An enormous thank you to NetGalley, Hyperion Avenue, and of course, Emily Jane for providing me with an eARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review, all opinions are my own.

I actually enjoyed this one more than I had anticipated, this was such a fun read from start to finish. I loved the idea of an alien invasion book, and the way it all played out was great.

The book was a tad slow at times because so much comes together in the end, but I thoroughly enjoyed how the story played out. I adored the characters, such a variety and each with their own background story and moments. I absolutely loved all the cat stuff- especially with the kids.

I don't want to give too much away as there's a lot to the plot that weaves together in the end, but this was such an enjoyable read.

I thought it was charming. I thought it had a decent amount of heart. The title and cover were great at drawing me in. It was good. I would recommend it to friends.

On Earth as it is on Television is a perfect summer read. Quirky and fun with a pulse all its own, it's hard to believe this is a debut novel. Emily Jane is one to watch.

How would we react if aliens showed up, and then quickly left with nary a word? On Earth as It Is on Television provides one answer to this intriguing premise. This scifi novel follows several different people, as their lives are impacted in different ways by the appearance and disappearance of these alien ships. One man awakes from a decades long catatonic state. A teen girl begins to question her family and her place in it. Another family packs up their lives for an unplanned vacation to "disney world". And cats around the country begin acting strangely. What do the aliens want, and will they be back? Pick this one up and find out.

This was a joy to read. So imaginative, yet grounded in reality. Touching and humorous. I loved each of the three main storylines, and couldn't wait to see them connect. The cats were just as interesting to follow. Of course cats should have a role to play in any alien centric novel. Quite a fun read, with a unique writing style. Really enjoyed this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed reading this book, my thanks to the publisher, author and netgalley for the advanced copy. Will be recommending

“All those billions of planets, those Goldilocks planets, all that proliferating life. If some of it survived, a miracle. If it launched itself out across vast uninhabitable space, shouldn’t we expect it to be better than ourselves? Not just intellectually, technologically, but also morally? Yet here we were, on our still-dying Earth, and the aliens had gone on.”

The aliens came, and then they went. This book follows a group of people as they struggle to figure out what comes next.

I absolutely loved Oliver’s story—the aliens’ arrival somehow woke him from his catatonic state, and he found himself being drawn to a mysterious location with an unexpected companion by his side—but I really didn’t feel like the other characters’ experiences were as compelling. Overall, this story is incredibly unique, and the plot had so much potential, but some parts felt dragged out while others felt rushed.

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very zany alien first contact story really focused, as many are, on how people would respond in that case. People, we're somehow our own worst enemies and a source of amusement for others. Love the cat POV.

“Here, have some bacon.”

“Life is miraculous and absurd.”

Wow, what a FUN read this was!!! I don’t know where to begin without spoilers. All in all, this is a funny (and sometimes kinda serious) love letter to life and to being human, defects and all. There is so much to unpack in this story, but everything meshes and everything comes together at the end. I loved the aliens with their horse-like appetites and their love of TV, pop culture, cats, and above all else, plastic! Gotta love it! Also, if you’re a cat person (sadly, I’m allergic) you are in for a huge treat. I started reading this novel unsure of whether I’d even finish it, but a few pages in, I was hooked. So many relatable characters and situations. Mostly funny with a sprinkling of tears here and there. Thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion for my digital ARC!

I read this as an ARC from Netgalley.com.

On Earth as It Is on Television follows the lives of four people as they deal with Earth's new reality - aliens are here, and they /aren't/ invading... or doing much of anything, as far as anyone can tell.

I picked it up for the premise, as I'm a sucker for first contact stories, but I have to admit that it was only the lure of the cats that kept me going until the story really picked up about a third of the way through. Jane has a staccato and detached style of writing that can take some getting used to, though it also lent itself well to humor. I'd give it a solid three stars and a recommendation for anyone who likes stories based on interpersonal relationships with a hint of sci-fi thrown in.

It was just another day. Then the UFOs appear in the sky. The aliens made no demands, no statements, and no declarations of war. They came, briefly hovered over major cities, and then abruptly left. All that remains are questions.

Why did they come?
Why did they go?
Are they coming back?
Why did all the cats run away?

What unfolds is an outlandish, slice-of-life, science fiction adventure that tells the story of what it means to be human.

On Earth as It is on Television is not your conventional first contact story. It is full of heart, fun, sadness, cats, and bacon. No, really. So much bacon. I smiled so many times. I laughed out loud. I thought about my place in the world. If you enjoy quirky adventures with unique characters and a bit of ridiculousness, I highly recommend picking this up.

"Everything here is like TV, and then there's TV, and it's all just so . . . awesomely insane."

It happened just like in the beginning of 'Independence Day', with spaceships hovering menacingly over major cities around the globe. The world held its collective breath. And, then . . . nothing happened. The ships departed, and life went back to normal. Well, mostly normal. Cats and certain spouses began acting a little bit stranger than usual. Jinkies! Could it be possible that aliens are already living among us?

I kind of loved this. Quirky, and strange, off the wall, and funny enough to please my slightly warped sense of humor.

I was also gaga over the half-feral kids with their bizarre internet-speak language of chumbis, chonky, and slonks, and their skin-peeling plans to reveal the real aliens. (And, I'm pretty damned glad they were someone else's children.)

This wacky, off-kilter gem makes my best of the year list.

What a delightfully weird read!! And I mean that in the best way. If you like the odd, heart-warming sci-fi book with a healthy dose of cats, feral children, bacon, and aliens - this one is for you!

This book is SO unique, and I genuinely had no idea where it was going. Were the aliens real? Was it all a big hoax? How are all these people related? What’s going to happen at the end?

Then it all came together so nicely! This is a great story about life and family, and also the great impact of TV. It’s quirky and funny, plus it’s a memorable read that stands out among other books I’ve read this year.

Thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the copy in exchange for my honest review!

I’m very particular about my science fiction. And this book checked every box on the list of things I’m looking for: engaging characters, quirky and interesting story, humorous undertones, etc. There’s just so much to like about what’s going on in this most impressive debut.
There’s been a gazillion of first contact stories, so it takes inventiveness and imagination to come up with something new and original.
But what has always interested me the most in fiction in general and science fiction in particular isn’t the aliens themselves so much as what their presence (and absence) can reveal about the earthlings.
At that this novel excels. Because at first, the aliens are merely spaceships the sky, there one day (setting of all kinds of apocalyptic vibes) and gone the next.
But then, there’s more to the story and it’s close to home than you might think.
Then novel follows several different people/several different families to see how this potential alien apocalypse affects them. It’s tricky talking about it, and I’d rather say less than risk giving away crucial plot points. Suffice it to say, there are some fun twists in there.
The entire book, despite its end-of-the-world vibes is very fun and funny, and who wouldn’t love (or want to read about) a charismatic alien.
They are surprisingly relatable. In fact, they have a peculiar passion for some of the worst things about the Earth: plastic, TV sitcoms, junk food. And on top of all that, they can also teach us a lesson or to about enjoying life.
On Earth as it is On Television, in space as it is here, the things that make us happy are not that different. I suppose that’s the moral of the story. Not that it overly concerns itself with being moralistic.
I already described it as fun and funny, so let’s go with awesome next. An awesome read. I enjoyed it very much. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of On Earth as it is in Television by Emily Jane

One morning the world wakes to find dozens of alien spaceships hovering around earth. They hover for a short amount of time and then leave. But the questions of what they were doing and what or who they may have left behind remains, and why are all the cats behaving so weird all of a sudden? This book explores different families dealing with the aftermath of realizing they are not alone in the universe. This sharp and witty Sci-fi story tells an interesting -if somewhat off the wall- story which unfolds in surprising ways. The author weaves together hilarious characters and storylines together into a moving story of interstellar migrants.

If you are a fan of sci-fi or books about aliens, then you need to check this one out! I struggled a bit in the beginning to follow all of the characters, but I was determined to find out what happens, so I pushed through and I'm so glad that I did! I loved all of this, but I especially loved all of the cats. I know that sounds weird what talking about a book about aliens but trust me it is so good. Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I can't wait to see what else this author comes up with!

Thank you, Net Gallery, for the advanced copy of this book. I really enjoyed the story. It started off a little slow but became more fast paced in dealing with feral children, aliens, mind reading cats and road trips. Fun times and a good pool book.

This is one of my favorite reads of the summer so far. Emily Jane has written a sci-fi novel that is both hilarious and heartfelt. I had no idea where she was going with the story at first and even once I figured out what was coming I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. It's like first contact- but make it fun! And touching! I think this is a fantastic debut and I would love to see where Jane's creativity takes her next. Five feline-friendy stars.

This book was sweet, funny, deep and moving. I really was surprised by this book in all the good ways.

On Earth as it is on Television by Emily Jane
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What a fun and wacky book this was!
Imagine one day alien spaceships appeared above large cities across the planet. What would you do? This book explores how several people on the planet reacted, and the long term ramifications these extraterrestrials have on them.
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What I liked:
-Our POVs seemed random but as the story progressed it is made clear that they were precisely chosen to tell the overall story of the spaceships.
-The cats. 🐈🐈‍⬛🐱
-The humor. I chuckled a lot throughout my time with this book.
-I don’t want to give much away but I enjoyed the story’s take on the aliens and their interests.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I would describe this as fun and almost lighthearted sci-fi. Not heavy, not really science-y. Just an amusing story.
Posted to instagram @staciathebookworm on 6/30/23