Another fun twisty thriller from Lisa Jewell! This one certainly offers a new turn on the unreliable narrator and I am here for it!

Alix goes out with a gaggle of friends for her 45th birthday to a lovely little gastropub when a woman, Josie, approaches her in the bathroom: she has the same birthday, down to the year. Alix is gracious and connects with Josie, but something about Josie is odd (it could be her all-denim ensembles). After the two women chat briefly, they go back to their own birthday celebrations. Josie becomes fascinated with Alix and creates an opportunity for them to meet and eventually, Josie convinces Alix to feature her on Alix's successful podcast. Alix is hesitant, doesn't trust her gut, and before she and her family realize it, Josie's a part of their life.

This book was fascinating and offered so many questions: why is Alix willing to bring Josie on board? What is Josie hiding? What's the real story behind Josie and her mom? What happened to Erin and Roxy? Why is Alix acting so complacent about her husband?

This book is a great example of things not being what they seem and the importance of trusting your first instinct. There are mothers and daughters and all sorts of messed up things that happen behind closed doors. An excellent book--one that had me hooked from the get go. Jewell uses podcast interview transcripts and a Netflix show to offer different angles of the story, which was a brilliant choice. The book changes narrators with some frequency, and the ending leaves you with questions about truth, lies, and the grey parts in between.

Thanks to NetGalley and Altria Books for the ARC of this book.

4.5 stars, rounded up

OOH this was a twisty ride! Talk about unreliable narrators, wow. I really enjoyed this one. The varying versions of the story really kept me guessing. I loved the podcast/Netflix true-crime show format, it added insights but also sometimes conflicted with what we had learned in the main storyline so far, which added uncertainty and tension. The pacing of this story was absolutely on point - it kept me on my toes and reading but didn't felt rushed. Lisa Jewell really upped her game on this one. If you enjoy a good unreliable narrator or a twisty thriller, absolutely get this one preordered or library requested!

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨💫

ɴᴏɴᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴛʀᴜᴇ
ʟɪsᴀ ᴊᴇᴡᴇʟʟ
ᴀᴛʀɪᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋs
ᴘᴜʙ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ: ᴀᴜɢᴜsᴛ 𝟾 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹
✩✩✩✩✩

𝑁𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝐼𝑠 𝑇𝑟𝑢𝑒 is another mind bending, super addicitve, psychological thriller by author @lisajewelluk. I literally devoured this book in a matter of two days and it definitely is on the list of my favorite thrillers of 2023!

The authors execution of this whole story was phenomenal. The character development was spot on, her creation of main character Joise made this book perfect- major train wreck, super unreliable, and as a reader I was addicted to her story. Then we have Alix who is a podcaster who seems to have the perfect life- although her husband enjoys benders a little too much. Both characters personalities create the most perfect twisty thriller!

100% recommend you add this to your TBR! This might be my new favorite by @lisajewelluk! Special thanks to @netgalley @atriathrillers @atriabooks for the early copy!

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.”

#noneofthistrue#lisajewell#atria
#atriabooks#atriathrillers#bookstagram
#bookstagrammer#bookish

Absolutely nuts, what a story. I read it it a few hours. Lisa Jewell delivers again.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Wow!! What a crazy, wild ride! This psychological thriller is told in a dual timeline with podcast and Netflix excerpts sprinkled in. Lisa’s writing is dark, suspenseful, creepy and I love how she wrote such unreliable characters. There are so many layers to the mystery that unfolds throughout the book. My mind was blown with the secrets and lies uncovered and There were so many twist and turns I didn’t see coming. Ahh I loved this one and was invested in the story until the very end.

👀
Well this was really freaking good!
Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite suspense/mystery/thriller authors and this one is at the top of the list for my new unputdownable book rec!

I went into this one blindly which 💯 worked for me. Here are some key bits…

Birthday twins 👯‍♀️
Popular podcaster 🎙️
Lots of denim 👖
Baby food 👶🏼 (nothing to do with a baby)
Quick paced
Unputdownable
Felt almost to real…

I started this on my kindle and then realized I had an ALC and anytime I put my kindle down I popped in my earbud because I had to know what the heck was really happening. The ending 🤯

*****Publishing August 8, 2023*****
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Alix Summers, a podcaster, goes out to celebrate on her 45th birthday and meets a birthday twin, Josie Fair, who is also turning 45, and was born at the same hospital. It turns out that Josie had been a parent at the same school as Alix’s kids, but her kids were in their 20’s. Josie runs into Alix and asks her to stop by where she works to talk. Alix is hesitant, but finally agrees. Josie asks Alix to do a podcast on her as she is making big changes in her life by getting out of a bad marriage. Alix’s gut instinct says to walk away, but instead she agrees. What’s the fascination and who is Josie Fair? Is it what it seems? Lisa Jewell will take you on a wild ride as the truths are revealed.

I love how Lisa Jewell’s books start out slowly building before they quickly become page turners that are hard to put down. I loved all the twists and turns in it! This book will leave you thinking about it long after it’s done. Perfect for book clubs to discuss as there is a lot to unpack! A great vacation read as well!

Thanks to Atria Books , I was provided an ARC of None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I am saddened that I had not discovered Lisa Jewell before now. Absolutely incredible story teller. I loved, loved, the creativeness on this one with the podcast and Netflix series. Such a compelling story from beginning to end!

Thank you NetGalley, Atria books, and Lisa Jewell for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

In the words of Lisa Jewell's friend Will Brooker " ‘I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s f*** ing delicious.’"

When two women with the same birthday meet by chance, nobody can predict what will happen next.

Do you like true crime podcasts?
Do you like Netflix's true crime documentaries?
Unreliable characters?

Then YOU need to READ this suspense thriller in August. I know, I know, you were probably already reaching for that credit card and I am sorry you're mad BUT it's so worth the WAIT.

I am a fan of Lisa Jewell. I look forward to whatever story she will weave next. But None of This Is True is now my official favorite. In my heart, it's already walked away with every possible book award that can be handed out. I know reviewers( amateur and professional) say this a lot, but " the author kept me guessing all throughout the novel." All of the deception that happens in this book is so dark and so perfect and the way the podcast and documentary push the narrative- OMG!

Now, a word of caution, I am hyping this book and I know that in a few months there will be reviews saying "UGH, this was so overhyped." Because it uses the two aforementioned art forms, there will be readers that will rant about certain decisions of characters in this novel. Just like people do after watching the latest documentary. As readers and viewers, we constantly criticize the actions of other people, for that matter, I think that is what makes this book brilliant.

A favorite of 2023


Expected Publication Date 08/08/23
Goodreads Review 05/07/23

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. I am not being compensated for this review.

(This review will not be posted to my platforms until the book has been officially released.)

This is one that I found by accident a few months ago while I was perusing Goodreads’ giveaways. I noted it because it was shortly after I had read two books written by true crime podcasters and found them sort of disappointing. I was immediately intrigued to read something about a true crime podcaster instead of written by one.

I was fortunate enough to nab an ARC of this on NetGalley and whew, boy, lemme tell you, I was so excited when I got that email!

Let’s break it down!

Characters « 7 »
••• Great descriptions. Great differentiation and comparisons between Alix’s “normal” family & Josie’s…not so normal family.
••• Josie gave me the absolute creeps.
••• Heavy topics brought up in the family made me real uncomfortable. Not in a good way but not in a bad way (for the book) either.

Atmosphere « 10 »
••• Could feel all of Alix’s emotions. The anxietyyyyy.
••• Could feel every difference between the two MCs and their homes.

Writing « 8.5 »
••• As an American, was sort of hard to follow some of the British slash for things. Had to look up a bit.

Plot « 9 »
••• Amazing. So anxious the entire time despite knowing the body count the entire time.
••• My feelings on the ending were exactly as Alix said. Frustrating, disappointing because of the lack of justice.

Intrigue « 9 »
••• Had to put it down several times because of the atmosphere and my own paranoia. But always wanted to pick it back up.

Logic « 10 »
••• All very solid. Felt like I was following an actual case.

Enjoyment « 8.5 »
••• Gripping plot, needed to know who the 3 were.
••• Who is telling the truth?!

What a redemption of the whole podcaster thing! I enjoyed this so much despite getting the chills and having to put it down a few times. But I’m sure that’s what Jewell was going for, huh?

I absolutely loved the way the author integrated in segments from different interviews. They really helped flesh out the story and added so much intrigue. Some of them at the ends of chapters had me saying “Okay, what the fuck? I need to keep going.” And then oops, I read like…five more chapters.

The contrast between the two main characters, Alix and Josie, and their lives and homes was so well done. You could even almost taste the differences. Josie was so well written. She actually gave me goosebumps. It completely unnerved me that there are actually people like her out there.

Despite knowing from early on who did it and how many people die, I was still second-guessing myself about who those three people would be and how it would go about. I spent a good majority of the book writing notes like “Ohhhh nooo, is this who it’s gonna be?” And then, even once you finally find out, there’s still more. For me, it was a satisfying unsatisfying ending but that will definitely depend on the reader.

The fact that I don’t have a whole lot to say here should tell you that it’s a totally solid book for me. It hits on some heavy topics (pedophilia, sexual abuse, etc.) which also had me feeling icky—on top of being actually ill—so that also contributed to having me to take a step back for a little bit. Just like a true crime podcast.

A bit out of her element at a local restaurant with her husband for her birthday, Josie is fascinated by another woman, Alix, there also celebrating her birthday with her husband and friends. Josie wrangles a quick meet up in the ladies room, where she discovers they are the same age and were born in the same hospital. After finding out Alix is a well known podcaster, Josie pursues her, suggesting she is about to make some changes in her life and her metamorphosis might make for a good podcast, since, after all, they are “birthday twins.” Alix buys into it, and starts recording their interviews. As Josie reveals more and more of herself, her life seems a bit concerning. Soon she is stalking Alix, eventually moving in with her to escape an abusive home situation and putting Alix’s domestic safety in jeopardy.

The story moves back and forth between the actual action and the script of the future true crime Netflix show that will be made about Josie, a technique that slowly reveals oddities of her life. Written in four parts, this is a dark thriller featuring a demented character. More than that, it raises the question about how much one might compromise and stray from one’s own good sense in order to build a successful podcast or popular social media. It also leaves the reader with questions: What is truth? Is it in the eyes of the beholder?

4.5 stars-Holy bananers, what did I just read?!!! If this is you writing fast (as mentioned in the acknowledgements) than please keep doing it, because this is what a good thriller should be! I was on the edge of my seat wondering what more crazy Josie could come up with! This felt like the Hulu show “The Act” mixed with a crazy Dateline episode in such a good way. I do wish the ending had turned out a little bit stronger, how I’m not sure, just maybe not so wrapped up in a bow, but I am probably the only one who thinks that, and it was still an engaging read that had me turning the pages on my Kindle as fast as I could. I definitely did love this one! Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC.

This is by far my favorite book of 2023 so far. Lisa Jewell is very talented, but this book took her to the next level in my opinion. It is so cleverly done with the combination of current day PLUS a glimpse into the future through a Netflix documentary called, Hi! I'm Your Birthday Twin.

The characters are so good! You will be sucked in from the beginning. But as Josie's true personality comes out, I promise you will not put this book down.

If I could give more than five stars, I would!

This is my 7th? book by Lisa Jewell and I love them all. She is that author that you can pick up any book and know you will devour it! None of This Is True is that book as well. It was quick (I read it in less than 24 hours) and entertaining. I love true crime podcasts and documentaries. This story was a little of both. For fans of Lisa Jewell, this is another winner!

Lisa Jewell's latest "None of This Is True" is the perfect summer thriller. Jewell proves that the recently popularized 'podcast in a book' device can, under the right circumstances, propel a narrative forward and enhance the reading experience. The story is crafted in a way that leaves readers guessing until the very last page. Once you believe you have it all figured out, everything gets turned on its head. I would recommend this book for lovers of the mystery/thriller genre, or anyone looking to get into this try of book. Jewell's best so far.

4/5

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me access to a digital copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.*

Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite thriller authors, so I immediately prioritized this book as soon as I got approved to read it.

I love when a thriller makes the reader feel uneasy and unsettled, and that's exactly what None of This Is True did. The dual narration with Josie and Alix was perfect. The whole time you're not sure which of the characters to trust. Josie is such a twisted character. You just know something is off with her. I also thought the snippets of the Netflix show were a great addition to the narration!

None of This Is True has an ambiguous ending, which is actually my favorite way to end a thriller book. I think it's realistic, and allows the reader to examine all the evidence and interpret what the conclusion is.

Overall, this book was unputdownable. I binged it in 24 hours and was thinking about it long after I closed the book. I highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for the eARC.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley for an honest review.

The premise of this book is that two women randomly meet in a restaurant bathroom on their 45th birthday's, but they could not be more different from each other. Alix appears to have it all - the doting husband, great circle of friends, young kids and a successful career. Josie's children are grown and her marriage lacks any excitement. Eventually their encounters leads to the creation of the podcast "Hi, I'm your birthday twin". Josie pitches the idea of doing a podcast about someone who is about to change their life. The book is told from the points of view of both Josie and Alix. It is also intertwined with clips from the interviews Alix conducts of people from Josie's past. The interviews shed light on Josie's personality, history with her husband and her children's issues. Meanwhile, Josie shares her version of events with Alix as she feels she can be vulnerable with her and that they are great friends. Josie disappears one night leaving Alix in a state of fear as her family is now in danger. The podcast is how Alix navigates the truth and legacy of Josie Fair.

Oh wow! I haven’t read Jewel’s books in a long time and had forgotten how absorbing they are. The title says it all in this psychological domestic drama that is sure to disrupt your sleep cycles. You won’t be able to take breaks, eat or drink, so settle in for the summer thriller of the year. It’s a masterfully crafted dark mystery.
Podcaster Alix has two lovely kids, a husband who works and drinks hard, some haunting demons. The theme of her podcasts has been successful women. With those segments winding down she needs a new direction, what to do next. At a birthday dinner she meets Josie, coincidentally celebrating her birthday too. Birthday twins soon becomes the new subject for Alix’s podcast. Josie assures this happens soon afterward with a ‘chance’ run-in. Josie orchestrates situations, events, her own history and the truth like a maestro. She manipulates people to suit her own narrative. What if even parts of the story of her life, mother, daughters and husband she’s sharing for Alix’s podcast are true? Are they all lies? It kept me guessing and changing my mind all throughout. Alix is too nice for her own and her family’s good. They are all in danger. It makes your skin creepy crawly. All these characters bring out some very strong emotions. I literally wanted to shake Josie’s mother and make her aware of how she contributed to her daughter’s personality. Josie’s older husband made me nauseous. Her neglected, abused daughters brought me to tears. It was like watching a raging fire you can neither stop from happening or take your eyes off. What a twisted story of lies and deceit!
Many thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “None of This Is True” by Lisa Jewell, published by Atria Books. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

3.5 rounded up. Jewell is great at writing a twisty book and this is no different. It did start to lull on me about 50% through and I didn’t feel the relief/resolution toward the end I had hoped, but it’s better than some of her last few.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This psychological thriller from Lisa Jewell was like a binge-worthy documentary that you can’t stop watching until you find out what happens; I couldn’t put it down.

Have you ever met a birthday twin? Alix and Josie find themselves at a restaurant, celebrating their 45th birthdays. A chance interaction introduces the women to one another, and they discover that they were born on the very same day, at the very same hospital. Their similarities stop there, and Josie goes home to learn more about Alix, her podcast and the life she shares on Instagram.

Josie & Alix are fascinating characters for different reasons, and both reveal more of themselves throughout the story. I really enjoyed the use of snippets from the Netflix series and podcast throughout. They added to the storytelling, intrigue, and tension that build throughout the story.

This book does contain some dark themes including mental, physical, and substance abuse.

This is my first time reading one of Lisa Jewell’s novels and now I feel compelled to go back and read the others. From the first page until the very end, the book lives up to its title and makes the reader question whose version of the truth to believe. If you find an unreliable narrator to be compelling, this book delivers. I loved this page-turner!