EASILY BEST BOOK OF 2023 SO FAR! I have always been obsessed with Lisa Jewels thriller novels, but dare I say it, her newest novel None of This is True might be her best one yet!
Alix Summers is a podcaster looking to change her podcast theme and style. She is celebrating her 45th birthday with her husband and friends when she crosses paths with Josie Fair, who is also turning 45 the same day and so they call themselves “birthday twins”. Not too long later, Alix bumps into Josie and they strike up a conversation. Josie tells Alix that her life is about to change and that she may be a perfect topic for her next podcast interview. Alix takes a chance and starts to interview Josie about her childhood trauma, family disfunction, and what is to come next. Alix did not realize the turn her interviews would take. It went from a podcast about a strange woman to a true crime podcast...
I literally binged this in a weekend. I was HOOKED to the very last word. The entire time reading I had no idea where this creepy, suspenseful novel was going to go, but I knew it would end in a bang. When I tell you I literally gasped aloud at the ending, my boyfriend came running down the stairs thinking I was hurt. This is a different style than Lisa Jewells typical novels, but I will definitely be thinking about this book for days after. None of This is True by Lisa Jewell is out this summer and it will definitely be a contender for best book of the year.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books for the chance to read this gripping thriller by Lisa Jewell, None of This is True.

This is my 2nd Jewell read, and she has easily made her way into my top thriller authors to read.
Wow! What a ride this book is!
Josie and Alix are "Birthday Twins" leading two different lives with some striking similarities. After Josie weasels her way into Alix's life following their 45th birthday, Alix begins interviewing Josie for her podcast series. What happens next is a series of twisted events, leading the readers to question where the truth lies. It's apparent pretty early on who the lead antagonist is. But it isn't clear until the final pages, every character's role in perpetuating the lies.
I loved this thriller and couldn't put it down!

2.5 stars ⭐️⭐️💫

Out celebrating their 45th birthdays, “birthday twins” Alix and Josie randomly meet each other at a local pub. Alix is a popular podcaster with a series featuring accomplished women, and Josie is a bored wife and mom. Josie approaches Alix about her podcast, promising that she’s going to flip the script on her life and that Alix will want to record the journey. But before long, the innocent podcast turns into a true crime documentary with both Josie and Alix at the center.

Fast paced and an interesting idea. Throughout the book you are wondering what is true and what isn’t. However, it just wasn’t my favorite. I didn’t like any of the characters, and some of the subjects in the book were dark.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This novel started out a bit slow, but then it got really interesting. The characters were well written. The ending blew me away. I did not expect that twist. I enjoyed the wY the story was told through the podcast . Overall, a 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Lisa Jewell has outdone herself with her latest novel. It begins with a strange meeting between two very different women celebrating their birthday; they are birthday twins. Alix is a strikingly beautiful, successful true crime podcaster; Josie is a plain woman who works as a seamstress. Without giving anything away, the tension as it builds in this novel is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Each revelation will have you turning the pages to see what happens next. Who is telling the truth?

Fast paced, well written, intriguing psychological thriller. This book will drawn you in and keep you guessing. Written in different perspectives rounds out the story well.

Gripping from the very beginning! And the ending! Wow! Lisa Jewell does it again! What a fantastic read!

Lisa Jewel knows how to do a great thriller. This one was quite bone chilling and you didn’t know who to believe till the very end. Some good twists and the main gal Josie is very creepy , to the point where you almost want to put the book down. Overall I enjoyed it and found it entertaining!

One of the best books I have read in awhile, I couldn’t put it down. Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint!

Trust Your Instincts

None of This is True is a psychological thriller about two women who, through a chance encounter, learn they are birthday twins. Their unlikely meeting turns into a podcast in which shared confidences become the motive for murder.

Meet Josie Fair, a 45-year-old part-time seamstress. Married to a man significantly older, she has decided to change the course of her life in her 45th year. Alix comes into her life at just the right time--a podcast host, she is the perfect woman to help Josie share her intriguing story. Alix and Josie’s lives become intertwined in more ways than one, culminating in a chilling crime.

Chapters alternate between Josie and Alix. Josie is alluring, but she is also intense and odd. She is off-putting but enthralling at the same time. Her story is questionable, and I was waffling back and forth while reading this on her reliability. Alix’s chapters are not as interesting as Josie’s, but she adds a level of stability to the story.

Interspersed between chapters are interviews filmed for a Netflix series called “The Birthday Twin.” These tidbits add another layer to the events, but the snippets don’t show the whole of the situation until the end when the truth is finally revealed.

This is an addictive page-turner that I couldn’t put down. Josie is a train wreck of a character that I couldn’t look away from. Her character is one of the reasons I enjoyed this novel. At the same time, themes include pedophilia, alcoholism, and physical and emotional abuse, so it is not a fun read. It is also dark, tense, suspenseful, and has some major creepy vibes. The ending gave me the chills.

I haven’t loved Jewell’s most recent novels, but this one is back to form.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.

My first thought is I have no words. Although this psychological thriller was gripping from the beginning it was also very disturbing and semi confusing with what was reality and the makings of a twisty confusing thriller. I rounded up from 3.5 to 4 stars because I did only take 24 hours to read it, so in my mind that's 4 star quality. Can totally see this becoming a movie.

Wow, what a ride this was! Dark, creepy, and just when you felt like you figured it out, here comes another twist, right to the very end. This was my first Lisa Jewell book and I'm now a forever fan.

Thank you to Lisa Jewell, Atria Books, and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my review.

Wow, could this really be Lisa Jewells best book yet? I have read almost all of her back list and I think the answer is yes! This is an amazing psychological thriller, where just like the title suggests, none of it is true. Even until the very last page there is a twist, that you wont see coming. You may think you know how the story is going to unfold but you don't.
The characters were fleshed out and well developed. I really enjoyed how the story unfolded with the back and forth between the story and the Netflix original show. I enjoyed the suspense and lead up to the conclusion. There were no outlandish twists and turns that a lot of authors use to create shock value, which I appreciated.
My only complaint, and this is personal and does not take away from the story at all, is the use of the pandemic at the end. I know that the timing of the events in the story lineup with that timeline in real life, but I read to escape real life not be reminded of it, This only happens at the end of the story and doesnt take away nor add to the overall story.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone and anyone. I can see this making it in to my top favorite thrillers of the year video,

None of This is True is a typical Jewell book. Like a bag of chips, I can't stop.
Two women meet who share the same birthday. Their lives become entangled. A podcast leads to dark secrets and then the risk to an entire family.

Scary, enticing and you won't put it down

Wow! Lisa knows how to make you trust no one, and I mean that in the best way! The first half of the book you are constantly asking yourself who’s the most suspicious? And the answer is everyone! This book was almost 5 stars for me up until the last 20%, but the way everything comes together just knocked it down to a 4.5 stars for me! So for this review I’ll be rounding up.
I definitely think the writing style of this book will entice a lot of people as a good chunk is told in past podcast recordings, and then present documentary series narration.
This book was a wild ride and genuinely had me not able to guess the twist!

Dare I say the twist wasn’t twisty enough? In really expected more. The build up was great but the ending fell flat for me.

Just finished #Book16 @lisajewelluk #NoneOfThisIsTrue early read thanks to @netgalley ! This was a really unique read. I always find it amusing to read books from other countries and trying to pick up on the slang haha! I really enjoyed how the story developed. Could do without the "parts" - they didn't really fit the layout of the book. Otherwise, a really good twisted thriller and that keeps you guessing and questioning until the last page - literally! I enjoyed the relateableness of the process with a podcast and Netflix being a large part and intertwining them to create an in-depth story. #52bookchallenge📚 #52booksin52weeks @goodreads #goodreads @amorbidbookclub ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow! What a book! I could not put this one down. The unreliability of the characters and questioning who to trust and believe had me at the edge of my seat!

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy to read for an honest review

WOW!!!! First, I’m so thankful to receive the ARC digital copy of this book publishing 8.8.2023. This was a great psychological thriller that I needed to spice up my reading. This book has so many twists and turns. This makes the reader keep guessing until the very end. I also thought LJ did a nice job with juggling a few various plot points while not losing the reader or being confused. I think this was an excellent balance with different characters, but all somehow get tied into the main problem. Loved it!!

This is a great read! Writer builds the story well and leaves you wondering who is telling the truth!