Thank you to net galley for giving me an early copy of Mad Honey. I always enjoy the writing style of this author however this book took a turn in style that I was not expecting. The premise of the book a murder, a love interest and the mother daughter and mother son relationships were intriguing. However the middle of the book took a turn and became a bit long winded in explaining some things that took away from the premise and plot. To discuss these things would be a definite spoiler. I had hoped that there would be more of an explanation concerning the death rather than a jump to the trial. I found the beekeeping information interesting to a point. It did appear that at times that Olivia, beekeeper had more concern for the bees that her son who is accused of murder. I was also not very satisfied with the ending.. all in all I do enjoy a Jodi Picoult novel and the subject matter is very timely, as always.

A good middle-of-the-road Jodi Picoult book -- better than some, not as great as others. Thanks to the publisher for the advanced reading copy.

This book was fantastically thought-provoking. You felt invested in these characters and emotions as the authors unwound this complex, yet realistic story. I did not see the twist/main topic coming and I was glued from then on. I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

I have been reading Jodi Picoult for almost 20 years! She is one of my longest read authors and her last few haven't been big wins for me, but I did really enjoy this one! For longtime fans - there is a recurring character, Jordan McAfee, the attorney from Nineteen Minutes.

In true Picoult writing, there is a big twist about halfway through that I did not see coming!
There are so many wonderful, positive takeaways from this book I had including feeling more educated and have a better understanding of the transgendered community, being a beekeeper, and the legal system.

The characters are compelling, layered, and nuanced. This is great, relevant plot you will feel completely invested in. It just feels quite long at times and I didn't love part of how this story was told - one POV is told backwards. I just didn't think that part added much to the story and just felt repetitive. I also had a tough time connecting to Asher's character and didn't see much growth or understanding of some of his decisions. I still highly recommend this to others and think it's well worth the read!

I have to start off this review by saying that I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan, and I have been for the last 15+ years. I always look forward to when she has a new book coming out, and I have read everything she has written. It's no secret that Picoult is known for tackling "big", often controversial topics in her writing, from stem cell research and abortion to mercy killing and more. I feel like Picoult usually handles these topics in a way that are sensitive yet objective and truly allow the reader to consider all elements of arguments for and against. It's important to note that Picoult has a co-author of this book. I don't know what was going on, but this one felt messy. There were SO many things that were packed into this one- domestic abuse, suicide, and the "plot twist"- one of the main characters, Lily, is transgender. This plot twist felt like a cheap party trick to be able to market this book in a certain way, even though readers may feel completely blindsided once this revelation comes to light. The reason I say this is because it had no bearing on the reason why Lily was killed, just like the fact that Maya had two moms and no bearing on anything in the story, only that we are reminded of it just about every time Maya's name comes up. It was like the two authors came up with a myriad of issues and decided to put them in the story in one way or another. There were a bunch of loose ends, and let's not forget to mention that this book is over 400 pages long. The constant back and forth of the time from Olivia's previous marriage to days after Lily's death and back to when Lily and Asher were dating gave me whiplash. It was hard to find a groove in reading because the timeline is constantly switching. We're not given one continuous story; we're giving snippets upon snippets that we have to keep organized in order to understand what is going on. This review pains me so much because I am such a huge Picoult fan, but this one completely missed the mark for me. Thank you to the publisher for my digital copy and my finished copy.

Jodi Picoult used to be my favorite author. I haven’t picked up a book of hers since The Storyteller. When her writing changed somehow.

Unfortunately. This one was not for me either. I know a lot of people loved it, but that’s what makes books so great.

I can’t even get into what this story is about without giving away a huge part of the plot. As a long time fan of Picoult and a new fan of Boylan, I am just blown away by this book. I am used to Picoult making me think and putting me in moral dilemmas. This book is no exception. Dealing with a topic I readily admit to not knowing much about, this book is eye opening and heartbreaking. I highly recommend!

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is a good book, as Picoult’s always are. It is a lesson in understanding the idea of transgender, the terror of not being able to protect one’s child, and how easy it is to fall into the trap of seeing every situation through the lens of one’s own experience. It was a simple enough story, told in increments from Lily’s death forward, mostly through the lens of Olivia, a divorced, middle-aged mother of a 19 year old son and a bee-keeper. Then we would look back for a while into the life of Lily, the girlfriend of Olivia’s son, Asher, who also had a complicated life. We learned a lot about bees, and about transgendered folks, at least a couple of them. In many ways it was a heart-breaking story, which is really Picoult’s forte. She is so good, but she always wants to teach the reader about something that she thinks is important in today’s society. Personally, I am kind of tired of being taught, or lectured to, no matter how subtle the technique.

Here is the outline: Asher is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Lily. If you are to believe the prosecutor, the motive was that she told him she was transgender. He was innocent, but no one really believed him, even Olivia. I thought I had it figured out but I was wrong. Asher was a good kid but both he and his mother were worried that he was just like his father: an abuser. Signs pointed toward it. Luckily, Olivia’s brother was a retired criminal defense attorney, one of the best, so he took over Asher’s case. Lawyers have reputations and they deserve them. It seems to be less about justice and more about winning. Even Asher’s lawyer didn’t want to know things that seemed pertinent to the case. If he knew, he would have to disclose. Doesn’t seem right. He wasn’t fighting for justice. He was fighting to get his nephew off. It was a well-done book. Picoult is an excellent writer and her daughter looks to be following in her footsteps. The characters were compelling and the plot was a good one. I recommend it. Just know what you are getting in to.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Mad Honey by Ballantine Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BallantineBooks #JodiPicoult #JenniferFinneyBoylan #MadHoney

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. All the aspects off beekeeping was utterly fascinating to me, so much so that the murder mystery was secondary to me. This was a fast read for me, the parts did drag a bit.

Although I appreciated the topics at the heart of this book, it fell short for me. It felt too forced and sensational as if the authors threw as much into the plot as they could at the expense of believability. I’m a fan of Picoult and was excited to receive this one from Ballantine and am grateful for the opportunity. As an activist supporting and advocating for the rights of all kids and who they are, this book felt a little like it was exploitative. A miss. I know I’ll be in the minority.

Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors. Her writing, character development, topics and twists always delight and this was no exception. I do think the book was a bit long and at times I found it a bit confusing dealing with the switches between present and past time. These two items were the only reason I didn't give this a 5-star rating. This book reminded me of those Picoult was writing several years ago when she took on contemporary and controversial issues as an integral part of her stories, characters and plots. And those were my favorite Jodi Picoult books.

I loved reading this emotional story. This is an author that I have loved reading from the first book and have been reading her books for years. This is one of my favorite by her yet. This is a well written book about who you chose to keep in your life whether it is from the past or from the present. This is a book that took me on an emotional roller coaster ride that I didn't want to stop. The characters were written with heart and brought the story to life. I found them to be connectable and have great growth throughout. I really enjoyed reading this book. It is fast paced and engaging. I highly recommend this must read story.

I went in totally blind on this book - I didn't even read the synopsis before I dove in. I picked up Mad Honey because I saw Jodi Picoult's name on the cover, and that was really all I needed to know. She so deftly navigates multiple sides of contemporary issues, and I knew I'd be in for a thought-provoking read.

But this one didn't work for me the way I hoped it would.

In typical Picoult fashion, there's a major "twist" at the halfway point. And I'll admit that it surprised me, because I definitely didn't see it coming, but beyond that point... the twist itself really didn't have any bearing on the remainder of the story.

Based on the twist the authors gave us, we could have ended up with a really impactful story about [violence in intimate relationships and how that disproportionally impacts certain populations. Or we could have had a really honest look at transphobia and the ways that some people's hatred can fuel criminal intent.

But... none of that happened. So to have opportunities for those kinds of stories to be heard, and then to get the ending we got... it honestly just felt cheap and avoidant.

The book itself was still engaging and well-written; the characters were layered and nuanced; and it was an enjoyable read. I just felt like the authors took the easy way out on the ending, in a way that was entirely out of sync with a minor character's prior behavior and attitudes, and it kind of lost me.

A huge thank you to Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan, Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Fantastic story of family bonds, young love, secrets and lies that explode when a young girl is found dead at the bottom of the stairs and her boyfriend is the suspect.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. I know that this book is going to be very controversial and some area going to love it while others equally hate it. That being said, the writing is very good of course, it's Jodi Picoult, and the characters felt very real. The trial scenes interspersed with other scenes, kept me turning pages. I figured out the ending, but I had no idea how the authors were going to get there, so it kept it interesting.

When I was notified that I received an ARC in exchange for my review for this title, I literally jumped for joy. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers!! (Out this week! 10/4/22)

Jodi Picoult and Jenny Boylan come together for a powerful story shared from two viewpoints, Olivia’s, the mom of accused teenager Asher and Lily’s, Asher’s newly deceased girlfriend. There’s no hijinks in this one, Lily’s viewpoints are from those leading up to the incident, whereas Olivia’s are from after. I loved this one - it drew me in immediately, and I was so invested in the story, I found myself dying to read more to find out Asher’s fate. Big twist around the halfway point that I definitely didn’t see coming, but gave a new twist to the story. I loved it.

Again, thank you to NetGalley and the publishing team for this ARC in exchange for my review - I highly recommend checking this one out!

There are books that you read, and you go in with no knowledge, and they take your freaking breath away and stay with you. This is one of those books.
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Go into it without any knowledge. Wait for the twist, and then let the words wash over you.
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There is so much I want to say, but it’s more important for me to be quiet and let the book speak. Please don’t overlook this one. With a monumental election on the horizon, please read this incredibly relevant book.
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There is much to learn about and much to reflect upon. The characters are so beautifully written. Woven into the heart of the story is the information about beekeeping. I love that the bees gave you time to process some of the impactful content.
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I will be gifting it to others this Christmas and plan on donating a copy to the library on my campus. I foresee this book being banned, and I want to put it into everyone’s hands.
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This will be a top book for me this year. I want to thank Random House-Ballantine books for gifting me an e-arc. One of the authors dreamed about the book’s premise in 2017…imagine having an idea that it is even more impactful 5 years later.
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Be aware there are trigger warnings which I will add at the bottom sort of vaguely not to ruin anything. If you read it, follow the stories. Open your heart. And if I can be so bold…be an Asher. TW/CW: abuse in several forms, medical condition with detailed explanations, court trial, death

Mad Honey has everything you expect from a Piccoult novel (this book was co-written but I haven’t read any of Boylan’s books) There is a murder mystery but the real meat of the story is transgender people and how much we want to share about our private lives. . I feel like every opinion about transgenders was represented and it made me think more about my own opinions. Along the way we also learn a ton about bee keeping! I do not think the law portions were handled very well. Very circumstantial evidence leading to murder in 1st degree charges? Lawyers who don’t know every part of the medical exam report? But the characters and the emotions were so very real. I especially loved Lily and Asher.

📚BOOK REVIEW📚

Mad Honey

Genre: Fiction
Format: ebook
Publication: 10/4/2022
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you so much to @netgalley for providing me with an early arc of this book. All opinions are my own!

Mini Summary:

Olivia McAfee and Lily Campanello want a do-over in life. For a period of time, they get that chance to live the lives they want. However, a fresh start doesn't last forever and one event will force them to revisit the lives they wanted to put behind.

Jodi Picoult is an auto buy author for me because her novels are enjoyable, but make you think either through a plot twist or characterization. Prior to reading this book, I did not know a lot about Jennifer Finney Boylan, but after reading Mad Honey, I will make more of an effort to read more from her because she is very intelligent and passionate about what she advocates for.

Mad Honey was an incredible story that made you think. One point I would be jumping out of my seat because of a plot twist and at other times I would be learning things I didn't know before. The writing styles meshed with the bee metaphors completed the book.

What I highly suggest to readers is to please review the trigger warnings and mentally be prepared to have a conversation with yourself. This book will make you do that.

Happy Book Birthday to an incredible book that will one day open many eyes of the people that read it!

#bookrecommendations #booklover #bookstagram #fiction #jodiepicoult #madhoney

For more reviews, follow @alexlivesathousandlives

Another 5 star WOW from Jodi Picoult. I've read many of her books and they all have one trait in common. They make you think, make you feel for the characters in the book. These characters are so well developed, you'd know them if you met them on the street. You see the movie of their life played out on the pages as you are pulled into the story. And every story has a Twist. A Twist with a capital T.
Two families rebooting their lives in a new town, new school for the teenagers. Single parent families, the mothers both desperate to protect their children from the harsh parts of their lives. The two teens meet, fall in love and seem to have a happily ever after in their futures. Then the Twist.
If you've not read any of Picoult's back library, not to worry, each book is a stand alone. Some characters appear in more than one of the titles, but you get a complete, "oh, no" story in each one. My favorite is MY SISTER'S KEEPER but this one is in the Top 5. Read and enjoy.