Wow! The book, like all others by Ms Picoult, kept me on the edge of my chair and reading all night. And the ending was *very* unexpected! Looking forward to the next one!!!!!

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan will be released on October 4, 2022. This incredible novel is about “Olivia McAfee who knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect life—living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising their beautiful son, upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined that she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in and taking over her father’s beekeeping business.

Lily Campanello is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mom relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both hope it will be a fresh start.

And for just a short while, these new beginnings are exactly what Olivia and Lily need. Their paths cross when Asher falls for the new girl in school, and Lily can’t help but fall for him, too. With Ash, she feels happy for the first time. Yet at times, she wonders if she can trust him.”

The book is written in alternating chapters by each author, with the final product being a novel that offers the reader a beautiful love story, full of suspense. The characters are beautifully written, each with secrets that prevent them from becoming who they want. In true Picoult fashion, our hearts and minds are expanded by the depth and authenticity of this beautiful story. The use of the honey bee analogy, makes this book even more stunning.

I've been reading Jodi Picoult for almost 20 years and wow Mad Honey brought me right back to the experience of devouring The Pact for the first time in middle school. I don't want to write a bunch of spoilers, but this is the story of Asher, a teenager accused of killing his girlfriend; his mother, Olivia, who desperately wants to believe and protect him; and Lily, the girlfriend, whose POV chapters are told in reverse chronological order.

What a wonderful co-author Boylan was. I had never heard of her before but now I can't wait to read her stuff. Her voice was absolutely needed to understand Lily, and I'm glad Boylan was a part of this. Side note: in her author's note, I appreciated how she broke down how the two wrote the book, as I'm always fascinated by how co-authors split it all up.

Final comment: I guess I didn't read the whole blurb of the book when I requested, because I screamed when Olivia revealed her last name, and subsequently screamed when an old friend showed up to do the job he is so good at.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this wonderful book.

I have read many Jodi Picoult books. She is noted for tackling contemporary issues in a humane way, posing many questions, and offering many views. Plus she is a terrific writer who makes it difficult to put down one of her books. For the most part, she has been very successful, in my opinion, at writing a best seller that gets into many hands and presents an issue that is on people's lips but often have no way of being educated about.

With Mad Honey, Picoult teamed up with Jennifer Finney Boylen. Boylen had a dream that she wrote a book with Picoult, wrote her and told her, and, to her amazement, Picoult thought it a great idea. This is the second of Picoult's many books that she has written with another person (the first being a family member).
The book is from two people's points of view. Picoult wrote the chapters from Olivia's, a mother with a teenage son who falls in love with Lily, point of view and Boylen wrote the chapters from Lily's POV. They each had to write one chapter of the other's work and they each edited the other's chapters. They were successful in melding the writings so that it is hard to tell who wrote what.

This is a terrific book. I read it in two sittings which took me late into the night two nights in a row. I don't want to say too much about the plot because there are surprises and, for me, it was important not to know anything in advance. I had faith that my heartstrings would be plucked. They were. And that I would be educated in something I probably didn't know much about. I was. Picoult does meticulous research. I read that she got stung doing her bee research. Boylen is an expert in the other issue that is the core of this book and Picoult chose to write as a single mother who fled domestic abuse and, at times, projected her own emotions and fears onto other characters. Her son, Asher, grew up without a father nearby and also suffered from projecting his longings and emotions onto others.

There is so much longing, so much desire for life to be different, for the past to be different that the reader wonders when and where these wonderful people will land on acceptance of life as it is. So go read this book and find out how that all happens. I have never been a beekeeper, a single mother, or lost a child, but I related completely with all the longings, all the wishful thinking, all the anger and the need to blame others when things don't go our way, and the long road to learning how to live with our lives as they are handed to us.

When you finish the book, don't stop there. Read about both authors and how they came to write the book together.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mad Honey was such a good mystery thriller. In this, you will meet Lily and Asher. They were dating until they weren't. Secrets are slowly coming out to play and there's no way to prepare yourself for when they do. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.

At first glance, it might seem a tad bit obvious who the main suspect is going to be. Yet, with each clue you start to second guess what the heck the police are pushing towards you. Enter into the trial and things start to make sense.

Or maybe that's just how I felt while reading this? Because the signs were there. That being said, I wasn't completely shocked when the big reveal came our way. As to why, that's what shocked me. For some reason, I was thinking of it being something different but still somewhat related. Which, yes, might seem weird to say or read but I'm trying not to spoil anything.

Just know that I was on the right path just wrong person. In the end, I'm so happy that I got the chance to jump into this. Ever since I've read Vanishing Acts, I've been in love with Jodi Picoult's writing. Super excited for her next book!

Jodi Picoult is so good! Every time I think this might be her best, she writes another. This one has great characters and deals with timely and relevant topics (no spoilers). You always learn something, and this time it was bee keeping! Keep them coming!

Mad Honey
I have been a fan of Jodi Picoult since her early works, such as My Sister’s Keeper, Nineteen minutes, etc. Some of her latest books disappointed me, so I was looking forward to this new novel to see if it follows the earlier works or the later ones. I would call this novel in between her best novels and the not so great ones. Once again, the topic is very relevant in today’s society, the murder mystery adds suspense and keeps you turning pages.
Briefly, two single mothers move to a small New Hampshire town to escape their past. Olivia is escaping an abusive husband with her son Asher and takes over her grandfather’s bee keeping business. Ava is escaping with her daughter Lily to give her daughter a fresh start. Boy meets girl, Asher and Lily fall in love, have a passionate, but sometimes stormy relationship. Lily turns up dead and Asher is accused of killing her. The book alternates between Olivia’s and Lily’s point of view. Olivia’s timeline is after Lily’s death and the ensuing trial, Lily’s is backwards from recent to the time she moved to New Hampshire. Each story has plenty of flashbacks as to what happened before.
There are two authors of this book and you learn from their notes at the end of the novel how they cooperated the writing. I found it seamless, never wondering who wrote what. The book held my attention, but there were things I didn’t care about. I don’t think the details of bee keeping added to the story, and while I appreciate the research that went into it, I admit skipping some of the details. I found Lily’s backwards timeline a little confusing. There were some story lines of both Asher’s and Lily’s father that were poorly developed. The ending for me was unsatisfying. I am not sure if I understand the title Mad Honey.
Overall, I learned about what is gender identity, what it is that defines a woman , some healing properties of honey, and bee keeping.
I feel generous giving the book 4 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I love the fact that I can jump into a Jodi Picoult book and just KNOW it will be well-written, engaging, propulsive, informative, and a delightful read. This time, she has collaborated with Jennifer Boylan, bringing both of their writing expertise and life experience alive on the pages.

The story centers around the tragic death of Lily, who was found by her boyfriend Asher, and who becomes the primary suspect in her death. There were twists in this story I did NOT see coming. The book is full of riveting content, including court room drama, marital complications, teen romance, a deep dive into beekeeping, and the big mystery of how Lily died. The social issues that are addressed are very relevant and meaningful.

This book met and exceeded my expectations, and it's one that I would not hesitate to recommend.

Mad Honey was a wonderful return to the style of many of Jodi Picoult's previous books. It was an engaging read, and the writing between two authors was seamless. In true Jodi Picoult fashion, the twist made me gasp out loud. I always appreciate the research Jodi Picoult weaves into her books, and I truly enjoyed learning about bees and honey. Overall, Mad Honey was a delight to read.

What a fantastic read! This title is masterful in navigating the suspense inherent in all Picout novels while simataneousy remaining true to the characters. The novel is fascinating in tying together issues of cultural and societal importance in a riveting an suspenseful plot. A must read!

Mad Honey, Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
This is Jodi Picoult’s newest book that will release in October.
Lily and Asher are high school sweethearts. While they’re relationship seems perfect on the outside, there are lots of things going on behind the scenes that no one else, including their parents, notice….until one day Lily is found dead and Asher is arrested for first degree murder!!!
The story alternates between past and present, leading up to the trial.
JP’s books always center around a controversial issues. At first, I truly thought this book just didn’t have one, but boy was I wrong! I won’t say what it is because it will ruin the shock value of the story!
This was a good book, but I found myself really only being interested in the present/trial parts and not the flashbacks nearly as much. It was also a little unrealistic. The situation at hand really just couldn’t be such an easy and simple fix, especially at such a young age.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mad Honey feels very much like a classic Jodi Picoult novel, in all the best ways. The subject matters always are hard hitting and emotionally devastating and as a reader, you are left to reckon with constantly evolving feelings about the characters and their choices. The story is told through two POVs, Olivia, a mother who is hell bent on defending her son from murder charges, and Lily, the young woman her son is accused of murdering.

Lily's POV is told backwards while Olivia's is told in the present as the arrest and trial begin. My only quibble with this is that Olivia's section moves very fast despite knowing that justice moves very slowly. Almost instantly, Asher is arrested despite there not being a huge amount of evidence against him, though the more you learn of Olivia's backstory and the more seen of his relationship with Lily, the more you understand how the world could see Asher as possibly guilty of the crime.

I'll also admit that like all classic Jodi Picoult novels, this one did get me with the many twists, especially the final one. I had a whole different theory going, so the ending was a complete surprise to me.

But the best part of the novel, the strongest part, is Ava and Olivia's journey as mothers. There is not a false note played in this as both of them confront what one would do for their child and struggling with the aspects of your child that you have no awareness of. It was genuinely heart wrenching in all the best ways.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a page turner for sure. The plot grabbed me from the start, kept me reading, and truly surprised me a few times. The story really had some nice twists and turns, and a "WOW" moment that I didn't see coming. There is more than one story unfolding during the book, but the storylines flow effortlessly from scene to scene . Highly recommend.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Books like Mad Honey are why I read Jodi Picoult. Finding out she was partnering with Jennifer Finney Boylan my expectations were sky high. I was not disappointed. I believe I've read all of Ms.Picoult's books and have read a couple of Ms. Boylan's.
The suspicious death of a female teenager and the arrest of her boyfriend is just the beginning of Mad Honey. Olivia MacAfee is a beekeeper and single mom of 18 year old Asher. Lily, Asher's girlfriend, is also being raised by a single mom so the two have much to bond over. The authors blend history and stories of beekeeping into the story seamlessly so that it makes perfect sense as a backdrop of the tragedy that unfolds and how the mothers respond. Beyond the tragedy, both mother's have history that requires them to be strong for their children regardless of their age or gender. To be their for them, to believe in them.
Told in alternating chapters between Olivia and Lily, a current hot topic of debate in our culture is examined from all sides. The fact that Ms Boylan is mostly responsible for Olivia's chapters just add gravitas. I learned, I was also entertained. Actually, I got all the feels. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Ballantine and Netgalley for an early copy. All opinions are mine. Out October 2022

I was disappointed in this novel, which reads a lot more like an info dump than a Jodi Picoult book. I'm usually a fan, but this book was a struggle.

You will learn a lot about honey and transgender people. Picoult has teamed with New York Times columnist Jennifer Finney Boylan to tell the story of two young people in love. Their love will be challenged but not in the way you expect.

Mad Honey seemed cobbled together and even though it throws big issues at us I was never emotionally involved. And actually I think there are even more big issues in the book than a transgender child. It's like opening a huge can of worms and only focusing on one of them.

I'm sorry "Mad Honey" is such a misfire because both Picoult and Boylan are insightful and have so much to offer. I wish they'd deconstructed the novel and started over again to create a novel worthy of them both.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult reminds me of Picoult's earlier book, particularly two of my favorites: Nineteen Minutes and The Pact. Mad Honey is fantastic, an emotional page turner with a TWIST that took me completely by surprise. Five stars- highly recommend!!! And don't miss the author's note!

I received an ARC of, Mad Honey, by Jody Picoult: Jennifer Finney Boylan. This is a different take on families. It was not my favorite book by Jodi, but it was ok. I did not care for Asher at all.

There was a lot of sadness here, but also strength. Admittedly I just saw Jodi Picoult's name and automatically requested this book and so I went into it without even reading the synopsis. I'm glad that the story of how the two authors ended up teaming up together was included at the end. I read another book about a beekeeper recently and it is fascinating.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wait every year for the new Jodi book and was thrilled to get an advanced copy. Thank you, NetGalley!

I chose not to read anything about the story before I started. I was taken right in and couldn’t get away. As per her other books, so much swirls around in your brain while reading. And the story is staying with me. she has a way of making you think . And think. I enjoy her take on the issues facing our world.

The only disappointment is now I have to wait 1-2 years for another book!

I received a free copy of Mad Honey from NetGalley in exchange for this review. Mad Honey alternates between two narrators- Olivia, who's 18 year old son has been arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, Lily. The other is Lily, who flashes back to the days leading up to her death. It is an interesting mix of courtroom drama and heavy social commentary. I think if you know that going in and prepare yourself for the politics and deep teen angst, it would be a much better read. It was just a bit jarring to find yourself thrust into it when you think you are reading about a beekeeper.