Historical retelling that has a fun, witty, contemporary vibe. This series is a great way to reintroduce these women in history to the modern generation. Well written and well paced, great addition to the series.

My Contrary Mary is a fun romp back in the world of My Lady Jane. This time following Mary, Queen of Scots and her pack of ladies in waiting/animal shifting Mary's, Her fiancee, The Dauphin, and a potion making daughter of Nostradamus. There's all the fun, pop culture references and disregard for actual history one would expect from The Lady Janies. The characters are delightful, the plot is entertaining whether you're familiar with the history involved or not, and there are cameos from many characters from My Lady Jane. My Contrary Mary is an enjoyable page-turner and I can't wait to see their take on Marie Curie.

My Contrary Mary
By: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

Harper Audio

History/ Teens and YA

Publish date June 22, 2021

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I want to thank NetGalley for giving me the chance to review this book. Tis the first time I used their audio and the audio was great lets you get through the books faster.

I was ok with this book. I liked the writing style and the book flowed well. It just seemed a little long for me. I didn't know much about Mary Queen of Scotts so that was a plus. There was just a lot going on and I got lost and confused it might just be the audio book format and not the book itself. I did learn a few things.

Being of Royalty doesn't make your life easier in fact it can be dangerous. To many people want to have their hands in the fire and in control. I am glad the book had a happy ending with all the stuff that happened.

I am sorry this isn't a very good review because my mind is still processing the book and I don't want to tell much because of spoilers. It has a lot of facts and information.

I was SO excited to return to the world of My Lady Jane. My Contrary Mary didn't disappoint - just the right amount of humor, intrigue, and fantasy to keep you reading. I love the way the others turn history on its head in a fun and light way. I'll read whatever they want to write as a group!

Thanks to Harper and Netgalley for sending me an audio copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was super excited to see that a Mary series was coming out from this group of writers. They did not disappoint! I loved Mary & Francis’s sweet relationship, Mary’s slimey and conniving Uncles, and the don’t underestimate her, Queen Katherine. A thoroughly enjoyable story. I can’t wait to see what Mary they will tackle next.

First of all, thank you to Harper Teen and Net Galley for an Advanced Listening Copy!

We started this journey with these 3 authors in the LAdy Janies, but My Contrary Mary is the first book in the Mary series!

My Contrary Mary follows Mary Queen of Scots! I was definitely excited jumping into this because I know quite a bit about her thanks to our trip to Scotland, but as usual, this isn't your usual retelling. No, Mary Queen of Scots is Eðian, menaing she can trasnform into a mouse. When word comes around that someone is trying to assassinate Mary, Francis' father sets their wedding date.

Fighting political intrigue, her love to Francis, and her duty to Scotland, Mary must make some difficult decisions surrounded by friends and family alike.

Overall, I enjoyed this. I think it didn't have as much humor and input from our invisible narrators as usual, but I did like it! I also loved getting to know Mary's ladies in waiting, and the budding romance between Ari and Liv! Can't wait to meet the other Marys!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC audio of My Contrary Mary.
Being a fan of the Jane series and historical fiction, I was excited to read an advanced copy of this book. True to the authors' style, this book was fun, engaging, and reasonably historical. The authors' apologize at the beginning of the book for the liberties they will be taking in changing England's history. Their books always leave me wanting to research to find out what story elements are fact. The authors did a great job keeping the content of the story appropriate for young teen readers. Their puns, comments, and movie references add wit and humor.
I look forward to the next book in the Mary series!

I enjoyed this! The authors have a fun personality that weaves together perfectly into a historical fiction story. Personally the computer generated reader made me rewind because I’d lose focus. Beyond that, this was another great story from these authors.

A nice twist on history! An enjoyable book. Because it wasn't a really narrator it was a little difficult to listen to and get into. I look forward to re-listening once there is a real narrator. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This is a mazing book by not one but three amazing authors. Must read or listen. I you Like the Janies you will like this book.

*Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this title!*

Mary is the Queen of Scotland, and will soon be the wife of the King of France. (She likes him well enough.) She's lived in France since she was a small child, with her ladies-in-waiting, all of whom are named Mary, and has the secret power to turn into a mouse and go spying on the rest of the palace (even though animal shape-shifters are being persecuted all across Europe), which she sometimes does for political reasons, and sometimes just for the fun of it. Add in Nostradamus's daughter, Ari, who is kinda in love with one of her ladies, and has premonitions of movie scenes far in the future, and some court intrigue, and Mary's got her hands full. Of course, they're about to be even fuller once she gets married, and while the wedding itself doesn't scare her, the wedding night? Yeah, that scares her. Oh, plus her uncles are up to something, and she hasn't gotten a letter from her Mom in way too long, AND the kitchen isn't allowed to make biscuits for a month. What a life!

Reader notes: First the Jane books and now the Marys - I love it! Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have delighted me yet again with their latest historical fantasy.

I will start this by saying I was unable to finish this book and my rating is based on a small portion of the book. I received an ARC from NetGalley in audibook form. However, it was not the completed audiobook and the narration was the computer generated version. Due to personal preference for audiobooks, I couldn't listen to much more than 25% of the book as the lack of inflection and sometimes choppy narration made it hard to engage. Based on the portion of the book that I listened to, the story was enjoyable and I liked the characters. I look forward to picking up a physical copy of this to read when it is published in a few short months and adding it to my classroom library.

* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

I have reslly enjoyed these umique retellings. This is the first book I’ve listened to where the “narrarator” was a computer generated voice. It made it hard to listen to it
As with the Jane serues, this book was fun snd quirky. I always love the references and irreverance.
It was an easy story but just didn’t hit the rght notes for me.

I love this duology so much! I was able to get an arc from the publisher. I absolutely love these authors when they work together. The characters were very memorable and I loved how they wove old stories seamlessly into the new one!

I received an e-arc of My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've read the Lady Janies' previous series following Janes, and I was so excited when I heard that they were writing more books, this time following Marys. Also, I've never been so excited to be approved for an arc!! I love the way the Lady Janies write, their books are funny and entertaining but you also learn about history.
My Contrary Mary follows three POVs, Mary Queen of Scots, Francis the next king of France, and Ari the next Nostradamus. The setting is Renaissance France and takes place in the same world as My Lady Jane. This book reads like Reign fanfiction in the best way, it was so funny and I flew through it! I watched a few episodes of Reign before reading and I think it helped to understand the court politics and setting a little better.
I really liked that there was a female female romance between Ari and one of Mary's ladies, and their interactions together were so cute. The romance between Mary and Francis was so sweet, and I love the friends-to-lovers trope when it's done well.
I think that if you like Six the Musical or The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue then you might also enjoy any of the Lady Janies' books.
I can't wait to read about the next Mary in the series. <3
4/5 stars.

I loved the Jane series and was thrilled to see that there would be a Mary series. This book did not disappoint. Like the Jane series I was able to dive into a world that is part fictional, and part historical. The characters come alive in their communications and interactions as both modern characters, fantastical characters, and historical figures. The only issue I had was the narrator being a computer, but that will be remedied with the final version and I look forward to listening to that version when it is released.

I received the audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, although this audiobook voice was that of a computer voice for review purposes.

I have always loved stories of royalty and thought them all the same, but this one is so incredibly different in the best way. Not only is there a great ending, that most royals don’t get, but there are incredible details about a race of shapeshifters known as the Eðian (Sounds like Eh-Th-e-an). These people are hunted and any who show them mercy are considered weak. This race is demonized simply because they possess the ability to turn into one animal. Mary, Queen of Scots, is one of these people. She can transform and her betrothed is the only one she has told since she left her home country of Scotland.

The story goes on to describe the political deceit that we see in all historical fiction based around royals but with the shapeshifting Eðian’s they add something extra to this story.

All in all I loved this story and can’t wait to see what comes next as this story kind of wrapped itself up in a bow very nicely at the end.

My Contrary Mary is the latest feminist fantasy historical fiction from Hand, Ashton and Meadows. It has all of the wit and fantastical elements of the previous titles in the series. However, the storyline is much stronger and even the minor characters are well-developed. We revisit the world of My Lady Jane, the first book in the series, and getting a glimpse into the "happily ever after" for Lady Jane was delightful. Highly recommended for YA romance and fantasy fans.

My Contrary Mary is historical fiction based on the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. In this version, Mary and her ladies are shapeshifters.

Mary became queen of Scotland when she was 6 days old. Her privileged upbringing became the basis of the nursery rhyme. Mary was extremely contrary, and the silver bells are the bells in the great cathedrals of France. Mary was very fond of cockles, small and very expensive shellfish similar to clams, and left piles of cockleshells when she ate them. Pretty maids all in a row referred to her ladies-in-waiting, the four Marys. Mary Seton, Mary Beaton, Mary Fleming, and Mary Livingston accompanied Mary to France, and were her constant companions.

I loved this book, and would highly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital copy of this title to review from Net Galley.

#MyContraryMary#NetGalley

Enjoyable historical novel that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Mary Queen of Scotts is a notrious historical figure. I would become more obsessed if I had more free time.
The authors create a contemporary tale- present day culture referenced to provide humor not to mention the digs at the French as well as aristocrats.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I played the audio version - just an automated version, while my 14 yo daughter did school work. She enjoyed listening- especially the presence of potions.