This was such a great story. Very informative and interesting. I absolutely loved it. I love how you always learn something while being immersed in the story

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney

Jodi's courtroom dramas are outstanding.
She does such a good job of discussing controversial issues.
This book has a little of everything: mystery, love, drama, and even some familiar faces.
I loved the shocking twist!

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought provoking, binge-able book!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

Mad Honey written by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan tells a rich, complicated and compelling story from two perspectives: Olivia, a beekeeper and divorced mother of a teenage boy, Asher, and Lily, a young girl in a relationship with Olivia's son.
I devoured the book. I did nothing else but read for a full day- it was glorious and just the kind of book that I like to fall into. I could not do or enjoy anything else until I read the full story. And it was SO worth the day I gave it. I found the pacing perfect, the story compelling and the two storylines (one is told in chronological order after THE event, the other is told backward from the event) to be very effective in building suspense and revealing character. The characters (especially our two narrators) were beautiful and complex. And, if you are a Jodi Picoult fan like I am, a character from an old book makes an appearance!
The book raised so many questions.....questions about love, identity, parent/child relationships, gender, privacy vs secrets. I love when books make me really think about and question my place in this world and my relationships and views. This one did and there where I had to pause my reading and stop and think about the issue, the quote, the event the authors brought up before I could go on. I believe that when this happens, the book makes me a better person, thinker, reader.
The author notes at the end of the book made me love it even more! This book was successful because it was two voices, two perspectives telling a story both authors cared about. I love how the two come together (it's a story worth reading about) and the details of their writing come out in the notes at the end. Their craft is so strong, and knowing the details behind it made me feel just a little closer to the book.

Olivia McAfee is a divorcee. After leaving an abusive marriage several years ago, she moved to the property she inherited that contained her fathers beekeeping business. Now she’s back in her hometown of Adams, New Hampshire where she lives with her son, Asher.

Lily Campanello is Asher’s girlfriend. She recently moved to Adam’s with her mom and she and Asher fell for each other fast. When Lily is found murdered, the police suspect Asher. He’s arrested and put on trial where secrets begin to come to light. How well does Olivia know her son? What secrets does Lily’s family hold? How did Lily die and why?

I’ve read several books by Jodi Picoult and this one did not disappoint. It was a powerful story that influenced my perspective. Definitely worth the read. You will not be disappointed.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Don't judge this book by the title. Mad Honey is a red honey made from certain rhododendrons that can cause dizziness, hallucinations, and in rare cases death. Olivia is a beekeeper and she shares this bit of nectar trivia, along with tips on the care and handling of bees. It's sort of "comic relief" from the somber themes that are the basis of the plot. In many ways Mad Honey is vintage Jodi Picoult-she takes a stand on an issue without preaching, and makes you look at situations in ways that take you out of your comfort zone. Her coauthor Jennifer Finney Boylan, is an accomplished writer who brings a perspective to the story that can only come from someone who has lived it. If you are not familar with Jennifer you will be with the publication of Mad Honey, and her author's notes are profound and moving. Mad Honey is part social commentary, murder mystery, family drama, and love story. Only someone with the skill of Miss Picoult could handle so many overlapping subjects with equal doses of empathy and irony. Asher and Lily are high school seniors experiencing the rush of first love. But Lily is hiding a secret, and when it is revealed tragedy strikes. Olivia is Asher's mom and she has secrets and a back story of her own. The bond between mother and son is one of the most poignant parts of the novel-Olivia has Asher's back even as she worries he is not the perfect child she thought. But Lily is the star of Mad Honey. The courage she shows in finding, then living, her authentic self is full of heartbreak and hope. Mad Honey is beautiful even in its darkest moments. Love may not cure all-in some cases love creates more problems than solutions, as Lily sadly learns. Lily's story demands to be heard and understood-the duo of Picoult and Finney are her voice (literally-again, refer to the author's notes). Mad Honey is perfection from the first word to the last, and among Miss Picoult's many acclaimed and worthy novels, Mad Honey may be her best.

As a long-time fan of Jodi Picoult for her ability to challenge her readers to think incisively about complex, current issues, I was excited to receive the ARC for her newest novel, co-written with Jeniffer Finney Boylan. Without giving away any "spoilers" suffice it to say this novel is one of her best, and seamlessly written with Boylan. Tackling thorny issues of identity, what we keep to ourselves about our "selves," domestic violence, and how class and privilege impact all of it, I could not put this book down. The voices of Olivia and Lily are so authentic, the reader feels like they are inside the rollercoaster emotional and powerful journeys of each. So much of this novel left me pondering such thoughtful questions as: what is the difference between keeping something private versus secret? I also learned quite a lot about beekeeping along the way, and the interesting parallels in biology to the empowered queen bee and her colony. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine Books for the ARC of this page-turning, thought-provoking novel. Highly recommend!

1 day. That’s all it took for me to devour this book. When I first read the synopsis, I was not really interested in this book. I felt as if it would not suck me in and keep me wanting to find out what happens next. Boy was I wrong! Wonderfully written, tough subjects tackled in a informative yet graceful manner. I highly recommend.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I am a big fan of Jodi Piccoult & this book did not disappoint!!! Great story!!! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!! Unputdownable book!

Wow! This book does not disappoint. Emotional and beautiful written. Showing how far would you go for the ones you love. This definitely needs to be on your TBR list!

Look for this book Oct 4, 2022

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing- Ballantine for this arc!

I am in the minority with my review, with so many reviews having four and five stars. Yet, I did read a few that resounded with me. It is difficult for me to write this without spoilers, but I will soldier on. Viv, Asher’s mother, in my opinion, is a weak minded person. Asher is rudderless. Lily has lived through so many terrible times, and aside from it all being heartbreaking, all of the chapters with her back story were just way too much to plow through. I use the word “plow” purposely, as so much was laborious to read. Then there is Maya…….I can’t comment on Maya here. The story line touches upon domestic abuse, child abuse , bullying and transgender issues. A lot going on with these characters. I did not like this book. Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Absolutely loved this book. Couldn’t put it down! The social “issues” in the story were handled very well (don’t want to give anything away). Very enlightening. So glad Jodi Picoult is back to her great writing. Wasn’t crazy about the last two books. Now I will look forward to reading her stories again. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this pre-release copy in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Random House Ballantine. I’d love to get on your preapproved list!

This is such a thought-provoking story. The points of view are smoothly transitioned as they are from both authors and it works well in this book. The subjects in this book can be a little rough but Jodi Piccoult can explain them so smoothly and shows ‘empathy throughout . Interpersonal relationships can be so complex and here we go through some of that with this well-written, researched and carefully crafted book.

Thank you to Netgally and Ballantine books for the ARC of this book,

I think this is an important story, with a lot to teach, however I found it a gloomy read, which made it difficult for me to plow through. Writing and character development were good, especially being co-written. It does end on a hopeful note, but I kind of struggled to get there.

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. I really enjoyed this book. It was really well written and it just had you trying to solve the mystery. I look forward to seeing what’s next from this author.

Update: LONG but NO SPOILERS

First and foremost….overall I enjoyed ‘Mad Honey’….
I liked the wide variety of themes and issues explored —
At the same time….
….I felt the crafting was lukewarm….pieced-together (perhaps collaborationist challenges), rather than seamless prose.
Not all important issues were fully explored.

TWO eighteen year olds attempted suicide —
ONE abusive husband was still out on the street practicing medicine,
AND….
….a young seemingly innocent kid might very possibly go to prison accused of killing his girlfriend —
YET
….with so many other competing subplots (interesting for the sake of general interest but the sensory overload is noticeable), ….
beekeeping, (details among details), honey remedies, single parenting, family relationships, schoolwork, artwork, hockey, cello playing, ovulation of a baby panda, a little Aristoto, an education about animal species that change sex, hate crime, Transgender identity, vulnerability and hate, a sister-in-laws surgery, a sister-in-laws common cold, classmate friendships, secrets, lies, withholds……
THIS reader began to wonder — what’s the main dish being served up? Or was it a picnic potluck affair?
It’s okay….I like potluck too …..so this is not all negative…..but in the same way I get too full - if not careful at a potluck gathering….
I was starting to feel quite full indeed.
Lost my taste for honey, thank you. Lol

Another theme barely developed:
….We learn that Olivia McAfee left her abusive husband. (The abusive descriptions were graphic). There was not an ounce of criminal punishment charged against Braden. He was still a practicing cardiologist. I wondered in what world should this scenario be okay?
Braden lived in Boston a couple of hours from New Hampshire …(with his new wife, Margot, and their twin boys, Shawn and Shane - 8 years of age
Olivia and her son Asher moved (back to hometown) New Hampshire after leaving Braden. Olivia took over her grandfathers beekeeping business. It had been 12 years since Olivia had any relationship with Braden. She was granted so custody of Asher.

Lily Campanello was a new student at Adam’s High School in New Hampshire. She and Asher fall in love with each other. Both are eighteen years of age.
Lily dies. Asher is accused of killing her.

The courtroom scenes were judiciously played out. So no qualms from me here — I enjoyed this story when we were in the courthouse.
….the crime procedural thrill, cross-examinations tensions, and the elements of persuasion were exciting. The high stakes murder investigation was riveting — right up to and the wait for the verdict.
BUT….
Here again….
…I wondered why it was necessary to mention that Jordan (defense attorney), had once been married - had another son, Thomas….(we learn nothing else of importance about this information)…
before his marriage to Selena - and was she Black? I think so — which was fine with me — but the writing was so covert — I was not completely sure.

Another tidbit…
….a classmate friend of Asher, had two moms. I wasn’t sure why it was even mention — what was the issue? There was none! Simply a droplet-detail to keep readers awake - why mention the relationship of two parents from a minor character whom they their selves are invisible in the entire story?

As for the ending? Want my real personal truth?
I felt it was a copout ending. I won’t say more — other than for a book packed filled with plots, excessive drawn-out-subplots, themes, issues, (twists that some readers thought were shocking…..it was a pretty dull ending….safe….non-committal type ending.

NOTE — personally I didn’t find any major twist in this novel. Many reviewers mentioned there was a huge twist in the middle.
Personally — I didn’t read it as a TWIST at all…..
rather….
it was simply natural character unraveling….
…..revealing another layer of character secrecy…or perhaps privacy is a better word. But a major TWIST?
I actually find the word twist to be a little insulting for the situation we were presented with.

So written without flaws? No….
But SO WHAT….
…..because …
I agree with all the other readers who found “Mad Honey” enjoyable. I did too.
I even took away value from aspects that didn’t work well for me…..as they caused me deeper….and gave me an opportunity to chat about them with a friend (thank you Karen).

Ending on a positive note ….there were wonderful excerpts that stood out.
Here are a few that spoke to me:
“The times I’ve been slightly psychotic about my appearance, my figure. The assumption that I’m “the weaker sex” instead of a bee keeper who can lug a forty-pound box across several acres without breaking a sweat. All the times I’ve had to live up to those standards of men—and had to remind myself that those standers are bullshit”.
“I hate that being female is equated with being frail, and yet, I’m proof of it. I’d let myself become Braden’s victim because of messaging I’d received my whole life: that it was my job to take care of my husband, that if something was wrong it was because I’d somehow failed at my job. I’m ashamed to admit it, but there were times—even as a feminist—when I bought into seeing that as my role”.

“Sometimes I think, if you’re not really sad in this world, you’re just not paying attention”.

“It takes a dozen bees to gather enough nectar to make a teaspoon of honey, each of them alighting on roughly 2600 flowers and flying 850 miles back and forth. A worker bee weighs little more than a breath—100 milligrams—but she can carry half her body weight and nectar”.

“People want the world to be simple. But gender isn’t simple, much as some might want it to be. The fact that it’s complicated—that there’s a whole spectrum of ways of being in the world—is what makes it a blessing. Surely nature—or god, or the universe—is full of miracles and wild invention and things way beyond our understanding, no matter how hard we try. We aren’t here on earth in order to bend over backwards to resemble everybody else. We are here to be ourselves, in our gnarly brilliance”.

Final words (ha….as if this review wasn’t long enough)….
Enjoyable…..written with heart!
Two young teens in love…
Parents who love their kids…
Families, communities, acceptance, sadness, grief, death, tragedy & ugliness, loss, and an abundance love.

It must’ve been a blast for Jodi and Finney to work on this book together. A win in itself.

When Asher was six, Olivia took him and fled her dangerously abusive husband. Now Asher is in his late teens, and he's falling in love with a girl. Lilly is beautiful, a genius, plays cello like a master, fences like a pro, etc. Honestly, she is perfect. And then a horrible tragedy occurs, and everything falls apart. Asher is charged with murder, Lilly's secret is exposed, Olivia grapples with memories of the abuse, Asher grapples with - everything, Lilly's mother is suffering on a couple of profound levels, and the town chooses sides. In addition, we learn everything there is to know about playing the cello, fencing, domestic violence, gender identification, and bee keeping. And there's a trial. It's all a bit much. At times I felt the authors were trying to educate us rather than tell a story. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this novel.

Name of Book: Mad Honey
Author: Jodi Picoult
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group ~ Ballantine
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: October 4, 2022
My Rating: 4.3 Stars!


I have been a big Jodi Picoult fan for many years! This is novel 23 for me.
I know Ms. Picoult isn’t afraid to tackle tough controversial topics. She is a great storyteller and certainly does her research! Her research actually provides us with an education ~ I will never forget [book: The Book of Two Ways] where I learned a lot about hieroglyphics and Egyptology.

This story is collaboration with Jennifer Finney Boylan.

Story is told from the POV of Olivia and Lily in each chapter.
Olivia McAfee ~ Present Day and
Lily Campanello ~ Past and her chapters actually go backwards ~ I was hopeful her POV would give clarity as to what really happened.
Life can only be understood backwards, but must be lived forwards,
Soren Kierkegaard

Olivia McAfee leaves Boston and her abusive husband and takes her young son Asher to the house where she grew up in Adams, New Hampshire; where she takes over her father’s beekeeping business.

Lily Campanello and her mother Ava also relocate to Adams; it is Lily is eighteen and this is her senior year of high school and she has hopes of starting over.
Both Olivia and Lily are looking for new beginnings.

When school starts and Asher meets Lily, he immediately falls for her and she feels the same.
However, by December something terrible happens and we find Asher with Lily bleeding in his arms. She is rushed to the hospital but dies. Archer is suspected of wrong doing.

There is mention of Ms. Picoult’s [book: Nineteen Minutes]. Also a courtroom drama; Defense Attorney Jordan McAfee was in that story; he is Asher Field’s Uncle and yep is in this story.

This story reminded me of [book: This is How it Always is] by [author: Laurie Frankel] I enjoyed it ~ certainly was an emotional ride and I was glued to it; many of the same medical terms were used and explained.

This is also an emotional ride ~ prefer less profanity but it was a good read!

I always enjoy reading the Author’s Notes. In this case we get “Author’s Notes’ from both authors explaining how this partnership started. Don’t want to give it away but I have increased my posts on Instagram!

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group ~ Ballantine for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 4, 2022

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan was a roller coaster of the best kind. At the heart is a mother and son who live in New Hampshire. The mom runs a honey business.

There is a death which brings along the question of accident or murder. The courtroom scenes were mesmerizing. The details of how a murder case are actually tried are thought-provoking.

There are so many twists and turns that I truly think everyone will be surprised by some. And, you can't help but learn a lot along the way. There are some tough subjects here and Picoult tackles them with endearing characters who help you follow the journey.

Make sure you read the Author's notes, but not until you finish the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I have to say that this is one of the most important books of this year and that anyone concerned with peoples’ rights, no matter their age or sex or sexual inclination, should read this book. I was immediately drawn in to both of the characters who led the narrative – Olivia and Lily. So yes, it is a story about a trans teenager and her journey, but it is also the story of the love between a mother and a son.

I enjoyed reading the story at the back of the book about how these two authors came together and I am really glad that they did. I also liked the way the authors wove the metaphorical teaching of the bees into the story.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

As a fan of Jodi Picoult, the beginning of this novel felt familiar. I really loved the connection to bees and beekeeping, the parent-child relationships that are explored, and secrets that each of the mothers are keeping. As expected, there is a twist. and you might think you know what the twist will be, but I'm here to tell you....you're wrong. This one, a big one, catches you from nowhere, yet is so essential to why there is a story in the first place. I loved this story and these characters that will fill you with empathy. Although this book is definitely "of the moment" there is still a great deal of controversy around this topic, and even those supportive in general might not agree with all the decisions made by these characters. All the better for lively discussions, but I think this may be Picoult's most controversial yet. Lastly, I loved reading about the collaboration between these two authors. Always enjoy this kind of extra info that gives some context. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.