Author: Amy Carol Reeves
Summary: A paranormal mystery involving London’s most notorious killer In 1888, following her mother’s sudden death, seventeen-year-old Arabella Sharp goes to live with her grandmother in a posh London neighborhood. At her grandmother’s request, Abbie volunteers at Whitechapel Hospital, where she discovers a passion for helping the unfortunate women and children there. But within days, female patients begin turning up brutally murdered at the hands of Jack the Ripper. Even more horrifying, Abbie starts having strange visions that lead her straight to the Ripper’s next massacres. As her apparent psychic connection with the twisted killer grows stronger, Abbie is drawn into a deadly mystery involving the murders, her mother’s shadowed past, and a secret brotherhood of immortals—who’ll stop at nothing to lure Abbie into its “humanitarian” aims.
My Review: While I've rather grown to like spins on the infamous Jack the Ripper, this one was slightly lacking in certain aspects. I hate to right off the bat put down a book and I did like it for various reasons, but over all it was just a light, quick read and since it was so short, it lacked description and detail in certain areas.
Characters: The characters were interesting and I was immediately from the get-go trying to figure out who Ripper was (I turned out to be half right). I found Arabella to be a bit too reckless and some the character relationships a bit dull. I think if a bit more research had been done to make this a bit longer and little more effort was put into the characters personalities, it may have been a better read.
Plot: While it was interesting how Reeves angled the story to try and explain the identity of the Ripper, I couldn't help feeling like I'd seen this angle somewhere before. Or it just didn't have enough depth to it to make it believable. And it just followed along at Arabella slowly got intermingled with the Ripper case. The area with her having visions of the attacks was extremely irritating. If we want to see what the villain is up to, we right in third person, we do not resort to visions. Whenever authors get that through their heads, I'll never know.
Disclaimers: We're talking about Jack the Ripper here, and Arabella works at a hospital, so there's some rather disgusting description. I wouldn't say though that it was thoroughly disgusting. I mean, we have her gagging and loosing super over what she sees and all we manage is a half hearted squirm. It's one of those instance where as much as I'd hate to read it, there just wasn't enough detail. I think there may have some brief language but it's the out-of-place kind. Another thing that bothered me about this book was when it got iffy it was all of a sudden, and didn't fit at all. Sensual wise it was tame, but there is some playful bantering/flittering and kissing and it just was such a short book and it just didn't feel right in that aspect,like it was thrown in just because. Later on we have it a bit more intense when Arabella gets attacked. Though nothing too risque happens, it just, yet again, feels out of place. As if these are the only factors that make it young adult level.
Favorite Character: William
Favorite Quote: N/A
Recommended: Older teens
Over-all Rating: ★★★☆☆
~ Darkitty
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