It is a normal day on earth, until it isn’t. Huge miles wide spaceships arrive above a dozen or so cities across the globe. Aliens are here but they do not contact anyone and then just as suddenly as they arrived, they are gone. The results of that brief appearance are pretty much as one would expect - government silence, preppers gone mad hoarding and arming themselves and an increase in militant nationalism. Against that backdrop we follow two families and one man as they cope with the changes. Blaine begins to wonder about his super-mom wife, especially as she suddenly packs the family up for a meandering road trip to Disney World. Heather, who resents her ultra-nice stepfather suspects he is an alien in disguise and Oliver wakes after a twenty year state of a catatonic state. Add in cats that can communicate with select humans, secret government negotiations and angry and frightened people and we have a tale of what happens when earth finds out aliens have been among us for decades.
The first chapter was a bit hard to get in to but it sets the stage for much of what follows. The aliens’ love of TV is followed in the layout of the book - there are episodes instead of chapters. The epilogue is perfect but to say why is to wander in to spoiler territory. This was a quick, fun read. I liked all the characters and especially the cats, I wish I could communicate with mine the same way. I’d like to see a “Series 2" to follow up on the characters. Recommended

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

One seemingly ordinary day, alien spaceships descend over major cities around earth. As the world’s communications systems are abruptly knocked out by their arrival, the world comes to a halt, everyone waiting with baited breath for what comes next.

What happens next is much wackier, more poignant, more profound, more perplexing, and filled with far more cats than one might expect.

While some of the characters are unable to turn away from their tv screens, you should most definitely turn the tv off and pick up this delightful book. You won’t regret it.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Serious social commentary meets the most delightful meme-y humor in the most apt alien invasion story possible for 2023.

The story is told from multiple perspectives: Blaine, suburban dad to two feral tv-obsessed children; Heather, Malibu stepdaughter of a big time TV producer; and Oliver, recovered catatonic, all of whom are embroiled in their own personal dramas exacerbated by the sudden arrival and disappearance of a set of enormous alien space ships over the world's major cities.

The story takes a little to warm up, but once it gets rolling it is really a wild ride. There are talking cats, militias, and shady motels alongside marital strife, grief, and coming of age.

Thank you netgalley for access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

In Emily Jane’s On Earth As It Is On Television, the sudden appearance of spacecrafts above Earth leads to a dialogue about humanity’s place in the universe. The narrative follows Blaine, who is stressed by his family’s fixation on television and the likelihood of extraterrestrial life; Heather, an inhabitant of Malibu whose spirit is rekindled with the Arrival; and Oliver, who wakes up from a twenty-year coma and commences on a new path. However, the little twists really begin when we discover the cats have all left home, and we’re itching to know why.

🧵 The characters are intriguing - building suspense, unravelling motives and leading us somewhere you don’t expect. You are drawn into each person’s life and everydayness as they react to their absurd new reality.

🐙 The pace is tepid, but it’s hard to put the book down once you start building momentum. The author does an excellent job of building suspense throughout the novel.

🐚 The writing was quick, easy, colloquial and made for a wonderful light read. The author’s use of multiple perspectives provides a well-rounded exploration of the impact of extraterrestrial life on society. Each character’s unique experiences and viewpoints are woven together seamlessly,

This novel is a vibrant ode to the complexity of life in the 21st century and the fascination stimulated by the prospect of alien existence.

Rating: 4/5

[An ARC was shared with me through NetGalley ahead of release, in exchange for my unbiased review.]

DNF at 48%...

This is a strange book populated with strange characters. Honestly, I think this is a case of 'It's not you; it's me.' Every year around April/May and again around October/November, I enter into a 'reading slump.' Where for about 4-6 weeks, any and every book I read annoys me or bores me to death. I always feel sorry for the books I pick up during this time as it's usually not their fault, but I think this book has fallen foul of my current slump.

I certainly don't discourage anyone from reading this. If you like the synopsis, then you should like the story. Personally, I never really clicked with any of the characters. Oliver was the only one I cared about, but the rest were forgettable. I don't think the author's writing style helped much, either.

Whelp, on to the next book that hopefully be the one to pull me out of this black reading hole!

Thanks to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Emily Jane's 'On Earth as it is on Television.'

I really had no idea what to expect when I started this one.

What an utter delight. A funny, hopeful, and optimistic first contact novel.

It's a particularly hard one to review without spoilers. Some giant spaceships - Independence Day-style - show up above the world's major cities. And then they go away. Everything that happens during that time and before and afterwards describes mainly how one family (it's not exactly a traditional nuclear family) handles it and the impact it has on cats.

This is just a really sweet, enjoyable book that you'll enjoy if you enjoyed The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

I got this as a recommendation from NetGalley.
I absolutely LOVED this book! I look forward to reading future works from this author.

Read if you like: aliens, family, humans being human

I just reviewed On Earth as It Is on Television by Emily Jane. #OnEarthasItIsonTelevision #NetGalley

I wish I could have rated this first novel higher, but though entertaining, it moved much too slowly and repetitiously for me to be able to do so. It's both science fiction and a look at our planet and our bad eating habits. The author obviously has children because her description of the behavior of Avril and Jas brings new meaning to words like obnoxious and feral.

The Smith children are annoyingly difficult to read about. The love each other but constantly fight, kick, bite and scream. The only thing that quiets them down is television. Yes, some of their language is cute and winning, but for the most part I had to skip the description of their "play".

Humongous spaceships hover over the major cities of earth and power is out everywhere. Blaine Smith and his wife, Anne live among co-workers and neighbors who are rapidly becoming survivalists. There are several disjointed [people and stories that come together in the end. There are observations of how television has impacted our behaviors and the behavior of our children. There are observations of how we are addicted tp the most highly overprocessed foods. And there is more of that ilk.

I don't want to reveal any spoilers for those who plan on reading this book, but I found it disjointed and lacking in cohesiveness. It is kind of funny, but not enough to make up for its lacks. And it is unnecessarily long.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review..

Before I begin this review, let me start by saying I tried to like this book. I really did. I read it, put it down, picked it up again, put it down again and on and on. Ultimately I was not successful. The author provides solid narration, and asks insightful questions at times, but when the characters open their mouths, I discover I really don't care about them. They seem like stereotypes - the conspiracy addled dad, the angst filled teens seeking fulfillment. Maybe the challenge is trying to bounce around to too many heads that I don't feel truly invested in any of them (except the cat. I like the cat the most,, which may be the problem.).

It is distinctly possible that the point of the book (as is not-so-obliquely referenced in the first act) it a satirical critique on humanity that suggests it is pointless for aliens with faster than light capabilities to waste their time on our less-than-interesting bipedal hominids. I like my SF a tad more aspirational (or the humor a bit different).

Sorry...

A delightful read,
with bacon-loving meercat
ETs, chonky cats.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

I write haiku reviews but happy to provide more feedback, if desired!

I enjoyed this book very much and became invested I. The characters and their individual stories. At times the storyline was a bit chaotic but eventually came together to enhance the overall story. There is no cliffhanger but the ending could signal another story to follow and if so I look forward to reading it.

Who knew a book about aliens would say so much about humanity?
Though the premises are vastly different, this book reminded me of ‘The Good Place.’ Quirky and hilarious while also being incredibly poignant and thought provoking.
This is one of those books that makes you look at the world a little differently. If aliens suddenly appeared what would they think of us? Would they be awestruck by our ability to make string cheese? Of course they would be. Because if you stop to think about it (as this book makes you do) string cheese is actually pretty amazing.

I was delighted to receive this ARC (with many thanks to NetGalley) of On Earth As It Is On Television because:

1) Aliens

2) Cats

3) References to fave Sci Fi TV shows

4) A positive appreciation for the many very, very good things we have in life.

5) Aliens!!!

This is a witty and positive first contact story built around three points of view~an Earth man who awakens from a catatonic state 20 years after a crash that left him in this predicament but with his half sister mysteriously missing; an Earth man married to his supercharged wife, who can earn as a lawyer as well as whip up baked goods for the neighborhood and tuck into 5 lbs of bacon; and a overly-privileged 19 year old CA princess, who’s stuck with a loser boyfriend and a remarkably successful stepfather and stepbrother both of which she deeply resents. All are about to have their eyes opened and lives changed when massive spaceships appear over capitols around the world.

Definitely a wild ride with many discoveries ahead! Bonus, so many new and fun cat nicknames. Chonky Boi and Himbs are now an integral part of my vocabulary!

On Earth as It Is on Television, the debut novel by Emily Jane, will be released on June 13, 2023. Hyperion Avenue provided an early galley for review.

The prologue starts out fairly straightforward, but then the story jumps right into a chaotic mode. If the goal of the author was to give the reader a true sense of chaos, then I believe she achieved that in spades. As I read from chapter to chapter, I could feel that sense of disarray and confusion that the characters were feeling. It is not somewhere I am comfortable at all; my preferred mode is order and clarity.

The book does eventually settle down, tying into the three storylines - the husband/wife (Blaine and Anne), the stepchild (Heather) and the brother (Oliver). Some of these had a stronger appeal, for me, than the others. They seem like more human-centric stories, tied together by this over-arching alien visitation with cats and TV sprinkled in. It all does start to make sense, though, when the third act of the book kicks in.

In the end, it was definitely a different sort of approach to sci-fi. I think it will strike the perfect chord with some readers who like a lighter, human-centric approach to the genre.

If you like alien stories and cats, then definitely pick this book up and give it a go.

This is delightfully funny and heartfelt. There were many moments where I laughed out loud while reading and just as many where I found myself tearing up.

This book follows the stories of multiple people, which I was worried about at first. Usually, when a book follows multiple POVs, there's always one that just isn't as interesting as the others, but I found myself enjoying all of them.

As a cat owner I can tell you that how the children talk to their cat is almost exactly how I talk to mine and it's honestly hilarious to read on a page.

The only reason this isn't a 5 star is that sometimes the writing seems disjointed or stream-of-consciousness. There were quite a few times where I had to reread entire sections 3 or 4 times just to understand what exactly I was reading, and that took away from the experience for me.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about this one even halfway through. Sometimes it felt like a stream of consciousness and it was pretty disjointed most of the way through. But it did all come together in the end. It was a weird ride but overall a pretty good one.

This book follows several seemingly separate but ultimately intertwined stories as the characters navigate a post-alien aware earth as they journey to discover why aliens came and left and if they are coming back. Along the way they decide what path is right for them. Oh and cats. Lots of cats.

If you are expecting a story about UFO’s you will be disappointed. This book is not so much about UFO’s as it is about how they affect four characters lives in the book. The first third of the book was hard to get into since it seemed all the characters plot lines didn’t seem to go together. In the end, fortunately, the author does bring all the plot lines together making the story come together in a beautiful way. This book is not for everyone, but give it a try if you are looking for something different and unusual.

I’m glad to have received an advance copy of “On Earth as It Is on Television” by Emily Jane. I laughed (yes, out loud), and I seriously thought about what it means to be an Earthling.

We see how the arrival of spaceships (a la “Independence Day”) impacts some people. A man who’s been catatonic for twenty years suddenly wakes up. A Malibu teen has to confront a world which doesn’t revolve around her. A mid-American family deals with TV-obsessed kids, possible marital infidelity, and bacon. And cats. Lots of cats.

The arrival of aliens causes panic and the appearance of fear-mongering extremists. Questions like “What do they want?” and “will they kill us all?” abound as the aliens appear.

Jane handles her well-plotted story with humor and practicality. I enjoyed following the characters find their way through the uncertainties of knowing finally that we are not alone in the universe.

Well done. With a chuckle!

This book was a delight to read and I'm grateful to have gotten an ARC from NetGalley. Jane deftly combines a mixture of humor, thoughtfulness, pathos, and silliness into both her narrative and characters that is, in a word, charming.

On the surface, it's a nice take on the traditional first contact story. Aliens come to earth and chaos ensues: a typical trope. Then they leave just as unexpectedly as they arrive, which would seem like the end of the story, yes? But Jane takes this as a cue to explore the chaotic nature that is inherent in developing relationships, with others and ourselves. Add in telepathic cats, a tongue-in-cheek commentary on Western culture's obsession with media, and and you've got a winner.

I suppose my only critique was the sense that the ending was a bit perfunctory. It worked, yet I felt like it was a bit rushed. Perhaps that's my own longing to have spent more time with some of the characters. Overall, it brought about a hopeful perspective on humanity that can only be found in science fiction. Emily Jane as an author has a great command of the language and this is a strong debut. Can't wait to read whatever she comes out with next.

A fun, Americana-filled read with a dollop of aliens on top. The pacing was engaging and each focal character provided an element that brought the story to a satisfying conclusion.