The Name Of The Star by Maureen Johnson

The Blurb On The Back:

Jack the Ripper returns …

Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux flies to London for the start of a new life at boarding school. But her arrival is overshadowed by a sudden outbreak of brutal murders, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific work of Jack the Ripper.

‘Rippermania’ grabs hold of London, and the police are stumped with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory has seen their prime suspect on the school grounds. But her friend Jazza didn’t see anyone.

So why could only Rory see him? And what is he planning to do next?

In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense and romance, Rory discovers the secrets of London and the truth about her own shocking abilities, as Jack the Ripper returns …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Maureen Johnson’s YA paranormal thriller, the first in a trilogy is an entertaining read with some great one-liners, a great first person voice and a believable reaction to the revelation of paranormal activity. However, it’s written very much for an American audience so Brits may get annoyed at the stream of explanations and some Brit facts are wrong (which a simple Google search could have resolved). Also, the uneven pacing means that it doesn’t work as a thriller and there are things in the story that just don’t make sense (e.g. why Rory chose to study at a British school rather than a US school in London, why she chose to study in London rather than a school closer to Bristol). Ultimately, it’s fun enough to keep turning the pages and notwithstanding my frustrations I’ll read the sequel.

Star Wars: Jedi Academy by Jeffrey Brown

The Blurb On The Back:

My whole life I planned on going to pilot school like the rest of my friends – but I didn’t get in! Then a little green guy named Yoda invited me to Jedi Academy. Now I’m at a school with aliens, robots and lightsaber-wielding bullies who can lift things with their minds! How am I supposed to compete with that? As if starting a new school isn’t hard enough …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Jeffrey Brown’s licenced Star Wars graphic novel is a cute spin off set 200 years before Star Wars and perfect for readers aged 8+. Told in a mix of journal entries and comic panels, Roan’s a sweet natured protagonist, very creative but uncertain about his Jedi abilities and concerned by his inability to make friends. I could have done without the budding romance with Gaiana but his friendship with Pasha is well depicted and I absolutely loved Yoda and the Wookie P.E. teacher Kitmum. There are some in jokes for older Star Wars fans and the Ewok Pilot comic strip will entertain younger readers. All in all, it’s a charming read and I’d love to read the next one.

STAR WARS: JEDI ACADEMY was released in the United Kingdom on 5th September 2013. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the free copy of this book.