I really enjoyed this book! It started off a bit slow for me, but once it picked up I was really into it. I loved the twist at the end!

First of all, omg wow I can’t believe I got an ARC of this!? I’m still so incredibly shocked and grateful for that opportunity so thank you!!!

My favorite thriller of the year! And my favorite Lisa Jewell book to date!

I’m literally obsessed with this story and I can’t wait to have book club discussions about it. I was hooked from the ominous prologue.

Alix Summer is an influential podcaster. She has a chance meeting with Josie Fair, a married mom of two, and they realize they were not only born on the same day but in the same hospital. Josie asks Alix if she’d be interested in sharing her story as a new type of podcast series.

Something about Josie makes Alix believe this could be the story of a lifetime. Josie wants to come clean about her tragic life, and Alix thinks this could be the thing that launches her career to stardom. These two form a strained and tenuous bond, as Josie becomes more obsessive of Alix’s seemingly glamorous life, and Alix struggles to take her mind off her own troubling marriage.

I loved that the narrative was broken up by screenplay excerpts from the podcast turned Netflix documentary. And I just kept thinking the entire time how freaking cool this would be as an actual Netflix mockumentary. I would love to see that happen.

Jewell is a master composer of thriller fiction. She has the perfect formula for suspense, dropping lines of intrigue throughout the story, little bits of foreboding tension. She hooks you from the start and keeps you absolutely enthralled for the entire journey until its dramatic crescendo.

It’s harrowing; it’s sickening; and I could not put this book down. There were times that were so gut-wrenching my heart was breaking for them. I binged this in two days and I never wanted it to end. It’s disturbing and unsettling, and I never imagined the directions that this book would end up taking.

The story is more than a little creepy and there were many moments I actually got goosebumps while reading. Things got wildly out of control and I was soaking up every minute of it. The disgust I was feeling over the things that were happening in that house was visceral.

The twists! The turns! And my favorite trope of all, I still don’t know who was telling the truth! This was batshit crazy at times and even after everything, we are still left wondering who to believe. I freaking love it so much.

There were characters that I hated, characters that I loved and wanted to succeed, and some characters that my opinions of changed dramatically (and more than once). I mean I was literally gripping the pages and hanging on every word. It’s all so freaking twisted.

I mean… wtf did I just read!?!? In the absolute best way possible. I want all of my books to give me an experience like this. Also, the title is perfect. Honestly, this is the best book she has ever written. If you haven’t read this yet… what are you doing??? Move it to the very top of your tbr list and pick this one up immediately.

What a wild ride this one is! I think this one started as a slow burn, where you have a sense of unease and foreboding but you can’t quite put your finger on why. Right around the 60% mark, this book takes off and gets super twisty. I flew through the second half to see how it all played out. The ending left a little to be desired for me, and you finish the book again with a sense of unease and not knowing what exactly is true. This is definitely a great domestic thriller if you’re looking for something with no gore!

Anytime I see Lisa Jewell wrote a new book, it's immediately added to my tbr. While I practically finished this book in one sitting, it's only a 3/5 stars for me! The writing and the plot were very intriguing, however, the setup of a documentary/podcast style for all the important parts, was not my cup of tea. Although I did like this style in some places, towards the climax of the book that we've been waiting for since the reveal of the "three dead" characters in the first chapter, it felt just dropped into the story? Like, "oh by the way, this happens." I felt the most important parts of the novel were not drawn out enough or even given the time of day of the page.

I've read most of Lisa Jewell's books. I've enjoyed them all. This one is, without a doubt, my favorite. I was so intrigued from literally the first page. The construction of the story itself---inserting snippets of a Netflix show with the story itself is so smartly original! I could easily visualize the show in my head.

Josie and Alix and are two women that are not only born on the same day, same year---but at the same hospital. But their lives are vastly different. Where Alix is modern and at ease with people, Josie is clunky and awkward. By chance meeting on their 45th birthday, they celebrate at the same restaurant. This is the beginning of a creepy as hell story.

I was so absorbed in this story I could not turn the pages fast enough. Jewell even says in the afterword that she has never written a book as quickly as she wrote this one---but you wouldn't know it. The results are sheer amazement. I will not forget Josie and Alix for a long time to come.

4.5 stars

I've read many of Jewell's books, and this is probably one of my favorites. It's creepy, confusing, twisty, and it keeps the reader guessing the entire time. I had a hard time putting it aside, but, alas, life happens. I loved the multiple POV's (Alix, Josie, and the Netflix podcast). Characters are realistic and well-developed. Alix is an easy character to root for, and it's fun to try and figure out the mystery along the way. Fans of psychological thrillers will want to add this to their TBR pile!

WOW. This thriller is twisty! What is real what is a lie? This book kept you asking what! What a ride.
Another hit by Lisa Jewell.

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realize that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

None of This is True follows two women, born on the same day, who coincidentally run into each other in a pub bathroom. Alix is a popular podcast host & Josie is a rather.... boring stay at home mom and wife. When they meet at the pib, Alix is intrigued but in more of a "wow, how crazy we're both here at the same pub AND we're Birthday twins!!", whereas Josie is intrigued in more of a "I want HER life" sort of way...

Throughout the story, Alix invites Josie to be on her podcast because she thinks Josie is a bit odd but that there is more to her than what meets the eye. The story features the present time as everything is happening and unfoloding but it also has time jumps into the future to keep the reader guessing as to what exactly is going on and who exactly are all of these characters outside of JUST Josies part of the story. While you think, as the reader, that the story only follows Josie and Alix, you quickly figure out that is not the case, not by a long shot.

I was GLUED to my Kindle reading this book and it was shock after shock (and those last few chapters??? WOAH) You won't be able to figure out the twist of the book until it happens.

This was my first Lisa Jewell read and I am a fan!! This was written wonderfully, in that way that makes you forget that you're even reading... The quirk and darkness of the characters made you question who was "good" and who was "bad" the entire time which I love in a thriller. A solid twist at the end, crazy developments towards the end, true crime podcast "clips" woven throughout... all the things to build a great thriller read! Would definitely recommend to anyone who loves thrillers, true crime podcasts, or dark/quirky reads.

A Rollercoaster Ride of Emotions! ★★★★★

Alright, folks, let's talk about "None of This Is True" by Lisa Jewell. Buckle up, because this book takes you on a wild ride that you won't want to get off. I'm giving it a solid five stars because it's got everything – drama, secrets, and characters that feel so real, you'd expect to run into them on the street.

First off, can we talk about Josie? She's a character that'll keep you guessing till the very end. You're never quite sure who she really is. The way Jewell weaves multiple timelines and viewpoints together is seriously impressive. It's like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, piece by tantalizing piece. You think you've got it all figured out, and then bam! Another twist comes out of nowhere, and you're left reeling. But in the best way possible.

And can we talk about the writing style? It's like Jewell dipped her pen in emotions and painted the pages with them. You can practically feel the characters' heartaches, their hopes, and their fears. You'll find yourself nodding along like, "Yeah, I've been there." It is so easy to feel the same feelings Alix Summer's feels- while reading I easily put myself into Alix's shoes- as if Josie was telling her story right to me.

"None of This Is True" isn't just a book; it's an experience. It's that feeling when you're on a rollercoaster and your stomach drops, but you're loving every second of it. It's about uncovering the messy truth behind the pretty facades we all put up. So, if you're ready to dive into a world of secrets and surprises, grab this book and hold on tight. Lisa Jewell, you've outdone yourself! 🙌📚

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC

4.5 stars. This was such an engaging psychological thriller. It was dark and twisty with unreliable characters. I was hooked from the beginning and engrossed in the story. The author did such a great way of keeping this story going and interesting and making the reader wonder who to trust and what would happen next.

I’m a big fan of Lisa Jewell and if you love stories about podcasts, None Of This Is True is for you! It takes a minute to get into the story, but then it will grip you and you won’t guess how it ends. With all the mixed media elements, I would recommend the audiobook.

Thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Let me first start of saying that even though I am a new fan of Lisa Jewell, I was reluctant to read this book. The podcast/true crime documentary aspect wasn’t appealing to me, which is very strange because I love documentaries and true crime 😂 anyways, I loved it! Such a conniving dramatic suspense! I was truly surprised at the ending! Didn’t see the twists coming at all and I really enjoyed how it all played out! Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to this title 💕

3.5 ⭐️

I am usually a huge Lisa Jewell fan, I love everything I've read by her but None of This is True just didn't do it for me.

Let me just start by saying it is really difficult for me to stay with a book when it doesn't get interesting until 50% through, which is what happened here. I liked the premise, I thought it was different, two women cross paths on their shared birthday and then it turns into a podcast. I just felt like Josie's backstory didn't captivate me, as she relayed it to Alix through the podcast. I also didn't really like how Josie held Alix's personal life to a different standard than her own, or maybe I just never trusted her. 🤷‍♀️

At the halfway mark is when it actually started getting interesting and all of the different details, clues, and storylines started to come out, and the reader really gets to start guessing what's really going on. Overall, I'm glad I stuck with it, but this one isn't necessarily one I'd recommend to friends.

𝒩𝑒𝓌 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌

𝙉𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙊𝙛 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙄𝙨 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙚
by Lisa Jewell
380 pages
Published August 8, 2023

Do you ever watch horror movies and yell at the main characters to run? This novel had me yelling at Alix Summer repeatedly.
Alix is a successful podcaster who usually highlights inspirational women on her podcast. Josie Fair is living a seemingly mundane life when she bumps into her on their shared 45th birthday.
Josie seems tired of her boring circumstances and arranges to bump into Alix again reminding her that they are birthday twins. She suggests this as an interesting topic for Alix’s podcast.
As Josie sits for her interviews, her dark secrets and past are revealed. As Josie shares, Alix becomes more and more captivated by her and Josie skillfully insinuates herself into the Summer household.
This novel had me in its grip until the very end.
I was somewhat disappointed in how the story concluded, but overall a good beach thriller. I can see this being adapted for the screen.

Thank you @netgalley @atriabooks @atriathrillers and author for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#summerreading #books #bookstagram #thriller #psychologicalthriller #mystery #reading

“Hi! I’m Your Birthday Twin! A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES”
― Lisa Jewell, None of This Is True

I've read just about ALL of Lisa Jewel's thrillers. I've enjoyed most of them, and this is no exception. The two "birthday twins" in this story play a dangerous and riveting game of cat and mouse that leaves the reader on edge and uneasy. As the plot moves along, you think "what the hell is going on here?". The final twist at the end isn't really necessary, but the novel is so well plotted that it doesn't even really matter.

The audiobook is extremely well done, with a full cast and parts done podcast style. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Netflix picked this up as an original series.

This one is definitely worth the hype! This might be my new favourite Lisa Jewell book. The twists and turns were amazing and the pacing was great. From the first page this book grabbed my attention and as the story moved on I couldn’t put this one down. I’m not going to give details since it’s a thriller and you really need to go into this and be surprised. I definitely recommend you pick this one up!

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

Have you ever met someone that you share a birthday with? Same day, same hospital? Josie and Alix are out celebrating their 45th. birthdays when they realize they are "birthday twins". Then they bump into each other a few days later, after Josie has started listening to Alix's podcast and decides she'd be an interesting topic to do a series about. Alix agrees, and the story that unravels is totally bonkers.

But is it true?

Josie turns out to be quite an unreliable character, and by the end of the book, I was left wondering what actually happened, and what was a lie? (Just like the title insinuates)

I flew through this book, and relished the suspense brought by each piece of Josie's life she divulges. The more I read, the more I disliked Josie, but that was the point. And that ending - what the heck! I need a sequel...

It is rare for this old lady to stay up late but I did it last night to see how this book ended. Although it might have been hard for me to grab on, once I did, I was afraid I might fall off. When two people chance a meeting in a restroom all seemed to be ok, but then one of the two women latched on to the other person in ways that you cannot see coming. One woman with a troubling past and another with an almost ideal life forge a partnership to work on a podcast. What comes next are so many lies that even in the end, you are still not too sure what is true. Buckle in for this one. Thank you #NetGalley for the copy to read.

Lisa Jewell can do no wrong and more importantly, just keeps getting better book after book.

This one is TERRIFIC, and is the kind of book you devour in one sitting because you MUST FIND OUT what happens in the end. The pacing was perfect for this, and I literally flew through the chapters, hanging on every word, twist and cliffhanger.

I love deeply flawed characters, and this story is ripe with them - you are never entirely sure what is the truth about each, their backgrounds, flaws and secrets and that makes for some seriously compelling reading. With each chapter slowly revealing more about Josie's life and past and more about Alix's life and present, I was captivated by both women.

No spoilers for this one because you truly want to go in blind and enjoy the ride, but I will say the twists are the twistiest yet from Lisa, and the content dark and foreboding. One that will keep you on the very edge of your seat from start to finish no doubt!