Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Since reading Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, it has stayed with me. The writing, the characters, the twists I honestly didn’t see coming all meld together beautifully to tell a powerful story and keep you wanting, no, having to turn pages. A teenaged girl, Lily, has died, and her boyfriend Asher is the primary suspect. What happened? Is he guilty? On the surface, this doesn’t seem like a new concept, but this story, and more importantly, the way it is told, alternating through the voices of Asher’s Mother Olivia, and Lily, guide you through what truly happened. This is a book about secrets. The ones we hide and the ones we keep.

Olivia has left an abusive marriage and moved back home to the family farm with her son, taking over the beekeeping after her Father has died. Starting a new life, putting her son first. Lily has recently moved with her Mother to Adams, New Hampshire to start a new life, when she meets Asher. We know that she ends up dead, but who was responsible? Olivia takes us through the Asher’s arrest and trial, and along the way her own past leaves her questioning her unconditional belief in how well she truly knows her son. How well do you truly know anyone? Lily takes us through her relationship with Asher and how her past impacts her ability to truly open up. Lily’s story is one that I won’t forget. Asher and Lily’s contentious relationship with their Fathers and the unconditional love of their Mothers is such a strong undercurrent in this story, impacting how we see Asher and Lily. The story being told through female voices is what I truly loved. We only hear Asher’s story through other’s eyes, those who he loved and who loved him in return. When I learned that the authors each wrote one of the characters, it became so clear why the voices were incredibly authentic. It is hard to keep this review spoiler-free as what makes the voice of Lily so incredible, important, and unforgettable, would give away one of the twists that you really need to read for yourself. This book would be perfect for readers who enjoyed The Lovely Bones or any courtroom mystery, or drama. We need more voices like Lily’s in our lives.

I don't think any book of Picoult's can compare to "Wish You Were Here" but I really enjoyed this one. I thought the beginning was stronger and it faded a bit, but her and Boylan are both incredible writers and I'm super glad I picked this one up!

Mad Honey is another well-written, heart-wrenching story by Jodi Picoult who she co-authors with Jennifer Finney Boylan.
The shocking murder of a teenage girl in a small town is the focus of this emotional story.
With powerful and timely thought-provoking issues this story fills the reader with compassion and empathy as they consider their own feelings around a sensitive topic.
Jodi Picoult's signature twist is included and what a twist it is!
And let's not forget the bees! How interesting!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

**I was excited to receive a complimentary copy of Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult from NetGalley. She is one of my favourite authors. Opinions in this review are completely my own.**

May contain spoilers!

I have read almost all of her books, and loved most of them. She had a few that didn't fall into her usual format that in my opinion were not as good, but it seems she is back to writing books I love. I love that I always learn something from reading one of her books. Her novels are always well-researched. I liked learning about beekeeping. As well, I thought she did a good job of talking about abuse. That said, it bothered me that when Asher was first accused, she questioned her son's innocence. I wanted her to believe in him more right off the bat because she's his mother. That said, I think this was how her own trauma of her own abuse was playing out. It was interesting to see the mystery of Lily's murder unfold and bring with it a whole host of suspects.

I especially love the different perspectives in the book. I like that it switched between Lily and Olivia, as well as back and forth in time. Overall, this was one of my favourite books of 2022.

Mad Honey was a gripping story, told from two perspectives: Asher's mother and his girlfriend's. Asher and his girlfriend Lily had been in love for three months when he finds her dead at the bottom of her staircase at her home in small town New Hampshire.

Asher is arrested of first degree murder for Lily's death. As we find out what happened before and after the day of her death, we are left to wonder if Asher takes after his violent father or his loving mother.

Olivia, Asher's mother, sees her ex-husband's charm and temper in her son. Lily details her romance and struggle with her hockey star boyfriend.

How did Lily die? What secrets were she and Asher keeping from the rest of the town? Will Asher be convicted of murdering his love?

I have been a fan of Jodi Picoult's work since I was 13 and read My Sister's Keeper while sobbing on my living room couch after my mother lent me the copy of her book. Over the years, I have continued to read and learn from Jodi's breadth of work. The characters in her books can present with issues ranging from reproductive rights to false accusations to genetic design.

To say I was overjoyed when my request to get an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review, would be an understatement. Thank you very much!

Mild spoilers ahead:
Jodi's decision to co-author this book with Jennifer Finney Boylan made this book come to life. Without giving too much away, I don't think Jodi alone could have done justice to the depth of the theme, without the nuance and insight that Jennifer brought. As mentioned, Jodi often will bring big topics into her books while providing a more conservative reader with alternative perspectives and thoughts. I appreciate the research and care she took in this book.

CW for past suicide attempts, self-harm, abuse and domestic violence.

Mad Honey felt layered to me, and I found it really interesting and thought provoking. It would make a great book club pick.
There was the mystery/court aspect, which was stressful and heartbreaking as the truth is uncovered. There was also exploration of tough topics and the secrets people keep and why. As well as fascinating information around bees weaved throughout the story. I really loved this incorporation!
At times, Lily’s chapters pulled me out of the story due to the fact the timeline was going backwards when it was her POV and it felt confusing. Some of her internal dialogue was repetitive, so much so I sometimes questioned did I already read this?
The ending also felt somewhat abrupt, the conclusion to the court case is obviously frustrating and I wish we explored the truth a little more.
Overall, this book was emotional, relevant and evoked a lot of strong emotions in me. I will definitely be looking at Picoult and Finney Boylan’s backlist for books I haven’t read.
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This fell short of 5 stars for me but it was still a good read. Things I didn’t like: it felt a little long and repetitive and I didn’t like that Lily’s chapters were a backward timeline because it made it hard to keep certain events straight and to me it really only served one purpose. I may be in the minority, but I also didn’t like the relationship between Lily and Asher, I found it quite annoying. What I did love: the important topics and discussions, the main female characters, and reading about how this book came together between the 2 authors (if you don’t know the second author don’t look her up until after you’ve read this because it might give away some elements of this story). This is definitely still a really good read, classic Jodi Picoult and I recommend it!

I've read every book Jodi Picoult has ever written and the first half of this book had me hooked. It reminded me of some of her earlier books like The Pact. The second half of the book felt less genuine to me, as a reader. It felt like they had a plot that they wanted to carry out and they had to force the pieces together to make them fit. Still a good read overall but not one of my favourites of hers.

ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. A huge five stars. I have nothing but glowing praise for this book.
I have been a fan of Picoult from the beginning and this book felt like returning to her roots.
Not only was this book a perfectly plotted page turner, it was an absolute learning experience for me, and I am so thankful for that.
This book is already on my best of list for 2023

Mad Honey is a novel filled with suspense and love. It is an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and a deeper look ant why we keep these secrets and take the risks.
A longer read as most of Picoult’s style but also like her others has you examine your own life, feelings and doubts. A good read for everyone!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan and Penguin Random House Canada for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This one was hard to read and review. It has so so many serious aspects and such good information about trans and how difficult it is to start the process. It shows how much educating you have to do to everyone in your life. It gave me so many feelings. This one is deep.

Living in Boson, Olivia McAfee was married to the brilliant cardiac surgeon Braden Fields and was raising their son Asher. Outwardly Olivia’s life looked ideal but once the doors were closed the dark side of Braden appeared.
Leaving her husband Olivia returns to her hometown of Adams New Hampshire and takes over her late father’s beekeeping business.
Looking for a fresh start, Lily Campanella and her mother relocate to Adams New Hampshire so Lily can complete her final year of high school.
Asher now a charismatic young man is also finishing his last year of high school.
Lily and Asher meet and begin dating. As their relationship grows Lily wonders how much she trust Asher with her secrets.
One fateful day, Olivia receives a phone call from her son saying Lily is dead and he is being questioned by the police.
I enjoyed MAD HONEY and learned a lot from the book. So I don’t reveal any spoilers, I will refrain from going into too many details. The story is told by Olivia and Lily. Olivia’s story focuses on the current day and Lily's story focuses on the events leading up to the tragedy. Each author wrote one voice and the stories came together seamlessly.
I think MAD HONEY is an important book to read. It deals with a sensitive issue that we need to be aware of and enlightened on.
MAD HONEY would definitely make an excellent book club pick.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for allowing me access to an advanced digital edition of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an Advanced Copy of "Mad Honey" by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan in exchange for an honest review.

"Then one day, Olivia receives a phone call: Lily is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police. Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent. But she would be lying if she didn’t acknowledge the flashes of his father’s temper in him, and as the case against him unfolds, she realizes he’s hidden more than he’s shared with her.

Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves."

I wish I could say that I absolutely loved Mad Honey, but I didn't. It was just ok. Sure there were some twists and turns, but I felt like I knew the ending from the beginning of the book. Working in a school, I found that some of Lily's dialogue was spot on as to what I occasionally hear in the hallways or conversations between students. I found myself more intrigued by Olivia's story than Lily's. It's still very much worth the read, but definitely was not one of my favourite books.

I don't know what I was expecting, but Jodi Picoult has always been a great writer and I knew that I would be in for a ride. Jennifer Finney Boylan, however, ended up adding a new layer of depth to the writing I already loved. I didn't expect to get so engrossed right away, but once I started I couldn't put it down.

I fell in love with this novel almost immediately. The characters are so easy to love - and hate. A true master of controversial writing, Jodi Picoult, takes on the subject of domestic assault. I love the honesty and insight that Jennifer Finney Boylan's voice brings to this novel. It simply would not have been the same without them! There are a few trigger warnings for this one as with almost all of Picoult's novels, but I feel I would be giving too much away to list them all,. So know that they all relate back in some way to domestic abuse. If you think that might apply to you read with caution. A few of my triggers came up, but the authors handle them with such grace, that although they are emotional moments in the book, it's because they should be, regardless of whether they're a specific trigger or not. That said I 100% recommend Mad Honey. If you could only read one emotionally charged novel this year, it should be this one! I absolutely loved it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I love Jodi's ability to create plots that are realistic and make you feel things. The realism to the trauma and the paint hat the characters feel transport you to that situation!

This was another great novel and definitely recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher!

While I appreciated the overall story, I didn’t find the story consistent from front to back the time jumps that inform the current situations stopped about midway through, and the overall arc of the book seems to have shifted. I didn’t love the push of several perspectives that were impossible to ignore. Also, I found the ending quite cheesy and unbelievable despite really feeling like we were getting somewhere while reading.

This didnt work for me, Jodi's books are much different then what I normally read, I wanted to love it but had a terrible time making myself finish! Not one for me.

Mad Honey tells the story of Lily and Olivia. Olivia is a beekeeper and a mom. Her son Asher is dating Lily. Olivia is going about her life, constantly trying to forget her past when a sudden horrific event happens, Lily is found dead at the bottom of her home staircase, and Asher is found at the scene with her when help arrives. Asher is charged with her murder and Olivia is left wondering if he could possibly be guilty, how well does she know her own son? How well does she know Lily and their relationship? Going back and forth between Olivia’s and Lily’s point of view, we come to know both of them and see who they truly are and what events occurred leading up to Lily’s tragic death.

I liked this! As with all Picoult books, it’s written in a certain style and makes you think. It’s not ever a happy story, although there are happy elements. Picoult’s books always bring me back down to earth and remind me of what others are struggling with, which I appreciate. It was interesting to find out that Picoult wrote Olivia and Boylan wrote Lily’s. I enjoyed reading Olivia’s chapters way more, but I appreciated Lily’s story and struggles. In a way I found the trial way too short, I loved reading about Jordan and Selena again. But in the trial I thought it was too cut and dry without enough details. They didn’t question Asher, Olivia or Maya enough. I felt that the ending was rushed and I wasn’t satisfied with the conclusion, the decision that was made about charging for the crime. It just didn’t make sense to me. I think this story, like all of Picoults books, the topic is important. The author’s stories are always extremely well researched and this is no exception, there’s a lot about bee keeping and the parallels between that and the story and truly exceptional in regard to the writing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.

First I’d like to thank netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan hit a home run with this book! Their writing styles intertwine seamlessly. I personally could not tell who wrote which character.

The plot while fiction dealt with real life issues within our society. Transphobia is far more prevalent than anyone would care to admit and these two amazing authors wrote a compelling story that was educational, informative and engaging. Bringing the readers into some of the struggles of daily life for a transgender person.
The heart ache and depth of love; mothers have for their children and the lengths they will go to; to protect them.

I was getting worried toward to the end of the book that we would not have a proper closure but in true Picoult fashion she spins us around with a twist and we had resolve.

This book impacted me emotionally more than I would have expected and I highly recommend reading it!