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Hope for the Best
(The Chronicles of St Mary's #10)
by
The tenth book in the bestselling Chronicles of St Mary's series which follows a group of tea-soaked disaster magnets as they hurtle their way around History. If you love Jasper Fforde or Ben Aaronovitch, you won't be able to resist Jodi Taylor.
You can't change History. History doesn't like it. There are always consequences.
Max is no stranger to tak ...more
You can't change History. History doesn't like it. There are always consequences.
Max is no stranger to tak ...more
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Linzi
No. Jodi said it wasn't at a signing
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Buddy Read 25Apr19
These books are a crack up for me. You would think by book 10 with some many short stories in-between that I’d start getting bored with them, but you’d be wrong, wrong, wrong. Every time I’m with the crew at St. Mary’s I have the best time. I’ve grown to love all the characters and their quirks like they are family. Max is so much fun and even in a crisis she can see the bright side and get a laugh or two out of me.
With trips to the crustaceous period, the 16th Century, the land of Kush (Egypt ...more
The latest instalment of the St Mary’s series is full of the usual capers with Max and co. through time, although the setting changes somewhat as we see Max seconded to the Time Police on a secret mission to finally bring down Clive Ronan.
As usual, I love historical aspects of this, this time ranging from Mary Tudor England (that somehow goes horribly wrong, of course), to the future, and everywhere in between. Max spends a lot of time with the wonderful teenagers Adrian and Mikey in this one t ...more
As usual, I love historical aspects of this, this time ranging from Mary Tudor England (that somehow goes horribly wrong, of course), to the future, and everywhere in between. Max spends a lot of time with the wonderful teenagers Adrian and Mikey in this one t ...more
I think it's safe to say that Taylor has done it again. Not MAX doing it again, per se, but for writing a great SF time-travel hijinx novel, the WRITER has done it again. :)
My goodness. Max taking herself into Mastermind territory? Oh, WHAT COULD GO WRONG, indeed? lol
I admit I'm a huge fan of big heist-type novels and this one gives us all the attempted makings of one. Max even GETS PERMISSION to run such an ill-conceived notion against her arch-enemy. Will wonders never ...more
My goodness. Max taking herself into Mastermind territory? Oh, WHAT COULD GO WRONG, indeed? lol
I admit I'm a huge fan of big heist-type novels and this one gives us all the attempted makings of one. Max even GETS PERMISSION to run such an ill-conceived notion against her arch-enemy. Will wonders never ...more
Don't look at the Kindlenotes marked as spoilers. Really. Don't.
After I've recovered my sanity, I will attempt to review this tenth volume of the Chronicles of St Mary's.
This could take a while. Not least because I need to speak to my therapist about my intense, volcanic rage at the misuse of "pouring" instead of "poring" throughout the book.
After I've recovered my sanity, I will attempt to review this tenth volume of the Chronicles of St Mary's.
This could take a while. Not least because I need to speak to my therapist about my intense, volcanic rage at the misuse of "pouring" instead of "poring" throughout the book.
I. LOVE. THIS. SERIES.
AND. PUTTING. PERIODS. RANDOMLY. FOR. EMPHASIS.
AND. MADELEINE. MAXWELL.
Huh, that makes me feel like A.I.D.A.N.
AND. PUTTING. PERIODS. RANDOMLY. FOR. EMPHASIS.
AND. MADELEINE. MAXWELL.
Huh, that makes me feel like A.I.D.A.N.
It's that time of the year where I make myself some tea and enjoy a bit of timey wimey stuff. Yep, it's St. Mary's time again and this time, the disaster magnets have their hands full.
Max, Leon and their son Matthew have worked out a weird form of routine what with the boy still living with the time police until his parents can finally catch Clive Ronan. In order to speed things along, Max has an idea. We all know how that usually goes. However, both Mrs. Partridge and Dr. Bairstow seem to think it is indeed t ...more
Max, Leon and their son Matthew have worked out a weird form of routine what with the boy still living with the time police until his parents can finally catch Clive Ronan. In order to speed things along, Max has an idea. We all know how that usually goes. However, both Mrs. Partridge and Dr. Bairstow seem to think it is indeed t ...more
As always, another very solid story in the world of the St Mary's disaster-magnets.
Max is the forefront of this story once more and this time she is working with the Time Police to bring down an old enemy and also to reunite with her family member (that the Time Police have). I don't want to go into too many specifics here as this is book number 10 in the series, and I thoroughly recommend all of them, but honestly the silly hilarity, quick wit, and charm of the characters; the adventure and th ...more
Max is the forefront of this story once more and this time she is working with the Time Police to bring down an old enemy and also to reunite with her family member (that the Time Police have). I don't want to go into too many specifics here as this is book number 10 in the series, and I thoroughly recommend all of them, but honestly the silly hilarity, quick wit, and charm of the characters; the adventure and th ...more
I got hold of a pre-release copy after going to a signing and consumed it that day. This is a great a book as ever. It continues the story but in a new way. There are some interesting new characters, both loveable and dastardly and some old ones we thought we'd seen the back of.
The nearest I will get to a spoiler is to say what the great Jodi Taylor said at the signing - This is not the last book.
The nearest I will get to a spoiler is to say what the great Jodi Taylor said at the signing - This is not the last book.
I’m such a fan of this author and this series. There is a major plan in this book involving many different people so of course it all goes horribly wrong.
Apr 22, 2019
Fern Adams
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favourites,
five-star-reads
Jodi Taylor’s writing is as amazing, hilarious, heart wrenching and just as genius as always and keeps you on your toes right up until the final word. I’ve now learned though never to start one of these books without having nothing else for the rest of the day as I know I won’t move until I reach the end come any plan, unexpected disaster or anything else!
So this book...nay, this series...I have no words. It makes your head hurt. You know it does and for those of you that have read it, I can see you nodding your head as you read this. But it doesn't just make your head hurt, it makes you laugh and laugh heartily and out loud. It makes you cry in sadness, anger and joy. It frustrates you and makes you happy and I cannot express how much I love and enjoy this series. I highly, highly recommend this to anyone who hasn't yet read it.
But w ...more
But w ...more
Suitably St Mary’s but this is the second book in a row where Max has spent the majority of the time away from St Mary’s. The books are more fun when we have the full complement of cast running amok through history. Also seriously can we wrap up the Clive Ronan storyline. It’s time for a new big bad.
Clever plot, infused with gentle humour that entertained but lacked the personal angst and historical set-pieces that make the series sparkle.
The strong point in this tenth episode of St. Mary's is the plot. Max finally puts together a cunning plan to capture her arch-enemy, Ronan and has to leave St. Mary's for a secondment to the Time Police to put it into action. I didn't guess how this would work and I certainly didn't see the end coming.
With Max moving to the Time Po ...more
The strong point in this tenth episode of St. Mary's is the plot. Max finally puts together a cunning plan to capture her arch-enemy, Ronan and has to leave St. Mary's for a secondment to the Time Police to put it into action. I didn't guess how this would work and I certainly didn't see the end coming.
With Max moving to the Time Po ...more
Another great episode on the St Mary's saga featuring Max, Leon, Peterson, Dr Bairstow, Markham and the gang. Max has finally had enough of renegade time traveller and sworn enemy, Clive Ronan, impacting on her life. Struck by one of her brilliant ideas, Max leaves St Mary's on Secondment and joins the time police. Things go downhill from there - about what you'd expect really. Max manages to piss off everyone from crime lords to T-rexs, and it's not even tea time yet.
This was a real ...more
This was a real ...more
Oh Max - nothing is ever straightforward! Love hearing about the jumps through history and the trouble the characters get into. Seeing more of Adrian and Mikey was good, as was Matthew. Shame there wasn't more of the St Mary's crew though.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
RTC once I'm done being mad at the time police
As always amazing fun!
Wow!! Surprise ending. Hope there’s another in the series coming.
Anything by Jodi Taylor is buy-on-site, or pre-order as soon as news of a new book is released. The Chronicles of St Mary's are funny and serious in turn. The historians of St Mary's take their time travelling seriously. Their purpose is to observe historic events in real time, never to interfere. Though generally they are disaster magnets and something always goes wrong. Told from the viewpoint of Max Maxwell, whose droll, dry delivery is half the fun of the books, the whole series seems to hav
...more
May 01, 2019
flajol
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
fantasy,
science-fiction,
love-these-books,
time-travel,
ebook,
kindle,
humour,
lep-2019-reading-challenge
Holy Hannah. My heart is still racing from that ending. How am I going to get to sleep now? How long until the next book?
I read this on a Kindle, and after the last page I got an advert for Taylor's new series featuring the Time Police. Is it about how they all die in horrible ways because they are horrible people who deserve to die horribly? Is it? IS IT? Even if it isn't, you know I'll read it anyway, because at this point I'd be prepared to read Jodi Taylor's shopping lists.
I read this on a Kindle, and after the last page I got an advert for Taylor's new series featuring the Time Police. Is it about how they all die in horrible ways because they are horrible people who deserve to die horribly? Is it? IS IT? Even if it isn't, you know I'll read it anyway, because at this point I'd be prepared to read Jodi Taylor's shopping lists.
Seriously in love with this series! Jodi Taylor is an amazing author. Absolutely love the whit, sarcasm, humor, history, characters, intertwining story lines, personal relationships, trials, tribulations, triumphs---ALL of it. Please keep these Chronicles going!!! Completely entertained from page 1 to the end.
Another brilliant tale in the Chronicles of St Mary’s series by Jodi Taylor. These books are such a tonic to read and are escapism at its very best. It’s so good to be back with Max and the team again. I look forward to each new instalment and love every minute I spend with them!
Loved it!
Loved it!
Taylor has said it's not the last one, but it could be if she so chose. The extra half star is for doing that.
For those who hate the eternal presence of Clive Bloody Ronan as much as I do, I can only offer this mini-spoiler: most of the book doesn't involve him directly. And his presence here is, well, appropriate. The plot advances rather than looping around yet again.
I jusr read the short story collection, and this one resembles it in that Taylor seems more and more comfortable in ...more
For those who hate the eternal presence of Clive Bloody Ronan as much as I do, I can only offer this mini-spoiler: most of the book doesn't involve him directly. And his presence here is, well, appropriate. The plot advances rather than looping around yet again.
I jusr read the short story collection, and this one resembles it in that Taylor seems more and more comfortable in ...more
More Clive makes this more same old in a bad way.
World: The world building is solid, the pieces of history we see this time are great but it seems we are starting to spin our wheels and going to places we've been to...
Story: Clive again...when will this end. Yes the story is still enjoyable and fun and quirky but it's not moved forward for a while now and it's starting to be stagnant. Conan Doyle was right when he ended Moriarty after one story, we've had Ronin for 10 now, this need ...more
World: The world building is solid, the pieces of history we see this time are great but it seems we are starting to spin our wheels and going to places we've been to...
Story: Clive again...when will this end. Yes the story is still enjoyable and fun and quirky but it's not moved forward for a while now and it's starting to be stagnant. Conan Doyle was right when he ended Moriarty after one story, we've had Ronin for 10 now, this need ...more
another long boring tale of 'let's get Clive Ronan" - one can only hope from the ending that this story line is finally put to bed. There is no fun in this book -(again) - and very little of anyone but Max - the other characters appear for just a sec. At the end there are two (maybe three) new additions to St. Mary's staff and hopefully we can get back to the fun....
Always look forward to getting back to the madcap world of St Mary’s and all the wonderful characters. This new episode didn’t disappoint. I loved it! Would love to jump into a pod and disappear to some other time in history.
Another excellent instalment
I really love the chronicles of St marys, and although this was set partly with max seconded to the time police, I still loved it. Chasing Clive Roman and setting a trap for him with Adrian and Mikey (and teapot) very heavily involved. Can't wait for the next one!
I really love the chronicles of St marys, and although this was set partly with max seconded to the time police, I still loved it. Chasing Clive Roman and setting a trap for him with Adrian and Mikey (and teapot) very heavily involved. Can't wait for the next one!
An enjoyable entry where you think it's going to go one way, and it goes down a completely different path.
I really enjoyed how things from previous books started to drop in and the circle is closed.
This series shows no sign of slowing down, or getting dull.
I really enjoyed how things from previous books started to drop in and the circle is closed.
This series shows no sign of slowing down, or getting dull.
4.5/5
A typical St. Mary’s outing, much more Max focused with everyone else as side characters. It tied up some loose ends from other books, and felt like a end of a larger story arc.
A typical St. Mary’s outing, much more Max focused with everyone else as side characters. It tied up some loose ends from other books, and felt like a end of a larger story arc.
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Readers also enjoyed
Jodi Taylor is, and always has been, a complete history nut. It takes vast amounts of chocolate to get her out of bed for anything after 1485. And if it's raining, there's no chance.
Habitually tongue-tied when asked to talk about herself, she gets round this by describing herself as tall, incredibly beautiful, witty and technically proficient.
The Chronicles of St Mary's -
J ...more
Habitually tongue-tied when asked to talk about herself, she gets round this by describing herself as tall, incredibly beautiful, witty and technically proficient.
The Chronicles of St Mary's -
J ...more
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The Chronicles of St Mary's
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“Always listen to your paranoia. It’s keeping you alive and almost certainly has more sense than you do.”
—
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“I was well and truly up the River of Excrement and my canoe had no visible means of propulsion.”
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