It's Valentine's Day...again! Sweet Valley Twins #76 Yours For A Day

Aug 04, 2008 12:10

 I was at the beach this weekend with my boyfriend, my roommate (who’s also his sister), and his parents and while they were all reading books by Scott McClellan, Bill Moyers, or Christopher Hitchens, I was reading Sweet Valley Twins #76 Yours For A Day. One of these things is not like the other! But I did notice my roommate looking longingly at my book and then go back to reading about all the ways that Bush sucks.  Ha!




The cover actually matches what happens in the book! Jess (who looks a little creepy) is pushing Mandy towards Peter Jeffries. The girls are both wearing purple to represent the Unicorns and Peter doesn’t look too bad, except for the bracelets and baggy clothes. The lockers look pretty small though and I feel bad for anyone who has the locker on the bottom. The cover asks, “What if he says no?” Well, then you slap the guy in the wiener! Duh! Just kidding, boyfriend!

I actually enjoyed this one and I promise no clown pictures this time.

We open with a Unicorn meeting and Mandy Miller refuses to ask her crush, Peter Jeffries (shout out? My brother’s name is Jeffrey) to the Valentine’s Day dance. Jess and Mary Wallace think there’s no harm in a girl asking a guy and I totally agree. I’ve never done it, but that’s because I’m a big baby who doesn’t take her own advice. They get down to business, which is their fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital. They are doing a master/servant thing and they’re thinking of a name for it. Jess suggests “Feel Rich for a Day - Get Your Own Personal Servant.” That seems like a long name though. I think later in the book, it is shortened to just “Feel Rich or a Day.” They don’t like the name “Yours for a Day” that Ellen suggests because they say that the fundraiser is going to be for two days so the title is a little misleading. Hmmm, yet “Feel Rich for a Day” still suggests that it’s only for a day. But, I guess because a Wakefield suggested it, no one is going to argue against it. Whatever, I don’t even know why I’m getting so worked up over the name!

We get some background on Mandy. She had cancer earlier in the school year and everyone was so nice to her when she was a patient at the Children’s Hospital. She wanted to do something to thank them and came up with the Feel Rich fundraiser idea. Awww, that’s nice. I don’t even know this Mandy girl (I don’t remember her being in SVH) but I like her.

At lunch, Ken and Todd are bragging about their tennis win over Amy and Elizabeth. The guys go off to watch some arm wrestling. Liz is about to put mayonnaise on her sandwich and thinks that it might be vanilla pudding and she and Amy talk about how funny it would be to think that you’re about to eat vanilla pudding, when in reality it’s mayo. Gross! I once thought I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and it was really tuna and I almost barfed. I like tuna, but it wasn’t what I thought it would be. Amy and Liz put mayo in Ken and Todd’s pudding cups. The boys come back and start to dig in and are grossed out when they get a mouth full of mayo. That’s kind of funny though. I’ll have to try that sometime.

After school, Mandy gets up the courage to call Peter and ask him to the dance, but hangs up when he answers the phone. She better hope he doesn’t have caller id! When I was younger, I’d rather call boys than have them call my house. My dad was an admiral in the Navy so we’d have pretty important people call our house. We had to answer the phone and say, “Hello, this is the Keene residence. My name is Carolyn, how can I help you?” So embarrassing!

Amy and Liz are talking about their weekend plans, when Winston gives them a note from Ken and Todd. I’m going to refer to them as KenTodd for the rest of the recap because I’m a lazy typer. Winston is using a fake French accent and tells the girls to “have a beaucoup nice day.” Um, Win, beaucoup means much. That doesn’t make sense. I think the word you need is tres. The note has a map and clues and they have to follow the clues and they’ll find their Valentines. They follow the clues to a classroom and the clues tell them to shut the door and look down. So they do it and a bucket of cold water falls on them. There’s a note that says, “Don’t be a wet blanket. Come to the dance with us.” It’s from KenTodd. Liz says, “This means war.” I actually liked Liz in this book. She doesn’t butt in or get saintly on anyone’s ass and she schemes to get back at KenTodd. Hmm, sounds like she’s acting more like Jessica.

Later, at home, Liz is telling Jess about what KenTodd did. Jess thinks they’re jerks and tells her about Feel Rich for a Day. She hopes she doesn’t have to be Lila’s servant. I’d be Lila’s servant in a heartbeat!

The Unicorns are in the lunchroom, promoting Feel Rich and signing people up. It’s free to be a servant, $5 to be a master for one day, and $10 to be a master for two days. Then the Unicorns will do a drawing to pair up the masters and servants. Lloyd Benson, a nerd, asks Jess about Feel Rich and Clarissa Jess explains it all. He asks her if the money really does go to the Children’s Hospital and she’s like, “Of course! Would I lie about that?” Lloyd says, “You’re not exactly trustworthy.” Hahaha, Jess, he’s got your number! The book tells me that a few weeks ago, she thought she was some sort of psychic meteorologist and Lloyd followed her around. I think I need to read that book!

Amy and Liz are ignoring KenTodd because of the prank. KenTodd apologize and tell the girls that they signed up to be servants. Amy and Liz think that having KenTodd as their servants would be a great way to get revenge.

Peter signs up and Mandy gets all flustered and tongue tied and doesn’t ask him out, but Jess thinks that if Mandy gets to be Peter’s boss, he can be ordered to take her to the dance. Yes, that’s a great way to get a date.

Amy wants to rig the drawing so they get KenTodd as their servants. Liz clutches her pearls and says, “But…that’s cheating.” Duh, Liz! She thinks about it for a minute. “She wasn’t exactly the cheating type.” Um, just wait four more years! Liz asks Jess to rig the drawing for her and Amy. Jess is shocked that her twin wants to cheat, but agrees to do it. That was easy.

Drawing. Jessica draws for Liz gets Todd and Winston asks if it’s rigged. Then, Amy gets Ken and Bruce declares shenanigans. Mandy takes over the drawing and draws herself as Jess’s servant. Jessica is Lloyd’s servant. Lila is Peter’s servant. Mandy’s servant is Jim Sturbridge, whoever he is and Winston’s servant is Janet.

Amy and Liz are excited to boss KenTodd around and make them do stupid things. Jess and Janet are mad because they’re serving nerds. Peter comes over and asks Mandy when the servitude begins. She tells him it starts when school starts the next morning. Jess feels badly for Mandy because she really likes Peter. Jess wants to use her powers for good and get Mandy and Peter together.

Jessica lays awake, thinking of bossing Mandy around and decides that she’s going to order her to ask Peter to the dance.

The next morning, Lloyd calls Jess and tells her to pick up doughnuts for him. She tells him that the servitude doesn’t begin until school starts, but Lloyd gets all lawyer-y on her and says that that rule was never stated so she better get her blonde ass to the doughnut shop. Too bad Lila’s doughnut shop hasn’t been created yet. While Jess is yelling at Lloyd on the phone, Liz is “moothing” out ugly ties for KenTodd to wear. I know it’s supposed to be smoothing, but my book had a typo. Jess wants a tie to strangle Lloyd.

Mandy gives Jim the morning off from servitude and waits for Jess. Jess tells her that there’s only one thing that Mandy has to do; ask Peter to the dance before lunch. Mandy freaks.

In English class, KenTodd get made fun of for wearing the ugly ties.

Mandy primps in the bathroom before she asks Peter. She asks him and he says no because he already has a date. Oh noes!!! She runs away, embarrassed and mad at Jessica.

Jessica is in line, getting Lloyd lunch and Mandy bitches her out. Jess feels terrible and tries to think of a way to make it up to her.

At lunch, KenTodd have to walk on their hands. Todd crashes into the principal and everyone laughs at them.

Lila, Belinda, Mary, and Mandy discuss how Feel Rich is going so far. Mary tells the group that Jessica has to do gross things like eat meatloaf surprise. That doesn’t sound gross. My mom makes me veggie meatloaf and it’s delish! Mandy thinks that Jess deserves all the crap she’s getting for humiliating Mandy. She thinks “Jessica wasn’t normally a mean person.” HAHAHAHAHAHA. God, Mandy you are hilarious!

Aaron is talking to Liz and asks her if she thinks that Lloyd will switch servants with him so Jess will be his servant. Liz doesn’t think Lloyd will go for that, but she thinks Aaron is sweet…unlike Todd. Bitch, please. Todd is awesome and you don’t deserve him.

Mandy and Lila are walking to Fowler Crest for some swimming. They are thinking of how they can get back at Jessica.

Jessica comes home late and tells her family that she was helping Lloyd with science experiments. She wants Liz to be his servant. Liz doesn’t want to, but Jessica mentions the “favor” she did for her, meaning rigging the drawing. Doormat Alert! Liz caves.

Lila calls Jessica and Jess tells her that she and Liz switched. Lila rubs salt in her wounds by bringing up Mandy. Jess hangs up and feels bad some more and thinks of how she can make it up to Mandy.

Lila then calls Mandy and tells her about the twins switching masters. That makes Jessica Belinda’s servant and Lila says that Belinda would be willing to switch servants with Mandy. So, Mandy would be Jess’s master and get revenge! There is much revenge seeking in this book. When I was 12, instead of these convoluted master/servant plots, I would just get revenge by talking shit about someone and spreading it around school. But I was kind of a bitch. Still am.

Jessica gets to school on Friday, excited about not being Lloyd’s servant and Belinda tells her that she’s actually Mandy’s servant. Jess wonders if Lila had something to do with this servant switch. Aaron runs up to Jess, all excited, and tells her that he and Lloyd switched servants, not knowing that Jess and Liz already switched masters. He’s bummed when he hears that he’s still not Jessica’s master.

Amy and Liz make KenTodd raise their hands and answer all the questions wrong in Science class. The teacher gets mad at them.

Jessica worries about what Mandy is going to make her do.

Aaron hands envelopes to Amy and Liz. They are Valentines from KenTodd. Amy thinks it’s so sweet and Liz is suspicious that they’re being so nice.

Mandy makes Jessica sing a song, Feelings, in front of the whole cafeteria. Mandy, you’re just feeding her ego! Jessica sings and it’s not stated whether her singing is good or bad, but she gets lots of cheers. She sees Grace (who is Peter’s date for the dance) and she’s crying. Jess asks why. Jess! That’s Liz’s job! Wow, Liz is acting like Jess and Jess is acting like Liz! I love this book! Grace is crying because she and Winston had a fight and she wants to go with him to the dance, but she’s going with Peter. Jessica tells her not to worry; she’ll get them back together. It’s nice to see Jessica getting couples together for a change.

Amy starts to feel bad for humiliating KenTodd, but Liz tells her that they’re still the same old jerks. God, Liz is a bitch.

The Unicorns discuss Jessica’s performance and notice that Peter keeps looking at Mandy. Jessica asks Lloyd if Grace, his new servant, could be replaced. He agrees and Jess goes to find Winston. She asks Winston if Lloyd’s servant could be his servant. Winston agrees, thinking that Jessica is still Lloyd’s servant. He then tries to boss her around, but she tells him that she isn’t Lloyd’s servant, Grace is! Winston is mad that Grace is his servant now, but he goes over to Grace and they make up and decide to go to the dance together. Then Jessica realizes that Janet is now Lloyd’s servant.

In History, Liz and Amy make KenTodd sit underneath their desks and then they start snoring. I can’t tell if they’re really snoring or faking it, but regardless, the teacher threatens them with detention. Amy and Liz wonder if they’ve gone too far.

Jess is telling Lila that she needs her help with Mandy and Peter when Janet comes up and bitches Jess out for all the servant/master switches.

It’s the end of school on Friday and the servitude is over. KenTodd tells Liz and Amy they actually enjoyed it because they got to do silly things and not get in trouble for it. Well, almost in no trouble. They almost got sent to detention for sleeping in class. KenTodd go off to get the girls stuff for the dance tomorrow night. Liz and Amy think that’s sweet of them and then they go get gifts for KenTodd.

Jessica wants Lila to order Peter to take Mandy to the dance. Lila says that she will on three conditions. Jess is like, “Forget it, I’ll do it myself.” She calls him and he tells her that he already has a new date; Mandy! Jess is like, “Yay! Bye!” Mandy then calls Jess and tells her that Peter asked her to the dance after school. He wanted to go with her all along, but then Grace asked him to make Winston jealous. Peter liked Mandy, but wasn’t sure how she felt about him until Jessica made her ask him. She says that she should be thanking Jessica for making her ask Peter. They make up and Mandy gets a Valentine’s Day card from Peter. She and her mom make plans to shop for a new dress.

KenTodd are getting Amy and Liz corsages for the dance. Amy gushes about how romantic they are and Liz is still suspicious.

Dance. Mandy is wearing a strapless dress. Wow, go Mandy! The Unicorns raised $800 for the hospital. Not bad. Amy gets earrings from Ken and Liz gets chocolates from Todd. They both start sneezing because their corsages have sneezing powder in them. That’s kind of a lame prank, KenTodd. Mandy and Peter dance and are in lurve! Lloyd shows Jessica a certificate for one more day of servitude, authorized by Janet. The DJ announces that KenTodd are going to sing Feelings for everyone at the dance. Everyone has fun.

A few days later, the Unicorns are going to the hospital, to give them the money they raised. Mandy tells them that she and Peter have a date for that weekend. Jess gives her the certificate that Janet authorized for Lloyd. There are 15 minutes left on the certificate and Jess tells Mandy she’s going to do them. They all laugh.

Liz teases Todd about singing at the dance and they notice a sign for a new creative writing class. Liz tells him that you have to be chosen to be in the class. Todd tells her that she’ll get picked. Liz hopes he gets picked too, but Todd’s afraid that it would interfere with basketball. This leads us up to #77 Todd Runs Away. I have this book too and I don’t think it’s been recapped yet. I should get on it.

P.S. Happy Birthday to me!

ETA:  I had to make a chart to keep up with all the master/servant switches.


recapper: carolyn_keene, sweet valley twins, mandy miller, amy sutton, winston egbert, dance!, ken matthews, saint elizabeth of sweet valley, miss lila fowler, matchmaking, trusty boyfriend todd, unicorns, scheming jessica

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