#127 - Abby's Un-Valentine

Timeline
Feb of 9th repeat

Plot
Abby has no interest in boys or Valentine's Day. Actually, she is so anti Valentine's Day it's a little weird. So when a boy, Ross, decides he wants Abby as his Valentine, obviously things aren't going to work out in his favor. He chases her, but she resists and is actually quite rude to him. But of course, Ross won't give up, which is also quite rude. Then she realizes that all the things Ross is interested in don't appeal to her but they would appeal to her sister, Anna. She attempts to set them up, but it flops. He comes to the house and thinks Anna is Abby, and for some reason Anna doesn't correct him, then he realizes he has the wrong twin and gets very mad. Anna and Abby go to his house to apologize, and Abby says that maybe Anna and Ross should spend time together. They set a date.

Sub plot is that it's time for the guide dog that Kristy's family is training is ready to move on to the next step and Andrew is losing his mind. David Michael ends up giving him partial ownership of their other puppy, Shannon, to help him heal.

Takeaways
Ross may have trouble later in his life -he doesn't get that no means no.

Abby and Kristy end up spending Valentine's Day together, which is weird bc Abby mentions several times in the book that she is not that close with Kristy. Abby is in denial. It wasn't that many books ago Kristy went on vacation with Abby's family.

Best Character
I would say Anna, because it's pretty clear that she has feelings for Ross from the very beginning, but then she is very positive about getting Abby hooked up with him. So she puts her feelings aside for her twin. But then she ends up getting him anyway.

Worst Character
I know that everything ends up being okay, but I'm going to give this one to Ross because he doesn't respect Abby telling him no.

#126 - The All-New Mallory Pike

Timeline
January of 9th repeat

Plot
The day has finally come for Mallory to go to her new school, Riverbend. She and her parents make the trip, and the first night goes pretty well for Mal. She meets all the other new students, and then the next day the returning students come back and she meets her roommate, Alexis. Right off the bat, it's not going to work out -Alexis starts telling her all the "rules" for the room, and Mallory finds she also has no room for her own stuff bc Alexis has taken over.

Things just keep getting worse and worse. Alexis reads Mallory's journal; she borrows earrings without asking. Mallory throws herself into her new life with her new friends and just avoids her room. Alexis then makes her feel bad for avoiding her, but then two seconds later she is a bitch again. The shit finally really hits the fan when Mal gets a care package from the BSC and Alexis completely destroys it. They have mediation meeting with their RA and the dean, and Alexis storms out, goes back to their room and completely trashes it, throwing shit everywhere. The dean sees the situation is drastic, so they ask a girl who has a single room to move in with Mallory and they move Alexis to live by herself.

Back in Stoneybrook, the Pike kids are fighting over Mallory's space - with her being gone, Vanessa has a room to herself and that's really not fair. So they battle it out, and then finally sort it out.

Takeaways
Right when Mallory leaves, all the Pike kids like LOSE their minds and are all depressed that Mallory left. I don't think that's very realistic. And it's not like Mallory died. It's January at this point, so I bet she would be home in like 8 weeks for a spring break of some sort. Get it together.

Also, I think it's weird the Pike family never thought of the room situation before Mallory left.

The roommate situation reminded me so much of my first roommate at BVU. She was just weird. All I wanted to do was move out, but they had a roommate freeze time where you couldn't make adjustments. As soon as that time was over, though, I bolted.

Also, I kind of wish I had gone to an all girls school. I feel like I would have had my shit together a little earlier in life if I had.

Best Character
Mallory. When I was an 19 year old kid going to school for the first time, I lost my shit often. Mallory is 11 and handles it like a pro.

Worst Character
I mean, obviously Alexa, the room destroyer.

#125 - Mary Anne in the Middle

Timeline
December of 9th repeat

Plot
Okay so Mallory has decided she is for sure leaving to go to boarding school, and Jessi is pissed. They fight constantly and for some reason they are both confiding in Mary Anne about everything. They are constantly talking to MA about each other and MA is like losing sleep over it. Finally, she tricks them into both coming to her house at the same time and then she acts as the mediator, gets them to understand each other, and they make up. The BSC and pretty much the entire neighborhood of Stoneybrook then has a "We Love Mallory" day.

The substory is that the BSC, along with the entire neighborhood of course, makes holiday decorations for the old age home and then throws a party for the old people. It's the most successful party in the history of old age home holiday parties.

Takeaways
I really hope these girls are keeping track of all the community service they do. It will look great on job/college applications.

There really wasn't a lot to this book at all. Jessi and Mallory were both super immature about their fight and were downright nasty to each other. And they were super mean/rude to each other in front of people, including their sitting charges.

Also, they both get pissed and walk out of a BSC meeting and I can't believe that was okay with Kristy.

Best Character
MA because she has to deal with two sixth graders fighting like children and she is the only one who figures out how to get them to get along.

Worst Character
Honestly Mallory is pretty immature, but Jessi is just plain nasty the majority of the book.

#124 - Stacey McGill...Matchmaker

Timeline
November of 9th repeat

Plot
There is a new BSC client in town. He has two children, and Stacey gets assigned to the job. His name is John, and he is an author. When Stacey's mom comes to pick her up, sparks fly. Pretty soon, Ms. Stacey's Mom and John are dating. Stacey is elated.

You know who is not elated? Joni, John's oldest daughter. She is nine, and she is not ready for her dad to start dating. She is pretty convinced her mom will come back, even though she completely deserted the family to go be a model. Joni starts pulling all sorts of tricks with her dad to keep him away from Ms. Stacey's Mom.

Stacey and her mom host Thanksgiving, and it doesn't go well. Joni has kind of a meltdown at dinner, but the worst part was things didn't seem to be vibing with John and Ms. SM. He doesn't offer to help with dishes, SM is clearly not impressed with his parenting, and when she drives Stacey to the train station the next morning to go see her dad, she lets Stacey know she is going to break up with him. Stacey is pissed, but then her boyfriend Ethan tells her she needs to be on her mom's side. So she goes back to Stoneybrook, hears the news that the breakup is done, and goes over to their house to give the kids gifts and tell them she still loves them.

There is no real subplot, the other babysitters are barely mentioned. Except Mallory is going to visit a boarding school a long ways away because she hates SMS.

Takeaways
Stacey says something about how her dad had a quiet Thanksgiving, but she thinks he misses the big loud family Thanksgiving. I feel like Stacey doesn't really know her parents at all.

Like...she is obsessed with this John guy for her mom. She really barely knows him. And they've only been on like three dates and all of a sudden the families are merging for Thanksgiving?

One of Joni's tricks is that she deletes the chapter of the book John is working on. Like....I would for real give my kid up for adoption if she did that.

There is really nothing to this book except this relationship that fizzles out in like two weeks.

Best Character
Mrs. McGill, because she doesn't just settle for John. She knows she deserves Mr. Right.

Worst Character
I don't even know - I suppose Joni because she is a world class brat, but it seems weird to give worst character to a confused 9 year old. So instead I will give it to her mom - like, she GAVE UP her two kids to go be a model? Get a clue, lady.

#123 - Claudia's Big Party

Timeline
Fall of 9th repeat

Plot
Claudia is back in 8th grade, but she is still dating her boyfriend, Josh, who is in 7th grade. She is trying to figure out how to manage her time between homework, babysitting, her 7th grade friends, her 8th grade friends, her boyfriend and her family, especially Janine who has become kind of clingy since breaking up with her boyfriend.

Her parents take a four day trip and leave the girls home by themselves. Claudia decides a party with all her friends would be the best way to get them to hang out, and Janine agrees to it. However, it gets out of hand. Everyone seemed to invite extra friends, and soon the house is packed and a vase gets broken. Of course, that's the moment her Aunt Peaches stops by and makes everyone leave and says she is telling on them. But the girls tell their parents first, and they really aren't that mad. And the party ends up being a success, because all her friends, regardless of grade, already have made plans to hang out the following weekend.

Subplot is that Melody and Bill Korman are fighting and of course the BSC solves it and makes them get along.

Takeaways
This is literally the only time I can remember the BSC being nice to non-BSC members, especially girls.

I kind of thought the Kormans were being dicks to Bill and treating Melody like a princess but I guess that never really mattered.

Mallory is a huge whine tit in this book about still being called Spaz Girl. And of course she is the one who broke the vase.

Best Character
It's a tie between Claudia and Janine - Claudia is trying to hard to please everyone, and Janine is trying so hard to be cool.

Worst Character
Like, I know Peaches had to be mature and responsible and tell on the girls, but she was kind of a bitch about it. So I'm glad the girls told their parents first. But Peaches wins worst character fo sho.

#122 - Kristy in Charge

Timeline
Fall of 9th repeat

Plot
SMS, again, is doing something crazy. They have a new program, called TOT (Teacher of Tomorrow), where students can volunteer to be a teacher for extra credit. Of course Kristy is all for it, and Abby immediately calls her out for just wanting a reason to boss everyone around. Of course that's true. but Kristy also thinks this is a great opportunity to show the teachers how much they suck.

Most of the BSC does it - Kristy gets a gym class, Mallory gets an 8th grade english class, Stacey gets a math class, Mary Anne gets some boring class. They are supposed to come up with very detailed lesson plans to hand in. Kristy decides gym teachers don't do lesson plans, so she doesn't. She is also teamed up with the boys PE teacher for the same period, who is some guy she can't , stand. She refuses to work with him, so their first two class periods are complete madhouses. They get sent to the principal's office, who tells them they have one more chance and then they will be fired. So they actually work together and their last class is such a success, the PE teacher asks them to come back and teach the final.

Mallory, however, is terrible. She is nervous anyway about teaching 8th graders anyway, and then they make fun of her and call her SpazGirl, which quickly spreads to the entire school and becomes her new nickname.

The babysitting sub plot is that Vanessa decides she wants to be a teacher and forces her siblings to play, so they TIE HER UP and refuse to play with her.

Takeaways
Okay...so Kristy and her partner suck so badly they almost get fired, and then after ONE successful class, they get asked to come back and teach the final? #nope

Mallory is just the most depressing, negative person in the world.

MaryAnne hates being the center of attention and public speaking, but yet she volunteers to be a teacher? #nope

Best Character
Honestly, I think it was the PE teacher Kristy was working for. Usually Kristy kind of rolls over adults, but this teacher wasn't having it and put her in her place. And sent her to the freaking principal's office!

Worst Character
I realize Mallory was put in a shit situation, but her whining and crying made her insufferable. So Mallory.

#121 - Abby in Wonderland

Timeline
Summer before 9th repeat

Plot
Abby and her family are going to her grandparent's house in the Hamptons for an extended vacation, and while they are there their grandparents are throwing an Alice In Wonderland themed anniversary party for themselves. Her grandmother is hell bent on getting everyone in the family there, and she seems more crazy about it than usual. Abby can't figure out why her grandma seems so much more sensitive this year, so she does some snooping and discovers information about breast cancer in her grandma's bedroom. She then takes it upon herself to make sure this party has everyone there that her grandma wants, so she starts making calls and convincing her relatives to come, including her grandma's sister who has been estranged for quite some time.

Kristy comes to the party, and Abby is glad to have a friend there. During her grandma's thank you announcement, Abby becomes overwhelmed with emotion and runs inside. Her grandma sees her and follows her, and Abby finally just bluntly asks about the breast cancer. Her grandma admits she has a lump her doctor is doing a biopsy on, but no matter what happens she will fight bc she's not ready to die yet.

Side story is the Pikes don't get to go to Sea City this year, so they are all super depressed, so the BSC helps them turn their backyard into a beach and have a beach party with all their friends.

Takeaways
Abby's grandparent's house seriously sounds like the best place on earth. All I want is a beach house.

It's kind of weird Kristy goes to the party with Abby, but I guess she's probably the closest thing to a best friend Abby has in Stoneybrook? Everyone is kind of paired off already.

Also, like I said in the last book review...these books are getting deep lately.

That Alice in Wonderland party sound amaze-balls and I want one for myself ASAP.

Also, the Pikes are spoiled brats. There are EIGHT children in that house, and they act all depressed because, for the first summer ever, they can't afford a lavish two week beach vacation. Um. We had six kids in our family and do you know how many vacations we went on as kids? One. And we left one kid at home because he cost too much (jk, there was another reason).

Best Character
Obviously Abby's bad ass, cancer fighting grandma. Who is also a hell of a party planner.

Worst Character
All of the spoiled Pike kids except Mallory, who gets it.