I was very excited to review this book before it gets released on August 8th (thank you Net Galley and Atria Books!). I pick up Lisa Jewell’s books when I need a dark and twisty thriller that I know will keep me interested all the way through. This new book of hers was no exception.

Quick synopsis: Josie and Alix meet by chance on their 45th birthdays and realize they are birthday twins. Alex has a well-known podcast that features women’s stories, and Josie convinces her that she has a story to tell. They start recording a podcast together filled with confessions and dark secrets. In the meantime, Josie slowly starts inserting herself into Alix’s life and family, until Alix realizes she is caught in the middle of a real true crime story.

This book grabbed me right away and didn’t let go as the story unfolded and I tried to figure out who and what to believe. Lisa Jewell does a good job building suspense around her storylines and characters and what they are hiding. Once I finished it I had to gather my thoughts a bit before writing this review. The last few chapters and the ending left me feeling unsettled and a little confused and questioning everything. I know that’s part of the point, to have the story linger in readers’ brains afterwards. Overall, a dark and disturbing yet very entertaining psychological thriller that I literally could not put down!

Up until I was at 90% of this book, I would have given it 5 stars. For me, however, the ending fell completely flat! I kept waiting for the big twist or reveal which is what kept me reading until late at night. I wanted to find out what happened exactly and was so dissappointed in the ending that leaves you hanging. The format was enjoyable and the 2 main women were fascinating. I was so drawn in to creepy Josie and her relationship with her birthday twin Alix. Overall, the books ending made the overall reading experience underwhelming.

I have been a Lisa Jewell fan for a long time, and I think this is her best book yet.

The story alternates between two characters, Alex Summers, the podcaster, and Josie Fair, her birthday twin and podcast subject. The more Alex learns about Josie, the more questions she has. What is truth and what is lies? This book is fast paced, twisty, and a tense page turner. I could not put it down.

Thank you, Atria Books and Net Galley for the ARC of this great book. The comments expressed are my own.

Warning, once you start None of This is True, you'll have a very hard time putting it down so be prepared to binge read it. Lisa Jewell shows she's at the top of her game with her delivery of this dark, twisted, creepy, haunting, and disturbing psychological suspense thriller that is absolutely fascinating!

I'm not going to rehash the publisher's story blurb because they are far better at succinctly describing the storyline without giving anything away than I am. The LAST thing I want to do, fellow reader, is to give anything away! Trust me when I say that if you are a fan of this genre, this is a MUST READ. It's a read that I won't be able to forget for quite some time.

My thanks to Atria for allowing me to access a DRC of this great read via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given. The book is scheduled for release on 8/8/23.

WOWOWOWOW. Just when I thought Lisa Jewell may not be for me, she comes tearing out of left field with her latest book, None of This is True. Obviously, the title ushers you in with some…preconceived notions, but I promise you, it’s not what you think. Or is it? You’ll have to read to find out because this is one instance where the less said, the better. Just read it. You’ll thank me later.

Wow! What a book! If I could've logistically read Lisa Jewell's None Of This Is True in one sitting, I would have. I had to force myself to go to sleep and save the last hour and a half for the next day.

I went into this book blind so I won't go into detail about the plot. None Of This Is True follows Josie and Alix who just happen to meet on their 45th birthday and discover that they were born on the same day and in the same hospital. The book incorporates podcast recordings as well as written transcripts from a Netflix documentary about that podcast (a podumentary?) There are so many twists and turns and uses that "Single White Female" trope of a woman wanting another woman's life very well.

I'm very late to the Lisa Jewell appreciation party and have so many of her other books to read now! Thank you to Atria Books and #Netgalley for this great thriller!

This story hooks you quickly. I enjoyed the format of alternating events and then the retelling of events as a Netflix series. Definitely a diverting beach read that keeps you guessing.

Lisa Jewell’s upcoming thriller is edgy and addictive!

Josie Fair has a story to tell. Listen up.

It all began one night when Josie Fair was out dining to celebrate her 45th birthday and met Alix Summer, who was also there celebrating her own birthday. The coincidences don’t end there - not only were they born on the same day, but they were also born in the same hospital. When Josie realizes that Alix is a successful true-crime podcaster, Josie implores her to tell her story. What results is an unexpected gift - a true-crime story.

You’ll get caught up in the differing points of view and struggle to decipher who is telling the truth! Jewell has interspersed her narrative with transcripts from Alix’s interviews and readers soon see that the interviewees share slightly different versions of the truth. There are plenty of red flags and moments where the reader knows more than the characters, creating a tension-filled, high-interest read. It’s also an unsettling read in that Josie’s life is ‘complicated’ and I found myself getting increasingly uncomfortable (due to my over-active imagination), yet needing to read on because Josie had wormed her way into my thoughts the same way she’d wormed into Alix’s life. Like Alix, I fear Josie got me wrapped around her little finger! THAT’S skill - congratulations, Lisa Jewell. It was too late before I realized what had happened!!!

Jewell reminds her readers that a person’s behaviour is rooted in their motives.

Readers, avail yourself of the triggers prior to reading.

I was gifted this copy by Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Lisa Jewell does it again. From the first page until the end, I was hooked on every word.

Alix Summers is a successful podcaster who interviews women that have experienced extreme hardships and then later in life became self-made successful women. She
Is out to dinner with friends and family to celebrate her 45th birthday at a popular high-end restaurant.

While Alix is in the ladies room, she meets Josie Fair, who is also at the same restaurant with her much older husband, celebrating her 45th birthday as well.

Josie decides to inform Alix of this coincidence and tells her that they’re “Birthday twins.” Not only that, they were also born in the same hospital and that their children attended the same primary school.

This is where the story gets interesting. Josie sees a woman, much like herself but more successful with a beautiful home, family and a thriving career. She thinks maybe her life and how she met her husband would make an interesting story so she s̶t̶a̶l̶k̶s̶, approaches Alix one day on the street to tell her of this wonderful idea she has for her podcast.

Alix interest is now piqued. This could make a very interesting episode, nothing like she’s ever done before. Her journalist side is humming to find out more of these mysterious details of Josie Fair’s life.

But Alix soon discovers that Josie is not who she claims to be. Her facade is starting to crack and the real Josie is about to be exposed. Who is this person that Alix has allowed into her home? Into her life?

So many twists and turns with this story and this is another reason why Lisa Jewell is the best with domestic/psychological thrillers. She’s very detailed oriented and the pacing of the story is just right to keep you interested all the way through. And wow, once everything is unraveled I was shocked. Having an unreliable narrator made the story even more enthralling and kept you on your toes. I still don’t know what to believe!

Don’t let this one pass you by and add this one to your TBR. It might just be my favorite Lisa Jewell book to date!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced digital copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

If you're a fan of fast paced thrillers, I would definitely recommend this book. It keeps you guessing and wanting to know more.

This was my first book by this author, and I will definitely be checking out others.

Nothing like Lisa Jewell making me remember WHY I love reading thrillers whenever I pick up one again. She’s the queen of domestic thrillers and I couldn’t put this book down! A page turner on unreliable narrators and itching for what’s going to happen next in the plot and for the characters.

It’s a solid read, dark, in the times for now, and twisty. Have you guessing what’s going to happen next and I can’t wait for everyone to read it because the talking points are SO GOOD. I have so many thoughts. I mostly read this in public, at the park, on transit — and ignored everyone to keep reading. Would visibly gasp in public too. I had such a good time reading this! Will be the thriller for the summer.

On her 45th birthday, Josie Fair crosses paths with podcaster, Alix Summers, and discovers they are birthday twins. Josie starts listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she may be an interesting subject for her series. Josie’s life seems to be strange and complicated and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t resist the urge to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts realizing that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, but then she is left questioning if what Josie is telling her is even true and if it is true, what else she may be hiding.

I was drawn in to this book from the start with the engaging storyline and unstable and questionable characters. It was bone chilling, dark, twisty and mind bending. It was also unique in the fact that some of the story is told through Alix’s podcast that was turned into a Netflix documentary in the future.
After finishing this, I was literally speechless and couldn’t wait to discuss with someone who also read it to get their take on it. This book would make for a great book club read as the ending can leave each person believing completely different things, which is always something I enjoy! One of my favorite Lisa Jewell books to date and definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books and Lisa Jewell for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I couldn’t stop reading this, it was full of twists, turns, and ambiguity. I loved the format of moving between two character perspectives and the fast-forward of a documentary about the events, which added foreboding. A solid thriller!

This book was almost like an accident you couldn’t look away from. You want to stop and you’re like in shock about what she shares but you can’t stop lol
Lisa Jewel just has a Way to keep you turning. I started and finished the next day because I just had to keep going.!

This was an engaging, twisty, and exciting mystery/thriller. Alix is a podcast host looking for her next project, and Josie is a woman with a story to tell. The further they get into making a podcast, The more dramatic events happen and questions Alix has about Josie. I enjoyed this book and enjoyed that it jumped between the perspectives of the different characters and the transcript of a Netflix special.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
While out for dinner celebrating her 45th birthday, Josie Fair spots her birthday twin. Another woman celebrating the exact same birthday at the exact same pub. Josie recognizes the woman as Alix Summers, a local podcaster. Alix is the near opposite of Josie. Polished, successful, extroverted, wealthy. Josie decides she must meet her and plucks up the courage to talk to Alix. After a brief interaction, Josie becomes enamored with Alix and begins listening to all her podcasts. A few days later the women have a “chance” encounter outside of Alix’s children’s school where Josie pitches Alix the chance to hear her challenging life story. Wanting to try something new, Alix agrees to hear Josie out – but what Alix doesn’t realize is that her own story is about to become just as challenging and horrific as Josie’s… if not worse.

I discovered Lisa Jewell through reading The Family Upstairs and I like her style of writing. I thought this was a good psychological story about a deeply troubled family and their harrowing past. It’s not incredible, it’s not terrifying to read the next page, but it was an engaging page turner that I wanted to keep picking up. The story line was somewhat predictable, but I liked that in the end you didn’t know the actual truth. You got Roxy and Erin’s truth which, as the saner characters, you believe is what actually happened. But then you get a little more of Josie’s insight and you wonder if their explanation was all a sham. Josie is an unreliable narrator, so while her truth may actually be what happened, you are not sure you can find it believable.

This book does deal with dark subjects such as pedophilia, alcoholism, verbal and physical abuse.

Lisa Jewell never disappoints, some books are better than others, and her latest one has now overtaken the top spot in the seven books of her’s that I have read.

𝘕𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 (geez, I have the hardest time remembering this title!), is a slam-dunk winner of a thriller. It’s got all the ingredients I love in a twisty, dark, tense, page-turner:

Creepy Characters: Pretty sure I didn’t really love any of these people, but wow, was I intrigued by them! The wealthy podcaster, her dark and twisted birthday ‘twin,’ the two husbands, one a drunk, the other a creeper, the mysterious daughters.

Compelling Plot: I love a plot within a plot, the playing with time, jumping back and forth through interviews - the use of the true-crime podcast and documentary within the story was brilliant and kept me turning pages long into the night.

Satisfying Ending: I love when it fits, but it’s not a perfect bow on the package - that’s this book. Jewell develops her plot throughout the entire book, and does not focus on the crazy twist in the end, but oh my, the twists exist. Loved it - highly recommend!

A deliciously twisty tale where you never know who to believe and what story is true.

Alix is a successful podcaster who speaks with women who have overcome obstacles and done well with their lives. Josie is an unhappy housewife who works in an alterations shop. The two meet at a restaurant as both are celebrating the same birthday. Josie has decided to make some changes and convinces Alix to do a podcast with her as the subject. The two women work together as Josie slowly tells her story, but what is true? Alix and Joisie become more and more entangled in each others lives with tragic consequences.

Good characters, a well developed sense of unease and pacing that keeps you going even if you are afraid of where it might lead.

WHAT. WOW. WHAT? - my thoughts finishing this book. I had to wake up at 3:55 this morning, yet I stayed up reading because I simply couldn’t put this book down. the twists, the turns, the lies, the truths(?).

Josie meets her birthday twin, Alix, on their 45th birthday. After their meeting, Josie finds Alix’s podcast, and decides that she wants to share the story of her life— marrying a much older man, the story of her two girls, and how she wants to change her life. However, after a few recordings, Alix starts to realize that things are not as they seem, and Josie’s stories aren’t adding up. Before she knows it her life has become tangled with Josie’s, and because of this, her family might no longer be safe.

I’ve read a handful of Lisa Jewell’s books, and this is by far my favorite. I truly did not know what was going to happen or who to believe. I feel like this would make a great book club book, because I have SO many questions— what really happened? who was lying? who was telling the truth??

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review — thank you Atria Books! make sure to pick this book up in August!

READ IF YOU LOVE:
✨ unreliable characters
✨ true crime podcasts
✨ family drama

4.5 ⭐️

Definitely check your trigger warnings for this one!

This was my first novel by Lisa Jewell and wow!! Will totally read more of her books. She did such a good job of making the reader feel uncomfortable and uneasy, and had me physically cringing at some points. I was completely hooked the whole way!! And the way the “Netflix” show of the podcast is put into the story was so creative it really felt like I was watching it. The only thing I didn’t enjoy was the mention of Covid and masks near the end?? But that’s just personal preference, I don’t enjoy when any form of media includes a Covid anything in their storyline it just feels unnecessary. But other than that, FANTASTIC read!!