A huge thank you to Ballentine and NetGalley for this ARC. I was so excited to open my email and see that I was "gifted" this book ahead of publication. It was a gift as I am a long time reader of Jodi Picoult's work. I feel this book is more like some of her earlier works, which were my favorites. I didn't know how this book would compare given that she co-wrote it with Jennifer Finney Boylan, but I was not disappointed. Typical to Picoult's work, it takes on controversial subjects head on, domestic abuse, one other topic I will keep secret as to not spoil it, and for the icing on the cake...a trial. I always feel as if I read not just for enjoyment but for getting an in-depth class, in this case, on these issues, but add on beekeeping.

I highly recommend this book, you won't regret it. Darn, how much longer before the next book is out for publication??!!

First, I have to say Jodi Picoult is one of my one-click authors. I never miss one of her books and I always come away from reading one changed in some way.

MAD HONEY is her newest offering and this book is filled with so many themes that writing a review for it is challenging because there’s so much you don’t want to give away.

In a nutshell, the book is Romeo and Juliette-esk in that it centers around two teenage lovers, Asher and Lily. Their backstories are intense and again, if I mentioned them, it would give away a major plot point that I feel needs to be kept secret for the reader to discover on their own. Suffice it to say they both have secrets and one of them is a whopper.

Olivia is Asher’s mom. A survivor of a physically abusive marriage and the third protagonist in this tale. Ms Picoult has written about abused wives before and she does it so flawlessly you almost never see the hit coming…until it does.

Because this is a Picoult book you can expect there to be a huge chunk of it devoted to research, in this case, Bees, their keeping, and honey production. The research is extensive, flawless, and for me, too much. I really didn’t care about knowing it all and I feel if it would have been left out, the book still would be a winner just from the storyline and characters alone.

But, as I said, this is Picoult book and you expect the research.

Part courtroom drama, part star-crossed lovers' tale, MAD HONEY is a timely story that really makes the reader THINK about the issues it espouses. The writing is, as always, lyrical and flawless, the characters are completely drawn and the plot intriguing. Although I figured out the two main plot points eons before the ending I was still satisfied when they were revealed, one in the final few pages.

A well deserved 5 stars to another amazing book by a wonderful author. Brava.

Oh man it's so hard to talk about this book without spoiling a thing - because as is usual with Jodi Picoult, this is a real page-turner with twists that I never saw coming! "Mad Honey" is told through alternating chapters with two different narrators, with one moving the story ahead in time and the other moving backwards, all the while including copious flashbacks to fill in the gaps - which was (in my opinion) a bit confusing in the beginning but once I understood the flow it made sense. One of them is a beekeeper, so I learned a lot about that, and the other is something I will not spoil but to say that I really appreciated learning so much more on that particular topic. The amount of research Jodi does, and the experts she works with to make her books so detailed and realistic is to be admired for sure.

Bonus points for including the honey recipes at the back - I especially can't wait to try out the Hope Cakes!

Mad Honey is a book for our time, one that gently addresses transgenderism and answers questions people probably didn't even realize they had. There is also domestic violence, handled well, and a ton of information on bees and honey that I wasn't aware of.

So very much research, heart, and soul went into Mad Honey and being someone who loves to learn new things while reading, this book worked on not only my heart, but my mind in all the best ways.

Who would I recommend this to? Everyone. Every single person can take something away after reading Mad Honey. Do not let this book slip by - read it, share it, recommend it, and read it again.

A sincere thank you to Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own and gratefully shared.

The feelings I felt while reading this book are difficult to put into words. I do not want to reveal any spoilers but Mad Honey was an unconventional story that shook me to the core, made me question my morals, and shined light on a societal issues that are not often represented in books. It'll take you right back to the classic Picoult plots (i.e., The Pact, Nineteen Minutes) I fell in love with so many years ago. It's a story love and loss that explores the complexity of relationships, one's identity and familial bonds. The characters are beautifully written, each with secrets preventing them from being who they fully want to be, and the suspense integrated into the story will have you quickly turning the pages.

What I loved most was the way the story unfolded. It was told through two point of views, Olivia (Archer's mom) and Lily (Archer's girlfriend). Lily narrates the chapters that lead up to Archer's trial and her story goes chronologically backwards while Olivia tells the story during the trial moving chronologically forward. As much of the story is set in the courtroom, I was intrigued by the pieces of evidence and anecdotes each side presented and the story's inclusion of very timely topics. Also, Mad Honey has the unique setting of taking place on a bee farm. When I read the first few pages, which detailed the life of a beekeeper and facts about bees I never knew prior, I had no idea which direction this story would go and how this honey bee analogy would come out to play.

This is hands down a top 2022 read for me. Picoult and Boylan created a masterpiece and their partnership makes a lot more sense once you get to the author's note at the end (wait until the end to read it). Their remarks provide context about the subject matter for this book and dive into a fascinating story about how they teamed up.

Thanks NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this book I’m exchange for an honest review. Pub date: 10/4/22

As a long time fan of Jodi Picoult, I was initially worried when I saw she had co-authored Mad Honey. However, my initial concern was alleviated immediately after starting the book. It reminded me of old Jodi favorites like Salem Falls and Nineteen Minutes (and even features an appearance by Jordan and Selena!!)

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC, a masterfully written, suspenseful, heartfelt novel. I could not put it down and was so immersed in the lives of Olivia McAfee and her son Asher. The trial was full of twists and turns and I truly did not know whether we would see a verdict of Guilty or Not Guilty. M

A MUST READ!!

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review - I absolutely devoured this book!
Olivia was married to a doctor and they had a beautiful son- but her perfect life was not perfect. When she divorced him she moved home to work her father's bee business.
Lily and her mom move hoping for the perfect life. She meets Ashton and they fall in love.
But suddenly Olivia receives a call from her son saying Lily is dead. All her old memories return and she worries her son may have daddy's temper.
Follow along through the trial and feel your emotions pulled many different directions till the truth is reveal!
What a great book!

A big thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC. This book was entirely different thank the last Picoult book. That one was a bit more subdued. Perhaps the addition of Boylan helped to mix it up a bit and bring back Picoult’s amazing plot twists. I thought the mystery was very suspenseful. For a second, I entertained the idea of looking for spoilers to see the end. I ended up just staying up all night reading. There was certainly a twist and the ending was well-done. Having worked as an attorney, I thought the way the prosecution and defense acted was very much in line with real life.

Asher and Lily are two teenagers in love. While Asher is being raised by a single parent after his father turned abusive toward his mother, Lily is also with only her mother after a major disagreement with her father.

Asher loved Lily, but when he finds Lily dead at the bottom of the staircase, all eyes turn to him with judgment and accusations.

After all, there were times, he grabbed her arms hard enough to leave bruises. And let’s not forget his father was an abuser as well.

But Asher’s mother, who is well known as the local beekeeper, refuses to let her son to to prison.

What is the truth?

There was a twist in the middle of this book that I did not see coming, and that element alone in today’s world is what warranted the five stars.

The ending was well done and executed perfectly. This is for sure going to be on must-read lists for the summer!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Confession: I do not ordinarily read novels that are co-authored. I've found that I could tell which chapter was written by which author based on writing styles and.it took away from my enjoyment of the book. No fear of that happening in the case of Mad Honey. The story is seamless and may make me rethink my prejudice.

Jodi Picoult has always written a "ripped from the headlines" kind of novel and is one of my favorite writers. I have ready many op eds by Jennifer Finney Boylan and admired (and agreed with) her viewpoints, but had never read any of her literary works.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, I got to read an edge of your seat thriller and a marvelously educational book on both transgender and bee keeping. Interesting to find out that this novel began as a dream Boylan had about co-writing a book with Jodi Picoult.

Olivia lives in New Hampshire, having moved back to her childhood home with her teen-age son. She is the beekeeper, and this is my one criticism of the book: TMI about cleaning out hives and other bee trivia...and the needless recipes? Give me a break. It would have rated 5 stars without ALL the facts i could have gotten on Google.

Lily, her mother Ava and Olivia and her son, Asher, both escaped from abusive husbands. But the commonality ends there. Lily and Asher's romantic attachment is at the heart of the story. The courtroom drama is nail-bitingly written and worth reading this book for. I hesitate to say more about the plot so as not to anticipate any spoilers for prospective readers. But spoilers abound as do surprises.

This novel can be proudly claimed by both co-authors as a polished, professional novel that will play with your emotions and educate you as well.

This is a gut wrenching, emotional read but well worth the time! This was a roller coast ride and you won't want to put it down. I feel like everyone should read this book, Picoult and Boylan did an amazing job with the characters, you can feel the emotions and she doesn't sugar coat anything. I can say from experience as I can relate to a significant characteristic of Lily (as a mom though). I don't want to give away any spoilers.

Also the twist at the end...wow.

Thank you Random House Ballantine, NetGalley, and the authors for the opportunity to access this ARC. Publication date: 10/11/2022

This is a coauthored book but Picolt and Boylan did an amazing job blending their writing and the voices. This book covers multiple big topics without ever feeling like a checklist of sort. It was educational on so many levels and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Each time I thought I figured out the ending, new information is introduced. This is a book of secrets, young love, DV, and consequences.

I've never started a book review with WOAH before but that's the feeling 'Mad Honey' requires. I was on a high-speed journey to discover the truth and I'm still reeling from the outcome. Without giving anything away, buckle your seatbelt as this adventure will teach you about life.

If I could go back and start the book again, I still don't know if I would pick up on all the nuances the authors conveyed. I've been a Jodi Picoult fan since reading 'The Pact.' While there were times, I wasn't sure if I liked the male protagonist, I spent the whole novel on the edge of my seat absorbed in his story.

Was Asher guilty, innocent, framed or was it possible that Lily's death was an accident? My opinion changed multiple times in the same chapter. Asher and Lily's love story was fueled at times by teenage hormones and rage but at its core, they loved each other.

People often say it's puppy love but there was something so genuine about their love that they made each other better. Lily's been guarding her heart and a secret. She's worried that when Asher learns the truth, will he still be able to see the woman he loves?

The authors masterly weave together a heartbreaking story tackling society's issues. Teaching children to 'man up' or for girls to 'act like a lady' those remarks are ingrained from a young age. While stereotyping, what about children that are non-binary, transgender or other classifications? Society is becoming more accepting but there's still a long way to go to achieving equality.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #MadHoney in exchange for an honest review. Since the book isn't published yet, I'm trying to keep the twists and turns to myself. That way, the reader will be able to discover the highs and lows that pop up per chapter.

I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to read this book. Some stories stay with a reader long after the last chapter. While fiction, 'Mad Honey' is an important read to understand what makes us different while at the same time, that at our core, we all want to be loved and respected.

When you start a new book and are drawn in immediately, you know that you are in for a treat. Mad Honey is definitely this type of a book. I have read all of Jodi Picoult’s novels and this is one of her best. To potential readers, I would advise that you do not read what the book is about. Start reading and let the story unfold and draw you in. You will fully enjoy this story as it unfolds and catches you unaware. There is suspense and real current life issues portrayed in this novel. There are also some very interesting facts woven into the story about bees. I want to thank the publisher for reaching out to me and offering an advanced readers copy. I had already planned on reading this book so I was thrilled with the offer. My review is totally unbiased.

This book was Jodi Picoult at her finest. Multiple points of view, flashbacks throughout the book, current issues, and courtroom drama. I LOVED it! I learned a lot about transgender issues while devouring this beautifully written book. Another instant bestseller by Jodi Picoult! I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy for me to review, all opinions are my own.

I think I would read Jodi Picoult’s grocery list if she published it. I have loved every single one of her books and this was no different. This is such a powerful read, and I can see this being so important upon release. I loved it!!

Jodi Picoult has always been one of my favorite authors. This book takes me back to her earlier works, with the same style and subject matter. This book has a compelling narrative, mystery, suspense, love, loss, and what it means to trust yourself and the one’s you thought you knew. Thanks for making me cry. Again!

Mad Honey, by Jennifer Finney Boylan, Jodi Picoult
emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25 stars

Is there a difference between what is private and what is secret? When you are in love, at what point do you share details about your past that you have kept private? To what lengths will a mother go to keep her child safe? Hot Honey explores these questions through a two voice perspective.

One of the voices is Lily's, a teenage girl who is found dead at the bottom of the stairs. And her story is told on a backwards timeline from her death. Lily's death broke my heart and I kept wanting to see a different story written for her that showed her vitality and spirit living into a future beyond being a teenager.
The other voice is Olivia, the mother of Lily's boyfriend who is accused of killing Lily. Olivia tells her story moving through the trial of her son with flashbacks of her own life. Both Olivia and Lily have pasts they have kept private. Both have endured the harm of toxic masculinity.

This is a book that deals with domestic abuse, transphobia, and suicide - it would be helpful to include resources for further understanding and responding. One of the things I appreciate is Jodi Picoult's research that connects with parts of the story. In this case beekeeping (make sure to read to the end for the yummy recipes!). There is a transgender storyline that offers education primarily through one of the characters who works in the town. This is important education! "If you've met one trans person . . . you've met one trans person." And at times, it felt a little heavy-handed and less integrated into the story. But again worthwhile for the insight it offers. I was a little underwhelmed with the final twist at the end but overall the book and the story were well done. I read this in a couple of days and felt attached to all of the characters.

I was excited to receive the ARC of Mad Honey since I really enjoy Jodi Picoult's books. And it wasn't until I finished that I realized that the two voices in the book were each written by different authors - Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. They did a great job.

#MadHoney #NetGalley

MAD HONEY
BY JODI PICOULT & JENNIFER FINNEY BOYLAN

This collaboration between these two Authors' called "Mad Honey," is simply a masterpiece and deserves one million stars for the emotional impact it delivers. I think that it is many messages but it was written in such a way that really made me feel for the characters. I am not going to give any spoilers but I will guarantee that you need to read this book. It succeeds on all levels of informing all audiences of every genre to allow us to remember to always be empathetic and show compassion to every soul on the planet. The writing is seamless and while this is a joint effort I felt while reading it as if one author penned this incredibly moving novel. The writing flowed so smoothly and the characterization was pure genius.

I love all of Jodi Picoult's previous work and every time that I read her newest novel I am blown away with how talented she is and I always come away having gained great insight. I always learn something new. I had been unfamiliar with Jennifer Finney Boylan's work and am so thrilled to discover that she is a prolific writer and I will be reading her body of published books.

This is heartbreaking and educational with much to offer because I feel that I am still haunted by characters and this is a novel that shattered my heart. I will never forget it! I do feel by reading this that I will be equipped to be a better person and that is why I love to read. I couldn't have loved this more! Highly, Highly Recommended to everybody.

Publication Date: October 4, 2022

Thank you to Net Galley, to both Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#MadHoney #JodiPicoult #JenniferFinneyBoylan #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantine #NetGalley

Wow. Not what I was expecting (I usually try to not read much about any book before reading it) - the story goes somewhere you don't anticipate towards the end and has a profound impact on everything that came before this revelation. I also didn't notice that two well respected writers collaborated/cowrote this novel until I got to the author's notes at the end. The story itself was faintly reminiscent of some others (families, hidden aspects of things some are embarrassed by, first love, beekeeping, single parenting) but although they may have comprised part of the novel's foundation, they are just a portion of it. When I got to the last few chapters, I realized how important this hidden aspect is in modern life; people can die because to someone else objects to what gender a person chooses. Beautifully written and highly recommended.