Review: The Last Little Blue Envelope

The Last Little Blue Envelope

Maureen Johnson

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: April 26, 2011

Pages: 304

Source: NetGalley

Ratings: 4 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

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.

Ever since I read 13 Little Blue Envelopes way back in 2006, I have been anxiously awaiting a sequel to find out what has happened to the last envelope from Ginny’s aunt Peg. When I got the sequel, I was ecstatic with joy and so excited. Maureen Johnson did not fail to deliver in this long await sequel.

I loved that in this sequel, Ginny goes back to London and we meet back up with characters she met along her travels in the first book. Along with familiar faces, such as Keith, Maureen Johnson introduces new people into Ginny’s life that will help accompany her on this last adventure set out by her aunt. One of the new characters is Oliver, the mysterious boy who ends up with Ginny’s stolen backpack and the last envelope. While at first I did not really Oliver, partly because Ginny also did not like him, I ended up LOVING him and really sympathizing for him. His intentions in the beginning, using Ginny, made me really doubt him, but as the story progressed, more about Oliver was revealed and I ended up loving him. Keith on the other hand, I was saddened to see what happened to this character I loved from the first book. I ended up really not liking him in this book, but it was completely justified. Keith has changed since the time Ginny saw him, and I wouldn’t say the change was for the better. Even though I ended up thinking Keith was a jerk towards the end of the book, I was still really glad Ginny met back up with him to continue her adventure for the last time.

The Last Little Blue Envelope was just as funny and heart-wrenching as it predecessor. Maureen Johnson’s signature style of humor was present throughout. She constantly had me giggling between the actions Ginny and her friends go and through their dialogue. If there is one thing Maureen Johnson knows how to do, it is to make people laugh. The humor is just effortless. While this book had me in stitches at times, I also found myself crying towards the end. Ginny’s emotion was captured perfectly, I was experiencing the same feelings as Ginny the whole time. One of the most captivating scenes in this entire book for me was when Ginny completes the final step of what her Aunt Peg set out for her to do in the last little blue envelope. It was a really emotional scene that had me teary eyed.

Ginny’s adventures with the envelopes are over at the end of this book, and the series is over, but I felt that this book wrapped up the series perfectly. Their was complete closure. I was glad to see Ginny’s adventure end the way it was, and I was so glad about the realization Ginny had at the ending of this book. Maureen Johnson nice wraps up everything in this long awaited sequel. I’m so glad she wrote it and was able to finish up Ginny’s story, bringing it nicely to a close.

If you are one of the people who read 13 Little Blue Envelopes when you were younger, you will not be disappointed in this sequel. It is everything you would want in its sequel and is definitely worth the wait.

If you haven’t had a chance to read 13 Little Blue Envelopes for two weeks only, April 12- 25, Maureen Johnson and HarperCollins are giving away free digital editions of the book in preparation for the sequel. To learn more about this and were to get your free copy read Maureen’s blog entry about it here.