Tag: St. Mary’s

Jodi Taylor – A Symphony of Echoes | Review

August 28, 2017
Authors P-T (By Surname)Fiction

Title: A Symphony of Echoes

Author: Jodi Taylor

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 294

Rating: 4*/5

 

Jodi Taylor - A Symphony of Echoes

Jodi Taylor – A Symphony of Echoes

 

This book is the second book in the St. Mary’s series and I’d been looking forward to reading it for a while. There’s a little bit of a back story here. I was sent the first book in the series by the publishers (Accent Press) and I loved it. I gave it a five star review and then my uncle commented to ask why – because he’d read the first book and he didn’t like it. It turned out that he’d bought the first three books in the series, so he gave me the others and I’m cracking on.

I didn’t think this book was as good as the first, but I did like how Taylor took the time travelling historians of St. Mary’s and sent them along to a different version of their facility. For the main characters, it was similar but different, and it was interesting to watch them wrap their heads around the new environment that they found themselves in.

There was also a little more insight into Ronin, the primary antagonist from the series, which is a nice little bonus. But for me, the action I enjoyed most all happened at the start when the gang bumped into Jack the Ripper. Spoiler alert: Jack the Ripper might not be who you thought he was.

That’s the best part about this series. Taylor takes history and twists it to her advantage without destroying it, and it makes for a fun read. I’ll be moving on to book three within the next week or so because I can’t wait to get started. It’s up to you – care to join me?

 

Jodi Taylor

Jodi Taylor

 

Click here to buy A Symphony of Echoes.

Jodi Taylor – Just One Damned Thing After Another | Review

May 23, 2017
Authors P-T (By Surname)Fiction

Title: Just One Damned Thing After Another

Author: Jodi Taylor

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 406

Rating: 5*/5

 

Jodi Taylor - Just One Damned Thing After Another

Jodi Taylor – Just One Damned Thing After Another

 

Disclaimer: While I aim to be unbiased, I received a copy of this for free to review.

This book was a delight to read, something refreshing that I could really sink my teeth into. It’s one of those books where every time it feels like it’s drawing to a close, something exciting happens and shakes things up again. It works well and makes it hard to put the book down.

The author also has a cracking sense of humour, and the subtle little jokes that she uses – as well as the not-so-subtle ones – make it more fun than a regular novel, although she doesn’t skimp on plot and character development, either. I even liked the little bit of sex that was involved, because it was just the right amount – it didn’t feel gratuitous, it felt realistic, and it genuinely added to the story.

Ah, the story. It’s interesting because the world-building here is as good as anything else you’ll see on the market. It’s a bit like Harry Potter for history geeks, a little bit like Rick Riordan but for adults, and with less magic. If anything, it’s sci fi. It follows what happens to the residents of St. Mary’s, a faculty with the ability to travel back in time to observe it. Of course, the temptation there is to meddle, but it’s not that easy. History has teeth and it bites back. You can’t just go and change it because it won’t let you.

I’m not going to give you all of the details, but I will tell you that you get to see a whole bunch of different historical periods, including the time of the dinosaurs – where, incidentally, it all goes a bit pear-shaped. But on top of that, it’s also just a cracking story, a page-turner that drags you in and sets up the rest of the series. I don’t have any of the other books yet, but I shall certainly be looking out for them. It reminds me of Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series, except I only got as far as the first book for that one and I’d like to follow this one all of the way – and fast. I want to find out what happens to the St. Mary’s team next. Read it!

 

Jodi Taylor

Jodi Taylor

 

Click here to buy Just One Damned Thing After Another.