Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane

This novel is a highly fictionalized version of the events surrounding Lady Jane Grey’s accession to the throne of England, where she ruled for only nine days. The story begins as teenage king Edward VI learns that he is dying. He names his best friend Jane as his successor, which immediately makes her a highly desirable bride to the ambitious men at court. Although Jane is not particularly interested in marriage or becoming queen, she is forced to marry Gifford, the son of Edward’s most trusted counselor. Of course, Jane and Gifford don’t get along at first, but soon they must work together when she finds out that Gifford is an Edian, a person with the magical ability to turn into an animal. In fact, he can’t control this power, so he spends all his daylight hours as a horse. Jane and Gifford must conceal this politically dangerous secret and figure out how to control his power — all while navigating the perils surrounding the English monarchy.

When this book first came out, I refused to read it despite its popularity because of the terrible cover. But then I started reading reviews comparing it to things like The Princess Bride and Monty Python. And then I read the dedication — “For everyone who knows there was enough room for Leonardo DiCaprio on that door” — and I was hooked. This book is a fun and funny romp through Tudor history, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Of course, those who are looking for realistic historical fiction from this era should definitely look elsewhere; the actual historical situation is just a springboard for the characters’ completely fantastical adventures. I really enjoyed the main characters, especially Edward, whose main complaint about dying is that he hasn’t ever kissed a girl. The plot does get a bit hectic toward the end, but by then I was happy to go along for the ride. Overall, I liked this book a lot, and now I’m interested in trying some of the authors’ solo works.