1995. With multiple perspectives and timelines, the plot holds some real surprises! I definitely found myself listening at every opportunity!

Earth Day approaches and Mrs. Otis‘ class does an ecology unit, prompting the class to join the Keep Sweet Valley Sweet group to clean up an abandoned lot. They turn it into a park, but wealthy Mr. Patman wants to make it a parking garage! They decide if they can change litterbug Bruce Patman, he may be the best help. A seagull caught in a soda ring saves the day (and is also saved). I‘ve always had a soft spot for 1Bruce1 so I loved this!

Andrews‘ latest release makes for a great, beachy read with a little less fluff and more substance. With multiple perspectives (though some drop off rather abruptly), Andrews brings to life an exclusive resort on a Georgian island as it struggles with the recovering industry post-pandemic & the family drama at the heart of this— with a dash of murder, romance and plenty of secrets & betrayal! A satisfying conclusion makes this great for vacation!

It‘s another #SweetValleyValentinesDay for the second grade class, and Ned‘s parents sent gifts from Hawaii— including a special orchid pin that inspires the first exclusive club of Sweet Valley. Because Liz‘s gets held up in the mail, only Jessica, Lila and Ellen are members of Orchid Club. In retaliation, Liz snubs them with creating the everyone-is-welcome Sunflower Club. And we finally catch a glimpse of none other than 1Bruce1 Patman here!

This is such a fun romantic comedy! Shay‘s found solace in her career with Seattle‘s NPR affiliate & how it makes her feel closer to her dad after he passed more than a decade ago. But new hire Dominic with his fresh-from-a-prestigious masters program confidence, stirs up her career irrevocably. Part enemies-to-lovers, a fresh take on fake dating (instead they are fake exes!), and some forced proximity makes this a fun (and at times racy!) listen)

It‘s still winter vacation and the Wilkins family invites the Wakefield family to a ski chalet. It‘s the twins‘ first time seeing snow and they‘re excited to learn to ski— until Todd turns into a show off and ditches them for a new and more experienced ski friend. Steven breaks his promise to stay on the bunny hills, Liz has hurt feelings but the snow sculpture contest brings them all back together in the end when the twin bunnies take the prize!

Well-performed, this debut #audiobook makes for a compelling listen. Told in past and present, Louise has had a complicated history with the elite school she briefly attended. She only went there with her own agenda, and though she‘s determined to get justice and expose secrets, her own feelings start to intrude. The modern storyline involving the school feels a bit weaker than the past one but the plot holds some real surprises too!

Both the second #SweetValleyChristmas and second case for the Snoopers Club here revolves around a magical elf that seems to come to life after Jessica spoils the surprise of her gift from Great Aunt Helen. They race around town to find the missing bell from Santa‘s sleigh. The ending adds to the Christmas magic feel to it all!

Armstrong‘s one of my favorite authors & the latest installment in the #ARipInTimeSeries doesn‘t disappoint! It opens with an invitation to a mummy unwrapping—& while the modern woman inside Mallory recognizes how problematic this macabre party is, she‘s no longer in 2019 & it‘s not frowned upon in her new life in the body of a Scottish housemaid in 1869. Of course, it‘s also the perfect backdrop for another murder to investigate! A fun series!

It‘s (the second!) Thanksgiving for these second-graders, & cousin Kelly Bates gets dropped off early so she can spend extra time with the cousins she looks so much like that they pretend to be triplets! But also so that Laura & Greg can have some time alone. Jessica & Elizabeth are determined to cheer up Kelly regardless of what her parents decide to do! Cousin Kelly is one of my favorites & I‘m looking forward to seeing her later in the series!

Though darkly disturbing, I really couldn‘t stop listening to this one. Sara and her husband have moved to Northern Ireland for a fresh start in an old home that her father-in-law got for a steal because of its history. And it‘s that history that pulls Sara back into herself when the former owner appears, making cryptic comments. There‘s a lot of violence— particularly against women, but this makes for a compelling listen that is well-performed.

Another Sweet Valley Halloween! This time the Fowler family hosts a huge party, renting out the supposedly haunted Hathway house (which is partly a museum). The house is fun and another round of costumes adds to it! This time around Jessica dresses as a genie, Elizabeth a tiger, Lila in an old-fashioned fancy dress and Todd as an astronaut. I know there are other haunted places in Sweet Valley, but this is the first!

Wowza!! I absolutely couldn‘t put this genuinely jaw-dropping, gasp-out-loud-inducing thriller down! I can see why this was an option for #BookOfTheMonth for this month! The book opens with the titular return of Elizabeth “Ellie” Black who has been missing for two years. The lead detective, Chelsey Calhoun, following in her adopted father‘s steps, focuses on finding the perpetrator, risking her own personal life. Twisting plot & great characters!

This is the second sleepover the Wakefield twins host— but Ned whisks Alice away to Seattle while Steven stays with Ned‘s parents, so Great-Aunt Helen comes to the rescue in more ways than one! She resolves dress-up disasters, a battle over unicorns and feeds them the traditional sleepover fare — pizza and ice cream! But aside from not everyone wearing a seatbelt, this is another fun Sweet Valley party!

This gender-swapping #BeautyAndTheBeastRetelling brings a great blend of fresh and familiar feelings to the story. This is one of my favorite fairy tales already, and I liked the fun Donnelly had with her own twist on the curse. It makes for a quick and fun read with some added fun with the real natures of the court. Plus, who can resist a thief with a heart of gold? Beau and Arabella‘s story is charming, indeed! I enjoyed this quite a bit!

The second grade spelling bee lies at the center of this one, and no one is more surprised than Jessica herself when she wins it. But the regional bee (including a first glimpse of rivals, Big Mesa) has her worried that she‘s not smart enough to win again. Luckily, she overcomes her doubt (and those of her classmates who want them to pull a switch!). I love when Jessica breaks out of her own stereotype of being the “dumb” twin!

A quick & compelling listen, I definitely found myself hooked into this missing person thriller told across multiple perspectives— including diary entries from the missing 13-year-old herself. Jennifer‘s life is wrapped up in her career as the blogger & managing force behind Chloe Cates, her daughter, Abby‘s, online celebrity persona. When Jennifer wakes up to find her missing, family secrets & the truth about Jennifer‘s past spill out. Riveting!

Jessica‘s scratchy throat at the end of the last one leads to both twins needing their tonsils removed. Though they‘re scared to spend time in the hospital, they make new friends (& have one another!). This was another one that I remembered quite well from originally reading it—probably because of Moe & Joe! Also, a 3-day hospital stay for tonsil removal may be what dates this series the most! Most shocking is that neither parent spends the night!

Tudor‘s latest is a bit of a departure, mingling a traditional #SerialKillerThriller with a #vampire story but it really works—& leaves a set-up for a sequel! Barbara Atkins works for the FBI devoted to vampyr killings & is sent to the remote ex-mining town of Deadhart, AK where history seems to be repeating itself after a teenager seems to be the victim of a vampyr. The isolated community holds secrets, & despite slow pacing, finishes strong!

I can‘t believe I waited 5 years to dive into the 5th installment in the #VeronicaSpeedwellSeries! I adored the 4th book & pre-ordered this one as soon as I could! Honestly, I didn‘t love this one as much as I expected to—maybe from the long hiatus or because there‘s less of the flirtatious banter between Veronica & Stoker? Once again, her heritage leads them into foiling a plot to save the monarchy, with Jack the Ripper providing the backdrop!

Ned‘s birthday celebration continues with a trip to Sun Lake for fishing and fun. But Jessica thinks it‘s extra-yucky (and scary after a nightmare), but the bratty girl in the cabin next door is even worse, so she faces her fear and turns out to be the best fisher in the Wakefield family! A fun first family vacation for the series!

Though I didn‘t get any reading done over the weekend, my cousins and I celebrated #IndependentBookstoreDay across Friday, Saturday and Sunday! We hit 20 stores across #Chicagoland and this is my exciting #bookhaul from our trip! Tons of fun, lots of laughs and fun exploring stores and towns new to all of us, along with revisiting some local favorites! We already can‘t wait celebrate again next year!! A huge thanks to all the shops!!

Ahh, Wakefield vs. Wakefield betting! Such fun!! Steven bets that he wins the science fair and now the twins are saddled with his chores for a week… but only a few days in and they are desperate to get out of the bet! Ned‘s birthday gives them the perfect grounds for a whole new bet— plus birthdays, in general, are actually pretty rare in Sweet Valley since they highlight just how long they have been the same age! 🤣

Set in Maine, this thriller oozes a sort of classic feel to it. English native Alex has shifted from novelist to detective as he worries over his teenaged daughter— all the more so when one of her friends is found at a the site of a historical reenactment settlement, murdered, with a toad inside of his corpse. The parental worries, alongside the nameless killer makes this a genuine page-turner! The characters and community all come to life!

Teacher‘s wannabe pet, Caroline Pearce has been bragging about her precious porcelain doll collection but not everyone believes her, prompting a special collection show and tell of Mrs. Otis‘s second grade class. While Caroline‘s storyline is interesting enough, the real highlight here is seeing what all of the students collect! Who expected Ken Matthews to have a sticker collection?!

Though marketed as a romantic comedy, this is a more serious storyline— but I did laugh a few times, nonetheless! Eve has a tight bond with her three closest friends, despite long carrying a torch for Ed. But the night of Ed‘s engagement, the dynamic of the group changes permanently. Eve ends up examining her own feelings and re-evaluating relationships— with the help of her best friend‘s older brother, who may not be as terrible as she thought!

I just love a twin switch storyline! When Elizabeth wakes up sick on the same day that Jessica‘s name bracelet clasp is loose again, she can‘t help but pose as Elizabeth for the day— which ends up with an invitation from Todd to be part of a TV movie filming at his house! Naturally, Jessica hears bad things about herself and can‘t keep her new fame a secret— really this just feels like a classic example of the whole series! What fun!!

Twenty years since Napolitano‘s debut novel came out, it‘s being re-issued at the end of April. I appreciated the author‘s note letting us know how personal the characters truly are & I enjoyed watching this family story unfold. Set in New Jersey, the McLaughlin family knows plenty of loss. But an unexpected pregnancy changes them all as they regard their pasts & present lives. Through multiple perspectives, it‘s sure to start lively discussion!

Tryouts for the Sweet Valley Soccer League are underway but it quickly becomes a girls versus boys situation! Jessica may not want to play soccer (and she‘d prefer Liz focused on dance with her instead), but she sides with her sister in the end. Meanwhile, Eva and Steven help Liz get over her fear of being the goalie. But what‘s with going to Bingo Burger to celebrate?? What happened to the Dairi Burger??

Don‘t let the sleeping pup make it seem otherwise— I couldn‘t put McHugh‘s fifth novel down! Told in past and present, the book opens on the 7th anniversary of Amelia & Kylee‘s older cousin, Grace, going missing. At 17, Grace had a promising future getting out their suffocating & downtrodden small MO town when she vanished while babysitting— leaving behind a lot of blood and nothing else. Tense & quick paced, I really enjoyed this! I wanted more!

When Mrs. DeVito nextdoor has a new baby, the twins are super excited at the idea of a new Wakefield baby! After hearing more about Andy Franklin‘s pregnant mom, they‘re certain that Alice is likely already expecting… why else would she be so tired, use ketchup & mustard on her burger, buy baby clothes or have samples of nursery wallpaper?? I‘m also like 100% sure this exact plot happens again in the series when they are old enough to know better!

Well, I think I only have two books left of Chamberlain‘s backlog to read! I‘m actually surprised that it‘s taken me this long to finally read her debut novel… though it‘s probably my least favorite of her books! Written in 1989, my edition does have an updated epilogue which is fun to see, but I really couldn‘t connect with these found family characters and their over-the-top soap opera lives! It kept my attention, but not without eye-rolling!

A lot of firsts here— the first Sweet Valley Christmas and the creation of the Snoopers Club— the twins, Lila, Ellen, Amy, Eva, Todd and Winston— as they take on this variation of Miracle on 34th Street. Is the new temporary janitor, Chris Kreeger actually the real Santa? How else could he know their names, what they want and have a big map? Sweet and fun, it‘s a jolly good mystery with the right amount of Christmas magic!

Oh, I had a fun time reading the last one of Sager‘s on my TBR! Set in 1983, disgraced caregiver, Kit takes on the only job left to her— caring for the paralyzed and infamous Lenora Hope in the crumbling manor where in 1929, her parents and sister were presumably murdered by Lenora herself, though no arrests were ever made. Fast-paced and nostalgic, I enjoyed the twists (some more expected than others) and I can‘t wait for his next book!

It‘s the first Sweet Valley Thanksgiving! The second-graders are putting on a play for the holiday. Naturally, Jessica wants to be the star, but the lead goes to lovable Winston Egbert. But stage fright allows for her to save the day and the play! This one shows the 1990 publication date a bit… it‘s also another appearance by Ned‘s parents! I have always liked the frenemy relationship between Jessica and Winston!

This sci-fi thriller starts out slowly as the technology terms and character histories emerge. Narrator and main character, Dr. Ophelia Bray, is doubly burdened by her past— the wealth & power from her mother‘s side and the dark secrets of her father— which make her determined to put her work into helping. A grieving Research and Extraction team gives her the chance for field work on an abandoned claim planet. But it‘s soon clear all is not right…

The first Sweet Valley Halloween as second-graders! When Alice brings home a bin of used costumes, both Elizabeth and Jessica want to be the pretty princess. Jessica makes a case that since Liz lost her front tooth, she would make a better ugly witch! Only to lose her own tooth! I think it‘s the first bit of twin switching, too, and a nice compromise in the end! Looking forward to the many more costumes in the series!!

My original book club kicked off with this one back in 2010, and my newer book club selected it for this April. It‘s been 14 years since I read this, & I still found it to be an emotionally captivating story. I listened to the truly excellent audio performances this time around & I found myself listening at every chance, even though I remembered the story quite well. Reception to this one has since shifted so I‘m looking forward to discussing it!

This is actually the very first Sweet Valley book that I remember reading, so it will always have a special place in my heart! The titular Lois Waller is the one that the whole class (except for saintly Elizabeth) picks on— she cries easily and is chubby (a real sin in fat-phobic Sweet Valley!). But here Liz sticks up for her— even tries to teach her to ride her bike without training wheels! But it‘s Lois‘ love of cats that turns into a real hero!

I‘ve read all of Enger‘s earlier books— and this is the first one I listened to on audio. The performance is great… but I just didn‘t love this one the way I did his debut novel, PEACE LIKE A RIVER. Maybe I am just kind of over dystopian fiction? Rainy‘s love for his wife, Lark, propels this book forward for the most part. I loved her passion for books, and Sol was definitely a scene stealing character, but I had a hard time connecting with Rainy,