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Sweet Valley Diaries
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After years of wide-eyed blogging about the surreal 1980s perfection of Francine Pascal's Sweet Valley High book series (and the surprising psychodrama that lurks below the town's perfectly-tanned surface), host Marissa Flaxbart is now forcing people to read the series with her.
But beyond its obsession with the ubiquitous-yet-obscure book series, SWEET VALLEY DIARIES is a podcast about nostalgia — '80s nostalgia in particular — and the ways this nostalgia can (spectacularly, hilariously) fail us. It's a riotous cultural conversation about which parts of the past we long for and which ones we want to leave behind for good. It's about friendship, honesty, and learning to speak your truth in the face of a boyfriend-stealing cheerleader or an evil triplet. It's all the life lessons you could ever hope to learn from two size-6, blonde-haired, aqua-eyed, identical 16-year-old twins. Strap in.
But beyond its obsession with the ubiquitous-yet-obscure book series, SWEET VALLEY DIARIES is a podcast about nostalgia — '80s nostalgia in particular — and the ways this nostalgia can (spectacularly, hilariously) fail us. It's a riotous cultural conversation about which parts of the past we long for and which ones we want to leave behind for good. It's about friendship, honesty, and learning to speak your truth in the face of a boyfriend-stealing cheerleader or an evil triplet. It's all the life lessons you could ever hope to learn from two size-6, blonde-haired, aqua-eyed, identical 16-year-old twins. Strap in.
181 Episodes
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Don't forget about the Reader of the Month letter from book 80!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
It's another mis-titled misadventure of random characters, and this time All Time Favorite guest Don Flaxbart is here to simultaneously despise the book and read deep into the twisted heart of its male lead. A thrilling, dirt-bike filled mega finale to Season 8 of Sweet Valley Diaries! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Bryanna McGeough joins Marissa again and shares her criteria for choosing with Sweet Valley books to read and her personal tales of being an Elizabethan high school journalist. Plus, Reader of the Month for October 1991!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
What could be worse than having a twin brother who stole a car? For Sarah Eastborne, the answer is: that twin brother getting clean, being released from his rehab facility, and coming to live with you. Social worker and BSC/SVH reader Briana McGeough joins us to discuss this book, which also shoehorns in some info about 12-step programs.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Claire and Marissa explore the dreamworld of Jessica Wakefield. Plus, a particularly lyrical Reader of the Month essay. Come along, if you choose!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
At long last, we will find out if Scott Trost is as sexist as he seems. Or, we'll at least find out if his TRUE self is sexist. Like, maybe society made him sexist? Or something? Todd will explain it to you, ladies. With special guest Claire Sharood!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
I got my hands on a US edition of CHEATING TO WIN, but it didn't arrive until after last week's extra drama came out. I'm between two short weekend trips, so please accept this dramatic reading as this week's little episode! Follow Sweet Valley Diaries on Instagram and TikTokAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Guest Tabatha Myers tells us about her history with Sweet Valley; then, a close look at the copyright pages of a British edition of CHEATING TO WIN, and a call for ghostwriter intel.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
The latest in our series of Very Special Episodes, this is the one about accidentally being on sports enhancing drugs some shady dude sold you in a baggie. Lifelong SVH reader Tabatha Myers joins Marissa to get super serious on this very serious and seriously handled subject.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Let's rap about the ethical implications of beauty pageants! Plus, the second Reader of the Month wants to make sure you know she doesn't LOOK like a bookworm.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
In this book, Jessica asks Elizabeth how being named the prettiest, smartest, and most talented can be demeaning. And she has a point. Kind of. In a book that is both frivolous and substantive, and which is unafraid to let a gray area issue be solidly gray, we find identical twins once again at odds. Denise Boylan joins Marissa to laugh at them.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
More excuses for Amy's behavior, tips for how to look like you're paying attention, and the first ever SVH Reader of the Month!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
"Tennis" anyone? Marissa is joined this week by Brian Duss for a Very Special Episode. Why so special? For starters, we learn Amy Sutton has some hidden depth of character. But mostly it's because we're getting some **sound trumpets** explicitly gay characters! Alas, "explicit" only in one sense of the word. But still.***Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Mary Kate and Marissa share stories from middle and high school and beyond about the effects of diet culture, generational baggage around eating and weight, and trying not to perpetuate a cycle.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Only the very best of friends agrees to read the Robin books. This week, Marissa's BFF since high school, Mary Kate Battles, is back for more punishment as we watch Robin destroy herself. Fully 70 books after her maltreatment in POWER PLAY, this one attempts to atone for that sin, but fails at every turn, because it's 1991.CW: Eating disorder, body shaming, weight talk. Oh my.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Episode 74 has been delayed by a week, so this seemed like a great time to try something new! Marissa catches you up on a character's arc over the series. In this case, Robin Wilson, whose first appearance in Book 4 made a thud so resounding that it's echoed through the entire series. Robin is the star of Book 74, so why not get up to speed by listening to her most recent star turn, in Book 46: DECISIONS, which is replayed following Marissa's dissertation on Robin.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
As our first Gen Z guest, Phoebe explains the concept of "Warrior Cats" to Marissa. Also, how is Sweet Valley High like the Duggar Family? What's Jessica really up to? And more questions Marissa's guests can't stop asking her/answering for her.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
It's a camera. Regina's legacy is a Nikon film camera. And when you take a photo with the camera, and squint at the negatives just so, maybe you'll see Regina's ghost giving you a thumbs up for thwarting a drug cartel. Phoebe Danaher is here to help Marissa explain all this, and to spotlight our scary, older, date-of-the-month, Chad! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
All of the name-dropping, none of the star-fuckingAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Sometimes when a rock star has a teen girl living in his house it's actually not an issue. How is this possible? Well, the teens of Sweet Valley might have it twisted, but Gabe Mara and Marissa will explain it all.Some music in this episode comes from Purple Planet."Toumani Diabate Plays the Kora"Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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