The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

The Naughty List

Suzanne Young

Razorbill

Published February 4, 2010

Source: Around the World ARC Tours

Summary: Tessa Crimson is the captain of the cheerleading squad and dating the school's basketball star. As if that is not enough, she is also the leader of SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), a secret organization dedicated to catching cheating slimeballs and adding them to the infamous Naughty List. When new girl Chloe arrives at school, she has her eyes set on Tessa's boyfriend. Will he become the newest addition to The Naughty List?

Review: The Naughty List by debut author Suzanne Young is sure to be a hit! With characters that most readers will enjoy and a plot that never lets you down, this book is certainly entertaining.

While reading TNL, I became quite fond of SOS members Tessa, Kira, and Leona. Each character had a distinct personality and brought something new and creative to the table. What I liked most about the girls was that all three had depth. Rather than being perfect, perky cheerleaders, each was battling her own conflict.

Suzanne Young covers each of the girls' conflicts in a dynamic plot. I was intrigued and did not want the book to end. While I was expecting the book to be predictable, it was not at all. The constant twists, turns, and action of the girls' sleuthy work kept me laughing and on the edge of my seat.

While I found the book to be fantastic, it was not perfect. There were two things about The Naughty List that irked me. The first was the excessive amount of sexual references. Though most were tastefully written, they began to annoy me a bit. The second thing that bothered me was the excessive amount of cute sayings. "Strawberry smoothie!" was adorable and all, but some of the sayings were overpowering and made parts of the book extra cheesy.

Overall I found The Naughty List to be great fun and can't wait to read So Many Boys, the next book in the series!

Score: 8-You've gotta read this one!

You Know a Book is HUGE When...

Okay, when People debuts the cover of your book, you know it's a HUGE deal. That happens to be the case with Candace Bushnell's YA debut The Carrie Diaries.

I first saw the cover on People, but since this morning, it's been on every major internet news site and on a couple of YA book blogs. Let me tell you, it is one stunning cover! The cover is eye catching, chic, and very pink--exactly what you'd expect from a Candace Bushnell teen edition.

Even though I did not follow the show during its popularity, I can't wait for April to come because I am dying to read the prequel to this pop culture phenomenon. As you can tell, my expectations are very high and I doubt I'll be disappointed in this one!

Holiday Reading Challenge 2009

I very seldom sign up for challenges because I never make my goal. I feel my luck may change with bookwormygirl's 2009 Holiday Reading Challenge.

The challenge simply consists of reading 1-5 holiday related books between November 20 and December 31. I am super excited about this challenge because I already planned on reading a number of holiday themed books during Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break. The holidays are my favorite time of year, and I really go all out for them. In fact, most of my winter related books were put in a special place on my bookshelf in February (yeah, I've been excited about reading them for a LONG time)!

Here is the list of books from which I'll be choosing. I hope to read at least four of them. If you've read any of these or want to help me choose, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.

Secret Santa by Sabrina James

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Catherine Hapka

Confessions of a Bitter Secret Santa by Lara Bergen

On Christmas Eve by Ann M. Martin

Searching for David's Heart by Cherie Bennett

Ex-Mas by Kate Brian

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle

Mistletoe by Hailey Abbott, Melissa De La Cruz, Aimee Friedman & Nina Malkin

Wish me luck!

In My Mailbox (November 15)

In My Mailbox is hosted weekly by the fabulous Kristi!

Purchased:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

When I found out that BC was already in stock at Barnes and Noble, I had to have a copy! Unfortunately, there weren't any at my local store, so I purchased this online. It is so gorgeous in person!

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate

I have wanted to get my hands on this one since I first read its summary. It sounds right up my alley and I plan to begin reading it pretty soon.

I Will Always Love You by Cecily von Ziegesar

Gossip Girl! My secret obsession. I love this series; I own them all even though I haven't read them all yet. Can't wait for summer because I plan to read the entire series from start to finish! Another book with a beautiful cover!

From Princess Bookie's Around the World Tours:
The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

I was tickled pink (to match the cover) when I found out this book was being offered. This one arrived this afternoon, and I've already started reading it. I'm loving it so far!

I also checked out a million books and audiobooks at the library. I'll post them next week.

I feel like I've had a pretty exciting week in books!

So what was in your mailbox?

One Reason I Can't Wait for Thanksgiving!

One of the things I love most about Thanksgiving (other than the fact that I have a little bit of free time to catch up on my reading) is that every year I actually get to go to the movie theater! To a lot of people this may not sound like a big deal, but for me it is HUGE!

This year I am going to see what I think may be a real gem--The Blind Side. This movie shares the heartwarming true-life story of Michael Oher, who went from being homeless to a college graduate and a first round pick in last year's NFL Draft.

If you haven't had a chance to read The New York Times article "The Ballad of Big Mike" by Michael Lewis please take the time to do so. It is inspiring and well worth the read.

And just in case I haven't provided you with enough about why am I psyched to see this movie, check out this trailer. It's been months seen I first saw the preview, but I still can't make it through it without crying--I can only imagine how I am going to react when I actually see the entire film.

In My Mailbox (November 8)

This week I did not buy any books, because I ordered them online and am impatiently awaiting their arrival. I did, however, visit my library for a few new reads.

Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe

Cass McKenna much prefers ghosts over “breathers.” Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody…and Cass loves dirt. She’s on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass’s whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim’s life, she’s surprised to realize he’s not so bad—and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it’s time to give the living another chance….

Immortal by Gillian Shields

Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, housed in a Gothic mansion on the bleak northern moors, is elite, expensive, and unwelcoming. When Evie Johnson is torn away from her home by the sea to become the newest scholarship student, she is more isolated than she could have dreamed. Strict teachers, snobbish students, and the oppressive atmosphere of Wyldcliffe leave Evie drowning in loneliness.

Evie's only lifeline is Sebastian, a rebellious, mocking, dangerously attractive young man she meets by chance. As Evie's feelings for Sebastian grow with each secret meeting, she starts to fear that he is hiding something about his past. And she is haunted by glimpses of a strange, ghostly girl—a girl who is so eerily like Evie, she could be a sister. Evie is slowly drawn into a tangled web of past and present that she cannot control. And as the extraordinary, elemental forces of Wyldcliffe rise up like the mighty sea, Evie is faced with an astounding truth about Sebastian, and her own incredible fate.

Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Zach is eighteen. He is bright and articulate. He's also an alcoholic and in rehab instead of high school, but he doesn't remember how he got there. He's not sure he wants to remember. Something bad must have happened. Something really, really bad. Remembering sucks and being alive—well, what's up with that?

I have it in my head that when we're born, God writes things down on our hearts. See, on some people's hearts he writes Happy and on some people's hearts he writes Sad and on some people's hearts he writes Crazy on some people's hearts he writes Genius and on some people's hearts he writes Angry and on some people's hearts he writes Winner and on some people's hearts he writes Loser.

It's all like a game to him. Him. God. And it's all pretty much random. He takes out his pen and starts writing on our blank hearts. When it came to my turn, he wrote. I don't like God very much. Apparently he doesn't like me very much either. Sad.

Fat Cat by Robin Brande

You are what you eat. . . .

Cat smart, sassy, and funny—but thin, she’s not. Until her class science project. That’s when she winds up doing an experiment—on herself. Before she knows it, Cat is living—and eating—like the hominids, our earliest human ancestors. True, no chips or TV is a bummer and no car is a pain, but healthful eating and walking everywhere do have their benefits.

As the pounds drop off, the guys pile on. All this newfound male attention is enough to drive a girl crazy! If only she weren’t too busy hating Matt McKinney to notice. . . .

This funny and thoughtful novel explores how girls feel about their bodies, and the ways they can best take care of their most precious resource: themselves.

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi. What was in your mailbox this week?

Hold Still Contest Winner

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the Hold Still contest.

With the help of Randomizer, a winner has been chosen.

Congratulations to...

ELNICE!!!!!!!!

Again thank you all so much for entering. If you did not win, don't worry. Since I recently reached the 200 followers mark, I'm hoping to have a celebratory contest.

Happy reading, y'all!!!

Once Upon a Week Blogger Interview

This week Vanessa of Today's Adventure is hosting Once Upon a Week, a week dedicated to fairy tales. I'm already behind, but am super excited about the blog event.

Today I am pleased to welcome Anna of Book Nerds to share her thoughts about some of her favorite fairy tales!

What do you enjoy most about fairy tales?
I think the best part of fairy tales is being transported to a place and a time that you can't actually travel to physically. It's not just a location on a map, that a flight can be booked for - it's a whole world, a feeling, an emotion that is all your own. Even if a hundred people before you have been asked the same question, or read the same story, your answer and your interpretation completely changes the outcome.

With which fairy tale character do you most relate?
Oh geez. I have no clue. I don't think I have an answer for this. Fairy tales are so outside of things that we experience that even those that we do (emotions/thoughts) are sort of out of reach sometimes because of their context.

If you could live in a fairy tale, which would you choose?
Any fairy tale.. ever, in the history of fairy tales? Again, no clue. I am not a huge fan of the Disney fairy tales, and the classic ones usually have a sad ending, which is no fun. I think that although it's a high-tech sort of modern day fairy tale I would probably have to go with the Artemis Fowl books/world/etc (by Eoin Colfer). Okay, it's very modern, but I just love the world that Artemis lives in with the fairies, and other creatures, and everything seems to turn out alright in the end, which is always nice. I WOULD say Fablehaven (by Brandon Mull) but to see the fairies you have to drink milk, and well, I just don't really like milk.

If you were to write an original fairy tale, what would the plot be?
About a sister and her little brother who have to help a wizard escape a tree in order to save an entire forest of fantasitcal creatures from dying by the hand of a wicked wicked fairy!

What is your all-time favorite fairy tale?
My all-time favourite fairy tale... hmm... Honestly, although (like I said about classic fairy tales) it's not a happy-ending one I would probably have to say The Lady of the Lake by W. Jenkyn Thomas. I read it in high school, and it's stuck with me ever since. I really also love The Lady of Shalott by Tennyson, which is just an incredibly beautiful poem.

Thanks so much for participating Anna!

In My Mailbox (November 1)

Yay! It's the first day of November! I love the weather and smells of November (think pumpkin pie!). Now onto the books I purchased this week:

Girl Stays in the Picture by Melissa De La Cruz

(from Amazon) Devon -- one name only, please -- is the latest and jail-bait-est pop star to hit number one on the Billboard chart, and she's making her big-screen debut in Juicy. But after her stint in rehab, the studio isn't so sure she's their girl anymore. If they cut any more of her lines, she'll be a silent film actress! Can Devon regain her star status? She needs to watch her back and make sure that flash doesn't catch her causing a scene, and we don't mean the kind you can yell "Cut!" after.

Livia has lost the weight and gained the attitude in the Hollywood party scene. Her dad's an Oscar-winning producer, and with a hot Beverly Hills boyfriend on her arm as well as her photos all over the pages of Gosizzle.com, Livia looks like she has a perfect life. But looks can be perfectly deceiving....

And there's fresh-faced Casey, who left a job bagging groceries at the Piggly Wiggly to play personal assistant to her best friend...and Devon's rival. She's got the biggest crush on the biggest star of the film -- a hot Brit known for loving and leaving. Will Casey stay true to herself while trying to find a place in his universe?

Stars. They're just like us. But what does that mean for the rest of us? Stay tuned, people.

Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick

(from Lauren Strasnick's website) “You think he’s yours but he’s not, I thought. You think he’s yours but really he’s mine.”

When Holly loses her virginity to Paul, a guy she barely knows, she assumes their encounter is a one-night stand. After all, Paul is too popular to even be speaking to Holly, and he happens to have a long-term girlfriend, Saskia. But ever since Holly’s mom died six months ago, Holly has been numb to the world, and she’s getting desperate to feel something, anything—so when Paul keeps pursuing her, Holly relents. Paul’s kisses are a welcome diversion, and it’s nice to feel like the kind of girl that a guy like Paul would choose.

But things aren’t so simple with Saskia around. Paul’s real girlfriend is willowy and perfect… and nothing like Holly. To make matters worse, she and Holly are becoming friends. Suddenly the consequences of Holly’s choices are all too real, and Holly stands to lose more than she ever realized she had.

Borrowed from the library:

Undone by Brooke Taylor

Rage: A Love Story by Julie Anne Peters

Stitches: A Memoir by David Small

In My Mailbox is hosted weekly by Kristi.