Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

 
Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
Scholastic Books, May 2008
353 pages
Book Source: Public Library

Scarlett Martin has grown up in a most unusual way. Her family owns the Hopewell, a small Art Deco hotel in the heart of New York City.

When each of the Martins turns fifteen, they are expected to take over the care of a suite. For Scarlett’s fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite and a permanent guest named Mrs. Amberson. Scarlett doesn’t quite know what to make of this C-list starlet and world traveler. 

And when she meets Eric, an astonishingly gorgeous actor who has just moved to the city, her summer takes a second unexpected turn.
Before the summer is over, Scarlett will have to survive a whirlwind of thievery and romantic missteps. But in the city where anything can happen, she just might be able to pull it off.

-- Summary from GoodReads.com

Judging by the cover...: Ugh. She's not even a real blonde (unlike the star of the book)! I was totally embarrassed to pull this book out in public. Thank the gods that the publisher realized this and decided to use a new cover for the paperback, one that won't leave the reader with feelings of guilt and/or shame.

Favorite Elements:

• The Big Apple - I don't need to remind you how cool New York City is. So cool that I wouldn't want to ruin it's cool factor by living there (well, that's not the real reason, but we'll go with that for now). How many other girls can say they live in a swinging hotel that was once populated by New York's finest actors and actresses (and an illegal distillery, too).
• The Stage - If you have what it takes to make it in Broadway, glamor and fame are as good as yours. If you don't want the life of an actor after reading this, then you have a cold, cold heart indeed.
• Living in a Hotel - How many other girls can say they live in a swinging hotel that was once populated by New York's finest actors and actresses? That's right, not many. Imagine the people you'd meet, the crazy things you'd see!

Overall: B+
If you couldn't tell from my reviews of 13 Little Blue Envelopes and The Last Little Blue Envelope, I go slightly fangirl over Maureen Johnson. She is a religious twitterer, spamming hilarious tweets from the moment she wakes up to the time she falls asleep (exhausted from so much tweeting, I'm sure). If there's a young adult author who is really connected to her readers, it's her.

All gushing aside, Scarlett is one of those girls that you can't help but want to adopt as your new best friend. Abandoned by her friends for the summer, left in the clutches of starlet Amy Amberson, caught in the trap of a failing hotel, and hypnotized by the hotness hunky actor Eric, there's no one who needs befriending more. Luckily she has her awesome older brother, Spencer, and an older sister who's got it all: rich boyfriend, hot wardrobe, a killer job, and the patience of a saint. Johnson pulls all of these elements together and does it with the same panache and hilarity of her frequent 140-character updates.

If you've ever wanted to spend a summer in the city that never sleeps, here's your chance to do it without ever leaving your couch (and accomplish it in much less time, too).

Recommendation: Puh-lease, like you have to ask. This is the first in the Scarlett series, and if the rest are like this one, you won't want to miss a beat.

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
HarperCollins, 2011
288 pages
9780061976797
Note: This was an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley.com. The release date is April 26, 2011.

This is the sequel to Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes. If you have not read it yet (and why is that?), I suggest you stop reading this instant. Spoilers may be found below.

Ginny has been stressing about her college entrance essay question, "Describe a life experience that changed you..." How can she possibly sum up what happened over the summer? Just as she has decided to procrastinate the essay just a little bit longer, she receives a mysterious email quoting a letter. Could it really be the thirteenth letter that was stolen, along with her bag, in Greece? Her instructions are to go back to England and help the sender find the three sections of Aunt Peg's last piece. She takes the opportunity to hop on a plane and jet back to England,to see Keith and hear her aunt's last words to her. What she finds is another European adventure, blackmail, and a little bit of romance.

Judging by the cover...: Much more appealing than the last cover, but not at all how I pictured Ginny.

Favorite Elements:

• World Travel - Never ever have I envied those who live in London so much. Paris would be a wonderful place, and Amsterdam is nothing to scoff at, but London is where my heart is. I'd move there in a heartbeat (provided I had a way to make a living, of course). I'm already preparing by watching as much BBC as possible.
• Best British Mate - Ellis is spectacular, considering everything. I'd love to have a best girl friend to pal around London with. Imagine the shopping frenzies we could have!
• Awesome Aunt AND Uncle - Aunt Peg continues to be one of the best aunts in history (apart from mine), even when suffering from the hallucinations. Keith is probably the coolest adult in y.a. lit, allowing Ginny to crash at his place and gallivant around Europe. Not to mention he works at Harrod's.

Overall (out of 5): 4
I'm so glad that I didn't have to wait so long to find out what happened to the last envelope. I can't imagine the torture if I had read the first book in 2005! Johnson fulfills our need to know effortlessly; you'd never know that there are six years in between books. The story picks up just six months after Ginny returns from her first whirlwind tour of Europe. She has the same concerns that every high school senior has: college applications, boyfriends, and appearance. Last summer's trip, though, has matured her in realistic ways, and it's interesting to see how she handles her new trip. Oliver is deliciously underhanded, and it's so much fun to hate him, even though his delightful posh accent is very tempting.

Recommendation: If the cliffhanger ending of 13 LBE left you craving more, have no fear! You only have to wait two more months to get your answers. If you haven't begun your European adventure with Ginny as your tour guide, then you have plenty of time to get going!

13 Little Blue Envelopes

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
HarperCollins, 2005
320 pages
9780060541415

Ginny's aunt's last wish is for her to take a whirlwind trip around Europe. The catch: she can't contact anyone from home by phone or e-mail (snail mail is encouraged), she can only travel with a backpack, and she must follow the instructions left to her in the 13 blue envelopes, opening them one by one as directed. As she makes her way through London, Edinburgh, Paris, and beyond, she learns a little more about her aunt and herself, and manages to find a little romance, too. A great story about a girl learning to find her own way through life.

Why I picked it up: I am ashamed to admit that this was the first Maureen Johnson book, and I might not have picked it up had not John Green mentioned her in this vlog post.

Judging by the cover...: When I took the book off the shelf, I almost cringed. If I had known nothing about the awesomeness that is this book, I might have passed it by.

Favorite Elements:

• World Travel - Ginny's adventure made me want to hop a plane as soon as I finished it. A free trip around Europe with nothing but what's on my back? Yes, please! Johnson's remarkably realistic descriptions give the story an incredible depth.

• Boy with an Accent - Accents always do me in, especially a British one. Add to that Keith's artistic nature, and I'm hooked.
  

• Awesome Aunt - Aunt Peg might have been flaky, but she knew what she was doing.

Overall (out of 5): 4
What a fun book! This book felt to me like a teen version of 39 Clues. A race around Europe and a mystery to solve. It was a great adventure, and I totally wish that Ginny was real so that we could be best friends, or at least have lunch once in a while. My only complaint about the book was Keith's role; their "something" felt rushed, and I don't think he was given his fair share of the plot.

Recommendation: Run out and get this book ASAP!