It seems like Asher and Lily have the perfect teen romance but then Lily end up dead at the foot of the stairs and Asher is accused of killing her. Told in alternating chapters between Lily and Asher’s mom, Olivia. ARC from NetGalley.

Book Review: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boyle

Read if you Like:
Dual perspective timelines
Family dramas
A surprising twist
Courtroom Cases
Have an interest in beekeeping

“Sometimes making the world a better place just involves creating space for people who are already in it.”

Summary:
Mad Honey tells the story of a relationship through dual timelines and multiple perspectives.
It follows beekeeper Olivia McAfee and her son Asher living in rural New Hampshire. Lily moves to town with her mother, and Asher and her quickly fall in love. The story takes a hard turn when Lily is discovered dead, and Asher is seen as the prime suspect. Ultimately it is a story about what we choose to keep from our past and what we choose to leave behind.


Thoughts: Jodi Picoult has been on my radar since I read My Sister’s Keeper. It was a masterful display of writing as she forced us to question our opinions and created space for everyone involved in the story to have a voice. She consistently creates storylines that suck you in, providing new and novel viewpoints and forcing you to think beyond the confines of your perspectives. She creates characters that feel known and well-developed. This story was no different. She forces us to see ourselves and examine how we see others.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jodi is back! I have loved her books for a long time but I wasn’t a fan of the last two. This book seemed more like a lot of her older books. I enjoyed that it was written by two authors, but you couldn’t really tell because the writing style matched so well. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. I enjoyed learning about beekeeping and how it was related to the story in more than one way. A great read!

4.5 rounded up

This book had me on the edge of my seat! Did Olivia's son kill his girlfriend? A parent never wants to believe their child would harm anyone. But Asher is his father's son, and Olivia's ex was a violent abuser. Could Asher have inherited his father's brutal way? There's so many layers to this novel.

Themes:

This is a story of guilt and shame. There's a mother's guilt that her child had to witness domestic abuse. There is also guilt that she even considers that her son harmed his girlfriend. But the evidence is pretty convincing. She even feels some guilt that she has kept her son from his father. Don't all boys need their dads? But Olivia also feels intense shame that she ever got into an abusive relationship in the first place. This makes it hard for her to open up to her family about what was going on. But Olivia will need to be honest with her brother, the lawyer defending her son on the charge of murder.

Setting:

When I think of small towns, I usually only think about the upsides: people know you, and support you in times of need. But this can also blow up in one's face. For Olivia, her son's arrest is all anyone needs to blame her for raising a murderer. She is shunned and loses most of her business as everyone decides Asher must be guilty.

Storytelling:

I liked the different viewpoints in each chapter. We see the story through the eyes of Olivia, Asher, and even the deceased girlfriend, Lily. I found Lily's chapters particularly heartbreaking. She had been through so much and had such a bright future. Even with the different voices, the reader doesn't know how Lily died until the very end, making for a riveting read.

Story:

The story spans over a year's time, from the arrest of Asher to the resolution of the trial. But the novel also chronicles Asher and Lily's relationship, as well as Olivia's terrible marriage. This gives the reader lots of information, but not necessarily in any order. It's up to the reader to piece together what happens.

Recommendation: This is a riveting, and sometime tough to read book. The subject matter, with it's themes of domestic abuse, had me putting the book down for a while until I was ready to jump back in. But the payoff is an outstanding book about the secrets we keep and the consequences of those decisions. This book made me think. And your heart will break for the main characters.

Mad Honey written by Jodi Picoult and Finney Boylan tells the story of a divorced and formerly abused spouse and single mom, boyfriend of a trans girl, who was murdered? This Story surrounds the trials and tribulations of a trans teenager and her parents, struggling with her identity and her relationship with her straight boyfriend! It is a dramatic and emotional story reminiscent of the times today!

I LOVED this book. So many social issues were addressed in this novel and they were treated with the utmost respect and care. I appreciated that this was an Own Voices novel. Having a trans co author gave this story an authenticity that otherwise would have been lost. I felt all the things when ready this novel. Such an important piece of work. I feel changed after reading it and think about it constantly. This is a story that will stay with you and hopefully lend itself to empathy and acceptance.

As usual, this Jodi Picoult book was devastating and fascinating in equal parts. I found it a bit slow to start, but once I got into it I couldn't stop reading it. I recommend!

4.5 ⭐️
I always look forward to reading the newest Jodi Picoult book and this one did not disappoint. I was so invested in this story and really loved the characters!
Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the arc

After a bitter divorce, Olivia returned to her hometown of Adams, New Hampshire to start over with her son, Asher. She takes over the family beekeeping business and builds a life there. Lily, too, has moved to Adams to start over. Everything gets turned upside down when Lily is found dead in her house with Asher holding her body. Olivia knows that Asher didn’t kill Lily, but she does wonder, especially when she sees his temper. As the trial becomes a public spectacle, the secrets of both Lily and Asher are brought out in the open. Secrets that Asher refused to tell his attorney and mother. Now Olivia wonders what else he is hiding. What are these secrets? Did Asher kill Lily? Will he be convicted of her murder?

When I first got this book, it was back in mid-2022. Having read Jodi Picoult’s books in the past, I figured Mad Honey would follow the same pattern: A great love, a death, and a revelation that would knock my socks off. So, I put this book on the back burner to read when I could. Well, that chance was last week, and I have to say, Mad Honey knocked it out of the ballpark for me. I devoured this book.

Mad Honey had two main storylines. The first centers around Olivia, her son Asher, her background as a domestic abuse survivor (which is disclosed reasonably early in the book), and Asher’s murder trial. The second storyline centers around Lily, her backstory (which is heartbreaking), the months leading up to her murder, and Asher’s murder trial. I admit I wasn’t a fan of the constant switching of timelines at first. But, as the book went on, I got used to it and gleaned several clues about Lily from those flashbacks.

The theme of beekeeping was central to this book. Olivia’s beekeeping business and caring for the bees kept her sane before, during, and after the trial. I learned so much about beekeeping that I didn’t know before. Plus (and I loved this), the authors included the recipes Olivia wrote during the trial (to keep her hands busy).

There are triggers in Mad Honey. They are domestic violence (graphic), LGBTQIA+ violence (graphic), bullying (graphic), attempted suicide (off page), and child abuse (graphic). Except for the domestic violence (which was against Olivia), I will not get into any of the other warnings. Doing that will give away major spoilers for the book. I usually am not triggered by anything in books, but some of these did trigger me. I highly suggest not reading the book if any of these triggers you.

A couple of twists in the plotline for Mad Honey had me going no way (and one that had me sobbing like a baby in the car rider line at school). The first twist came out of nowhere, taking me completely by surprise. But it made sense when I took a minute to compose myself and think about what was revealed. It was as if a lightbulb had gone on over my head. The second twist happens towards the end of the book, after the trial. Again, it took me by surprise. I was disappointed by how the authors handled that twist. And, in turn, that twist made the ending so much sadder.

The end of Mad Honey wasn’t a happy ending. I felt that there was no justice for Lily. I am not going to go more into the ending because of spoilers. I wasn’t left feeling happy. Instead, my heart was broken for all involved (and I wanted someone to pay for Lily’s murder).

I would recommend Mad Honey to anyone over 21. There is language, violence, and non-graphic sexual situations. Also, see my trigger warning paragraph above.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, Jodi Picoult, and Jennifer Finney Boylan for allowing me to read and review Mad Honey. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Definitely one of my top five favorite books! Set in a small town in New Hampshire, a mother and son are fighting for his freedom after he has been accused of murdering his girlfriend. Throughout the novel, there are nuggets of beekeeping and bee facts, which I loved.

It's difficult to write a full review of this novel because you can't mention the main points without spoiling the plot. The characters are so well-written and, as a reader, you are right there going through the thoughts, struggles, and emotions. Many times while reading, I had to keep reminding myself that this is a fiction book and the characters aren't real. Highly recommended for any adult reader!

Thank you to Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Wow…just wow didn't know what the boo was about but dived right in and it was a wild ride. 4/5 loved it

This had elements and turns I didn’t see coming and really enjoyed and was hooked the moment I started the book. My only issue was that I felt there was a lot of information/parts of the book that weren’t necessary.

🐝 BOOK / REVIEW 🐝

Y'all - #madhoney by @jodipicoult and @jenniferfinneyboylan was such a treasure to read. It's been years since I picked up a book by Jodi, so I was really excited to dive into this after my sister's book club LOVED IT!

In true Picoult fashion, I was completely torn with my feelings for the entire book. My jaw hit the floor around page 184 when a massive twist was thrown into the mix. I appreciated the sensitivity around this subject matter (and I will not share what it is so I don't spoil it) and learned a lot about the topic through their writing. You can tell a ton of research went into writing this, including the fascinating pieces of bee history, which were completely unknown to me! I would have loved to hear this story through Lily's mother's eyes, as I think that would have added another layer of emotion to the book.

It's a tough but really important read. I thought this was an excellent book and reminded me a lot of Jodi's older writing. You will be absorbed from start to finish - what a fantastic read! Thank you, @netgalley and @ballantinebooks, for my eArc!

Mad Honey is a return for Jodi Picoult to her classics and some of her best characters, like Jordan and Selena McAffee. I am so glad Jennifer Finney Boylan had a dream to write this book with Jodi. I had been feeling disappointed by some of Jodi's more recent works (A Spark of Light), but Mad Honey gripped me from the very first page and had all the hallmarks of her works like The Pact and Nineteen Minutes. The viewpoints of Olivia and Lily were strong, and all of the characters in the book were well-developed, multifaceted, and flawed in their own ways. In other words, they read like real people.

I don't want to say too much because the book is full of twists and turns, but I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to all. There is so much content in this book to learn from.

One of my absolute favorite authors of all time is @jodipicoult! I have read almost everything she’s ever written and I was thrilled to receive a gifted copy of her newest book, Mad Honey, that she wrote together with @jenniferfinneyboylan.

Olivia is trying to move past her abusive marriage and start over in New Hampshire with her teenage son, taking over his father’s beekeeping farm. Asher has a new girlfriend, Lily who is new to NH. Lily is wonderful and fits right in with Asher and Olivia. But suddenly one day, Olivia receives a phone call- Lily is dead and Asher is being questioned by the police. Does he have some of his father’s abusive tendencies?

I love the court room drama and the slow unfolding of clues. I also love the return of Olivia’s brother, Jordan who is a famous New England defense attorney. He’s featured in a few of Jodi’s older books. I read in the author’s note that the different POVs were written by both authors and we don’t know who wrote what. I never felt like the voices were different and it was done seamlessly.

Jodi’s books always have an incredible about detail and research and this was no exception. I found all the bee facts truly fascinating especially that all the worker bees are women! 🐝 I never realized how many things are grown with the help of bees and I have a newfound respect for them! Who runs the world? (Girl) Bees!

5 stars! All the stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to @penguinrandomhouse for my gifted copy

I have to admit that my love for Jodi Picoult has waned over the years (I was NOT a fan of Wish You Were Here), but the topic of this novel, plus her co-author, piqued my interest and I decided to give it a try. I’m SO glad I did. This book had me trying to find things to do around the house just so I could keep listening. It’s a hard one to talk about without giving too much away, but if you like stories that tackle complicated subjects with tenderness and thought, books that keep you turning the pages, and characters that will stick with you, I recommend picking this up (yes, even if you’re not a huge Picoult fan). One note: co-authored books make me a little hesitant, but I it wasn’t obvious this was written by two different people. The writing was consistent and each perspective had its own voice. Stick around for the author’s note to hear how they handled this process and why they felt this story was an important one to tell.

Beautiful prose and compelling characters to tell a story that speaks to so many levels of the human condition. It’s heartfelt, vividly described and thoughtfully told.

After the tour de force that was Wish You Were Here I became immediately infatuated with Jodi Picoult!!!! While I purchased books from her backlist (still on my TBR bookshelf TEEEHEHEEE!) Mad Honey easily became my most highly anticipated read of 2022!

Sadly, it was a no for me, DAWG.

The pacing and jumping back and forth between characters and storyline COMPLETELY CONVOLUTED THE STORY!!!!!!!! It allowed me to feel zero connection to any of the characters because I wasn’t allowed enough time to make that connection!!!! One minute we’re in a flashback to Lily’s childhood and then yanked forward to Olivia talking about bee orgies! Like, nooooooo! 😔 Also the courtroom proceedings were entirely too long! HEAR YE HEAR YE (slams bookish gavel)

It took me three months to slog through this one! THREE MONTHS!!!!

I’m not sure if it is because this book was co-written or because it is an eARC but I truly, entirely, whole heartedly believe that this book needs some MAJOR editing before being thrust into the bookish world. There are some great opportunities for learning and understanding (No spoilers here) about some serious topics in today’s society but the execution was off, off , off!

ALSO - I have a huuuge complaint regarding the ending... we literally went through ALL OF THAT just for THAT, half assed truth? *siiiiiiigh*

Jodi is an excellent writer, that goes without question. I love how well she is able to weave current events and news into her stories. I have noticed lately that she has been taking on some highly controversial topics. She doesn't shy away from sensitive issues and that leaves some readers upset. If you are interested is a well written and emotional story about story about teens and young love and loss, this could be a hit for you. If you do not like to read about hot topics or are looking for an escape from the political topics, this is not for you. It gave me a lot to think about.
thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

This book was fantastic. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I love how Jodi Picoult always tackles tough issues in an approachable way. Also, loved the story behind this book!

The idea for MAD HONEY came from Jennifer Finney Boylan’s dream. She woke from the dream and tweeted about it tagging Picoult. MAD HONEY is the result of that dream come true and the particular plot she wanted to write with Picoult.

I have been a long-time fan of Jodi Picoult’s, even getting to meet her in person at a book signing event years ago. I can always count on Picoult’s books to challenge my thoughts about a topic, a disease, or some event. Her books are known for having a big twist or surprise in them that readers often don’t see coming. MAD HONEY encompasses all of that. Her latest with Finney Boylan offers a story of two single moms raising their children the best they can. There are numerous trigger warnings in this book including domestic violence and suicide. But, a huge piece of this story is one that can be quite divisive and is ripped from the headlines. I recommend you go in knowing very little in order to have the best experience reading it. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure I could finish this one, but I kept at it and am glad I finished it. These two authors definitely taught me a new perspective on a hot topic as well as an immense amount of information about raising bees and honey. I was delighted to see the honey recipes at the end of the book. .

“We both fall silent for a little bit. We don’t say it out loud, but we’re both thinking: it would be nice if there were some things you could forget.”

Each author took a character’s voice and then also wrote one chapter in the other character’s voice. But, truly, the story was seamless and a reader would never know there were two authors. The story is told alternately from the perspective of Olivia, a second-generation beekeeper who has recently returned to her home of Adams, New Hampshire to raise her son Asher, a senior in high school. Lily is a new student at Asher’s high school. She and her mom, Ava have recently moved there to start fresh after living in California. Lily and Asher begin dating and become inseparable. When Lily is found dead, Asher is arrested for her murder.

“He is right; you don’t ever recover from losing someone you love-even the ones you leave behind because you’re better off without them.”

Along with the alternating chapters, Lily’s story is also told backward, which took some getting used to. Olivia’s story is moving forward at the same time the reader is learning what led up to the day of the murder. As a mom, I struggled numerous times with the emotions in this story. One mom is grieving over the death of her child and the other mom is grieving that she might lose her child forever to the prison system. It’s a hard story to take and one I had to put down a few times to take a break. But, that is sometimes what makes a story great. It doesn’t gloss over the rough parts but hits you solid right between the eyes.

“Do not listen to anyone who tells you a broken heart is a metaphor. You can feel the cracks and the fissures. It’s like ice splintering under your feet; like the cliff crumbling beneath your weight.”

Both authors hope this novel inspires compassion while also educating the reader on a sensitive topic. Ultimately, this is a story of two moms who do everything they can to protect their children and yet, they can’t protect them from everything. As a mom, that hurt, yet it reminded me that sometimes we can do everything in our power to protect them, and ultimately, we have to let them live the life ahead of us.