Episodes

Aug. 1, 2019

Extra Drama #30: Shook

In this last Extra Drama of Season 3, longtime Sweet Valley High reader Cherelle Solomon is back to talk earthquakes, the appeal of Sweet Valley, and the very tantalizing possibility of reading two books at literally the same time (as long as one of...

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July 25, 2019

Book #30: JEALOUS LIES

Ah, complicated teen friendships. Ah, high school sororities. Some experiences are universal. Avid girlhood Sweet Valley reader (and current therapist) Cherelle Solomon joins Marissa to examine this timeless text.   Reference Shelf: BTW, the...

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July 18, 2019

Book #29: BITTER RIVALS (For Real!)

It's tempting to say, "why are all these teen girls so awful?" But then you remember what being a teenage girl is like...which is not to say that Marissa and her guest, Denise Boylan, refrain from calling out teen girls like Amy Sutton, Jessica...

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July 11, 2019

Dear Miss Lovelorn...I Mean Marissa

While we wait for the haunting to pass (read: until we can re-record the episode recapping Book 29, BITTER RIVALS) we're reading letters from Gladiators like you. Sweet Valley Twins, Thrillers, Special Editions, Sagas, and even audiobooks all get a...

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July 4, 2019

NOT Book #29: "JESSICA'S REVENGE"

There comes a time in every podcast's run when an episode is thwarted by MAJOR TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES!!! This is that time for us.  As such, Marissa will not be offended if you skip this one altogether. She WILL, however, be offended if this...

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June 27, 2019

Extra Drama #28: Through the Silver Door

What's Lynne Henry's deal? This and other pressing questions (not to mention heartfelt confessions of deeply rooted personal insecurities, laments about high school crushes, smack talk about Guy Chesney, etc.) come together to form the sexy, confident...

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June 20, 2019

Book #28: ALONE IN THE CROWD

You've been waiting with bated breath for Lynne Henry to FINALLY get her very own book. Marissa is joined by her cousin, Meghan Shattuck of Albuquerque, for this journey into one of the teen-angstiest  volumes of the Sweet Valley High series. It...

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June 13, 2019

Extra Drama #27: Daphne Sighed

It's Wednesday night and there's nothing better to do than sit in a semicircle at the high school and listen to teen poetry. Molly McKellar returns to help Marissa recreate an authentic "literary evening" at Sweet Valley High and overanalyze a totally...

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June 6, 2019

Book #27: LOVESTRUCK

Ken Matthews: The man. The myth. The m....aybe he should be spending more time working on his English homework? Molly McKellar joins Marissa to discuss this movie-star handsome captain of the football team and his many, many, highly relatable troubles...

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May 30, 2019

Extra Drama #26: JESSI AND THE STONEYBROOK PARADE

What do you get when you put the Baby-Sitters Club girls in a Sweet Valley world? Well if this bonus episode's best guess is correct, you get Janine Kishi and Shannon Kilbourne executing a computer plant heist alongside Kristy and Stacey. And that's...

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May 23, 2019

Book #26: HOSTAGE!

Is Mitch Denson a certified snack or an entire dish? What on earth is a “burn of the week?” Who is Regina? Answers to all this and more courtesy to extremely professional podcasters and Baby-Sitters Club experts Jack Shepherd and Tanner Greenring...

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May 16, 2019

Extra Drama #25: The Droids You're Looking For

Dan Gaspari returns to discuss the band that rocks Sweet Valley High. What do they sound like? What will happen if they date each other? Who are they? How many band names can we remember? Answers to all this and more await!   Further Reading (Or...

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May 9, 2019

Book #25: NOWHERE TO RUN

Grandma and Grandpa Wakefield are in town and poor Alice has NOWHERE TO RUN from her attention-hogging, out-of-state in-laws! Oh wait, that's the b-story. This book's title refers to Droids drummer Emily Mayer and her family problems, which Elizabeth...

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May 2, 2019

Extra Drama #24: SPLASH PARTY (Just Pool Stuff)

Guest Katie LaDue returns to finally reveal the secret Jessica B-Plot that had her scheming to go to a dance with Winston Egbert. What possible explanation could there be for such a happenstance??? Listen and learn the truth.

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April 25, 2019

Book #24: MEMORIES

Steven is in a love triangle with Cara and a ghost. Elizabeth is hoping to replace Todd with a doppelgänger. Jessica is trying to get Winston to take her to The Caravan. In short, all three of the Wakefield siblings are back on their bullshit, and...

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April 18, 2019

Extra Drama #23: Welcome to Hometown Honeys

Are Steven, Enid, and everyone else in Sweet Valley right about long-distance being a bad idea? Do these rules only apply to 16-year-olds? What is a "hometown honey?" Mary Kate Wiles and Marissa discuss all of these questions, and concretely answer...

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April 11, 2019

Book #23: SAY GOODBYE

Is it possible to hang a black veil over a podcast episode description? No? Damn.  Mary Kate Wiles comforts Marissa in her time of crisis. Because...TODD!!! TOOODDDDD!!!!   Music in this episode: ELEGIAC SYMPHONY by Dee Yan-Key Fonte...

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April 4, 2019

Extra Drama #22: Codependency Intervention!

Marissa and Russ Nickel consider the morality of staging an elaborate lie to trick a friend into becoming less of a total sad sack.

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March 28, 2019

Book #22: TOO MUCH IN LOVE

Marissa brings back newly-minted Bill Chase/Dee Dee Gordon expert Russ Nickel, and the results may surprise you: realistic and relatable depiction of romantic problems? Healthy lessons for young readers? This isn't the Sweet Valley High I fell in love...

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March 21, 2019

Extra Drama #21: Bad Boy (Stuck) in High School

Marissa and songstress Jocelyn Scofield discuss the story of Jocelyn's ode to all the former Rick Andovers out there, her song "Bad Boy in High School." Spoiler alert: they're probably NOT the best years of your life.

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March 14, 2019

Sweet Valley Diaries #21: RUNAWAY

Season 3 Premiere! Marissa and songstress Jocelyn Scofield investigate Jessica Wakefield’s first emo phase, poor parenting in Sweet Valley, and that one time Elizabeth served Ricky Capaldo some deeply scalding tea.

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Feb. 15, 2019

Sweet Vall-entines Day Announcement!

Happy V Day...Sweet V Day, that is! Marissa made up that holiday, but there's no reason that should keep you from celebrating. Celebrate by listening to this announcement! This episode features music from PurplePlanet.com and an excerpt from RACING...

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Dec. 30, 2018

Super Edition #2: SPECIAL CHRISTMAS

Fan favorite Marissa’s Dad is back for this SUPER EDITION bonus episode…and he’s not the only person who’s back! What fresh hell will Suzanne Devlin impose on Sweet Valley this Christmastide? Find out, if it’s the last thing you do this year!

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Dec. 8, 2018

First Anniversary Special!

Sweet Valley Diaries is a year old! Happy Anniversary, podcast!  What a first year. For listening, for telling friends, for rating and reviewing, and to those who participated and helped and advised and supported: THANK YOU. Because of you, there...

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