Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for a voice galley of this book! Release date - June 22, 2021

First of all, let me say that My Lady Jane is one of my FAVORITE books ever. It’s exactly my style of humor plus it’s one of my favorite time periods in history. I did not love the other Jane books in that series, but I gotta say, My Contrary Mary came pretty darn close! I think the return to the world of Verities and E∂Ians made all the difference, that shapeshifting element added so so much to the story. Plus, I love and am familiar with Mary Queen of Scots and just the overall time period is right up my alley. I don’t think it was as good as My Lady Jane, but that probably has a lot to do with the fact that it was the first book of it’s kind, and it was so surprising and clever and I just had no idea what awesomeness I was in for. This one I went in with high expectations, expecting and hoping for greatness, and it really was great! It just can’t outrank my love for Jane. But overall a solid, very strong, 4.5 stars!

There were just so many funny moments, my favorite being Ari’s visions and the endless movie references. Some of these had me literally cracking up laughing. When The Princess Bride was thrown in, my all time favorite movie and book, I was sold. I considered giving it 5 stars just for those incredibly amazing references! The last few hours were the best. I absolutely love the direction they took it in.

The writing style and characters were wonderful, so funny and well-written. It’s even better if you’re familiar with the true story of Mary Queen of Scots and also have watched Reign (because they throw some teasing moments about that show in here too). It was the perfect twist of history…stuck close enough to the truth that my historically accurate brain didn’t freak out, but twisted enough to be so funny and clever. I seriously loved this book and I really am looking forward to My Imaginary Mary, I can’t wait to see these author’s take on Mary Shelley, and I’m hoping they stick with the E∂Ian and Verity world.

Following The Janes, My Contrary Mary picks back up with the E∂ian magics coupled with French court intrigue, riotous humor, and a splash of historical accuracy.

The Mary in question is Mary, Queen of Scots, and perhaps I’m showing my Millennial card here, but I’m having trouble picturing the characters in any other way but the characters from the CW’s Reign.

I enjoy these books because while the reality for the subject matter is certain death, these authors craft charming yet still harrowing experiences that dull the pain of losing these historical figures.

Quick, enjoyable reads for reluctant readers.

Oh how I love these books! I cannot help but laugh out loud throughout each one. Just when I think these authors have done all they can do with Janes- they out do themselves! I am always so impressed with the creativity and curiosity it takes to come up with these. They are like literary improv skits and “yes, and” rules the day!

My Contrary Mary
By Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows

3.25/5

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary Stuart. Mary...the Mouse? When you think of Mary, Queen of Scots, you probably don’t think of a shapeshifter, but that’s exactly what this fun, lighthearted take on Mary’s teenage-ish years puts forth. My Contrary Mary tells the tale of betrayal and teenage romance set against a 16th Century background.

This was my first foray into the My Jane/Mary universe and it was not at all what I was expecting! I really enjoyed the humor - especially the breaking the 4th wall kind of comments - and most of the character POVs were fun to read. But honestly, the “mystery” really fell flat for me. It kind of felt like there wasn’t a ton of plot, and left me wishing for a bit more.

However, I definitely enjoyed the writing style enough to make me want to go read some of the My Lady Jane series since I know they are pretty highly regarded! If you’re looking for a quick and easy read that will make you laugh (and maybe pull you out of a series reading slump), MCM is a great choice for that!

These humorous historical retellings are always delightful to read. I liked that this particular installment went back to the world of the My Lady Jane and brought a new fresh twist on the story of Mary Queen of Scotts. It was a quick, fun and lighthearted read. I would recommend it to everybody, even to those who don’t read fantasy or historical fiction. I can’t wait to see what this author trio is going to come out with next.

Thank you to Harper Audio for an early review copy!

Mary, Queen of Scots has been betrothed to Francis, the heir of the French throne, since they were children. They are best of friends and know all of one another’s secrets— including that Mary is an Eðian and on occasion turns into a mouse. They are lucky in their commitment because they like each other and it’ll be years before they are to be wed. When the king dies unexpectedly, they must marry hastily and secure the throne while trying to evade those who are vying to steal it, all while keeping the peace between the Eðians and Verities back in Mary’s own Scotland. All in a day’s work as a Queen and King.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperTeen for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review! I have read all of the Lady Janies series and was ecstatic to read this latest novel from Hand, Ashton, and Meadows. It absolutely didn’t disappoint! Returning to the land of Eðians, we get to know Mary, Queen of Scots and her lively ladies in waiting. Mary herself is an Eðian and trying to conceal her secret. Like many of the leading ladies in these novels, Mary is strong willed and self possessed. Francis is sensitive and plays a lovely support to our heroine. Though at times absurd, I would argue that My Contrary Mary might prompt young readers to look up the actual history to understand the context in which the book is written. The story is propelled by the wit and modern day references peppered throughout this reimagined history. Clever as ever, this book is especially fun in audio because it reads like theater. Very fun, as always. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy history, theater, and period pieces.

I loved My Lady Jane and was pleasantly surprised to find that this story takes place in the same world (with some late appearances by the characters from MLJ). The humor from the first three books is there along with the sublte pop culture references that always make me laugh. I thought they were done really well in this book. I liked the story and it made me want to look up more information about the real Mary. My only complaint is that it is on the long side (500 pages) and toward the end I'm a little ready for it to wrap up.

The Lady Janies have done it again! My Contrary Mary is their latest historical retelling, this time focusing on Mary, Queen of Scots, and it is just as fun, fresh, sometimes irreverent and often laugh out loud funny as the books in their "Jane" series. I loved all of the puns and the humorous references to so many modern day popular films, like The Lion King, Frozen, There's Something About Mary, etc. I wasn't very familiar with Mary, Queen of Scots, history aside from her beheading so I enjoyed learning a bit more about her through this blend of fact and fantasy, and of course it was a fun reading in the sense that the Janies give her life an alternate ending.

Just a note: I originally started listening to the digital audio arc of this book and gave up on it. With a book like this that is meant to be so lighthearted and funny, the humor was unfortunately falling flat with the synthetic voice. I actually waited for the publication date and checked the e-audiobook out of my local library. With actual narrators with proper accents and inflections, the audiobook is a pure delight and the humor shines through properly.

If you enjoy Tudor history, creative and sometimes irreverent retellings, and laugh out loud humor, I highly recommend My Contrary Mary. My Lady Jane is still my favorite book from the Lady Janies but My Contrary Mary is a close second.

I love how this was set back in the same world as My Lady Jane, which was my first Ladies Janies book and got me hooked. It was so good to be back in the world filled with Eðian! The author has taken an already interesting historical account of Mary, Queen of Scots, and gave it some awesome twists. Can we please make sure these 3 always continue to write stories like these? They are so much fun and definitely one of a kind. The Lady Janies have created another masterpiece. You will not be disappointed. There is romance, humor, betrayals, and friendships. It's a fun book and a quick read!

I loved this book. I went into it with high expectations because I loved The Lady Janies series so much. Seriously I re-read that series every couple of months. So my expectations were super high and luckily this one lived up to those expectations!

This book follows Mary, Queen of Scots.. who happens to be a shapechanger. LOVE this twist btw. Honestly there is alot that happens and I can't really tell you any of it with out spoiling it.

If you enjoy quirky humor and retellings of history(HAHA) that aren't accurate, then pick this book up. You will not be disappointed. There is romance, humor, betrayals and friendships. It's a fun book and a quick read!

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy of the audiobook. All thoughts an opinions are my own

I will read anything by this author trio. I adore their writing style, their puns and humor, and how they take a historical character and make it their own. My Lady Jane is one of my favorite books of all time. When I found out they were writing a Mary series starting with Mary Queen of Scots set in the same world as My Lady Jane I added it to my TBR without a second thought. This book reminded me of the TV show Reign in the best possible way. I adored Mary. She went through a lot but still remained strong. It was interesting that she's also a shapeshifter. I adored her and Francis together and his character development and seeing him be totally in love with her was great. I thought Ari and Liv's romance was cute as well.

Loved the plot, loved Mary, and absolutely loved the book.
My Contrary Mary was the first book I read by the authors and it turned out to be a surprise (a good one) because I wasn’t expecting much based on the reviews I had read on the author’s narration style. I loved how they twisted some facts (in a good way) and made an already interesting historical event even more fun to read about. I can make some comments about the overall slow pace of the story but the authors more than makes up for that with their palpable sense of humour in the story.
I have already added The Lady Janies to my TBR list and might have bumped them up my list- that’s how much I enjoyed reading the book.
On a side note, this was by far the best synthetic audio voice book I have come across.

Thank you to @harperaudio and @Netgalley for my audio ARC of My Contrary Mary!! 🥰

👸🏻 Mini Review 👑

I am a huge fan of The Lady Janies series. They were all so funny and such a fun twist on historical events. I was especially excited about My Contrary Mary because I loved the TV show Reign and since then have been super interested in Mary Queen of Scots.

This book was just as funny as the other 3 that came before. Our 3 POVs are Mary, Francis, and Ari, short for Aristotle. Mary is the Queen of Scotland but has been living in France with the Queen and King and is betrothed to Francis, their son. She is also an Eðian, which is a shapeshifter and at will, she can turn herself into a mouse. This is most helpful when she needs to find out information. Besides her ladies, which are all named Mary, Francis knows the truth, but no one else can find out.

My Contrary Mary was a wild and super fun ride. I laughed my butt off a ton and really loved the characters. I am definitely going to relisten to the audio because the automated narrator on my ARC was really hard to concentrate on. I gave the book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. If you loved the Lady Janies, you will def love Mary. I can’t wait to see which Mary is next!

This book is not for me. I don’t mind bringing an old story into the present or future. I don’t mind fictional accounts of the past. I do wonder why we must take these interesting people and then just throw away the chance to show why they were actually interesting. I’ve never been a fan of randomly bringing the present into a fiction set in an actual historical time period. We have a choice to really understand that is ruined.

I have been obsessed with Mary Queen of Scots since watching the show, Reign and then doing a deep dive into the real (and very tragic) history of the Scottish Queen. My Contrary Mary is a fantastical retelling about Mary, Queen of Scots. I loved the spin Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows added to this story of Mary being a mouse shapeshifter (aka an Eðian). Mary is in France, where Verities rule and being an Eðian could cost her her life. This secret made for an interesting aspect of the story. The third-person narration was fun and I loved the jokes throughout the book from the narrators. I loved Mary's character in this book and she was very likable. The supporting characters were well-developed and invoked strong feelings from me while reading. The twisted turns the tale took were enjoyable and I found myself wishing they were actual history. I'm excited for this "Mary" series from Hand, Ashton, and Meadows. With the same cheeky humor, this series is bound to be a hit as the "Jane" series was.

⠀

**4.5-stars**

Returning with all the fantastical humor of My Lady Jane, My Contrary Mary follows Mary Queen of Scots as a teenager in 16th-century France. Although she has the title of Queen of Scotland, Mary has actually spent most of her life living in France, where she is betrothed to the Dauphin; future King, Francis.

She has her handmaidens with her, all named Mary, but luckily assigned nicknames so they don't all respond at the same time. Less confusing that way. Mary, our Mary, Mary Queen of Scots, also feels fortunate that she and Francis actually get along quite well; many young people aren't as fortunate with their arranged marriages. #blessed

Just look at Francis's mother, Catherine de Medici. It's pretty clear she despises her husband, King Henry II and frequently plots against him in various ways. Oh, the drama of the royal court!!!

Our varied cast of characters doesn't end there however, we also have the infamous seer Nostradamus, along with his daughter, Ari, on Catherine's payroll. Lurking about behind the scenes providing predictions, potions and more!

I should also probably mention that our Mary is an edian, a shapeshifter, transforming into a mouse when it suits her. This is an awfully handy skill for palace eavesdropping, as you can imagine, and has helped our dear Mary on more than one occasion.

Y'all, I'm giddy. This was so much fun. It was everything I wanted it to be. I love the Lady Janies' creative narrative style. It's quirky, funny and full of subtle pop culture references. These authors sure know how to tell a delightful story!

Captivating from the start, if you enjoyed My Lady Jane, I think you will love this just as much. I know I did.

Thank you to the publisher, Harper Teen and Harper Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. It was pure fun on the page and I can't wait to meet more Marys are the series continues!!!

The Marys series follows a similar pattern to the Janes series. My Contrary Mary features some of the characters we met in My Lady Jane. This book retells the story of Mary, Queen of Scots with a twist. It was a truly enjoyable audiobook and the narrator does a great job. I can't wait for the next book in the Marys series.

I received this audiobook for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperTeen for the audio ARC!

I am a huge fan of the Jane series by these three ladies, so I was super jazzed when I found out about the Mary series! I am also a big Tudor family history dork, so the first book being about Mary, Queen of Scots was also very exciting. I was totally ready to dive back into the world of Verities (normals) and E∂ians (shapeshifters).

First, I would like to say that this series consistently makes me laugh out loud. I love the little witty asides, and the clever ways of including current pop culture in a historical novel. The fact that one of the characters has visions that are scenes of movies from our lifetime was funny and clever. This group of ladies also writes so well together. Each author writes one of the three main characters, but they blend together so seamlessly. And I also never know which author has written which character. The writing style of each compliments the others so well.

I really enjoyed all of the characters in this story. I loved getting to learn a little bit more about Mary’s history. I am aware that some of this didn’t actually happen (obviously haha), but you can also tell that the authors put in a fair amount of research in order to make it as historically accurate as possible in this type of alternate history story. Mary was stubborn but very likable; Ari was a little frustrating but also very interesting; and Francis was spoiled but lovable. I liked how each was a flawed character, but you still liked them all. I had my moments with Ari, but they turned it around for me in the end.

I was excited that they took us back into the same world as the first book of the Jane series, My Lady Jane. No spoilers, but you get to interact with some of the characters from that book, which made me squeal with joy when it happened. Getting to learn more about the politics of the Verity and E∂ian world was also an unexpected plus for me. I tend to not really care or enjoy political stuff in my fiction, but it was well done and entertaining here.

I really liked the romance between Mary and Francis, as well as the one between Ari and Liv. They all behaved like teenagers, which was good, since that is exactly what they are. It was believable and precious.

All in all, this was a very funny book with some good historical research and a sweet love story. I am very excited to see which Mary they decide to tackle next! Also, if you haven’t read the Jane series, go get it now!! It will help tide you over until the next Mary book is out!

My Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I gave My Contrary Mary 4 Stars!!

I listened to this book on audio. It was an enjoyable reimagining of what happened to Mary, Queen of Scots. The book itself reads rather young. I would say for 12 to 14 year olds. I do hope that such retellings inspire young readers to look into the actual historical events the book is based on and get them interested in doing a bit of research or perhaps even further reading. 3 out of 5 stars. An enjoyable book for younger readers.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Audio for an advanced copy of MY CONTRARY MARY by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. My Contrary Mary is the first of a new series, each book features a famous "Mary" and is in the same universe as the Jane series. This is a retelling of Mary, Queen of Scots with a historical fantasy twist that I had not expected and made my experience different. I am familiar with Mary, Queen of Scot's story through the show Reign but this was unique with the magical/shapeshifting elements. The most difficult thing to "rate" is the fact that the audio arc was a synthetic voice and not an actual narrator which I believe would have increased my rating. Overall, I enjoyed my experience with this book but I wish I had known about the fantasy element prior to beginning.