SVH #88 - Love Letters For Sale
SVH #88 - Love Letters For Sale, or, The One Where Pride (Almost) Ruins All.
Unfortunately I couldn't find the cover art for this one anywhere online :-( Thank you sinclair_furie!
The A Plot: In order to earn money, Jessica and Elizabeth start up a letter-writing-service, where people pay them to write their letters for them. When I was younger I totally wanted to start up a similar service, but somehow I doubt it would have been anywhere near as successful. Of course, being started by the Wakefield twins, it's incredibly popular, and they soon become totally swamped, meaning they have time for nothing else. For once Jessica is the sensible one (huh?) and still makes time for her boyfriend, whereas Liz brushes Todd off completely, making him think she's no longer interested. When Shelley has Letters R Us write Todd an 'I'm falling in love with you'-letter, he decides it's a good chance to shake up Liz a bit, and has LRU write Shelley a letter of acceptance and Liz a 'Dear Jane' letter. Jessica doesn't want Liz to get hurt, so she changes the names around, but fails in securing the letters to rewrite them before they go in the mail - causing Liz to be broken up with by her own letter.
Todd corners Jess, who confesses everything, but Liz is still too proud to talk to Todd, until he writes Letters R Us once again to have her write herself a love letter. Todd and Liz make up, and live happily ever after.
The B Plot: The only reason why Shelley is interested in Todd, is because her boyfriend, Jim, is too busy taking photos for the yearbook. After her one failed date with Todd (where they decide they should just be friends) she realizes she still loves him and wants to make it work, so they agree to make time for each other, and to start new activities together so they have something do to together and talk about, in order to avoid becoming a habit to each other. Probably the most intelligent conversation in the entire book!
Right, that out of the way, here's my list of snark:
Next up (although subject to change if my mood changes): "Soap Star"
Unfortunately I couldn't find the cover art for this one anywhere online :-( Thank you sinclair_furie!
The A Plot: In order to earn money, Jessica and Elizabeth start up a letter-writing-service, where people pay them to write their letters for them. When I was younger I totally wanted to start up a similar service, but somehow I doubt it would have been anywhere near as successful. Of course, being started by the Wakefield twins, it's incredibly popular, and they soon become totally swamped, meaning they have time for nothing else. For once Jessica is the sensible one (huh?) and still makes time for her boyfriend, whereas Liz brushes Todd off completely, making him think she's no longer interested. When Shelley has Letters R Us write Todd an 'I'm falling in love with you'-letter, he decides it's a good chance to shake up Liz a bit, and has LRU write Shelley a letter of acceptance and Liz a 'Dear Jane' letter. Jessica doesn't want Liz to get hurt, so she changes the names around, but fails in securing the letters to rewrite them before they go in the mail - causing Liz to be broken up with by her own letter.
Todd corners Jess, who confesses everything, but Liz is still too proud to talk to Todd, until he writes Letters R Us once again to have her write herself a love letter. Todd and Liz make up, and live happily ever after.
The B Plot: The only reason why Shelley is interested in Todd, is because her boyfriend, Jim, is too busy taking photos for the yearbook. After her one failed date with Todd (where they decide they should just be friends) she realizes she still loves him and wants to make it work, so they agree to make time for each other, and to start new activities together so they have something do to together and talk about, in order to avoid becoming a habit to each other. Probably the most intelligent conversation in the entire book!
Right, that out of the way, here's my list of snark:
- If we hadn't picked up on it already, Jess and Liz are two gorgeous 16-year-old twins, with shoulder-length blond hair, blue-green eyes and perfect size-six figures. Even their best friends couldn't tell them apart if they wore the same clothes... Except for Todd and Sam of course. Who are, obviously, just as handsome themselves.
- I have a theory that Kate Williams had just seen "Grease 2" when she wrote this. Listen to her description of Sam: "Jessica had kept herself busy dating almost every eligible guy at SVH and beyond. But when same had ridden into her life on his motorcycle, his wavy blond hair tousled endearing over his gray eyes, Jessica gave up her wandering ways." (emphasis mine). I don't know about you, but my thoughts immediately went to Stephanie singing "Cool Rider". But perhaps that's just me.
- We're supposed to believe that Jess is so caught up in thinking about money, that when Sam says "Feel free [to kiss me]", her first thought is "I wish the CD-player had been free"... right. Sam definitely needs to learn how to be a better kisser!
- Newsflash, Jessica is TIRED of Hershey Bar brown! Purple is the new brown! From now on, her room resembles a grape explosion instead.
- Here's how dated this book is: Elizabeth used the soap-opera money to buy a computer and a word-processing program. Yes girls, until now she had been doing all her writing either by hand or on a type-writer. I turned to check the copyright date, and it was written in 1993...
- Shelley was still growing at age 16? And not only that, but she grew a half-inch in a month! I know it's not totally unheard of to still grow at that age, but it is rare - especially to grow at that speed.
- Dear Kate obviously can't keep her plot-lines straight. Mrs. Wakefield offers to design the office of LRU as she has some letters she needs written as well, but Jess replies, "You're not touching my room. I like it just the way it is!" Not 20 pages ago, you didn't.
- Jess doesn't understand why people are of the opinion that she can't keep a secret? I know Jess, it's shocking! You're the epitome of discretion.
- Shelley considers herself a good friend of both Todd and Elizabeth, and STILL decides to send Todd a letter, to tell him she's fallen for him? Nice going there, Shel. Real decent of you.
- Jessica's reply to Shelley's letter is: "What if it ruins Liz' friendship with Shelley?" What if? Either Jessica is too naive for words, or Liz is even more of a push-over than I usually give her credit for. Although knowing Liz and knowing SVH, it's probably the latter.
- Shelley and Todd's behaviour actually really pissed me off, and kinda ruined the last half of the book for me. Anybody who thinks it's okay to tell a friend's boyfriend that you've fallen for him needs to be shot at dawn.
- But of course, in SV-land, all is forgiven, and Liz and Todd come to school wearing matching jackets! Awwwwwwwww!
- Oh, and Irina? Because of your latest review, I couldn't help but notice all the unscheduled kissing that happened - must just be Jeff who's a dud.
Next up (although subject to change if my mood changes): "Soap Star"