I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to read this book and it didn’t disappoint! I have read all the Jane books so I just had to read this one. I thought this book was very good, but not as good as the other ones.

I loved the characters and how they were portrayed. I felt attached and connected to them! I also loved how there were little cameos of characters from a previous book. I liked the storyline and how easily it flowed. Everything made sense and I wasn’t confused at all. I did not get into this book very easily though. I had to get about a third of the way through it before I was very interested in finishing it.

Overall I would definitely recommend this book to those who have read the Jane books and just historical fiction lovers. The authors have outdone themselves again and I am so excited for the next book in the series!

Loved this mythology twist to the Mary story. If you liked the show Reign, then you will LOVE this book. I loved how the narrator was telling you a story and would chime in with funny facts. Francis finally found his backbone at the end too, and ended great. Would definitely read more!"

This is my first read from this group of authors but it will not be my last. My Contrary Mary is an entertaining and magical reimagining of Mary Queen of Scots. Fans of historical fiction, fantasy and romance will all find something to love!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

well i really didn't enjoy this one, just not my cup of tea, thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this audiobook

I read My Lady Jane and really loved it.
My Contrary Mary is also a great story, I just thought that the narrator was a little linear and at times I could not feel the emotions or the impact of what was happening in the story.

This is a beautiful twist in history. There is a girl girl relationship that was well written. There is a touch on racism and how cruel people can be in their beliefs. Though I have no experience in either case, it was written and represented well in my opinion. Mary, Queen of Scott’s, story is well know. The authors did their research and gave a nicely written fun fantasy version of her life and experiences. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher/author for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was my first book by the trio and it will definitely not be my last. I loved the re-writing of history along with the witty narration.
I was fairly familiar with Mary Queen of Scot's from the Reign TV and this Mary seemed very similar. I loved the addition of a queer relationship among her ladies.
Francis was the most annoying in the story, his character arc was my least favorite and there was a part about 75% in where I was bored. It did rebound and I did really enjoy the story.
The narrator and Ari both made the story for me. The witty antidotes and side comments were hilarious and Ari's premonitions were the best. I am so excited to see what Mary is next (and to go read the Jane's)

My Contrary Mary is the first book in the Mary series by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. A young adult, fantasy, romance that is sure to sweep you away to another place, another time. Long may she reign. My Contrary Mary basically reminded me of the TV show Reign. The characters are well-written with intriguing backstories that pull you in and hold your attention until the very end, all while leaving you wanting more!

I absolutely loved this audiobook! I really enjoyed the Jane novels and this one was no exception to the amazing content they write and publish!

This book had an interesting premise, but in my opinion, it was ruined by the writing style.

There were numerous pop culture references that made no sense, not only did they not fit the tone of the books, but there wasn’t context in that time period. It kept taking me out of the story.

Maybe some very young teens, or pre-teens might appreciate the writing style, but then they would be so young that I doubt they would understand the references.

Also, some of the story elements seemed very trite and childish. I was disappointed when things would happen that had no build-up, or foreshadowing. It just came across as lazy or cheesy.

I always hate to leave a negative review, but I cannot recommend this book.

This was such a fun ride! My Contrary Mary tied in really nicely with My Lady Jane (my personal favorite), since we are back to the world of ethians once again. I loved the royal drama and the political intrigue, and I really enjoyed the light heartedness of this story. As always, there was lots of confusion and jokes, and all the characters were sweet and lovable. It was particularly interesting just how stubborn and arrogant Mary could be at times, but she was still very likable and you'll definitely be rooting for her.
Overall, it was a catchy story that I kept thinking about, and I enjoyed it. I didn't find it quite as funny as the other Lady Janie stories, but that could have been because of the audiobook format as well (it's a little hard to get the emphasis quite right when listening).

I loved this book. It was way better than the last Jane book because it had way more pop culture references and jokes. The story of Mary and Frances was sweet and the story line of Ari could have been skipped tho. I will be reading the other books in this series...

Such a fun and hilarious book! I love these authors' previous series—the Lady Janies—and am so happy they are continuing with the Marys. Perfect for both fans of the previous series and those who want a historical YA that will make them laugh.

I absolutely loved the Lady Jaines series and was so excited for this one! Granted, the format for this (a digitized audio copy) leaves a little to be desired - such as inflection and the awesome narrators voices for character etc. I don't take that into consideration in this review. It's strictly about the book.

I think for me, while I enjoyed this one more than I did Calamity Jane, I didn't love love it like I did the My Lady Jane. There was something about that book that just caught me and wouldn't let me go.

For this book, I enjoyed the diversion to a new focus - the Mary's - and how it was very similar in their humor (breaking the 4th wall etc) and drawing us in as readers to a time we may not be as familiar with custom wise etc. I personally felt like the plot was...kind of all over the place? Not in a bad way, just there was a lot going on and perhaps too many Mary's (there were like 5) but yet the focus was only on maybe 2 of them and it started to feel a little crowded.

I also was not maybe 100% sold on the romance aspects of it. There are two and both felt...lackluster. One is a friends to lovers scenario and the other felt very insta-love to me. Again, my own judgment.

I suppose I just didn't connect with this story like I thought I would, though I am glad I read it. If you've been a fan of all of their books you will likely really enjoy this one (even if it wasn't maybe my favorite). I think the final audiobook will also be really awesome so that's something to look forward to!

I also did enjoy the crossover from their first book to this new series - it was a fun surprise ;)

My rating: 3.5-4*

Thanks to HarperCollins for an advanced listening copy of this.

I have been reading the works of the Lady Janies ever since My Plain Jane released, and the Mary trilogy is just as charming as its predecessor. Full of masterful writing and hilarious pop culture references, My Contrary Mary takes the historical story of Mary, Queen of Scots and gives it the Hamilton treatment. I could not give this book a stronger recommendation!

I did not finish it at around 30%. Seems like a lovely book but it was a bit too childish for my tastes. Would be great for middle school children interested in historical fiction.

My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows is the first in a new series focusing on famous Marys throughout history and the authors doing their best to right what they see as wrongs and bring about a happy ending. Similar to their first novel, My Lady Jane, My Contrary Mary (MCM going forward) includes loads of pop culture references, phrasing and slang and is a fun twist on a famous lady and her life.

My Contrary Mary follows Mary, Queen of Scots and her life in the French Court where she's been engaged to the Dauphin (Crown Prince of France, Francis since she was a toddler MCM is set in the same world as My Lady Jane and it includes the Eðian (humans who can transform into animals) and humans as they fight for control of Scotland, France and the world. Famous figures such as Nostradamus, his daughter, Catherine de Medici, Mary of Guise and others also make an appearance.

If you like history, fantastical storylines and more than a few bits of pop culture, then this is the series for you. It's fun, light-hearted and inclusive in ways that the real historical record was decidedly not. While I did find some of the sections were a bit repetitive, especially if you've read other books in the Janies series, it was an overall fun romp into history.

Note: I received a copy from Netgalley in response for my honest review.

I read “My Lady Jane” earlier this year, and fell in love with the Lady Janies. “My Contrary Mary” is the perfect follow-up to the first Jane book, because it is part of the same fantastic world. These stories are full of humor and wit, and the stories and characters are a lot of fun. These are historical fiction tales with alternate fantasy endings and modern pop culture references.
I especially love to listen to these books on audio. Thanks to Harper Audio and NetGalley I received an advance copy of the audiobook, which is narrated by a surprisingly realistic synthesized voice. I know it will be even better with a real voice actor.

Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But after the king meets a suspicious end, things at the gilded court take a treacherous turn. Thrust onto the throne, Mary and Francis are forced to navigate a viper's nest of conspiracies......
The characters were fun and their adventures made a very entertaining story. The plot was an interesting and fun take on Mary, Queen of Scots....no much fun!!!!!

In the new series by the trio of hilarious and talented authors who wrote the Janies trilogy, My Contrary Mary follows Mary Queen of Scots and her relationship with Prince Francis of France. As with all of the books these three authors have penned, it was full of funny jokes, great contemporary references, and tongue-in-cheek remarks. One thing I love so much about their books is just how clever and funny they are. In this tale, we focus on three perspectives: Mary, Francis, and Ari, the daughter of Nostradomus. We follow them at the beginning where Mary and Francis are engaged to be married and Ari is sent by Queen Catherine of France to be a spy on Mary and act as her Lady in Waiting. The drama picks up very quickly with the wedding of Francis and Mary moving up to just five days after the start of the book. Soon the trio realizes there are lies and deceit everywhere they turn in the castle and that some of the people betraying them are closer than they realize. People turning into animals and secret deals happening behind closed doors, this book has it all. It was a pleasure to read and such a quick one since I didn't want to put the book down. I highly recommend this to people who don't mind history being messed with (they acknowledge just how badly they mess with history at the start of the novel), people who love a bit (or a lot) of drama, and people who love humorous books. I can honestly say that this definitely put a pep in my step and I'm so happy that I got the chance to read it early.