QUICK TAKE: I need to know more about the neighborhood Lisa Jewell lives in, because she either has the most BORING neighbors ever, or the most interesting...whatever the case, I hope she doesn't live near any of the characters from her latest, NONE OF THIS TRUE, which ended up being one of my favorite LJ books of the past few years, a truly dark and twisty domestic suspense with some very unreliable narrators doing really bad, not great things. I didn't love the podcast plot device, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of this one.

This is a well written gripping psychological thriller, I literally didnt want to stop reading and had to force myself to finish the last bit today. Two interesting women and how the intersection of their paths changes them. Hard to talk about without spoilers so I will leave it like this

While celebrating their 45th birthday at a local restaurant, Josie and Alix find out they are birthday twins.
Josie has a story she wants to tell Alix (who is a Podcaster). It’s the story of Josie’s life. But is Josie’s story of abuse and mistreatment really true?
I felt this book just drug on and on. The story was very predictable and there was not enough suspense. Jewell does give the reader something to think about at the end – did she, or didn’t she?
Sorry but this is not one I can recommend.
Thank you Netgalley for my ARC.

I really wanted to love this one, and it was really gripping for me during some parts. That being said, I felt like a lot of this was not plausible. Letting some random woman you just met take over your life? Letting her talk shit about your drunk husband all the time? Cleaning up her dog’s shit all the time? I can see that the author was trying to show how control is insidious, slow, and all consuming but this felt a little too contrived for me. This also took a really long time for me to read and I’m not sure why….maybe it was so disturbing that I could only read it in short bursts? Also, there’s a lot of hype for this book saying it’s the craziest thriller that people have ever read. I still think I’ve read way more shocking and intense ones..take any by Gillian Flynn for example. All in all, I was expecting a lot more but I think diehard fans of hers will love.

Wow! I love Lisa Jewell and this might have just became my new fav? I wanted to keep reading it and never stop! I loved the writing style as it switches to a podcast, Netflix docuseries, and “normal”. The characters were super interesting and there’s so much unreliable characters and things happening that it was hard to know what was the truth (which I personally love). Because it switches from the podcast to the Netflix docuseries you get snip bits of info before it unravels in the story and that made me want to keep going! The ending “twist” was a little flat for me and not as shocking as I was assuming it would be. I didn’t love the ending because it was unfinished. I wanted Josie to get caught or more about where she was/what she’s doing next. It kind of just left you there. Overall I loved this book and it kept me very engaged!

Will post on bookstagram closer to pub day!

When podcaster Alix meets Josie on both of their 45th birthdays, she thinks nothing of it. Just a fun coincidence of having the same birthday. However, Josie has other ideas. She proposes that Alix make her the feature of her next podcast as she is trying to make changes in her life. As the two work together, it will lead to more dire consequences, including deaths.

I think this was a good thriller! It was one of those more suspenseful ones like "I know something bad has happened, how do we get there?" rather than lots of action/murder throughout. However, I really enjoyed that! The last few of Jewell's books haven't been my favorite, but this one has more of her normal suspense magic back!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I sat down earlier today to read a couple chapters of this book and just finished. Have not moved from my chair since I started.

This book is a perfect example of why I love psychological domestic thrillers. The story, characters, suspense, format - everything about this was SUPERB. Truly was so hooked and just when you think everything has ended, in typical Lisa Jewell fashion, you’re hit with another reveal.

I especially loved the layout of this book, with the podcast/documentary aspect.

I have read quite a few of Lisa Jewell's books but this one was both the darkest and the most gripping. It was such a wild ride! I loved the premise from the start -- two women meet the night of their 45th birthday and find out they not only were born the same day, but at the same hospital. Alix is a podcaster with an idyllic life -- two kids and a successful husband. Josie is trying to get away from her life, two troubled older children and a husband she no longer likes. Josie proposes that Alix record a podcast about her as she is on the edge of these major life changes.

Josie is one of the most unlikeable and creepy characters I have read -- everything about her was so unsettling. I love an unreliable narrator and it's clear that everything Josie says should be questioned.

By contrast, Alix is so sweet and likable. Her kids are endearing and you can tell her heart is in the right place - she wants to do the right thing and live a good life.

I couldn't put this down and was racing to find out what was going to happen next. This book is much darker than most thrillers I read and touches on some very heavy topics.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an early copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I can finally say that I’ve joined the ranks of readers who have devoured an entire book in a single day. I set out to finish NONE OF THIS IS TRUE from cover to cover on my reading retreat and I’m happy to report that I did it!

Lisa Jewell’s latest is about two women whose lives become entangled after they discover that they have the same birthday. This slow burn story made me cringe and unsettled in the best way. These characters had a loose relationship with the truth and it was interesting to see how the lines between fact and fiction were blurred. I enjoyed getting completely immersed and thought it was a great mystery to binge in a day.

With three little boys at home, the opportunity to have uninterrupted reading time doesn’t come often and I’m grateful I was able to carve out this time. It makes me wonder if my experience with this book (and others!) would be different reading it in one day vs over an extended time frame.

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: August 8, 2023

Many thanks to Atria and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review will be posted to www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks in advance of publication date

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this amazing book. I’m going to be honest that this is a book I was dying to read bc I’m a fan of the author but it blew me out if the water. Despite having read much of her backlog, this is my favorite Lisa jewell book yet.
Two women who were unlikely to be brought together are connected by a podcast, which is also the perfect means to communicate additional parts of the story. Questionable narrators and perceptions play a role in this unsettling tale of manipulation that I could somehow believe bc we rationalize so much and ulterior motives can be sneaky. The character development was solid for the main characters. The ending was not my favorite but I’m glad not everything was wrapped up with a bow. Overall, 5 stars bc I was fully addicted!!!

Hot damn, this is one dark and twisty thriller! 🔥

First, my thanks to @netgalley and @atriabooks for this early review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Holy moly, this was a whole ride. This novel alternates between snippets from a podcast hosted by Alix Summers and classic storytelling chapters between Alix and our other main character, Josie Fair. This is all third person, so it keeps the storytelling simple.

At its heart, this is a mix of psychological and domestic thrillers. Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite authors, mostly for her masterful narratives and well-woven mysteries. I was never truly sure where this story was going to end. It is, of course, called None of This is True… leaving the reader to question everything we are being told.

This one was dark and twisty, with a real emphasis on dark. We have some massive heavy topics: pedophilia, child abuse, drug/alcohol use, murder, mental health issues, and more. While this isn’t for the faint of heart (spoken from a truly sensitive reader), it was palatable and I was too intrigued about where this was going to get too caught up in the darkness.

I won’t give away much, because there’s a lot to unpack and some serious twists and plot points to keep you on your toes. It’s best to go in cold, in my opinion.

Despite all the feelings it evoked, I devoured this novel in just a little over a day. It was fantastically well-written and plotted out, and the ending was an even wilder ride.

If you love psychological thrillers and you like unreliable narrators and dark and twisty plots, you must pick this up when it drops on August 8!

“You’re my birthday twin!”

Two women, Alix and Josie, meet at a bar on the night of their 45th birthdays. They find out not only do they have the same birthday, but they were also born in the same hospital and their kids go to the same school that they did. What are the odds?!

Alix is a podcaster who features women who have overcome obstacles to be successful. She likes to think of herself and present herself as an independent, strong-minded woman who has life under control. The truth is, she’s married to a man who is always out drinking, and being the only one taking care of the house and kids is taking a toll on her and her marriage.

Josie loves Alix’s podcast, and finds inspiration from the women who are on it. She wants to be one of those independent women, but she’s also in an unhappy marriage and doesn’t know how to change her life … or does she? Soon she suggests a plan, a deviation from Alix’s typical podcasts. This one could be about her, in the present, changing her life around. This may be the answer to it all!

Alix agrees, and the two women begin to work on the podcast. Josie has had a lot of struggles in her life, and her story is almost unbelievable. The longer her story goes on, the more and more Alix finds herself not sure if what or who to believe - and that’s where we find ourselves, wondering if Josie is sad, mad, stupid or all of the above.

I liked the different layout of this; there were excerpts from the eventual Netflix Original Series that covered the story of the podcast tapings. Those brought even more suspense to the story of two women who became connected and conflicted about their lives. Four stars for a good mystery/thriller that kept me interested throughout.

(Thank you to Atria Books, Lisa Jewell, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on August 8, 2023.)

YES YES YES!!! If you want a book you absolutely will not be able to put down pre-order NONE OF THIS IS TRUE!

How this is my first Lisa Jewell book is beyond me but I am ready to put her on my auto-buy author list. The concept of this book was unique and kept me second guessing everything. The whole podcast that was turned into a "Netflix Original Series" I thought was so fun and added layers to the story. Also there are so many suspicious and untrustworthy characters that will really have you thinking.

If you want a twisty unpredictable read with an ending that will have you thinking for awhile pick up None of This is True by Lisa Jewell out on Aug 8 2023.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Holy cow was this book bingeable! What even was that ending….so many questions?!?

Dark and twisty, this one is a RIDE. Red flags kept popping up all over this one and I didn’t know who to trust. Once the teen was eating baby food there went my day, I was determined to figure out what the hell was going on in Josie’s house and couldn’t go to bed till I finished. Icky creepy vibes throughout 10/10.

Thank you @NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this book. I think this is Lisa Jewells best book yet. I find that the podcaster plot has been really over done, but this one was done in a way that felt unique to the rest. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The background of the family put such an eerie spin on the mystery.

The story starts off with popular podcaster Alix Summer celebrating her 45th birthday at a local pub. Josie Fair is also there, celebrating her 45th birthday with her husband. Josie is instantly intrigued by this an wants to know more. Turns out they are 'birthday twins' - born on the same day, at the same hospital.
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 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.
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.

When the book starts out, there is some mystery to the characters, we want to get to know them and find out what has brought them together. We soon learn a lot about the characters and how everything is not as it seems on either side.
I took a guess early on at how this would end and I guessed some but not all of what happened. It was a wild and crazy ride to the ending and I am so grateful to have read this one. I will be recommending this one to everyone I know.

I will be sharing this post on my Instagram account closer to the date of publication.

I loved this book. I had been in a bit of a thriller slump, so I was so happy to get approved for this title from NetGalley. There was something about it that made it very hard to put down. Josie was so quirky. I found myself cheering for her, then questioning her, and then cheering again. The title actually had me questioning everything. The characters were unpredictable and I enjoyed not being able to anticipate the characters' next moves. I really enjoyed The Family Upstairs and The Family Remains, but I liked that this one had fewer characters to keep track of with the same level of excitement. Perfect travel read. :)

The publication date is August 8th.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader's copy.

I love Lisa Jewell and this novel was no exception. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Reading this felt like opening a gift, just to find more wrapping paper underneath. There were so many layers to this story that kept me guessing.

Wow that was a wild ride! I could NOT put this book down and finished it quickly. I was even thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it which is the sign of a good book to me!

The premise is a podcaster, Alix, is interviewing her “birthday twin” about her life. Josie approached Alix on their birthday and then later finds Alix and asks her to record a podcast about Josie’s life. There are a lot of layers to Josie and as they unravel, the book becomes addicting.

I loved the pacing and the tidbits thrown in about a later Netflix special on the podcast. It all kept adding to the story and making me want to continue reading. It was hard to tell what was true and that kept me turning the pages to find out. While I did guess what was happening towards the end, this didn’t feel disappointing like it can sometimes!

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good thriller!

Thanks to netgalley for the arc!

Another great thriller by Lisa Jewell. This was a page turner that I couldn’t put down, Alix Summer has a successful podcast that she decides to expand after her chance encounter with Josie Fair. Josie is married to a much older man and continually uncovers outrageous facts about her life as the taping of the podcast goes on. It is evident that something is off, but you have to keep reading to uncover the pieces of the puzzle. The twists and turns of this thriller will take you on a wild ride that leaves you wanting more.

I loved this one! It pulled me in from the first pages and kept me turning the pages throughout. It reminded me of The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson. It had a lot of twists and turns and kept you guessing, but it also all made sense at the end, which is important to me.