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Mr. Yay
A hilarious, genre-blending speculative novel about rappers and dogs, love and marriage, private detectives, nostalgia, and embracing your true self, in a world where the past is different than what you remember.
Budding musician Fatty Bratty wakes up in his terrible apartment to a random dog. A dog that acts like he belongs there. Except Bratty doesn't own a dog. He always wanted to but never did. So maybe this random dog is a screw his parents' expectations. Forget business school. Instead, over a manic week, he and his best friend write and record their first rap album. They call themselves Mr. Yay.
Bratty's therapist, Miriam, remembers a different Mr. Yay, the one from the old children's TV show, the washed-up actor turned first mate who sailed a boat captained by a dog and taught people to be themselves. To just be. But strangely, her husband, Jack, has no memory of the old show at all.
As Mr. Yay climbs the charts with his rap songs, Miriam watches her life unravel. Jack is increasingly absent, more secretive, reckless—he hardly resembles the man she married. Their friends start acting weird, drinking excessively, splurging on motorcycles, quitting their jobs, not washing their hair, harboring raccoons. Jack also doesn't remember things he should about his relationship with Miriam. But he suspects his memory hole is more than it seems. It's not just that he's forgotten the Mr. Yay show—it's that, on the internet, and according to the studio and half the population, there is no Mr. Yay. There never was.
Witty, heartfelt, deeply weird, and utterly original, Mr. Yay explores how we grapple with inexplicable sudden shifts in the world around us and the identity crises they birth. If the past we remember has changed, are we who we think we are? Is anyone?
Budding musician Fatty Bratty wakes up in his terrible apartment to a random dog. A dog that acts like he belongs there. Except Bratty doesn't own a dog. He always wanted to but never did. So maybe this random dog is a screw his parents' expectations. Forget business school. Instead, over a manic week, he and his best friend write and record their first rap album. They call themselves Mr. Yay.
Bratty's therapist, Miriam, remembers a different Mr. Yay, the one from the old children's TV show, the washed-up actor turned first mate who sailed a boat captained by a dog and taught people to be themselves. To just be. But strangely, her husband, Jack, has no memory of the old show at all.
As Mr. Yay climbs the charts with his rap songs, Miriam watches her life unravel. Jack is increasingly absent, more secretive, reckless—he hardly resembles the man she married. Their friends start acting weird, drinking excessively, splurging on motorcycles, quitting their jobs, not washing their hair, harboring raccoons. Jack also doesn't remember things he should about his relationship with Miriam. But he suspects his memory hole is more than it seems. It's not just that he's forgotten the Mr. Yay show—it's that, on the internet, and according to the studio and half the population, there is no Mr. Yay. There never was.
Witty, heartfelt, deeply weird, and utterly original, Mr. Yay explores how we grapple with inexplicable sudden shifts in the world around us and the identity crises they birth. If the past we remember has changed, are we who we think we are? Is anyone?
415 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2026
About the author
Emily Jane
6 books353 followersEmily Jane is the USA Today bestselling author of fun, heartfelt, genre-bending novels. She grew up in Boise, Boulder, and San Francisco. She earned her B.A. in psychology from the University of San Francisco and her J.D. from the UC Law San Francisco. She lives on an urban farm in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, Steve, their two kids, three cats, and a husky.
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December 9, 2025AUTHOR NOTE:
This book is weird, delightful and so much fun!!!
Inspired by my little brother and his brief, glorious career as a rapper, my neighborhood friends and our fabulous parties, all the great kids in my life, and, of course, the dogs, I wrote this wild ride of a book. It made me cry happy tears. I hope you all love it.
Spoiler, in case you worry: the dogs will all be okay.
This book is weird, delightful and so much fun!!!
Inspired by my little brother and his brief, glorious career as a rapper, my neighborhood friends and our fabulous parties, all the great kids in my life, and, of course, the dogs, I wrote this wild ride of a book. It made me cry happy tears. I hope you all love it.
Spoiler, in case you worry: the dogs will all be okay.
January 17, 2026
Two completely different universes collide in Emily Jane’s upcoming fourth novel.
Well, might be more than two universes. And er, they’re only slightly different, thanks to a little detail here and there. And, uh, not “collide” so much as smush together. Kinda overlapping.
You expected straightforward from the Queen of Quirk, the creator of a genre all her own?
Bradford walks out on his parents during Thanksgiving, abandoning business school plans and heading west. There he hooks up with his old buddy Tom, and together they create a rap duo: Bradford as the DJ, Fatty Bratty, and Tom as Mr. Yay. And when Bratty posts an edgy and funny video, the group goes viral.
Miriam is his therapist, who’s got problems of her own. Her husband has gone off the rails, constantly at work, being secretive about his laptop, and with all new likes. For example, she makes meat loaf, his favorite childhood dish…and he says he’s never liked it. And neither he nor the universe can’t remember the spirited and popular TV show she grew up watching. The title: Mr. Yay.
So…who’s this Mr. Yay? The first mate to a dog captain on a ship with self-actualizing animals? Or a young, up-and-coming hip-hop star?
And does it even matter?
Jane delivers the plot with much the same style and structure of her debut, On Earth as It Is on Television (which itself reminded me of Don DeLillo's White Noise). It’s life, slowly drifting along, weird stuff happening here and there. Miriam and Brad are on the phone once in a while, but they’re trying to manage apart. I liked them both and appreciated the struggles. Brad trying to make an artist’s life in defiance of his parents’ expectations, Miriam trying to get her family and marriage back. Loved the music-making experience, and I wonder who wrote those rap lyrics? Not a connoisseur of anything in that music genre (at least not since 1993) but good lines in there.
Just past the halfway point, we get a reveal, a sense that the Mr. Yays might come together. That makes it something of a thriller: where’s Mr. Yay? What’s the deal with the animals, asking where is he (telepathically, of course)? Is Jack who he says he is, and for that matter, is Miriam? It was a fun ride from there.
The writing might very well be Jane’s best. There were several passages I snapped and kept on my phone. She tapped into some philosophy, dropping some inspirational quotes about why living the way you want is OK. She wove those deftly into dialogue and character thoughts. They were poetic at times, a nice touch to a madcap tale.
And not to give it away, but a great ending. Pulls things together nicely.
My big takeaway? It’s OK to be weird. To be yourself. Much like either Mr. Yay might say (or his author). It was so refreshing, even heartwarming. And we came to it through the strife of two very different, but very down-to-earth, people.
Another triumph for Emily Jane!
Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced, signed copy in return for an honest review. Mr. Yay will be released June 2, 2026.
Well, might be more than two universes. And er, they’re only slightly different, thanks to a little detail here and there. And, uh, not “collide” so much as smush together. Kinda overlapping.
You expected straightforward from the Queen of Quirk, the creator of a genre all her own?
Bradford walks out on his parents during Thanksgiving, abandoning business school plans and heading west. There he hooks up with his old buddy Tom, and together they create a rap duo: Bradford as the DJ, Fatty Bratty, and Tom as Mr. Yay. And when Bratty posts an edgy and funny video, the group goes viral.
Miriam is his therapist, who’s got problems of her own. Her husband has gone off the rails, constantly at work, being secretive about his laptop, and with all new likes. For example, she makes meat loaf, his favorite childhood dish…and he says he’s never liked it. And neither he nor the universe can’t remember the spirited and popular TV show she grew up watching. The title: Mr. Yay.
So…who’s this Mr. Yay? The first mate to a dog captain on a ship with self-actualizing animals? Or a young, up-and-coming hip-hop star?
And does it even matter?
Jane delivers the plot with much the same style and structure of her debut, On Earth as It Is on Television (which itself reminded me of Don DeLillo's White Noise). It’s life, slowly drifting along, weird stuff happening here and there. Miriam and Brad are on the phone once in a while, but they’re trying to manage apart. I liked them both and appreciated the struggles. Brad trying to make an artist’s life in defiance of his parents’ expectations, Miriam trying to get her family and marriage back. Loved the music-making experience, and I wonder who wrote those rap lyrics? Not a connoisseur of anything in that music genre (at least not since 1993) but good lines in there.
Just past the halfway point, we get a reveal, a sense that the Mr. Yays might come together. That makes it something of a thriller: where’s Mr. Yay? What’s the deal with the animals, asking where is he (telepathically, of course)? Is Jack who he says he is, and for that matter, is Miriam? It was a fun ride from there.
The writing might very well be Jane’s best. There were several passages I snapped and kept on my phone. She tapped into some philosophy, dropping some inspirational quotes about why living the way you want is OK. She wove those deftly into dialogue and character thoughts. They were poetic at times, a nice touch to a madcap tale.
And not to give it away, but a great ending. Pulls things together nicely.
My big takeaway? It’s OK to be weird. To be yourself. Much like either Mr. Yay might say (or his author). It was so refreshing, even heartwarming. And we came to it through the strife of two very different, but very down-to-earth, people.
Another triumph for Emily Jane!
Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced, signed copy in return for an honest review. Mr. Yay will be released June 2, 2026.
November 24, 2025
ARC for review. To be published June 2, 2026.
4.3 stars
At some point in the wacky, wonderful book, someone describes what is going on as a “trans dimensional altercation.” Is it? I really don’t have the slightest idea.
What I do know it’s that it’s two stories with a lot of characters. Miriam is a therapist. She is doing Zoom sessions with a recent college graduate called Bratty. Then the story follows both Miriam and Bratty through all the other aspects of their lives. Bratty’s parents (well, stepmom) hate him, well, because of everything he says and does. He doesn’t want to go to law school. He wants to rap with his best friend since childhood, Tom. He suddenly has a dog named Tux that he doesn’t remember getting. Tux is a great dog.
Miriam is married to Jack. They have two kids, and a dog name Roxstar. They are living the normal, upwardly mobile life. Jack works all the time.
Then so very much happens…a trip across the U.S., lots of interesting drama with the neighbors, drama with Bratty’s parents, a rap duo, problems in a marriage, a television program that only a few people remember existing, a Very Good Golden Retriever. It’s fun, it’s imaginative, I found it very compelling even though I get the impression it wasn’t written for me. It’s a look at roads not taken and how much in like is still open. Oh, and metaphysics. I really liked it.
4.3 stars
At some point in the wacky, wonderful book, someone describes what is going on as a “trans dimensional altercation.” Is it? I really don’t have the slightest idea.
What I do know it’s that it’s two stories with a lot of characters. Miriam is a therapist. She is doing Zoom sessions with a recent college graduate called Bratty. Then the story follows both Miriam and Bratty through all the other aspects of their lives. Bratty’s parents (well, stepmom) hate him, well, because of everything he says and does. He doesn’t want to go to law school. He wants to rap with his best friend since childhood, Tom. He suddenly has a dog named Tux that he doesn’t remember getting. Tux is a great dog.
Miriam is married to Jack. They have two kids, and a dog name Roxstar. They are living the normal, upwardly mobile life. Jack works all the time.
Then so very much happens…a trip across the U.S., lots of interesting drama with the neighbors, drama with Bratty’s parents, a rap duo, problems in a marriage, a television program that only a few people remember existing, a Very Good Golden Retriever. It’s fun, it’s imaginative, I found it very compelling even though I get the impression it wasn’t written for me. It’s a look at roads not taken and how much in like is still open. Oh, and metaphysics. I really liked it.
September 12, 2025
Emily Jane has done it again! This amazing novel is a welcome and wonderful addition to Jane’s growing catalog of total bangers! She once again manages to meld the wacky and absurd with the genuine and heartfelt. Have you ever felt like you remembered something that never actually existed? Or have you ever felt like the past was more of a dream than something that actually happened? If so, you’re definitely gonna love this one. If not, you might still love it because it is so much more than just its bonkers premise. Mr. Yay is an exploration of what it means to be us. To be me. To be you. Are we actually who we think we are? Are our partners, our friends, our neighbors? Is the world what we think it is, or is it just a boat sailing the high seas being captained by a dog? After reading this book, I really don’t know anymore. I just know that I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to read more from this truly talented artist. Emily Jane is doing something no one else is and I’m so here for it! I can’t wait to read more!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Received as a NetGalley arc in exchange for an honest review
Mr Yay is an extremely entertaining story that pulls elements of sci-fi and social commentary to share a story narrated by a host of characters. Each of them feels as though something is off and the world appears to shift and change before their eyes in strange and seemingly random ways. The main narrators are 1 part of the rap duo "Mr. Yay" and his therapist, who are confronted by waves of the Mandela Effect, along with their friends and family members.
The story is quirky and clever and an excellent exploration of what may happen if everyone's "what ifs" collide.
Mr Yay is an extremely entertaining story that pulls elements of sci-fi and social commentary to share a story narrated by a host of characters. Each of them feels as though something is off and the world appears to shift and change before their eyes in strange and seemingly random ways. The main narrators are 1 part of the rap duo "Mr. Yay" and his therapist, who are confronted by waves of the Mandela Effect, along with their friends and family members.
The story is quirky and clever and an excellent exploration of what may happen if everyone's "what ifs" collide.
May 10, 2026
I never expected this random galley I pulled from the ARC shelf at work to become my favorite book I’ve read so far this year and also a book I would consider required reading for anyone who wants to understand me better as a person. Or maybe to understand themselves better. This book was funny and poignant and cathartic and oddball and STRANGE and also PERFECT. And now for the next six months at my bookstore job I am going to have to explain to people why they NEED to read a book called Mr. Yay. What the FUCK man.
July 14, 2026
This book, like her other books, is quirky and weird in a sci-fi philosophical way. What if we had other versions of ourselves in other realities and they collided? It’s an interesting thought. Plus, her writing style is super accessible.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Looking for a fun, zany, music filled adventure? This book will check all those boxes with zeal and style. No spoilers, aside from you will more than likely shed some happy tears at some point during the read. Emily Jane has such a unique voice in all of her books, but it really shines in Mr. Yay. Give it a read and rejoice in the weird, wild, wonderful world created by Emily Jane.
July 3, 2026
Thanks to Emily Jane for the signed copy! Can't wait to read more of the multiverse.
June 8, 2026
Mr yay review:
Fantastic book i first picked it up at the airport while walking around wondering “who is Mr yay” and finished it on my flight to a layover. At first I didn't want to get the book because last week I spent like 4 hours cleaning out my bookshelf and piled up like 40 books to donate and I could just wait till the library got it physically, or on audiobook. I am glad i got it though, but it is hard to think about an alternate universe where i didnt get the book and instead waited patiently to borrow it. I guess my eyes would probally feel less strained.
It was a wonderful book, somewhat easy to read i had to go back and read some pages just because I would get confused with the timeline stuff or the names but I felt like that added more to my reading of this book. I think Emily Jane described the feeling of being in an alternate universe very well. One time I was at the library procrastinating on a big project and I could feel the couch I was laying on and doomscrolling with no big looming assignment but I was actually standing in front of the recently aquirred shelf at the college library. Another time I was at the dinning hall I saw a stain on the floor and I thought I hears someone say “and then you were just a stain on the floor” and I couldn't move for a bit.
The children were a good mix of annoying and charming.
Things I thought were good
The raps surprisingly were good though this is the first book I have read (recently/remeber) that has lyrics in it
The dogs! So cute! Many things I could relate too
Things I wish were elaborated more on:
The wife/husband dynamic across the three friends
The dog, roxster loosing a leg in the little dog images between paragraphs
It would have also been cool to have another page in the book that is the same just slightly different.
Definetly will read the other books in the branches timeline.
Fantastic book i first picked it up at the airport while walking around wondering “who is Mr yay” and finished it on my flight to a layover. At first I didn't want to get the book because last week I spent like 4 hours cleaning out my bookshelf and piled up like 40 books to donate and I could just wait till the library got it physically, or on audiobook. I am glad i got it though, but it is hard to think about an alternate universe where i didnt get the book and instead waited patiently to borrow it. I guess my eyes would probally feel less strained.
It was a wonderful book, somewhat easy to read i had to go back and read some pages just because I would get confused with the timeline stuff or the names but I felt like that added more to my reading of this book. I think Emily Jane described the feeling of being in an alternate universe very well. One time I was at the library procrastinating on a big project and I could feel the couch I was laying on and doomscrolling with no big looming assignment but I was actually standing in front of the recently aquirred shelf at the college library. Another time I was at the dinning hall I saw a stain on the floor and I thought I hears someone say “and then you were just a stain on the floor” and I couldn't move for a bit.
The children were a good mix of annoying and charming.
Things I thought were good
The raps surprisingly were good though this is the first book I have read (recently/remeber) that has lyrics in it
The dogs! So cute! Many things I could relate too
Things I wish were elaborated more on:
The wife/husband dynamic across the three friends
The dog, roxster loosing a leg in the little dog images between paragraphs
It would have also been cool to have another page in the book that is the same just slightly different.
Definetly will read the other books in the branches timeline.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2026
True to Emily Jane’s very distinct style, Mr. Yay is frenzied and chaotic and weird in all the best ways. This was a lot of fun to read with characters you truly care about. The tension-building is top-notch, as in all her books, though what exactly it is building towards is a lot more vague this time around. If I compare Mr. Yay to her other books, I’d have to admit that this was not my favorite Emily Jane novel, but overall, I love the weirdness and the concept, and I loved reading who/what inspired her to write this.
Of note: I love the dialogue from the children in her other books, the weird stuff she has them say and do, the way they interact with pets and grownups. It’s pretty hilarious, and she’s really good at it, so it was definitely something I noticed missing from this one. There were kids and pets central to this story as well, but they were really more in the background.
Also, I wonder if anyone else is uncomfortable looking too long at the cover art. That has to be intentional…right?! 😂
Of note: I love the dialogue from the children in her other books, the weird stuff she has them say and do, the way they interact with pets and grownups. It’s pretty hilarious, and she’s really good at it, so it was definitely something I noticed missing from this one. There were kids and pets central to this story as well, but they were really more in the background.
Also, I wonder if anyone else is uncomfortable looking too long at the cover art. That has to be intentional…right?! 😂
June 1, 2026
Mr. Yay was such a strange, emotional, and genuinely fun read. It has this perfect mix of humor, nostalgia, mystery, and chaos that somehow all works together so well. 🐶📺✨
What starts off feeling quirky and light slowly turns into something much deeper about memory, identity, friendship, and how unsettling it feels when the world around you suddenly stops making sense.
I loved the balance between the funny moments and the more emotional ones, and the Mandela effect explored as a scientific concept was so compelling. Going into this book I had no idea that a large focus would be of a failing marriage and how it can suddenly feel like you wake up one day and feel like you married a stranger. This was so relevant and so well executed.
Also: chaotic musicians making an album in LA, therapists unraveling, kombucha brewing raccoon people, and a dog that randomly appears and changes everything?
Absolutely yes.
This book made me laugh, made me question reality a little bit, and somehow left me feeling weirdly hopeful by the end. Definitely recommend if you like speculative fiction with heart, mystery, and very odd vibes. 🎈
Special thank you to Emily Jane for gifting me an advance copy of her book, she is definitely an author to look out for.
What starts off feeling quirky and light slowly turns into something much deeper about memory, identity, friendship, and how unsettling it feels when the world around you suddenly stops making sense.
I loved the balance between the funny moments and the more emotional ones, and the Mandela effect explored as a scientific concept was so compelling. Going into this book I had no idea that a large focus would be of a failing marriage and how it can suddenly feel like you wake up one day and feel like you married a stranger. This was so relevant and so well executed.
Also: chaotic musicians making an album in LA, therapists unraveling, kombucha brewing raccoon people, and a dog that randomly appears and changes everything?
Absolutely yes.
This book made me laugh, made me question reality a little bit, and somehow left me feeling weirdly hopeful by the end. Definitely recommend if you like speculative fiction with heart, mystery, and very odd vibes. 🎈
Special thank you to Emily Jane for gifting me an advance copy of her book, she is definitely an author to look out for.
May 27, 2026
Emily Jane’s books always leave me saying, “What did I just read?” in the absolute best way possible. Her quirky, zany, completely unexpected storytelling style has become one of my favorite reading experiences, and somehow every new release surprises me all over again.
Mr. Yay not only lived up to the sky-high expectations I’ve come to have for Emily Jane’s books — it might actually be my new favorite.
This book gives us rappers, dogs, a crumbling marriage, alternate versions of reality where the differences are subtle but deeply impactful, and underneath all the wonderfully weird chaos, a story about figuring out who you are and what path you truly want to take. It’s funny, bizarre, heartfelt, and completely impossible to predict.
If you’re looking for something wildly original, endlessly entertaining, and full of heart, please do yourself a favor and pick this one up immediately.
And a special thank you to Emily Jane for sending me my very first physical ARC ever. This copy is genuinely so special to me, and I’ll cherish it forever. 🤍
Mr. Yay not only lived up to the sky-high expectations I’ve come to have for Emily Jane’s books — it might actually be my new favorite.
This book gives us rappers, dogs, a crumbling marriage, alternate versions of reality where the differences are subtle but deeply impactful, and underneath all the wonderfully weird chaos, a story about figuring out who you are and what path you truly want to take. It’s funny, bizarre, heartfelt, and completely impossible to predict.
If you’re looking for something wildly original, endlessly entertaining, and full of heart, please do yourself a favor and pick this one up immediately.
And a special thank you to Emily Jane for sending me my very first physical ARC ever. This copy is genuinely so special to me, and I’ll cherish it forever. 🤍
June 6, 2026
Pick this up. Especially if you are a wife/mother who occasionally experiences rage for the expectations put upon you by life (yourself, your spouse, society at large)
This book, despite what the back cover reads, is 25% about a wanna be rapper who has serious parental disappointment issues and 75% about a frustrated wife whose husband is a workaholic and the bulk of life’s responsibilities fall on her…who has a pose of friends who are also frustrated wives in their *almost* middle age. And 100% about the Mandala Effect.
I could not put it down.
This book, despite what the back cover reads, is 25% about a wanna be rapper who has serious parental disappointment issues and 75% about a frustrated wife whose husband is a workaholic and the bulk of life’s responsibilities fall on her…who has a pose of friends who are also frustrated wives in their *almost* middle age. And 100% about the Mandala Effect.
I could not put it down.
June 22, 2026
This was such a fun book. I love how the recurring details make you feel a weird sense of Déjà vu, which makes you feel closer to the characters experiencing all the weird little inconsistencies in their lives. The characters are weird and funny and realistic. I love how the ‘mystery’ pops up but that there are other prominent storylines that really get you invested in the lives of the characters and just wanting them all to win. Easy 5 stars.
July 4, 2026
I’ll never understand why Emily Jane‘s books are not added to lists of best new literary fiction. Her use of language is evocative and stirring, her narrative style unexpected, and the final denouement is always compelling and rewarding. This ensemble piece takes time to reveal its overall picture, but the characters are colorful enough to keep you engaged until you start to see the pieces of this complex and philosophical plot come together. An especially poignant read for dog lovers, repressed creatives, and anyone who has struggled to balance reality with dreams.
June 15, 2026
I really like when I stumble upon an author and want to spend my days living in the worlds that are created. This is my second Emily Jane joint that I've read and it's absolutely delightful. Grounded in reality yet fantastical. Left me feeling nostalgic, happy, tearful, and reflective. I cannot wait to read more.
June 18, 2026
Mr Yay plays with the idea of the Mandela effect like a cat plays with a ball of yarn. Only the yarn turns into a children’s tv show that somehow seems to disappear.
The ending was weird and wild, and I’m here for it.
The ending was weird and wild, and I’m here for it.
June 26, 2026
Definitely a lot stranger than I was expecting…
June 20, 2026
weird but in a good way
I’m an Emily Jane fan and enjoy her story telling. This story was definitely a wild ride with a great climax and ending.
I’m an Emily Jane fan and enjoy her story telling. This story was definitely a wild ride with a great climax and ending.
June 2, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ Every version of the universe is made better by dogs. And now ours is made more fun by Emily Jane’s novels. She brings her trademark irreverent humor, quirky characters, cultural insights with unique sci-fi touches, poignant moments, love of animals, and wonderful weirdness to Mr. Yay.
In Mr. Yay, Emily Jane asked: What if one day, half the population woke up with one memory of things, and the other half woke up remembering something else? And then she had lots of fun running with it. And as a reader, so did I.
Thanks to Emily Jane and Hyperion Avenue for the gifted book. All opinions expressed are my own.
In Mr. Yay, Emily Jane asked: What if one day, half the population woke up with one memory of things, and the other half woke up remembering something else? And then she had lots of fun running with it. And as a reader, so did I.
Thanks to Emily Jane and Hyperion Avenue for the gifted book. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 3, 2026
4.5⭐️ This was weird and a little funny and so totally itself. It’s lit fic with an undercurrent of sci-fi that brings layers together in a satisfying way.
July 10, 2026
Not perfect but perfect for me
July 13, 2026
4.5 rounded up to 5! Please go read this book. It’s eccentric but perfect. This book is relatable, fun and bonus the audiobook is chefs kiss!
June 6, 2026
That was…different.
June 22, 2026
In the best way: what even was that? I think Mr. Yay might be the most weird and wonderful book I've ever read.
I loved Bratty and Miriam and their separate stories that occasionally intersected, and all of the side characters that add so much to the understanding of the change happening in their universe.
The concept of this book is so interesting: a change in the multiverse that leads to a ripple of changes and even a cross between universes. This book was interesting and funny and at times really had me in my feels. I think I'll think about this book forever. Definitely a must read.
I loved Bratty and Miriam and their separate stories that occasionally intersected, and all of the side characters that add so much to the understanding of the change happening in their universe.
The concept of this book is so interesting: a change in the multiverse that leads to a ripple of changes and even a cross between universes. This book was interesting and funny and at times really had me in my feels. I think I'll think about this book forever. Definitely a must read.
June 29, 2026
I listened to this book and it definitely enhanced the experience because the varying narrators were all really enjoyable to listen to. The different story lines were easy to follow and interesting. I’d probably give this a 3.5 because it wasn’t anything mind blowing, but it had a unique, quirky premise - semi reminiscent of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective agency - and was easy to finish!
July 3, 2026
If Emily Jane wrote a book about an agoraphobic meteorologist who only experienced the weather from inside, I’m sat.
June 19, 2026
Pros:
- Weird, funny, and straight up bizarre
- Shifting POVs, LOVED the second person blips, very cool.
- Heartwarming messages about being yourself and whatnot!
- The suspense and mystery had me HOOKED. I usually take my time with books, but I read over 200 pages until I crashed at 2 am. Then I finished it first thing the next morning.
- If you like contemporary books and weird shit. Read this.
- Female Rage and The Struggle of the Housewife
Cons:
- I feel like sometimes it dragged on a little bit.
- Why were the animals acting weird? Like they’re attuned to shifts in the universe, but why are the deer actin like that?? We never find out like for real.
- Why were the birds appearing and reappearing?
- I thought more was going to happen after Jack and Miriam find out about the multiverse blip. It was a little anticlimactic. Because of the blurb on the back of the book, we know about the whole multiverse thing, so I thought there was going to be more revealed.
Comments that don’t fit into pros or cons I guess:
- Both Mr. Yay and On Earth As It Is On Television have plots where the main character thinks their lawyer spouse is cheating. Both books even have scenes where the main character sniffs their spouse’s underwear while snooping through their things trying to find evidence of cheating. I couldn’t tell if this plot/scene in Mr. Yay was a reference to On Earth or if Emily Jane just forgot and wrote the same thing twice. I am pretty sure it was a reference, but at the end of the day I don’t know if I understand the point of the reference. Maybe there is no point idk. I wonder if there were other references to On Earth that I missed.
-I haven’t read Here Beside the Rising Tide, so I wonder if there were any references to that that I missed.
- Speaking of On Earth, I unfortunately and unfairly, will compare every Emily Jane book to On Earth, and be a little disappointed when it doesn’t hit the same. Again, it’s not very fair because On Earth is my favorite novel and it was The Book that got me back into reading, but it’s the truth.
- Emily Jane’s writing continues to be very straight and white. Not sure if this is a critique or not, because she is a white woman, so obviously that’s the POV she’s going to be writing from.
•••American Werewolves had a bit of diversity but if you want my thoughts on that, I wrote a review a few months ago.
•••She never specified the race of any of her characters in Mr. Yay so maybe I shouldn’t assume, but typically when white authors don’t describe their characters’ races, the characters are intended to be white.
•••Miriam’s struggle is the struggle of a straight white woman. It’s an important struggle, but intersectionality in some way would be nice? Idk, maybe it’s better to write what you know.
•••How do you write a book with rap, or music PERIOD, and not have any black characters?
•••How do you write a book about being your authentic self and have no queer characters?
- Weird, funny, and straight up bizarre
- Shifting POVs, LOVED the second person blips, very cool.
- Heartwarming messages about being yourself and whatnot!
- The suspense and mystery had me HOOKED. I usually take my time with books, but I read over 200 pages until I crashed at 2 am. Then I finished it first thing the next morning.
- If you like contemporary books and weird shit. Read this.
- Female Rage and The Struggle of the Housewife
Cons:
- I feel like sometimes it dragged on a little bit.
- Why were the animals acting weird? Like they’re attuned to shifts in the universe, but why are the deer actin like that?? We never find out like for real.
- Why were the birds appearing and reappearing?
- I thought more was going to happen after Jack and Miriam find out about the multiverse blip. It was a little anticlimactic. Because of the blurb on the back of the book, we know about the whole multiverse thing, so I thought there was going to be more revealed.
Comments that don’t fit into pros or cons I guess:
- Both Mr. Yay and On Earth As It Is On Television have plots where the main character thinks their lawyer spouse is cheating. Both books even have scenes where the main character sniffs their spouse’s underwear while snooping through their things trying to find evidence of cheating. I couldn’t tell if this plot/scene in Mr. Yay was a reference to On Earth or if Emily Jane just forgot and wrote the same thing twice. I am pretty sure it was a reference, but at the end of the day I don’t know if I understand the point of the reference. Maybe there is no point idk. I wonder if there were other references to On Earth that I missed.
-I haven’t read Here Beside the Rising Tide, so I wonder if there were any references to that that I missed.
- Speaking of On Earth, I unfortunately and unfairly, will compare every Emily Jane book to On Earth, and be a little disappointed when it doesn’t hit the same. Again, it’s not very fair because On Earth is my favorite novel and it was The Book that got me back into reading, but it’s the truth.
- Emily Jane’s writing continues to be very straight and white. Not sure if this is a critique or not, because she is a white woman, so obviously that’s the POV she’s going to be writing from.
•••American Werewolves had a bit of diversity but if you want my thoughts on that, I wrote a review a few months ago.
•••She never specified the race of any of her characters in Mr. Yay so maybe I shouldn’t assume, but typically when white authors don’t describe their characters’ races, the characters are intended to be white.
•••Miriam’s struggle is the struggle of a straight white woman. It’s an important struggle, but intersectionality in some way would be nice? Idk, maybe it’s better to write what you know.
•••How do you write a book with rap, or music PERIOD, and not have any black characters?
•••How do you write a book about being your authentic self and have no queer characters?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Take a wild, multiversal journey into the absurd in Emily Jane's latest genre-bender, Mr. Yay. Budding musician Bratty's life takes a turn for the decidedly strange when a mysterious dog suddenly appears in his apartment, leading to a total upheaval of his life as he traverses across the country on a music-making adventure with his best friend as the rap superstar, Mr. Yay. Meanwhile, Bratty's therapist, Miriam, finds herself similarly thrust headfirst into the strange and unusual. For starters, there's the matter of her husband's suspicious behavior and their dog's sudden distrust of him. And then, there's her client, Bratty's, newfound fame as Mr. Yay—a name that dredges up long-lost memories of a children's television show featuring a pirate and his dog. Except nobody besides Miriam has any memory of Mr. Yay, the TV character. What ensues is a midnbending, multiversal exploration of forgotten memories, distrust, and staying true to oneself no matter the cost. If you've ever read one of Emily Jane's books, then you know exactly what to expect here—chaos, absurdity, and a healthy dose of warm, fuzzy feelings.
Mr. Yay is the latest entry in Jane's loosely-connected "Branches" series, and like those previous installments, it revels in all manner of over-the-top ideas and genre-blending delights. But while some of her previous books dived headfirst into their otherworldly, supernatural, and utterly strange ideas, Mr. Yay keeps its multiversal ambitions mostly in the background, choosing instead to focus on messier, human emotions. At the heart of Mr. Yay's chaos rests a story about a group of characters desperately trying to find their place in the world. You've got Bratty's longing to make a name for himself outside of his father's weighty expectations of him, and you've got Miriam's devotion to holding onto her failing marriage despite seemingly hopeless odds. At the intersection of those stories lies a weird, hopeful tale about perseverance and staying true to oneself no matter the odds, wrapped around an immensely silly and delightfully weird multiversal extravaganza. Put simply, there's nothing else like Mr. Yay, and it's all the better for it.
With Jane's gift for creating deeply unique and quirky characters who always manage to feel immensely real and relatable grounding things, Mr. Yay revels in its weirdness as much as it delights in showcasing all the messy, silly, utterly joyfoul ways we can deal with all the strangeness the world throws at us. It's a quick, breezy read that's perfect for anyone looking for something a bit more out of the box to read.
Note: A review copy of Mr. Yay was provided by the publisher.
Reviewed as part of Geek Vibes Nation's Summer 2026 book round-up.
Mr. Yay is the latest entry in Jane's loosely-connected "Branches" series, and like those previous installments, it revels in all manner of over-the-top ideas and genre-blending delights. But while some of her previous books dived headfirst into their otherworldly, supernatural, and utterly strange ideas, Mr. Yay keeps its multiversal ambitions mostly in the background, choosing instead to focus on messier, human emotions. At the heart of Mr. Yay's chaos rests a story about a group of characters desperately trying to find their place in the world. You've got Bratty's longing to make a name for himself outside of his father's weighty expectations of him, and you've got Miriam's devotion to holding onto her failing marriage despite seemingly hopeless odds. At the intersection of those stories lies a weird, hopeful tale about perseverance and staying true to oneself no matter the odds, wrapped around an immensely silly and delightfully weird multiversal extravaganza. Put simply, there's nothing else like Mr. Yay, and it's all the better for it.
With Jane's gift for creating deeply unique and quirky characters who always manage to feel immensely real and relatable grounding things, Mr. Yay revels in its weirdness as much as it delights in showcasing all the messy, silly, utterly joyfoul ways we can deal with all the strangeness the world throws at us. It's a quick, breezy read that's perfect for anyone looking for something a bit more out of the box to read.
Note: A review copy of Mr. Yay was provided by the publisher.
Reviewed as part of Geek Vibes Nation's Summer 2026 book round-up.
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