I had such high hopes for this sequel after having so much fun reading the first book in the Shades of London series, but I can’t pretend this was anything other than a massive disappointment. Everything I loved about the first book (the coherent plot, fun cast of characters, Rory’s personality, great setting) was absent from The Madness Underneath. I wish I had stopped reading after the first book. In The Madness Underneath, Rory is recovering from the events of the first book under her […]
I See Dead People
This review is a few weeks late, but I originally chose this book as an antidote to tax season stress. And it worked! Thank god for books. I’ve read (and enjoyed) a few of Maureen Johnson’s books in the past and this one didn’t disappoint. Rory Deveaux leaves Louisiana for a London boarding school, Wexford Academy, while her parents work in Bristol. In London, she’s greeted with Rippermania. There’s been a murder near the school, closely mimicking Jack the Ripper’s first victim. As the victims […]
Ish Is Starting to Get Real
Finally, it is here. The (at least for me) eagerly-awaited third book in Maureen Johnson’s fantastic Shades of London series. To catch up, you can read my reviews of the first two books right over here. Caught up? Excellent. I won’t say this book was the best in the series, but it’s pretty amazing. I warn you, there are spoilers for the first two books ahead, so if you haven’t yet read them and plan on it, skip this post and come find me once you’re done The […]
Southern Smartass Meets British Ghosthunters
I apologize because this got a little long and away from me! To be fair, I was reviewing two books… Today we are doing a 2-for-1, since these are the first two books in Maureen Johnson’s Shades of London series. The third book just came out (I got my copy today!), so I wanted to re-read the first two and catch myself up on the story. I sped through these books. I am an unapologetic fan of Maureen and will rabidly consume anything she writes. This […]



