Tall Cool One

A-List #4

by Zoey Dean

Tall Cool One is the fourth novel in this witty and risqu series that takes readers behind the scenes of the intoxicating world of Hollywood glitterati. New York blueblood Anna Percy came to L.A. to learn how to have a good time. Now she's surfing Zuma Beach with the industry's hottest young television producer. But duty calls and Anna must jet down to Las Casitas, Mexico, on a secret mission for her uber-powerful businessman father. But it turns out Anna isn't the only one staying at the super-luxury resort with a secret. Soon to be a major motion picture from Universal Pictures, The A-List and its bestselling sequels, Girls on Film, Blonde Ambition, and Tall Cool One, are full of page-turning action about the fast times of Beverly Hills' most beautiful and glamorous people.

Genres: Young Adult, Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Teen, High School

304 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2005

About the author

The author of The A-List series and How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls, which has been renamed and turned into a TV show known as Privileged on the CW in September 2008. Zoey Dean's books are produced by the media packager Alloy Entertainment, which created Gossip Girl, The Clique Series, and The A-List and sold them to Little, Brown and Company.
Zoey is currently working on The Talent series. She is also working on The A-List: Hollywood Royalty.
Zoey Dean divides her time between Beverly Hills, California, and her favorite small islands in the Caribbean.

See also: Cherie Bennett

Reviews

[Unitaga · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anna is sick of boys. She doesn’t want to worry about how she looks or acts, and is irritated with her family for being so superficial. When her father bails on one of his work trips, Anna takes the opportunity to go in his place. She ends up at a resort in Mexico and decides to learn how to surf. Her friend Sam has the opposite problem. Samantha (Sam) wants to fret over her appearance, find someone to crush on, and live life the wild way, even though she’s not really a wild girl. A few days (and lots of boy drama) later, the two girls venture out on a walk. They get lost in the middle of a flat, open field during a lightning storm and need to find somewhere to stay. They stumble into an unattended house and discover it must belong to an incredibly wealthy person. With this, the adventure begins.
This book wasn’t horrible, but I can’t say I really enjoyed it. It was slow, and mostly just rich people complaining about how bad their posh, over spoiled lives were. It didn’t really have much of a plot, but it was a nice, easy read. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a book that they don’t have to think about while reading.

[Zoe Stewart (Zoe's All Booked)]

Cammie is still the worst, but Dee is becoming a close second for The Actual Worst™. Sam is becoming less insufferable with each book, and I'm still flip-flopping on whether or not I actually like Anna. (Or, as my husband would say, I'm humming and hawing😂)

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will admit I skipped all the Dee - Poppy chapters and some of Sam’s. They just do not interest me at all, and they’re always gossiping so you get a recap in the next chapter anyway. I think Adam and Cammie are cute and I’m glad Sam has a potential love interest as well. Anna, well I think it was good she’s finally alone in this book as I think her character needed some “me time.” It’s a good series if you are into Gossip Girls and Pretty Little Liars. Quick, fun, light reads!

[Nicole O · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anna is still player.. But whatever....

I am so weird that I liked this series when I was young but I was never finish with it by last two books! -_- Have to finish this series then I can move on!

[Dez Chavez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just wished I was there at this luxurious resort enjoying my free time. The oysters!! The plot is just so ridiculous. I still have to finish this series to feel complete as a way to remember what I liked when I was in high school. I even took this book to a live music show last night. I was reading in the dim lights just so I could get through it. Life is weird.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly maybe 4.25-4.5 stars! I love this one. Cammie is showing her human side. Sam finally has Eduardo and maybe some confidence in herself. Anna is learning to be less of an uptight goober. My favorite so far! I want to stay at a fancy resort now...

[Robyn Cee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book was okay. The last Thurs was the best

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK. I'm sorry. The first three books were okay and, all right, this book was kind of enjoyable at times, but this is the most annoying book ever. I think this "Zoey Dean" person is such a pretentious writer, like she hates that she's writing about rich teenagers in Beverly Hills so she tries to sound like she's super smart and could be writing something that's the next super-awesome-great-american-novel. Either that, or she got a little thesaurus-happy because some of her word choices puzzled the heck out of me.

"Did Adam want the ducats?" Ducats, really? Really? I have never heard of a ducat before. Apparently, it's a gold coin and according to my Nook's dictionary, a second meaning is "ticket." Oh, and Urban Dictionary says that it's hip-hop slang for money. This book was written in 2005 and I was in 11th grade at that time so I'd like to assume I was well-educated in the current slang.

"It wasn't as good as sitting at a table twenty feet from Jakob Dylan and sipping a bourbon Manhattan straight up, but it was still fun in its own proletarian way." Proletarian? Really? I've never heard of this word either and I don't believe myself to be uneducated... my Nook's built-in dictionary: a member of the proletariat. OK, helpful. Dictionary.com has to say: (in ancient Rome) belonging to the lowest or poorest class of the people. OK. I have nothing else to say.

"His silk shirt was open nearly to the waist, displaying far too much of his hirsute chest."
"His Hirsuteness." Hirsute! This one puzzles the heck out of me! Seriously! Hirsute! It means HAIRY. Why couldn't Zoey Dean just use HAIRY?

I had to get that off my chest, it was just nagging me the whole time I was reading. Overall, the book was just okay for me. Anna seemed a bit more stuck up and judgmental than she has in the past three books. I mean, she didn't want to get all up on Kai, but she was about to with Ben in an airplane bathroom. Makes sense.


So, what exactly happens in this book? (Not much of anything).
Cammie and Adam go on a few dates. Dee becomes friends with Poppy. Anna and Sam vacation at Las Casitas in Mexico. Sam meets a potential suitor.

[Anna Kerber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tall Cool One is the story of Anna Percy’s fabulous, yet not so fabulous life in Beverly Hills. Anna finds herself thinking about the meaning of casual sex as she finds everyone around her experimenting with this trend. Anna herself is inexperienced and has only been in love once, with her ex-boyfriend Ben, a student at Princeton. She begins to wonder if something is wrong with her as her friend/enemy, the gorgeous Cammie Sheppard, starts hooking up with Anna's ex, Adam. Although Anna was the one to tell Adam goodbye, she is experiencing a bit of jealousy as Cammie starts bragging about how hot their relationship is and how much in love they are. To break away from the madness, Anna decides to take her father up on an invitation to spend a week at a new resort in Las Casitas, Mexico. But Anna has a secret agenda: to have a casual affair in Mexico away from the nosy eyes of her friends and family. When Anna's good friend Samantha suddenly shows up at the resort all bets are off as the girls make their week in Mexico a wild time to remember. This book is good for young ladies who are conflicting with peer pressure and what the right choice is for them. Anna knows she makes the right decision in the end and is actually happy with who she is.

[Malarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly just reading these to try and get them
Off my shelf.

[Kyisha Walter · Rating 1 out of 5]

The slowest of the series! My main positives for this book was the lack of Anna chapters and that some of those chapters included the much more interesting Sam. I also still enjoy the naive voices of the characters and the budding romance between Adam and Cammie. But otherwise, the world building crumbled in this book and it was a slog. Constant minor-adult relationships with no deeper meaning or thought and while I can believe the naive inner voices of the characters, the speed at which the romance moves is completely unbelievable. Also noticed that all the feelings Sam had for Anna have disappeared from last book with no further explanation. Might be ending the series here.

[Chassyn Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give this book two stars. I would not suggest it to anyone. This ones actually one of the worst books I have read because of the story line. I thought it wasn't thought out very well and the plot was basic. It would have been much better if there were at least some type of plot twist or the story got deeper. I have loved all the other novels I have read by Zoey Dean and other books in the genre. Maybe if it was more relatable and realistic it would be better. Although I did enjoy all the details. I would not read this book again.

[Nicole Felten Castillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! So happy for all of the characters!

To get a break from LA , Anna and Sam head to a Mexican beach resort. But what do they do when they find themselves literally lost in the desert!? I found myself very happy for all of the characters in this book, can't wait for the next in the series!

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am trudging my way through this series to remove it from my shelves. These teen romps are shallow and boring, which are already dated and feel old. This book was ridiculously longer than the others in this series and I do not think that was a wise decision.

[Ireland · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read. But it was an easy read while I was in school this last semester. It was a little slow for most of it but I recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick and easy read.

[Willa Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

this would get a 3 1/2 out of 5 from me! it’s very tall-tale vibes BUT I really liked the character development from everyone in this book. I wish I had the rest of the series bc I’m really enjoying it, haha. def read this series if you want quick, “mindless”, summer reads !!

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

very simple love story, it was okay

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely dreadful. I only read it to complete a reading challenge. It's a story about a bunch of spoiled rich people that only care about themselves. Don't waste your time!

[Courtney]

See my review of The A-List for my take on revisiting this series and omitting ratings:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tiara · Rating 2 out of 5]

i just wanted it to end honestly

[Dani Mendonca]

ódio do meu cérebro que não consegue processar nenhuma leitura além dessa série aqui

[Nina Roche · Rating 3 out of 5]

need to be at an all inclusive STAT

[Haley | Routed Nomad · Rating 2 out of 5]

longer than the others. plot points aren't really wrapped up. not my favorite.

[Kaitlin Kochenderfer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best book of the series so far!

[Julia Maggiacomo-Rogers]

It’s been six weeks since Anna Percy left New York to live with her father and become one of Beverly Hills’ elite teens. In that time, she’s been emotionally entangled with two boys, made friends and enemies. Zoey Dean chronicled these events in three previous parts of The A-List series. Tall Cool One is the fourth installment in the best-selling set. Fans will appreciate that the story picks up right where Blonde Ambition left off. Anna has a bad case of Ben on the Brain. Not helping matters is the sight of her previous crush Adam hitting it off with self-centered Cammie. Anna makes a spontaneous escape from all that troubles her. Sam can’t bear to share a house with her famous father and pregnant, 21-year-old stepmother. Bizarre preparations for the impending birth drive Sam to flee reality as well. While Anna and Sam rest at an exclusive resort, shallow Cammie experiences true feelings of love for the first time. However, insecurities and lies jeopardize her relationship with Adam.
I enjoyed this book for multiple reasons. One reason I enjoyed reading this book was because it keeps the reader at the edge of their seats. Since this book is telling stories of four different people, the drama and shocking findings are endless. I also enjoyed the glitz, glamour, and rich aspect the book took place in. Every chapter as about the life of elite teenagers, which every-day teenagers dreams about. I also loved how the story was almost narrated by a teen which made the book easy to comprehend and follow. Tall Cool One was also a fun virtual vacation to Las Casitas alone. Reading about the amenities of that resort is delicious. The fantasy plot keeps the momentum of this series going.
I would strongly recommend this book to a friend to read. I would in particular recommend this to teenagers and not adults. Although adults might enjoy reading about the glamorous life this book is centered on everyday teenage girl gossip. The Tall Cool One is also better suited for teenagers because of the vocab used in this book. Over all I think it is a good read for anyone willing to read it.

[Grace Loris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be really good.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

his book started out slow for the first chapter, then it picked back up again, then it went down hill again. There were many times I was going to close the book and be done with it, but I ended up finishing it. This is the fourth book in the A-list series. I was told that you didn't need to read them in order and the way the book was written I believe that.
A problem I had with the book was the celebrities popping up all over. I know this is an A-list book directed towards celeb city but just the way the celebrities are mentioned in the book really annoyed me and it took me a couple of pages to get back into the book. For example, Sam's young step-mother is pregnant and she wants to name the baby Ruby Hummingbird. Then down the page it says; "Sam found the name very affected but knew the kid would fit in fine in a town where girls were named Rumer, Coco, and Apple." This just annoyed me for some reason. The way the book is written you know that the girls have money but you don't see them as these high society people who hang out with the celebrities. So when a Celeb name is mentioned you think, Where did they come from?
The book did pick up towards the middle/end when it was just Anna and Sam and it got funny. I wish the rest of the book would have been written funny like the end. But it is like the author got funny in the middle/ end of the book and no where else. I also wish at the end the guy would have been for Anna and not Sam because Anna's relationship was left hanging at the end.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

How I Came To Read This Book: Danielle lent it to me.

The Plot: Anna Percy and Sam Sharpe are in need of a break from their high-strung LA rich girl lives - so they take their rich selves down to Mexico to an exclusive resort called Las Casitas to engage in some fun and flirting. Meanwhile back home, dippy Dee has moved into the Sharpe household to help Sam's stepmom prepare for her pending baby girl, Ruby Hummingbird, and Cammie is struggling with her strong feelings for Adam Flood - that are being increasingly pent up due to their lack of, shall we say 'release'?

The Good & The Bad: This was definitely my fave A-List book to date - after reading it back to back with "Rites of Spring (Break)" I think I'm in the mood for a tropical escape! I can't say the book was anything wowza (hence why it only earned 3 stars) but it definitely peaked my interest more than the previous books - perhaps because Dean finally took the girls out of nasty, flippant mode and made them a bit more human and interesting. I liked how the timeline on things wasn't so abrupt (a big problem in the Gossip Girl series) - that Dean finally acknowledges the changes/emotions the girls are going through aren't going to make them change overnight.

The Bottom Line: The A-List is heating up!

Anything Memorable?: Well...I got tooth/gum surgery done this week, so this was my reading material while lounging around the house and healing.

50-Book Challenge?: Book #40 in 2008.

[Leelynn (Sometimes Leelynn Reads) ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more I go through these books, the more I feel like Anna should just give up on boys completely and focus on her relationships with her girl friends. I mean, when her and Sam are actually on the same side, the two can take on anything, that's so much fun to see. When she's constantly having to fight with Cammie and Dee, then it gets hard to deal with. Why can't they all just be friends and say "screw you" to Ben and the rest of the boys that cause them nothing but heartache and headaches? I say, girls rule and boys drool.

I'm probably not going to go too deep into this review since the book is really short and sweet. Honestly if I really wanted to, I could read it in a day while I'm waiting to fall asleep or while I'm enjoying dinner by myself. It's that quick, and I'm glad these books are. Honestly we don't need these books to be over 300 pages in order to be interesting. Zoey Dean keeps it straight and to the point, making sure that the drama contained in each segment of the series is enough to make us wanting more. That's how I like my teenage drama books, and this is no different.

I still need to finish the rest of the series eventually, and hopefully I will soon. I just say that I need Anna to actually be friends with these girls and I need Cammie to stop being such a biyotch to Anna so much. Ben doesn't like you anymore, so get over it. Besides, Adam is a much better option anyway. He actually treats you like the princess you think you are.

[Yasmina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna needs a time-out from all her boys, and Sam's hunting for a good one to love. So together they make a getaway to Las Casitas, Mexico, the super luxury spa where Angelenos go to get more sun. They spend the week waterskiing, scuba diving, saloning, and yes, smooching with boys.Then a crazy lunch leads to Anna and Sam heading to a bar and they get drunk and stumble into the desert. After regaining their senses, they realize they have gotten rid of their watches and phones and they notice a huge storm brewing. They encounter a deserted mansion and fall asleep. They are awoken by guards and eventually Jackson Sharpe, along with Cammie and Dee, flies in and saves them.

I can connect to Anna and Sam because sometimes I feel like I just want to get away and go somewhere that no one will bother you. I just wish I were them and SUPER rich so I could do that!

I gave this book 5 stars because it kept me hooked throughout the whole book!