Back Cover: Elizabeth and Jessica in a tug of war...
Chubby Robin Wilson has been following Jessica around for months. First she wanted to be her friend - now she wants to join Pi Beta Alpha, Sweet Valley High's snobby sorority.
When Elizabeth, Jessica's twin, nominates Robin for the sorority, Jessica is furious. Robin may be friendly and smart, but she's certainly not beautiful or popular enough to be a Pi Beta. Jessica's determined to find a way to keep Robin out.
But Elizabeth is just as determined to make Robin a sorority sister. Soon the twins are locked in a struggle that develops into the biggest power play at Sweet Valley High...Okay. First of all, that description makes the book sound a lot more action-packed and exciting than it really was. It was mostly just Jessica making Robin do hard pledge tasks and Elizabeth encouraging her. The synopsis made me think that an all-out war started in the school with people taking sides and shit like that. But nope, it was pretty tame and isolated.
In fact, the whole concept of Robin trying to get into the sorority is pretty much done with as of halfway through the novel. The rest of the novel is Robin "acting strange", which was her getting into shape and dieting and undergoing a transformation. The Pi Betas do pop up again, trying to capitalize on Robin's newfound popularity and beauty, but Robin turns them down and says she doesn't need them. She's finally figured out what bitches they all were.
The subplot involved Jessica coming home with all sorts of expensive items, claiming they were gifts from Lila, rejected items from her aunt. While at the mall, Elizabeth finds the store that the items came from and hears that they've been having a serial shoplifter around. At first, Elizabeth thinks Jess is the one shoplifting, but eventually it's discovered that it was Lila. She was bored and desperate for daddy's attention, so yeah. Lila gets busted, but Elizabeth agrees to cover for her and keep it from Jessica. Lila temporarily gets the love and attention she so desperately wanted from her father, but it's implied that it won't last long.
This novel probably has the longest timeline of all the novels. It's insinuated that Robin's transformation was over the course of at least month, if not two or three. Of course, none of that will matter in future novels, as the girls are perpetually stuck in the 11th grade at age 16, but yeah. Even though we should be well near the end of the school year by now, I'm guessing it'll be at least another 4 novels before we hit summer vacation and repeat the 11th grade again haha
Lila trusts Elizabeth, but not Jessica, with her secret. It makes me wonder why Lila is friends with Jessica, when she knows that Jessia is a bitch and/or immature and/or only looking out for herself. I guess we most often hang out and associate with people who are like us, not neceassily the ones who are the best. It makes me almost wish that there was more between Lila and Elizabeth. Like, that Lila would in the future turn to Elizabeth in times of need or advice or what not.
Something that bothered me with this one was Jessica's attitude about Bruce Patman. Although she's no longer mooning over him after what happened in the last novel, the fact that she was jealous of Robin surprised me a bit. I mean, wouldn't she be like, "Hahaha omg joke's on her! He's a fucking douchebag!" and then just sit back and smile smugly, hoping that Robin will get taken advantage of? Or something? I dunno. I know that the lessons the characters learn in each book are pretty much always forgotten and no one ever really evolves, but because Jessica's encounters with Bruce were literally LAST BOOK, I just don't buy that she's already quick to accept him again. I know she always admires him and has a thing for him in all the future books though.
Hook: Jessica with a college guy? Elizabeth fears her twin has gotten in over her head this time. Is she right?
Omg how is this any different from when she dated Bruce? Only maybe much worse?? I'm guessing that instead of this college guy being a creep, he's going to be a genuinely nice guy, but way too mature and intellectual for Jessica. She'll try to keep up, but fail. He'll either know right off the bat that she's still in high school (but she'll probably try to play it off like she's 18 at least, or a senior) and only think of her as a kid sister or friend (which will of course piss her off and humilate her), or he'll genuinely think she's a college freshman and have no idea how creepy and illegial he's potentially being. Either way, Jessica will be heartbroken at some point and realize that she shouldn't try to grow up so fast or pretend to be something she's not.
