The Name of the Star
Author: Maureen Johnson
Format: Kindle Ebook
Source: Purchased from Amazon

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Synopsis: The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities. – via GoodReads

What I Liked: The fact that it is set in London, is a boarding school novel, and has a Jack the Ripper mystery and this book couldn’t have been ANY better. Wait a second. I lied. Rory had some AMAZING one liners and y’all know I’m a sucker for some one-liners.

I could easily picture her running over a muddy hillside, field hockey stick raised, screaming. In fact, I was pretty sure that was what I was going to see in my dreams tonight.

Some other facts I picked up: Welsh is an actual, currently used language and our nextdoor neighbors Angela and Gaenor spoke it. It sounds like Wizard.

“And if we get get, I will claim I made you go. At gunpoint. I am American. People will assume I’m armed.”

Alright, enough with the one-liners. Honestly, I LOVED this book. There was just so much in it to enjoy. I am fascinated by ghosts. Setting a Jack the Ripper copycat up in London itself was brilliant. I don’t think that Maureen Johnson could have made a better book for me personally. 🙂 I certainly can’t wait to read the next one.

Another of the big things that worked for me was that Johnson didn’t put a lot of importance on the love interest in this book. Of course, Rory does have a love interest but I never felt that it overshadowed the rest of the story. It’s nice to have a break from relationship drama from time to time.

I’d also like to close this section with a great quote from The Name of the Star:

“Fear can’t hurt you,” she said. “When it washes over you give it no power. It’s a snake with no venom. Remember that. That knowledge can save you.”

What I Could Have Lived Without: I considered the ending to be a bit of a cliffhanger. I don’t have much patience for them. I like my stories to be wrapped up nice and neat at the end. It wasn’t such a big cliffhanger that it affected my rating though. Just be aware that once you finish this book you’ll be ready for the next one!

Recommended For: Readers looking for a fun and interesting read that is hard to put down.

Avoid If: You’re not all that into ghosts or cliffhangers

Other Reviews:
Anna Reads
Bewitched Bookworms
The Book Smugglers