Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson

Hot Key Books, 2014. ISBN 9781471403040
(Age: 13+) Recommended. The second book following Suite Scarlett, finds Scarlett Martin acting as Mrs Amberson's assistant, racing around New York looking after Chelsea, a young Broadway star and trying to get over Eric the boy who let her down. She is still looking after the Empire Suite at the art deco Hopewell Hotel as well as coping with Max, her new lab partner. Life is full of surprises that she just has to cope with.
As with Suite Scarlett, the New York setting is just fabulous and anyone who has a yen to read about this wonderful city will really enjoy this book just for that. But of course the book is much more than the setting. Scarlett continues to push through life with her family members causing constant problems and joy and she has such an engaging voice that the reader becomes immersed in her feelings and what is happening around her. The introduction of Max, as a contrast to Eric ups the romance department and a cliff hanger at the end will ensure that the next book in this series, The Key to the Golden Firebird, will be sought after to continue the story of the family and its hotel.
Written in the third person and giving lots of insight into the feelings and actions of all the family members, this is a clever and often humorous expose of a fascinating family group, their friends and the entertainment industry. A great feel good book, it is one that teens are sure to enjoy.
Pat Pledger