A compelling and exciting read, I offer 4 1/2 stars to None of This Is True. The author introduces us to Alix Summer and Josie, who happen to be birthday twins despite their vastly different upbringings. Alix's life as a podcaster seems ideal. Alix is captivated by Josie's account, and the two women open up to one another over time. The chapters are brief, and there include excerpts from a Netflix documentary and a podcast, so the book moves quickly. I was quite interested in hearing more about Josie's history. Lisa Jewel's novels almost never let readers down.

Thank you to #netgalley for this advanced copy for an honest review.

None of This is True
by : Lisa Jewell
⭐️⭐️
genre : thriller / suspense / physiological suspense

This was definitely an anticipated read. The amount of 5 ⭐️ I saw on booksta was insane!!
It was even @stabbyandsteamybookclub pick for the month of August! However, for me, it fell really flat…

anyway here are some main takeaways :

🤍 the format. The format of this book as a Netflix / Podcast segment was super cool. I love that there is even a podcast that goes with the book!

🤍 the beginning start off real strong and I thought to myself “I get why everyone loves it!!!”

👎🏻 Josie. The main character was unlikable since the beginning. She gave me weird vibes from page 1. Stalking is a great way to make friends 😅 She never got likeable and I think that’s why I couldn’t fully trust her at the end (even if Lisa Jewell confirmed it).

👎🏻 I did not think this had a thriller / suspense vibes as much as it should have been. I knew right away with how Josie talked about Nathan that he would die. Everything seemed too predictable for me.

👎🏻 Josie’s husband. A legit pedophile. also, had dated her mother as well. Very weird.

👎🏻 it mentioned Josie’s daughter as having autism but didn’t go into details…with it being a large spectrum, I feel as if having those details in there could help us understand the character more

I really did like the writing and it was a super fast and easy read. Definitely expect more in my thrillers so most likely this is a me problem 🙃🫣

ALSO, a huge shoutout from @netgalley and @atriabooks for the advanced copy 🫶🏻

tropes :
🔪 physiological suspense
🎙️ podcast element
👯‍♂️ Multiple POV

If you like thrillers/suspense books, just read it. This was a favorite for the year for me.

Thank you Net Galley & to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lisa Jewell, your mind is a twisted place and I love it! Normally an untrustworthy main character (which Josie's personality screamed from the get go) annoys me, but it worked so well with this book. Plus, the "None of This is True" title really set me up to not believe a word anyone was saying. Most of the twists I could see coming, but one or two I did not and they were good. The different aspects of the live story, the podcast, and the Netflix documentary made for such an intriguing read. I loved putting the pieces together from all of the witnesses. If this doesn't become a Netflix series, they are really dropping the ball on something great.

As usual, highly recommend Jewell's book! I also recommend going the audiobook route if you enjoy them. It was fantastic!

A very interesting and intriguing thriller. It took me a bit to get through. I had no idea what the twist was going to be and I was definitely very surprised. I still had some questions when I was finished and wanted to know a little more about certain characters. I really liked the ending and definitely made you think and reconsider everything we had known.

Hands-down one of my top picks of 2023. This is absolutely my new favorite Lisa Jewell book and while the plot and the way the story unfolds is strong by itself, the audio version of None of This is True really shines. As an audio book, this is in my top five for best audio book experience I've ever had. The audio quality is so high and it pairs perfectly with the story Jewell tells, making it truly come across as the highest caliber of a true crime podcast breaking a case wide open. I immediately started recommending this book to everyone.

A twisty story brought to life beautifully with multiple perspectives and timelines. Lisa jewell does it again!

This was a book that kept me thinking even when I wasn’t reading. Birthday twins, Josie and Alex find their lives intertwined after meeting during the night if their birthday celebrations. This psychological thriller has dark moments and suspenseful elements; the title is fair warning and help elevates the suspense, keeping myself guessing until the end, which was...okay (this the 4 stars instead of 5)

This might have been better as a book than an audio book, although it kept my attention the entire time. The line between suspenseful and manipulative was not successfully toed. Maybe the title gave some of it away, which wasn’t great either. Or, maybe I just couldn’t get past the way the narrator pronounced “podcast” like ‘paw’cas.” It was similar to I Have Some Questions for You, but not as good.

This one is Lisa Jewell's best yet. I've never been disappointed by her work, but this book was absolutely next level.

It starts out with the main characters being pretty normal. One (Alix) is an up-and-coming podcaster, and the other a somewhat quiet and mousy woman (Josie), living what she herself calls a small life. They meet because they're coincidentally celebrating their birthday on the same night in the same gastropub and strike up a conversation in the women's room. Josie is enthralled with the glamorous Alix and reaches out to her with an intriguing proposition, which Alix is in exactly the right place in her life and career to accept. As a result, they begin to meet and oh so slowly, Josie begins insinuating herself into Alix's life. In very small and innocuous ways at first, but increasingly growing in weirdness. It was so well done that a couple of times I found myself thinking, 'okay, that's a little strange, but ... she's just lonely'. And when I finally realized she was MUCH more than that, it was too late. I, like Alix, then wondered, 'How the hell did we get here without me noticing??'

And it probably goes without saying that the character development was spot on—we always get lots of that with Jewell's novels. In this case, both Alix and Josie were lying to themselves, but doing it so convincingly that it is well into the second half of the book when we realize for sure that at least one of them may be lying to us as well about, well, absolutely everything. I think if I had to identify what makes her work so strong (and IMO getting stronger) it's the skill with which she illustrates how very ordinary evil can look, and because of that, how incremental its incursion into an ordinary life can be.

I highly recommend this book, but only if you can tolerate very dark novels. While there is nothing graphic, it is certainly very disturbing at points.

Audiobook note: I listened as well as read, and the full cast of audiobook narrators (one of whom is none other than the author herself) was as exceptional as the book itself.

Lisa Jewell has done it again. None of This Is True is a psychological thriller revolving around two women who share the same birthday. They meet coincidentally while out celebrating these birthdays, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Josie realizes Alix is a podcaster and wants Alix to do a podcast on her life. Her trials, her tribulations, and how she has overcome these horrible obstacles. Alix is agreeable, but then events begin unfolding that Alix never saw coming which alter life as she knows it.

It is fast paced, wildly unbelievable, and I could not put this book down. I have recently been in a reading slump but this is another recent novel I've read that I couldn't get enough of. The characters were intriguing and even the most damaged ones were somewhat relatable.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I have always been a fan of Lisa Jewell so when I saw that this one was coming out I was ecstatic! When I tell you I couldn't put this book down, I mean it. I picked it up and did not set it down until I reached the end. This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. What a roller coaster! If you are looking for a thriller with an awesome twist and that will have your heart pounding through the entirety of the book, you need to pick this one up. Lisa Jewell hasn't disappointed me yet. The amount of times that my jaw dropped while reading this, I could not even count. I always thought I knew what was going on, but then BAM something crazy would happen that was the complete opposite of what I had in my mind. One of my favorite things about this book was there was a mix of actual chapters and then the other "chapters" were transcripts and descriptions of episodes for a Netflix series. I have to say if this was ever actually made into a Netflix series or movie. I would want to watch it as soon as it came out! The only reason I rated this four stars was the ending, and that's only because I wanted to know more! I would definitely encourage anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers to give this book a try!

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, and the author for a digital ARC of this book!

What did Lisa Jewell put in this book?!? It was such an addicting read -- I couldn't put it down! The podcast element was excellently done...everything about it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I flew through it in a day!

Lisa Jewell never seems to disappoint! This work is no exception!. Sharing a birthday with someone has always interested me as I have not met too many people with the same birthday as mine. It is definitely a conversation starter but this story takes that conversation to another level! The beginning hooked me right away and the story continued to spark my curiosity throughout the book. Was the meeting really just by chance? How do their lives really intertwine? Definitely a book to consider for the readers on your gift giving list!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book!! This one is one of those books that make you really question who is telling the truth!! Unreliable narrator, odd relationships, true crime podcast.. I really loved this one. Its probably one of my favorite of the year !!

Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for accepting my arc request.

Wow, what an amazing read! Lisa Jewell's books never disappoint,and I am so glad I chose to read this one sooner than later. This book was so different from her other books, especially because of the podcast and Netflix series way of delivery. I could just imagine the Netflix series, as well as the actual story told from Alex's and Josie's POV. There was suspense right from the start, and it was weird because I really wanted to know the end, but sort of wanted to delay it as well. The description in this book, the setting, the whole buildup was just amazing. I also really liked the character development of both the main characters. I still don't know what or who to believe, but I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who loves a good psychological thriller.

I also think that listening to this as an audio book would have been amazing. My friend @tiffanyvt4 told me how there are multiple narrators narrating this story, and I am just so curious to listen to it or atleast know people's experience with the audio book.

The main takeaway from this book is to trust your instinct. The world is really crazy and scary right now,and even though there are good people still, I really don't think that trusting someone mindlessly is a good idea. People are just ready to take your advantage, and so always be careful and trust what your gut tells you.
Overall, an amazing read.

I have not read many of Lisa Jewell's books but I will defiantly be reading more. None of This is True was fantastic. Popular podcaster Alix Summer crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair while celebrating her birthday. Josie is Alix's birthday twin. .A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. Alix is intrigued and she starts to realize that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life and into her home. As quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. But bad things are happening to Alix and she fears that Josie is behind them all.
Who is Josie Fair? This was a fantastic read that keeps one on the edge of their seat.

None of this is True by Lisa Jewell is her twistiest book yet. The title says it all really - I loved following along and thinking I was understanding what was going on to learn that I really knew nothing at all. The podcast host and true crime obsession have it a modern angle that really worked. Love this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC! None of This is True is out now!

In a twist of fate Alix and Josie find themselves celebrating their birthday in the same restaurant, discovering they are birthday twins. A few days later they meet again and Josie, who’s been watching Alix’s podcast, takes the opportunity to pitches herself for Alix’s next series. As the two spend more time together, Alix begins to regret letting Josie into her life as dark secrets come to light.

Given the premise of the story, I loved getting both Alix and Josie’s POVs. In my opinion it wouldn’t have been as good of a story if we’d only gotten one side of the story. I also absolutely loved the use of
different formats with regular chapters, the podcast, and Netflix documentary.

This was more of a slow burn which are hit or miss for me, and this one falls in the hit category. I was thoroughly engaged throughout the story, waiting to get to that final twist. Which, well I enjoyed the twist I am still not sure how I feel about the overall ending.

Although I have so many on my TBR and sitting on my shelves, I’m ashamed to admit this is the first Lisa Jewell book I’ve read. Thank goodness for my book club at work for choosing this as one of our reads because now I see the hype around Jewell. I will definitely be making her backlist a priority from here on out.

Thank you Atria and Netgalley for my review copy in exchange for an honest review!

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell is a masterfully crafted psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. The story follows two women, Alix and Josie, who are both turning forty-five. Alix is a successful podcaster, while Josie is a mysterious and secretive woman who claims to have had a dark and disturbing past.

The two women meet when Josie becomes a guest on Alix's podcast. Josie's story is so compelling and disturbing that it quickly becomes a hit with Alix's listeners. But as Alix gets to know Josie better, she begins to question whether Josie is telling the truth.

Jewell does a masterful job of creating suspense and tension throughout the novel. The reader is constantly wondering what Josie is hiding, and whether she is a victim or a perpetrator. The story is also full of complex and well-developed characters, which makes it all the more engaging.

One of the things I enjoyed most about None of This Is True is the way that Jewell uses the podcast format to tell the story. The transcripts of Alix's interviews with Josie are interspersed throughout the narrative, which gives the reader a unique perspective on the events of the story. It also allows Jewell to explore Josie's character in more depth.

Overall, None of This Is True is an excellent thriller that I highly recommend. It is well-written, suspenseful, and thought-provoking. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, then you will definitely want to check this book out.