Rgz Street Team: Priya reviews Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson + A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

The rgz Street Team is a group of teens who bring YA reviews to our blog, led by Postergirl Miss Erin. Find out more.

Today, Priya reviews two fantastic reads. Up first, one of last month's featured books, Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson:

"As Scarlett Martin's rigorous sophomore year begins in New York City, her life takes a turn for the extraordinary. Her eccentric boss' demands are getting weirder and weirder, her brother suddenly becomes a notorious and hated TV villain... and that's just the beginning.

"Scarlett Fever is the sequel to the hilarious novel Suite Scarlett, and it is every bit as witty and exciting as its predecessor, if not more..."

Read the rest of this review on Priya's blog.

Next, Priya reviews A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner:

"A Conspiracy of Kings is the fourth book in The Queen's Thief series, and in my opinion, it's the best one. This book focuses on Sophos (one of the minor characters in the previous books) and his dangerous adventures and epic rise to power as the king of Sounis.

"There were three main things that made me enjoy A Conspiracy of Kings: the characters, the writing, and the plot. I really liked Sophos' character in this book - he was easier to sympathize with than some of the other characters. I felt that he was more accessible to readers and more people would be able to connect with him and understand his actions.

"The writing was wonderful as usual - suspenseful and fast-paced. The plot was also fabulous, with several twists and turns. Megan Whalen Turner has this amazing ability to completely fool the reader and take them on this journey only to reveal some secret or something..."

Read the complete review on Priya's blog.

Roundtable: Suite Scarlett and Scarlett Fever

Last month, I posted an open invitation to the Hopewell Hotel, asking if anyone was interested in participating in a roundtable discussion of September's picks, Suite Scarlett and Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson. Before I knew it, I had a number of volunteers, ready and willing to talk about hotel life, New York City, Law & Order, and unicycling actors - not necessarily in that order.

(Psst....If you want to be a part of the October roundtable, where we'll discuss Lips Touch by Laini Taylor, please leave a comment below with your email address!)

Little Willow: Let's jump right in. What was your favorite part of Suite Scarlett?

Melissa Walker: Being introduced to the Martin family was sheer delight. I've never met characters whom I wanted to know in real life so quickly. I think my favorite parts were the intros to each of them -- I was so excited to hang out with them for a while!

Lindsay F: When Spencer punched Eric. Big brother to the rescue!

Marjolein: I loved that there was a big piece for theater,(I think Suite Scarlett itself would be a perfect story to turned into a play!) the long gone glory of the Hopewell and the mysterious Mrs.Amberson with her even more eccentric demands.

Little Willow: What was your favorite scene in Scarlett Fever?

SamanthaRowan: When Max muscles Dakota out of being Scarlett's lab partner. It's a good piece of foreshadowing and it reaches all of us on a deep level. We all remember the pressure of finding a lab partner or being picked for the dodge ball team.

Melissa Walker: I loved it when Scarlett met Lola for lunch and they finally talked openly about things with Chip. It felt so real and sisterly, especially for these two girls who love each other but don't always communicate well. Fantastic moment.

Lindsay F: When Scarlett pushed Max off his stool. ...I think I just may like violence in MJ's books.

Mariah: When Spencer got pelted with doughnuts!

Little Willow: Do you think Suite Scarlett warranted a sequel? Why or why not?

Micol Ostow: Definitely! Scarlett and her world are so colorful that I think there must be infinite sequels and stories to tell!

Mariah: Yes, because the characters could never stop giving wonderful stories and making messes of things!

Thank you, Maureen Johnson!

Here's a big merci to the awesome Maureen Johnson for joining us at readergirlz this month!

We loved hearing more about the Martin family's antics and schemes in the Scarlett series.

Some highlights:

The Live Twitter Chat!

Maureen wonders if she got "siblings" right... you did!

Maureen on the "boy lit crisis."

We've so loved hosting you this month. Thank you, MJ!

September: Roundup of Discussions

Did you miss any chit chat with Maureen and rgz this month? Check out these links if so!

Discussions with Maureen
Having less money than your friends
Hiding Hamlet

Sibling issues

Little sisters

The Mrs. mystery

Obsessing over a guy

Good guy or bad boy?

Dogs who tinkle
Lola's choice

Extras
Welcome, Maureen!

Things to know about Maureen Johnson

Postergirlz recommended reads

Soundtrack to the Scarlett books

Party It Up ideas

Maureen speaks out on the "boy lit crisis"

September: Lola's choice

Maureen says, "Lola makes a very big decision at the end of Scarlett Fever. Do you think this was a good or bad move?"

(Avoid the comments in case of spoilers if you haven't read it yet!)

September: Dogs who tinkle

Maureen says, "How do you stop a little dog from getting the tinkles?" (Totally relevant to Suite Scarlett, in case you haven't read it... Ha!)

Party It Up: Suite Scarlett & Scarlett Fever

Planning your own book group get-together for the Scarlett books? Here are some party ideas from author Maureen Johnson

Invite: 1930s, stylish, Art Deco

Food: Cake. There must be cake. Also, doughnuts. And weird herbal teas.

Décor: Art Deco or Theater Shabby. Your choice.
Movies: Anything set in New York. (Except Cloverfield, maybe.)

Game: Unicycle riding.

September: The quest for fame

Maureen says, "Chelsea has been chasing fame all her life. Why do you think people want to be famous? Why do you think Chelsea's brother Max rejects the quest for fame?"

September: Good Guy or Bad Boy?

Maureen asks, "Eric or Max?"

In other words: Sunny, funny, outgoing boy OR dark, brooding boy with biting wit?

September: The Soundtrack to Suite Scarlett

Featured Author Maureen Johnson hand-picked songs for the playlist that accompanies Suite Scarlett and Scarlett Fever this month (take a sneak peek, left). Listen to the full soundtrack with the player in the right-hand sidebar or see the list of songs in the September issue!

September: Postergirlz Recommended Reads!

Did you love the Scarlett books? Are you looking for more standout family stories? Check out these additional postergirlz recommends. They are perfect companion reads!

Fiction
The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely Lost It by Lisa Shanahan (previously titled My Big Birkett)
Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman
Girl, 15, Charming But Insane by Sue Limb
The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
Blue Plate Special by Michelle D. Kwasney
Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Non-Fiction
Shaking the Family Tree: Blue Bloods, Black Sheep, and Other Obsessions of an Accidental Genealogist by Buzzy Jackson

September: Obsessing Over a Guy

Maureen says, "Scarlett becomes obsessed with Eric, to the point where her friends want to sit on her and shake her to make her stop talking about him. Have you ever felt that way about someone, or have you had to sit on/shake any friends who were behaving like Scarlett?"

Seeking Participants for Suite Scarlett / Scarlett Fever Roundtable

If you're digging this month's books, Suite Scarlett and Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson, we'd love for you to participate in an online roundtable discussion.

It's really easy to do. Just leave a comment below with your email address. Next week, I will send you an invite through Google Docs, where you may respond to some basic discussion questions to get things started. Then add in questions of your own, and check the document every couple of days throughout the month to respond to questions and comments from other readers. Google Docs is available 24/7, so you may keep adding to the discussion any time an idea strikes you until we wrap things up in late September. I'll post the complete roundtable at both the Bildungsroman and readergirlz blogs at the close of the month.

Check out previous roundtables to see how they work.

Check out the September issue of readergirlz for more about the books and their author.

Welcome, Maureen Johnson!

We are super-psyched to welcome the mighty Maureen Johnson to the featured author slot this month. Her duet of Scarlett novels are our September picks! Check out our interview with Maureen, book party ideas themed around her book, and our Reach Out project idea--as well as the awesome soundtrack Maureen has chosen for the book--on readergirlz.com.

Here's a little about Suite Scarlett:

Scarlett Martin's family owns the Hopewell, a small hotel in the heart of New York City, and Scarlett lives there with her siblings, Spencer, Lola, and Marlene. When each of the Martins turns fifteen, they are expected to take over the care of a suite in the once elegant, now shabby Art Deco hotel. For Scarlett's fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite, and a permanent guest called Mrs. Amberson.

Scarlett doesn't quite know what to make of this C-list starlet who wants to take over her life. 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, Broadway glamour, romantic missteps, and theatrical deceptions. But in the city where anything can happen, she just might be able to pull it off.

And Scarlett Fever:

In the sequel, Scarlett Fever, Scarlett ends up at the beck and call of a Broadway star (her own age!), dealing with territorial doormen, and walking a small dog with insecurity issues - all while starting her sophomore year at one of New York’s most rigorous high schools.

Meanwhile, her older brother Spencer has become New York City’s most controversial TV villain, her ever-reliable older sister Lola is sliding off the rails, and her younger sister Marlene, most worryingly, has suddenly become... nice. But somehow Scarlett will prevail... right?

And the buzz...

ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2009 (Suite Scarlett)

"Utterly winning, madcap Manhattan farce, crafted with a winking, urbane narrative and tight, wry dialogue." - Booklist, starred review (for Suite Scarlett)

"You'll never want to check out of Suite Scarlett! Maureen Johnson writes with a deft and clever hand. I can't wait until my room at the Hopewell is ready." - Meg Cabot

"Maureen Johnson has a magical writing unicorn in her desk drawer who crafted this delightfully witty, madcap, and thoroughly enchanting tale of love, family, weird hotels, burned food, New York City, DIY theater, and finding yourself where you least expect it. (Unless, of course, MJ is herself a magical writing unicorn, which I have long suspected.)" - Libba Bray

"The sequel measures well above its predecessor . . . the characterizations are a dream." - Kirkus Reviews (for Scarlett Fever)

"Charming, smart, and laugh-out-loud funny, Scarlett Fever is the kind of book you give to your best friend and say, 'Please hurry up and read this, so we can talk about it.'" - Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan a.k.a. The Fug Girls

"Very, very rarely, I read a book that makes me want to live somewhere other than Maine. Even less often, I read a book that makes me want to live somewhere urban. This series falls into both categories - the trials and tribulations of Scarlett Martin make me daydream about living in New York City. Thumbs up, yet again, for Maureen Johnson." - Bookshelves of Doom

We are so excited to have the awesome Maureen Johnson with us this month! Join us all month right here on the blog for discussions and mark your calendars a LIVE #rgz twitter chat on Wednesday, September 22nd at 6pm PST/9pm EST.

Happy September, readergirlz!