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Review – My Lady Jane

Posted in Book Blogger

My Lady Jane

by Cynthia Hand Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton

My Lady JaneSeries: The Lady Janies, Book 1
Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Retelling
Release Date: June 7, 2016
Pages: 512
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Rating: ★★★★☆

Edward (long live the king) is the King of England. He’s also dying, which is inconvenient, as he’s only sixteen and he’d much rather be planning for his first kiss than considering who will inherit his crown…

Jane (reads too many books) is Edward’s cousin, and far more interested in books than romance. Unfortunately for Jane, Edward has arranged to marry her off to secure the line of succession. And there’s something a little odd about her intended…

Gifford (call him G) is a horse. That is, he’s an Eðian (eth-y-un, for the uninitiated). Every day at dawn he becomes a noble chestnut steed—but then he wakes at dusk with a mouthful of hay. It’s all very undignified.

The plot thickens as Edward, Jane, and G are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy. With the fate of the kingdom at stake, our heroes will have to engage in some conspiring of their own. But can they pull off their plan before it’s off with their heads?


Review

I didn’t enjoy My Lady Jane (MLJ) as much as My Plain Jane (MPJ), but that’s more to do with personal preference than the quality of the story.

MLJ was well-written but felt much less light-hearted than MPJ. The first half of the book left me concerned that there would be no happy endings, despite what the prologue said. However, the second half of the book more than makes up for it.

Once again, there are an abundance of pop culture references. Kudos for the nods to Shakespeare, Monty Python, and Tangled.

Jane is a delightful character, as are those in her supporting cast. This new version of history is certainly interesting.

I can’t help but wonder what “really” happened with Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. Perhaps something related to their animal forms? (That’s not a spoiler, by the way, the clues are all there from early on.) Anyway, as neither is named Jane, we’re unlikely to get that story.

I certainly recommend MLJ, especially if you don’t mind an abundance of angst.


About the Authors

Cynthia Hand

Cynthia 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 and MY PLAIN JANE (with fellow authors Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows), THE AFTERLIFE OF HOLLY CHASE, and the upcoming novel THE HOW AND THE WHY (Fall 2019). 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 a husband who’s addicted to typewriters, two kids, two cats, one crazy dog, and a entourage of imaginary friends.

Author links: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Amazon Author Page

Brodi Ashton

Because of two parents who were Greek myth geeks, I grew up thinking the latest fashion trends were inspired by Aphrodite, and a good conversational opener was, “So, which mythological character do you most resemble?” Despite these social shortcomings, I found a great husband who’s always my first reader. We live in Utah with our two young boys, who still have no idea why I’m at the computer all the time.

I received a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics.

Author links: Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Amazon Author Page

Jodi Meadows

Jodi Meadows wants to be a ferret when she grows up and she has no self-control when it comes to yarn, ink, or outer space. Still, she manages to write books. She is the author of the INCARNATE Trilogy, the ORPHAN QUEEN Duology, and the FALLEN ISLES Trilogy (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen), and a coauthor of MY LADY JANE (HarperTeen). She lives in rural Virginia.

Author links: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter | Amazon Author Page


Disclaimer: This review is based on an eBook I borrowed from Amazon on December 19, 2018 through the Kindle Unlimited program.

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