Sweet Valley High #143: Party Weekend!
Party Weekend leaves off the morning after #142, The Big Night so while I haven't read that book yet and it doesn't appear to be reviewed, we'll all just depend on the recapping our ghostwriter does in this book to fill in some blanks. The last book is the prom so this is all after the junior prom and the hooplah that happens there.
I'm thinking our cover is Liz in the blue dress (a little short there Liz!) and Jessica in the belly shirt. Now, I remember 1998 when this was written and drawn and that shirt does not match up to my stylings. And the girls are in front of Sweet Valley High School where no plot takes place at. A++ there cover artist.
Even though it's a perfect day after the junior prom, Elizabeth is grouchy. Gee Liz, it's not like you killed someone. Jess comes in and we hear how similar yet different they are (and *gasp!* no size 6 mention!) except Elizabeth has now violated these sacred differences by breaking rules and somehow screwed over both Todd and Devon at prom. Jess is up early reminding Liz of brunch at "evil" Lila's house. It sounds like Lila helped scheme to lock Liz and Jess up forcing them to miss prom, go Lila! Liz reflects back on lat night's dive into the ocean to save a drowning Todd and how he told her off after finally getting sick of all her cheating. Jessica wakes her up from daydreamland saying they'll pay Lila back for last night.
The girls show up late to Lila's in their mom's station wagon and we hear all about Lila's wealth and are reminded that Todd killed their poor Jeep. But pushover Liz is afraid to head into the party so Jessica forces her not only into the house also into agreeing to attend the interschool fair later that afternoon. All the local schools will be having a Battle of the Junior Class with a trophy and money donated to charity for the winner. My, sounds like a real party! Speaking of parties, back to Lila's. She comes and talks to the twins, saying how sorry she is for them getting locked up and for Todd almost dying but I think she's only sorry she got caught. Liz was supposed to go to the dance with Devon, went with Todd instead and Jess played the Liz part and then when the girls got left behind he talked with Lila on the boat or something. Sly Lila has gotten Jessica and Liz to fight over dead Devon instead of with her when speak of the Devil, Devon shows up and lets all 3 lovesick girls know he's not into any of them now. Burn.
Ken and Olivia show up and Jess lusts after Ken for a while and Olivia tells everyone what the secret competition of the Jr. Class battle wil be....A TALENT COMPETITION! AND THEY ONLY HAVE 2 DAYS TO PREPARE!!! 8 students from each school will be entering and they all will be rehearsing at Palisades High School (PHS). Party guests offer suggestions for the talent-- opera, fashion show, a dance number, a musical, gymnastics...and it'll all be put on by team captain Olivia and her trusty sidekicks, Maria, the twins, Lila, Watson, Devon and Ken. The crazy 8s all head over to rehearse but they keep getting sidetracked on the way as there's a carnival outsides PHS. Olivia is being a pushover and even Liz pushes over Olivia. By the time the smaller group gets to their practice spot, they see another team is there but pushover Olivia gets bullied into using the other team's practice room. Olivia is supposed to be the wimpiest of wimps here I think.
The group minus a missing Jessica reconvenes and has decided to do a dance routine to the theme of "Good Twin, Evil Twin" choreographed to Opposites Attract (which Olivia happens to have and admits to this too) and Jessica+Lila will be dancing in black for 'evil' while Liz+Maria will be in white for 'good' and Winston will dance in black and white, batting for both teams. I had no clue what song they were talking about in the book but thanks to Youtube I know this will be a skit worth mocking. The group splits up to shop and Liz, Lila, Devon & Ken all head off together.
Meanwhile, we find Jess is lost in PHS where she stumbles upon a memorial to Christian. He was briefly mentioned earlier during the lust sequence and we've got a high school competition where SVH is already fighting with at least 1 group who dared steal their practice space. I see a gang war in our future.
The shopping trip ends and the team is working on their dance sequence. Since the idea itself is awful, I'm sure the dance is a real piece of work. Jessica starts pushing Olivia around and inserting cheerleading moves into the dance. And now we learn that Devon and Maria's set design idea is...a reconstruction of the twins' bedrooms. Studious and tidy Liz v. makeup loving messy Jess. Gee, that'll translate well on stage. Liz and Devon are sent to Casa Wakefield to collect props and St. Liz is trying desperately to win back Decon. He finally says he's still mad at her but he still loves her which makes Liz go ohshit! because she loves Todd and not Devon. She just wants Devon because Liz doesn't play nice and share. Bad Liz. Stil, he tries to kiss her and he's the one that backs off claiming he's been hurt too much in his long life of 17 years, most of it at the hands of Liz, I'm sure. Liz pities Devon and decides to never hurt him again, even if she has to give him up for good. How noble, St. Liz.
Practice is continuing and Jessica tries on the costume Olivia made for her. Black leotard, shimmering dance skirt to her calves, leggins, sequins, all showing off her perfect size 6 frame. Oh thank God! It only took 76 pages but now I know those Wakefield girls are the perfect size!
We cut away to some B-plot activities. The team who booted SVH from their auditorium earlier is El Carro High. Their captain is Erica Dixon. Erica dared to say (accurately, I'm sure) that the dance looked like a kindergarten dance recital. So Olivia dislikes her as do Jess and Lila. Ken missed the auditorium craziness and ran into Erica while shopping and thinks she's nice which jealous girlfriend Olivia translates into "Ken loves Erica!" Jessica and Lila have declared war on Erica and ECH so both the girls spill grape juice on Erica and ruin her act's costume. Erica declares war on SVH. Olivia cries. Ken is confused. This action all happens over a pizza dinner and the PHS captain, Josh Brighton, comes over to see what's going on. Jess shares her plans to seek revenge and then she has a bout of craziness where she chases a ghost of Christian outside. Josh follows her out of concern, Jess realizes it's not Christian she chased, and instead decides that Josh is boyfriend material. Yes Jess, lust after 4 guys in the book after chasing your dead ex's ghost. You're clearly coping well. Back with the A-plot, Liz shows up with the props from the house including Christian's surfboard which sends Jess into la-la land again. *sigh*
The rehearsal ends and they all head off to get ready for a dance...the night after prom. One can *never* have too many high school dances. Ken goes to pick up Olivia who has freaked out and decided she's crazy jealous of Ken and Erica, she's not going to the dance, and she's weird and a wimp. Her words, not mine. Ken is confused. Ken keeps being an idiot though and doesn't get all the things Olivia is hinting at and not saying. These two need a relationship counselor. But instead, Ken thinks if he talks to Erica at the dance, everything will be alright. Oh Ken.
Jess will be going with her new boytoy Josh while Liz is staying home to work on the Oracle. Liz goes and gets the door for Jess and lets Josh in. Only...he's there with Christian. Jessica gets dizzy and faints. She wakes up and finds out it's Jason, Christian's "identical" brother there with Josh. Jason was at boarding school this whole time (even during the funeral?) conveniently enough. Jessica cons Liz into going to the dance too, so now they'll be a foursome. At the dance, Jessica loads up on the buffet. Cheese, cookies, potato salad, Heather Mallone shows up just long enough to mention the fat content and its effect on the size six body of Jessica's. Jessica gets fed up and goes outside with Josh where she reminsces about Christian. Then Jessica gets warned by an ECH team member that something is up in the SVH practice area. SVH runs off to uncover the plot just as Ken enters and chats with Erica. He apologizes for Jess's actions earlier but Erica reveals her bitchy side saying she got her back. The rest of the team sees the gym and finds their set in shambles. Olivia's sewing machine is destroyed, the costumes are missing (Maria had actually taken them home) and Christian's surfboard has been graffitid and destroyed causing Jess to sob and vow revenge on Erica and ECH.
Jess is home after the dance, gathering supplies to ruin ECH's set with Lila and Maria when she "sees" Christian yet again. This time he talks to Jess and warns her that this is out of control and to remember his death and that his surfboard being destroyed isn't worth this violence. Jessica's insanity is being somewhat rational. Jessica calls off the rumble and Jessica is now the saintly one.
We're at a dress rehearsal when Jess introduces an idea for the finale involving a flying contraption left from a production of Peter Pan. There's a risk involved but of course Jess will be just fine. Ken and Todd overhear the plot of ECH though. They've found out about Peter Pan and Erica will cut the lights just before the finale which could kill poor Jess. Ken realizes Olivia was right about Erica all along. Oh no! Ken and Todd rush to save Jess but the competition has begun!
Jess is all nervous before the show. For such a performer, I'm shocked. Jessica even pukes in a trashcan. That's what lusting over 4 guys will do to you! Remember kids, have fun, be careful and use protection. Liz is the voice of reason when she tells her twin "Jess, this is not good." No shit Liz. Jessica can't do the show but she has a wonderful idea, Olivia can fill her place! I know that Olivia and Elizabeth look identical and the twin plot will not be lost at all. Olivia caves in to peer pressure and agrees to perform in the dance. Ken rushes to the stage to save Jessica from Erica but realizes it's Olivia on stage instead and his heart goes cold. He fails to stop Erica in time and the place goes black. Ken locates Olivia and she has fallen and is hanging from the scaffolding. Ken saves her and they confess their love to each other. Olivia lives, for now. Todd pulls Erica on stage and confronts her. People from both ECH and SVH and for some reason PHS all run on stage, ready to fight. Jessica is up in the techie box with Josh and they pull up the PHS's "talent" which is a slide of Christian's face. All the SVH and PHS kids on stage and back off the fight and like that the rumble is over. Christian saved them all!
The team heads to the Dairi Burger for Day 2's dinner. We find out the Palisades team won the competition with their slideshow and a poem read to it. *gags* Everyone will happily ever after now! Except Todd, who comes in and ignores the group. But no one cares because the twins' 17th birthday is coming and they have one Last Wish and Sweet Valley will never be the same!