Suite Scarlett

Suite Scarlett by Maureen JohnsonSuite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
Publisher: Brilliance Audio, Read by Janie Stith
My copy: audiobook, won from Helen’s Book Blog during Armchair BEA

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’ve heard a lot about Maureen Johnson from YA contemporary circles, but somehow, I never really got around to getting her books. This almost feels like a sin for someone who loves contemporary YA as much as I do. So at the back of my mind, I have this little to-buy list that includes one of Maureen Johnson’s books in case I wanted to splurge on something, but winning a giveaway during Armchair BEA saved me from spending and instead, I got an audiobook of Suite Scarlett, which some of my blogger friends recommend.

Scarlett Martin has just turned 15, and as with her older siblings Spencer and Lola, she was given the Empire Suite in Hopewell Hotel, their family business, to take care of. This is a great honor, however, business isn’t exactly as booming as it was before in the Hopewell, so Scarlett’s dreams of getting a summer job was put on hold since she had to help out at home. Things turn interesting, though, when rich, world-traveler and theater actress Mrs. Amy Amberson comes along and rents the Empire Suite. Pretty soon, Scarlett becomes her personal assistant and a part of some harebrained schemes that involve directing and producing a play (with crazy antics that may or may not involve a chromatic tuner), conning a nemesis, and a possible summer romance.

Like everyone I know who’s read this, my favorite part of this book is the sibling relationship of Scarlett and Spencer. I love brother-sister relationships because I can relate to it so much. Scarlett and Spencer remind me of my own relationship with my older brother. They’re probably closer, of course, but their banter and their instinct to help each other is ingrained in every brother-sister relationship out there, I think. I liked how Spencer can tell things just by looking at his sister and how he has this instinct to protect her even from his friend. I also liked the other two Martins, even if I saw them as the “enemies” at the start of the book because they’re at odds with the brother-sister tandem.

The story isn’t really that monumental, but it has enough elements to make it just the right amount of crazy. I don’t think people will actually get into as much chaos as Scarlett did in her summer, but the setting helped in making it believable. I bet if this story was set outside of NYC or in anything other than Hopewell, I wouldn’t have accepted the craziness as easily as I did here. Suite Scarlett makes me want to go to New York City (not that I haven’t wanted to go there for the past years now) and go to the places described in the book.

I really enjoyed reading/listening to Suite Scarlett. It’s fun, light and it’s easily one of those books that will cheer you up after reading a depressing or heavy book. I’m curious about Maureen Johnson’s other books now. :)

This should be for another post, but since this is my first audiobook (for a long time now, anyway), I should mention it in this review, too. The audiobook I wanted to listen to was usually one with different voices for the characters, so the first time I listened to this, I had a hard time with the way the reader changers her voice for every character. It was kind of weird because I could tell it was still her and I couldn’t detach myself from that. It took a while to get used to it, but when I did, I had to marvel at how different each voice sounded after all. I’m pretty sure this won’t be my last audiobook. It’s not a conventional way to read, but it is definitely helpful in the gym. ;)

Rating: [rating=4]

Other reviews:
Chachic’s Book Nook
Angieville