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 in the autumn of 1888.
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 now believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was 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.
Sure, on the surface this book could be classified as paranormal with a protagonist who sees ghosts. But, oh man, it's so much more than that. The narrative is so deliciously layered - it's one of those books you could read over and over and find something different, or a new way to look at it every time. I absolutely love the way Maureen Johnson took one of the first highly publicized murders and brought it into a contemporary time.
I just love the theatricality of the whole thing. There's a commentary on media in this book, as the mimicking of the Jack Ripper murders become highly publicized. The media feeds the fear and hysteria - while the fear and hysteria feed the media. It's a vicious cycle completely fed by the unknown. Something actually terrifying is going on, yet it doesn't feel like it is the main focus. Someone dies, and that should be enough, but it seems people only die because it's a good story. But that's the reason Jack the Ripper is so popular - there was never any explanation as to why he was murdering people - just a lot of theories, which became good stories.
This book held a spell over me - up until the end when things slipped too far into the paranormal and further away from reality - that got to be a little much and it didn't really seem fitting with the beginning of the story. However, I still see a purpose in that, especially if we're looking at the way things can spiral out of control until it becomes something unreal.
And of course - how do you not love a book that not only transports you to England - but to both historical and present day London. I really wished I was there following Rory up and down the streets and through the pubs. Even if it's a dangerous place to be in Maureen Johnson's world, I still wish I could have been there and been a part of it. Although, with the way she brings other random Londoners in, who are experiencing this Rippermania, you do end up feeling like you've been pulled into the chaos.
The Name of the Star is definitely worth reading - and I think it's a great demonstration of the literary merit of the paranormal YA genre. Because not only is it a great, interesting story, but it's so expertly written, and it's a not-always-pleasant reflection of our social norms.
Tuesday, September 27
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Synopsis: Mara wakes up from a coma with no memory of the accident that caused the deaths of her best friend, boyfriend, and boyfriend’s sister. The doctors tell her parents that starting over in a new state and a new school will be good for her and that she should let the memories come back on their own. But Mara’s new start is anything but comforting when she sees the faces of her dead friends everywhere, and her world starts to fall apart. She begins to see people’s deaths just before they happen—at least that’s what she thinks she’s seeing. On top of that, the most beautiful boy ever is pursuing her, but his intentions may not be so pure…. Part thriller, part paranormal, this hotly anticipated debut novel will have readers on the edge of their seats.
The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen
Synopsis: Sasha is desperate to find out who murdered her father. When getting the answer means pledging her soul to Eryx, she unlocks a secret that puts her in grave danger—she is an Anabo, a daughter of Eve, and Eryx’s biggest threat. A son of Hell, immortal, and bound to Earth forever, Jax looks for redemption in the Mephisto Covenant—God’s promise he will find peace in the love of an Anabo. After a thousand years, he’s finally found the girl he’s been searching for: Sasha. With the threat of Eryx always looming, Jax knows he has to keep Sasha safe and win her over. But can he? Will Sasha love him and give up her mortal life?
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Synopsis: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
Synopsis: On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past. In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.
Thursday, September 29
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Synopsis: In this companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, two teens discover that true love may be closer than they think. For budding costume designer Lola Nolan, the more outrageous, the outfit - more sparkly, more fun, more wild - the better. But even though Lola's style is outrageous, she's a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins move back into the house next door. When the family returns and Cricket - a gifted inventor and engineer - steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
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.
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 in the autumn of 1888.
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 now believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was 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.
Sure, on the surface this book could be classified as paranormal with a protagonist who sees ghosts. But, oh man, it's so much more than that. The narrative is so deliciously layered - it's one of those books you could read over and over and find something different, or a new way to look at it every time. I absolutely love the way Maureen Johnson took one of the first highly publicized murders and brought it into a contemporary time.
I just love the theatricality of the whole thing. There's a commentary on media in this book, as the mimicking of the Jack Ripper murders become highly publicized. The media feeds the fear and hysteria - while the fear and hysteria feed the media. It's a vicious cycle completely fed by the unknown. Something actually terrifying is going on, yet it doesn't feel like it is the main focus. Someone dies, and that should be enough, but it seems people only die because it's a good story. But that's the reason Jack the Ripper is so popular - there was never any explanation as to why he was murdering people - just a lot of theories, which became good stories.
This book held a spell over me - up until the end when things slipped too far into the paranormal and further away from reality - that got to be a little much and it didn't really seem fitting with the beginning of the story. However, I still see a purpose in that, especially if we're looking at the way things can spiral out of control until it becomes something unreal.
And of course - how do you not love a book that not only transports you to England - but to both historical and present day London. I really wished I was there following Rory up and down the streets and through the pubs. Even if it's a dangerous place to be in Maureen Johnson's world, I still wish I could have been there and been a part of it. Although, with the way she brings other random Londoners in, who are experiencing this Rippermania, you do end up feeling like you've been pulled into the chaos.
The Name of the Star is definitely worth reading - and I think it's a great demonstration of the literary merit of the paranormal YA genre. Because not only is it a great, interesting story, but it's so expertly written, and it's a not-always-pleasant reflection of our social norms.
Tuesday, September 27
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Synopsis: Mara wakes up from a coma with no memory of the accident that caused the deaths of her best friend, boyfriend, and boyfriend’s sister. The doctors tell her parents that starting over in a new state and a new school will be good for her and that she should let the memories come back on their own. But Mara’s new start is anything but comforting when she sees the faces of her dead friends everywhere, and her world starts to fall apart. She begins to see people’s deaths just before they happen—at least that’s what she thinks she’s seeing. On top of that, the most beautiful boy ever is pursuing her, but his intentions may not be so pure…. Part thriller, part paranormal, this hotly anticipated debut novel will have readers on the edge of their seats.
The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen
Synopsis: Sasha is desperate to find out who murdered her father. When getting the answer means pledging her soul to Eryx, she unlocks a secret that puts her in grave danger—she is an Anabo, a daughter of Eve, and Eryx’s biggest threat. A son of Hell, immortal, and bound to Earth forever, Jax looks for redemption in the Mephisto Covenant—God’s promise he will find peace in the love of an Anabo. After a thousand years, he’s finally found the girl he’s been searching for: Sasha. With the threat of Eryx always looming, Jax knows he has to keep Sasha safe and win her over. But can he? Will Sasha love him and give up her mortal life?
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Synopsis: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
Synopsis: On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past. In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.
Thursday, September 29
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Synopsis: In this companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, two teens discover that true love may be closer than they think. For budding costume designer Lola Nolan, the more outrageous, the outfit - more sparkly, more fun, more wild - the better. But even though Lola's style is outrageous, she's a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins move back into the house next door. When the family returns and Cricket - a gifted inventor and engineer - steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
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.
