Francine Pascal, thought to be the mother of modern young adult literature, passed away on July 28, 2024. Pascal was the mind behind the Sweet Valley High series of best-selling young-adult novels that debuted in 1983.
Pascal is thought to have transformed young-adult publishing by writing for an audience whose attention she captured with the blissful invention of the Sweet Valley universe, the relatable turmoils of adolescence experienced by her characters, a plot driven by female characters, and, as Pascal puts it, her view of high school as a “microcosm of the real world.”
Pascal wrote the first twelve novels in the Sweet Valley series before keeping a rapid publication pace by writing detailed outlines for other writers to complete. These writers worked in accordance with Pascal’s collection of descriptions of personalities, settings, and the complicated relationships that characterized life in the Sweet Valley universe to ensure that there would be no inconsistencies or deviations from the storyline planned for future books.
Apart from creating the Sweet Valley universe, Pascal worked as a screenwriter for the 1960s soap opera The Young Marrieds, and wrote several other books, including the young-adult thriller series Fearless, which follows the missions of a crime-fighting teen born without the gene for fear.
Francine Pascal was proud to have created another generation of readers, and with over 180 publications, she did just that.
Francine Pascal Books
The Sweet Life
Three years after the events of Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal, Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are back in Sweet Valley and inseparable once more. Things are looking up for both twins: Elizabeth is a star reporter at the LA Tribune, and Jessica's PR career is on the fast-track. But while the professional lives of the Wakefield sisters are secure, their personal lives may be in jeopardy. Jessica, now a mother, finds that managing parenthood, marriage, and a job is harder than she expected, while Elizabeth and Bruce must face a scandal that could strengthen their bond…or tear them apart forever.
Meanwhile, life goes on in Sweet Valley. Families are made, hearts are broken, and . . . Lila Fowler is a reality TV star? Some things never change.
Fearless 2
Gaia Moore is brilliant and beautiful. She’s trained in three kinds of martial arts, has a reflex speed that’s off the charts, and can break codes in four languages.
She’s also missing the fear gene.
Special attributes and fearlessness aside, Gaia simply wants a regular life, one with friends, and maybe even a boyfriend. And although the guy she really wants is still utterly unavailable, there are other options. Like the new dark and mysterious boy who is definitely interested. Gaia might be ready to take a walk on the wild side, but her love life is nothing compared to the danger that’s closing in.
Still on the search for information about her family, Gaia is finding out more and more each day…and one of her friends might be behind everything. Gaia must figure out who is about to betray her—and the wrong decision could be deadly
Sam
There's somebody who wants me dead.
And he's probably going to succeed.
Very soon.
There is something I have to do before I go.
And there's only one person I want to do it with.
Sam.
NO RULES. NO LIMITS. NO FEAR.
Heat
Everyone longs for something.
And everyone gives in to temptation sometimes.
Mary.
Heather.
Sam.
Now it's my turn.
Blood
Gaia reconsiders the consequences of her fearlessness when a drug dealer she beat up takes revenge by killing her friend. She becomes inconsolable and reclusive, and her depression turns into a death wish. But Ed’s got a plan to get Gaia caring again. Will it work?
Killer
They say to keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.
But what if you don't know which is which?
Fear
I SWORE I WOULD NEVER BE LIKE MY FATHER. I SWORE I WOULD NEVER BETRAY THOSE WHO TRUST ME. I LIED.
Lost
Now that things are insane again,
they’re finally back to normal.
Dad’s in a coma.
And I’m going out of my mind.
Oh, and one more thing...
Sam’s back from the dead.
Chase
If Tatiana’s my evil stepsister,
And Natasha’s my wicked stepmother,
Then what does that make Loki—
Some kind of knight in shining armor?
Yeah, right.
