Loved this. Recommend for fans of Hank Green’s The Carls series or Ben H. Winter’s Last Policeman trilogy. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for advance reading access.

This book is about aliens living among us and then coming to Earth. It is told from multiple point of views including some of the aliens and the humans that they know. So if you like silly alien stories then this is the book for you.
I gave this book 2/5 stars because I did not personally enjoy it, as it not my preferred genre but it was easy to follow once you got into it and I think that other people would enjoy it. I didn’t find it to be fun or amusing. I also didn’t understand the obsession with the cats and the ending part for Oliver. The beginning of this story made it feel like it was going to be apocalyptic in a way but nothing bad happened. I can appreciate the underlying message of this story, which is to judge people based on one unchangeable attribute and to actually look at the person as a whole. Overall, I did not like this book but I think that other people might. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
4.5 stars out of 5

this book blew my mind soooo many different times for a first contact on human scale. humorous, complex, sincere, and endearing characters. some i connected with more than others, and by extension some were easier to read than others. the writing style was a struggle to get into the flow at first but after about 30-50 pages i was fully on board and invested. a slight ding for some characters being involved in the story more often or in big chunks than others, sometimes being removed from the story for a while. some great surprises as the plot progressed. id definitely read more stories set in this world.

This book was such a delight. I came for the aliens, and got so much more.

The narrative voice doesn't just leap off the page, it beams directly into your brain, and a tinfoil hat won't save you from devouring this book. It's gorgeous prose wrapped in ̶b̶a̶c̶o̶n̶ quirky, off-the-wall humor. I highly enjoyed the lighthearted weirdness, and it never overshadowed the character relationships at the center of the story.

Far less grim than an H.G. Wells, and without the complete silliness of something like Hitchhiker's Guide, 𝘖𝘯 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘐𝘵 𝘐𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 hits a spot somewhere in the middle. If you like your flying saucers tucked into a cozy story of family togetherness (and cats, and bacon, and disposable plastics), then this one is for you.

On Earth as It Is on Television is such a sweet story. It reminds me of the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but as a comedy. It's nice to see the good side of the possibility of visitors from outer space as opposed to apocalyptic results.

I am a library associate and received an advance copy from #NetGalley.

I went into it knowing very little about the story and was pleasantly surprised. To briefly summarize, the novel describes how the lives of individuals are irrevocably changed as a result an alien ship mysterious arriving on Earth.

Darkly and sharply written, it runs the gamut of reactions to a global event, from the fanatical to the indifferent. Which feels quite apt for the current moment, without pandering.

As the title suggests, it plays into television tropes, its consumerism and sensationalism. This was advantageous, as I had inferred some of the major plot points early on, but having the familiar beats (particularly as they were overt hints) didn’t detract from enjoying the reveals.

At its most gratifying, the novel takes pleasure in observing human nature & culture from a foreign perspective. Quite sensible to observe humanity through lens of entertainment & commodities.

As a criticism, I would have liked to see more balance between plot lines, particularly early on. The unbalanced narratives contributed to the feeling that the overall narrative meandered in the middle. I also would’ve liked some more time spent exploring the dynamics between certain characters.

Overall, the story was quite endearing and affirming. I'm sure it will stay with me for some time.

Thanks to Hyperion for sharing this ARC!

This is a strange little book, and I mean that in the best way. As aliens arrive on Earth (and then disappear!), we get to explore the many ways that humans deal with the situation. This book has an incredibly intriguing premise and I feel that though it wasn't for me, it will be enjoyable for those who love quirky and humorous stories.

Alien spaceships have arrived, and they’re just… sitting there. On Earth as it is on Television takes a look at how some people are dealing with alien arrival, and all the oddities that it brings out. This is a fun look at how may deal with aliens, and also how they’d deal with us.

Note: ARC kindly provided in exchange for honest review
4 stars

A really original take on the aliens among us trope. Funny, a little zany and cats, lots of cats.
This book is so much fun and could very well happen.

I selected this book because I like scifi comedy and this seemed a fun and quirky first encounter story from the description. At about 40% into the novel, I told a friend that there really wasn’t much scifi yet. Alien ships had appeared over major cities and disappeared. The book was mostly, to that point, about different people and the ways that the aliens impacted their lives. At that point, I wasn’t sure I could recommend it as scifi, but I did really like the characters and their stories and was eager to get back to the story to see what happened. By the end of the book, which I won’t give away, I can firmly say that I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t overly quirky as scifi comedy often is, but it did have the lighthearted quality of the subgenre. The book is about how the people, and aliens living on earth respond to the return of the ship. For anyone with a love of cats, they feature prominently in the story in a very heart warming way. If you like your scifi to be about technology and war, this is not the book for you. If you like a cozy story about what happens if you find out your relative is an alien and the mothership is returning, then please, do yourself a favor, and grab this book.

This was fun and different. It's not fast paced, so avoid if that's what you're seeking. The author has a good imagination and puts it to good use here.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

Everything about this book had me intrigued.... the vaguely religious title, the concept, the pop visual cover, plus its a debut novel. I was sold and so so grateful to get a digital ARC approved via NetGalley. I struggled a bit at the onset of reading On Earth as It Is on Television. Initially I struggled to connect with characters who referred to their spouse as "The Wife" and with so many US based characters to follow it started off a bit more scattered than I expected. The moment we entered the mind of a cat around the 30% mark, however, I knew that I at least needed to find out what was going to happen to Sir Muff Mitts and the other cats compelled by an unseen force to leave their homes and families.

I AM SO GLAD that I kept reading!!! This was a unique, touching, intriguing take on not just an invasion story line but also consumerism, the meaning of family, grief, and understanding what we truly want and need out of life. I spent the first 30% wondering if I would ever connect with all of these characters and the last 70% worried about having to say goodbye to these characters when the book came to its natural close. I found myself laughing and also genuinely crying through this novel. I know that this is one I'm going to pick up again and I cannot WAIT to see what Emily Jane does next. If this is your debut, I know we are going to see some truly fantastic things from her.

3 Stars

Unfortunately this book didn't end up being for me, but I do think is an audience who will really enjoy it.

I like how the book is setup like a television series and parts are broken into episodes and then into character stories. There is even a perspective from the cat of the main family.

Owens perspective by far my favorite. I'm a vegetable state for 20 years after a crash, he suddenly just awakes when the alien ships appear. It's like nothing ever happened to him and he's perfectly healthy. That was so interesting to me.

What I struggled with was the pace of the book. It went pretty slow and was difficult for myself to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion ave for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

On Earth as It Is on Television by Emily Jane

This felt like a real bait and switch. I couldn’t finish this book - I couldn’t get past the prologue.

I picked this book up because the blurb text made it sound like a fun romp: “First Contact stories have never been as intoxicating and fun as in Emily Jane’s novel of the sudden arrival—and equally sudden departure—of spaceships above Earth.”

Instead the prologue begins with a child on the run from her rapist, who happens to be her mother’s boyfriend. Driving her is her half brother, who drives while impaired by marijuana and drives them off a cliff.

This is NOT the fun first contact story I was expecting when I requested an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I also didn’t love the writing style - it felt too dreamlike for my tastes, but I didn’t really get to encounter too much of it before I had to nope out of this terrible reading experience.

Maybe NetGalley should put some content warnings on its postings. This is NOT the book for me. I hope it finds its audience.

This was a super unique book that hooked me in just with the premise, and kept me hooked with its prose and intriguing characters!

Hilarious and razor sharp story of an invasion of aliens!

What would happen if aliens invaded, but then they left?

Three. Blaine and his family, Heather and recently awaked (from a coma) Oliver deal with this contemporary issue as they live life in the aftermath of the invasion. Similar to a Tom Robbins, this book will get you thinking! If you like satire, aliens, and life's hard questions, this is a book for you!#Hyperion

This was a beautifully done debut novel from Emily Jane, it was what I was hoping for from the description. I enjoyed the story that was going on and it was a great scifi novel. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their world. It does a great job in telling the story and I'm glad I read this.

"But why bother with us at all, a scientist conjectured. To a species that could travel across the galaxies, humans had little to offer. Our goldilocks planet, on the other hand, had minerals, water, edible plants and animals, the miracle of habitability. Most likely the aliens had come to strip us for parts, or to move in. Hello, Earth! Meet your new squatters."