Suite Scarlett

From School Library Journal Grade 8 Up—The Martin clan is an unusually eccentric family, even by New York City standards. Scarlett's parents own and run the Hopewell, a small, rundown, historic hotel in the heart of the city in this novel by Maureen Johnson (Scholastic, pap. 2009). According to family "rules," upon turning 15, each sibling is given a hotel suite to care for, along with any guests booked into that particular room. By the luck of the draw, Scarlett's first "client" is Mrs. Amberson—a former actress and world traveler with a penchant for running other peoples' lives and an amazingly egocentric view of the universe. By the time the woman is finished with the Martins, every member of the family will have experienced a life changing and positive event. Jennie Stith's little girl voice seems a tad young for Scarlett, and her breathy delivery becomes wearing after a while. This, coupled with the book's implausible plot and minimally developed characters makes it a marginal purchase.—Cindy Lombardo, Cleveland Public Library, OH Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Product Description 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. “I can’t wait until my room at the Hopewell is ready.” – Meg Cabot “This book is made of funny and whimsical deliciousness (really, lick a page and taste for yourself).” – Libba Bray “I couldn’t put it down.” – Michele Jaffe “I loved it!” – E. Lockhart “An utterly winning, madcap Manhattan farce, crafted with a winking, urbane narrative and tight, wry dialogue.” – ALA Booklist, starred review About the Author Maureen Johnson is the author of Suite Scarlett (also available on audio from Brilliance Audio), The Key to the Golden Firebird, 13 Little Blue Envelopes, The Bermudez Triangle, Devilish, and Girl at Sea. She lives in New York City. You can visit her online at www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com.