The Last Little Blue Envelope (Little Blue Envelope, #2)

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The Last Little Blue Envelope (Little Blue Envelope #2)

by Maureen Johnson (Goodreads Author)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 9,659 ratings · 1,013 reviews

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 mysterio...more

Hardcover, 282 pages

Published April 26th 2011 by HarperTeen

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Oct 02, 2011 Brianna Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

This is exciting, but I'm scared. :/

After reading:
4.5
Still had all the elements of the first book, but it was a little slow and incomplete at times.

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Mar 08, 2011 Ashley - Book Labyrinth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-publisher, netgalley, for-review, my-books

I was so ecstatic when this book appeared on Netgalley. Ever since I heard this was going to be a book, I was completely excited for it. This return to the envelopes and the journey was bittersweet, because while it was great to reconnect with Ginny, it was sad knowing the last of Aunt Peg’s letters would be uncovered, and that there wouldn’t be any more journeys after that.

The traveling aspect of this book is incredible. One of the main reasons I loved the first ‘Envelopes’ book is because of t...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Wendy added it

WHUT WHUT! I don't approve in theory, but I know she can do it.

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Jan 24, 2013 Sonja rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

This one is somewhere between two and three stars for me, but I have to go with the lower rating because a.) I liked it less than 13 Little Blue Envelopes, and b.) the things that bothered me bothered me.

I think with both of these books (this one and 13 Little Blue Envelopes) my main issue was that I'm not only European, I've also been to all of these places??? My criticism doesn't stem from Ginny's view of these places, because of course she was a tourist and would see them in a touristy light,...more This one is somewhere between two and three stars for me, but I have to go with the lower rating because a.) I liked it less than 13 Little Blue Envelopes, and b.) the things that bothered me bothered me.

I think with both of these books (this one and 13 Little Blue Envelopes) my main issue was that I'm not only European, I've also been to all of these places??? My criticism doesn't stem from Ginny's view of these places, because of course she was a tourist and would see them in a touristy light, but it was the things the writer used as description and facts that bothered me because a lot of them clearly stemmed from a tourist point of view and it felt like the author hadn't really engaged with the countries or bothered to get to know them on a more than superficial level, which isn't problematic for Ginny's POV, but it is problematic for the rest of the novel (she misspelled Leicester Square, for example). As someone who's very interested in culture, that just rubbed me the wrong way. There are also small things that just aren't plausible and there are examples for that in both books. This is a small one, but it's the first example I can think of: in this book, the four of them were drinking from one bottle of champagne in Dublin and there is no champagne bottle sold anywhere in Europe that will fill four water/beer cups and leave enough in the bottle for refills. This is very nitpicky, but when small things like this pile up, it just takes me out of the story.

On the other hand, I did find both books very engaging and finished them both a few hours after I started each one, and I really liked the idea of a girl traveling around Europe (though I have massive doubts that any parent would allow their 17-year old daughter to run around Europe by themselves with no means of being contacted, but whatever). I even mostly enjoyed (minus my criticism from above) both books even though neither of the love interests really worked for me (Keith was just an asshole throughout the second book, but even in the first book I wasn't truly invested in him; and I just couldn't get over the blackmail thing with Oliver, even though I did end up liking him for the most part towards the end) and I rarely get truly invested in YA literature without getting invested in the main couple. I did like the resolution to the second book though and also, I love Richard, give me more Richard!!! I hate that he was only a supporting character (and often a minor one at that) in both books because I really liked him and I really wanted to read about some of his and Ginny's conversations because of their unusual sort-of family relationship. I also absolutely loved Ellis and (view spoiler).

So yeah, I guess in short, would have absolutely adored these books if I weren't from Europe and if the (teenage) guys in it hadn't been terrible, but I am and they were, so they were just okay and not great. (less)

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Apr 04, 2011 Aleeeeeza rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-read, arc-netgalley-galleygrab, road-trip-slash-travel

*3.5 stars*

Truth is, I don’t really have that much to say about this book. Was it good? Yeah! But was it amazing? Out-of-the-roof wonderful? Erm, I wouldn’t say that. The plot was fast, yes, and in this book, unlike the first one, the characters definitely were more developed, so in that regard it was great.

Obviously, since the last envelope never got revealed in the first book, I was definitely wanting to find out what’s in it. And…all right, I’ll admit it, this book was kind of missing that al...more

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Aug 23, 2011 Mollie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, net-galley, march

Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes was one of the first books I read when I first "re-discovered" my love of YA during my graduate school years. I'd devoured most of Dessen's books and stumbled on 13LBE. I LOVED it. While I recall many people having issues with her parents letting a teenager gallivant across the world, I have such a horrible case of wanderlust, and always have, that I didn't give a crap whether it was realistic. When I heard there was going to be a sequel I was ecstatic! However, it...more Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes was one of the first books I read when I first "re-discovered" my love of YA during my graduate school years. I'd devoured most of Dessen's books and stumbled on 13LBE. I LOVED it. While I recall many people having issues with her parents letting a teenager gallivant across the world, I have such a horrible case of wanderlust, and always have, that I didn't give a crap whether it was realistic. When I heard there was going to be a sequel I was ecstatic! However, it had been so many years since I read 13LBE and I have a horrible memory. I just had the barest recollection about what had happened in 13LBE.

I recalled Ginny's Aunt dying and sending her off on this adventure. I remember a boy. I remembered exotic locales and quirky characters. Lastly, I remembered that the last envelope was lost. And that was about it.

The Last Little Blue Envelope begins with Ginny receiving an email from Oliver, an English lad, who happened upon the last envelope. Having opened and read the letter Oliver realizes that Ginny's Aunt's artwork is worth a fortune and that the last envelope gives Ginny clues to assembling her Aunt's final piece of art work. Oliver demands to go with Ginny and, once the piece is assembled and sold, half the profit.

For the most part I enjoyed the book however, one thing really irked me. When Oliver tells Ginny what he's planned she doesn't question him. One of the first things I'd do is ask someone "Why are you doing this?" Obviously he's after money. But common, in all the time she never once thinks to ask him why? As readers, we pick up on things that Ginny clearly overlooks. She clearly knows he's somewhat of a decent guy, despite the extortion. So, if he's mostly an a-okay guy wouldn't you assume that there is some situation in his life that has left him no other options but to take advantage of someone else? Wouldn't you ask why? She never asks why until the book is practically over. Even if she had asked why it's likely that Oliver wouldn't have spilled his guts but at least she would have asked. I was so frustrated the whole time wanting Ginny to friggin' ask him why already! Gah.

This frustrating bit hampered my enjoyment of the novel somewhat. Overall, this installment was enjoyable and we see Ginny grow, however I felt it lacked the magic and spark from the original. But fans of the first book will be happy to revisit Ginny and other characters and get a sense of closure that the first book lacked. (less)

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May 05, 2013 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: may-2013

After her trip around Europe, Ginny thought that her adventure was over. But months later, some one emails her and tell Ginny that he found the last envelope that Ginny had lost on her previous trip. She finds herself going to London once again and getting black mailed by the mysterious boy. Together with Keith, his girlfriend and Oliver (the black mailing boy), Ginny travels around Europe again searching for the priceless artwork her aunt has left behind.
The first book, 13 little blue envelop...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Samantha Bil rated it 4 of 5 stars

This quarter I read “The Last Little Blue Envelope” written by Maureen Johnson. I really enjoyed this sequel to Maureen Johnson’s previous novel, “13 Little Blue Envelopes.” I think it was better than the first one. The writing is more relaxed and it is more visual. I felt like I connected more with the main character in this one than the other. After the first book I was left with an empty feeling because I didn’t know what happened to the last envelope or what it contained. When I saw this boo...more This quarter I read “The Last Little Blue Envelope” written by Maureen Johnson. I really enjoyed this sequel to Maureen Johnson’s previous novel, “13 Little Blue Envelopes.” I think it was better than the first one. The writing is more relaxed and it is more visual. I felt like I connected more with the main character in this one than the other. After the first book I was left with an empty feeling because I didn’t know what happened to the last envelope or what it contained. When I saw this book on the shelve I immediately picked it up.

In “The Last Little Blue Envelope” Ginny Blackstone is trying to write an essay to submit into one of the colleges she would like to attend. She has no idea what to write. So she logs into her email account to see if she had any emails from her previous crush, Keith, who lives back in England. He had been very distant. She doesn't have an email from Keith but from someone who has her missing envelope. The person who has her envelope is a British guy who is in his twenties. His name is Oliver. Oliver read the last letter. It gave directions to her aunt’s paintings that are worth a lot of money. He says that if she comes then he will split the profits with her. If she doesn’t go then she never gets the letter or the money. So she is pretty much blackmailed into going back to England over her Christmas break.

It turns out that Keith has a new girlfriend, Ellis. Keith doesn’t trust Oliver so he and Ellis travel all over to find these paintings to put together into one. Ginny is crushed because Ellis is really nice and she can’t make herself hate her or Keith. She and Oliver began to become friendlier to each other. Mostly because Oliver is constantly bullied by Keith. *Spoiler Alert* In the end Keith is still with Ellis. Oliver doesn't take his share of the money and him and Ginny fall in love.

Ginny ‘s Aunt Peg, the one who wrote the letters, always said inspirational things. Once she said, “You can never visit the same place twice. Each time, it's a different story. By the very act of coming back, you wipe out what came before.” I agree with this because it’s so true. Aunt Peg is talking about traveling around the world. But I think this could be applied to going to the gym once a week.

Aunt Peg also said, “This pool is a triumph of imagination. That's how you win at life, Gin. You have to imagine your way through. Never say something can't be done. There's always a solution, even if it's weird.” I thought that this showed the spirit of Ginny’s Aunt. She wrote these in letters to Ginny before she died. I think that the theme of this story is that life moves on, whether you like it or not. You just have to keep going and you can’t give up and hide.(less)

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Nov 05, 2012 Alyce (At Home With Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. *This review contains spoilers for 13 Little Blue Envelopes.*

The Last Little Blue Envelope has a slightly darker tone than the first book. Ginny is faced with a situation involving an extortionist named Oliver who she knows is not nice (and also might not be safe). She realizes though that she will have to travel with him to fulfill the instructions in the last envelope.

The boy she met in the first book decides to travel with her and Oliver, and she sees a different side of him that she hadn’t s...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Melissa Proffitt rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, young-adult, romance, ya-contemporary-fiction

Near the end of 13 Little Blue Envelopes, Ginny's backpack, containing the last of her aunt's letters to her, is stolen before Ginny can read it. Though she manages to work out what her aunt's final message is, she still wishes she'd read the letter herself. Months later, she's contacted out of nowhere by someone who says he has her letter and wants to meet her. In England.

This is the point where Maureen Johnson starts to prove that she is some kind of evil genius. Oliver (the letter-holder), ra...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Erin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: do-not-want

"I'm not a violent person," Keith said under his breath, as they climbed the steps to the second level of the bus. "But I've really been meaning to work on that."

And here are the fruits of my labor. I have two major issues with this book, namely, the absurd retconning and the blatant character flanderization.

First: Retcon. For those who don't waste more time than I would like to admit on TV Tropes (I'm speaking to everyone except Cecy), a retcon is RETroactive CONtinuity--the author waving their...more "I'm not a violent person," Keith said under his breath, as they climbed the steps to the second level of the bus. "But I've really been meaning to work on that."

And here are the fruits of my labor. I have two major issues with this book, namely, the absurd retconning and the blatant character flanderization.

First: Retcon. For those who don't waste more time than I would like to admit on TV Tropes (I'm speaking to everyone except Cecy), a retcon is RETroactive CONtinuity--the author waving their hand and saying, "Hey, remember when we said this? Yeah, well, ignore that.".

The entire premise of the first, where we were sent places by Peg was completely disregarded, with only token mentions of the blue letter when the plot of "OMGHESINLOVEWITHSOMEONEELSEWHATDOIDOOOO" got a bit slow. We knew Peg was dying of cancer while writing these--it turns out that it made her certifiably loony, even though Richard didn't say anything about invisible dogs or cats or baby Ginnys. Her backpack that was stolen? Turns out it wasn't really 'stolen'; it was traded and someone bought it. All those feelings--which were gone into in slightly floofy detail--for Keith? Yeah, now she just whines, forgetting that she's the one who left, not him.

Which segues nicely into my other point: character flanderization.
When we meet Keith in the first book, he's a sweet, snarky, albeit-slightly-juvenilely-delinquent-y person who we all love. Cut to the sequel, and he's arrogant, unfeeling, jerky, and altogether unpleasent verging into cruel at times. Really? And all of this, just so that the author could pair Ginny up with the new guy we meet--there's always a new guy, as we've learned--who has the charm and personality somewhere in between a sprig of parsley and a single ice-skate (paraphrase courtesy of Dorothy Parker).

Sorry, that doesn't fly with me. You can't completely change a character and have him half-play the FMC when dating another girl and--and--and--

*Phew*

Breathe, Erin, breathe.

**The Last Little Blue Envelope, rated 13+, rated 2.4/5 stars.(less)

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Sep 03, 2012 Robert rated it 2 of 5 stars

The Last Little Blue Envelope
by Maureen Johnson

2 stars

Now if I was a teenage girl I may of gave the book a better rating . So you may want to take that in mind when reading this book .

Now this book takes place about 5 to 6 month after the book 13 Little Blue Envelopes. Like the 1st book Virginia "Ginny" Blackstone is heading back to Europe . All because she gets a strange E-mail from a guy who says he found the 13 Little Blue Envelopes , her late aunt left her . So Ginny goes back to London...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Pamela rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, own, travel, young_adult, notes

The second book continues where the first left off, and the story did feel left unfinished. I was compelled to buy this one, which is certainly part of why the free books to begin with...get you hooked into an author or series. If this was not a young adult book I would have felt ripped off. The two books combined really make one, but I can understand the shorter length for the younger audience. Then again J.K. Rowling has proved that young people do read very long books.

In any case the author...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm glad I reread 13LBE before picking up this one, as it had been a few years.

The Last Little Blue Envelope does a fairly good job of picking up where 13LBE left off, with Ginny back in the States and struggling with college essays. It's clear in the first few pages that she is having trouble moving on from her whirlwind summer, and it's also clear that her "kind of something" with Keith is kind of nothing now.

It was great fun seeing Richard again, though Keith seemed far different than he di...more

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May 28, 2012 Jeni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, young-adult

I honestly was a little bummed when I realized that "13 Little Blue Envelopes" wasn't a stand-alone novel. I'm so tired of series. However, Johnson does such a fantastic job of character development that even her token sort of quirky characters are more than tokens.
"The Last Little Blue Envelope" picks up a few months after the first one ended. After traveling through Europe, following direction in the 13 little blue envelopes her aunt left her after her death, Ginny is back at home enjoying hi...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Zeldabel rated it 4 of 5 stars

When The Last Little Blue Envelope opens, Ginny is back in New Jersey, frantically attempting to write her college essays. A few days before Christmas, Ginny receives a mysterious note from a boy in London: he bought her stolen backpack back in Greece, and the final little blue envelope was still inside. Seconds later, Ginny begins packing for another trip to England. Here, like with the first book, is my problem: Ginny is a senior in high school, and she can throw together a spur-of-the-moment...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Laura Salas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Sequel to 13 Little Blue Envelopes. I really liked this one, though it didn't have the same magic as the first one, to me. I think part of it was that in the first one, you feel like Ginny is totally out of her element, and you're there with her. In the second one, she's back where you already know her, so you lose that fish-out-of-water aspect of it. It's still lovely and charming, but it's more predictable than the first one, too. (view spoiler)...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Ashley Mcnamara added it

I liked the first book, 13 Little Blue Envelopes, so I was hesitant to read the continuing adventures of Ginny. I'm glad that I did. I think her emotional journey went deeper this time - this wasn't Ginny coming out of her shell, this was truly Ginny's coming of age and figuring out herself. I was never a huge fan of Keith in the books but I can say that MJ wrote a very real guy here - caught between the girl he is attracted to and the girl that was actually there in front of him - I give him a...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, mystery, romance, young-adult

Last summer, Ginny went on a wild European trip, led by letters from her recently deceased Aunt Peg, an artist. She followed all but the last letter, because her backpack with all the letters was stolen in Greece. Despite that, she found the stash of her aunt's paintings (what she was after) and sold them for college money. Then, home in New Jersey in December, she's contacted by someone who claims to have her backpack and the last letter, which leads to another artwork--and he will let her have...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult

Although I loved the premise of this novel's prequel (Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes), I was a little disappointed in the ending. Mostly because it felt unfinished. Maureen Johnson earns a gold star for ending here.

Over her winter break Ginny Blackstone is trying to write her college application essay and failing miserably. When she gets a mysterious email from a guy named Oliver in London, she is on a plane almost immediately. Oliver has found the last little blue envelope. Her aunt had sent h...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 5 of 5 stars

Tried to wait to read this; couldn't. *Sigh* Ginny gets an e mail from a mysterious Englishman, Oliver, who claims to have her lost backpack and the letters from her Aunt Meg that sent her on her adventures in 13 Little Blue Envelopes and were stolen in Greece. She talks her parents into letting her spend Christmas break in London with her Uncle Richard, and sets off to meet Oliver and get the letters back. The catch? The last letter sends Ginny off looking for more of her aunt's art, but Oliver...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Alison rated it 3 of 5 stars

Even better than the first!

In this sequel to Maureen Johnson's 13 Little Blue Envelopes (click here for review), Ginny gets an e-mail from Oliver, the guy who found her lost bag containing the little blue envelopes from Aunt Peg, the letters she thought were lost forever - including the mysterious, unopened 13th envelope. He asks her to meet him in England during Christmas break, so he can give her the envelopes, but there's a catch.

Ginny goes on yet another adventure, but this time, even thoug...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Arthur Pengerbil rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 26, 2011 Mar *How I see it reviews* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chicklit, dutch, ya

for more of my reviews: www.thereviewsofmar.blogspot.com

Note: I read this book in Dutch, not English. So I hope the names were translated the same. Loved that it was partly in Amsterdam, thanks from all Dutch fans to Maureen, we love you. Make sure you follow Maureen Johnson on twitter, her tweets are hilarious! @maureenjohnson

The book: (spoilers if you have not read the first part…)
After going home without reading the last letter, Ginny starts applying to universities. There is only one thing s...more for more of my reviews: www.thereviewsofmar.blogspot.com

Note: I read this book in Dutch, not English. So I hope the names were translated the same. Loved that it was partly in Amsterdam, thanks from all Dutch fans to Maureen, we love you. Make sure you follow Maureen Johnson on twitter, her tweets are hilarious! @maureenjohnson

The book: (spoilers if you have not read the first part…)
After going home without reading the last letter, Ginny starts applying to universities. There is only one thing she still has to do, answer the famous question every university asks: write about a life-changing thing that happened to you. When she decides to start this she sees she has got a new email. In that email, which was sent to her by an unknown stranger, stands that he has found her last letter. Ginny decides to go back to England to get the letters. Here she meets the one with her letter, Oliver, who decided that he wanted half the money the last painting of her dead aunt brought. Ginny had to agree. Also, she found out that her kind-of-boyfriend had found a new girlfriend. Together with him, his girlfriend and Oliver Ginny travels around Europe, looking for the last pieces of the painting.

My opinion on:
· ~ the characters: I love Ginny, she is so much like the writer, Maureen Johnson. She is crazy, funny and adventurous, I wished I were her! Then you also have Ellis, the new girlfriend. She is this super-talkative friend you must love. Also you have Keith and Oliver. Keith is a jerk in this book, and Oliver seemed one too, but as it turns out he was OK.
· ~ the setting of the book: yay! Amsterdam! (sorry, but as you know I’m Dutch and I love to read what other people think of my country in books) There were a few prejudices about The Netherlands in this book. First of all; Drugs. Peepz, I know you also think about it this way, Dutch people are always stoned. Well, I have to say: not true. Then there was a part about windows that are always without windows. That part is true, only I have never thought about it the way she said it. My house also has no curtains for the biggest part, and where it has curtains they are only closed at night. Funny J
· ~ the way the book was written: Funny, easy to read, full of humor, awesomeness.

total:
4 stars go to Maureen Johnson’s the last little blue envelope <3 (less)

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Dec 21, 2011 Trini rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am stuck between giving this book a 4-star review and a 5-star review, mostly because I think my judgement is clouded by the fact that I am, like Ginny, also currently trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my school life. In the midst of applying for colleges, Ginny receives an e-mail from someone named Oliver--who claims to have found the last little blue envelope that was stolen from her on a sunny Greek beach.

I will admit: This book made me cry. And it was one of the good cries,...more I am stuck between giving this book a 4-star review and a 5-star review, mostly because I think my judgement is clouded by the fact that I am, like Ginny, also currently trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my school life. In the midst of applying for colleges, Ginny receives an e-mail from someone named Oliver--who claims to have found the last little blue envelope that was stolen from her on a sunny Greek beach.

I will admit: This book made me cry. And it was one of the good cries, the kind of crying that you do when something really hits home and you can't believe how perfectly timed it was that you read it. That kind of crying. Additionally, Maureen Johnson has a particular kind of humor in her books that you just have to appreciate. Her characters are quick-witted and quirky, but in a believable way. They go through the most absolute kind of growth, and that's exactly what you want to see as a story progresses, especially in sequels. And it is kind of a wonder to me that Johnson was able to pull this through, considering there wasn't even a planned sequel for THIRTEEN LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPES until her Twitter followers really demanded it.

Like I said earlier: I can say that my review of this book is extremely biased because I can relate to Ginny and her struggles with trying to figure out what universities really want from you when they ask their stupid personal statement questions. As Ginny is figuring out who she is and exactly what she wants at the end, I just became so relieved for her, so happy and thrilled that she could figure it out and so I could probably untangle my woes and get over them too that I cried a little. That coupled with the closure Ginny finally receives from her aunt's death is something to behold.

I recommend this book to everyone. Johnson's writing is something that gets better with time, I think; THE LAST LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPE was a huge improvement from THIRTEEN LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPES, and her SHADES OF LONDON series is something to sit down and read as well.(less)

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Dec 01, 2011 Nah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Bite Me, Book

In this sequel to 13 Little Blue Envelopes, Ginny's aunt sends her on a crazy road trip back to places she's been before and to places she hasn't, with two new travelers.

We again meet Richard, her uncle, and Keith. Richard is still pretty much the same guy and hasn't changed much but I don't remember Keith being so rude. We also meet Ellie, Keith's girlfriend, and Oliver. Ellie seems like a chipper spirit and overall, a good person. Oliver seems to be decent as well, although he's m...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, outside-u-s-a

Why I picked it up: I read the previous book and liked it a lot.

In Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes, Ginny is sent on a trip across Europe, following directions left in blue envelopes by her dead aunt Peg. Ginny gets through 12 of the 13 when her backpack with all the envelopes inside is stolen in Greece. This book picks up over Christmas of the same year with Ginny getting an email from the guy who bought the stolen backpack. He found the letters and is willing to give them back—for a price.

It’s...more

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Oct 15, 2011 Elizabeth (Elizziebooks) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Warning: Because this is the second book in this series, this review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

I come to you, a second week in a row, with a book I am very excited about. The Last Little Blue Envelope holds a near and dear place in my heart because 13 Little Blue Envelopes was the first book I read by Maureen Johnson. I haven’t read 13LBE in almost two years, but from what I remember, the book leaves us off at the point in which Ginny returns home after getting her backpack sto...more Warning: Because this is the second book in this series, this review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

I come to you, a second week in a row, with a book I am very excited about. The Last Little Blue Envelope holds a near and dear place in my heart because 13 Little Blue Envelopes was the first book I read by Maureen Johnson. I haven’t read 13LBE in almost two years, but from what I remember, the book leaves us off at the point in which Ginny returns home after getting her backpack stolen. The backpack with the 13 envelopes (from her recently deceased Aunt Peg). The book left readers wondering what happened to that last envelope as well as Ginny’s life after her massive adventure through Europe.

Last Little Blue Envelope starts off with Ginny stressing out about college until she gets a mysterious email from someone who claims they have the last blue envelope. Ginny returns to England to meet the mysterious Oliver, and ventures off into the depths of Europe once again to follow the tasks laid out in the 13th letter. Oh, and we must not forget, there is a lot of tension between Keith and Ginny.

I enjoyed the characters in this novel. Maureen Johnson brought back some oldies but goodies (Richard and Keith) and introduced us to some new and amazing ones as well (Ellis and Oliver). She manages to write humorous characters without them being ridiculous, and I really admire that. Also, I loved Oliver. He comes off really sketchy at first, but he redeems himself several times. And I want to be best friends with Ellis. She’s so adorable and friendly! Also, I love Richard. I want him to be my uncle!

The storyline is a coming-of-age tale with a unique twist. Instead of laying it out and simply stating, “Your teenage years are going to be rough and there’s going to be a lot of turmoil,” she uses these letters to send Ginny on a journey in which she faces trials while on the road to self-discovery. The romance side of the story makes me giggle like a middle school girl in that Ginny swoons every time Keith is around. Seriously, get a hold on yourself, girl! But really, we all felt like that around the first guy we really liked, didn’t we?

I am a big fan of pacing. Seriously. And this book had it down! By that I mean it was well paced and the middle didn’t drag like in some other MJ books (Bermudez Triangle). I really enjoyed that even when they were in the car or on one of the many ferries, there was something going on.

Let me take off my “Liz is a super serious book blogger/vlogger” hat and just say that I flailed a bit (a lot) in this book. MJ mentions Doctor Who and I’m quite certain she makes a reference to Reservoir Dogs. I’m sure there are more nerdy references (and references of other sorts) in the book.

This book is not just a cute and quite humorous book, it is also quite beautiful. I cried in the graveyard scene when Ginny reads that part of the letter. It was so beautifully written. I’m almost tearing up thinking about it now! Also, there’s a bit in that scene when Aunt Peg is writing about how women shouldn’t hold back from doing something they love just because it may be something stereotypically “manly”.

I seriously can’t think of anything negative to say about this book. I guess I could complain to the fact that it wasn’t very long. I would have liked to have seen more of Oliver. But that’s too far in the land of subjectivity. I know a few people will complain about a certain relationship in the novel, but I have zero complaints on it. Ahem.

I loved this novel. Everything about it was fantastic and it was the perfect pick-me-up book to read after reading a heavy book like Mockingjay. I love how the deep parts seemed natural alongside the humorous parts. I could go on for hours but
Note: the ending of this review will make sense once you read the book.(less)

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Aug 29, 2011 Kailia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After reading and loving 13 Little Blue Envelopes, I was super excited when I found out that Maureen Johnson was writing a sequel, to explain what had happened to the 13th little blue envelope.

The story begins with Ginny getting an e-mail from a guy named Oliver who tells her that he’s got the last envelope and she should come and get it from him. From the beginning, I knew that this book wasn’t going to have the light, “oh this is going to be a fun adventure” feel to it as it did with the firs...more After reading and loving 13 Little Blue Envelopes, I was super excited when I found out that Maureen Johnson was writing a sequel, to explain what had happened to the 13th little blue envelope.

The story begins with Ginny getting an e-mail from a guy named Oliver who tells her that he’s got the last envelope and she should come and get it from him. From the beginning, I knew that this book wasn’t going to have the light, “oh this is going to be a fun adventure” feel to it as it did with the first book. I was right. From the moment Ginny is back in England, things just didn’t feel all happy and fun; there was definite sadness and awkwardness going in with Ginny and Richard. The plot was rather slow (to me) yet it worked for this book. Obviously, it was repetitive from the first book but I did like how things changed for all the characters.

As for the characters, I didn’t like Keith a lot in this book and I felt that Ginny should have been more…up forward to him? I’m not sure what the right term would be. Ellis was another character I didn’t like and I’ve actually got no idea why I didn’t like her. She was just a character who I couldn’t stand…Oliver was rather interesting but I felt that I didn’t get to know him as well as I had hoped. Though he began to use Ginny for monetary gain, he changed by the end of the book and I got the feeling that he and Ginny might have something going on?

I think the overall ending was my favorite part. It felt like the most perfect ending to me for Ginny and Richard and everyone. I also loved Maureen Johnson for making Ginny stay there (if you’ve read the book, you know what I mean) and it also gave me the impression that Ginny and Oliver would be seeing each other more often!

If you read 13 Little Blue Envelopes, go and read this book now. If you haven’t delved into the first book, read them both. They’re both awesome and worth your time. Overall, The Last Little Blue Envelope ends Ginny’s journey in the most perfect way and place. It's sad, funny at times, heart warming, annoying at times, and just plain wonderful.
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Aug 08, 2011 Reynje rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011, young-adult, contemp-or-realistic

3.5 stars

In my experience, it’s a rare thing that a sequel outshines its predecessor – but this was the case for The Last Little Blue Envelope, Maureen Johnson’s funny and charming follow up to 13 Little Blue Envelopes.

Straight up, I liked this book more than the first.

Given the title, it’s hardly a spoiler to say that the plot revolves around that last little blue envelope entrusted to Ginny by her Aunt Peg, and the journey it causes her to embark upon. The characters, some familiar, some new,...more

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About Maureen Johnson

Maureen knew from an early age she wanted to be a writer. She went to high school at an all-girls' Catholic school and graduated from University of Delaware with a degree in writing. She now lives and writes in New York City.

Many of the adventures Maureen's characters face in her books are based on real-life stories. Maureen has traveled all over Europe, and is a Secret Sister to vlog brothers Han...more

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13 Little Blue Envelopes (Little Blue Envelope, #1)

The Name of the Star (Shades of London, #1)

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“It's always easier to say good-bye when you know it's just a prelude to hello.” — 128 people liked it

“You can never visit the same place twice. Each time, it's a different story. By the very act of coming back, you wipe out what came before.” — 101 people liked it

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