Summer dreams...
Summer's here, and the Wakefield twins can't wait to join Lila Fowler in fabulous, beach-lined Malibu. Elizabeth and Jessica have arranged jobs as mother's helpers and are looking forward to a dream vacation filled with Hollywood stars and gorgeous guys. But the girls soon find out things aren't always as they seem in sunny Malibu. Elizabeth's heart Is won by someone much too old for her. Even though she feels guilty about it, she begins to see him secretly. While Elizabeth tries desperately to keep her sister from finding out, Jessica is busy trying to get bronzed Cliff Sherman to notice her. Can the girls straighten out their summer romances, or will Malibu's magic be only an illusion? Come along with the Wakefield twins for all the sun and fun of a Malibu Summer! |
You should have seen my face expression when I found this series in a used bookstore. Sure, it's for the young adult crowd, but I remembered reading these when I was younger and just had to walk down memory lane....again. You guys must think I'm a complete sentimental nut. Most people don't care about getting the books back that they read when they were that young, but alas, I'm never normal.
Once I jumped in...err, well. My enthusiasm flattened. The material was younger than I remembered, for one thing. I can read Pike with ease and still think many of his books are adultish, and R.L Stine pushes it at times but still tells a great little tale, but this...too young. The bigger stinker of the thing was (Hey, I read Judy Blume too remember?), that the plot just isn't good. I don't care what age level it's meant for, the realism is too anorexic. I read a few other reviews before penning this one, and found some feel the same and cite other stories as more defined. It's too much that one sister falls in love with a rock star (who no one recognizes). The unbelievability probably failed to move when I was wetter behind the ears, too.
Character wise, it's decent. Jessica and Elizabeth are always perfect opposites of each other, both endearing in their own ways. Things are too dramatic for the most part with them, but I can see why young adults would be drawn to the females. It is frustrating never to see what developed with Jessica's friends younger guy, but I suppose the moral of that sub-story was summed up. Still there is something undeniably attractive about reading a story about two girls so popular, outgoing, with everything at their fingertips.
For young teens it's worth a try but nothing they should savor much. I'd gear them toward other books in the series or other authors first. The writing style is thankfully pleasant, if not catering to the Valley Girl exclamation mark style. When suspense is there for this type of book, it was done well. I did feel a small heart squeeze at the end, so emotions are stronger than you'd think. Even if I didn't find myself enjoying this one at this age, I'm still glad I became reaquanted.
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