[ 185 ]

[katara]

Title: Stalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper #1)
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Format: Epub
Rating: 4/5
Status: Finished
Reading Date: April 3, 2018 to April 5, 2018
Book Summary: Presented by James Patterson's new children's imprint, this deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion...

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this dazzling, #1 New York Times bestselling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.
Book Review: I had this book on my Nook since it came out. I had always promised myself I would read it but I kept pushing it back on the burner during the course of my Mother's illness and work last year. Now I really wish I had not.

The Historical Period

The year is 1888 and the place is Whitechapel. Before he was known as Jack the Ripper, he was also known as the Leather Apron. Regardless of what you call him now, he is still the same killer and still prayed on the same sort of women - prostitutes. In his wake, he killed roughly five women but there really is no telling if there were any more than that. After his left kill, he seemed to disappear all together. No one knows what really happened to him or whom he was. There was many suspects out there one even leading to the Royal Family itself.

The Characters

Audrey Rose - Audrey was born in the wrong century. At a young age, her mother died and her father has somewhat become far more overprotective of her. He believes that she should be taking lessons from her aunt on how to be a proper lady but Audrey would rather be learning science and cutting up bodies to see the inner workings of the body. When the Ripper murders begin, Normally able to detach herself from the autopsies she performs with her uncle and another student, Audrey finds herself shaken as she takes a look at the body of one of the prostitutes recognizing her as one of her servants from when she was a child. Then she learns that another one survived briefly believing that the Ripper had started his killings earlier. With the help of the most insufferable male, Audrey is determined to find out who the Ripper is but some secrets are better left to the shadows of Whitechapel and history.

Thomas Cresswell - Thomas is brilliant mind. When we first meet him, he is but a shadow talking to Audrey's uncle during one of the autopsies that she does. The second time we see him, we find him a student within her uncle's classroom. His mind is brilliant and his observations are always on target. For Audrey, he is insufferable, always managing to get underneath her skin. Even worse, he takes it upon himself to follow her to keep her safe from the Ripper and help her solve the mystery.

My Thoughts

The Ripper murders still ripple through time even now. There has never been anyone brought to justice nor has there been any strong indiction of whom the Ripper actually could be. There have been theories and some point strongly to the some members of the Royal Family. I have to admit that much like the murders of the Romanovs, this continues to fascinate me as well. The idea that anyone has been able to allude capture can make a person wonder how he had done it. Of course there are rumors that he came here to America and continued his murders but much like those at Whitechapel, they stopped.

All theories and conspiracies aside, I must say this book was hard to put down and I really wished I had picked up this book up earlier. It is really worth the read. The characters are connectable and the history of the period will draw you in. The ending will leave you stunned but excited for the next book in the series.

I wish more than ever that I had picked up this book earlier. I had this book on my Nook and unfortunately life has a way of forcing you to put books on the back burner but I think now with the things being a bit the way they are, I was able to escape into a part of history that continues to not only fascinate myself but the rest of the world itself. I love it when books do that and draw you in. Those are the type of books that I absolutely love and adore and wish a lot of reads I have done would do the same.

So if you are a fan of history especially the setting of the Jack the Ripper murders, then this book is definitely for you. But be warned: this book does have some gory details especially when describing the murders and autopsies. If those make you squimish, then this book would not be for you.

[ 186 ]

[katara]

Title: Jim Henson's Labyrinth: Coronation #2 (Labyrinth Coronation)
Author: Simon Spurrier, Daniel Bayliss (Illustrator), Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
Format: Epub
Rating: 4.95/5
Status: Finished
Reading Date: April 5, 2018
Book Summary: The Goblin King’s mother enters the Labyrinth, discovering a strange and marvelous world unlike anything she could imagine and one much different than what Sarah will encounter years later.
Book Review: This issue pretty much picks up where the last issue left off.

Jareth is in the midst of continuing his tale of his parents.



We find that his mother is still furious with his father for allowing the Goblins to take away their child but at the same time, she has come to believe his tale. She too has seen the Goblins.



His father tells her of the time he had a fever and the Goblins came to him, telling him of their ancient and dying king in need of an heir. If the king did not leave behind an heir, then the Goblin Kingdom would be at war. It is at this moment that Maria finally understands that behind all that poetry was a story he was trying to tell.

Still Maria wants her son and she will go to great lengths to get him even as far as to claim that Albert is the devil himself to those on the wharf. She uses the chalk that the Goblins have left her and draws the Goblins on the ship. As she crumbles to the ground, she begs the Goblin King/.

As the scene returns once again to Jareth, we find him believing that the old King was more impressed with Maria's determination than that of her not saying the right words to enter the Labyrinth.

We are drawn back to Maria and the Goblin King overlooking the Goblin Kingdom. He tells her to beg him again but she refuses. He goes on to explain that there are rules that have to be followed but he has stretched the rules just a bit to allow her to enter the realm. Unfortunately Maria really isn't interested in listening to what he has to say and prefers to know where her son is. The King tells her that she has thirteen hours in order to solve the labyrinth before her son becomes his heir and she his servant.

Despite the warnings she receives at the opening of the maze, Maria heads into the labyrinth determined to reach the end and gain back her son but she is halted by the first thing she sees - a mermaid. As she gets close and talks to the mermaid, she learns that the old king has found his heir and is preparing for a coronation. Reaching out to help the mermaid, Maria is grabbed and pulled down into the water and through a tunnel. The old hag of a water creature has brought her to feed her young. Maria tries to gain sympathy from the mother but she is rescued from the creature's clutches by a knight. As Maria collapses and tries to wrap her mind around the whole labyrinth, we are pulled back once again to Jareth as he is prepared to go out and stop Sarah from going further into the labyrinth.

I must say I am quite thrilled with this tellings. Finally we are going to see how Jareth came to the Goblin Throne and his origins. I found his mother to be strong and determined while his father a cunning coward whom seemed to put himself first before his own son. We already know how it turns out - Maria won't be in time to save Jareth but at least we will get see how the past played out and whether or not his mother got to stay with her son while he grew up. I am hoping for this. I mean she loves her son so much but the Goblin King is also someone or something we don't know what he is capable of.

I cannot wait for the next issue!