The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
Release Date: April 26, 2011
Summary from GoodReads.com:
Ginny Blackstone thought that the biggest adventure of her life was behind her. She spent last summer traveling around Europe, following the tasks her aunt Peg laid out in a series of letters before she died. When someone stole Ginny's backpack—and the last little blue envelope inside—she resigned herself to never knowing how it was supposed to end.
Months later, a mysterious boy contacts Ginny from London, saying he's found her bag. Finally, Ginny can finish what she started. But instead of ending her journey, the last letter starts a new adventure—one filled with old friends, new loves, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Ginny finds she must hold on to her wits . . . and her heart. This time, there are no instructions.
My Review:
I adored Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes, so I was thrilled to be able to get The Last Little Blue Envelope from NetGalley. This book was a lovely follow-up to the original. We pick up with Ginny, more mature and willing to take risks after her first European adventure, but struggling to capture that experience in a meaningful way in her college application essays. The adventure with the final envelope from her Aunt Peg gives her an opportunity to figure out a few more things about herself, her aunt, and her future. In this book Ginny doesn't experience as much personal growth and change as she did in the first one, but she is able to use her new strengths to cope with the ups and downs she experiences as she follows the last letter's instructions.
Readers who loved the European travel in Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes will be pleased that the spirit of adventure and spontanaeity is prevalent in this book too. It is so much fun to read about Ginny's travels!
My favorite aspect of the book is the cast of characters. Each of them are unique and well-developed. My absolute favorite character is Ginny's uncle Richard, he is so sweet and funny and he is always there for Ginny. It is also fun (but bittersweet) to get to know Ginny's Aunt Peg through her letters and through the memories her friends share about her. I could totally relate to Ginny's experience with Ellis, her maybe-boyfriend's maybe-girlfriend...she is too sweet and bubbly to dislike, no matter how much you want to! The only character I was disappointed in was Keith...I felt that he was a little over the top with bullying Oliver and it was hard to see what Ginny found attractive about him.
The romance in the story was enjoyable...it was a little bit predictable but still satisfying, with a wonderful kiss too!
Overall, The Last Little Blue Envelope was a great read, with elements of romance, adventure and self-discovery that readers will love.
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