Powerful, intense, informative, engaging, compelling, and suspenseful are all words that I would use to describe this can't put down novel. I have read several books by Jodi Picoult before and my jaw always drops at some point in the novel when I am absolutely stunned at the twist. This book was no exception.

There are two voices in this novel, Oliva and Lily. Olivia is the mother of Asher. She is from a small town in New Hamshire and she is a bee keeper. Lily, a teenager in highschool has recently moved to New Hampshire and has fallen madly in love with Asher. Both are keeping secrets from the ones they love and are trying to escape things in their past. Then one day Lily is found dead and Asher is accused of murdering her. What follows is a novel filled with twists and turns in a quest to find out the truth.

I do not want to give anything away but I found this book informative and not just the parts about bees. It really helped to open my eyes which is why reading a great book can be so transformative. I did not want to stop reading this because I had to know how it ended. A very moving and powerful book!

I received this arc in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Random house for this advance copy.

I just reviewed Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult; Jennifer Finney Boylan. #MadHoney

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published October 4, 2022.

I’ve been a fan of Jodi Picoult’s book for decades, and this book does not disappoint. Even though it was a collaboration with Jennifer Finney Boylan the construction is seamless. (Be sure to read the Author’s Notes at the end to learn how this partnership started and who wrote what…)

Without revealing any spoilers (of which there are many), this book tackles two important topics and is told against a setting of bees! As with all JP books she does her research! 🐝

The plot begins with 2 moms and 2 teenagers. Told in alternating points of view and in non-chronological order, we learn about a death. Much of the book is set in a courtroom where you can’t help believing what each side presents.

Put this at the top of your To Read list come October!

“Mad honey comes from bees that forage on rhododendrons and mountain laurel , and it is full of poisonous grayanotoxins…”It can cause hallucinations and other psychiatric effects.” It’s a darker color but it looks like all honey. Mad honey causes changes. So do love, passion, violence, secrets and lies. Mad Honey, by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, is full of all these.

Two single mothers, Ava Campanella and her daughter Lily and Olivia McAfee and her son Asher, have relocated to Adams, New Hampshire for deeply personal reasons. Hockey star Asher and quirky, intelligent Lily fall in love. When Lily is found after a fall with Asher cradling her dead body, he is arrested for her murder.

Without spoilers, that is a simple description of plot. What is left out is what makes Mad Honey compelling, incredibly moving, suspenseful and informative. Buy two copies of this book - one for you and one for a friend so you’ll have someone to talk to. Recommend it to your book club. It will be a memorable discussion. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan for this ARC.

I loved 99% of this book so much. My knowledge of transgender women and men was expanded by beautifully written paragraphs and meaningful character conversations. Getting to understand the lives of bees was fascinating in its own right as well. I wanted this book to go on much longer, and I want to read it again already to absorb more of the beautifully written language. The only thing that threw me was the very end (chapter before the epilogue) - did it really need that kind of resolution? It seemed like a cheap throw away. I would have been happier to leave something to my own imagination. (Those who have read the book will know what I'm talking about- the strange confession that was very out of place). Otherwise, a perfectly wonderful book.

About this book Jodi Picoult says "I'd like you to give-a chance, a thought, a damn" This book is needed right now and everybody should read it. It is heartbreakingly beautiful and at times, hard to read. In the end I gave -a chance, a thought, a damn and so much more. I hope this book makes people realize love is love.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I will NEVER turn down the opportunity to read a Picoult early! In true fashion for Picoult, she tackles a relevant controversial issue while bringing you to tears at the same time. This one follows two single mothers trying to do their best when both of their lives turn for the worse. Trigger warning: domestic abuse. Picoult readers will love it as usual. Also, the twist at the end had me gasping! I never saw it coming!

Mad Honey is one maddening sweet novel that leaves you perplexed but yet satisfied. Once again Jodi Picoult brings a topic that is currently visible in our society and together with Jennifer Boylan explains it from the viewpoint of the transgender individuals brilliantly. Reading backwards was a challenge because I wanted to see the future not the past, but the suspense involved with the death and the murder trial was enormous. All the information about beekeeping was very educational and typical of a Jodi Picoult novel. She always educates in her fiction but not until the superb ending did I realize the great significance.

Realistic YA & Adult Fiction. Lily has just relocated to a new town where she meets Asher, who is also a senior attending her high school. They begin a romantic relationship almost immediately. These teens have similar pasts as far as fathers go; both are being raised as only children by single mothers. Lily and her mother had hoped to start over in this new town until the unthinkable happens; Lily is found dead and her boyfriend, Asher, is the prime suspect. Asher's mother, Olivia, proclaims that her son is not only innocent but incapable of hurting another, much less murdering someone. But Olivia harbors a small seed of doubt about Asher's innocence because her own marriage was not as perfect as it appeared to be. This is an emotional and timely story that explores the complexity of love and relationships and how secrets can impact both. Picoult and Boylan keep readers spellbound throughout the novel! Their writing styles meshed beautifully and the overall story is truly spectacular.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e ARC of this book.
Great read from Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. This book definitely is cowritten. The authors explained their process which I found very interesting..
Deals with family, children, love, relationships. And the big social issue-transgender people. Educational and enlightening. Brings to the forefront an issue that we, as a society, do not seem to be dealing with well. Boylan is a transgendered person so brings real knowledge to the table.
Well developed characters,great information about beekeeping, a plot you never saw coming. Reads amazingly well for a book with two authors.

4.5 stars

I cannot praise this book enough! Sensitive subjects handled so beautifully yet realistically. I read and savored every word. It is an unforgettable novel of love, and knowing oneself. Olivia is a beekeeper and I very much enjoyed learning about bees and harvesting honey. Olivia is divorced, lives with her teenage son who is on trial for murdering his girlfriend. The story is just so beautifully written and the story has stayed with me. I highly recommend this novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an intense read as well as an intellectual experience. The plot and the characters held my attention but at times it became "preachy." The best parts for me were the courtroom scenes and wonderful descriptions of bee keeping.

Jodi Picoult, does it again. MAD HONEY is a wonderfully written, beautiful story.
This book kept me constantly engaged, wanting more, had me breathing in this story like fresh air.
The writing is just steller, the characters complex and real.
I found myself utterly drawn in by the story. It was layered very well. The plot phenomenal.
This is easily my new favorite Jodi Picoult book.

Ballantine,
Thank You for this approved eARC!

I read this book in 2 days! It follows a similar to format to all of Picoult's previous novels that I've read. Not to give away any spoilers, but the twist that came about a third of the way through was one I didn't really see coming but then it helped to fully develop the remainder of the story. I liked the characters, and found the reverse storytelling of Lily's life to be a perfect device for this book. I was not particularly fond of the long passages about bees, and often found myself skimming through them. Also, I predicted the two developments from the end of the novel - possibly because I've read so many of Picoult's other novels, or else because it was just that predictable. All in all, a decent read. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARC!

I typically love Jodi Picoult's books. She creates memorable characters who are embroiled in current social issues. This book certainly lives up to her reputation, but I didn't love it. Frankly, I am tired of having the whole transgender issue flaunted in the media. I especially find it distressing when children are involved. Maybe I am old fashioned, but I think some decisions should not be made until an individual is much older. I won't be recommending this book.

Mad Honey
By Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

This is is perhaps the easiest yet most difficult review I have had to write to date. Easy as the superlatives are all there. It was an easy book to read, even for someone who doesn’t like chapters that jump backwards and forwards in time. The character development is well done without being tedious and is appropriately engaging. The hard part is not letting any spoilers intrude in the review. You will just have to trust me that Jodi and Jennifer do not disappoint and this is as good as they have written. You will have your eyes opened, you will, or should, learn a lot and walk away thanking the authors. I will tell you a little snippet of what you will learn. You will learn a lot about bees and honey. I am going out and buying some now so I can try the recipes they added at the end of the book.
Bon Appetit.
I thank the authors, the publisher, and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my review.

Jodi Picoult has a knack for creating characters and storylines that keep you thinking, long after you have finished the book. A small-town tragedy becomes a mother's worst nightmare when her son is accused of murdering his girlfriend. Shunned by neighbors and friends, a mother must do whatever it takes to save her son. This book was a roller coaster of emotions-heartbreaking, haunting, uplifting, and I would highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC. I am always looking forward to Jodi Picoult's novels because I know she will tackle a tough subject. This book does not disappoint. I am going to be careful about how much I will give away, so I don't spoil the plot. The underlying story is a murder and the accusation that the boyfriend did it. We also learn that the boyfriend's father was a very violent person and just maybe that this violence was passed down to him because f what he saw as a child. Of course, that is not all that is going on. Great Read!

In the beginning of Mad Honey, I wondered if it was going to focus too heavily on bees similar to the Book of Two Ways with Egyptology. Thankfully, it took a quick turn and gave the reader the background knowledge we need to make the connections, but did non inundate us with heavy facts that could eventually drowned out the plot.

I ended up loving Mad Honey. It is the story of a boy on trial for his girlfriend's murder. There are some twists and turns that keep you guessing over the course of the book, and it makes you consider a perspective that you may not be extremely familiar with. For most, it will be a book you will either love or hate. I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this insightful book.

I have been devouring Jodi Picoult’s amazing books for years and honestly I missed the taste of her old books: thought provoking, earth shattering, twisty ones that shakes you to the core, testing your moral compass with unconventional plot lines! It seems like this book brings all of that precious taste of her old works back! Just like her old works Nineteen Minutes questioning school shooting, bullying, violence and Picture Perfect has a realistic approach to domestic violence, finally the Pact questions young teenage couple’s unconventional bound, Mad Honey is combination of all those amazing works with perfectly developed stories and unforgettable characters ! It rocks your world and makes you questions your own beliefs!

When I reached the first half of the book I truly slapped against my face, after reading the big twist that I didn’t see it coming, I just shivered for a long time. I barely gathered my word after that jaw dropping moment!

After that twist, the main focus of the book changes and story turns into really different direction. I’m not gonna give much away and keep one of the important subjects out in my review not to spoil the surprise.

I decided to give a quick summary what I like this book at first besides amazing storytelling skills of Jodi Picoult and her brilliant co-authors who are brave enough to write about so many sensitive subjects and give a fresh, unique, bold approach to them.

-the character development is perfect. It represent two survivor women who survived after being life changing tragedies.

Olivia McAfee , single mother, survivor of domestic abuse, raising her son Asher by herself, inheriting her father’s beekeeping business, living peacefully and secluded life by leaving her old life behind.

Lily Campanello: 18 years old, living her old life behind by moving in New Hampshire with her mother Ava who is always at her side, doing everything she can to give her daughter a life she dreams.

I loved hear Lily’s voice and read about her fight against insecurities, her tough decisions. She’s so brave! She’s truly miracle!

-I enjoyed to read the long depictions and elaborated information about beekeeping and nature of bees, the magical healing power of honey. It’s truly educational experience.

-the murder mystery of Lily, thought provoking arguments about violence, toxic relationships, secrets we keep, how far a mother can go to protect her child were realistically discussed.

Olivia did the right choice to leave behind her abusive husband, raising her son Asher alone. But what if she couldn’t prevent her son to become a version of his father. What if he’s inherited his violence tendencies.

That “what if” part keeps you in your toes and wonder what actually happened to Lily. When you read her story moving backwards, you slowly gather the pieces of her life puzzle and you feel like tiny pieces of glasses keep stabbing you in the heart. You feel for her. You resonate with her strongly.

This book is more than abuse, violence, murder mystery, depression. It’s about a person’s free right to CHOOSE! You can choose what’s best for you even though it means you’ll act against the wishes of close circle.

-I’m so happy to see Jordan McAfee back. He was the lawyer of Peter Noughton at “19 minutes” book and I definitely recommend you to read because in my opinion it’s still my favorite book of the author. Now Jordan defends his own nephew and he’s doing his best to keep him out of the prison.

My only hesitation about Lily’s POV was backwards storytelling style. It was confusing and it affected me to feel the true depth of Asher and her relationship’s evolvement.

And I found the evidences against Asher at the murder trial a little circumstantial. It seems like they want to pin the murder on him because it’s always boyfriend!

The mystery unresolved as I expected and guessed from the beginning but I had some second thoughts about the execution.

I only cut half point for those two factors but I still round up 4.5 stars to 5 because this book and the characters are so powerful. My emotions are everywhere. I couldn’t give this amazing work less than five stars.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Another immersive abd creative read by Picoult. She just gets better and better with each novel. Lily and Asher are in love and high school students. Lily teens up dead and there are soany amazing jawdropping moments that I stayed up way too late to finish. Stellar!