Roeloff Van Zyl Van Zyl itibaren Punta Negra, Uruguay
This was such a rewarding read! Johnson adapts the chick lit formula to create a unique and amusing novel featuring a rather shy teen named Ginny whose favorite aunt has just died, leaving her with 13 little blue envelopes. Inside the envelopes are clues directing Ginny to different locations in Europe, which duplicate her aunt's own whirlwind tour years earlier. Ginny must also follow the directions on the envelopes, some of which are quite puzzling. As you might expect, this is also a journey of self discovery for Ginny. Pure delight.
I've never been a fan of Oates' adult novels, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this teen novel. Jenna is haunted by the car crash that killed her mother--a crash she may well be responsible for causing. She refuses to reconcile with her dad, who has begun a new family with another wife. Things are pretty bleak. It is when she meets Crow, a gorgeous biker who rescues her from gang rape, that things begin to look up for Jenna. A nice turn on guilt, grief, and the healing power of love.