Review: The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

Title: The Naughty List
Author: Suzanne Young
Publisher: Razorbill
Pub. Date: 2/4/2010
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Spying, Cheating, Relationships, Love, Lies
Pages: 272
Plot (from GoodReads):
As if being a purrfect cheerleader isn’t enough responsibility!

Tessa Crimson’s the sweet and spunky leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), a cheer squad–turned–spy society dedicated to bringing dastardly boyfriends to justice, one cheater at a time. Boyfriend-busting wouldn’t be so bad . . . except that so far, every suspect on the Naughty List has been proven 100% guilty!
When Tessa’s own boyfriend shows up on the List, she turns her sleuthing skills on him. Is Aiden just as naughty as all the rest, or will Tessa’s sneaky ways end in catastrophe?
The Naughty List. Is your boyfriend on it?

Suzanne Young's debut novel was so unbelievably fun! I loved the entire premise and the characters and dialogue had me laughing aloud! THE NAUGHTY LIST has prompted me to make sure I always have room on my bookshelf for Young's novels.

The most noteable aspect of Young's novel is the creative language. Tessa, the main character, doesn't curse, but uses substitute words and phrases. I too use substitutes for swearing, so I found Tessa's practice entertaining - and I picked up a few more phrases to add to my repetoire! And that is so strawberry smoothie!

My favorite part of the novel was all the spy tactics and undercover work the girls do to catch cheaters in action. The action was great and I could clearly imagine all of the sticky situations they found themselves in!

I really identified with Tessa, especially her hopelessness about guys and their faithfulness. I definitely understood why Tessa slipped into her negative mindset, especially with all the cheating she observes. I liked that Young kept readers unsure about Tessa's boyfriend's faithfulness... I really wasn't sure if her was cheating or not until near the end of the novel.

I feel that I must mention that this book is not as "fluffy" as the summary may lead you to believe. Yes, it is an extremely fun read, but I feel that it has some substance too!

Ratings (out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing: 10
Romance: 10
Originality:10
Total: 48/50 (A)

Cover Comments:
I thought that the cover of THE NAUGHTY LIST fits the feel of the book. The pink was eye-catching and as cute as the Smitten Kittens themselves. The fact that the shades are partway down draws attention to spying aspect of the novel. Plus, I love the tagline: Is your boyfriend on it?

In My Mailbox (6)

IMM is hosted by Kristi, aka The Story Siren!

I'm really pumped about all the books IMM this week - all of them have been on my wishlist!


The Tear Collector by Patrick Jones (9/1/09, Walker Books)
"Fans of urban fantasy should prepare for a new kind of vampire–one that feeds off of tears instead of blood. Descended from an ancient line of creatures that gain their energy from human tears, Cassandra Gray depends on human sorrow to live. Only Cass has grown tired of living this life and wants to live like a human, especially now that she's met someone worth fighting for."
This book came as part of Traveling to Teens and I am so excited for it! It looks so amazing!


Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard (already out from Razorbill)
"To impress the popular girls on a high school trip to London, klutzy Callie buys real Prada heels. But trying them on, she trips…conks her head…and wakes up in the year 1815!
There Callie meets Emily, who takes her in, mistaking her for a long-lost friend. As she spends time with Emily’s family, Callie warms to them—particularly to Emily’s cousin Alex, a hottie and a duke, if a tad arrogant.
But can Callie save Emily from a dire engagement, and win Alex’s heart, before her time in the past is up?
More Cabot than Ibbotson, Prada and Prejudice is a high-concept romantic comedy about finding friendship and love in the past in order to have happiness in the present."
I found this one at my new library where I live in Kalamazoo - which is huge! Basically, I am in love with a library. Creepy? I think not! Okay, maybe, but I don't even care!


Meridian by Amber Kizer (out now from Delacorte)
Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.
Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain.
Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.
This one was at the library too - and I've been dying to read it so I was super excited!


The Naughty List by Suzanne Young (2/10/2010 from Razorbill)
"Tessa Crimson: Cheerleader by Day, Spy by Night
As leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), Tessa’s mission is twofold: pep preservation and relationship salvation. That’s right, Tessa is a head cheerleader whose night job is catching cheating boyfriends in the act! Thank goodness her own relationship with Aiden is strawberry-smoothie purrfect—except for the fact that she’s been concealing her nocturnal habits for, oh, two years.
Aiden suspects something’s up, and his patience is wearing thin. But in the meantime, Tessa’s far too busy to deal with her own romantic roadblocks. The Naughty List is at maximum capacity; because so far, every single suspect on it is 100% guilty.
When sultry Chloe Ferril transfers to Washington High, things only become more catastrophic. Tessa knows this predatory vixen won’t stop hunting Aiden until her claws are planted firmly in his backside…
But Tessa’s in for an even bigger shock when Aiden’s name shows up on The Naughty List, and she’s finally forced to confront the unthinkable: is her own boyfriend just as naughty as all the rest?"
I can't wait to read this one!! I think that it has such an interesting premise... for some reason it reminds me of Veronica Mars, which makes me want to read it even more. And watch Veronica Mars... :) Thanks Razorbill for the copy!