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The Lady Janies #3
My Calamity Jane
Welcome to 1876 and a rootin’-tootin’ America bursting with gunslingers, outlaws, and garou.
JANE (a genuine hero-eene)
Calamity’s her name, and garou hunting’s her game—when she’s not starring in Wild Bill’s Traveling Show, that is. She reckons that if a girl wants to be a legend, she should just go ahead and be one.
FRANK (*wolf whistle*)
Frank “the Pistol Prince” Butler is the Wild West’s #1 bachelor. He’s also the best sharpshooter on
both sides of the Mississippi, but he’s about to meet his match. . . .
ANNIE (get your gun!)
Annie Oakley (yep, that Annie) is lookin’ for a job, not a romance, but she can’t deny there’s something about Frank she likes. Really likes. Still, she’s pretty sure that anything he can do,
she can do better.
A HAIRY SITUATION
After a garou hunt goes south and Jane finds a suspicious-like bite on her arm, she turns tail for Deadwood, where there’s been talk of a garou cure. But things ain’t always what they seem—meaning the gang better hightail it after her before they’re a day late and a Jane short.
JANE (a genuine hero-eene)
Calamity’s her name, and garou hunting’s her game—when she’s not starring in Wild Bill’s Traveling Show, that is. She reckons that if a girl wants to be a legend, she should just go ahead and be one.
FRANK (*wolf whistle*)
Frank “the Pistol Prince” Butler is the Wild West’s #1 bachelor. He’s also the best sharpshooter on
both sides of the Mississippi, but he’s about to meet his match. . . .
ANNIE (get your gun!)
Annie Oakley (yep, that Annie) is lookin’ for a job, not a romance, but she can’t deny there’s something about Frank she likes. Really likes. Still, she’s pretty sure that anything he can do,
she can do better.
A HAIRY SITUATION
After a garou hunt goes south and Jane finds a suspicious-like bite on her arm, she turns tail for Deadwood, where there’s been talk of a garou cure. But things ain’t always what they seem—meaning the gang better hightail it after her before they’re a day late and a Jane short.
14 pages, Audible Audio
First published June 2, 2020
439 people are currently reading
25170 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Hand
30 books9,908 followersCynthia Hand is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for teens, including the UNEARTHLY trilogy, THE LAST TIME WE SAY GOODBYE, MY LADY JANE, MY PLAIN JANE, MY CALAMITY JANE, MY CONTRARY MARY, and MY IMAGINARY MARY (with fellow authors Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows), THE AFTERLIFE OF HOLLY CHASE, THE HOW AND THE WHY, WITH YOU ALL THE WAY, and the upcoming TIMELESS and MY SALTY MARY (also with Ashton and Meadows). Before turning to writing for young adults, she studied literary fiction and earned both an M.F.A. and a Ph.D. in fiction writing. She currently resides in Boise, Idaho, with her husband, two cats, one crazy dog, two kids, and mountain of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,674 reviews
July 12, 2020
I’m not into westerns or anything so I think this one wasn’t for me. It was a lot of fun and made me laugh out loud multiple times like the other 2 books, but I was just kind of bored a lot of the time. It wasn’t bad but definitely my least favourite of the series. Looking forward to the next ones though!
July 12, 2020
August 2018--Just finished a first draft! Hooray!
June 14, 2020
This was better than I thought. I assumed it was all about killing werewolves, which I’m against as I want to be one, but I was wrong 😉
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
August 3, 2021
3.75 Stars
What a hairy adventure of The Wild West proportions!
I LOVE Westerns. My knowledge of this particular period and its historical figures is limited. I probably messed up a few related terms. Regardless, I’ve always been captivated by cowboy culture and country music. My Calamity Jane gave me a slice of that awesomeness.
I didn’t get the 1876 rootin’-tootin’ America references scattered throughout this book, but it didn’t hamper my enjoyment. I wasn’t enthusiastic when I found out the story would be about garou hunting, but the general setting and the characters’ hilarity helped stir up the fun by a lot.
The writing was fairly simplistic with loads of witty dialogues. The characters were charming and badasses with feminist spirits. The romance was nice and diverse. The mystery didn’t really grab my attention, but I was along for the ride. Part 2 was my favorite just because it was more fast paced and action packed.
The audiobook performance was incredible! Overall, this was a creative and quirky reimagining that cleverly mixed historical and fantasy elements with splashes of modern values. I barely remember the other two books, but I think the first one, My Lady Jane, will always be my favourite.
(Read as an Audiobook)
What a hairy adventure of The Wild West proportions!
I LOVE Westerns. My knowledge of this particular period and its historical figures is limited. I probably messed up a few related terms. Regardless, I’ve always been captivated by cowboy culture and country music. My Calamity Jane gave me a slice of that awesomeness.
I didn’t get the 1876 rootin’-tootin’ America references scattered throughout this book, but it didn’t hamper my enjoyment. I wasn’t enthusiastic when I found out the story would be about garou hunting, but the general setting and the characters’ hilarity helped stir up the fun by a lot.
The writing was fairly simplistic with loads of witty dialogues. The characters were charming and badasses with feminist spirits. The romance was nice and diverse. The mystery didn’t really grab my attention, but I was along for the ride. Part 2 was my favorite just because it was more fast paced and action packed.
The audiobook performance was incredible! Overall, this was a creative and quirky reimagining that cleverly mixed historical and fantasy elements with splashes of modern values. I barely remember the other two books, but I think the first one, My Lady Jane, will always be my favourite.
(Read as an Audiobook)
July 31, 2020
DNF 32% | 29/06/2020
So let me tell you what’s wrong with this book.
It’s so boring and unfunny not even the audiobook works for me. Literally nothing is happening one third in and I’m not going to wait till more than halfway through like I did with My Plain Jane only to discover there will never be a plot.
I didn’t laugh once, I only rolled my eyes multiple times at how ridiculous the writing and the characters are.
At the point I reached there’s no plot alongside the romances. If I wanted to read a romance book I would have picked one, instead of trying to read a book marketed as a magical historical retelling, don’t you think?
But here’s the piece de resistance. Jane’s lesbian romance is very performative and I’ll tell you why. First of all, Jane is not the main character of this book. You read that right. Frank is, because Frank is having is own heterosexual romance and why would you want a lesbian romance to take center stage? But I can see the authors covered themselves by making her lesbian in case anyone would call them out. I hear people complained about the lack of diversity in their books on twitter so this is their safe response, I guess. I only heard about this though, so don’t quote me on that.
Anyhoo, the part of the book I read was basically all about Frank and Annie, with a couple of chapters about Jane. I know this situation doesn’t get better in the rest of the book since people who read the entire book told me.
I loved My Lady Jane to pieces and hated the next two books. I think I’m going to try the first Mary book and see. If that one disappoints me as well I’m saying bye to this series.
So let me tell you what’s wrong with this book.
It’s so boring and unfunny not even the audiobook works for me. Literally nothing is happening one third in and I’m not going to wait till more than halfway through like I did with My Plain Jane only to discover there will never be a plot.
I didn’t laugh once, I only rolled my eyes multiple times at how ridiculous the writing and the characters are.
At the point I reached there’s no plot alongside the romances. If I wanted to read a romance book I would have picked one, instead of trying to read a book marketed as a magical historical retelling, don’t you think?
But here’s the piece de resistance. Jane’s lesbian romance is very performative and I’ll tell you why. First of all, Jane is not the main character of this book. You read that right. Frank is, because Frank is having is own heterosexual romance and why would you want a lesbian romance to take center stage? But I can see the authors covered themselves by making her lesbian in case anyone would call them out. I hear people complained about the lack of diversity in their books on twitter so this is their safe response, I guess. I only heard about this though, so don’t quote me on that.
Anyhoo, the part of the book I read was basically all about Frank and Annie, with a couple of chapters about Jane. I know this situation doesn’t get better in the rest of the book since people who read the entire book told me.
I loved My Lady Jane to pieces and hated the next two books. I think I’m going to try the first Mary book and see. If that one disappoints me as well I’m saying bye to this series.
Want to read
July 12, 2020Annnnd now I have a "2020 publication" shelf. o.O
Want to read
March 8, 2017WHAT IS THIS ???
A SEQUEL TO MY LADY JANE???
AND IT COMES OUT IN 2020???
THAT'S LITERALLY IN 3 YEARS!!
I
D
O
N
T
A
C
C
E
P
T
T
H
I
S
BUT I'M SO HAPPY THAT I CAN OVERLOOK THIS LONG ASS WAIT.
Who am I kidding ?? How does one wait for this?
A SEQUEL TO MY LADY JANE???
AND IT COMES OUT IN 2020???
THAT'S LITERALLY IN 3 YEARS!!
I
D
O
N
T
A
C
C
E
P
T
T
H
I
S
BUT I'M SO HAPPY THAT I CAN OVERLOOK THIS LONG ASS WAIT.
Who am I kidding ?? How does one wait for this?
July 12, 2020
The cover was not orange and green, but I’m still really happy with this book! Western, our Lady Janies’ humor, talking dogs, were-umm, garous, and loads of history to be straightened out! Absolutely outstanding!
- - -
I'm calling this cover to be orange and green. If it's not, the rainbow will not be complete and I'll be sad.
- - -
THIS IS AMAZING OMGSH I CAN JUST NOT WAIT.
*lowkey singing the songs from the musical*
- - -
I'm calling this cover to be orange and green. If it's not, the rainbow will not be complete and I'll be sad.
- - -
THIS IS AMAZING OMGSH I CAN JUST NOT WAIT.
*lowkey singing the songs from the musical*
June 26, 2020
This was a really good sequel! I'm sad that this is over but Ik we will have more from these three lovley authors. RTC...
1) My lady jane 4/5 stars
2) My plain jane 5/5 stars
3) My calamity jane 4/5 stars
1) My lady jane 4/5 stars
2) My plain jane 5/5 stars
3) My calamity jane 4/5 stars
June 20, 2020
3.5 stars
Full disclosure: I don't like westerns. I don't watch them, and I don't read them (which is surprising considering how much I like drinking, poker, and shows/movies with guns). The only reason I even read this book was that I just happened to get my hands on an advance copy, which in hindsight is a bit unfair considering some people have been waiting for this book to come out for a couple of years. Hell, before I read this book, I couldn't have told you who Annie Oakley was or what she was famous for, even though the name would've sounded familiar. (I know. Shameful.) That's why no one was more surprised than I was that I ended up actually enjoying this book.
I went into this book almost completely blind. The only things I knew about it beforehand were that it was a retelling of some western story I didn't know and that it also incorporated fantasy elements. Because the summary doesn't really tell you what the book is about, I'll give a quick overview.
The story is told from the POVs of our three main characters: Frank, Annie, and the eponymous Jane. Jane, Frank, Bill (Frank's adoptive father), and Charlie (a member of an FBI-like organization) travel around the midwest putting on a sharp shooting show, which they use as cover to track and hunt garou (a fancy word for werewolf). Frank isn't a huge fan of garou-hunting, but he loves doing the show; however, Bill wants to retire from showbiz (and by extension, garou-hunting) once they finally catch the Alpha. The Alpha is the head of the werewolf cult that has been running wild biting humans and turning them into garou.
Then, one night, the crew gets a tip about who and where the Alpha is from a man named Jack (a lone garou hunter), and they go to the factory to investigate. Meanwhile, Annie (a sharp shooter like Frank), who has left home to get a job in the sharp shooting show, meets up with them at the factory (unbeknownst to them all at the time) and ends up saving Frank and Jane from a werewolf attack (though not before Jane gets bitten--a fact that she keeps to herself) after they learn that the werewolf isn't the Alpha. Not long after, Annie joins the show (after she proves herself and reveals that she knows what they're really up to (i.e., garou-hunting)), and not long after that, Jane abandons the crew in the middle of the night in search of the cure for garou that Jack tells her about, not knowing that Frank himself is a garou. After discovering she's gone, the crew go in search for her, and that's where the story really begins.
The way the story is narrated gave me major Lemony Snicket vibes and I was totally here for it. (It's not every day a book reminds you of one of your favorite childhood series!) I also really loved Jane and Annie, who both endured hardships and were both feminists in their own way: Annie was super feminine and loved dresses while also being a badass sharp shooter, while Jane couldn't give a flying f*ck about acting like a lady and could drink the best of them under the table (she's also always broke which is hashtag relatable).
What I wasn't a huge fan of, however, was that the narrators sometimes went off on tangents alluding to today's political climate, which felt totally out of place most of the time. Don't get me wrong; I love a good Trump-bashing as much as the next bleeding-heart liberal, but it just didn't really make sense having this recurring, sporadic social commentary in the middle of a western fantasy. I think it's more effective to grapple with political issues in fiction by doing it like Namina Forna does in The Gilded Ones, which has major feminist undertones.
Regardless, while most people will guess who the Alpha is long before it is revealed like I did, the lack of mystery didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. The journey itself was fun and entertaining enough to keep me reading. I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this that I look forward to going back and reading the other two books in the series, whose subject matters (i.e., the Tudor Jane and Jane Eyre) are definitely more up my alley than this western was.
Full disclosure: I don't like westerns. I don't watch them, and I don't read them (which is surprising considering how much I like drinking, poker, and shows/movies with guns). The only reason I even read this book was that I just happened to get my hands on an advance copy, which in hindsight is a bit unfair considering some people have been waiting for this book to come out for a couple of years. Hell, before I read this book, I couldn't have told you who Annie Oakley was or what she was famous for, even though the name would've sounded familiar. (I know. Shameful.) That's why no one was more surprised than I was that I ended up actually enjoying this book.
I went into this book almost completely blind. The only things I knew about it beforehand were that it was a retelling of some western story I didn't know and that it also incorporated fantasy elements. Because the summary doesn't really tell you what the book is about, I'll give a quick overview.
The story is told from the POVs of our three main characters: Frank, Annie, and the eponymous Jane. Jane, Frank, Bill (Frank's adoptive father), and Charlie (a member of an FBI-like organization) travel around the midwest putting on a sharp shooting show, which they use as cover to track and hunt garou (a fancy word for werewolf). Frank isn't a huge fan of garou-hunting, but he loves doing the show; however, Bill wants to retire from showbiz (and by extension, garou-hunting) once they finally catch the Alpha. The Alpha is the head of the werewolf cult that has been running wild biting humans and turning them into garou.
Then, one night, the crew gets a tip about who and where the Alpha is from a man named Jack (a lone garou hunter), and they go to the factory to investigate. Meanwhile, Annie (a sharp shooter like Frank), who has left home to get a job in the sharp shooting show, meets up with them at the factory (unbeknownst to them all at the time) and ends up saving Frank and Jane from a werewolf attack (though not before Jane gets bitten--a fact that she keeps to herself) after they learn that the werewolf isn't the Alpha. Not long after, Annie joins the show (after she proves herself and reveals that she knows what they're really up to (i.e., garou-hunting)), and not long after that, Jane abandons the crew in the middle of the night in search of the cure for garou that Jack tells her about, not knowing that Frank himself is a garou. After discovering she's gone, the crew go in search for her, and that's where the story really begins.
The way the story is narrated gave me major Lemony Snicket vibes and I was totally here for it. (It's not every day a book reminds you of one of your favorite childhood series!) I also really loved Jane and Annie, who both endured hardships and were both feminists in their own way: Annie was super feminine and loved dresses while also being a badass sharp shooter, while Jane couldn't give a flying f*ck about acting like a lady and could drink the best of them under the table (she's also always broke which is hashtag relatable).
What I wasn't a huge fan of, however, was that the narrators sometimes went off on tangents alluding to today's political climate, which felt totally out of place most of the time. Don't get me wrong; I love a good Trump-bashing as much as the next bleeding-heart liberal, but it just didn't really make sense having this recurring, sporadic social commentary in the middle of a western fantasy. I think it's more effective to grapple with political issues in fiction by doing it like Namina Forna does in The Gilded Ones, which has major feminist undertones.
Regardless, while most people will guess who the Alpha is long before it is revealed like I did, the lack of mystery didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. The journey itself was fun and entertaining enough to keep me reading. I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this that I look forward to going back and reading the other two books in the series, whose subject matters (i.e., the Tudor Jane and Jane Eyre) are definitely more up my alley than this western was.
June 19, 2020
I enjoyed the first half of this book, because even though I didn't find it as funny as the previous two entries in the series, I liked Frank and Annie Oakley. I also enjoyed the amusing asides from the coauthors, and the absolutely ridiculous anachronisms that they put in on purpose. There are so many delightfully silly elements to this book, including a conversation with a dog where the dog starts quoting lines directly from Pixar's Up. (Some characters have the ability to talk to dogs for reasons that are explained as part of the plot.) I laughed a lot, and even though Westerns aren't my style and I don't usually go for werewolf stories, I enjoyed this absurdly silly reinterpretation of the past.
However, even though I enjoyed this book's humor and off-the-wall elements, the plot itself kept getting nuttier and nuttier. It wasn't even internally consistent sometimes, and I eventually reached the point where it would be physically and emotionally painful for me to even try to suspend disbelief. I gave up and rapidly skimmed through the last third of this convoluted melodrama, and I was glad to get to the end and return my ebook to the library. Hopefully the person who gets it next will enjoy it more than I did.
I waited years for this last book in the trilogy to release, and I wish that I could have ended on a better note, but this book fell apart a little over halfway through. I predicted several big plot twists, got tired of the sheer number of people who were secretly werewolves, and struggled with how frequently the authors derailed the story to share their didactic thoughts about issues like gun violence, Native American issues, Calamity Jane's (entirely invented) lesbian romance, and tolerance. Perhaps these asides were simply for liability, to keep people from trashing them on Twitter, but the book would have been a lot more powerful if the characters could have spoken for themselves.
For example, in one scene, before Annie even has the opportunity to process or respond to the injustices that a Native American is describing to her, the authors have already jumped in to share their thoughts on the issue. This makes her eventual response and concern for justice much less powerful, and since it clearly wasn't necessary for them to clarify anything or distinguish the character's thoughts from their own, I wished they would have just let Annie speak.
I got really frustrated with instances like this, and as the book got more and more unbearably absurd, it also revealed itself to be yet another thinly veiled parable about tolerance. I'm all for books having important thematic messages, but it's like this entire story just existed to celebrate how woke the authors are. It was incredibly tiresome, and this turned into less of a silly romp and more of a PSA broadcast. I tuned in for a laugh-out-loud, historically inaccurate adventure, not "Tolerance with Werewolves: Social Justice 101," but that was what I got.
So, yeah, I did not like this. It reads like the authors had a deal for a third book, didn't know what to write, made it up in a game of writing-telephone, and passed it off to their publisher without a second glance. I know that's not the case, but this is so poorly developed and preachy, and falls apart so thoroughly in the build-up to the climax, that I cannot ever recommend this book. I did like this fictional version of Annie Oakley tremendously, and liked Frank a lot too, so I can't say that I regret reading it, but I will always sigh over this book as a deep disappointment.
However, even though I enjoyed this book's humor and off-the-wall elements, the plot itself kept getting nuttier and nuttier. It wasn't even internally consistent sometimes, and I eventually reached the point where it would be physically and emotionally painful for me to even try to suspend disbelief. I gave up and rapidly skimmed through the last third of this convoluted melodrama, and I was glad to get to the end and return my ebook to the library. Hopefully the person who gets it next will enjoy it more than I did.
I waited years for this last book in the trilogy to release, and I wish that I could have ended on a better note, but this book fell apart a little over halfway through. I predicted several big plot twists, got tired of the sheer number of people who were secretly werewolves, and struggled with how frequently the authors derailed the story to share their didactic thoughts about issues like gun violence, Native American issues, Calamity Jane's (entirely invented) lesbian romance, and tolerance. Perhaps these asides were simply for liability, to keep people from trashing them on Twitter, but the book would have been a lot more powerful if the characters could have spoken for themselves.
For example, in one scene, before Annie even has the opportunity to process or respond to the injustices that a Native American is describing to her, the authors have already jumped in to share their thoughts on the issue. This makes her eventual response and concern for justice much less powerful, and since it clearly wasn't necessary for them to clarify anything or distinguish the character's thoughts from their own, I wished they would have just let Annie speak.
I got really frustrated with instances like this, and as the book got more and more unbearably absurd, it also revealed itself to be yet another thinly veiled parable about tolerance. I'm all for books having important thematic messages, but it's like this entire story just existed to celebrate how woke the authors are. It was incredibly tiresome, and this turned into less of a silly romp and more of a PSA broadcast. I tuned in for a laugh-out-loud, historically inaccurate adventure, not "Tolerance with Werewolves: Social Justice 101," but that was what I got.
So, yeah, I did not like this. It reads like the authors had a deal for a third book, didn't know what to write, made it up in a game of writing-telephone, and passed it off to their publisher without a second glance. I know that's not the case, but this is so poorly developed and preachy, and falls apart so thoroughly in the build-up to the climax, that I cannot ever recommend this book. I did like this fictional version of Annie Oakley tremendously, and liked Frank a lot too, so I can't say that I regret reading it, but I will always sigh over this book as a deep disappointment.
August 21, 2020
With this book I only had two problems with it. One is that the pacing towards the end would often switch from everything happening all at once and then nothing happening. The other problem I had was that one of the MC’s Annie, I felt her character growth should have been shown more. I also didn’t like how the authors made her the most skilled person in the group when she had a lot of growing to do. And I just find it annoying in books and movies that when a new person joins a group they are the most skilled with the least amount of knowledge and has the same abilities as someone else in the group. But all of the other characters I loved so much and their character arcs and growth were better shown. Another problem that some people may not like in this, that I didn’t mind, was the predictability of it. I think predictability can be good in some books, but there should also some moments that do shock you and you can’t anticipate. The writing was great, and other than the ending it was paced really good. The main romance I don’t really care for because Annie’s part of it, but I loved the relationship between Jane and the female reporter(I can’t remember her name). I absolutely love how this series ties history with fictional elements like werewolves known as garous. And I loved that they added a queer relationship and it didn’t feel like the authors were just placing it in like I’ve seen in some books. Overall, I really enjoyed this book it was fun and hilarious, I would recommend checking out this series.
January 21, 2023
“Well, I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should just go ahead and be one".
Vale, tengo que aceptar que leí este libro a pesar de que no me llamaba mucho la atención porque quería terminar con esta serie de The Lady Janies que escribieron estas autoras. Y si bien me divertí bastante con el primer y el segundo libro, este fue un poco raro. Aunque tal vez tenga algo de culpa yo porque no sabía nada de las vidas de las dos mujeres reales en las que se inspiraron para crear a las protagonistas, pero bueno...
Aquí tenemos la historia de Calamity Jane y Annie Oakley, que fueron dos mujeres que se destacaron en el antiguo oeste de Estados Unidos por ser unas pistoleras y defensoras de la frontera de esa época. El libro empieza contándonos que Calamity Jane es una chica de 17 años que hace parte de una compañía que presenta un espectáculo itinerante de disparos, pistolas, trucos y todo ese tipo de cosas. Sin embargo, las personas que conforman esa compañía en realidad son cazadores de garou, que básicamente son hombres lobo.
La trama real empieza cuando esa compañía se enfrenta a una Manada y a un Alfa y las cosas no salen también como deberían salir. Así, algo cambia con un personaje que, a partir de ese momento, va a tener que luchar contra esa nueva identidad. Después también llega Annie Oakley al grupo, se une al espectáculo y también a la cacería de estos garou. Y toda esta trama se desarrolla en un ambiente muy del antiguo oeste, con romances, algo de representación LGBTIQA+ y muchos duelos y mucho alcohol.
Personalmente creo que este libro no era para mí por varias razones. Una, no sabía quiénes eran Calamity Jane ni Annie Oakley... y en realidad tampoco me interesa incluso ahora saber más de ellas. Dos, los westerns y todo lo que tiene que ver con el antiguo oeste es algo que está muuuy abajo en mi lista de prioridades o posibles intereses. Y tres, cuando leí la sinopsis no caí en cuenta de que los garou eran hombres lobo... y si hay una criatura sobrenatural sobre la que no me interesa leer es sobre los hombres lobo.
Aún así, siento que la manera que tienen de narrar estas historias las tres autoras es súper graciosa. Y a pesar de que la trama en sí misma no me interesaba mucho, sí que me reí muchas veces leyendo el libro, entonces siento que eso le da puntos positivos. Además, la voz de la narradora del audiolibro, que fue como lo leí, era buenísima y hacía genial los acentos de ese viejo oeste.
Definitivamente sí quiero seguir leyendo en la otra serie que están escribiendo estas mujeres, la cual se basa en diferentes Marys de la historia, sobre todo porque uno de los libros de esa nueva serie se llama My Contrary Mary y se basa en la historia de Mary Queen of Scots. Y obvio tiene que ver con Escocia... y saben que estoy obsesionada con Escocia, así que es fácil entender por qué me muero por leerlo, jajaja. ¡Ya les contaré qué tal!
Vale, tengo que aceptar que leí este libro a pesar de que no me llamaba mucho la atención porque quería terminar con esta serie de The Lady Janies que escribieron estas autoras. Y si bien me divertí bastante con el primer y el segundo libro, este fue un poco raro. Aunque tal vez tenga algo de culpa yo porque no sabía nada de las vidas de las dos mujeres reales en las que se inspiraron para crear a las protagonistas, pero bueno...
Aquí tenemos la historia de Calamity Jane y Annie Oakley, que fueron dos mujeres que se destacaron en el antiguo oeste de Estados Unidos por ser unas pistoleras y defensoras de la frontera de esa época. El libro empieza contándonos que Calamity Jane es una chica de 17 años que hace parte de una compañía que presenta un espectáculo itinerante de disparos, pistolas, trucos y todo ese tipo de cosas. Sin embargo, las personas que conforman esa compañía en realidad son cazadores de garou, que básicamente son hombres lobo.
La trama real empieza cuando esa compañía se enfrenta a una Manada y a un Alfa y las cosas no salen también como deberían salir. Así, algo cambia con un personaje que, a partir de ese momento, va a tener que luchar contra esa nueva identidad. Después también llega Annie Oakley al grupo, se une al espectáculo y también a la cacería de estos garou. Y toda esta trama se desarrolla en un ambiente muy del antiguo oeste, con romances, algo de representación LGBTIQA+ y muchos duelos y mucho alcohol.
Personalmente creo que este libro no era para mí por varias razones. Una, no sabía quiénes eran Calamity Jane ni Annie Oakley... y en realidad tampoco me interesa incluso ahora saber más de ellas. Dos, los westerns y todo lo que tiene que ver con el antiguo oeste es algo que está muuuy abajo en mi lista de prioridades o posibles intereses. Y tres, cuando leí la sinopsis no caí en cuenta de que los garou eran hombres lobo... y si hay una criatura sobrenatural sobre la que no me interesa leer es sobre los hombres lobo.
Aún así, siento que la manera que tienen de narrar estas historias las tres autoras es súper graciosa. Y a pesar de que la trama en sí misma no me interesaba mucho, sí que me reí muchas veces leyendo el libro, entonces siento que eso le da puntos positivos. Además, la voz de la narradora del audiolibro, que fue como lo leí, era buenísima y hacía genial los acentos de ese viejo oeste.
Definitivamente sí quiero seguir leyendo en la otra serie que están escribiendo estas mujeres, la cual se basa en diferentes Marys de la historia, sobre todo porque uno de los libros de esa nueva serie se llama My Contrary Mary y se basa en la historia de Mary Queen of Scots. Y obvio tiene que ver con Escocia... y saben que estoy obsesionada con Escocia, así que es fácil entender por qué me muero por leerlo, jajaja. ¡Ya les contaré qué tal!
August 7, 2020
Somehow, I didn't realize this book would be about werewolves. Either I didn't read the synopsis carefully enough, or ... *hides face* idk ...
I don't like werewolf stories, you see. I just don't like them. It's not that I object to "humans turning into animals" plotlines, I just don't enjoy the particular trappings of werewolf myths (the moon, bloodlust, thralldom, alpha wolves etc, etc, etc).
So even though the writing is just about as good as the previous book (My Plain Jane, which I ADORED), I wasn't as much a fan.
Would definitely be interested to read more stories from these authors, though!! I really like what they do, mixing magic with real-life historical figures.
I don't like werewolf stories, you see. I just don't like them. It's not that I object to "humans turning into animals" plotlines, I just don't enjoy the particular trappings of werewolf myths (the moon, bloodlust, thralldom, alpha wolves etc, etc, etc).
So even though the writing is just about as good as the previous book (My Plain Jane, which I ADORED), I wasn't as much a fan.
Would definitely be interested to read more stories from these authors, though!! I really like what they do, mixing magic with real-life historical figures.
Want to read
May 1, 2020Can't wait for this! I hope this isn't the last one and they continue the series 😝
December 15, 2020
That was a lot of fun! I definitely enjoyed reading another spin on a famous Jane (this time, Miss Calamity Jane herself) written by the Lady Janies. Must admit to not being as familiar with her story (or Frank Butler or Annie Oakley), so everything felt really new and interesting. Definitely laughed a lot and had fun spotting pop culture references along the way!
Read
June 6, 2020I loved "My Lady Jane". Funny, irreverent. Amazing story and characters.
"My plain Jane" bored me to no end. I didn't DNF it because of how much I loved the first one, and because I kept thinking that maybe I wasn't on the right frame of mind for the story.
So "My Calamity Jane" was supposed to be my tie breaker: if I did enjoy it I wouls continue with the series. If not, I would assume "My Lady Jane" was a fluke and keep thst one as a lovely unique book.
I DNF'ed at page 80. I didn't like the narrators interpelling the reader every page, and where they were funny and welcome on MLJ, here they were tiresome. As were the characters and the story I felt like foreign.
So, nope, this series aren't for me. A pity, because I loved MLJ.
"My plain Jane" bored me to no end. I didn't DNF it because of how much I loved the first one, and because I kept thinking that maybe I wasn't on the right frame of mind for the story.
So "My Calamity Jane" was supposed to be my tie breaker: if I did enjoy it I wouls continue with the series. If not, I would assume "My Lady Jane" was a fluke and keep thst one as a lovely unique book.
I DNF'ed at page 80. I didn't like the narrators interpelling the reader every page, and where they were funny and welcome on MLJ, here they were tiresome. As were the characters and the story I felt like foreign.
So, nope, this series aren't for me. A pity, because I loved MLJ.
June 30, 2020
The Lady Janies deliver once again as they mess with history to give us a happy ending to the Calamity Jane, Annie Oakley, Frank Butler, and Wild Bill Hickok stories.
This was a fun, rollicking tale of the Wild West and Deadwood, and werewolves. (Werewolves?!) Yes werewolves, dear reader.
I really enjoyed book 3 in their Janey series and can’t wait to see what they do with the Marys!
This was a fun, rollicking tale of the Wild West and Deadwood, and werewolves. (Werewolves?!) Yes werewolves, dear reader.
I really enjoyed book 3 in their Janey series and can’t wait to see what they do with the Marys!
Read
December 26, 2020YALL WE HAVE A COVER. Check out all the details and preorder here!
August 22, 2020
I had such a fun time with the previous two books in this series that I’ve been quite eager for this one to release, even though I know nothing about the historical figures this story is based on. And while I did have access to the audiobook, I kept putting it off without even realizing that it was perfect for one of my readathon prompts. Glad I finally figured that out in time, because this book couldn’t have been read at a better time.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think about this series is “pure fun”. And at a time when I need some lightheartedness in my life, this was a delight to listen to. The plot is wacky, but I’m assuming atleast some parts of it are based on real incidents involving the characters during the 19th century. And as always, I thoroughly enjoyed the authors breaking the fourth wall to engage with us readers directly. I’ve really found it to be such an interesting way to satirize the story. And I can’t not mention how effectively the authors include some current pop culture stuff in, and one of those Marie Kondo moments really made me giggle endlessly.
I think the humor of the story really comes through in the audiobook. The narrator Sophie Amoss is hilarious and her different tones and accents are pitch perfect, bringing so much life to this story. And however wild a story about the Wild West, gunslingers and werewolves might seem, there was unbelievable depth and emotion here which I really appreciated. The pace was steady throughout, never letting us get bored and I really found it hard to put down.
The characters are a very enjoyable bunch and I found it so easy to get invested in their lives. Jane loves living life on her own terms and has come a long way from the tragedies of her childhood, but sometimes the sadness still lingers and she gets to explore it more when her life takes an unexpected turn. Annie wants to support her family, but her idea to do that is to be impulsive and go on an adventure - she really talks too much but I was awed by her supreme confidence in her abilities and never backing down in the face of unfavorable odds. Frank is the third of their trio, a kind and compassionate young man who loves his show business, his adorable dog George and his whole family. And the leader of this group is Bill, the popular gunslinger and a father figure to all of them - I never thought I would fall in love with a typical old gun toting hero of a western.
We also have an ensemble of side characters, some good and some bad, some mysterious and others just going along with the flow. Amongst all this are some adorable romances, beautiful friendships, necessary second chances, and so many heartfelt moments. And I loved that we have an amazing sapphic couple who are just adorable. And the epilogue with everybody was just perfect.
It’s easy to dismiss this series as just fun, which it unmistakably is - but it also explores so many important and relevant themes. Found family always has a special place in my heart and the bonds that the characters form with each other in this are beautiful and it emphasizes that sharing blood doesn’t make one a family, choosing to love, support and respect one another does. Another major point I felt this book was trying to make was about stereotypes - how harmful it can be if you stereotype/discriminate a whole group of people based on just the actions of a few instead of giving every person an equal chance to live their lives on their own terms and judge them based on their individual character.
And the last point was about the cult of personality; how a single person with enough power or charisma can harm scores of people, especially when they are supported by other folks who love the proximity to power; and how this personality cult can then be used to incite mobs, deny justice, and gaslight the ones who are trying to bring the truth to light - if all of this seems very similar, it’s because it’s the America we are currently living in.
In the end, I had such an amazing time listening to this audiobook. If you’ve already read the previous books in the series, then I hope you’ll continue with this as well. If you are new though, but would love to read a satirical series about historical figures with supernatural elements, and lot of hilarity and hijinks - then this is perfect for you. And do give the audiobooks a try because they really bring out the laughs.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think about this series is “pure fun”. And at a time when I need some lightheartedness in my life, this was a delight to listen to. The plot is wacky, but I’m assuming atleast some parts of it are based on real incidents involving the characters during the 19th century. And as always, I thoroughly enjoyed the authors breaking the fourth wall to engage with us readers directly. I’ve really found it to be such an interesting way to satirize the story. And I can’t not mention how effectively the authors include some current pop culture stuff in, and one of those Marie Kondo moments really made me giggle endlessly.
I think the humor of the story really comes through in the audiobook. The narrator Sophie Amoss is hilarious and her different tones and accents are pitch perfect, bringing so much life to this story. And however wild a story about the Wild West, gunslingers and werewolves might seem, there was unbelievable depth and emotion here which I really appreciated. The pace was steady throughout, never letting us get bored and I really found it hard to put down.
The characters are a very enjoyable bunch and I found it so easy to get invested in their lives. Jane loves living life on her own terms and has come a long way from the tragedies of her childhood, but sometimes the sadness still lingers and she gets to explore it more when her life takes an unexpected turn. Annie wants to support her family, but her idea to do that is to be impulsive and go on an adventure - she really talks too much but I was awed by her supreme confidence in her abilities and never backing down in the face of unfavorable odds. Frank is the third of their trio, a kind and compassionate young man who loves his show business, his adorable dog George and his whole family. And the leader of this group is Bill, the popular gunslinger and a father figure to all of them - I never thought I would fall in love with a typical old gun toting hero of a western.
We also have an ensemble of side characters, some good and some bad, some mysterious and others just going along with the flow. Amongst all this are some adorable romances, beautiful friendships, necessary second chances, and so many heartfelt moments. And I loved that we have an amazing sapphic couple who are just adorable. And the epilogue with everybody was just perfect.
It’s easy to dismiss this series as just fun, which it unmistakably is - but it also explores so many important and relevant themes. Found family always has a special place in my heart and the bonds that the characters form with each other in this are beautiful and it emphasizes that sharing blood doesn’t make one a family, choosing to love, support and respect one another does. Another major point I felt this book was trying to make was about stereotypes - how harmful it can be if you stereotype/discriminate a whole group of people based on just the actions of a few instead of giving every person an equal chance to live their lives on their own terms and judge them based on their individual character.
And the last point was about the cult of personality; how a single person with enough power or charisma can harm scores of people, especially when they are supported by other folks who love the proximity to power; and how this personality cult can then be used to incite mobs, deny justice, and gaslight the ones who are trying to bring the truth to light - if all of this seems very similar, it’s because it’s the America we are currently living in.
In the end, I had such an amazing time listening to this audiobook. If you’ve already read the previous books in the series, then I hope you’ll continue with this as well. If you are new though, but would love to read a satirical series about historical figures with supernatural elements, and lot of hilarity and hijinks - then this is perfect for you. And do give the audiobooks a try because they really bring out the laughs.
May 15, 2024
Started off a little slow for me, but so worth it in the end. I really warmed to the characters, and of course the book was just so funny and charming and action-packed! There were angry mobs with pitchforks! Werewolves! And so many hilarious references to everything from the musical Annie Get Your Gun to Game of Thrones. I love the narrators' little insertions, and the interesting way they've expanded their alternate history.
February 12, 2021
I love Annie Oakley, the real-life person. And as my poor neighbors' eardrums can probably attest, I also love belting out the musical. So, what happens when you mix one of my childhood heroes (sorry, heroines) with WEREOLVES (my obsession last year) and one of my favorite series?
Nothing, apparently.
Or more specifically, you get months of me forcing myself through this book because I wanted to love it so badly. I even bought myself a copy when it came out. And now I'm wondering if maybe I should just sell the whole series to a second hand-book store and take My Contrary Mary off my to-read list.
That's how strongly I felt meh about this book.
Because I can't really say I disliked it. I actually loved Frank Butler, the Pistol Prince. He was so sweet. And I loved his Dad. And I love the way they go after Jane...basically, that warmed my heart.
Which is good, because otherwise the story left me unmoved. Maybe I've just not been in the mood for the parenthetical, on-the-nose humor here but references to the Avengers and fake news and whatever other modern verbiage gets thrown just left me rolling my eyes.
The worst part though? Particularly considering my love for strong female characters? I couldn't stand any of the women in this book.
Not Jane. Not Annie. Not Whinnie. Not other characters-who-it-would-be-spoilers-to-mention. They were all. so. annoying.
The villains were SO over the top without any rhyme or reason. The plot twists all were foreseeable from a mile away. And overall the story just felt far too long. Easily a good hundred pages could have been cut without losing the plot.
I also don't remember if the first two books were so...on the nose with their messages? I don't think so?
Anyway, this was a letdown.
Pre-Review
I didn't know this was out and now I'm so flippin' excited.
Nothing, apparently.
Or more specifically, you get months of me forcing myself through this book because I wanted to love it so badly. I even bought myself a copy when it came out. And now I'm wondering if maybe I should just sell the whole series to a second hand-book store and take My Contrary Mary off my to-read list.
That's how strongly I felt meh about this book.
Because I can't really say I disliked it. I actually loved Frank Butler, the Pistol Prince. He was so sweet. And I loved his Dad. And I love the way they go after Jane...basically, that warmed my heart.
Which is good, because otherwise the story left me unmoved. Maybe I've just not been in the mood for the parenthetical, on-the-nose humor here but references to the Avengers and fake news and whatever other modern verbiage gets thrown just left me rolling my eyes.
The worst part though? Particularly considering my love for strong female characters? I couldn't stand any of the women in this book.
Not Jane. Not Annie. Not Whinnie. Not other characters-who-it-would-be-spoilers-to-mention. They were all. so. annoying.
The villains were SO over the top without any rhyme or reason. The plot twists all were foreseeable from a mile away. And overall the story just felt far too long. Easily a good hundred pages could have been cut without losing the plot.
I also don't remember if the first two books were so...on the nose with their messages? I don't think so?
Anyway, this was a letdown.
Pre-Review
I didn't know this was out and now I'm so flippin' excited.
May 2, 2021
4.5 Stars for My Calamity Jane: The Lady Janies Series, Book 3 (audiobook) by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows read by Sophie Amoss.
This is such a fun series. The authors are so creative. It’s been interesting to see how the characters have developed over the three books. I’ve really enjoyed this series.
This is such a fun series. The authors are so creative. It’s been interesting to see how the characters have developed over the three books. I’ve really enjoyed this series.
July 8, 2020
Ok. So. This is awkward.
I absolutely love the first book in the series, it was one of the funniest things ever. But then, the rest of the series just couldn't live up to it for me.
I liked the concept. And the story. And the humor (all the asides and nods from the authors).
But I did find it a bit convenient and predictable most of the time, and I ended up skimming quite a bit. I also didn't feel the token diversity characters really fit in
Still. If you're invested in the series, it was a nice enough addition that might give you a few chuckles along the way. But for me, it just didn't live up to the impossibly high standards My Lady Jane set.
I absolutely love the first book in the series, it was one of the funniest things ever. But then, the rest of the series just couldn't live up to it for me.
I liked the concept. And the story. And the humor (all the asides and nods from the authors).
But I did find it a bit convenient and predictable most of the time, and I ended up skimming quite a bit. I also didn't feel the token diversity characters really fit in
Still. If you're invested in the series, it was a nice enough addition that might give you a few chuckles along the way. But for me, it just didn't live up to the impossibly high standards My Lady Jane set.
Want to read
September 8, 2016I am squealing like a pig over here. A remake of Calamity Jane you say?! That's my favourite film - well that and Goonies!
dnf
July 18, 2021I ran out of time and also this one was simply not as engaging as the previous two *sobs* like I TRIED my dudes
March 6, 2021
This was another fun romp into the world of The Lady Janies and I so appreciate the authors for bringing these stories to life. They are always a great way to turn an otherwise meh day around and this was no different.
It wasn’t quite as good as the first two, in my opinion, but I still love the twist they put on the story of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show and it’s titular performers. The popular culture references are always one of the funniest aspects of these books and I’ll admit I’m unabashedly proud of myself whenever I catch one. 😂🙈
As expected, the pacing in this book is pretty spot on and the western parody aspect was hilarious. These are absolutely the books to read when you need an easygoing, lighthearted laugh that will suck you in from the beginning.
It wasn’t quite as good as the first two, in my opinion, but I still love the twist they put on the story of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show and it’s titular performers. The popular culture references are always one of the funniest aspects of these books and I’ll admit I’m unabashedly proud of myself whenever I catch one. 😂🙈
As expected, the pacing in this book is pretty spot on and the western parody aspect was hilarious. These are absolutely the books to read when you need an easygoing, lighthearted laugh that will suck you in from the beginning.
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