Episodes

July 26, 2020

Super Edition #5: WINTER CARNIVAL

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...

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May 7, 2020

SbtB Hiatus Bonus: ZACK I NEED THEM

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...

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April 16, 2020

Book #40: ON THE EDGE – Season 4 Finale!

At last, a Very Special Episode

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April 9, 2020

Extra Drama #39: Flirty DMs for Science

Guest Megan Collier has probing questions, and Marissa has probing answers. With so much deep thought about the mechanics of Sweet Valley, this episode is a veritable "Sweet Valley University!" Err, no, that's already a thing. A veritable "Sweet...

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April 2, 2020

Book #39: SECRET ADMIRER

Not sure which Book 39 the rest of you read, but Marissa and her guest, Megan Collier, read the version where Penny Ayala has a crush on Elizabeth, Neil Freemount (FREEMOUNT!) has eyes for Kirk Anderson, and Jessica and Lila both learn their lesson...

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March 26, 2020

Extra Drama #38: Time, Travel

Nora and Marissa talk about studying abroad, just to drive the gravity of Liz's mistake home. Music credit: Meanwhile in Bavaria by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0...

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March 19, 2020

Book #38: LEAVING HOME

Elizabeth Wakefield has the opportunity of a lifetime on her hands: get out of Sweet Valley and see the world (specifically, Interlochen, Switzerland). Obviously, she must be stopped. The only way out of Sweet Valley is if your parents move to...

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March 5, 2020

Book #37: RUMORS

Susan Stewart is somebody, but is she *a* somebody, or is she a nobody? Nobody knows. Until somebody shows up and shows everybody who’s anybody what it really means to be somebody. Meridith Halsey is our guest. This episode features music from .

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Feb. 27, 2020

Extra Drama #36: A Social Enterprise

What is a social enterprise? What if your host had an older sister who was bad at humanities? Who is the bigger asshole in LAST CHANCE, Peter or Jessica? Though it may be hard to believe, answers to these questions AND MORE await when Marissa...

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Feb. 20, 2020

Book #36: LAST CHANCE

Did you hear that Johanna Porter is coming back to Sweet Valley High? Oh, you didn’t even hear that she’d dropped out? Or that she even existed? Well it’s a good thing Sweet Valley Diaries is here to help you get a clue. In this episode, 2...

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Feb. 13, 2020

Extra Drama #35: Spuriouser and Spuriouser

Literally the only podcast where a serious commentary on football (erm, soccer) journalism blends seamlessly into a discussion of fictional teen Elizabeth Wakefield's Eyes and Ears column.    Further reading:

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Feb. 6, 2020

Book #35: OUT OF CONTROL

"This incident serves as a plot device to illustrate Aaron’s short temper."

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Jan. 30, 2020

Extra Drama #34: Two Stars for Fun

Elizabeth Schmidt returns to think about high school romance, FORBIDDEN LOVE's lessons for star-crossed teens, and Marissa's lifelong romantic angst. Plus, listener emails and snarky book reviews!

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Jan. 23, 2020

Book #34: FORBIDDEN LOVE

Romeo & Juliet & Mr. Jaworski

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Jan. 16, 2020

Extra Drama #33: Umbersss!

umbers (exclamation, slang): "Oooh man, you're in trouble!" Used colloquially in Albuquerque, NM and environs, primarily between children, or adults who are being ironic Marissa and her cousins, Meghan and Corrie, consider their girlhood tactics for...

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Jan. 9, 2020

Book #33: STARTING OVER

"Hang on with all you've got."

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Jan. 2, 2020

Extra Drama #32: Express Yourself

Fashion style change times

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Dec. 26, 2019

Replay: SPECIAL CHRISTMAS w/Marissa's Dad

While Marissa takes a Christmas break from editing, enjoy this replay of the special SPECIAL CHRISTMAS Christmas episode with Marissa and Don Flaxbart.  Happy Holidays! See you in 2020, Gladiators!

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Dec. 19, 2019

Book #32: THE NEW JESSICA

*Not in any way improved

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Dec. 12, 2019

Extra Drama #31: Tell Us Apart

If he can’t tell which twin you are, he’s probably not The One. Tim Redmond (the new voice of Jeffrey French) is back to talk twins, reminisce about juvenile fiction, and reveal relevant secrets about his past.

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Dec. 5, 2019

Book #31: TAKING SIDES

SEASON 4 PREMIERE! The podcast is still here! Unfortunately so is Jeffrey French. Or, wait...is Jeffrey French actually kind of a catch? Marissa comes to terms with her raging case of First Romantic Coupling Loyalty Syndrome (FRCLS) while guest reader...

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Nov. 21, 2019

Super Edition #4: MALIBU SUMMER

Jessica and Elizabeth are live-in babysitters, living a 90-minute drive from home. But don’t worry, they still manage to make it a thrilling soap-operatic adventure, replete with double-identities, murders, and deadly rainstorms. Frank Bednarz, Esq....

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Oct. 4, 2019

Super Edition #3: SPRING BREAK

Relive your totally universal teenage memories of spring breaks in Cannes, France -- exploring the topless beaches, returning puppies to countesses, picking up medication for your host mother's patients...you know, all the normal spring break stuff....

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