There's a new girl in town - and she's the most relatable character in the series so far. When Annie Whitman's mom marries Walter Thomas and announces that her new husband and his daughter are moving to Sweet Valley, Annie finds herself with a new stepsister. Cheryl, a talented pianist, and Walter, a photographer. are black, and Annie is all too eager to ensure Cheryl fits in in the WASPiest town in America. But Cheryl finds it hard to get used to a town where everyone drives and is obsessed with sport - and where most of them are white. Brace yourselves, this is another book in which SVH attempts to explore issues of race. This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

It's a particularly dramatic episode this week, in more ways than one! Jessica is determined to play Lady Macbeth in the school play, which is inexplicably being produced by a famous director. Shy new girl Paula is apparently eager to help the psychotic Wakefield twin step into the spotlight and quickly wins the hearts of the whole Sweet Valley gang - even Lila. An increasingly isolated Jessica is convinced that Paula is, well, not what she seems - but is she being paranoid or is Paula really planning to steal her chance at stardom as well as her friends? This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

Hola amigas! Salut les copines! Prince Arthur of Santa Dora is coming to town, and while we have many questions about that mysterious Mediterranean country, the girls of Sweet Valley just care about one thing: winning the handsome prince's heart. Arthur's fans include Jessica (Sam who?) and Lila, but not Dana Larson, who makes her anti-monarchy feelings known. The prince is impressed by the strong-willed rocker, however, and against her better judgement Dana finds herself falling in love with him. But when Arthur proposes, will she agree to be his bride, or will she join us in building a guillotine? This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

We're back! And we're heading on a bike road up the California Coast as the SVH gang - plus 🎶 Mr Collins 🎶 and Ms Dalton - take to the open road. But things don't go smoothly - newcomer Barry Cooper is bullied (Saint Liz does f-all to stop this), there's tension between the two teachers, Jessica is getting nowhere with the amazingly named hunk Robbie October, and worst of all, hilariously villainous rich girl Courtney Thomas joins the group and sets her sights on Todd! All this and Jessica nearly gets eaten by an actual bear. A perfect summer indeed! 

This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

Sorry gang, Covid said it's Anna's turn to catch it so we won't have a new episode for you this week. But we'll be back soon to chat about Blunder Alley and the Moon Beach diner's new fortune telling machine!

Well, this day was always going to come. We've been booing his name for over 100 episodes and now you get to hear why we loathe John Pfeifer. When John asks Lila out on a date, she's thrilled - she's had a crush on him for some time. But things turn very nasty when he sexually assaults her at Miller's Point. A shattered Lila is initially too traumatised to speak out - and when she does, not everyone believes her. It's grim stuff, but there are still some genuinely moving, uplifting moments when others rally around our flat-faced queen. Plus a hilarious and strangely sweet subplot about Jessica's general horniness! If you're up for listening to this episode despite the subject matter but want to skip the detailed description of the attempted rape, there's a heads up when it starts and it ends at around 54 mins This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

We feared this would be another convoluted tale of pointless misunderstandings but we were surprised yet again because this book was an absolute delight! When Penny heads to DC, there's only one Oracle staffer who's fit to take her place: Elizabeth. At least, that's what Rod Sullivan thinks. Olivia's boyfriend has become worryingly obsessed with Liz. When a flu epidemic (yikes) leaves her shortstaffed and overworked, Rod offers to help her with an essay for Mr Collins (who is way too harsh on his students in this ep). But when Mr C reads the essay he accuses Liz of plagiarism! Is this the end of her journalism career (of course not, but she's a total drama queen)? Meanwhile, in the highly entertaining B and C plots, Jessica vows to tell the truth at all times, and Ned develops a surprising new obsession. This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

Well, we knew that a dud was coming in this run of books, we just didn't realise it was this one! Jessica and Elizabeth set up a letter writing service for the troubled denizens of Sweet Valley and against all logic, it's a runaway success. But when Shelly Novak writes in to request a love letter for none other than Todd Wilkins and his coffee coloured eyes, Jessica has to spring into action with a typically convoluted plan in an effort to save her sister's relationship. Yes, unfortunately it's another book about Liz and Todd having the same argument over and over, but luckily there's a surprising amount of outfits to discuss! This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.

For weeks we’ve been assuming that this book would be a drop in quality after a run of bangers - but we were wrong! When Ginny becomes the latest ill-trained recruit at Project Youth, she bonds with one of the callers, a boy called Mike. But when Mike wants to meet up, Ginny fears he’ll be disappointed by her, so persuades her super-hot friend Denise to take her place. But she finds herself regretting it Jen Denise falls for Mike. Ginny, Denise and even Mike are so likeable we feel bad about calling them randomers! All this and a truly fantastic b-plot about sexual harassment and freedom of speech that almost causes us to cancel our favourite teacher. 

The sexual tension is off the charts in this one, as Jessica faces off against her ultimate foe 1BRUCE1. When Bruce starts a new club whose members have to prove themselves in (frankly stupid) dares, he announces that no girls are brave enough to join. Jessica's determined to prove him wrong - and soon she's a member of Club X, a gang comprised of the worst dickheads in school, all wearing embroidered leather jackets. Liz is horrified by Jessica's exploits, especially when they disrupt the visit of a group of international teachers which Liz is inexplicably thrilled about. Can she persuade Jess to abandon Club X?  This book may be short on outfits (apart from those iconic jackets) but it's got lots of Jess whispering dramatically to herself, so we didn't mind too much! Plus there's the iconic wheel of misfortune, and the triumphant return of our favourite teacher. This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.