Scan barcode
elizabeth_juliet's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
I am not one typically drawn to fantasy, but this book had me in its grasp, and I would have finished it faster had I not been studying for midterms! I am typically a historical fiction type of girl, and Lady Jane Grey and that period of English history has always fascinated me and while this was a “(not) entirely true story”, this historical retelling with fantasy flavors bewitched me and left me longing for more after I turned the last page.
Lady Jane is a spunky, short redhead who dances to the beat of her own drum (ie. enjoys spending time reading books rather than chasing romance. Her cousin Edward is king of England, yet he has recently fallen ill with a mysterious sickness, and seeks to solidify his line of succession should he die. Unfortunately for Jane, this means Edward has arranged for her to marry Gifford, a noble boy with a surprising secret. As the three are pulled into throne-stealing conspiracies, they must work together (with a little magically help) to untangle their problems and create their own happily ever after quite different from what is in the history books.
Chock full of jokes and lovable characters, My Lady Jane is sure to keep you laughing and wondering what surprising plot twist is coming next!
Lady Jane is a spunky, short redhead who dances to the beat of her own drum (ie. enjoys spending time reading books rather than chasing romance. Her cousin Edward is king of England, yet he has recently fallen ill with a mysterious sickness, and seeks to solidify his line of succession should he die. Unfortunately for Jane, this means Edward has arranged for her to marry Gifford, a noble boy with a surprising secret. As the three are pulled into throne-stealing conspiracies, they must work together (with a little magically help) to untangle their problems and create their own happily ever after quite different from what is in the history books.
Chock full of jokes and lovable characters, My Lady Jane is sure to keep you laughing and wondering what surprising plot twist is coming next!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism and Death
Forced marriage andephalent's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
sapphic_swiftie's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
this was such a fun and unique read! one of my favorite things about it were the dynamic and strong-willed characters!! jane was my favorite with her bookish interests, strength, and relatibility! i also liked the ways her and gifford's relationship progressed as the novel went on and they got to know each other better! speaking of which, i just thought the romance in this novel was done well all-around in regards to both the prominent relationships!
i have to say though, this book got really really cringey at some points. i get that it was part of the whole "humor" aspect of the book but sometimes the jokes just didn't land for me. similarly some of the things that happened i found to just be outright ridicuolous and far-fetched. like i understand that it is not supposed to be a historically accurate story and that many creative liberties were taken, but there were points where things just went too far. also the insertion of the narrator's voice at random points in the middle of the story just wasn't exactly for me either.
i'm starting to sound really negative, but truly, i did enjoy it!! i felt like it had such great vibes and i really enjoyed learning the history surrounding the events. i did a ton of googling and learning about henry viii, his wives, and kids (even though no actual historical events were really potrayed in the book) that i even listed to some of the six the musical soundtrack and now want to go see it lol! i also will likely read the next book in the series so i am glad i picked this one up!
i have to say though, this book got really really cringey at some points. i get that it was part of the whole "humor" aspect of the book but sometimes the jokes just didn't land for me. similarly some of the things that happened i found to just be outright ridicuolous and far-fetched. like i understand that it is not supposed to be a historically accurate story and that many creative liberties were taken, but there were points where things just went too far. also the insertion of the narrator's voice at random points in the middle of the story just wasn't exactly for me either.
i'm starting to sound really negative, but truly, i did enjoy it!! i felt like it had such great vibes and i really enjoyed learning the history surrounding the events. i did a ton of googling and learning about henry viii, his wives, and kids (even though no actual historical events were really potrayed in the book) that i even listed to some of the six the musical soundtrack and now want to go see it lol! i also will likely read the next book in the series so i am glad i picked this one up!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Death, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Confinement, and Stalking
calamitywindpetal's review
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism and Misogyny
Minor: Death and Death of parent
kassidyreads's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Incest, Alcohol, and Death
spinesinaline's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This was a very fun story but not at all what I was expecting, I somehow missed that this would be a fantasy shapeshifter romance.
I did a project on Lady Jane Grey back in the day so I really enjoyed the nods to history (where the story maintained historical accuracy). Also the humour in this story, which is a big part of it, is really enjoyable. It wasn’t a killer story for me but it was something fun to immerse myself in for a while.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Katherine Kellgren and it was immediately obvious that this was an American doing some incredibly exaggerated “British” accents. So while that took some getting used to, overall it added to the humour as well.
I did a project on Lady Jane Grey back in the day so I really enjoyed the nods to history (where the story maintained historical accuracy). Also the humour in this story, which is a big part of it, is really enjoyable. It wasn’t a killer story for me but it was something fun to immerse myself in for a while.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Katherine Kellgren and it was immediately obvious that this was an American doing some incredibly exaggerated “British” accents. So while that took some getting used to, overall it added to the humour as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Confinement, Blood, and Grief
zoepagereader's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Going in, I thought this was going to be a realistic fiction book about Lady Jane Grey. Boy was I wrong. It was so much better than that. I had no idea it was possible to have a fantasy book with dark tone AND non twisted humor. Excellent read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Hate crime, and Sexism
madamenovelist's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Blood, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Sexism
alisonvh's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was so much fun to read! I’m a sucker for historical fiction (especially Tudor England) and I love fantasy and romance. Mix the 3 together, along with a good sense of humor, and you have a book designed for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Sexism, and Misogyny
Minor: Death and Violence
r1dh4's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Overall, this was a fun book, and I liked the premise. I didn't necessarily laugh at many of the jokes (though the banter was fun), but the comical tone was still enjoyable and I found it easy to get into the story. The characters generally seemed pretty distinct, and the plot felt like it had good pacing. Some things still got to me, though. Namely, what were Bess' motives for helping Edward? It always felt a little bit too convenient to me that she was there for him when he needed her, and then she was able to take the crown so easily and selflessly at the end. I feel like having a bit more explanation/characterization of her motives and personality would have helped; but this is a pretty minor detail and not really the focus of the story anyway.
I would recommend this for anyone looking for an easy, lighthearted romance with a twist of fantasy, based loosely on historical events!
I would recommend this for anyone looking for an easy, lighthearted romance with a twist of fantasy, based loosely on historical events!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism