Double Feature Review, Part One: 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
Little Blue Envelope #1
Next in series: The Last Little Blue Envelope
336 Pages (paperback edition)
Published: October, 2006 by HarperTeen
Source: Free ebook
Find the book: goodreads | amazon | barnes & noble
Find the author: website | blog | twitter

Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket.
In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat.

The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist.

Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/ bloke–about–town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous–though utterly romantic–results. But will she ever see him again?

Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it's all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.

This book was such a great read! You know how you feel like you are 'somewhere else' when you read a book? Well imagine traveling all over Europe with little blue envelopes as your tour guide. And when the letters are written by an artist aunt you're in for a good time. Ginny was a heroine I actually liked, she knew what she was doing was wacky but she still did it and didn't back down from tasks she normally wouldn't do (like ask a guy out for cake). The real star of this book was, in my opinion, Aunt Peg. She seemed like the type of person you would want to hang out with, that person who is full of life and unpredictable. The type of person who makes you feel more alive just by being around them. That is what Aunt Peg was like.

Aunt Peg signed her letters as "Your Runaway Aunt" for good reason. She was always on the move, restless and not wanting to get comfortable anywhere. I can relate to that. I can actually relate to a lot about Aunt Peg, I have never before connected with a supporting character until I read this book. The letters help Ginny break out of her shell and experience things she wouldn't have otherwise and it was fun to join her on her journey. The character development in this novel was believable and spot on. Ginny's adventures really were life-changing and she meets a host of interesting characters.

Richard was one of these new interesting people Ginny meets and I loved him. He seemed so sincere and trustworthy, I just wanted to give him a hug at the end of the book. Not all characters were like him though, there were some other shadier creatures lurking about the European streets and there were times where I was very nervous for Ginny. She was a smart gal though so she didn't get into too much trouble. So what do you say, will you accept the 13 Little Blue Envelopes challenge with Ginny? The streets (and oceans, and trains, and planes) of Europe await!

I give this book 5 Stars!

*Stay tuned for Part Two of the Double Feature Review tomorrow where I review the new sequel, The Last Little Blue Envelope!*