None of This is True is the latest psychological thriller by bestselling author Lisa Jewell. The story begins at a restaurant with a chance encounter of two strangers who realize they are birthday twins, born on the same day and year. Alix is a successful podcaster while Josie a part time seamstress married to a much older man. After that chance encounter in the restaurant’s bathroom it quickly leads to several other coincidental meetings and soon Josie intermingles herself into Alix’s seemingly glamorous and perfect world. Josie convinces Alix that her life is worthy of a podcast because she is on the cusp of a life change. What starts off as a seemingly innocuous relationship quickly spirals into something sinister.



What I liked about this book:
-complex and compelling characters-denim clad Josie is intriguing and repelling at the same time while sophisticated Alix is accomplished but at times self doubting
-podcast and Netflix show added to the storytelling and excellent pacing of novel
-dark, twisty and downright creepy elements of the book that left me wanting more
-the glamorous world of the upscale London couple Alix and Nathan who’s picture perfect life isn’t what it appears to be
-alternating POVs
-how Alix’s life quickly becomes her own true crime podcast
-shocking, twisty ending that left me unsettled

What I disliked about the book:
-my only minor complaint is that I would have loved to see more storyline of Walter, Roxy and Erin

My rating: 5 out of 5

Trigger warning: pedophillia, grooming, domestic abuse, alcoholism, gaslighting, mental illness

My final takeaway- I highly recommend this twisty, creepy thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I recommend this domestic thriller for fans of true crime podcasts and unreliable characters. Josie is one of the most unsettling and creepy characters I have read recently.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for this eARC.

A new favorite of mine by Lisa Jewell! Where do I even start… this book was WILD. The main characters were all so fascinating in a dark and twisty way. You could tell from the very start of the book that they had big secrets, but as the book went on you began to question what was true. The podcast and show element was also one of my favorite aspects. It added another level of intrigue to the story and kept you questioning: okay, if this story was crazy enough to be made into a show, what actually happened? What is the truth here?

The book deals with some darker themes that I wasn’t expecting (grooming, pedophilia) so take that into account before picking up this book if that’s a triggering topic for you

Thank you Net Galley and Atria books for sending me an arc for review!

After three attempts, I gave up on the book. Please note, I only post 3 star or higher reviews to my sites, as that is what my readers want to hear about. Strongly recommend resolving the organizational issues before this book goes live. Best of luck!

Wow! I was so into this book the whole time. I felt the ending a little anticlimactic but the rest was so good and it did fit the feel of the whole book.

Josie has issues. Nathan has issues. Alix is definitely dealing with some issues in the middle. I was invested the whole time and enjoyed the premise. The podcast/documentary set up was great and very easy to picture. There are so many twists that you are never bored and never sure what twist is 'the twist'!

Lisa Jewell definitely is an all over the place read for be but this was the best of hers I read! Such an easy and entertaining read!

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster and of course Ms. Jewell for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

A TRUE PSYCH THRILLER! Lisa is back. This book had everything! A surprising set up and surprising twists just at the very end of the book. You will question everyone’s motives by the end of the book.

Great read! I was hooked right from the getgo!
When popular podcaster, Alix Summerruns into her birthday twin, Josie, at the local pub, Alix would never suspect she would end up spinning her life out of control.
When the women bump into each other a few days later, Josie seems eager to become a subject on Alix’s podcast.
as things spiral out of control, Alix questions of her own life is becoming podcast worthy.

Great read! Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys the genre. Well written and had be hooked from the first pages.

Wowza! I raced through this one. Popular podcaster Alix Summers meets an unassuming, odd, always clad in denim woman named Josie Fair.
Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and approaches her with an idea. She thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She wants to share her story as she is about to embark on an adventure and make some major changes in her life.
Alex is intrigued and realizes that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets. She knows this could be the story of a lifetime.
But Alex lets Josie get too close and now Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, and inadvertently put her life and her family’s lives in danger. This is Jewell’s best yet!

** More like a 4.5!
FINALLY!! a Lisa Jewell book that fully checked all my boxes! Most of her books have been solidly good for me but I've just been waiting for one to fully grip me and this one was it! Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys mysteries.

⭐️: 4/5

When podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with Josie Fair when they are both coincidentally celebrating their 45th birthdays at the same restaurant, she doesn’t think much of it. A few days later, she runs into Josie again, this time outside of her children’s school, and Josie pitches herself as the subject of Alix’s next podcast. Intrigued, Alix begins interviewing her, and before long, Josie has integrated herself into her life. Soon, she begins to realize that Josie is not all that she seems, and she is hiding some dark secrets. When Josie disappears, Alix is left to pick up the pieces of her horrifying legacy.

I’m a big Lisa Jewell fan. She’s one of my favorite thriller authors, since I can count on a dark, twisty, slightly disturbing story that will have a shocking ending. None of This Is True had a bit of a slower start than a lot of Jewell’s other books, but eventually hooks you and keeps you reading until you get the answers to all the questions. Throughout the book, transcripts of the fake Netflix documentary based on the events of the podcast are interspersed, which I found to be a really fun reading experience, since it breaks up the monotony of just normal prose. As you get deeper in the book, the creepy, unsettling vibes that Josie is responsible for are just immaculate, and really made it an immersive read. I was a little disappointed with the secondary twist at the very end, which is uncommon for Lisa Jewell books. Usually they’re shocking and revelatory and change your understanding of the whole book, but this one was just ehh for me. Overall though, this was a great thriller and I devoured it in one day!

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 rounded to 5!

I couldn’t peel my eyes away from this if I tried. This was so freaking GOOD!!!!! Addictive, dark, twisty and leaves you questioning everything by the end. Loved this so much

Holy Hannah, this book. Was so good. I literally couldn’t put it down. The title could not have been more perfect because truly, I had no idea what to believe the entire time i was reading. Josie is one of the most unreliable characters ever. She was so creepy and obsessive, you could just tell something wasn’t right with her and the persona she was presenting to Alix. And I don’t know that I ever fully trusted Alix either because she had her own secrets she kept hidden. The mystery in this was excellent, I just had to keep reading to find out where this was all going. Using the Netflix show/podcast as a POV was well done and it gave a completely different perspective, information we weren’t necessarily getting from Josie or Alix. I absolutely love when I can’t figure books out and it takes us almost up to the end of the story to have it all resolved. This is definitely my favorite Lisa Jewell book so far!

I was on the edge of my seat the whole book! This one was just as good as I'd hoped! It has a Podcast/Netflix series element along with 2 POV. Alix is one POV and Josie is the other. As they bump in to each other on their birthdays, learn they are birthday twins, they slowly begin a friendship.

To say I was hooked would be an understatement. The story is so compelling and the pacing was perfect. I couldn't read fast enough, my mind was racing the whole time. I didn't guess any of the twists, I was so wrapped up in the story. This is Lisa Jewell at her finest and one of my favorite stories yet! Don't miss this one!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

First thank you for this arc it was the best Lisa Jewell I’ve read yet. From the first page you will be swept into thinking what is Josie up to! I wold recommend this to everyone and will definitely pick it as a book for my older students book club. She is an amazing thriller writer. My groups will love it

I’ve long been a fan of Lisa Jewell but her last few books left me wanting a little more from her. I was really excited about the premise of “None Of This Is True” and the inclusion of the podcast aspect. This was definitely a page turner and kept me wanting to read more as each page went by. This was one of those novels where you’re not really in love with any of the characters but I was okay with that because of the mystery surrounding all of them. I really enjoyed this book and I think the only thing that kept this from being a 5 star read for me was the ambiguous ending and the lack of connection I had with any of the characters. Otherwise, this was an entertaining and enjoyable read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of this book! I would definitely recommend this one!

Alix Summers and Josie Fair while completely different, are both on the cusp of change. When their paths cross on their shared 45th birthday, their lives will never be the same. Josie has a story to tell and she wants Alix, as a successful podcaster, to tell that story. But Josie is not who she says she is. As Alix gets the root of the story and Josie integrates herself into Alix’s life and home, Alix will find herself in the middle of her own true crime podcast.

I love that Jewell took a break from using flashbacks, and instead incorporated the podcast dialogue and the documentary footage. It gave us a good view into what others important characters were saying and thinking without making the cast of narrators too convoluted. The fact that this is told through just Josie and Alix’s narration really gave the reader control of interpretation.

Josie’s character from the start is unsettling and I went on a roller-coaster of emotions while learning more about her. She’s such an unreliable narrator and her obsession over Alix was the perfect level of creepy. Alix is our more stable character, but even then, we get to see behind the curtain of her perfect life. The contrast of the two characters was wonderfully done, and really made their personalities stick out and clash.

This is probably the darkest of Jewell’s books and boarder on Jennifer Hiller’s style of writing. There are some trigger warnings for sexual abuse, grooming, pedophile, and alcoholism but without any spoilers, they never get graphic.

I enjoy Lisa Jewell’s books. They’re easy thriller reads for me, and I generally know what to expect. While I had an inkling on what the ending was going to be, I still really enjoyed the journey to get there. This is my new favorite book from Jewell and is honestly one of the most attention grabbing of her books in recent years.

None of This is True comes out August 8, 2023. Huge thank you to Atria Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.

“None of This is True” by Lisa Jewell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Psychological Thriller. Location: London, England. Time: June 2019-March 2022.
 
Hi, I’m your Birthday Twin!

Glamorous, ambitious podcaster Alix Summer is married to Nathan with 2 children at home. She’s celebrating her 45th birthday at a local pub when she meets shy, retiring Josie Fair, married to 72 year old Walter, with 2 grown children. Josie’s also celebrating her 45 birthday-Birthday Twins! Josie thinks her strange, complicated life would be an interesting subject for Alix’s podcast.

As Alix records Josie’s life, she slowly realizes Josie hides dark, bizarre secrets. Before Alix realizes it, Josie has wormed her way into Alix’s life and home. Then Josie disappears, and Alix discovers Josie left a terrible, terrifying legacy. Alix becomes the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her family members’ lives in danger. Nothing is what it seems.

Author Jewell has written a book as full of layers as an onion. As each layer peels away, another secret slips out: Past trauma, current problems, PTSD, lies, omissions, revenge. She adds in scenes from Alix’s Netflix series “Hi, I’m your Birthday Twin”, which give us more dark secrets and future events. As usual, Jewell’s book is character-driven, and full of fast-paced, evocative prose. That’s why she’s a “must-read” for me! It’s dark and very very twisty, the characters are unreliable, it’s pure Lisa Jewell-and I couldn’t put it down! It’s 5 stars from me🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️ Thank you to Aria Books, NetGalley, and Lisa Jewell for this early copy. Publishes 8/2/23.

Lisa Jewell has truly done it again. Her books never fail to re-energize my reading and make me fall back in love with thrillers.

This may be my favorite of hers yet.

Jewell weaves a compelling tale that, true to its title, has the reader consistently second guessing what is fact and what is fiction. None of This is True tells the story of two women—both turning 45 on the same day, celebrating in the same restaurant. The two women, though “birthday twins” are polar opposites—one strange and striving to be different than who she is, another seemingly glamorous and living the life everyone dreams to, filled with friends and fun. We see that this glamorous woman, Alix, is actually a famous podcaster with young children, while the other, Josie, works part time in an alterations with adult children. These women could not be more different, yet, they were born on the same day in the same hospital—in the grand scheme, a meaningless connection. They meet in the bathroom and from here, our tale unfolds.

Josie convinces Alix to tell her story on her podcast—her narrative of what has occurred in her life, from her upbringing, to her family, and truly every facet of her life. However, all is not as it seems and it becomes clear very quickly that Josie is manipulating Alix. This story is told from two points in time—the first being snippets from a Netflix TV show adaptation of the podcast in “current time” and the second being the time where the events unfolded. I loved this and thought it really added depth to the story.

This is a great thriller with the amazing twists and turns you would expect from a Lisa Jewell novel. Truly, one of the best thrillers I’ve read lately and perhaps one of my all-time favorites. If you’re looking for a compelling, well-developed “True Crime”-esque novel, please pick up this book!

Could not put this one down! Full of twists and turns, this story keeps you in its grip and won't let go. Even after reading the book, I keep finding myself thinking about it!
Alix Summer and Josie Fair have a chance encounter on both of their 45th birthdays that will lead them both to get to know each other and put them on a disastrous path. Through Alix's decision to include Josie in a new podcast project, she will realize that she is becoming a character in her own true crime story.
Readers of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley, if you aren't reading Lisa Jewell, you need to add her to your rotation!

Lisa Jewell once again writes a book that blows my mind!

When Josie Fair meets podcaster Alix Summers, she uses their being "birthday twins" as an in to get Alix to tell her story on her podcast... As disturbing as parts of Josie's story are, Alix knows this is going to make for a podcast you can't stop listening to.

The writing on this one - spectacular. You get "excerpts" from the podcast recordings AND a Netflix documentary made from the situation?? Yes, please!
The story itself? There are so many uncomfortable parts and then you start to question if any of it is actually true (love when a title plays in the way it does!). The twists keep you turning the page, but the ending made me wish for a little bit more closure.

This would make a perfect book club pick, sooooooo much to talk about with this one!

Thanks, NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Creatively Woven Psychological Thriller

SUMMARY
Alix Summer meets Josie Fair for the first time in a London restaurant bathroom. They were at the restaurant, both celebrating their forty-fifth birthday. They had even been born in the same London hospital. Alix is a wife and mother of two young children and the creator of a well-known podcast series about successful women. Josie is a stay-at-home wife and mother of two adult girls.

Alix and Josie bump into each other a week later outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie pitches an idea to Alix. Josie thinks she should be the subject of Alix’s next podcast series since she is on the verge of making significant changes to improve her life. Alix is intrigued enough to listen to and record Josie’s stories.

As Alix gets to know Josie, she becomes increasingly distressed by the stories about Josie’s childhood, mother, husband, and children. At 3 am one morning, Josie appears on Alix’s doorstep after a physical fight with her husband. She had nowhere else to go. Josie masterfully insinuates herself into Alix’s home life and becomes the unwelcome guest who will never leave. On the day she finally gets Josie out of her house, Alix’s husband heads to a bar with some friends, and Alix’s life turns into a nightmare, and she becomes a major player in her own podcast series.

REVIEW
Maybe that bathroom meeting should have been a sign of things to come. NONE OF THE IS TRUE is a creatively woven tale of Josie, an outlandish woman who wants to change her life, and Alix, who tries to capture the story. This story is a psychological thriller about womanhood, our choices, and our secrets. It is a gut-wrenching character-driven drama.

Author Lisa Jewel’s writing is smartly structured, and Josie and Alix’s characters are intriguing. Who is Josie Fair, and why does Alix feel drawn to hear her stories? Despite being born on the same day and in the same hospital, their characters could not be any more different. Alix is smart and sparkling and has made a happy life for herself and her family. Josie is self-centered, dark, and miserable with the life she chose over thirty years ago.

My favorite part is Alix’s character, who allows herself to be caught in Josie’s chilling unraveling. The podcast tapes draw us in like a moth to a flame. The stories are horrendous, and the tension is unrelenting, but you just cannot stop reading this entertaining and diabolical story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


Publisher Atria Books
Published August 8, 2023
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com