Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor

Title: Just One Damned Thing After Another (The Chronicles of St. Mary's #1)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Night Shade Books 2013

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Meet St Mary's - a group of tea-soaked disaster magnets who hurtle their way around History.

If the whole of History lay before you, where would you go?

When Dr Madeleine Maxwell is recruited by the St Mary's Institute of Historical Research, she discovers the historians there don't just study the past - they revisit it.

But one wrong move and History will fight back - to the death. And Max soon discovers it's not just History she's fighting...

I reread this one for this month’s book club selection. I forgot how much I enjoyed this book and just how much happens! I think I’ve decided to reread this entire series to catch up. I know have almost every book in the series in ebook form. Let’s see what I wrote years ago:

“A friend told me I had to read this one and lent me her copy. She was right! This was such a fun adventure story. I loved the main character of Max, but all the side characters were also great. I fell right into the fun storyline in the first chapter and almost couldn't put the book down to sleep. The pace is fast and the twists and turns just keep coming. There are some pretty far out happenings, but the way this book is written, I didn't stop to shake my head at the crazy. I was fully immersed in the world. So much fun and a great needed escape from the events of the past few days. Now I need the second book.”

The Chronicles of St. Mary's:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary's Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#7.7 Desiccated Water
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.1 Markham and the Anal Probing
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#8.6 Christmas Past
#9 An Argumentation of Historians
#9.5 The Battersea Barricades
#9.6 The Steam Pump Jump
#9.7 And Now for Something Completely Different
#10 Hope for the Best
#10.5 When Did You Last See Your Father?
#10.6 Why is Nothing Ever Simple?
#11 Plan for the Worst
#11.1 St Mary’s and the Great Toilet Roll Crisis
#11.2 The Girl with a Pearl in Her Nose
#11.3 The Muse of History
#11.5 The Ordeal of the Haunted Room
#12 Another Time Another Place
#12.5 The Toast of Time
#13 A Catalogue of Catastrophe

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hope for the Best by Jodi Taylor

Title: Hope for the Best (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #10)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Headline 2019

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 320

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Finishing the Series; Alphabet Soup - T

Max is no stranger to taking matters into her own hands. Especially when she's had A Brilliant Idea. Yes, it will mean breaking a few rules, but - as Max always says - they're not her rules.

Seconded to the Time Police to join in the hunt for the renegade Clive Ronan, Max is a long way from St Mary's. But life in the future does have its plus points - although not for long.

A problem with the Time Map reveals chaos in the 16th century and the wrong Tudor queen on the throne. History has gone rogue, there's a St Mary's team right in the firing line and Max must step up.

You know what they say. Hope for the best. But plan for the worst.

Another good adventure story through time. Overall I really enjoyed the plot and the various time periods visited. Max, as usual, is a delight and I love following her around. I loved reconnecting with Matthew and Matthew Ellis. Unfortunately, this volume was not quite as good as some of the previous. The reason: not enough Peterson and Markham! We need to go back to St. Mary’s and spend more time in its halls. Maybe next story…

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

Next up on the TBR pile:

And Now for Something Completely Different by Jodi Taylor

Title: And Now for Something Completely Different (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #9.7)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2019

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 78

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Here's a question for you. What's the most exciting thing ever found in a fire bucket? And don't say 'fire' because you'll be wrong.

Suppose - just suppose - it was the technology to take a pod to Mars? Yeah, now we're talking!

Every Christmas, for reasons which seem good at the time - especially after an eggnog or two - Max and the others leap into the nearest pod and indulge in their illegal Christmas jump. It's a tradition. This year, however, just to be different, they find themselves part of someone else's illegal Christmas jump. It's time to don a spacesuit and bring your own urine!

This short story was definitely different. We get a story told not from Max’s perspective, but from the Time Police. I liked the shift even if Max is still my character. Plus we get an amazing new setting: Mars!!! It seems unlikely, but I would love a follow up story dealing with subsequent Mars settlements.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Steam Pump Jump by Jodi Taylor

Title: The Steam Pump Jump (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #9.6)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2018

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 65

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Not one to let being banged up in Sick Bay stop her, Max has had a brilliant idea. But she needs Markham to execute it on her behalf. The subject of this cunning plan is Peterson, struggling with another bereavement and not doing very well. What’s needed to get him through it is sympathy, sensitivity, tact and understanding.

Step forward Mr Markham, for whom sympathy, sensitivity, etc., are things that happen to other people.

Combine a fanatic from R&D, a head of Security with his own problems, a steam-pump, two historians who can’t even be in the same room as each other, some fractious Protestants and a large body of very dirty water.

Told in Markham’s own words, this is the story of an intervention – St Mary’s style.

This little story was lots of fun, but I’ve decided that the Markham narrated stories are not better than the Max narrated stories. I just really like her voice more. But, we get a fun story involving the potential relationship between Lingoss and Peterson and another fun historical event. I’ll take it!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#8.6 Christmas Past
#9 An Argumentation of Historians
#9.5 Battersea Barricades
#9.6 The Steam-Pump Jump
#9.7 And Now For Something Completely Different
#10 Hope is for the Best

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Battersea Barricades by Jodi Taylor

Title: The Battersea Barricades (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #9.5)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2018

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 69

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

It's not easy being a rebel. So many new skills to assimilate. Never mind strategic planning, weapons expertise and the like - there's bicycle-stealing, oil-stain removal and boat steering to be mastered first. And quickly.

It's the time of the Civil Uprisings and two young women set out to make a difference. Their only problem? They don't know where they are. Or where they're going. Or what to do when they get there. Other than that ...

This was a bit of a departure for a Chronicles of St. Mary’s short story. Instead of actual time travel, we get the telling of the story of the Battersea Barricades involving Enderby, Shaw, and Mack. Over nine books into the series and I’ve always wondered what happened during the Civil Uprisings. I loved being able to learn the story of the three ladies of St. Mary’s. A quick read, but very enjoyable.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#8.6 Christmas Past
#9 An Argumentation of Historians
#9.5 Battersea Barricades
#9.6 The Steam-Pump Jump
#9.7 And Now For Something Completely Different
#10 Hope is for the Best

Next up on the TBR pile:

An Argumentation of Historians by Jodi Taylor

Title: An Argumentation of Historians (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #9)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2018

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 440

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Random TBR Pick; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Reading in PJs

Behind the seemingly innocuous facade of St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research, a different kind of academic work is taking place. Just don’t call it “time travel”, these historians “investigate major historical events in contemporary time.” And they aren’t your harmless eccentrics either; a more accurate description, as they ricochet around history, might be unintentional disaster-magnets.

From Tudor England to the burning city of Persepolis, from a medieval St. Mary’s under siege to Victorian Rushford and a very nasty case of gaol fever, Max is struggling to keep her private life intact. There’s an ambitious program hindered by giant teapots, plus Mrs. Midgely’s objection to dead hamsters in her airing cupboard, and Mr. Markham’s stubborn refusal to reveal his exact marital status.

And as if that’s not enough, the unfortunately not leprosy-laden Malcolm Halcombe is back. Admittedly, none of this is the most secure platform from which to launch an initiative to bring down the renegade Clive Ronan, but hey, what’s the worst that could happen?

Oh goodness. I was breathless speeding my way through the last 100 pages of this one. I did not see any of that coming!!! Truly a splendid volume full of historical adventures, quiet moments, major twists, a big reveal, the return of a few characters, and plenty of references to past adventures. I am completely stunned and in agony. This volume focused a lot on Max and we get tons of reflective moments from her. I loved the attempt at bringing together a ton of storylines and issues from the past. I can’t wait to see what happens next! And darn it! One of these days Ronan will see his end.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#8.6 Christmas Past
#9 An Argumentation of Historians
#9.5 Battersea Barricades
#9.6 The Steam-Pump Jump
#9.7 And Now For Something Completely Different
#10 Hope is for the Best

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Past by Jodi Taylor

Title: Christmas Past (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #8.6)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2017

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 47

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Max, Leon and Matthew - together at last for Christmas at St Mary's - a time of conspicuous consumption, riotous misbehaviour and the traditional illegal Christmas jump. And this time, it's inter-generational.

Donning her unfamiliar mother hat, Max takes Matthew back to 19th century London, where they plan to deliver a parcel of Christmas cheer to his former friends, but find themselves confronting the terrifying Old Ma Scrope in the process.

'Tis the season to be jolly.

It's also the season of goodwill towards all mankind.

Pity no one told Max.

Oh my! This short story brought me to tears. I loved that this story focused on Max and Matthew. I loved that we got to see more personality from him. And we get to visit a new time period for the historians. Loved this one so much! Plus the ending was priceless.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#8.6 Christmas Past
#9 An Argumentation of Historians
#9.5 Battersea Barricades
#9.6 The Steam-Pump Jump
#9.7 And Now For Something Completely Different
#10 Hope is for the Best

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Perfect Storm by Jodi Taylor

Title: A Perfect Storm (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #8.5)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2017

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 54

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

For Max, what starts off as a perfectly normal week is about to degenerate into a quagmire of egotistical film producers, monumental pub crawls, unsigned contracts, exploding rocks, Professor Rapson and his megaphone, the world’s biggest bacon butty – and Angus – the third component of the most notorious love triangle since Menelaus, Paris and Whatshername – the one with the face they launched ships off.

Oh another great short story from the crew at St. Mary’s. I loved that was get more from Markham and the antics of the R&D department. But of course things get out of hand and something blows up. Loved it so much!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#8.6 Christmas Past
#9 An Argumentation of Historians
#9.5 Battersea Barricades
#9.6 The Steam-Pump Jump
#9.7 And Now for Something Completely Different
#10 Hope is for the Best

Next up on the TBR pile:

And the Rest is History by Jodi Taylor

Title: And the Rest is History (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #8)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2017

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 376

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Ebook; Seasonal Series - Gifted to Me

No one knows quite how, but Max and her baby are safe at last. No one knows quite how, but Peterson has persuaded Dr Foster to marry him. No one knows quite how, but Markham's marital status remains unknown. Certainly no one knows quite how a twelve-foot-high teapot has mysteriously materialised on the South Lawn, but it has. But they do know that Clive Ronan is back. They do know that he hates them and that this time he has good cause. And they do know that he will bring death and destruction in his wake. Follow the disaster magnets of St Mary's from the Egyptian desert to the Battle of Stamford Bridge, and from Hastings to the Sack of Constantinople...

Oh my. This volume killed me, seriously killed me. I was devastated in the middle of the book and then even more devastated by the end. But don’t let that statement make you think that I didn’t like this book. I loved every single page of it. I have come to really feel like the characters of St. Mary’s are part of my friend circle. Plus this volume sees the historians finally visiting Hastings in 1066. Woohoo!

P.S. I also read the super short (i.e. 4 page) short story Desiccated Water featuring a science experiment gone wrong. And I read the other super short (i.e. 7 page) short story Markham and the Anal Probing right after reading this book. Oh so much fun!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#8.6 Christmas Past
#9 An Argumentation of Historians
#9.5 Battersea Barricades
#9.6 The Steam-Pump Jump
#9.7 And Now for Something Completely Different
#10 Hope is for the Best

Next up on the TBR pile:

My Name is Markham by Jodi Taylor

Title: My Name is Markham (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #7.6)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2016

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 51

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Free Space

Like a smaller and much scruffier Greta Garbo – finally – Markham speaks!

It’s Christmas and time for the first (and almost certainly last) St Mary’s Annual Children’s Christmas Party – attendance compulsory, by order of Dr Bairstow. Discovered practising his illegal reindeer dance and poo-dropping routine, our hero, along with fellow disaster-magnets Peterson and Maxwell, is despatched to Anglo-Saxon England to discover the truth about Alfred and the cakes.

In his own words, our hero reveals Major Guthrie’s six-point guide to a successful assignment and the Security Section’s true opinion of the History Department. And of historians in general. And of one historian in particular.

And, just to be clear, it is time travel, for God’s sake. Forget all that pretentious ‘investigating major historical events in contemporary time’ rubbish.

This is history without the capital ‘H’. Because this is the way the Security Section rolls!

Cute little short story from the St. Mary’s crew. I enjoyed the subject matter of this one and the fun comedy bit at the end involving the reindeer. I wasn’t as much of a fan of Markham narrating the story. I’ve gotten so used to Max’s voice that this one was a bit strange. Still love this series and pushing through to the next one!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Great St. Mary's Day Out by Jodi Taylor

Title: The Great St. Mary’s Day Out (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #7.5)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2016

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 96

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Drinking Tea

Everyone deserves to get away for a bit. Even the miscreants at St Mary's. Astonishingly, Dr Bairstow has declared a holiday. Even more astonishingly - he's paying for it. Needless to say, there are strings attached. The trip is to record the 1601 performance of Hamlet, with Shakespeare himself in the role of the Ghost. It doesn't go well, of course. With Dr Bairstow and Mrs Mack turning a simple visit to a street market into a public brawl, Professor Rapson inadvertently stowing away on a vessel bound for the New World, and Shakespeare himself going up in flames, it would seem that Max, of all people, is the only one actually completing the assignment.

A fun short story where the various characters from St. Mary’s finally get to see Shakespeare! I loved the visit to The Globe and the hijinks that ensue. My favorite, once again, is Markham. I can’t wait to see what he gets into next time.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lies, Damned Lies, and History by Jodi Taylor

Title: Lies, Damned Lies, and History (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #7)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2016

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 320

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Scares Me

At St Mary's Institute of Historical Research, the historians don't just study the past, they revisit it. Behind the strait-laced façade of a conventional academic institution, the secret of time travel has been discovered and is being used for ground-breaking and daring historical research. The series takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride through history: from the destruction of Pompeii to the trenches of the First World War; from the Great Fire of London to the burning of the library at Alexandria; from Bronze Age Troy to the time of the dinosaurs... Meanwhile, within at St Mary's itself, there are power struggles, romances and intrigues worthy of a book in themselves.

Another heartbreaking story from the wayward characters at St. Mary’s. I knew this one was going to have something big happen and I was not disappointed. I only got about 1/3 of the way into the book before I almost put it down in sadness. Thankfully I stuck with it and was rewarded with a great story of adventure and change. Oh and the big twist at the end was priceless. Love it!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

Next up on the TBR pile:

Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings by Jodi Taylor

Title: Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #6.5)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2015

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 51

Stars: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Bonus Content

It's Christmas again at St Mary's and time for Max's obligatory illegal jump. On this occasion, however, they're right up against it. A loaded gun has been left behind in Ancient Egypt and it's up to St Mary's historians to retrieve it before someone accidentally blows their own head off, thus affecting the timeline for centuries to come. And as if that's not enough, Max has inadvertently poisoned Mr Markham. It's hot, they're running out of supplies, they can't find the gun, and it's all going horribly wrong. Again.

I so love these cute little short interlude stories featuring the crazy characters at St. Mary’s. This story is another fun Christmas-time adventure with a visit to ancient Egypt. I love every time Markham shows up to add to the fun.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#9 The Long and Short of It

Next up on the TBR pile:

What Could Possibly Go Wrong? by Jodi Taylor

Title: What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #6)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2015

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 300

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Science Fiction

Max is back! New husband, new job, and a training regime that cannot fail - to go wrong! Take one interim Chief Training Officer, add five recruits, mix with Joan of Arc, a baby mammoth, a duplicitous Father of History, a bombed rat, Stone Age hunters, a couple of passing policemen who should have better things to do, and Dick the Turd. Stir well, bring to the boil - and wait for the bang! Join Max in the sixth instalment in the off-the-wall Chronicles of St Mary's series.

Every time I started a Chronicles of St. Mary’s book, I’m expecting a light and fluffy story. They usually start that way and then Wham! something tragic happens. This volume was no exception. And the tragedies that occurred really hit me. Full of emotion. And yet, I loved every page of this book. I love continuing the adventures of Max and her band of misfits. Such a great series.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#9 The Long and Short of It

Next up on the TBR pile:

No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor

Title: No Time Like the Past (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #5)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2015

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 328

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsguar - Time travel; Finishing the Series

Jodi Taylor's best-selling series The Chronicles of St Mary is back with a bang... St Mary's has been rebuilt and it's business as usual for the History department. But first, there's the little matter of a seventeenth-century ghost that only Mr Markham can see. Not to mention the minor inconvenience of being trapped in the Great Fire of London...and an unfortunately-timed comfort break at Thermopylae leaving the fate of the western world hanging in the balance. Re-join Max's madcap journey through time in Jodi Taylor's fifth inter-dimensional instalment No Time Like the Past.

This series never fails to entertain me. I love the adventures of the inhabitants of St. Mary's. This volume was a great exploration of three great time periods, including Max's favorite, Ancient Greece. I was all-in for the ride. Of course, the time travelers at St. Mary's can never just accomplish a simple mission. Something always has to go wrong and that's where it gets interesting. I can't wait until the next adventure.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#9 The Long and Short of It

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Present by Jodi Taylor

Title: Christmas Present (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #4.5)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2015

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 41

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

It's Christmas Eve at St Mary's, And all through the house, Nothing is stirring ... Except for Max, Peterson, and Markham, sneaking out at midnight for an assignment that is very definitely off the books. It's ten years ago tonight that Senior Historians Bashford and Grey went missing in twelfth-century Jerusalem. So how did they end up in AD60 Roman Colchester? Max has a theory. Peterson has a plan. Markham has bacon sandwiches. Colchester has Boudicca and her bloodthirsty Iceni hordes. And then there's the giant pig ... the enraged giant pig ...

Another great St. Mary's adventure. As much as I love the main books in the series, these short stories are lots of fun. In this one, we get to meet Boudicea!!! The settings of these short stories are almost the best party. Beyond the setting, we get some great character growth of Markham and Guthrie, two of the great side characters in the series. Super short read, but I loved it!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History
#8.5 A Perfect Storm
#9 The Long and Short of It

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Trail Through Time by Jodi Taylor

Title: A Trail Through Time (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #4)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2015

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 404

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

St Mary's is back and is facing a battle to survive in this, the fourth installment of the Chronicles. Max and Leon are re-united and looking forward to a peaceful lifetime together. But, sadly, they don't even make it to lunchtime. The action races from 17th century London to Ancient Egypt and from Pompeii to 14th century Southwark as they're pursued up and down the timeline, playing a perilous game of hide and seek until they're finally forced to take refuge at St Mary's - where new dangers await them. As usual, there are plenty of moments of humor, but the final, desperate, Battle of St Mary's is in grim earnest. Overwhelmed and outnumbered and with the building crashing down around them, how can St Mary's possibly survive? So, make sure the tea's good and strong...

OH this was such a good volume int he series. I was unsure of where Taylor was going to go after the events of Book 3. Thankfully she found a way to stay true to the series but continue the adventure. I loved meeting all the characters once again. I enjoyed the side trips to the Frost Fair and Egypt and especially Pompeii. Max is such a great character, I'm glad we get yet another adventure starring her. This volume made me love the Director and Peterson even more. Such a great series!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History

Next up on the TBR pile:

Roman Holiday by Jodi Taylor

Title: Roman Holiday (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #3.5)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2014

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 36

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

Another rollicking short story from the Chronicles of St Mary's. Question: What sort of idiot installs his mistress in his wife's house? Especially when that mistress is Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, Queen of Egypt and the most notorious woman of her time? Answer: Julius Caesar - poised to become King of Rome. Or as good as. Question: At this potentially sensitive point in your political manoeuvrings, who are the last people you'd want crashing through the door, observing, recording, documenting ...? I think we all know the answer to that one. Roman Holiday - an epic, stand alone tale set in Ancient Rome, 44 BC, featuring, in no particular order: an attempted murder, stampeding bullocks, Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, a bowl of poisonous snakes, a smallish riot, Julius Caesar, and Mr Markham's wayward bosoms.

I love these crazy adventures of the historians from St. Mary's. This was a super short story, but I loved the descriptions of the characters both historical and fictional. Such a fun little read. Can't wait to read the next one...

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor

Title: A Second Chance (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #3)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2014

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 492

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar - Makes Me Smile

St Mary's is back and nothing is going right for Max. Once again, it's just one damned thing after another. The action jumps from an encounter with a mirror-stealing Isaac Newton to the bloody battlefield at Agincourt. Discover how a simple fact-finding assignment to witness the ancient and murderous cheese- rolling ceremony in Gloucester can result in CBC - concussion by cheese. The long awaited jump to Bronze Age Troy ends in personal catastrophe for Max and just when it seems things couldn't get any worse - it's back to the Cretaceous Period again to confront an old enemy who has nothing to lose. So, make the tea, grab the chocolate biscuits, settle back and discover exactly why the entire history department has painted itself blue ...

Such a roller coaster ride of emotions in this installment of The Chronicles of St. Mary's. I was for sure that Max was a goner in Troy and at Agincourt and yet the story continues. I loved the brief interlude in Gloucester and the beginning episode featuring Professor Penrose and Isaac Newton. And that episode back int he Cretaceous was nerve-wrecking yet satisfying. Seriously still in love with this series. Can't wait to read more!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History

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When a Child is Born by Jodi Taylor

Title: When a Child is Born (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #2.5)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2013

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 20

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

It's Christmas Day 1066 and a team from St Mary's is going to witness the coronation of William the Conqueror. Or so they think. However, History seems to have different plans for them and when Max finds herself delivering a child in a peasant's hut, she can't help wondering what History is up to.

Such a cute little short story. Love Max so much! And it was nice to see Petersen, Guthrie, and Markham. It may be short, but it was enjoyable!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

#0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
#1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
#2 A Symphony of Echoes
#2.5 When A Child is Born
#3 A Second Chance
#3.5 Roman Holiday
#4 A Trail Through Time
#4.5 Christmas Present
#5 No Time Like the Past
#6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
#6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
#7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
#7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
#7.6 My Name is Markham
#8 And the Rest is History