Guess what!? It is time for my first ever Buddy Review! Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction (she’s the one I have to thank for this for including me in her Wrap Up Round Up hosting duties!) calls them “Dual Reviews”, but I already have that as a thing, just for a different kind of thing, so… Buddy Reviews it is!

Please give a warm welcome to Danielle Hammelef to the blog! She’s awesome, and she is not only going to be my first Buddy Reviewer, but my second, too! Also she’s a lovely human being, which makes this extra fun!

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows
Series: The Lady Janies #1
Published by HarperTeen on June 7, 2016
Pages: 512
Format:Hardcover
Source:Purchased

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?

Our Thoughts

Shannon: My first thought about it was that it was funny, and who doesn’t love funny? Especially since it’s a historical book which are generally more serious by nature.

Danielle: From the moment I read the front and back covers, I was already laughing and knew this was the right time to make Shannon read this book. We were in year 20 of the quarantine and I needed something to lift my spirits and this book hit the humor mark for me. I’m a big fan of narrator interruptions in the story (The Secret books by P. Bosch got me hooked on this writing style) and the authors’ sense of humor and sarcasm match my own. This book reminded me of the irreverence of Monty Python that I enjoy.

Shannon: Then we get to the part where people turn into animals, and I’ll admit, I was worried it had lost me. I am notorious for being a non-fan of animal-human hybrids. And this isn’t quite that, sure, but still. I was hesitant. Also around this juncture, I got a wee bit bored, which probably didn’t help matters.

Danielle: This aspect surprised me, but didn’t detract from the story for me. I was already invested in this world and I just went along for the wild ride.

Shannon: But then! Things picked up! And, I was able to see the deeper messages that the authors were trying to convey even while using an amusing tone. In fact, for me that was the best part of the book- that they were able to tell, and even rewrite, some of history’s atrocities in a way that makes it palatable for a reader who may not have otherwise picked up a historical book.

Danielle: I have only read a few historical books and they are all focused on difficult times for humanity. I appreciated the rewriting of history here and agree with Shannon whole-heartedly on this point. Well said, Shannon.

Shannon: And, I got kind of used to the shapeshifting, even if it was kind of a convenient plot device. Oh, and I liked the characters (and you know, hated the ones I was supposed to hate). This book didn’t exactly leave me stunned with some kind of deep historical revelation, but it was able to remain fun and entertaining while addressing the darker parts of history, so I’d say all in all that’s a win.

Danielle: I loved the characters too. There was one character–Archer–who played a villain that I thought was going to have a larger part in the plot, but he seemed to kind of fizzle out. Maybe the book was getting too long and Archer’s part had to be cut? Anyway, G is now officially one of my book boyfriends so these authors know how to create excellent characters. Overall, I also loved the entertainment value and have already bought the next Jane book. 5 stars for me.

(Shannon: I too want to get the next book, and put it on my wish list, so I definitely liked it!)

FINAL VERDICT: 

Shannon:

Danielle:

Have you read this one? Thoughts? And hey, aren’t books better with friends?! Huge thanks to Danielle for coming to play!