Reviews

My Calamity Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows

rcpope's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

emilymxwell's review

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adventurous funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

hayleyccc4's review

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4.0

Just as enjoyable as the first two! I don’t think I’ve ever read a Western before (and this is far from a traditional one), as the genre never really interested me, but the added flavour and humour of My Calamity Jane was just great! Also, my musical-theatre-loving self was dying over all the Annie Get Your Gun references. I can’t wait to read more from these amazing authors (and I’m especially excited to be back in the world of My Lady Jane, my favourite of the series, for their next one)!

cathyatratedreads's review

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3.0

3.5 stars
The delightful trio of authors who have dubbed themselves the Lady Janies have returned with another reworking of the real stories of historical figures, this time focusing on Calamity Jane, Annie Oakley, Frank Butler, and Wild Bill Hickok. As with My Lady Jane and My Plain Jane, they throw in a supernatural element or two (this time, it’s werewolves) and insert a number of pithy observations throughout from themselves, the narrators.
I had such a fun time with My Lady Jane, and have had high hopes for each book in the set. My Calamity Jane still didn’t quite match the fun and romance of the first for me. It had all the right elements but didn’t make me laugh out loud regularly. I did enjoy the romance between Frank and Annie. Otherwise, this didn’t live up to the perfect concoction that was the first book. Still worth reading!
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/my-calamity-jane-young-adult-book-review/

pantsreads's review

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4.0

4.5/5

LOVE these books. Jane, Frank, and Annie are my new BFFs, even if they don't know it.

Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.

jenniferreads2's review

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1.0

DNF at 150. Couldn’t do it, felt like a waste of time. Never mind how annoying I found all the political/social commentary but the story itself was booorrrrinnnggg. When I find myself not caring what happens at the end I know it’s time to stop reading. I loved my lady Jane- like one of my most favorite books, my plain Jane was ok but this is a no go. This series was a one hit wonder for me. Definitely won’t be continuing with anymore in this series if they bother to write more and will be leery to pick up anything by these authors.

hasnow's review

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2.0

Two stars for the great audiobook narrator, and a few lol moments. Oh, and the werewolves were a nice touch. Other than that, I should have dnf’d it.

rachelkc's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

breathehopebooks's review

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5.0

4.5 dang this was great.

The only thing i was missing was i would’ve loved to see the show needing to take the week off because of a full moon. Like what is it like when Jane and Frank and Bill have to control themselves because theyre all wolfing out? And also how are they all keeping this secret from each other, if they are having to seclude themselves during full moons? Like no one is sus, at all?!

That was my only question needing solving to make this *chef’s kiss* perfect.

blogginboutbooks's review

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4.0

What a fun ride! MY CALAMITY JANE is an engaging, entertaining romp that mashes up several genres (western, supernatural, historical fiction, action/adventure, romance, etc.) into one delightful romp of a story. The teenagers at the center of the tale (most of whom are female) are a strong, colorful bunch who are likable because of their compassion toward others (including garou), their devotion to one another, and their desire to make the world a better place for everyone. The chemistry between them all is palpable. I loved their warm, companionable relationships and their funny, teasing conversations. The cast also includes an array of adults (and one sweet dog) who are no less interesting. Although this book is set in the past, the authors play fast and loose with the facts, delighting in their alternate version of history, which they don't take too seriously either. Still, the book made me want to know more about famous Wild Westers like Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok, and more. Even though MY CALAMITY JANE is not exactly history, it makes me want to learn more about the real history behind the story and that's always a good thing!

The storytelling really sparkles in this novel. The authors' prose is engaging, upbeat, and hilarious. Although I'm not usually a fan of breaking the fourth wall, the narrators' occasional asides are humorous and helpful. They're few and far between enough that they don't feel disruptive; in fact, they add another layer of charm to the story.

While I do feel that MY CALAMITY JANE is longer than it needs to be, there's enough going on in the plot to keep the tale moving along at a fair pace. I never got bored with the story, although it did feel overly long on the whole, if that makes sense. There were a couple plot surprises I didn't see coming, which is always nice.

For all of these reasons, I found MY CALAMITY JANE to be a delightful read. I haven't read any of the other books in the series yet, but I have two of them checked out of the library. I'll probably return them, though, and listen to the audiobooks instead. Why? Because the audio version of CALAMITY JANE is perfection. The narrator does an excellent job bringing the story's characters, setting, and overall tone to life. Reading the books just wouldn't be the same, I don't think!