The Real Story Of... • My Plain Jane

I sincerely hope that the lovely, talented trio known collectively as the Lady Janies - Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand & Jodi Meadows - will keep on writing together for the foreseeable future. After having read two of their jointly written novels, it's safe to say that I find their ability to put such unique (and fantastical) spins on famous personalities and stories so, so mind-blowing and worthy of all the praise. I read and thoroughly enjoyed My Lady Jane two years ago, and this year, readers are going to be blessed with the gift of another novel from them: My Plain Jane.

Before anything else, you'll want to know that the novels of this series can all be read as stand-alone stories. My Lady Jane is entirely about Jane Grey, the nine-day queen of England. My Plain Jane, on the other hand, tackles the story of a well-known literary heroine: Jane Eyre. (Note: You don't have to have read Jane Eyre to read this one. I promise. It's interesting to spot the references to it if you have, however.) While those of us who have read Charlotte Brontë's classic story might think we know exactly what happened to Jane, the Lady Janies are setting the story straight. There's a lot more to it than just a penniless orphan-turned governess who falls in love with her dark, broody employer. There's an aspiring young female author, an actual orphan determined to find better circumstances, a handsome young investigator of supernatural occurrences. Oh, and did I mention ghosts? Because there are also ghosts.

I know that My Plain Jane sounds incredibly wacky, and totally not what you'd expect from a story that draws inspiration from a novel as serious as Jane Eyre. And the truth is, it's actually that outlandish and outrageous... but in the best way possible. It's an entertaining romp from start to finish, as readers are given the opportunity to experience the tale from three perspectives (all of which I adored equally): orphan Jane, aspiring writer Charlotte (and yes, this is Miss Brontë) and supernatural investigator Alexander. There are plenty of hilarious hijinks, carefully laid plans gone wrong (or occasionally right), moments heartfelt and surprising; I was hooked from beginning to end! I really, really loved this story (even more than its predecessor), both because it was entertaining as all heck and because these authors did a fabulous job of weaving historical details, references from Jane Eyre (and more) and a supernatural aspect into their 'true' recounting of Jane Eyre's story.

I loved My Plain Jane. It's clever. It's funny. It's got great main characters (and the transitions between their points of view are so seamless). It's got an engaging story (that is just compelling from start to finish, in my opinion). It's exactly the kind of story I adore reading, and I would highly recommend adding this one to your reading list!

My Plain Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand & Jodi Meadows

Series: The Lady Janies #2 | Previous Book in Series: My Lady Jane

Publisher: Harper Teen | Publication Date: June 26, 2018

Source: ARC received from the lovely Jodi (Thank you!)