By Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows

Published: 2016

Word Count: 115,983

AR Level: 5.3

AR Points: 18.0

I suggest 7th through anyone

Whether you love paranormal or historical fiction, this book will be your jam. It is absolutely mad, but it is also one of my most favorite things I’ve read in a while. I happen to love (be obsessed with) Tudor England, and Lady Jane Gray in particular, so this book was a treat.

Why the story is relevant

Interest in Tudor England peaks and wanes over time, but there will always be those who relish a good shape shifter tale. Alternative history can be tricky, but I suppose I might like this version of Lady Jane’s story better than the real-life one. If anything, it may pique a reader’s interest in doing a little more research into this time period, which was really a fascinating shift in European philosophy toward royals and religion.

Why teen readers will love it

At its core, My Lady Jane is a story about love, with a healthy dose of adventure and intrigue. We follow 16-year-old Lady Jane to a marriage that she is not all that excited about. In real life, she found love, although that all ended rather tragically. In this tale, she finds something, well, with more of a tail. Let the hidden story ensue! Readers will love the humor and bizarre nature of this one for sure.

What writers should know

It’s easy to get stuck on a trope, but these authors prove that you can think outside the box even when telling a well-known story. So, laugh your way through this one, and then let your own craziness out of its cage for a little bit when you are writing. You can always edit out the absolutely bizarre later. Or not.

Here’s the link to the book on Barnes & Noble.