Suite Scarlett was a cute read - it was fun, frothy and focused on the apple of every YA blogger's eye, Spencer. It has a nice heart, some nice introspection but it failed to rock my world.

First of all, Spencer is great in that he's the male focus of this novel, being the big brother rather than the love interest. He's funny, he's charming, he's flawed. I found the protagonist (Scarlett) to be a little blah. Johnson tends to overwhelm her leading ladies with swirling events and larger than life secondary characters. Ultimately, it is these characters that you remember, the kooky Spencer, the dramatic Mrs Amberson and the tantrum-throwing Marlene.

While I have been critical, I did enjoy Suite Scarlett. The protagonist learns that her brother is fallible, her older sister isn't an icicle and her little sister has a heart. The love interest Eric is blandly tolerable, which is kinda the point with the events that occur. I couldn't help but wish the novel was from Spencer's or Lola's point of view, which could be a reflection of my age. Regardless, it was a fun, light read. ( )

Reviewed by Lauren Ashley for TeensReadToo.com

Scarlett just turned fifteen, but instead of being awarded a fantastic vacation away from home (like all her other friends) she is given a suite in the hotel she lives in to take care of...like every other Martin in the family when they turn fifteen.

This isn't too bad until she meets her first guest that she must cater to, Mrs. Amberson, who will be staying all summer long! Though Scarlett believes this will be another boring summer, things start to get crazy with Mrs. Amberson along. She almost gets arrested for shoplifting, must keep helping to save her brother's production of Hamlet and his chances of ever making it as an actor, fetching Mrs. Amberson more tea then she could ever need, and even falling for a boy along the way!

Get ready New York: Scarlett is taking over!

This is my first novel by Maureen Johnson, but by no means will it be the last! I loved SUITE SCARLETT from the very beginning, immensely enjoying the characters and adventures. Scarlett and her brother, Spencer, have a great relationship with amazingly witty comebacks. You'll find yourself laughing along and wishing you had their relationship with your siblings!

The book is hilarious, thought-provoking, and fun! I'm thrilled there is going to be a sequel. So if you've read Johnson's work before...you need this one, as well. And if you haven't, then get to it! It's the perfect book to start you out on! ( )

The Hopewell is a family owned, failing, but one time great, boutique hotel in Manhattan. Fifteen-year old Scarlett has just been given her own room to supervise and oversee when the space’s newest occupant, a flamboyant ex-actress, bursts onto the scene. With her busy city friends out of town for the summer and a diva to tend to, Scarlett gives in to the whimsy of her charge is and taken for a very dramatic ride.

You know those kids in school who would act out their scenes for the spring musical in the hallways? They would rehearse their Shakespeare monologues standing on top of the lunchroom tables and break into random song in the middle of math class? I’m pretty sure Maureen Johnson has known a few in her time because Suite Scarlett is spot on. Under the guise of a story centered around hotels, Suite Scarlett is more about what happens when those kids grow up.

The center calamity is focused on Scarlett’s brother whose acting career has one foot in culinary school and the other in the grave. In order to convince his parents he shouldn’t be shipped off to make souffle, he has to come up with a paying gig and soon. The most fantastic part about this was the detail to the actors both major and minor. Most of the actors we see on TV or even in theater have made a name for themselves and frankly make it look easy. We really only see the tip of the ice burg, forgetting all of the former high school stage stars who still have the moxie but aren’t making money.

Aside from the actual reality check served up, the tone that rings true is in the little details. The romances born of proximity when working on a show, cast fights, late nights, the works. It has the effect of both making the reader wish she was back on the stage and thanking her lucky starts that she got out when she did!

As far as the writing goes, I enjoyed it but I think having read Devilish recently, it just struck me as less funny. The banter between Scarlett and Spencer (and certainly Scarlett’s inner monologue) was fantastic and totally indicative of Johnson’s work but for some reason the other characters fell flat for me. Over all, a fun read, though and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it prior to Devlish. ( )

I'd put this in the 2.5 range if it were possible -- the story was inventive (this is Maureen Johnson after all), but unfortunately it just didn't stick. Something was off, and I can't quite put my finger on it. I finished the book, but it took me a long time and I'd put it down for days at a time. ( )

I'm a big fan of Maureen Johnson, especially 13 Little Blue Envelopes and The Bermudez Triangle. She writes what I call intelligent chick lit. The witty banter between Scarlett and her brother Spencer is a great example of this in Suite Scarlett.

Scarlett's family runs an old Art Deco hotel in New York City, but they're running out of money. And hotel guests. The help has been let go and the family members have to adopt a suite to care for. Scarlett gets Mrs. A, a whirlwind of a woman who makes things happen with a little lying and stealing. Mrs. A adopts Spencer's Shakespeare group as a pet project and gives Scarlett advice about Eric, an older boy she is crushing on. ( )