🐝Book Review🐝

After I kicked off the new year with Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult, I was so buzzy with excitement to read her newest, first co-authored book, Mad Honey with Jennifer Finney Boylan. I went in without reading the synopsis expecting Picoult’s signature twist and perhaps a contemporary drama with some connection to apiology (study of honeybees). All of which were met, so there’s that.

This book will resonate deeply with a lot of readers, but instead of doing a dance relaying my flower flight path, this book just made me one cranky queen.
Alright, enough with my silly attempts to make bee-related references, it’s time to share my thoughts.

This book is a lot. Not just in length, but also in contemporary themes, trauma, and even biology. It’s a murder mystery, teen romance, encyclopedic reference on bees and more, in which every single character has secrets and seemingly exceptionally close relationships with one another, except…nobody actually communicates. Facepalm. I’m so over book plots that use miscommunication as a plot device. On top of that, this twisty twist that comes at about 40%, should not ever be a twist. This book is written in a way that I cannot effectively share my thoughts because I definitely don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but I will say this—let’s move forward in OUR (humanity, ALL of us) story, and normalize sharing and inclusivity.

This book could have easily been three separate books each with more depth, especially more impactful in order to make more space for the trauma and it’s effects, not to drop it in for shock value. And to me, the flow felt off, having the two main character’s perspectives seemingly going forwards and backwards yet also in reverse, and over to the left a bit, with random drops of bee info (which I’m still puzzling over the connections).

Oddly enough for a book that felt tedious and repetitive, I was hoping that Picoult & Boylan brought more depth, but instead it felt like they were just trying to cause a swarm with their Mad Honey.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

If you don't know the name Jodi Picoult, where have you been? I have loved all the Picoult books that I've read and this one is the same!

That twist!?!? How does she do twists like this? Like whiplash twists that have you wondering what you're reading. This was a hard book to swallow, but Jodi and the coauthor wrote this so well. It was something that needed to be told and they accomplished it.

I honestly just really jive with the writing style and the thought provoking message.

4.5 sweet stars

This book features several sets of characters who intersect in the small town of Adams, New Hampshire. We meet Olivia McAfee and her son Asher and get flashbacks of her perfect (on the surface) marriage to a surgeon. We also learn about the violence that drove Olivia to flee to New Hampshire with Asher. They have made a fresh start of things although Asher yearns to have his father as part of his life.

We also have Lily and her mom; they are also in Adams seeking a fresh start. Lily and Asher are both seniors and eventually connect at school. The chapters from Lily’s perspective are excellent and give such insight into her character. As young love blooms between Lily and Asher, it seemed that they are a good match.

This book has a lot of detail about beekeeping as that is Olivia’s job now, she’s taken over the family bee business. I found this fascinating, and I will have to pay more attention the next time I buy honey!

I went into this one blind, so maybe I was more surprised than readers who read the book blurb. I will say that it had a surprise twist and that kept me turning the pages! Suddenly we are dealing with death and a murder trial.

I am a Jodi Picoult fan, this makes book #6 for me. I wasn’t sure how it would read since she co-authored it with Jennifer Finney Boylan. I found it to be seamlessly written and I highly recommend reading the portions at the end where the authors write about the origin of the book and how they wrote it.

I know that it is a Jodi Picoult trademark to highly research an area and to write about difficult things. This book is no exception. I enjoyed these characters and was a bit sad when this one ended. I look forward to someday reading older Jodi books!

Pros: This book felt like Defending Jacob meets This Is How It Always Is, and I think fans of both books will enjoy this book. I appreciated that this author collaboration features an own-voices author to tell this story. My favorite part about this book was that it had a twist I was not expecting!

Cons: I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I weren’t an attorney—the time from a death to a murder trial is usually years, not months, and the last-minute witnesses and “gotcha” moments at trial were not believable. Also, I thought the ending was obvious and was disappointed that I guessed the whodunnit early in the book. Although I appreciate that many of Jodi Picoult’s books feature social commentary on important issues, portions of this book felt like a DEI class. I understand that some readers will be new to topics in this book (I’m purposely being vague so as not to spoil the book) and might need the information to understand and empathize. However, for readers who are knowledgeable on the topic, I think it will feel like the authors are doing too much telling and not enough showing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed this latest book from a masterful storyteller. I am hesitant to share much detail because going in blind works best. But here are some of my thoughts:
- I never knew much about bees but do now and not in a way that made me question why I was reading this book.
- The twist was shocking and made the story even more emotional.
- There is a bit of a mystery / who did it to the story.
- Characters are extremely relatable.
- I was left with a huge book hangover after this one!!!

I can't recommend this novel that is only marginally related to the description and synopsis given by the publisher. I almost stopped reading when the big shocker appeared at the 45% mark and I realized exactly what this whole book was going to be about.

Basically -- a lecture on every contemporary and controversial subject as the authors flex their virtue, tolerance, and understanding. You name it, this book has it: race, color, politics, the justice system, gender and sexuality, transgender, women's rights, spousal abuse, etc. If you like being told what to think and how to think, this is one for you. It's not that I agree or disagree with the authors, mind, it's that every single concept of diversity is all mashed up in this singular story. I wish that I could just read a great plot with characters I could imagine all on my own without the author describing things in such detail as often much of that has nothing to do with the actual point of the novel. Perhaps I am an outlier, but I am tired of books trying to push a social agenda, and I should have known better than to pick up this one as JP has often been a miss for me because she does it all the time. Sometimes those twists that get tossed in her books are just too much for me to tolerate.

Despite how much I disliked the main narrative, the reason I gave the book two stars is because of the information about the bees. Now, that I found interesting. I like books with legal and courtroom drama, and I like a story with a medical slant, but some of that was quite obviously creative license. Anyway, I'm done and I think I can pass on any future books without FOMO.

I would love to discuss this book with others, especially the fact that there is some discussion about whether or not someone should reveal the fact that they are transgender. For real? Anyway, I see mixed reviews for this book and glad that people feel comfortable sharing their opinions. Others have written their thoughts much better than I can, but I don't recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

📖My Thoughts📖

Jodi Picoult has been one of my favorite authors for as long as I can remember. I love how I so effortlessly become immersed into her books and just lose myself. This book was no exception. The story is told from dual points of view, one of which alternates back and forth between past and present day allowing us to get a better insight of who they are as well as sharing some hidden secrets. I love that the author never steers away from a touchy subject matter, but in turn, embraces it. It was a long book, but I think it was necessary to enable the authors to really be able to go so in depth with the story and history of the characters. I’ve read my fair share of Jodi Picoult books, but this was the first one I’ve read in which there was a co-author. I think it still had the fluidity as had it been written by a sole author. This was an amazing book though I feel as though I can’t get too much into it without spoiling anything. I highly recommend this book hands down!
Thank you Netgalley, Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mad Honey is Jodi Picoult at her finest. I have read most all of her priors and this may be one of her best. She pulls no punches. So many different themes and different threads you really have to pay attention. Not sure how to explain without spoilers so just going to say read it! Issues are presented from multiple sides and I would think if read as a book club pick would be a lively discussion.

I have such mixed thoughts on this book. On one hand, the story line, the characters, and the details were done impeccably. It reminded me of some of Jodi Picoult's earlier books. I was 100% invested in the characters, their story and how the book would end. However, I did feel as if the book dragged on in many parts. Sometimes it felt repetitive and predictable, but instead of adding to the amazing story, it made it feel boring at times. That being said, this book will definitely make you question everything you know and believe. It is a story about love, strength and how our past and our secrets help us to find our true self.

Olivia and her son Asher had to start over in her hometown of New Hampshire taking over the family Beekeeping business. Lily understands starting over too. She finally finds happiness when she meets Asher, after moving to New Hampshire for her senior year in High School. When Asher and Lily fall for one another, they seem to have a picture perfect relationship. Until Lily is found dead and Asher is the prime suspect. Will Olivia be able to convince others and herself of her son's innocence? Or will her past cloud opinions of him?

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

I enjoyed the storyline but the book was pretty slow. I was curious about what was happening but it took a very long time to get to the resolution.

🍯 Book Review 🐝

Hi, my name is Crystal and I’m a massive Jodi Picoult fan! 👋🏻 Needless to say, I was sooooo excited about this ARC and thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse Ballantine for my approval to read this book. First off…

This book is amazing!! Go read it now!!

Seriously. This is my latest 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read and I’m ready to shout it from the rooftops.

This book is narrated by two women, Olivia and Lily. Lily is a senior in high school and she dies in the first chapter. Olivia is Lily’s boyfriend’s mom. Asher, Lily’s boyfriend, discovers her body and is quickly suspected for her murder.

This book written in such a unique way. The story moves forward with Olivia’s chapters, including the arrest and trial. But, Lily’s chapters move backwards, revealing a little bit at a time.

I thought I knew what this book was about and then, when I hit the 45% mark I literally gasped. The story is turned on it’s ear and gets that much more in depth.

I’ve never read Jennifer Finney Boylan before this book, but I loved the writing style and how the two authors meshed these two women’s stories together in such a cohesive way. Also, wow about all the beekeeping and honey information! I learned so much!! I also loved the authors’ notes detailing how they collaborated and wrote this book.

All around, this book is amazing from the beginning quote, the whole story and then the authors’ notes. Read this one ASAP!!

I have been a huge Jodi Picoult fan for years so I was excited to hear she had another book coming out this year. I love that Picoult brings big and important topics to the forefront of her novels. It is so important for all people to be represented in books and media.

The character development was top notch for me. I liked that they showed all sides of the characters, not just the shiny parts, and you could still find them lovable (except for Braden of course).

I feel like it could have been a little shorter and ended up feeling a little repetitive at times. Although this wasn't my favorite from the author, I still really enjoyed it and it kept me interested the whole way through.

Mad Honey, by Jodi Piccoult, was another fantastic book from this author. The story is told from two people and two timelines.
Olivia McAfee is starting her life over after what appeared to be an ideal life in Boston imploded. She moved with her son Asher back to the sleepy little town in New Hampshire that she grew up in. Olivia didn’t just move back to her hometown, she moved back into the house she grew up in and took over the family business, beekeeping.

Lily Campanello recently relocated to the same town with her mom hoping for a fresh start. Lily is a senior in high school and begins dating Olivia’s son Asher.

All is well for a little while until Lily is found dead with Asher. Olivia begins her fight to prove her sons innocence but as the story unfolds, hidden truths are revealed and relationships are tested. .

This book grabbed my attention with the suspense and the dynamics between the characters. I was cheering Asher on in hopes of his innocence while praying his mother hangs in there with him. True to Piccoult’s writing style, nothing is taken for granted and you never know what will happen. It was impossible to put down!

It actually seems hard to believe that I have been following Picoult's writing career for nearly twenty years... And I freely admit, that her older novels are my preference to her more recent ones. Despite that, I can't repress that spark of excitement every time I crack open her latest. I went into this one totally blind - I didn't read the synopsis, nor did I look up any of her co-author's books - and to preserve the book's twist, I do recommend doing that! Anything more, and I think that a reader may see where this is going, so I will try my best to be circumspect throughout - nothing is worse than a spoiler!

Initially reading this one felt like a return somewhat to those older Picoult novels - defense attorney Jordan McAfee even returns!! His last appearance was in [Nineteen Minutes], I think back in 2007! And I know many readers will love all the details about bees and bee-keeping. Personally, this made this a Halloween-season read for me because I am terrified (and allergic) to bees, so I could have done without this element. I don't even like honey, so the recipes and the info-dumping dragged this down for me, though I am sure this will appeal to others. I am just glad that the cover isn't full of bees!

Anyhow, the story unfolds with two narrators - Olivia, the beekeeper and mother of Asher and sister of Jordan, and Lily, who's timeline works backwards as a new student to their NH town and dates Asher. When Asher winds up on trial for murder, the weight of both Olivia's and Lily's pasts come bearing down to add to the drama. This latter half of the novel especially feels more like Picoult's more recent books that take on numerous hot-topics from the headlines and rather forcefully insert lectures and facts into the narrative. The jab the authors include about book reviewers "telling people how to think" makes for an especially uncomfortable moment for at least this reader. It always shocks me when any author lashes out at those who support them. Negative reviews sell books just as readily as positive ones, from what I have seen. And I am certain that this will garner both. It also seems awfully hypocritical since the not-so-underlying message of this book is also telling its audience how to think...

The author's note at the end offers some interesting insight and background in how these authors came to work together. But, obviously, don't skip to the end to read it! The storyline itself is certainly engaging and this is an emotional read that brings these characters to life. Are there moments when the younger characters sound like middle-aged women? Yes, but I suppose life experiences can make a young person sound authentically jaded. There are some particularly heartbreaking scenes here that are certain to leave marks all their own on readers. Some elements of the story (like the romance) don't gel as well as others. I wish that had been omitted from the story and it would have been nice to see a more satisfying ending for some of the other characters. It's a moving story and topics not often touched on in fiction are handled here in a (mostly) sensitive way. It's an interesting and riveting read that deals with tough issues from violence in the home, identity and intimacy - along with secrets and betrayals. I am sure that this will incite plenty of lively discussions amongst readers - and new audiences for the coauthors' books as they bring their audiences together. It captured my attention from start to finish and I really can't wait for someone I know to pick up a copy so that we can chat about it!

A major theme in Mad Honey is the concept of what we choose to keep as secrets and what is our right to privacy. We first meet Olivia McAfee, who has the interesting vocation as a beekeeper. She fled an abusive husband and moved, with her son Asher, to a small town in New Hampshire. She has kept her abuse a secret. Asher is popular in school and is a star hockey player. When he meets Lily Campanello, the new girl in town, they become very close, very quickly. She also has her own secrets. After one of their quarrels where they didn't speak for a short period, Asher goes to Lily's house only to find her at the bottom of her stairs. While in shock and grieving at the loss of his girlfriend, Asher is soon arrested for her murder. The story is told from the perspectives of Olivia and Lily. Olivia wants to believe in her son but has to consider that Asher may have inherited her ex-husband's violent rage. Lily's story, told during the periods leading up to her demise, reveals a complex and smart young woman who is finally becoming her own self in her new setting. Seeing all her possibilities makes knowing she dies, especially tragic. The story is both a compelling courtroom drama as well as a sad story of a life lost.

Authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan have successfully written together for the first time providing a seamless story that doesn't feel like two writers were involved. They tackle some very serious issues which are handled with sensitivity. The courtroom action kept me on the edge of my seat. And gaining some insight on the world of beekeeping was a nice bonus.

Jodi Picoult has a knack for turning a book I might otherwise have issues with into something I really enjoyed. I've never been a fan of storylines with a "political" bend - the "subject of the day" if you will. This could have been one of those books, but instead, it was an incredibly thought-provoking story that made me really consider the question of what I would do in similar circumstances. Not in a way where I felt like I was being pushed to change my stance, but just think about my views. I want to stress that for me, a lot of the attraction of this book was NOT knowing the twists. So please don't rush to read spoilers ahead of time. The character development was stellar, even secondary characters like Olivia's brother and sister-in-law, and the storyline twists kept me guessing until the end. The two viewpoints of Olivia and Lily were an interesting choice (as opposed to Asher and Lily). I loved the inclusion of beekeeping and the parallel inferences. And the title choice was spot-on.

A couple of small issues: I struggled with the direction of the storytelling, with Lily's view jumping around to a point where I wasn't sure if I had missed something or if it hadn't been told yet. I was also not a fan of the ultimate outcome of the storyline. It felt easy, and was a bit of a letdown.

Overall, this was a wonderful book, and a fantastic combination of two authors who meshed so well together in their writing.

I have to admit, the start of this book felt very slow to me and I couldn't grasp where it was going. All I can say is I am glad I stuck with it because it held a huge shocker that made the rest of the book fly by. Stunning and timely book with a message that is so dearly needed to be shared. I 100% recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. (I will be buying a hard copy for my bookshelf!!) All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dual narrators Olivia and Lily tell the story of a teenage relationship between Olivia's son Asher and the new girl at school Lily. When Lily is found dead in the arms of Asher, he is arrested and tried for her murder. Olivia's timeline is told in order, while Lily's is told in a reverse timeline.

I loved this book so much. I have read some of Jodi Picoult's writing, but it has been several years. I know she likes to write about sensitive subjects, and this novel certainly brought several sensitive subjects to light. This was the first Jennifer Finney Boylan book that I have read, but I do plan to look for more of her work. I found the writing style to be incredibly interesting, with the dual narrators as well as dual timelines. It kept me interested but also flowed beautifully. While there were two writers on this novel, it never felt disjointed; they both did a fantastic job creating a seamless story. I found the book to be tragic but beautiful, the story of Lily and Asher's love drew me in and the twists kept me coming back for more. It was hard to put down once I started.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley who allowed me to read this advanced reader copy. The opinions in this review are all my own.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley.com I am leaving this review voluntarily

Wow. This book takes me back to when I first read Jodi Picoult. It doesn't hurt that the attorney in this book plays vital roles in The Pact, Salem Falls and Nineteen Minutes. I also appreciate that this book actually had an ending where I felt that a few of her more recent books left the end up to you.

Olivia left her abusive husband and moved with her son to her parents farm where she becomes a beekeeper like her father. Now a senior in high school Asher is a good kid, a gifted athlete and has a great girlfriend. Then Lily is found dead and Asher is the main suspect.

This book was in many ways torturous to read because I wanted to hurry up and find out what happens at the end of the trial. I can only imagine the stress Asher and his mother would have been under in these circumstances. Throughout the book we get flashbacks into Lilly's life from before she moved to the area and throughout her relationship with Asher. We also get flashbacks from Olivia who hides the pain and shame of being an abused woman. Ever since she left her husband she has not had another relationship, scared to trust again.

I don't want to give too much away because there is a secret revealed in this book about halfway through. Which this book is full of. Everyone seems to have secrets and its about the lengths and the costs they go through to keep them and who they eventually trust with them.

The ending actually caught me by surprise but it actually made sense. It also shows just how skewed the justice system is. I loved this book. I thought the topics it brings to light are timely and needed. It really dives deep into a subject many people don't know too much about and if some of the reviews I read are anything to go by things that people are scared to hear about. Our biases cloud our judgement so often maybe its time to open our eyes and see through someone else's for a change.

Thank you, Random House and Ballantine Books, for the gifted copy of Mad Honey. {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 10.4.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

"How similar does someone have to be to you before you remember to see them, first, as a human?"


So, Mad Honey is going into my 2022 Book of the Year stack. It's stayed with me days after finishing. I wish I could put into words the profound impact that reading this story has had on me. But, I genuinely can't even begin to describe how poignant this book was to read.

Mad Honey is one of those books that is nearly impossible for me to review without giving any of the key plot points of the book away. I had a general understanding of the book, but I didn't do any additional reading on it - I've found that this helps me not to have expectations for the story and where I *think* it should go. With Mad Honey, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do the same.

The first chapter was a little slow, but it ended with a bang, and, for me, the story took off from that point. But, it wasn't until that 50% mark that I was sincerely invested in this book. I learned a lot from reading Mad Honey and I think there are many people who could stand to pick this one up and read it.

🤐The less you know, the better
🎭 Family drama
👩🏽‍⚖️ Courtroom
✌🏼 Two perspectives, dual timelines (moving backward & forwards)

❌ self harm, suicide attempts, domestic violence

I could write pages about Mad Honey, and I've spent a lot of time discussing it with my husband. So, if you've had a chance to read this, I would love to chat with you!