What is truth? In this story, Josie and Alix search for a truth using a podcast, but I'm not sure we know what it is by the end of the book. Alix has a popular podcast and Josie wants Alix to help her fix her life using a new podcast. Good twists and interesting characters fill out this story. Alix appears to have it all: handsome, successful husband, two beautiful children, nice home, family close by, but is it all as it appears. Josie lives a secluded life as a seamstress with an older husband and two daughters. One daughter has fled the family and the other one spends all her time gaming in her room. The story kept me interesting to keep turning the pages. If you like thrillers with characters that are a little sketchy, give this book a read!
Thank you Net Galley and Atria Books for a complimentary copy.

I know many readers love this author so I borrowed it to read and review. I found the character of Josie so disagreeable that I almost stopped reading altogether. However, I continued reading and felt so confused trying to wade through all the lies to figure out what really happened. This was not an enjoyable reading experience for me.

If there is one thing I know for sure about Lisa Jewell and her books, it’s that I am in for one crazy ride and this latest book did not disappoint! This book is the definition of a page turner and one that you literally cannot put down. It's a captivating and exhilarating story that is thrilling and fast paced and an ending I did not predict.

I loved the format of this book where it was a dual POV and had snippets from the podcast along with a documentary. It really helped enrich the story and add to the uneasy narrative that the author perfectly portrayed. I don’t want to say too much, other than everyone should pick up this book. It’s well worth checking out and one of the best books from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for this ARC

Lisa Jewell does it AGAIN! I am fully convinced that anything she writes is a masterpiece, I was on the edge of my seat for so much of this book, I had a small inkling that the ending may result in something along those lines. Yet I still felt like I was on a rollercoaster going 90 miles per hour through this book. I LOVED the podcast/Netflix documentary style in this book. It made the story so incredibly captivating for me. I felt like I was hanging out with Kendall Rae on Mile Higher. It was brilliant, I cannot wait for this book to hit the shelves. Insta buy 100%

5/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, the amazing Lisa Jewell and the publishers at Atria books for the incredible opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own,

Thank you to Neetgalley and Atria/Simon and Schuster for awarding me this ARC edition of None of This Is True.
This is my absolute favourite from Lisa Jewell so far! Twisty and creepy, I was constantly left wondering what story is the true story? Excellent. Highly recommended!

This book left me with so many questions but in the best way possible. It almost felt so real to me that it was logical to end that way. I thought the way this book was written was incredibly clever and well done. It really kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat from beginning to the very last page.

& if you have the chance you MUST grab this on audio. It is so well done and you won’t regret it. It felt like a movie that I didn’t want to end.

Read if you enjoy:
True crime
Unreliable characters
Theatrical audiobooks!

🤫 None Of This Is True - Lisa Jewell

4.5 ⭐️ - Wow. If this one isn’t on your radar, it needs to be now! I’m a big Lisa Jewell fan, so as soon as I got this ARC, I knew I needed to read it asap! It was thrilling and chilling and unreliable storylines. I still don’t know what to believe 😬!

On the day of their shared 45th birthday, podcaster, Alix Summer, and Josie Fair, cross paths. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and believes that she could be a great new compelling addition to her series. Josie’s life is strange, weird, and complicated and Alix feels intrigued about hearing her story even when she feels Josie is a bit unsettling. As the recordings go on, Alix discovers some dark, twisted secrets of Josie’s life that soon lead to her own true crime story.

True crime podcast? True crime Netflix documentary? Sign me right up!! This book kept me hooked with his changing timelines - between present day Netflix documentary and past events and podcast recordings. If this had a sequel, I wouldn’t be mad about it. If you enjoy true crime media, VERITY, and thriller books, add this to your list! Definitely recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC! This thriller hits stores on 8/1/23!

I was in a thriller reading slump for a while now, but <i>None of This is True</i> pulled me out of it. I really liked the pacing of this book, and Jewell is really good at creating insights into character behavior that can be really unsettling and compelling. This one was just different enough that it was an exciting read and a nice break from the other books I've been reading lately.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of this book.

The book started off strong and the short chapters interchanging between Alix and Josie’s third person point of view kept my interest. Parts of the book also read like a podcast turned Netflix documentary, which was easy to visualize and definitely kept me turning the pages for more.

Now for a few cons:
•I didn’t really care for part of the storyline. It’s a storyline I try to avoid and I did not care for how it ultimately played out.
•I’m not here for stories where bad people get portrayed as a victim and the author plays it up to where we are supposed to feel sorry for them. I know I’m being vague, but I don’t want to give away anything.
•The book started losing steam for me about 2/3 of the way through.
•The ending wasn’t my favorite. Too ambiguous for me. I want a concrete ending. Perhaps this is why the title is so fitting. 😂 What was actually true? Lol

Overall it was entertaining, but definitely won’t go down as one of my favorite thrillers.

What a page turner! I finished this is one sitting. Alix and Josie are birthday twins who couldn’t be more different. Alix takes an interest in Josie and decides to feature her on her podcast. But things get weird. The format for this book was very interesting, with podcast episodes and clips from a Netflix documentary thrown in with typical narrative writing. This books is also told from multiple POV, and the variety really helped see the story unfold from different perspectives and points in time. This book is creepy, shocking, and twisty. You really do not know who to believe as the story unravels. Since the story bounces around the timeline, you have a feeling of what is going to happen—but just not exactly what, how or when, which makes it impossible to stop reading. Be sure to check it out when it releases on August 8!

Read if you like:
multiple POV
domestic thrillers
unreliable narrator

this book was so insane !! also, i did not realize or expect the pandemic to be mentioned in this. it’s really interesting to read new books that are being released and seeing that mentioned. in fact, the last arc i read, invisible son, had the pandemic as a big part of the story. well, back onto the topic of this book, something about it didn’t keep me the most intrigued ? like, i wasn’t that into it and the characters and the whole truth-or-not aspect. it just didn’t stick out to me ? however, i’m interested in reading more from lisa jewell, since she’s such a staple author in the thriller genre !! i was so so thrilled to receive this arc, so thank you so much to atria books and netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book <3

This might be my favorite by Lisa Jewell! It is super creepy and unputdownable! I had no idea what was going to happen and I couldn't wait to find out! I was so addicted, I finished this in one sitting!

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Compared to Jewell's previous few books, I liked this one quite a bit better.

None of This Is True--but what is true and what isn't? That's the question I was asking myself throughout my reading.

Josie and her husband are celebrating Josie's 45th birthday in a pub. At a table nearby, podcaster Alix is also celebrating her 45th birthday. Josie has a quiet, reserved, different type of life, and Alix seems to have everything Josie wants. The two meet and discover that they are "birthday twins" and this eventually involves Alix interviewing Josie for her podcast. Josie tells the tale of her life and Alix is shocked. But what is true? Is any of it?

Jewell's writing is strong and I was thoroughly invested. I could not stand Josie, but that was totally the point. The ending is interesting and really got me thinking. My recommendation is to just go into the reading of this book with an open mind and without any preconceived notions as to what you think is going on, because that will probably change many times throughout.

There were a few holes in the narrative and a few times that I thought the story could have been a bit tighter and less repetitive. However in the end I was able to overlook those factors and just go with it.

Decent psychological suspense story that will provide a wild ride, so buckle up!

Lisa Jewell has done it again and I was so excited to have the opportunity to read this book prior to it's release on August 8th.

Read this book if you like unreliable narrators, have a soft spot for lost souls, and are hungry to understand people.

Josie and Alix could not be more different individuals but their worlds collide when they both celebrate their forty fifth birthdays at a trendy restaurant. When Josie meets Alix she is instantly mesmerized with her glamourous life and decides that she wants this year to be the one everything changes. Though Josie has historically kept to herself and not made friends, she approaches Alix with a proposal that peeks her interest. This year she is committing to changing her life and she wants Alix to document it on her podcast forum. To Alix, Josie seems as "plain Jane" as ever but her mysterious demeanor peeks Alix's interest enough to pursue it. What starts out as an awkward friendship slowly grows in to something darker.

Well right when I thought thrillers were all starting to blur together, Lisa Jewell brings us something so unique and keeps with her standard of pushing our boundaries of discomfort. Alix and Josie showcase two women with a multitude of problems but big hearts which connects you immediately to the characters. While some books lose me when they do the podcast approach, the set up this book had me fully immersed. Jewell is able to set up the podcast pieces in a way that keeps the story going without being repetitive. This book was one of my most anticipated this year and I am so happy it did not disappoint.

Thank you to Lisa Jewell, Atria Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads review link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5339647193
Bookstagram feature: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu4TpS2Lh-I/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Two women, Alix and Josie, have a chance encounter and discover they share the same birthday. Alix is a successful podcast host, and their meeting leads to a collaboration where the sinister details of Josies life begin to unravel and soon enough, seemingly everyone is in danger. There’s something about the way Lisa Jewell writes domestic/psychological thrillers where there’s no need for big twists or shock value to keep you guessing and engaged. The ending will be controversial, but I loved it.

This is certainly Lisa Jewel's best thriller yet! In None of This is True, Josie Fair is stuck in a life of monotony in as a mostly empty nester with her elderly husband. She is stuck in a drab life that has been forced upon her. When her husband takes her out for her birthday she meets her birthday twin Alix, who was born on the same day and in the same hospital as her. Josie recognizes that becoming involved with Alix's podcast may be the ticket to freedom and adventure that she has been looking for!

This is an enjoyable thriller, and an easy hand sell for booksellers needing a new thriller for their customers.

This review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was so excited to receive this digital arc that I immediately started reading it and finished it within 24 hours. I had never read a Lisa Jewell book before this one, but I could see the building hype surrounding this upcoming release and I thought the blurb sounded so interesting.

The Gist:
- “a psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.”
- Alix Summers, while celebrating her forty-fifth birthday, meets Josie Fair, who happens to be also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. Making them birthday twins.
- They run into each other again later and Josie suggests that she would be an interesting subject for her 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.“

My thoughts: 💭
I went into the reading a lover of thrillers and aware of my ability to guess the twists and turns of novels.

I was thoroughly hooked by the beginning of this book and was wincing and gasping at the revelations made fairly early on. I was intrigued by the first main “shock”, but curious as to how it would shake out.

MINOR CONTENT/SPOILER WARNING ⚠️
The first half of this book tackled themes of grooming and a bit of generational trauma or how we pass along our experiences to our children. I thought that was very interesting, especially in a thriller due to the gut reactions expected from such topics.

Unfortunately, in order to strengthen the argument that one of the main characters is unreliable the narrative strayed too far into victim blaming and trying to suggest that a minor could ever be the one responsible for grooming/pedophilia.

At first, I thought this may have been intentional choice as a way to pose that question to the reader and show how everyone was against this character, but nothing was ever done to reframe the narrative and say “um, no the pedophile is the one to blame.” In fact there was even mention of him somehow becoming the victim?? (Which that’s a no for me).

Unfortunately, what had the makings to be a truly horrific thriller surrounding unreliable narrators and questioning who to trust through to the very end, left me questioning the author’s unconscious biases.

Overall, I was super disappointed with this read. I saw it being easily a five star read for me, until the problematic victim blaming left me with a bad taste I couldn’t shake.

3.5 Stars

This is my sixth book by this author, she is obviously a favourite of mine and I had really high hopes for this one and it is getting rave reviews everywhere. I did enjoy it for the most part BUT the title is a spoiler for sure. The first two-thirds of the book was gripping and I would have given that five stars, but the last bit was anti-climatic.

The story itself is very immersive and it was a quick read that was easy to follow along. I even found the characters compelling, learning about their history and Josie's background. I didn't like the fact that one of them is the typical needy/oppressed housewife who envies and wants another's life, there are so many books like that out there. I also found that the character of Alix was just too easily manipulated by Josie.

The format was unique as it uses a podcast and a Netflix show as part of the story. And even though it was a huge letdown in the surprise department it was still a fun read. BUT after a very strong start, and me loving the short chapters the ending was kind of ambiguous and left me wanting more.

Josie and Alix are birthday twins. Born on the same day, at the same hospital, but their lives couldn't be any more different. Alix is the host of a successful podcast and is looking for a new subject and a new series. Josie is looking to do a hard reset on her life, and she thinks Alix is the perfect person to tell her story as it unfolds. Little does Alix know what she is getting herself wrapped up in when she accepts. In the end there will be a podcast, there will be bodies, and just when you think you know it all... remember that none of this is true.

This is the first book that I have read by Lisa Jewell and I absolutely tore through this. I could hardly put it down and had it finished in a little more than a day.

Two women born on the same day in the same hospital happen to celebrate their birthday at the same restaurant. Alix is a podcaster looking for a new subject for her next podcast. Josie wants Alix to record her life story. So far so good but is Josie telling the truth and what is wrong with her much older husband and her daugthers? A good page-turner where the reader is left wondering how much is true or how much is someone's alternative reality. Josie's life story suddenly has deadly consequences for Alix. Lisa Jewell at her best.