Where are my Netflix &  Podcast people?

Lisa Jewell is the queen of slow and steady wins the race. It's rare that I ever want to binge-read a mystery, but her mysteries are done so well, leaving readers wanting more. This felt fresh and is equal parts dark, twisty, and convulsive.

Two completely different women coincidentally meet at a local pub. One with their husband and the other with a group of friends. The kicker? They are both celebrating their 45th birthdays. Let's turn it up a notch here because not only that but they were born at the same hospital at the same time! The two bump into each other a few days later and there begins this unsettling chain of events.

The two women couldn't be any more opposite from each other. Alix Summers is a popular Netflix podcast host and Josie Flair lives a quiet life and is a part-time seamstress who has a thing for all things denim. She wants change for her 45th year. Something is alluring yet a bit off with her and Alix senses that Josie is hiding some pretty dark secrets...

I'm going to cut my thoughts off there because it's a real treat to read without getting a full sense of the storyline. I think this would be fantastic on audio. The chapters alternate between Josie and Alix. You then get snippets of interviews filmed by Alix's Netflix podcast headlined "The Birthday Twin"

The whole book was rich in suspense. Slowly unraveling layer by layer. 4.5 ⭐️

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for this E-ARC! Out on 8/8.

Lisa Jewell is consistent but rarely predictable, so I think if you like her stuff generally, you'll like this. Alix and Josie meet at a gastropub one night when they're both turning 45. It turns out that they don't just share a birthday but that they were born in the same hospital and now live less than a mile apart. Josie, who sees glamorous podcaster Alix as the person she could have been, gets a bit fixated on her and ends up fabricating a chance encounter and getting Alix to agree to do a podcast about her because she wants to change her life and wants to use a podcast to explain why. She reveals all kinds of messed up stuff - her upbringing with a narcissistic mother who never wanted her, the relationship with her husband that started when she was 15 and he was 42, what she portrays as an abusive relationship, the challenges she's faced with her daughters, a crime she thinks her husband committed, etc. It's all extremely disturbing (content warnings for described grooming, sexual abuse, and domestic violence), and Alix is horrified. But as things slowly start to unravel, she's starting to wonder how reliable of a narrator Josie actually is. Because of the title, and because it's a Lisa Jewell book, I kind of assumed there would be some element of struggling to figure out what was true and what wasn't, so I wasn't completely shocked by the outcome but there were still lots of surprises in store. And of course, classic Lisa Jewell - the very end left me with even more questions.

Thanks to NetGalley for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
None of This Is True is a fast paced thriller by Lisa Jewel. This story is from the POV of two women, Alix and Josie. Alix is a podcaster and Jose is a house wife. Jose approaches Alix after meeting her one night while they are both out celebrating their birthdays. Josie wants Alix to do a podcast episode about her life and so begins a long and twisty tale. You don’t know who is telling the truth and what really happened. Solid 4 stars.

The storyline was SO interesting and kept my attention so well. The character of Josie is quirky, mysterious, smart and intriguing - as I was reading along and I really wanted more and more of her story. Nobody in this book is perfect, and I loved that aspect of it. The lines are blurred between good and bad and it really makes you think. I never anticipate the ending of any Lisa Jewell books and this one was no different!!! An unexpected ending for sure. The reason I am giving it 3 stars, is that I did feel some parts were longer than need be. And truthfully the ending was disappointing. It was very unexpected but it did leave me feeling like “ah, that’s it?”.

I loved this book at the beginning--such an interesting premise, the somewhat famous and very enviable Alix meeting Josie on their shared birthday. Alix has her own podcast, and Josie appeals to her to let her be on it--to interview her as she transitions in her life to being independent. At first, I really enjoyed this book, but at about the 1/3 mark it started to stall out for me. It felt repetitive and the characters weren't terribly likable.

First things first, nothing bad happens to the dog.

Alix and Josie meet by chance on their 45th birthday when they realize that not only are they birthday twins, but they were born in the very same hospital. However, nothing else about their lives is alike. Alix is a fairly well-known podcaster with a seemingly picture perfect life with her husband and two young children. Josie is starting to feel disenchanted by her own life with her husband who is nearly 30 years her senior and fraught relationships with her two adult children. Josie approaches Alix and asks her to record a podcast about Josie's life as she looks to make some big changes. However, Josie develops an obsession with Alix and discovers that her life is not as picture perfect as it seems.

I am unsettled, the vibes are creepy as hell. Due to the structure of the novel (we start off knowing that something happens between these women that results in three deaths), none of the plot developments or twists are particularly shocking or earth-shattering, but no one an absolute creep or an upsetting atmosphere like Lisa Jewell. So even though you mostly know what's coming, it's so propulsive I found myself dying to know how things were going to get there.

There's a bit of a mixed media element happening throughout the novel, both with the podcast clips and scenes from a Netflix true crime documentary covering the events in the aftermath. Sometimes that can take me out of a story, but I feel like it worked well here. Mostly because I felt like I would absolutely watch this fake documentary.

My only issue, is that I wish we had gone a little bit deeper and got more character insight into Josie and her husband Walter. Their relationship contributes a ton to the creep-factor in the novel, but I don't think we get full understanding of their dynamic, their motivations, and who they are as people. I also don't know how I feel about the way their power dynamic is depicted given the age difference -- I don't think it was badly done, but I think it's just a bit off-putting.

I do think this is now my second favorite Lisa Jewell (will anything ever hit like Then She Was Gone), it's fascinating, fun, and just the right amount of upsetting.

**eARC provided by NetGalley and Atria

Wow! This was dark and compelling from beginning to end. Like an accident scene you can’t look away from, I couldn’t stop reading. The birthday twin podcast was a unique format and the varying points of view kept me guessing what the real truth was. Highly recommended! Thanks to #Netgalley for the advance reader copy. Beware readers- none of this is true!

None of This is True feels as if it was made to be adapted into a limited series-- and not just because of the interspersed moments describing the fictional Netflix documentary about the events contained within the pages. For me, the story and characters feel as though they've been churned out, combining several 'hot' elements, from the content to the construction: true crime, an investigative podcast, a Netflix documentary, an unreliable narrator, female friendship, 'me too' themes, and a pop-journalist narrative tone that is so familiar at this point that you can almost hear it coming alive as you read the words. In a less talented writer's hands, this could've been frustratingly cliché and unbearable, but Jewell is a master of this particular genre. She takes tired tropes, piles them on top of each other, and somehow still ends up with a page turner. The character work she's done here is commendable, and I really appreciate that the characters all exist in a moral grey area; no one is either all good or all bad, and I always find it much more realistic and compelling when an author is confident enough in her own skills to take chances with messy characters. I would imagine this is already optioned, and when it comes out, I'll definitely watch.

Needing a fresh, fast-paced thriller that will have you like 🫣😯😵‍💫😵😮‍💨🥴🫨🤯?! Lisa Jewell is here to deliver for you!

GENRE: Thriller
MY RATING: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 (4.25/5)
Tysm @atriabooks for my gifted digital copy! 🖤

READ IF YOU LIKE:
▫️True Crime podcasts/documentaries 📰
▫️Unreliable narrators (my FAVORITE!!)
▫️Fast-paced reads 💨
▫️Cray cray family vibes 😂
▫️Multiple POV
▫️Alternating timelines 🔁
▫️The book, Verity by CoHo

MY THOUGHTS:
Okay first of all, there is literally no better feeling than “omg what is going to happen” when reading a thriller and this book DELIVERS in that aspect. 🫣 Idk how this book is over 350 pages bc I read it in like two seconds lol (& I ain’t that fast of a reader you guys). That’s how addicting it is!! 🙌 I was obsessing over our two female MCs. Josie was CREEPY AS HELL and had me on the edge of my seat!!! I was terrified and wanted to run away from her 😂, yet she was so dang intriguing??… that’s amazing character development in a thriller 🤌

RATING EXPLAINED:
The podcast/Netflix elements of this plot were GENIUS. 🎥 It was so fun to read and felt fresh & different for a thriller. (FINALLY bc I haven’t been entertained with thrillers lately…) I truly never felt bored while reading this story buttt the last 25% of the book was a little “meh” for me. Unreliable narrator trope is my ALL TIME FAV, so maybe I am being a little too critical? I wanted my jaw on the floor but it wasn’t 🤷‍♀️ Idk once you read it (or if you have!), plz share thoughts w/ me on the ending!! Overall, this is still a MUST READ. Easily devoured it. 💥

DETAILS:
▫️Publishes: 8/8/23
▫️Pages: 384
▫️I finished this one via e-book format, but once the audiobook comes out I may have to do a reread bc based on the plot content… I feel like an audiobook would SLAYYY. 🎧

OMG, what did I just read? Lisa Jewell does it again!

NONE OF THIS IS TRUE is a cinematic masterpiece and completely addicting. I loved how the book was laid out and the inclusion of the Hi! You're my Birthday Twin "podcast" and "Netflix Documentary" scripts. Just like the title states, I'm honestly not sure what parts of Josie's narrative were "true" but I do think that there were small kernels of truth (and lies) sprinkled in throughout. I am definitely still thinking about this one after the fact!

Thank you to Netgalley for my #gifted #arc

This book provided a unique look into domestic relationships and complicated relationships between women. The story gave us glimpses into differing family dynamics as we followed Josie and Alix on their journey. I enjoyed the format setup that kept this story interesting and unique to read. Filled with secrets, lies, deceit, trauma, change, and mystery. I continued to wonder who I should trust throughout the book. True-crime fans would devour this book!

None of This is True follows the stories of Josie Fair and Alix Summers, women who are "birthday twins" and whose paths cross in a neighborhood restaurant/pub on their birthday. After that first chance meeting, Josie pitches to Alix that the latter produce a podcast centering around Josie's life and how she is working on changing it for the better.

We're told at the beginning of the novel that there are 3 people who have died as a consequence of the relationship between Alix and Josie, and the novel is told through the perspectives of Alix and Josie, as well as podcast snippets from interviews Alix conducted with Josie, and interviews with other characters central to the story and on its periphery for a Netflix documentary on the twisted events.

I really enjoy Lisa Jewell's novels and loved the twists and turns of this story as well. I could not put it down and wanted to see where things were heading. It is a very eerie and chilling tale. Josie is a very complex and interesting character, who leaves everyone who interacts with her uneasy. She met her current husband when she was only 14 and he was 41, and their fraught relationship is also central to the storyline.

My one criticism of the book is that the ending was a little unclear and I was hoping for more finality and certainty.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free digital ARC.

Talk about a whirlwind of a story! I guessed some of the ending, but the way it unfolded had me on the edge of my seat for hours. In my opinion, this is the quintessential example of a good psychological thriller. You know just enough to get invested, then you let the plot take you away.

While celebrating her 45th birthday at a pub, podcaster Alix Summers meets Josie Fair, who also happens to have the same birthday day. The latter learns that Alix is a podcaster and asks her to tell her story. Alix hesitantly agrees, but the more she gets involved with Josie, the more she regrets it and feels unsafe, even in her own home.

Twisty, Enthralling, and Fast-paced, this was my first read by Lisa Jewell, but I will definitely be coming back for more.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the eARC of None of This is True by Lisa Jewell in exchange for my honest review.

Buckle up everyone, this book is absolutely wild!! I loved this so much! Well, maybe loved is the wrong word because I felt disgusted for most of the book, but it was so masterfully done that I couldn’t help but devour the whole book in one sitting.

This book follows two women who are “birthday twins,” Alix and Josie. It is set up like we are watching a Netflix documentary so you already know that the whole thing is going to go off the rails. This book has one of the most unreliable narrators that I have ever had the “pleasure” of reading a perspective of.

Genuinely an insane ride from start until finish.

None of This is True tells the story of Josie and Alix after they meet while celebrating their 45th birthdays. Josie and Alix are in fact birthday twins. Born on the same day in the same hospital. After their initial meeting the two women run into each other again and their lives quickly become entwined leading to shocking and devastating conclusion.

This is my favorite Lisa Jewell novel so far! The story is fast paced and the twists are shocking. The level of tension and suspense make this novel impossible to put down and the characters emotions jump off the page.

This is a great book to go into blind so I don’t want to say too much. If you are a fan of thrillers, None of This is True is a must read!

I haven't found a Lisa Jewell book I didn't like. This one is probably one of my favorites. I love the mix of true crime documentary with domestic suspense. And the final chapter makes you doubt everything you thought you had figured out. Lisa Jewell knows how to write deep characters that you love to hate.

I’ve always loved Lisa Jewell’s books because of the multiple viewpoints she uses to tell a story. This one was no different and every bit as excellent as her previous work!

If you need a book to get you out of your thriller reading slump, it is THIS book! It will leave you asking, "what on Earth did I just read," but in the best way possible.

Alix is a semi-famous podcaster, living a normal happy life. She has a husband who has some flaws, but is overall a good guy, she has two small children, and she has friends and family. Alix goes out with friends and family to celebrate her 45th birthday. In the bathroom of the restaurant, she meets Josie, who blurts out, "Hi! I'm your birthday twin!" We immediately get the sense that something is a little off about Josie. Both women are out celebrating their 45th birthdays, but in different ways.

Josie and Alix "coincidently" meet again a few days later, and Josie proposes a new idea for Alix's podcast, a story about her and her life.

Josie and Alix meet over the course of the summer, to record Josie's story, which is an absolute wild ride. She met and started dating her husband when she was 13, and he was 42. She has two adult daughters, one of whom is missing, and the other doesn't leave her room, and only eats pureed baby food. Alix knew Josie was a little off to begin with, but the more she talks, the more things stop adding up and the more absolutely unhinged we realize she is.

This book had me absolutely captivated right from the beginning. The narrator flips between Josie and Alix, and the juxtaposition is fabulous. Alix is a reliable narrator, but we know Josie is unreliable from the beginning, but we just don't know how unreliable until it begins to unfold. Josie's "truth" is a little different than everyone else's, but the story of her life is wild no matter which version is real.

The ending of the book is not what you hope for, but I appreciated that. I certainly would not mind a prequel detailing the real story of Josie's life before she meets Alix.

Wow. This book. Just wow. Crazy. Mind boggling. Strange. Curious. Addled. A bit psycho. Just wow. None of This is True by Lisa Jewell is a true crime podcast taking place while filming a podcast. It’s just crazy. It will keep you wondering and guessing and trying to figure out what’s happening. If you like twisted and a bit nuts, then this is definitely the book for you! #NetGalley

I absolutely LOVED this book. I have read a few Lisa Jewell books but this one is by far the best one!!! Her writing style really draws you in to the story and the characters. This is a one sitting book!! the podcast aspect was an interesting one and the revelations revealed during the recordings is mouth dropping. the book revolves around two main characters, Josie and Alix. They are birthday twins, and both of their lives have many obstacles. The way their lives are intertwined will keep you reading and then ending leaves you numb, but in a good way. I will be buying a physical copy of this book when it is released. I highly recommend everyone run to your local bookstore on release day and pick up a copy, you will not regret it!!!