13 Little Blue Envelopes by: Maureen Johnson

This book is about a seventeen year old girl named Ginny.  Ginny is almost a perfect girl because she has good grades and is very nice, but she is shy.  Ginny's aunt, Aunt Peg was a good girl too, but right before she was going to go to Mount Holyoke college (on a full scholarship) she decided that she wanted to do something more interesting with her life.  She then ditched Mount Holyoke and transferred to a tiny college in Vermont where she majored in painting and minored in performing arts.  Everyone in her family was very angry with her, and started to think she was crazy.  Ginny knew what everyone thought of her aunt, but she still loved to visit her.  When Ginny went over, she and Aunt Peg would play "today I live in".  They would do activities, go to shops, and eat at restaurants that had something to do with that country.  When she was with Aunt Peg, Ginny felt more interesting and special than she was before.  Then one day Aunt Peg disappeared.  No one was worried, though, because they assumed that Aunt Peg just wanted to go on a little adventure, like she usually did.  Aunt Peg was gone for a very long time, but sent post cards that she was doing well.  Then three months from when the story began, Aunt Peg died.  Ginny missed being with her aunt a lot, but she got on without her.  Then a little blue envelope came from Aunt Peg giving her instructions to pick up a package at their old favorite restaurant and take a plane to Europe.  Ginny followed these instructions without a doubt because she thought that even though Aunt Peg was dead, somehow doing this would connect Ginny with her.  Throughout the book I wondered why Ginny would do this because she knows that her Aunt is dead and she could be getting herself in a lot of danger. The package that Ginny gets at the restaurant contains more little blue envelopes.  In each of the envelopes are instructions with tasks that she has to follow.  Once she has completed a task, she can open the next envelope.  I am on envelope number four.  In envelope number three, Ginny was instructed to give 500 euros to an artist of her choice.  Ginny picks a young performer named Keith.  She was intrigued by his energy in directing Starbucks: The Musical.  She ends up really liking Keith and they even go on a kind-of date.  Ginny thinks that Keith might like her back, but she seems to always mess it up when they are having a romantic moment.  This is a really great book with all kinds of twists and turns.  It has some romance and adventure, which are two genres that I like to read.  I really suggest that you read it!
 

Best Friends For Never

The book Best Friends for Never is the second book in the series the Clique. Massie Block is the most poular girl in OCD middle school. She has everything: nice house, the best clothes, and pretty much everything that she wants. She even has an exclusive group of friends, Alicia, Kristen and Dylan. Her life is perfect except for one thing: Claire Lyons. The Lyons were friends of Massie's ad in college. They are now living in the Block's guesthouse, and Claire is going to Massie's school. Massie's naturally hates this girl and is set out to ruin her life. Claire is desperate to be friends with Massie's though so she plays tricks on Alicia, Kristen and Dylan so they do not want to be friends with Massie's anymore. Finally Massie's finds out what is going on, and her friends realize that Claire was playing with them. Now the girls hate Claire even more, and Massie and Claire are in a constant state of war. They make a bet against each other to prove that one is better than the other. Massie is not allowed to buy any new clothes for the month, and Claire is not allowed to wear the same outfit twice in the month. Shortly after this bet has been settled Massie gets a call from Alicia saying that some girls are starting to think that Massie is not as popular anymore. Massie is furious, and she plots on a way to have people keep thinking that she is the best. She decides that she will throw a totally awesome Halloween party. She doubts that her parent will let her though, unless... she pretends to have Claire as a co-hostess. Now Massie can get what she wants and Claire will stop bugging her. The girls propose the idea together and their parents agree! Massie hires the best party planner, and is throwing the most outrageous Halloween party that OCD middle school has ever seen. The party's theme is When Hell Freezes Over. There will be an ice rink, dance floor, and giant fire pits to roast marshmallows on. Massie and her friends are all being dirty devils together. They are wearing short shorts, ripped tanks, devil tails, and devil horns. Massie think everything is perfect except when Kristen and Dylan start to fight over everything, and Alicia seems to have found a new best friend, Massie feels like their clique is breaking apart. She already is missing her friends and her popularity. The only person she can trust now is Claire. Massie feels like her life is falling apart, and it only gets worse. One day the principle announces that OCD is going uniform. Everyone is so angry, but Massie has an idea. The school should hold a contest to see which students uniform design is the best, and that will be the new uniform. With Kristen, Dylan and Claire's help she makes an amazing uniform. Now all she needs to do is get Alicia to dump her new best friend and everything will be perfect again.