My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Well written and held my interest throughout the book.

Wow! I devoured this book in just 24 hours and I don't think I'm ready for it to be done. I will jump at any chance to read a Lisa Jewell book and this one just blew all of her other one's out of the water. The format was intriguing, the story line was addictive and the characters were captivating.
You know from the start the Josie is going to be a hard character to relate to but she's purposefully written that way. You want to feel bad for her, but you can't quite tell how reliable she really is. Alix is looking for that next story for her podcast and although she finds Josie odd, she still sees potential in the story she has to tell. Until their seemingly all business relationship starts crossing the line into the personal and Alix doesn't know how to stop it.
The suspense was real. Not in a scary way, but in a way where more information was craved. I knew it was coming, I just didn't know when. I loved how my brain interacted with this book and the writing. My head is still spinning and I want more.

5⭐️

<b>Please, tell the world that I’m not a bad person. That I’m just a normal person coping with bad things.</b>

Alix Summer is a podcaster who interviews strong women who inspire her and her listeners, and is out celebrating her 45th birthday with her loved ones. Josie Fair is in the same restaurant, and also celebrating her 45th birthday, and approaches Alix in the restroom to tell her that they are birthday twins. What Alix thinks is a small passing moment with a stranger becomes increasingly more complicated and strange when she bumps into Josie again. Josie has an idea to be interviewed for Alix’s podcast because she feels that she is on the cusp of changing her life for the better and wants Alix to document it. Alix agrees, and ends up with a lot more trouble than she bargained for.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Josie’s so weird, and it was interesting to get glimpses into her crazy brain. The juxtaposition of adding the scenes from the TV series with the story was so interesting and really just added to the mystery of it all. I really enjoyed this and think it’s probably my favorite book from this author so far.

I really enjoyed this new Lisa Jewell novel. The multiple perspectives gave the story some great depth and I always love an unreliable narrator. The twists and turns in this story kept me entertained the whole way through and I didn't find the story predictable which I really enjoyed, Would definitely recommend this book!

Podcast thrillers are becoming popular within the last couple years and in my opinion getting a little overdone.

Lisa Jewell is an auto read author for me though so of course I picked this one up. I ended up listening to the audio version and thought the narration was well done.

A lot of people are saying this is her best yet but I personally disagree because I felt it got a little long and convoluted. I do think it would make a fantastic movie or tv series though. 3.5/5

This is the first book I’ve read by Lisa Jewell (I know I know!) but it won’t be my last.

This was a great read and I flew through it in a day. It definitely kept me wondering what was going to happen next and if Josie was telling the truth or if she was insane.

I loved the Netflix/Podcast element and how we got to see the story through ‘interviews’ with different characters throughout.

Be sure to check trigger warnings if you plan to pick this one up cause it does touch on dark topics.

4.5/5 stars

Basically 2 women discover that they are 'Birthday Twins' - born on the same day and the same age. But they couldn't be less similar, Alix is a glamourous and successful journalist/podcaster who thinks it could be interesting to interview her Birthday Twin Josie to learn more about her odd and interesting life.

As they begin recording random items from Alix's home start to go missing, and the things she learns about Josies life are dark and disturbing.

This was such a smart thriller with a twist ending that I didn't see coming.

Highly recommend for all the thriller lovers!

This book is one of the weaker books by Lisa Jewell. I didn't enjoy it as much as the beginning of the book dragged on for too long versus the end of the book was wrapped up in very few pages.

Good, twisty thriller that keeps you guessing! Who is manipulating who? A random connection between two 45-year-old women leads to strange secrets being revealed, partially through a podcast format. A good vacation read!

Lisa Jewell's books are engaging and always keep me guessing. Although this one was more predictable than most, it was pretty good. You will be rooting for Alix to 1. get a clue about Josie and 2. kick her husband out. The podcast style of the novel was intriguing.

#thrillerfriendsbuddyread review

Thank you to the publisher #partner for gifting me an ebook via NetGalley and the audiobook via Libro.fm.
———
Lisa Jewell has been one of my auto-buy thriller authors since 2 years. I’ve read 4 of her books so far. 𝑵𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑶𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑰𝒔 𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒆 is her very best work yet, and several of my friends agree.
I personally love me a thriller that goes beyond the expected twists and jaw dropping. I love me a thriller where the book becomes a social commentary and leaves you wondering larger nature/nurture topics at play, such as “who is the real victim here?”, “At what point does one become responsible for the actions we take?”

Alix Summers and Josie Fair couldn’t possibly be more different from each other. The only common element is that they both share the same birthday that they coincidentally celebrate in the same location, which is how they bump into each other.

Alix is a popular podcaster and Josie is a seamstress who becomes obsessed with the podcasts and lures Alix into creating a new series of podcasts of Josie’s life. In the story of Josie’s life, we learn that Josie and her husband, Walter, began a relationship when she was a minor. We also learn that Josie’s family dynamics is far from perfect. Both Alix and the reader become entangled in Josie’s spiraling life but as the reader, we also realize that Josie may not be entirely truthful about everything and might have some vested interests towards Alix, especially when she starts showing up at Alix’s home in the middle of the night.

I kid you not when I say this is one of the most propulsive, WTF thrillers I’ve read this year. Thriller lovers, you MUST add this book to your wishlist!!! The ending makes for a great discussion with friends with the added social commentary I described above.

📖 BOOK REVIEW

BOOK: None of This is True
AUTHOR: Lisa Jewell
FORMAT: Physical
GENRE: Psychological Thriller
DID I CRY: No
PUB DATE: 8/8/23
RATING: 10/10
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much @atriabooks @atriathrillers for my #gifted advanced copy of #NoneOfThisIsTrue out now!

MY THOUGHTS

The way that this book took over my life this summer and I forced my friends to pass my copy around our friend group before it even published🤭 it’s been a lonnngggg time since a thriller messed with my brain & had me so invested 👁️👄👁️ from start to finish!!!!!

I want to keep this brief because I truly believe that going in without knowing a THING is the best way to approach this one. All you need to know is that you MUST pick this book up (trust-me-buy-it-thank-me-later type of purchase). And once you get to the recycling bin scene… buckle up the remainder of the book😌🫡

S/o to the queen @lisajewelluk for so quickly answering my DMs ✨demanding✨ to know the TRUTH about the ending — which she so kindly provided me. We LOVE an ambiguous ending with room for debate🤭

Thank you to @atriabooks for the #gifted arc.

OMG. What did I just read. That was so freaking good. I know. Not for everyone, but YES, YES, YES, this book was for MEEEEEEEEE! Hi, I am your Birthday Twin!!!!!!!!!!! Easily one of my top 10 books of the year. Thank you Lisa Jewell!!! I will never ever look at denim the same again. BHAHAHAH

✨ 𝐌𝐘 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author known for her “superb pacing, twisted characters, and captivating prose” (BuzzFeed), Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

💭 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒:
Wowzers! This one was a wild ride and I was hooked from the very first page. This book revolves around birthday twins Alix and Josie, whose paths collide while celebrating their 45th birthdays at a chic restaurant on June the 8th. Fun Fact- my birthday is also June 8th, but I was born three years after these two, so I’m kinda sorta their birthday twin, too.

I started with the eARC (thanks @netgalley) but ended up using my Audible credit to snag the audiobook so I could listen while driving, walking the dogs, doing chores, and even while working. It was that good— I completely submerged myself in this thriller and needed to keep the story going around the clock. I stuck with the audiobook because the full cast narration was fantastic. I love podcasts and listening to the audiobook made the podcast segments truly come alive. I also grabbed this book in my Book of the Month box bc I loved the cover and really just had to have this one on my bookshelf! So yeah, I have it in three book formats, lol.

This book has already received a ton of attention from book worms around the world and after reading it, you totally understand why! It’s dark and twisty and keeps you on your toes exploring creepy possibilities throughout. I really did not see the twist at the end coming. It was something I had considered earlier on but quickly dismissed as I moved onto other theories. So that was a fun surprise!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Flawed families with secrets
📱 Podcasts and documentaries
🎭 Unreliable characters
🔢 Multiple perspectives
😮 Page turning binge reads

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my advanced copy. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

I'm a long time Lisa Jewell fan and this is the best in recent years. It's a perfect fall thriller. Dark, twisty, and hard to put down!

I'll read anything that Lisa Jewell puts out and this one did not disappoint. Definitely a complex psychological thriller. The clue is in the title, but then who is lying? Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to my friends at @bookclubfavorites @atriabooks and @simon.audio for the #gifted free copies of this book.

THIS BOOK!

Chilling. Mind blowing. Unputdownable. Quite possibly THE perfect psychological thriller.

It’s been a long time since a thriller has WOWed me like this. I went in with extremely high hopes, and still, this was so much more than I had anticipated.

Deftly crafted with incisive layers, Jewell kept me on the edge of my seat, never quite sure what to trust. The brilliance of the novel is in its title after all.

The unique formatting- with short chapters that are part narrative, part podcast transcript, and part documentary- added to the sense of foreboding and kept the plot moving at a breakneck speed.

I was completely absorbed, loving every twisted detail, right down to the last explosive revelation. And what a discussion I had with @bookmarked.by.becky and @rachellelovesreading after closing that last haunting page.

Two recommendations:
- Go in blind. The less you know the better.
- Find a buddy to read it with. This book begs for discussion.

This one is worthy of all the praise, from the eerie atmosphere to the crafty characterization and the expert plotting. But ultimately, the best acclaim I can give is this: You NEED to read this book!

Truly, it’s Jewell’s best to date!

🎧 With a full cast and background sound effects, the audio was a standout. It made the podcast and documentary sections truly come alive and gave the characters a distinct voice in each narrative section.

NONE OF THIS IS TRUE by Lisa Jewel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OH MY GOSH! My jaw dropped multiple times. I read this in less than 24 hrs. The format makes it feel like you are listening to a podcast but also watching a true crime netflix documentary. It makes for a binge worthy read!

None of This Is True is a psychological thriller about two women who, through a chance encounter, learn that they are birthday twins. Their unlikely meeting turns into a podcast in which shared confidences become the motive for murder. Chapters alternate between Josi and Alix. Josie is alluring, intense and odd. She is off-putting but you just can’t look away! Alix’s chapters are not as interesting in that sense, but she offers stability to the story. She is also dealing with issues in her marriage and is the host of the podcast.

This is an addictive page turner that I couldn’t put down, but I wouldn’t call it a fun read. Some of the darker themes include pedophilia, alcoholism, and physical and emotional abuse. I think if you read Verity you could handle this one. (I will never be the same after Verity and that book makes me ill!)

It definitely gets creepy, but I appreciated the lack of detailed gruesome scenes, mostly just alludes or enough detail to get the picture. Explicit language warning.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mood: 🍿🫗
Romance: none
⚠️Check tw (mentioned above)

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the advanced review copy.

If you were in my family and tried to get my attention the last two days, you would have been disappointed. I was listening to "None of This is True" by Lisa Jewell, and good luck trying to get me away from it. This was a spine chilling, haunting, un-put-downable read/listen. I'm naming this my book of the year, in regard to a story that kept shocking me and also had some of the best writing I've read in ages. This book could be used as a textbook on how to write a phycological thriller, as far as I'm concerned. And I loved the way the story was laid out.

Alix is a successful podcaster, seemingly living the perfect life in London. From the outside, everything looks shiny and perfect. But Jewell is an expert at writing characters that are multifaceted and real. In a chance encounter, Alix meets Josie in the restroom of a restaurant where she is celebrating her 45th birthday with friends. Josie tells Alix it is also her 45th birthday, and christens them "birthday twins". Then in what seems like another random encounter, they meet again in front of Alix children's school, Alix has been looking for a new direction to go in her podcast series of successful women. Josie suggests her own life as an interesting study, because she is ready to make some big changes, and wants to rehash the past with Alix.

So the story is told through two viewpoints. We have Alix's first hand, very immediate telling of events. We are carried through her initial interest in telling Josie's story, and then the slowly mounting dread as events begin to unfold. We are also told Josie's story firsthand, but it is through her podcast interviews. With every interview she unfolds a new facet of her life story, but we are left wondering, can we trust her version of events.

To me Jewell's writing in this book is phenomenal. She tells a gripping story, but also, she makes me think. I'm 66 years old, and I've learned there is a lot of grey in life. Yes, there are black and white issues, but people themselves, they're complicated. Jewell gives us a story where all the main character's are complicated, and we're left to form our own opinions about them.

I'm now going to discuss other reviews, not from a viewpoint of arguing with them, but just to express a different point of view for potential readers who might be interested in forming their own opinions. When I went to Goodreads, I expected to see universal love for this book, and people did like it. But there were quite a few reviewers who were upset by the treatment of one of the characters. Spoiler Alert: I may reveal plot lines here you don't want to know! Some readers were upset that Jewell gave Josie's husband, considered a pedophile because he married a sixteen year old as a 40+ year old man, any redeeming qualities. Two things about that. If you are a person who has experienced something like this and it is a triggering storyline, then I'm one hundred percent sympathetic to your views, and I would say, maybe don't read this book. However, if you are a member of the new book police, by which I mean people who immediately rush to "cancel" or ban books they don't agree with, then I disagree with you. Jewell is not trying to condone this character's behavior. In fact, she goes out of her way to constantly condemn it in the strongest tones. BUT, that doesn't mean that the character can't have facets of their life that are not so reprehensible. This is real life, people. And if you think the character of Josie is a victim, and ergo, that excuses anything she might do, then you weren't readying very carefully near the end of the book. Jewell presents evidence that although, yes, what Walter did was totally wrong, maybe Josie was always in control of her narrative. It makes for an interesting question, which makes for a much more interesting story than if he is a horrible, dark, person who has never done anything decent in his life, the END. It is ambiguous, a great quality that can make the reader have to think.

For me, Jewell writes a brilliantly engaging, dark, eerie, frightening story, that deserves all the stars!

And special shout out to the audiobook, which I was able to get my hands on. The excellent Nicola Walker who stars in some of my favorite BBC dramas, is the narrator, and she makes Alix feel so extremely real. I liked the way the podcast interviews actually sounded record, and not such fresh sound (for lack of a better description). The whole thing deservew every audio award out there.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Lisa Jewell for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my most recent Booksta Made Me Do It read and it lives up to the hype. This is definitely one of Jewell’s best books. The jumps between the Netflix show and real time story were done so well and really kept me intrigued. I read this one but many reviews say the audiobook is fabulous so maybe check that version out. So why 4 stars instead of 5? I had a feeling I knew where things were going so go in blind for this one if you can!