Absolutely loved this book and learned so much about transgender surgeries and transitions. I would recommend this book to any parent of a teenager.

Mad Honey was a great story given to me from Net Galley for an honest review. I really enjoyed the book. It went through abusive relationships, with parents and their children. Braden was a very abusive husband and father. Braden's wife Olivia, and their son Asher. were in an unhealthy relationship. It got so bad that she had to divorce him to protect herself and her son. Olivia also came from an abusive family, where her and her brother Jordan were abused. Asher grew up through his formative years with respect for women with his Mom. Asher was an excellent student and an athlete. When he entered high school he met and fell in love with Lily. Instead of giving everything away, I will tell you, the ending is surprising and unexpected!

Mad Honey is the joint endeavor of bestselling author Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. My thanks go to Net Galley and Random House Ballantine for the invitation to read and review. This book is for sale now, and I recommend it to you.

The hallmarks of Picoult’s work are immediately evident. She frames her story around a particular area of interest, and so when one of our main characters, Olivia, is a bee keeper, I figure I am in for an education with regard to bees and honey; I am not wrong. Of late, Picoult has also used some of her fiction to promote social justice causes, and that’s here, too; I did a quick search on Boylan, her co-author, and learned that Boylan is one of the first transgendered Americans to write a bestseller, and this is the other focal part of Mad Honey, which features a trans character.

We have Olivia, then, the bee keeper, and her son, Asher, who is the light of her life. She took Asher and fled an abusive marriage, and enjoys her new life. She is close to Asher, and they talk openly and often; yet, there are things that Asher isn’t telling his mother, and she doesn’t see that.

Then there’s a new girl in town, Lily Campanello, a cellist, and Asher falls for her. Later, Lily is found dead, and suspicion falls on Asher. Olivia stands behind her son, and yet a corner of her mind has doubts. What if, when push comes to shove, Asher is his father’s son after all?

It’s tricky to write fiction that focuses on a controversial topic, and the critical ingredient is characterization. If the characters feel real to us, the story flows and the message becomes an integral part of their lives. We can’t reject the theme without rejecting the character. But it would take a true Grinch to step away from Olivia, Asher, and Lily. I want what’s best for the characters, and so I’m not focused on the authors and what they have chosen to discuss within this framework, but on the story. The writing flows like melted butter, smooth and inviting, and later, the suspense ratchets up almost unbearably, and I have to know what becomes of Olivia and Asher.

Because I am a bit behind, I check out the audio version of this novel at Seattle Bibliocommons. There are multiple narrators, but the one that resonates most for me is the reader voicing Lily. I say this, despite the fact that she butchers the pronunciation of place names in the Pacific Northwest. Eugene, Oregon is not hard to say. Siuslaw and Willamette are trickier, but there’s only one pronunciation for each, and the reader should have done due diligence.

And now that I’ve said this, I can urge you to get this book and read it. For those unfamiliar with trans people, there’s some good information, and the story is a compelling one. There’s a twist at the end, and I would probably have left that out, as it doesn’t add much, although I can also see the reason it is included. Nevertheless, this is a story worth your time and money, whether as an audiobook or in print.

WHOA! This immediately skyrocketed to very close to the top of the list of Jodi Picoult favorites. This book was filled with twists that I didn't see coming. I loved bringing characters from her previous novels close to the spotlight and enjoyed this story from start to finish. I would love to see her do more co-written books. This was so well done.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is a stirring novel about family, first love, and secrets. It's a book about a mother's love. The partnership between Picoult and Boylan is seamless.

Many thanks to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This was a good overview of the transgender controversy. I was very glad to see that the transgender character parts were written by an actual transgender person instead of someone just trying to interpret the part. The story was gripping and nuanced and an excellent read.

This felt like a return to the old Jodi Picoult. A family drama, medical mystery, courtroom challenge. But then it took one too many twists. I get wanting to hit all of the relevant issues of the day but do we really need to address ALL of them in one novel? It went to far to be politically correct and aware in my opinion.

Wow! Just wow! There are so many wonderful things about this book but unfortunately, I can’t discuss them all here. I never include spoilers in my reviews so some of my thoughts will have to stay with me (or discussed in person after you’ve read it). Just know that there are some sensitive topics addressed within the storyline and I believe the authors handled them all perfectly. What I can tell you is that it’s a mystery with a couple twists but it’s also full of love, strength, growth, acceptance, family….the list goes on. At times it will break your heart and other times it will make your heart melt (although I never shed a tear). And as a bonus, you’ll learn about bees and the benefits of honey. Like next time you’re hungover, eat a spoonful of honey to help you feel better.

Side note – make sure you read the authors notes at the end for a little extra insight into the book and what brought these two women together to write. And then enjoy the recipes at the very back (they sound yummy).

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for gifting me with an advanced copy to read and review. My apologies for reading it later than expected.

This was a beautifully written story about both internal and external struggle, finding your truth, and fighting for what’s yours. Without giving too much away, the story is told from two points of view: Olivia, a beekeeper whose son, Asher, is accused of murdering his girlfriend, and Lily, the girlfriend, now deceased. Lily’s story is told backward starting from the day she died to four months before her death. Told in flashbacks throughout her chapters, are glimpses even further into the past that tell her full story. About halfway through, a major twist revealed shakes up the storyline and sends it an a whole new unexpected direction. The direction it heads is controversial and sensitive, but important. Over time, the pieces started to come together and reveal a full picture of Olivia, Asher, and Lily’s lives. It was interesting seeing the parallels yet also staunch differences between Lily and Asher’s experiences. I loved all of the descriptive unique characters throughout the book that came to life on the page. I felt like I knew them personally and could feel their pain as my own. The ending was full of surprises, both the conclusion of Asher’s trial and the reveal of the true nature of Lily’s death. Definitely an enjoyable and important read!

Thank you to Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Boylan, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the advance readers copy in exchange for my honest feedback!

Olivia is fiercely protective of her son, Asher. She left her abusive husband to make sure that she could keep Asher safe. During his senior year, Asher falls quickly for the new girl, Lily Campanello. Their relationship isn't perfect and when Lily ends up dead, Asher is the prime suspect. Does Asher have the same violent tendencies as his father? As all of Olivia, Asher, and Lily's secrets come to light, they realize how little they ever knew about each other.

This is another masterful work by Jodi Picoult. I love the throwback to the courtroom dramas that made me fall in love with her years ago. The seamless addition of Jennifer Finney Boylan takes this story to another level. I don't want to give away any of the twists that make this book hard to put down, so I don't feel like I can say much more. I will say that it's worth the build up to get through it. It is beautifully written and so consistent throughout that you would never know there are two authors. I love that this book is so timely and I feel more educated having read it.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is a spellbinding novel. This book will keep you guessing throughout with bombshells all along the way. This psychological thriller is written with great character depth and fascinating inner dialogue. Overall, it is a great book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This book was just fantastic!!! Oh my goodness I wish that I could read it over and over again.!!!

All the stars for this beauty!

Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 stars

I mostly enjoyed this book. It taught me quite a bit, and I couldn’t stop turning the pages. And that twist! Oh my gracious I didn’t see it coming!

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher, and author for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Beautifully written! This is only my second book by this author, but Jodi Picoult is already automatically an auto buy and must read author on my list! Amazing

I absolutely loved Mad Honey! Out of the 66 books I have read in 2022, I believe it is my favorite. I love a book that teaches you something new and has all the drama/emotions. This is a book I recommend everyone read.

Mad Honey kept me reading even though I had a million things to do to get ready for the holidays. I could not put it down! A huge twist in the middle of the book just had me saying WOW!!! This book gets five stars from me. Highly recommend!

Jodi Picoult is a master storyteller.
I absolutely love her books.
This book with jennifer is truly magic.
I am so impressed with this story.
I stayed up all night reading.
THANK YOU

From my blog: Always With a Book:

I’ve been a fan of Jodi Picoult for quite some time and of course I knew I needed to read this book, but in typical me fashion, I decided to wait for the buzz (no pun intended) to die down on this one before reading it. I also knew I was going to want to be able to fully devote my full attention to it – and that is 100% the case here – this book is a powerful, thought-provoking read, one that is without a doubt going to be one of my top reads of the year.

It’s hard to say much about this book without giving spoilers, so forgive me if this review is vague, but trust me when I say you do not want anything about this story to be spoiled. It is such a beautifully written tale that I know I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. Co-written by two strong writers, it seamlessly comes together so that if you really cannot tell there are two authors involved. In typical Jodi Picoult fashion, we do take on some social issues and believe me when I say, these are so timely that I feel everyone should read this book.

I loved the structure of the story, with two narrators telling the story, one moving forward and the other moving backwards. This is where you really need to be paying attention because it can get a little confusing, but it all comes together so beautifully. And throughout it all, the character development is just amazing. I found myself completely attached to these characters. These characters are all carrying secrets around and we see them eventually learn that they are all so much more than their trauma. And the way the authors were able to tie in the bees and their life cycle to what was going on to the story nothing short of impressive. It was just another lens with which to view all that was happening.

I cannot recommend this story enough. It is one that I know I will not stop thinking about and will definitely reread at some point. Jodi Picoult has been a favorite of mine for good reason – and I definitely need to read those books I’ve missed along the way. Jennifer Finney Boylan is a new-to-me author, and I will most definitely be checking out what else she has written.

Poignant and thought provoking! In usual Jodi Picoult fashion, this book will give readers a lot to chew on and discuss.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. The storyline was interwoven between the trial and the bees really well. Kept me wanting to continue reading. A bit of a twist I didn’t see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I highly recommend.