Cynthia Hand

Brodi Ashton

Jodi Meadows

New York Times Bestseller * Publishers Weekly Best Young Adult Books of 2016 This comical, fantastical, romantical, New York Times bestselling, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey is “an uproarious historical fantasy that’s not to be missed” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind YA fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help. At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren’t for Jane to worry about. Jane gets to be Queen of England. Like that could go wrong.

My Lady Jane

Edward is the King of England. He's also dying, which is inconvenient, as he's only sixteen and he'd rather be planning his first kiss than who will inherit his crown. Jane, Edward's cousin, is far more interested in books than romance. Unfortunately, Edward has arranged to marry her off to Gifford secure the line of succession. And Gifford is, well, a horse. That is, he an Eðian (eth-y-un, for the uninitiated) who becomes a chestnut steed every morning, but wakes as a man at dusk, with a mouthful of hay. Very undignified. The plot thickens as the three are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy, and have to engage in some conspiring of their own. But can they pull off their plan before it's off with their heads?

maryam

Melissa Palmer

Book #49 Read in 2016
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows

Lady Jane Grey was the Queen of England for nine days before she was imprisoned and eventually beheaded. This book tells an alternate history....what if Edward, King of England, did not really die? What if Lady Jane escape from the Tower of London? What if the pair decided to take back the throne from Mary?

This book was interesting with the historical bent, romance and humor. It was a good, quick read which I recommend. I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for a honest review.

Edward is the King of England. He's also dying, which is inconvenient, as he's only sixteen and he'd rather be planning his first kiss than who will inherit his crown. Jane, Edward's cousin, is far more interested in books than romance. Unfortunately, Edward has arranged to marry her off to Gifford secure the line of succession. And Gifford is, well, a horse. That is, he is an Eðian (eth-y-un, for the uninitiated) who becomes a chestnut steed every morning, but wakes as a man at dusk, with a mouthful of hay. Very undignified. The plot thickens as the three are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy, and have to engage in some conspiring of their own. But can they pull off their plan before it's off with their heads?

alexandra

3.5/5

- this book is HILARIOUS
- but the pacing is off at times; goes from draggy to waytoofast
- although i love the plot and characters, i didn't feel compelled to keep reading :/
- and it took me foreverrrr to finish this book which is disappointing
- but i still like it because as i said SO FUN AND FUNNY

Wynter

Okay, so I totally gave into reading a YA book, even though I have proclaimed before that I would rather chew on tinfoil. It's too bad that the only things that bugged me about My Lady Jane were the typical YA tropes. In the last third the novel practically drowned in "the feels" (or whatever kids these days call it), where Jane and G kept constantly doubting the other's love, and whined, and cried, and turned jealous. I would also rather describe Jane as bullheaded, and not progressively feminist the way she was supposed to be, which irritated me, but she was also so bookish I kind of forgave her. 

In other regards, what a magnificently adorable book! In ways it reminded me of The Princess Bride, where romance, magic, and adventure take you on one unforgettable romp. I loved how the authors treated a rather dark period of history and turned it into a happily ever after, all while staying relatively true to actual flow of events. If only the said authors didn't indulge in juvenile romance bits, I would totally give My Lady Jane five stars.

Lacy W

OMG! What a delightfully funny and all around amazing book. I loved every ounce of this book. It was adorable and funny. I actually laughed out loud several times during the course of this book. It never felt slow. The narrator's input was funny and insightful. Reminded me of  The Princess Bride , which I have read from several reviews that this happened. 

I was a little nervous starting this book to be honest. I love history and was worried that this book was going to be a little... eh. If you know what I mean. I was so wrong. I loved every minute. I adored Lady Jane. Her love for books rivals mine. Plus she was a strong female character. She reminded me a lot of Hermione Granger, which made me love her more. 

I loved the whole damn crew. G was annoying at first, but once it got to his chapters and his way of thinking was explained, everything made sense. Bess was so strong. Nothing like what she was truly like in history, though. (I think anyway. I read that Queen Elizabeth was prone to a lot of anxiety and had a hard time making any choice but then again, I have no idea). 

I loved the concept of Edians (I don't know how to make the fancy d). To change into an animal at will? Incredible! I loved this concept. I especially liked that the narrators had a prologue so that way we knew about Edians beforehand. That really helped so the story could progress the way it did. 

I even appreciate the Verities, even though they were terrible for wanting to eradicate Edians. They weren't talked about as much as Edians (view spoiler)[ probably because the main characters were all Edians.  (hide spoiler)]

I have read from other reviews that this book has the humor of Monty Python. To be honest, I've never seen Monty Python so I can't really tell you if it is or not. However, since I have read  The Princess Bride  and I've seen the movie, I can tell you that there is a lot of references in this book. Where the narrators insert themselves into the story and the use of "inconcevible" are things taken from  The Princess Bride. 

I suggest that everybody read this book. Yes, it is about history but the story is just so funny. Fans of Monty Python and  The Princess Bride should enjoy this book as well. You will laugh out loud at several parts, I guarantee it. You will love all the characters and their series of misdeeds and adventures. This is one of my favorite books and it's going right next to  Harry Potter and  The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Kimberly Burgess 

Beatrix Haase

4/5

Super funny book with so many cute romantic scenes. Loved how they altered time. Super quick and easy!

xoxo,
Bebe

Sofia Nunes

My lady. Jane. Jane.
My heart is full of light. Fairytale-like. Shakespeare. England's royalty. SO MUCH fun.
I've laughed, I've shrieked, I've cried. 
I'll read anything these three ladies write. Really hope this is not the end of Edians and Verities.
Some quotes of Gifford (or not? haha) which made my heart explode:
"Cowards die many times before their deaths."
"The fool thinks he is wise. But the wise man knows himself to be a fool."
"Though his wife was little, she was fierce."
"My love for you is as deep as the ocean and as bright as the sun."
"My lady. Jane."
"Jane."

dija

This book is AMAZING no doubt.
It made me smile and laugh in every single page. I loved the characters : Jane, Gifford, Edward, Bess, Gracie and even pet. 
I loved the story, I loved it loved it. 
I loved the way Jane loves books and how she talks about them whenever she got the chance to. I love her, Really. 
" Armies aren't very good carrying libraries with them. I can't imagine why, we'd fight so much less if everyone would just sit down and read. "
And I loved loving G, He's a charming half-man-half-horse. I loved how he developed feelings for Jane, he's so sweet, I love the way he loves her, respect her, adore her and her books. What can I say... I won't mind getting married to half-man-half-horse now, I would love it. *-* 
" It wasn't until her eyes fluttered open that G realized the hold she had on his heart."

"To everyone who knows there was enough room for Leonardo Dicaprio on that door.
And for England. We're really sorry for what we're about to do to your history" 

I am filled with joy right now, my heart is full, my bookish soul is satisfied.
How i wish i could give this book million stars and force it on every book person on this planet  

My Lady Jane  is a delightful historical fiction that will probably lighten up your whole life, it is a mixture of fantasy, history, comedy i mean COMEDY  in bald and a not so little bit enjoyable romance. 

The story follows 3 characters : 
●Edward Tudor: He's the king of England, child of King Henry VIII, who is also a sixteen years old boy with dry sense of humour who fantasies about kissing a girl but he's quite unlucky because he's dying. 
His one and only nightmare is dying before even kiss a girl.
I mean i totally get him, i will likely get disappointed too. 
But all what our king is doing at the moment is considering who will inherit his crown.....That's what kings do when they are dying, don't they?

Which leads us to *drums* : 
●Lady Jane Grey  : She's a real historical character, as real as Henry VIII and Edward. 
She is (in real life) The queen who ruled England for nine days and then had her head chopped off. As our narrators said "Sometimes history gets it all wrong" 
So Jane is Edward's best friend and cousin, whom he has arranged to mary her off to secure the line of succession. (Marry her off to GIFFORD DUDLEY KDBCHZKZJZBD) But Jane is a girl who would rather read books than get married, the woman eats books, breaths books, pet books, protect books (at all costs) and most of all read books. 
Like A LOT OF BOOKS i envy her.
Her jokes will make you wet your pants
"There it was
That nose
Truly, it was a great, arching eagle nose that would enter a room five whole seconds before the rest of him did."

"Praise all the gods and saints, Lord Gifford Dudley may have had an unfortunate name but he did not have the nose.....It was a miracle. A marvel. A wonder. A relief. After all she would be expected to kiss this man by the end of the ceremony, and the last thing she needed was to lose an eye." 
LOL

And then there's my man and husband and precious charming cinnamonroll : 
●Lord Gifford Dudley I mean G: (he's quite sensitive when it comes to his name, so call him G)
My most precious character is an Ethian (eth-y-un) even with this i still read it Ethbdjziahzg -i never seem to pronounce it right- he is at night a beautiful man and at day...he becomes a beautiful horse (the only difference is the secondary word, nothing serious). 
"Sweet lady, there are those of us who sleep lying down, and those of us who sleep standing up. I can do both" 

And his horse condition led us to so many horse jokes -invented by Jane of course- that made me laugh my scarf off 
"No horse jokes," he said.
"My lord, i apologize for the horse joke. If you put down the book--unharmed!--I will give you carrot."
"Was that a horse joke?"
"Neigh."
I love them, my babies....*tears up* 

 For the love of every joke that made you laugh and every cup of hot chocolate that made you warm, read this book.

~~~~
 Oh My God  

I didn’t write a review for this? 
I DIDNT WRITE A REVIEW FOR MY LADY JANE??
How dare i? 
Off with my head, please. 

I promise to write a proper review for you, babe, i promise

Jamieson

He brandished the book at her. "Was that a horse joke?"
"Neigh."
"Was that a horse joke?” 


for me this book was just enjoyable it was definitely light and somewhat funny in parts, and the twist on history with the Edians was fun (even though it was a kind of awkward and unsubtle metaphor) but it wasn't AMAZING. I didn't really find it funny or clever enough to really really love it and honestly even though it's a historical comedy I kind of spent half the time wishing it was just a historical fiction. But there was definitely some scenes I really enjoyed (especially the ending chapters!) and it made me want to keep picking it up. I just feel like if I had found the humour or the silliness more funny I would have liked it more. So like I said: my opinion of this book essentially boils down to one point - it was enjoyable and easy reading, but it wasn't life changing or something I'd reread. 

My Lady Jane is essentially a retelling of the events around Edwards Tudors death. Instead of Protestants and Catholics we're given Edians and Verities. Edian's are people who can transform into different animals and Verities are people who hate Edians. King Henry could turn into a lion, Jane's husband Gifford into a horse. And everyone else .. you gotta wait and see. 

So yes this was definitely quirky and memorable because it was so unique. Which I definitely appreciated. I really liked the narration style and how the authors would occasionally butt in to interrupt the characters. Also, referencing some future things was funny - like Shakespeare, or the infamous "stretch to out your arms around a girl" tactic. I think this book had some really clever jokes which was cool and I liked all the hidden easter eggs. 

Character wise, this book definitely did a good job at getting me invested in every single character. The main trio - Edward, Gifford and Jane, were all so loveable in their own ways. While they did each annoy me at times, it was all part of their GROWTH so it was okay. I also like how this book twisted the history around these characters a bit and changed things up, it kept me on my toes and unsure of if they would all be okay in the end. I think Edward was my favourite character just because he was such an awkward helpless bean and his character growth was great !!


  “Because he was English and that’s what the English do under stress: they drink tea.” 


Overall I did enjoy this book ! It was quirky and fun and had some clever jokes - it just wasn't AS FUNNY as I would have liked in a 500+ page book hence the 3 star rating. Three stars = "I liked it" you know.
If you're unsure about this book, read the first few chapters. It sets up the tone and kind of humour you'll see throughout the whole book so you'll have a good understanding of what you're in for. Also, I will say the humour is Monty Python - esque if that helps situate you. 


  “Dedication:

For everyone who knows there was enough room for Leonardo DiCaprio on that door.

And for England. We’re really sorry for what we’re about to do to your history.”

Jeff James

This book is much weirder than I was expecting. The blurb makes it sound like a funny bit of revisionist history, but leaves out the fact that some of the characters have magic that lets them turn into animals, and this magic ends up being a major part of the story.

I think that’s a big selling point (or turnoff, if you don’t like fantasy for some reason), so I’m surprised that they downplayed it to such a degree.

I’m honestly not sure what actually happened to the historical characters included in the book, but it’s nice to believe that they fell in love and had adventures just like they do here.

tina

3.5 STARS
THIS BOOK WAS FUCKING HILARIOUS I COULDNT STOP LAUGHING

Fátima Martins

Haley Murray

Stephanie Ridiculous

What a whiplash of a book.

Pros:
-Horse puns
-Easy/light reading
-Some general good humor
-The audio book narrator did a stellar job - she definitely carried this for me (Katherine Kellgren)

Cons:
-Goodness gracious the shaming of large noses & red hair is too much. I understand it's meant to be over the top and hyperbolic, but it's grating.
-Angsty romance that is so juvenile and obnoxious, and borders on genuinely creepy occasionally 
-Communication trope: A good portion of this book could be resolved with one conversation, instead of romping around with assumptions for an insufferably long time. And plot points later in the book also rely on poor communication; it's exhausting. 
-Pretty tired of a general plot. 
-The 4th wall gets broken through out the book, but it increases in frequency as the tension rises and by the end of the book it's no longer contributing from the suspense but actively ruining it.

jess

As someone who loves the Tudors, I had an eye on this for a while, and I went in expecting a straightforward retelling of history. Obviously, this is not what I got, and I was pretty pleasantly surprised. The story of Lady Jane Grey is one that's ripe for YA retelling, because a lot of the players involved were teenagers, and I was happy that this was what came out of it (though I would like a more serious retelling one day too, because hoo boy, Jane Grey is fascinating). 

My Lady Jane is exceptionally well-researched. As far as I can tell, most of the highborn characters are historical figures whose personalities are matched by their book counterpart. Yes, even Gifford - I'd originally presumed him to be an original character, but a quick Google ensued I did not embarrass myself. The plot reflects the more mundane conflict between Catholicism and Protestantism, and many of the major turns in history are also in the book. I also really enjoyed all the historical in-jokes, especially all the Shapeskeare references. 

But of course it's an alternate-history comedy, with Monty-Python-eqsue jokes. I've seen some reviewers say you have to be in a particular mindset to read it, and I don't think I was in that mindset. For me a lot of the jokes fell flat and felt forced, and all the romances were cute but kind of boring, and I wasn't super into any of the characters. But My Lady Jane is a really good introduction to this particular period of Tudor history, and I can say I'm a lot more interested in Lady Jane Gray than I was before reading this book.

Steph L 

A funny Alternative History

I grabbed this book because of all the hype. I loved it more than I thought I would. This book is so much fun and has a well crafted plot. One of the best things is the characters, and how much you want to root for them.

Mary Horton

I've heard so many things about My Lady Jane but never got around to reading it until now. I was in the mood for something lighthearted and funny, and boy, did this deliver.

I'm. Obsessed.

 / random things I loved /

- Edward is such a ridiculous fop and amused me greatly. 
- I love that he made a bunch of #relatable rules when he was dying: 1) being able to sleep in, 2) wearing comfy clothes, 3) eating dessert always, and 4) no homework. Because same, bro.
- OK BUT THE HUMOUR THOUGH. This book is honestly my aesthetic brand of humour, and I was thriving. 
- Jane + G = the cutest couple ever (fight me)
- I could not put this book down for the life of me, and that's the first time that's happened in months. I'm a very happy book lover.
- Jane's love of books is ICONIC. Everything about Jane is iconic. (can you tell I love her?)
- It's basically all my favorite genres wrapped into one. History with a dash of magic/fantasy vibes and a heck of a lot of humour. It doesn't ever take itself seriously and that's why it's so hysterical. 
- G is a precious human (er, sort of) and I felt myself melting for him :')
- Political intrigue! Royals! Assassination plots! Sword fights! Basically all my fav things.
- All the narrators' commentary was f a n t a s t i c.
- Edward's grandmother doesn't take any crap from anyone, and I love that.
- Did I mention it's hilarious??
- There's so much action but you also really get to know and love the characters. 
- I loveeeee all the relationships! Edward's friendship with Jane is lovely, and I love the sibling dynamic with him and Bess.
- BASICALLY EVERYTHING. I adored this book. So, so much. It was just the comfort read I needed right now, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

/ content /

One of the only things I didn't like (and thus the half star I'm deducting) was the content. It's mild but there's a smattering of language (like a dozen or so words) and some awkward romantic content. No sex scenes or anything I wasn't okay with reading but still a little "eh." There are also lots of mentions of naked people due to all the transformations between animal/human forms, which was a little weird but wasn't portrayed in a sexual way. As usual, feel free to message me for any content concerns. :)

4.5 stars

Nicholle Urcuyo 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnjqVQoFo...
My Lady Jane.
Review 5/5 ⭐.
.
Lady Jane Grey or Dudley as known throughout history was queen for nine days following her cousin’s abrupt death. “My Lady Jane” is a comedic retelling of this very tale in history except there’s a few twists and turns. In the novel, there are two types of people; the edians and the verities. Edians have the ability to turn into animals which upsets the verities.
.
This was so much fun. So much fun. This book is a fantastic retelling. The comedic aspects of the novel were amazing. It is a warm, lovable, over-the-top rewriting of history and I enjoyed every minute of it. Unlike most funny books, the humour remains constant throughout, never running dry or feeling forced. Aside from the awesome approach with the material history, this book gave us wonderful characters. Jane, Edward and Gifford (you can call him G) Three different but equally fascinating (and stubborn) characters that will seize your heart from the start! Lady Jane is pretty much like all of us as bookish nerds. She LOVES books and treats them like her children and would rather read a book at her own wedding. She's also a feminist queen and I would actually die for her. I have to say, Gifford was probably my favorite. G can turn into a horse, and unfortunately he cannot control the change. He is patient and charming and sweet, and protective too. He's a soft boy who loves poetry and is always brushed off aside by his father because of his uncontrollable horse condition. Edward is the dying king, who has never kissed a girl and barely rules as king. While Jane and G get married and are trying to kill each other, Edward is busy trying to stay alive. But he found out that he's being poisoned, and he barely escaped the palace. Edward's journey to getting back to the palace changes him, and he matures a great deal as the story goes on. Overall really enjoyable kind of historical fiction with a magical twist!.

Meghan M

The writing style was so much fun and the different pov's kept me engaged in the book until the end!

Celeste Richardson

Full review now posted!

I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed this hard while reading. 

Tudor and Elizabethan history have always been incredibly interesting to me. I took all of the classes on the period I could while in college. As someone interested in the era, I’ve always found Jane Grey’s short reign one of the saddest things ever, and I absolutely love the fact that a trio of authors decided that history is stupid and we have every right to change it to suit us. While obviously this is a dangerous stance to take in reality, I think it’s perfectly acceptable in fiction. And these ladies did a marvelous job of completely destroying history as it stands and restitching it into a pattern that not only pleases them but will have readers rolling in laughter as they consume the tale.

There will be some spoilers from here on out, because there’s just no other way to review this book. I'll keep them as light and vague as possible, but consider yourself warned.

First of all, I connected with Jane on a spiritual level. Books are the most important thing in the world to her, which I totally get. Most people at court only recognize her by her red hair the the ever present book in her face, and could not recognize her features if their lives depended on it. When King Edward begins to sicken with the Affliction, he is convinced my his advisor to marry his dear cousin off and ensure that she’ll take the throne when he fades away. She does her duty and marries, but nothing else works out as it’s meant to. For starters, the King isn’t sick; he’s being poisoned. But most inconvenient for Jane is the fact that her new husband is only human half the time. During daylight hours, he’s a horse.

Jane is a treasure. She's snarky and smart and not content to just sit around being a girl during a period when that was all that was expected. And she's joined by a host of other strong, independent female characters who can totally take care of themselves. This was a great girl-power book, and I would immediately shove it onto any teenage girl I happen across.

One of my favorite things about this book is the replacement of religious tension and infighting with that caused by magic dwelling in the kingdom. Instead of Catholics fighting Anglicans, we have Verities (those opposed to magic) fighting Edians (those who have an animal form). I loved this adaptation and how it altered events, while still explaining the tension in the country. 

But my very favorite thing about this book was the humor. I’ve read a lot of books in my life, but this is hands down the funniest of them. There were references to Monty Python and a plethora of horse jokes, and it just make me so happy. And the audiobook narrator was absolutely perfect in every way. 

If you like history but don’t mind seeing it desecrated for the sake of a story, and if you want to read something that will make you laugh out loud, I heartily recommend this book. British history has never been so funny.

For more of my reviews, as well as my own fiction and thoughts on life, check out my blog, Celestial Musings.

My Lady Jane

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