Mad Honey, by Jennifer Finney Boylan, Jodi Picoult
emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25 stars

Is there a difference between what is private and what is secret? When you are in love, at what point do you share details about your past that you have kept private? To what lengths will a mother go to keep her child safe? Hot Honey explores these questions through a two voice perspective.

One of the voices is Lily's, a teenage girl who is found dead at the bottom of the stairs. And her story is told on a backwards timeline from her death. Lily's death broke my heart and I kept wanting to see a different story written for her that showed her vitality and spirit living into a future beyond being a teenager.
The other voice is Olivia, the mother of Lily's boyfriend who is accused of killing Lily. Olivia tells her story moving through the trial of her son with flashbacks of her own life. Both Olivia and Lily have pasts they have kept private. Both have endured the harm of toxic masculinity.

This is a book that deals with domestic abuse, transphobia, and suicide - it would be helpful to include resources for further understanding and responding. One of the things I appreciate is Jodi Picoult's research that connects with parts of the story. In this case beekeeping (make sure to read to the end for the yummy recipes!). There is a transgender storyline that offers education primarily through one of the characters who works in the town. This is important education! "If you've met one trans person . . . you've met one trans person." And at times, it felt a little heavy-handed and less integrated into the story. But again worthwhile for the insight it offers. I was a little underwhelmed with the final twist at the end but overall the book and the story were well done. I read this in a couple of days and felt attached to all of the characters.

I was excited to receive the ARC of Mad Honey since I really enjoy Jodi Picoult's books. And it wasn't until I finished that I realized that the two voices in the book were each written by different authors - Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. They did a great job.

#MadHoney #NetGalley

MAD HONEY
BY JODI PICOULT & JENNIFER FINNEY BOYLAN

This collaboration between these two Authors' called "Mad Honey," is simply a masterpiece and deserves one million stars for the emotional impact it delivers. I think that it is many messages but it was written in such a way that really made me feel for the characters. I am not going to give any spoilers but I will guarantee that you need to read this book. It succeeds on all levels of informing all audiences of every genre to allow us to remember to always be empathetic and show compassion to every soul on the planet. The writing is seamless and while this is a joint effort I felt while reading it as if one author penned this incredibly moving novel. The writing flowed so smoothly and the characterization was pure genius.

I love all of Jodi Picoult's previous work and every time that I read her newest novel I am blown away with how talented she is and I always come away having gained great insight. I always learn something new. I had been unfamiliar with Jennifer Finney Boylan's work and am so thrilled to discover that she is a prolific writer and I will be reading her body of published books.

This is heartbreaking and educational with much to offer because I feel that I am still haunted by characters and this is a novel that shattered my heart. I will never forget it! I do feel by reading this that I will be equipped to be a better person and that is why I love to read. I couldn't have loved this more! Highly, Highly Recommended to everybody.

Publication Date: October 4, 2022

Thank you to Net Galley, to both Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#MadHoney #JodiPicoult #JenniferFinneyBoylan #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantine #NetGalley

Wow. Not what I was expecting (I usually try to not read much about any book before reading it) - the story goes somewhere you don't anticipate towards the end and has a profound impact on everything that came before this revelation. I also didn't notice that two well respected writers collaborated/cowrote this novel until I got to the author's notes at the end. The story itself was faintly reminiscent of some others (families, hidden aspects of things some are embarrassed by, first love, beekeeping, single parenting) but although they may have comprised part of the novel's foundation, they are just a portion of it. When I got to the last few chapters, I realized how important this hidden aspect is in modern life; people can die because to someone else objects to what gender a person chooses. Beautifully written and highly recommended.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Enjoyable read with an unexpected ending.

I thank NetGalley from the bottom of my heart for an advanced reader copy of Mad Honey by one of my favorite authors, Jodi Picoult. I have been looking forward to reading this book since I first saw it advertised and I was not disappointed. It was beyond fantastic as all her books are. I read in two days and are so sad I finished it. The story was believable with great characters. As with all of her books, they are well researched and you learn something from it. I learned all about bees and other things that I don't want to spoil anything by naming. This book was mindful and thought provoking. As always, I will be recommending this book to absolutely everyone!

I really enjoyed this book - the twist and the ending was not expected. I though the middle to last third got a little preachy, but the point of the book came across. I read it in two days and it held my attention very well!

Picoult's books used to be really good; the kind that made you not want to miss a word while devouring it, but not so any longer. A few books ago, it seemed like there was way too much research given in the book on whatever happened to be a part of the story. I learned a lot of useless info on wolves, for example, yet I didn't want to learn or cared to know so I skimmed that one and was leary of new ones.

This book is the same way. There is over the top info on bees, something I never wanted to learn and was not even very important in this story. Sure, it was the occupation of one of the main characters, but it really wasn't a key piece of the story. Neither was playing the cello, or fencing. Spousal abuse, gender identification and a few more topics were thrown in for a story that could have been done without the level of detail.

I ended up skimming many of the pages for that reason and from now on will just skip her books. I read novels for entertainment, not to feel I am reading an encyclopedia (showing my age here!) or anything equally as dry. Also, the title is a turn off and not relevant to the story.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mad Honey is a solidly entertaining and surprisingly educational look at transgender rights. In my view, this marks the return of Jodi Picoult to her comfort zone. She is an expert at depicting family and legal drama, and this book succeeds at both. I had a hard time putting this book down as I was so captivated by the characters and intrigued by their dilemmas. The legal suspense is top notch and it all rings true. The inclusion of all the interesting bee facts was a lovely addition to the story, making this the complete package that is sure to appeal to a wide variety of readers. My only complaint is that due to the alternating views, the timeline came to seem repetitive on occasion although this did not dampen my enjoyment of the story, it just slowed the momentum.

This story is told with so much heart and offers such valuable insights into the experiences of a young transgender individual , I can't help but hope that it will increase empathy in its readers as it educates and dispels myths, A great story told with finesse, skill and compassion, I look forward to recommending it to everyone.

Do not let anyone tell you anything about this book.

Go into this book with no preconceived notions. This book is enthralling and exciting, and I cannot stress enough how much you need to not read reviews.

Another great book by both Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan.

I loved this book. This book is co-authored by Jennifer Finney Boylan. I always learn something from Jodi's novels and this was no exception. One of the things I learned about was bee-keeping. Honestly, only Jodi Picoult could make that an interesting read. And that was just one thing. I love the twists in this novel and happy the big one came in the middle. I love that this book featured a return to the courtroom drama and the lawyer from previous books. Wonderful, thought-provoking, heart-breaking, educational and hopefully discussion inducing.. read this book!

Like other readers, as soon as I got this copy, I jumped right in and was excited to read. Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan partnered together to seamlessly tell a story that touches on another topic in society today that some people still struggle to understand and accept. This story follows Olivia and her son Asher who are starting over on Olivia's hometown, caring for her family's bees and recovering from a painful marriage. Asher's friend Lily is also starting over at a young age, moving to town with her Mom. The story follows Asher and Lily, their relationship, and Lily's sudden and unexpected death, and the investigation and accusations that follow.

My respect for Picoult grows exponentially after reading each of her books, and especially after hearing her speak last summer about systemic racism. She has inspired me to learn more, be better, and speak out, and I admire her greatly for her voice in the world.

I'm normally a fan of Picoult (I've loved every one of her books except one) and this book is no different - hitting it again out of the ballpark. When an arc of Mad Honey appeared in my inbox, I couldn't be more happy. This literally made my weekend.

The book starts out with Olivia and her son Asher. You begin to hear about them, their past, and their life. Olivia makes her living as a beekeeper. So, not only are you following the main story - the book enter twines facts about bees and beekeeping as they relate to what is going on around them. Then comes Asher's girlfriend - Lily. Their relationship and how it unfolds. All of a sudden, Lily is found dead one day and Asher becomes the main suspect. Asher goes on trial and it is revealed that Lily was trans, she was in fact born a male. This allows another plot line to enter the novel, a beautiful one. They explain more about Lily's life and who she was before she came to meet Asher.

They had multiple sources of attention throughout the books, which was a great. Just went you thought the entire storyline was unveiled, they put something else in the book that added another layer of beauty to this book. I was shocked at the ending. It was one of those ending's that you think the book is over and you know everything, but then something else comes into play.

All and all, another A+ must read for anyone.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Heartbreaking novel about a love story, abuse, a death, a trial, a confession, and mothers--not necessarily in that order. It is also about unrequited love and a horrible betrayal of sorts that needs some sort of justice but none is offered.

I love this novel and highly recommend it. It will most likely be banned in Florida high schools and elsewhere, so everyone should definitely read it.

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for sending me an ARC to provide my honest review.

Olivia McAfee has built a new life as an apiarist (beekeeper) in her hometown after she left her ex—a surgeon with a dark side. Her son Asher is the most important person in her life and Olivia is shocked when Asher calls her from the police station—his girlfriend, Lily, is dead, and he is being questioned. Lily and her mom had moved to New Hampshire for a fresh start as well, where she met and fell in love with Asher. Now, Lily’s young life has been cut short, and as secrets begin to surface, Olivia has to decide if she truly believes in her son’s innocence.

When I was offered an ARC of this book, I sped my way through the end of the book I was already reading so I could start this, and subsequently read the entire thing in a day. This book was actually written with a co-author, but Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Boylan’s writing blends seamlessly together. As expected with any Picoult book, this one addresses an issue that is very relevant today in a way that is sensitive and respectful. The authors helped me to really empathize with Olivia and Lily and put myself in their shoes. I didn’t see the big twist in the storyline coming at all!

I really enjoyed the information about bees that was intertwined throughout the story too, along with the courtroom drama that is characteristic of many Picoult books. I love that I can enjoy a riveting story, but also coming away with more knowledge on a topic after reading her books. I haven’t read any of Boylan’s other work, but will definitely be looking into it now!

I can’t say much without giving up what makes this book so powerful, but know that this story is one that will stay with you and just may give you a new perspective that you haven’t really considered before. When it releases in October, be ready to drop everything and get reading!

This is a story about a single mom, Olivia, and her son Asher. Olivia is a bee keeper and Asher, 18, is into hockey. Another character is Lily who plays the cello but her cellist prowess is overstated in the book (does she ever practice?). Asher and Lily begin dating and after 3 months Lily is dead and Asher is arrested for killing her.
But did he? Picoult surreptitiously weaves doubt about his guilt and about half way through the book she drops a bombshell.
The owner of the music shop where Lily buys her cello strings is trans and Picoult explores this topic as well as an in-depth knowledge of bee keeping. Picoult also throws in little nuggets of information like - loons mate for life, or - sea otters tie themselves in kelp when they sleep so they don’t float away. While these seem like off the wall snippets, they actually tie into the story line.
I did not like the gender specific instruments in the book. All boys play brass, all boys play bass (I am a female professional bass player), and all girls play flute. I know the point Picoult is making, but this isn’t the route.
Otherwise, this was a real page turner full of character development and suspense. Like her other books, I put the book down only when my eyes couldn’t focus any longer.

Once again JP delivers a sensational novel that both entertains and educates. Her co-author, Jenniter Finney Boylan adds a realistic voice to the transgender teenager Lily. As always, Picoult introduces a new subject - beekeeping - as a backdrop to her story. The characters ring true and leave the reader sad but noprful.

An ARC by Jodi Picoult? Yes please! This book consumed my entire weekend. This incredible, deep, passionate book tells of the art of bee keeping intertwined with love, abuse, family and a shocking twist.
I appreciated the attention to detail on all subject matters, including the courtroom drama. This book has it all. Thank you for this collaboration, one that will stay with readers for a very long time.
Also appreciated the honey recipes!

As may be expected from these authors, this novel is both memorable and thought provoking. The characters are incredibly well developed and their interactions are masterfully and flawlessly drawn. Mostly, they are incredibly complex, nuanced, and human. Several societal issues are addressed here, including spouse abuse, child abuse, betrayal, and a myriad of transgender questions. With incredible sensitivity the authors are able to allow the reader to experience all of these through the eyes and heart of the people who actually live these stories. There is no judgement, no preaching by any character.
You will be taken on a journey you will never forget, and learn about yourself in the process.

Another beautifully written emotional moving Jodi Picoult novel.Her characters the storyline kept me engaged from first page to last.A thoughtful involving novel that I will be recommending.#netgalley #randomhouse

This book immediately hooked me and I wanted to know what really happened to Lily. I really enjoyed learning more about Olivia and Lily, as well as their pasts, as the story went on. I learned so much too from both of them. I would highly recommend this book.