such a sad book. Broke my heart. But couldn't put it down. There's always a twist somewhere and there was here too. I enjoyed it but didn't love it.

Wow. This book took me by surprise. Very few books have a twist in the middle quite like this one, but it's oh so good. This book is so well written, and as all Jodi Picoult books do, this one touches on sensitive topics that are "hot" topics in our current culture, and this one is no different. However, with this one, you don't know which sensitive topic you are walking into until well into the book. I love how much I learned about bees and how they used that to bring all the pieces of this book together. So unique and different and awesome. A great read, no matter what side you are on.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is not only a great work of fiction, but also very educational. It is a book that can lead readers to understand and have compassion for the circumstances of others. The bee information is meaningful in its own way.

Mad Honey is about a boy who loves a girl who ends up dead under suspicious circumstances and he's suspect number one. It's about secrets and self discovery. I don't want to say much about this book because it has many layers that are woven together to create a beautiful yet sad story. If I share the biggest piece of this story it would ruin it for you. It's told in dual perspectives and timelines. In fact, in one perspective the timeline moves backwards which was confusing at first but necessary. I really enjoyed this one and will be thinking about it for a long time.

I generally do not enjoy co-authored books, but Mad Honey is an exception. Both authors did an excellent job in their partnership, creating a very interesting book. I enjoyed learning so many interesting facts about beekeeping and at times needed the fact sharing to relax from the main part of the story. This was a great book for the most part, although I did feel as if it dragged a bit at times. This did not keep me from finishing it and am glad I did. There was a jaw dropping twist which made me stop reading for the night so that I could process the story before continuing. Be sure to read the author’s comments at the end.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC. I have given my honest feedback.

4.5 rounded to a 5.

I loved Mad Honey. I went in completely blind and wasn’t disappointed. I think what I loved the most was as the story was told learning about bees and bee keeping.


I won’t give spoilers but i didn’t see the plot twist coming. And once it came I really appreciated learning more about the subject. I think reading fiction books about different subjects is a great way to learn about things without having to pick up more reference type non-fiction.

Outside of the educational subjects that Jodi and Jennifer brought a great story which I loved.

I subtracted .5 star because the middle of the story got a little blah for me but besides that it was absolutely great!

This book is fast-paced and thought-provoking. I loved it!

It’s tough to review this without spoiling the twist, so excuse my vagueness.

The character development was well done. You really get to know the main characters through their past and present narratives.

I enjoyed learning about beekeeping. It’s not a usual topic in many books, and you can tell the authors did their research. However, at times I did wish there were fewer paragraphs regardings beekeeping. (This book is close to 500 pages).

Regarding the twist, I literally had to pause reading to process everything that led up to that moment. I did not see that coming!

After the twist is revealed, the story takes a bit of a turn in its direction. The subjects that are highlighted were done with such care and respect. I learned a lot from reading this book.

The twist will not be favorable to everyone, but I really enjoyed reading how the story unfolded after its reveal.

The story wrapped up nicely, and I felt satisfied with the ending. The recipes at the end of the book were a fun touch.

If you’re looking for an emotional and thought proving read, pick this one up!

Piccoult does it again! Pulling in her readers with her characters with tantalizingly dramatic moments while conquering a current societal issue and educating us all. Clearly, she did her research on this issue (withheld to not spoil the storyline) and provides the reader with the science, the social and emotional education to help us understand the characters struggles.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan. Going into this book I didn't know what to expect. Having read books by Jodi Picoult and enjoying one of her last books and never having read anything by Jennifer Finney Boylan I was curious. But sorry to say this one just didn't do it for me at all. Maybe it was the storyline or all the information about bees. But Mad Honey was a disappointment for me.

A compelling joint effort that kept me on my toes!

Mad Honey is equal parts family drama and courtroom drama. It follows Olivia, a single mom who escaped past demons and grappling with ones her son has hid from her, and Lily, an introspective teenage girl experiencing love for the first time after an especially hard upbringing and the murder that changes the trajectory of both their lives.

Mad Honey immediately sucks you in. Small town murder. Troubled teens but even more troubling adults. So much relevant social commentary that is handled in a thoughtful way. PLEASE CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS!

I found the characters to be dynamic. I especially loved Asher and Lily as character. They were thoughtful and youthful and we could learn from them both. Although I found her oblivious and a bit frustrating at times, I empathized with Olivia and all of what she's been through and to still have come out on the other side.

There is a major TWIST that comes midway through that I didn't see coming but found really compelling and added so many more layers to this story and increased its readability.

There were a few things I struggled with during my read:
- The length: this book could've been shorter especially given all the exposition about bees and inner monologues
-Random additions: this plays into the length but there are a lot of plot lines that never go anywhere and red herrings that don't just mislead but also feel kind of useless while reading and in hindsight. There are also some side characters that didn't really add much except for filler dialogue between characters
-Post twist: like I said, I loved the twist but after it, the story kind of slows down and never hits that peak again and the end feels that much lackluster as a result.

Overall, I'm VERY happy I read this book. It kept me turning the page and wanting to know WHO DID IT! You won't regret picking this one up.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Special thanks to Random House Books, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my own opinion.

What a great book. Not only does Jodi Picoult take you on a wild ride and make you question things in a different way, but this book comes out on October 4th and is clever, you won't see the twists coming.

And I learned a LOT about bees and I love to learn.

Just go out in 3 days and get this book. You will not be disappointed.

*Definitely look up trigger warnings for this book.

This book absolutely sucked me in from the beginning. It’s so well written that you feel as if you are right there. Jodi Picoult has a way of taking a controversial topic, presenting it in her books, and making you question what you thought you believed. The plot twist of this book was 😮 😯😯! I did not see it coming. It was quite the intense ride. I definitely could have done with less talk about bees, but overall was impressed by this amazing story. I’m so grateful to the publisher and authors for allowing me to read this ARC. It’s comes out 10/4 and you’ll want to grab this one.

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#bookstagram #toberead #TBR
#bookish #booklover #booknerd #fortheloveofbooks #MadHoney #JodiPicpult #NetGalley #bookreview #ARC

I thought this book gave insight into transgender experience of teens. It’s also a gripping mystery that will keep you turning the pages.

Mad Honey
Jodi Picoult; Jennifer Finney Boylan
5⭐️

“Where is the line between keeping something private, and being dishonest?”

I need more stars! Picoult and Boylan absolutely blew me away Jodi Picoult has be a long time favorite of mine, and the author that got me back into reading as an adult with My Sisters Keeper. Mad Honey just might be my new favorite of hers.

I loved everything about this beautiful book so so much. The powerful story was magnificently co-written. Anyone who’s read Picoult before knows that she’s not one to dodge the tough subject matter. She tackles it head on but does so with grace and impeccable research. Mad Honey was no different.

Unfortunately there’s so much I can’t/won’t say because of spoilers. So while my review may be rather vague, let the main takeaway be to READ THIS BOOK! I went in knowing very little and I suggest you do the same.

Mad Honey was everything I could have wanted. It was fast paced, suspenseful, emotional, and a truly unforgettable story that makes you think, and a twist you wont see coming. This one will stay with me for a long time.

I was absolutely fascinated with the beekeeping element. I had no idea it could bee so interesting. I learned so much. “You might start life as a worker, and end up a queen.”

What I loved;
🐝 All the feels
🐝 Amazing character development
🐝 Alternating timelines/POVs
🐝 Courtroom drama

Make sure you read the authors’ notes! I loved learning how this duo came together to write this book! 🥰

Thank you so much NetGalley, Random House Ballantine, and the authors for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. I honestly loved it and will highly recommend to everyone! It will be the perfect book club book to draw out thoughtful and interesting conversations.

I loved Jodi Picoult’s newest novel! This book was a perfect combination of love, suspense, and secrets!

I went into this book without knowing much about it, and I’m glad for that. For Goodreads purposes, I’m going to put most of my review a few lines down and mark it as containing spoilers.

This book was surprising and moving. It initially felt like a run-of-the-mill story about high school love gone wrong… but it changed gears in classic Picoult fashion when it revealed that Lily was trans. As a parent, both losing a child the way that Ava did and having a child accused of murder the way that Olivia did were terrifying and moving. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

Despite being glad that I didn’t know about the plot in advance, I wish I had known that one of the authors was trans. Reading the book, I had a bit of trepidation about own voices… the portrayal of the trans experience felt respectful and real, but I didn’t realize until I read the acknowledgments section at the end that Boylan is trans (I hadn’t heard of her before, but I am interested in reading more of her work). I was glad to learn that, and am glad that Lily’s voice came from someone who had lived her identity.

Jodi Picoult is one of the few authors who I truly learn something from while reading. I have all of this elephant knowledge after #leavingtime and now I know more than I ever knew about bees or honey. This book is co-written with Jennifer Finney Boylan and I have to say, I absolutely loved it.
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I really don’t want to give too much away because I was absolutely shocked in some parts, but I loved the return of Jordan who has appeared in three of Picoult’s previous novels. This time he is defending his nephew who is charged with murdering his girlfriend.
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Olivia never thought her son would be accused of murder but she never thought his father would have been abusive. When she received the call that Asher was in jail she rushed to be with him, but in the back of her head she kept wondering how much do we really know the ones we love?
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Told in dual perspectives between Olivia and Lily before she was murdered this one captured all of my attention. I could not stop reading. Also, make sure you keep reading at the end for recipes using honey, which I will be making this weekend!
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Huge thank you to @randomhouse and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Picolt is never one to shy away from a tough topic, a relevant topic, and this book is no exception.
However, to tell you what that is would takeaway from your reading of the story, so that part I must keep to myself. I will say I learned a lot about this topic through this book.

Olivia and her son, Asher, a high school senior, are back in her hometown after finally getting the courage to leave her abusive marriage. She is living in the home where she grew up and has taken over the family business - beekeeping. Besides the major topic of the book, beekeeping has a strong presence and you can tell that Picoult has researched this. You will learn alot about what takes to be a beekeeper and all that goes into a simple jar of honey, and that Mad Honey can be toxic, even fatal.

Asher meets Lily. She is his first real love. Emotions run high between them, mostly an amazing relationship, but they have their disagreements. Both kept secrets from one another, which caused friction. When Lily is found dead at her home in Asher's arms, he is the number one suspect.

As we travel with him through his trial, we learn the secrets of both Asher and Lily. Of both their trauma and family issues. And we watch Olivia and her son, along with her brother, Jordan (Asher's attorney) fight for his freedom.

This book was coauthored with Jennifer Finney Boylan. Her notes at the end of the book and the story of how they came to work together were interesting!

While I know this is a somewhat vague review, I don't feel I can give more without spoiling the story. But read this book! It deals with a topic I believe everyone could benefit from having more knowledge of.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my ARC in exchange for my honest review

Olivia has escaped a past of abuse and has raised her son, Asher, in her family home away from the danger. Lily is a teenager fairly new to town from the West Coast and believes she has also escaped her father's abuse, but just when she believes she is loved and can trust in Asher, he betrays her. And then, Lily turns up dead. Asher is accused of Lily's murder and has to stand trial.

Pros:
Jodi Picoult, along with Jennifer Finney Boylan, has a way with words, to hook you into a family drama where you cannot put the book down and must devour it in one sitting. They weave in and out of the present and the past to paint a picture of how life had been for both Olivia and Lilly. Not only is there suspense, but she gives a lot of detail about beekeeping, harvesting honey, and the medicinal and restorative capabilities of honey. I felt like I learned a lot!

Cons:
It seems as if every hot topic affecting the youth and young adults in the world right now had to be crammed into this book. I don't mind there being at least one "cause" to deep dive into and give that point of view, even if I do not agree with it. Sometimes it is eye opening to hear how others live and deal with those circumstances. However, it just feels like every single issue is trying to be covered here, and quite frankly, it is annoying.

With all that said, I did enjoy the mystery and suspense, and the story fit right along with Jodi's former work.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for this digital ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I urge everyone to read this book! I absolutely loved Mad Honey. It educated me, entertained me, and made me think. Lily's story was so heartbreakingly beautiful, and I wish I could just wrap her in my arms. I also love how it's told from the women's perspective, especially two women who have been victims of abuse. I do wish there had been a few chapters from the perspective of Lily's mother, though. I would have loved to go a little deeper into her personal story as well. I have so so much love and respect for her, and she is everything I aim to be as a mother.
My only issue with this book is that some parts of the trial seemed a bit unrealistic.
Other than that, I loved reading about Lily's journey and now I'm going in search of more books like this!