Wow! 4.75⭐️ I loved this book!! It starts off with 2 women celebrating their 45th birthdays in a local pub, Alex is a true crime podcaster and Josie is a normal mom, wife. They don’t know each other but they are actual birthday twins born the same day in the same hospital (I think, my memory could be wrong). They bump into each other again and Josie wants to be the next subject for her series, a normal woman that is getting ready to transform and she wants to tell her story and have Alex follow her as she becomes transforms into more than just a housewife. Josie is slowly unraveling and it becomes really unsettling, the twists were top notch!

Let's start off by saying - Check Your Triggers before picking this one up.

I can always count on Lisa Jewel to give me a bingeable twisty thriller! Between her addictive writing and her dark and complex characters - she has quickly become a "must read".

Favorite read of the year!

A wonderfully dark and twisty read that will keep you going until the very end, and even then you will ask yourself if you know what is true. I love the mix of elements - messed up marriages, gamers, podcasters, old missing person cases and more. It all comes together in a wonderfully dark and twisted story that will leave you going - WTF. Thanks to NetGalley for this delicious read.

I enjoyed this so much!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my advanced copy of None of This Is True.

I missed the pub day on this one so I grabbed the audio via Scribd.
None of This Is True is narrated by a full cast and it was a phenomenal listening experience.
I highly recommend the audio.

I was immediately was sucked into this story and hung on to every word.
The plot was unique.
The format was engaging.
The author kept me guessing.

I look forward to reading whatever Lisa Jewell decides to publish in the future.

…𝘢 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘱𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦r 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵.“

Thank you @atriabooks & @netgalley for my digital eArc. My thoughts are my own.

I finished this book a week ago and I’m STILL thinking about it!

When Josie Fair and her husband visit a local pub to celebrate her birthday, Josie spots another woman who is celebrating her own birthday. Josie learns the woman, Alix, is a podcaster and she is the exact same age as Josie; they are, in fact, birthday twins.

Josie begins to research Alix and, when Josie “accidentally” runs into Alix a few days later, Josie presents Alix with a unique idea for her podcast. Alix finds the idea intriguing and she begins interviewing Josie…and Josie begins gradually insinuating herself into Alix’s life…with shocking consequences!

I think this is my favorite Lisa Jewell novel! This page-turner starts innocently enough, but soon the tension begins and it steadily increases throughout the book, building to a startling climax! It alternates between the perspectives of Josie and Alix, with podcast episodes and segments from a Netflix documentary interspersed. This original format definitely adds to the tension. Throughout the ‘broadcasts’ I knew something terrible must have happened, but what? I could only guess!

I have to give a shout-out for the audio version by @simon.audio! With a large cast of characters, sound effects and music, the listener truly gets the effect of listening to a podcast and a crime documentary.

Don’t miss this one!

Thanks to Atria Books, the author, and NetGalley for the free gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

A. WILD. RIDE. You obviously have to glaze over the fact that this relationship is tricking weird and inappropriate, to begin with, but if you can get past that then the book will take you up and down.

I don’t want to say too much about this book because the less you know the better but you will be confused, shocked, and left with lots of questions which is always an interesting way to end a thriller.

The unreliable narrators and extremely weird and unlikable characters will have you second-guessing everything up until you close the book because none of this is true.

Lisa Jewel is always a test for me. I love many of her books and some I find so so. This was an excellent thriller with two older characters that seem to have so much in common. Alix has a podcast on crime and is getting on with her life at age 45. Josie and Alix meet several times randomly and become friends. Alix starts to get the feeling something is amiss and then Josie disappears. With the police involved they discover some startling facts. Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.Certainly some twists that I wasn’t expecting. A good read.

Alix Summers is a popular podcaster who’s married to Nathan and has 2 young kids. Josie Fair is married to a much older man named Walter and has 2 grown daughters. Rox left home at 16 and Erin lives at home but doesn’t leave her room , is a famous gamer, and eats baby food. Celebrating both their 45th birthdays, Alix and Josie cross paths at a local pub. They call each other birthday twins. Josie convinces Alix to interview her for a podcast. While recording the podcast, Josie reveals disturbing, troubling, dark secrets that involve grooming, abuse, neglect and secrets. Nathan ends up missing along with Josie.
This story is dark, disturbing, twisted, unsettling. It’s told as a true crime series on Netflix and as a podcast. It ended where it could have a sequel. It constantly has you guessing who’s telling the truth and who was lying. It asks who’s really the victim here. In the end you drew your conclusions.
Thank you #netgalley, #Atria Publishing

I almost feel let down by this read 🫣 don’t hate me.

I really enjoyed the multimedia mode that Jewell used and I was spinning about who could be dead and what the big secrets could be. But in the end I’m underwhelmed. I was hoping for a big twisty ending but ended with what we had the entire book, a she said vs she said. Not much to dissect or dig into as far as analysis goes. I didn’t get the “wtf just happened” feeling that I was hoping for. Maybe it’s just me.

This book was good but the title Definately turned me off. It had me thinking the entire book was a lie which messed with my views of the book. I did Enjoy it and was entertained.

2.5 stars

None of This Is True is Lisa Jewell’s latest thriller that everyone is talking about. I have read a few of Jewell’s books and have yet to be blown away. But I still enjoy them and always hope an author will surprise me.

None of This Is True follows two women who happen to share the same birthday and meet celebrating it at a local restaurant. One of these women -Alix – hosts a popular podcast and superficially has the perfect life, while the other – Josie – is living a mundane life and hiding a dark past. When Josie carves her way into Alix’s life and podcast, Alix realizes too late that Josie has many secrets and they are starting to threaten Alix’s existence.

This will not be a rave review by any means. If you were hoping it was, I promise you those are easy to find.

The title alone ruins the first major twist of the book. Because of the title, I was immediately suspicious of a protagonist, and I assumed everything that came out of her mouth was fictitious. Why would you give away a major plot point before a reader even picks up the book? It was either a ballsy move based on overconfidence about the rest of the book or an stupid error.

That said, I was pulled in with Jewell’s writing and found None of This Is True to be a quick read. It is slow to start, but I was engrossed when it did pick up. I also enjoyed the storytelling method, which employed a combination of first person narrative, podcast transcripts, and a documentary script.

Sadly, None of This Is True is not the most original thriller I have read this year. It is yet another story about a podcaster, an “it” woman who seemingly has it all, and a woman full of “dark secrets”. And even the ending, which everyone is praising, was unsurprising to seasoned mystery readers. Was it still interesting? Sure, I could overlook most of this because it was an entertaining book. However, there are some issues we should not look past.

Other reviews have skipped over the large problematic elements of this book, and I am aghast and disappointed. First, a 13-15 year old is not capable of consenting to a physical/sexual relationship under any circumstances. Worse yet, a partner 15+ years their senior is both a rapist and a pedophile. Not only does Jewell fail to call this out, she makes the pedophile out to be a good person. Instead of the teenager being treated as the victim they are, Jewell doubles down and makes them out to be a villain. If that alone does not deter you, Jewell chooses to victim blame over and over. This author’s treatment of child sex abuse and rape is deplorable.

Overall, None of This Is True is wildly popular book with an unoriginal but entertaining plot. However, Lisa Jewell ruins the book with her despicable treatment of rape victims and gratuitous depiction of a pedophile. I cannot in good conscience recommend it. Because this is not the first problematic book of Jewell’s I have read, I will not be buying her books in the future.

Jewell has always been great at telling a good story and this book did not disappoint. This story was riveting from beginning to end. The writing was great and the characterization was satisfying. I read this book in about a day and look forward to reading future books by Jewell.

We love Lisa Jewell books so it is no surprise that we loved this book as well. This book is a must-read thriller from our list of summer 2023 book releases.

Alix has a popular podcast and meets Jose while out celebrating their birthdays. They are birthday twins. When they meet a few days later, Josie tells Alix her idea for a podcast. Josie wants to change her life and she wants Alix to document the changes. Before long, Josie it is almost impossible to tell what is truth and what is a lie.

This book is unlike any other book written by Lisa Jewell. It is a psychological thriller that is creepy and page-turning but not necessarily shocking. I listened to the full cast audio of this book and it was fantastic! It brought so much depth to the story. If you are reading Lisa Jewell books in order and are looking for an amazing listen, this is your pick!

None of This is True
Read if you liked: The Only One Left

Josie Fair is turning 45 and she is shaking things up by going to a pub for her birthday dinner. When she crosses paths with a woman, Alix Summers, who is also celebrating her 45th birthday she feels they have a bond. Immediately upon getting home she googles her to discover she is a popular podcaster. So when Josie happens to run into her a few days later, she forces a friendship with her and after telling Alix about her complicated life, she thinks she may be on the cusp of big changes that may make for an interesting podcast. Josie quickly enters her life and Alix realizes that there’s way more to Josie than meets the eye. But just as quickly as she arrives, she disappears and suddenly Alix has become the subject of her own podcast - with her and her family’s lives at stake. Can she separate herself from Josie before it’s too late?

Lisa Jewell has proven herself to be a fantastic suspense writer especially when it comes to domestic thrillers. This may be my favorite out of all of her books that I have read and that’s saying a lot because she has so many great ones! This book starts off strong and I was hooked from the first chapter. Josie and Alix couldn’t be more different - Josie is quirky and odd and kind of gives you an icky feeling but you can’t look away. Meanwhile, Alix is successful, loves to shop and prides herself on having a seemingly perfect family. I loved both of their stories and I loved how slowly everything was revealed. Yet even as it was revealed I was left questioning “is this true?” I love an unreliable narrator and this one kept me second guessing the entire time. The amount of twists in this book kept me on the edge of my seat and the ending *still* left me questioning everything! This book certainly lives up to the hype and is a fantastic thriller that I will be recommending for quite some time.

Lisa Jewell has done it again! I could not put down NONE OF THIS IS TRUE and when I wasn't reading it, I couldn't stop thinking about it! Jewell always has the most intriguing plots and characters -- that typically have some sort of "ick factor" ... if you know you know. And that "ick factor" is what separates her novels from the endless other thrillers getting released each day. GET YOUR HANDS ON THIS ONE!

Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite authors and I am addicted to the typical thrillers that she writes. However, this one was not for me. Unfortunately while the tone made the book creepy, I found the plot and the pacing to be very slow. I also love the idea of podcasts in books as well, however, for me this one it didnt work for me because the whole concept of the "birthday twins" didnt resonate with me. My biggest issue with this novel was the pacing. I just felt that some parts were very quick and fast paced, while others dragged. Also, the characters seemed fictional and not actual real people. Unfortunately, just not one of my favorites.

2.5 stars

Oh my god I loved this. So much drama and what a crazy character arc. This is Lisa jewell at her best. I'm here for it.

"Once I befriended the monster that was it."

The unsettling None Of This Is True by crafty psychological thriller author Lisa Jewell has a few human monsters scarier than most horror stories.

Alix's life seems perfect. Uh oh! She's celebrating her 45th birthday a married mom of two. Serendipitously she meets her birthday twin Josie who is also turning 45, married with two kids. Josie convinces Alice to put her on her podcast about women overcoming hardships to live fulfilling lives. Hearing Josie's story of meeting her husband when she is 15 and he is 40 (🚩RED FLAG🚩) and his dominance over her and her daughters leads Alix to befriend Josie. When Josie shows up bruised and battered Alix, despite her husband's protest, has her stay with them until she figures out her next move...yeah about that next move😬

Throughout this story the writer creates such a sense of foreboding. The audiobook gives a sense of reality with snippets from a Netflix true crime documentary about the shock of what happened between Alix and Josie.

Using a full cast led by renowned British actresses Nicola Walker and Louise Brealey the audiobook heightens the tension as the author creates a slow burn to the last few chapters that explode with the consequences of an unreliable narrator. Also reading the novel led to a few glimpses where it all might be heading but some events I didn't see coming and it left me a bit overcome with surprising emotions.

I'm hoping for a follow up book as there's a few unanswered questions. Kudos to the author for letting us know not to trust anyone in her story right in her title, None Of This Is True; she was telling the truth.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

OMG! I dare any reader who picks up 'None of This is True' by Lisa Jewell to begin reading this novel and then put it down. It is rare to read a thriller that is so timely, taut, appealing, and entrancing. Run to your local bookstore or get on the waiting list at your local public library to get your hands on this book. You won't let go!!!

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in turn for an honest review.

None of This is True
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Lisa Jewell

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Atria Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins. 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. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life. Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise 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. But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat. Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

My Thoughts: Jewell is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller writers. The way she weaves and twists the twisty moments is superb. Jewell is definitely at the top of the thriller genre. The novel opens with two women enjoying their birthday dinner at the restaurant and it was discovered that their birthdays were on the same exact day, birthday twins, if you will. A few more “chance” meetings and Josie wants to open up to Alix on her podcast. When the horrific details start to trickle out of Josie, Josie begins to trickle into Alix’s life. How this journey unfolds from here is classic Jewell writing, unpredictable and twisty. This compelling, gripping, bone chilling psychological thriller will keep you on your toes.

The story is narrated by Josie and Alix, with snips of a Netflix series. Alix has her life together, for the most part. She has a loving husband, even if he drinks a little much, two children, and a podcast that she is dedicated to. Josie is insecure, not who she seems, and also has two children and a husband. Alix and Josie are unreliable at best. You want to shine away from Josie, but she is an absolutely captivating character. You connect with Alix as she brings a force of stability to the story. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, intriguing, and creatively woven throughout the story. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, suspenseful, twisty, mind-bending, thought-provoking, and just brilliantly written. The characters were built up in a slow burn fashion, the plot is delivered in twisty layers, had excellent pacing, and spot on flow. The ending is WHOA, shocking, mind-bending, dark, and disturbing. The ending definitely makes a sequel a possibility, which I would pick up in a heartbeat.

This thriller marks all of the boxes, compelling, gripping, bone chilling, unpredictable, and twisty. Jewell does not disappoint in delivering an unpredictable novel. Since I am a little behind on reviews, I did do the audiobook on this one and the narrators were so fantastic and really lifted the characters out of the story into your mind. I would highly recommend picking this up, available in all formats. Go pick up now!