Sweet Valley Diaries

Cara and Steven grace the outside of PRETENSES, and they are certainly featured on its inside. But Marissa and her return guest, Steven Wakefield romance specialist Katie LaDue, agree that this is really is really Abby Richardson's story. Who is Abby Richardson? Listen to find out; then feel free to immediately forget as she drifts back into the sundrenched scenery.

Further reading:

This is the Eric Andre movie Katie's talking about

Adaora Nwandu Earl returns to discuss pre-reading predictions for  Book 43: HARD CHOICES, the challenges of asserting yourself with family, and strong female relationships in Sweet Valley...all in just over 10 minutes.

"Enid's grandma moves in" might sound like the least interesting chapter of our soap opera, like, ever. But think again: Nana's a citizen of Sweet Valley now and she brought the drama along with her from Chicago. Guest reader Adaora Nwandu Earl returns!

Manuel Lopez is the first Latinx character in Sweet Valley who gets any kind of spotlight. And he's the greatest guy in history! Aisha Bhoori is back for a quick look at Manuel's perfection and how it illustrates the "model minority" myth. 

Sweet Valley Diaries: overanalyzing '80s tween pulp since 2006!

Sandra Bacon and Manuel Lopez may not be the stars of the Sweet Valleyverse, but if SVH is going to attempt to dip its toes in the murky waters of racial prejudice and interracial romance, you'd better believe that Diaries is ready to talk SO MUCH about it. No mere hour can contain Marissa and her guest, the brilliant Aisha Bhoori, on this week's extremely special and (weirdly/unfortunately) timely episode. Added bonus discussion of Jessica Wakefield, Shadow Gemini.

www.aishabhoori.com

The Diaries on Instagram

SweetValleyDiaries.net

Marissa and her guest, expert in melodramatic Lifetime Original movies Megan Tripp, brainstorm the LOM version of Molly Hecht’s ON THE EDGE/OUTCAST saga.

Listen to more Lifetime movie talk on Megan's Not Another Bad Movie Podcast

Season 5 Premiere! We’re back, baby! And all our Sweet Valley Friends are back too. Except…you know…Regina. Who better to focus on in the aftermath of a beloved character’s untimely death than the background player everyone is holding responsible for said death? Lifetime Original Movie podcaster/enthusiast Megan Tripp joins Marissa for a particularly Lifetime Original episode of our teen soap pulp.

NOT ANOTHER BAD MOVIE PODCAST

What’s so special about Special Editions? Usually it’s travel to an exotic location, or an old enemy returning to town for Christmas. But WINTER CARNIVAL is the Super Edition that proves all it takes to be Super is a super-duper High number of ways that Jessica betrays Elizabeth! But you know what they say about Jessica: That’s just Jessica!

Marissa is joined by her cousin, original Sweet Valley Superfan, Erika (Flaxbart!) Poulos.

The world is in quarantine. The podcast is on hiatus. But promises were made. Now, one woman must take on the personalities of two California teens in crisis...but not the California teens you're thinking of. In this world, Valley is the rival high school.

Lessons literature/life taught Marissa and guests Anjali and Greg Kasunich this week:

• Don’t do cocaine
• Don’t gossip
• As a society, let’s take a guilt Porsche.
• Check rich people’s mailboxes for car keys.
• Seriously, don’t even think about going near anyone who knows about cocaine

Links to boost your mood:

Sophie Strauss, Gone music video (d. Gregory JM Kasunich)

Dr. Anjali Kasunich, ND