The Name of the Star is Book 1 in the Shades of London series. The blurb below is from Goodreads:
"Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London to start a new life at boarding school just as a series of brutal murders mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper killing spree of more than a century ago has broken out across the city. The police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man believed to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him - the only one who can see him. And now Rory has become his next target...unless she can tap her previously unknown abilities to turn the tables."
Rory Deveaux is a smart, determined, and self-sufficient young woman who relishes the chance to spread her wings a little and delve into London life for herself. Although she has a baptism of fire at the beginning of term with the workload and extra-curricular requirements, Rory soon gets into the swing of things thanks to some new friends.
This book hooked me from very first page. The premise brings together several popular styles - the supernatural; the setting of boarding school; and the ever-present allure of the mystery of Jack the Ripper. For a Young Adult book, it handles the gore well - the descriptions, while graphic, are not too shocking for the reader to handle (although I would recommend a minimum of age 14). The friendships and variety of characters are well-put together, and the backstories of the main cast are developed well as to not render the book superficial or shallow.
Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I am looking forward to picking up more books from this series.
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