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Don't touch that dial...
SVU STUDENTS: EARN CASH JUST FOR WATCHING TV!
When Nina Harper and Bryan Nelson see the sign, they think it's too good to be true. All they have to do is watch television with electrodes strapped to their heads, some guy takes notes, and Nina and Bryan get paid. It's a cinch.
But nobody tells them about the side effects. Nobody tells them that every student who takes part in the experiment changes--really changes. At first the students' behavior turns a little weird, then it gets disturbing. Before long it grows horribly, brutally violent.
Nina seems safe from the side effects--for now. But will she be safe from the vicious attacks sweeping the campus...and from Bryan?
SVU STUDENTS: EARN CASH JUST FOR WATCHING TV!
When Nina Harper and Bryan Nelson see the sign, they think it's too good to be true. All they have to do is watch television with electrodes strapped to their heads, some guy takes notes, and Nina and Bryan get paid. It's a cinch.
But nobody tells them about the side effects. Nobody tells them that every student who takes part in the experiment changes--really changes. At first the students' behavior turns a little weird, then it gets disturbing. Before long it grows horribly, brutally violent.
Nina seems safe from the side effects--for now. But will she be safe from the vicious attacks sweeping the campus...and from Bryan?
283 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1997
1 person is currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
Francine Pascal
1,140 books1,851 followersFrancine Paula Pascal was an American author best known for her Sweet Valley series of young adult novels. Sweet Valley High, the backbone of the collection, was made into a television series, which led to several spin-offs, including The Unicorn Club and Sweet Valley University. Although most of these books were published in the 1980s and 1990s, they remained so popular that several titles were re-released decades later.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 26, 2017
SWEET VALLEY UNIVERSITY
Written by Francine Pascal
General Review for series as I cannot remember each novel.
I read Sweet Valley University when I was in junior high school to high school. While there is sexual content it is very mild (not explicit) compared to teen books today. If you like the Sweet Valley High you will love this series as it continues with the twins' story as they attend University and are away from their parents. I am not sure how they would relate to teens today as this was before cell phones were common and social media. They are fun teen romances with "real-life" situation. I did not complete the series as I started to save for school so I wasn't able to collect them any further (they are out of print). I still have the books I bought and may try to read one again (I did reread the series a few times).
Written by Francine Pascal
General Review for series as I cannot remember each novel.
I read Sweet Valley University when I was in junior high school to high school. While there is sexual content it is very mild (not explicit) compared to teen books today. If you like the Sweet Valley High you will love this series as it continues with the twins' story as they attend University and are away from their parents. I am not sure how they would relate to teens today as this was before cell phones were common and social media. They are fun teen romances with "real-life" situation. I did not complete the series as I started to save for school so I wasn't able to collect them any further (they are out of print). I still have the books I bought and may try to read one again (I did reread the series a few times).
May 14, 2012
Before I write a (brief) review on this, I have a story to tell about this book. I haven't read it in a number of years, but somehow, when I saw the cover of this book, it brings the memory back to mind rather vividly.
When I was around 12-13 years old, the Sweet Valley series, including SVU books, were compulsive, light reads for me. I usually read them (alongside R.L Stine, Virginia Hamilton, Walter Dean Myers, Ann M. Martin, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Mary Downing Hahn, etc.) between the times I would read works like Stephen King's and a number of classic and sci-fi/fantasy authors in the adult sections of the library. I'd plow through the SV books in about an hour or two (provided that I had an hour to sit and read them).
I picked up this book to read at my local library during the summer. It was one of the summers when I read a LOT of books. Probably well over 150 that summer alone. It was fairly new and since I liked some of the more thriller stories that the SVU franchise had, I had to bite.
The SVU series had age recommendations that were a few pages into the book before the title page. I remembered turning the pages to see it. I never really paid attention to them much because the ones I did pick up were always in my age range anyway, but as I looked I saw the age recommendation for this one.
15 and up. I wasn't 15 yet (I think I was 13 at the time). I was ready to put the book back on the shelf but then I thought "Wait a minute. I've read stuff above my age level before, this probably isn't out of my league. It's SVU, seriously. I'm going to give it a try."
I showed the books to my Mom, but my Mom did the same thing - flipping through the first few pages of each book just to see how would be. She saw the age rec and her reaction was along the line of "Nope, sorry, put it back. You're too young."
Myinternal reaction was much like "ASDF#@ WTFBBQ?", but I didn't say anything. I ended up checking it out anyway. Rebellion FTW.
Later on that evening, my mom found out I checked out the book and before I could finish reading it, she took it, alongside Lois Duncan's "Daughters of Eve" (she didn't like the fact it was about a group of girls in a cult - or at least that's what she told me, I don't remember what the blurb said exactly.) back to the library. I had angst over it for a while, mostly because that was the first time (and really the only time) my mom had ever told me "You can't read this book."
Probably a year or so later, I saw this book in Waldenbooks and bought it with my own money. I didn't think the content really matched up to the rec'd level. From what I remember, the premise was interesting and I liked Nina's character. Nina takes part in an experimental TV study at the university, one which she and her boyfriend have to watch certain programs/patterns and they get paid for their participation. But after the study, some of the students that were a part of it start displaying odd degrees of behavior, some very angry and violent. Nina seems to be the only one who doesn't display the symptoms, but her boyfriend, like the others, succumbs to the influence. And she has to get to the bottom of it before things escalate and she becomes a running target, not just from the people under the influence, but the people who know about the effects of the study.
There might've been one or two places in the book where I saw, content wise, it might raise a few eyebrows, but it really wasn't objectionable for a YA crowd, so I don't know why the age range was that high. The idea was pretty cool, the execution, from what I recall, wasn't even throughout, but it was still a decent read. It's a fairly quick read, and one I think that if you like this offshoot of books in the SVU franchise, it's worth checking out.
When I was around 12-13 years old, the Sweet Valley series, including SVU books, were compulsive, light reads for me. I usually read them (alongside R.L Stine, Virginia Hamilton, Walter Dean Myers, Ann M. Martin, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Mary Downing Hahn, etc.) between the times I would read works like Stephen King's and a number of classic and sci-fi/fantasy authors in the adult sections of the library. I'd plow through the SV books in about an hour or two (provided that I had an hour to sit and read them).
I picked up this book to read at my local library during the summer. It was one of the summers when I read a LOT of books. Probably well over 150 that summer alone. It was fairly new and since I liked some of the more thriller stories that the SVU franchise had, I had to bite.
The SVU series had age recommendations that were a few pages into the book before the title page. I remembered turning the pages to see it. I never really paid attention to them much because the ones I did pick up were always in my age range anyway, but as I looked I saw the age recommendation for this one.
15 and up. I wasn't 15 yet (I think I was 13 at the time). I was ready to put the book back on the shelf but then I thought "Wait a minute. I've read stuff above my age level before, this probably isn't out of my league. It's SVU, seriously. I'm going to give it a try."
I showed the books to my Mom, but my Mom did the same thing - flipping through the first few pages of each book just to see how would be. She saw the age rec and her reaction was along the line of "Nope, sorry, put it back. You're too young."
My
Later on that evening, my mom found out I checked out the book and before I could finish reading it, she took it, alongside Lois Duncan's "Daughters of Eve" (she didn't like the fact it was about a group of girls in a cult - or at least that's what she told me, I don't remember what the blurb said exactly.) back to the library. I had angst over it for a while, mostly because that was the first time (and really the only time) my mom had ever told me "You can't read this book."
Probably a year or so later, I saw this book in Waldenbooks and bought it with my own money. I didn't think the content really matched up to the rec'd level. From what I remember, the premise was interesting and I liked Nina's character. Nina takes part in an experimental TV study at the university, one which she and her boyfriend have to watch certain programs/patterns and they get paid for their participation. But after the study, some of the students that were a part of it start displaying odd degrees of behavior, some very angry and violent. Nina seems to be the only one who doesn't display the symptoms, but her boyfriend, like the others, succumbs to the influence. And she has to get to the bottom of it before things escalate and she becomes a running target, not just from the people under the influence, but the people who know about the effects of the study.
There might've been one or two places in the book where I saw, content wise, it might raise a few eyebrows, but it really wasn't objectionable for a YA crowd, so I don't know why the age range was that high. The idea was pretty cool, the execution, from what I recall, wasn't even throughout, but it was still a decent read. It's a fairly quick read, and one I think that if you like this offshoot of books in the SVU franchise, it's worth checking out.
August 29, 2024
In the latest Sweet Valley Thriller Edition, Nina and her boyfriend Bryan get involved in one of those “student experiments” that promise extra pocket money for very little work. We’ve all seen the advertisements, and some of us have even participated. I did when I was in school, but thankfully that was before I read this creepy book.
Nina only has to watch a bunch of advertisements and the electrodes strapped to her head will measure her thoughts and reactions. But she notices the ads start becoming more violent and upsetting – and her fellow students are acting very strange. Is it subliminal messaging, and is it working? If you like your thrillers to be more tech-oriented, rather than the vampire-setting or stalker ones from earlier in the series, you might really like this one. I like the more traditional thrillers, but it’s all a matter of taste. And anyway, you can’t win them all.
https://hottoastyrag.weebly.com/svu-3...
Nina only has to watch a bunch of advertisements and the electrodes strapped to her head will measure her thoughts and reactions. But she notices the ads start becoming more violent and upsetting – and her fellow students are acting very strange. Is it subliminal messaging, and is it working? If you like your thrillers to be more tech-oriented, rather than the vampire-setting or stalker ones from earlier in the series, you might really like this one. I like the more traditional thrillers, but it’s all a matter of taste. And anyway, you can’t win them all.
https://hottoastyrag.weebly.com/svu-3...
January 2, 2019
I've only ever read this book once before, so I really didn't remember anything about it. It was a typical SVU "thriller", but I had fun re-reading it anyway.
I am a little confused on where Tom was, though. Jessica is mentioned in passing as being at a sorority retreat with Lila and Isabella, but Tom is never once mentioned - and he's Bryan's roommate! It just seemed odd.
I am a little confused on where Tom was, though. Jessica is mentioned in passing as being at a sorority retreat with Lila and Isabella, but Tom is never once mentioned - and he's Bryan's roommate! It just seemed odd.
July 9, 2013
I have read so many of these books I can't remember all of them.
July 6, 2010
pretty good
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews