Novel Review: The Shadow Cabinet (Shades of London, #3) by Maureen Johnson

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Genre: YA Paranormal Mystery Romance

Publisher: Putnam (Penguin)

Release Date: February 2015

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Teaser Tuesday. Wishlist Thursday. 

Goodreads Synopsis:

The thrilling third installment to the Edgar-nominated, bestselling series.

Rory and her friends are reeling from a series of sudden and tragic events. While racked with grief, Rory tries to determine if she acted in time to save a member of the squad. If she did, how do you find a ghost? Also, Rory’s classmate Charlotte has been kidnapped by Jane and her nefarious organization. Evidence is uncovered of a forty-year-old cult, ten missing teenagers, and a likely mass murder. Everything indicates that Charlotte’s in danger, and it seems that something much bigger and much more terrible is coming.

Time is running out as Rory fights to find her friends and the ghost squad struggles to stop Jane from unleashing her spectral nightmare on the entire city. In the process, they'll discover the existence of an organization that underpins London itself—and Rory will learn that someone she trusts has been keeping a tremendous secret.

The Cover:

I don't mind this cover. I think it works, especially this one for this book, and it is pretty. But it's not my favorite, and I don't find it particularly eye-catching.

Review:

I’m surprised that I didn’t love this book as much as I thought I would. That I’m not loving this series as much as others are, or that I thought I would.

I’m a fan of Johnson, of course, and this is a very good series. I just don’t love it.

This was a slow moving book, as the characters try to deal with what happened at the end of the previous one. Rory is in shock, convinced she can find Stephen, no matter what she has to do. We find out what Jane has really planned, and what she wants Rory for. The last part of the book was pretty exciting, and really an interesting concept.

Jane is crazy, especially now that I see what she was really planning. Sid and Sadie are even worse, and I’m really not surprised by what they did at the end of the book. That makes sense, after everything else.

I liked where Rory and Stephen and the group were by the end. I’m intrigued to see what happens in the next one, what they’re going to do about what Sid and Sadie have planned.

Even if I’m not in love, I did enjoy this book. I like what’s going on, and I enjoy Johnson’s writing, how creative she can be. I will definitely be picking up the next book.