Just One Damned Thing After Another

The title made me stop mid-step. Sometimes, a book title is misleading. I’ve been burned before. I finally borrowed it from the library and found myself smitten by the “Dramatis Thingummy” at the very beginning and headlong in love by the end.

I re-read this series often: I weird out my neighbors by laughing so hard I can’t breathe; I seek the community of St. Mary’s. Mostly, I love Max. For all her flaws, her sarcasm, her deep-seated need to go down in flames, I love her to bits. She gives me hope that no matter how screwed up a… show more.

This summer, I was hit by a yacht at our local regatta. I was in a coma for two weeks, in hospital for another five, and I came home at last, battered, bruised, and on crutches. I tried this book on a friend’s recommendation and was hooked instantly.

Max, the narrator, is a bolshie take-no-prisoners... historian. St Mary’s, where she works, sends her to view past events – except that nobody from St Mary’s can manage to view quietly. Whenever Max sets foot in the past, chaos follows. I enjoyed the vivid recreations of historical events, I laughed out loud… show more.

Madeleine Maxwell is recruited by a historical research organization where historians study and visit the past. Unfortunately, some people want to use the organization's ability to time travel to make money.

This sets up a rebellion outside the organization and internally. But Madeleine thwarts an internal insurrection and chases off the evildoers from outside.

This book reads smoothly and quickly with lots of action balanced with some crazy time travel theory and characters you could probably enjoy an afternoon tea with.

This was light reading and the kind of thing to take to the beach or on vacation. I'm looking… show more.

I laughed when I wasn’t crying.

Maxwell is sort of a disaster magnet. Where she goes, disaster soon follows, and she always gets burned. Except when she doesn’t. She arrives at St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research at the end of the proverbial rope of life choices.

One could claim she has entered a sanatorium for the incurably mad, but she feels at home, and they do seem to be accomplishing something of value. At least they value it, and Maxwell becomes one of them.

It is one thing to be broken by family, and another to be put back… show more.

Just One Damned Thing After Another has everything I ever wanted to read about: time-travel back to the dinosaurs, brilliant and original people who work for the time-travel organization, and Max, who is dauntless and intelligent and everything I want to be.

Time travel thrillers are fun because of the incredible imagination they take to make them feel real. Ms. Taylor does an incredible job making it feel not artificial, with all the warts, giggles, and feels that we humans all experience. Her historical research is impressive (as is her prodigious chocolate consumption, or so I am told). This series (and the characters therein) is thoughtful, intricate, and damn funny. I had a hard time putting it down, (and then bought the entire 13 book set). 

It's hilarious. The characters, the situations, and most of all the writing. Taylor's choice of words is perfect. Her comedic timing is even better. Best of all, there are now 13 books in the series.

About ten pages into a library copy (the author was recommended to me by a fan of my own work), I knew I had to buy my own copy. Not only did I want to savour the book, reading only one chapter a day (which took a lot of willpower), but I wanted to underline every single excellent bit. And there are so many …… show more.