Piggybacking off the success of Sweet Valley High, we are introduced to Merivale Mall...except I wanted MORE MALL 😆 Several of the characters work at stores in the aforementioned mall, but I really wanted to SEE the arcade...the fountain...the food court! We don't get a lot of that exposition, sadly!
Random thoughts:
- The rich bitch of the book is Danielle, who is essentially Lila Fowler from Sweet Valley High 😆 Scheming, conniving, and trying to charm and buy her way into whatever she wants 😈 Meanwhile her cousin Lori is akin to Elizabeth Wakefield...sweet and studious and basic 🤣
- Just a wee bit dated in a few respects...like the fat shaming. The chubby girl (named PATSY, FOR CHRIST SAKES) is belittled and made to go on a diet, on which she exclaims, "NO CHIPS WILL TOUCH THESE LIPS" LMAOOOOOOO
- Fat Shaming part 2: Patsy is given a makeover and declares, "The only kind of mousse I used to think I needed was chocolate!" CRINGGGGGGE
- Lori works at Tio's Tacos in the mall, and is forced to wear an "authentic" Mexican costume for a promotion. I....I don't even have to tell you about this part 😩
A light, fluffy, decent-enough read, which was a total 180 departure from the previous horror novel I read. 3 out of 5 shopping bags for this book...I would've bought more stuff, but none of the mall stores really interested me 🤪🛍