Review • The Last Little Blue Envelope • Review

Title: The Last Little Blue Envelope
Author: Maureen Johnson
Series: Little Blue Envelope #2
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: April 2011
Source: Library
Rating: 4 stars


~ The Scoop 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.

 

I actually enjoyed this one more than the first one. I wasn't sure, going in, what to expect to get from this. I liked 13 Little Blue Envelopes, but I didn't like it as much as I thought I would, so I left it a bit disappointed. However, I left this one quite happy with where the story went and how it was all tied together. 

I really like Maureen Johnson's writing and how she incorporates wittiness and sarcasm into her characters. The storyline was a smidgen predictable, in the broadest of the term, but there were still some nice surprises along the way.  

This isn't a heavy read, or a life-changing, thought provoking read. Yes, there are some nice insights made, revelations to be had, but overall this is an upbeat story that I felt fairly light after reading it. I like that. 

Have you read it? What'd you think?

Smiles,
B

WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesdays was started by MizB over at Should Be Reading,

To play along, simply answer the following three (3) Questions:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you'll read next?

Currently Reading

Recently Finished

What I Might Read Next

What have you been reading? Share with me... :)

Smiles,
B

Top Ten Tuesday: Books with Tough Subjects

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they provide a Top Ten topic for you to create your list, then you share it on their post so others can find you. :)

  ♥ Top Ten Books Dealing with Tough Subjects ♥

When I saw this topic, I immediately thought of number 1 on my list. But aside from that one, I had to think to recall books I've read that were "tough" subjects. Once I started thinking, though... the list grew. lol  Here we go... 

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
(or any by her, really...)
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters
Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews
The Deep End of the Ocean by Jaquelyn Mitchard
Cut by Patricia McCormick
A Corner of the Universe by Ann M Martin 

What books have you read with tough subjects?

Smiles,
B 

Bout of Books Goals

Bout of Books 7.0

What is it? Direct from the hosts:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

So...  goals. I plan to finish my mystery book, and read some of the following:  Shatter Me, Days of Blood and Starlight, Unravel Me, Eleanor and Park, Unearthly, Sing Me Home, Meant to  Be, and Elsewhere.

As far as how many, I  have to keep it small at 3-4  books. ;)  I will update this post daily with my progress below and I'll do a mid- and end-week recap post.  [and fix this formatting tomorrow.  ugh.]

Happy Monday and happier reading.

UPDATES

Monday
Pages read: 75
Books finished: 0

Tuesday
Pages read:182
Total Pages Read:  257
Chapters listened to: 5 
Books finished:1
Thoughts: At this rate I may not reach my goal. But I'm still reading more than I did the last couple of weeks, so there's that. :)  But, I did start an audio book, which I haven't done in ages. I started listening to it at work. So we'll see if that helps with completing more books. :)

Wednesday
Pages read:30
Total Pages Read:  287
Chapters listened to: 6 
Total chapters listened to: 11
Books finished:1
Thoughts: Didn't read much yesterday due to plans, but hopefully I'll get back into it today. :)


Thursday
Pages read:57
Total Pages Read:  344
Chapters listened to: 4 
Total chapters listened to: 15
Books finished:1
Thoughts: I read a bit more yesterday, but still didn't get as far as I'd like. But I did have fun with the acrostic poem below. :)

Friday
Pages read:0
Total Pages Read:  344
Chapters listened to: 3
Total chapters listened to: 18
Books finished:1
Thoughts: I had work and date night with the hubby last night, so I didn't much reading done at all. :( But it was time well spent anyway. :)

Challenges
I completed the challenge for Harley Bear Book Blog! An acrostic poem featuring a title of a book. I chose:

Smiles,
B

Memorable Monday ~ Insurgent

Memorable Monday is a meme hosted by Escape in a Good Book. I'm excited to join in on this one because I love quotes, which was the driving force behind the creation of Memorable Mondays. I thank the ladies at Escape in a Good Book.

So... how do you participate? It's simple ~

1) Share a quote that has captured your interest lately in a Memorable Monday post on your blog.

2) Come back here and leave the link to your post in the comment box below. If you don't have a blog, I'd still love to hear read your quote. Leave it in the comment box instead of a link to a non-existent blog. :)

3) Visit other participants if you have time. It's always nice to have visitors. There's no overstaying your welcome this way, and they don't have to offer the obligatory drinks. Or clean.

4) If you tweet your posts, feel free to use the hashtag #MemorableMonday.

This week's choice:

"I think we cry to release the animal parts of us without losing our humanity. Because inside me is a beast that snarls, and growls, and strains toward freedom, toward Tobias, and above all, toward life. And as hard as I try, I cannot kill it."

~ Insurgent by Veronica Roth



I *love* this. Anything strike you lately?

Smiles,
B

Bout of Books Sign Up & Goals

Bout of Books 7.0

What is it? Direct from the hosts:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Hey y'all! I've decided that I would partake in this fun competition to try and decrease my TBR pile some. Not by much, but every little challenge helps me out. :)

So what am I planning on reading? My mystery book that Malissa sent me. Although hopefully I will actually start that Sunday, but I definitely won't finish it. Unless my mother's day gift is a day just to read. lol  My goal after that is two more books, making a total of three. I would push for four, but between kids and my job, I'm not sure that's feasible. If I plan on sleeping. ;)  I don't know what I'll read after my mystery book, though. I haven't decided. I should get Eleanor & Park in the mail soon, as well as Days of Blood & Starlight. So maybe those... also on my list that I have insta-access to that I will choose from: Unearthly, Elsewhere, Wicked Lovely, Shiver, & The Diviners.

To narrow it down:

Goals
Read 3-4 books
Participate in 1 challenge

Anyone else wanna join up? Just go up to the pic at the top and it (should) lead you to the Bout of Books website. :)  Or just click here. :)

I hope everyone has a great week!

Smiles,
B

Review • 13 Little Blue Envelopes • Review

Title: 13 Little Blue Envelopes
Author: Maureen Johnson
Series: Little Blue Envelope #1
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: September 2006
Source:  Library
Rating: 3.5 stars

~ The Scoop from Goodreads ~

When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.

After reading Requiem, I really needed a breather from seriousness. From death and destruction and the heaviness of the world ending and all. This seemed like the perfect pick.

I've read four books now by Maureen Johnson. While the first, Devilish, still remains my favorite of hers, this one didn't fair too bad either. It's cute, whimsical, and fun.

While it was an adventure, I did have some problems with it. She is 17 years old. And I'm not sure it matters just how mature that child is, as a mom myself I cannot fathom letting my 17 year old daughter traipse across Europe without contact, without a buddy, without something. Maybe it's the way some people live, but for me I just can't imagine it. But once I got past that (I maybe, possibly, pictured as a college student... that's definitely possible), I was able to enjoy her ride a bit more. 

I also struggled with how naively trusting she was. I realize that she trusted her aunt and so knocking on whatever doors Aunt Peg told her to was perfectly ok with me. But the random strangers she meets and just automatically trusts them not to, I don't know, murder her in her sleep, seems a bit extreme. It would be awesome if our world was that nice, but it's really not. I know, I know, there was the one shady character, but even that didn't seem to be a big deal to her. She just brushed it off like, "Oh, that happened. I'm not freaked out at all." 

Overall, I did enjoy the story. We get to see Ginny grow little on her adventurous side and come to accept that her aunt is gone. It's a fun, light read, and I look forward to seeing what happens in The Last Little Blue Envelope.

Have you read it? What'd you think?

Smiles,
B