Okay, so I really don’t understand Gillian Flynn’s hype train. I stayed away from Gone Girl because of the hype. Sharp Objects missed the mark. The narrative, the characterisation, the connotations. I just disliked the writing style. There’s something about the writing that doesn’t click for me. I appreciate the talent of the author, but it wasn’t something I’d scream about.

Oh man, so many things failed to hit the mark in Sharp Objects. The connection between self-harming and being a promiscuous loner, both bothered me. It just seemed disrespectful to me. Her mental illness seemed to be the primary focus of the story right away, it shouldn’t of been her entire personality. Even though I enjoy a good crime novel, I felt the central theme of someone killing young teenage girls was glossed over. There was no build-up or insight, and it simply felt two-dimensional. Furthermore, the lack of meaningful exploration into the motives of the killer was troubling, as it failed to offer any meaningful resolution for the characters or the audience.

I had no interest in Wind Gap as a setting for the story. I was not captivated by it. I did not find it interesting. Rather than simply supporting the story, I like to imagine the scenery, the houses as an integral part of the plot. Flynn tried way too hard to emulate Agatha Christie, and ultimately failed. While I love it when authors experiment with different themes and voices, they must remain true to themselves at all times. Ultimately, Wind Gap felt like a poor imitation of a classic mystery novel. It didn’t have the same charm or intrigue that I was expecting.

There was a real lack of humanity in this novel. Please don’t come for me. I wasn’t shocked or repulsed by the ending. Especially after reading a lot of horror and psychological fiction, that could be a sensitivity issue. The use of gore and violence seemed gratuitous to me. This lack of humanity was evident throughout the novel, and not even the ending changed my opinion. It was almost as if the author was trying to shock the reader, instead of providing a meaningful story. This emptiness struck a chord with me, and I found it difficult to read the book.

This story’s protagonist Camille is one of those tropes that I dislike – a mentally damaged heroine with alcohol- or drug-related problems unable to enter into relationships. That’s bullshit, man. We seem to have left that trope in the early 2000s. As a matter of fact, I disliked her drinking more than her self-harming. SPOILER -The fact that she could take ecstasy with her thirteen-year-old sister and sleep with an eighteen-year-old as a thirty-year-old woman is beyond irresponsible. She’s screwed up a lot, whether because of her upbringing or simply because she hasn’t grown up. She certainly has questionable decision-making skills, and it is concerning to witness the consequences of her choices.

After loosing my “thriller” mojo None Of This Is True has really pulled me back in. Packed with twists and turns I never saw coming this book left me shocked and truly entertained. Amazing

This is my first Lisa Jewell read, and it won’t be my last!

What a page-turner. I couldn’t put it down. I was totally drawn into the story and couldn’t wait to find out what happened. Alix gets pulled further and deeper into the drama of Josie’s life and starts to document it via her podcast but who is to say what’s true and where it will all end?

A claustrophobic and compelling read.

Without a doubt, this is the best Lisa Jewell novel I have ever read. In the author's note at the end, she explains at how it flowed out of her without many of the tropes we usually see in her thrillers. This means we have something completely unique and captivating with the story of 'None of this is True'.

Alix meets her birthday twin Josie whilst celebrating her forty fifth in a pub. Intrigued by this odd woman, Alix makes Josie the centre of her new podcast. We follow the making of the podcast whilst Josie reveals her life story bit by bit. This is intercut with excerpts from a Netflix documentary about the making of the podcast - so we already know things are going to take a tragic turn. Jewell has warned us to be suspicious of all of these characters in the title and wow, the twists and turns are worth it. I will not reveal anything further- read on go on the journey for yourself.

You will be completely absorbed and unable to put this down. Jewell is at her best here! As always, I am already desperately awaiting what she pens next. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Just Wow!
I have just finished this, after struggling to put it down over the last few days. Trying to think how best to sum it up. Other than a Must Read!

In this book we’re 1st introduced to Josie, a 45 year old mum of 2 adult children, who feels her life is humdrum and boring and she needs to break out from that and rediscover her true self. She has been married to her much older husband since she was 18. On the day of her 45th birthday she decides to treat herself and her and her husband Walter go out for a meal to a restaurant they’ve never been to before.
While they’re in walks a large group celebrating the birthday of their friend Alix. Josie’s attention is drawn to the fact that it appears Alix is also celebrating her 45th birthday. Introducing herself in the toilets it turns out they were both born on the same day in the same hospital. Josie quickly latches onto this and becomes obsessed with Alix. Finding a way to ‘bump’ into her she ignites Alix’s interest by telling her she has a story to tell.
Alix is a podcaster and instantly is drawn to this fascinating story Josie tells her. They spend the next few weeks recording Josie’s story

What is truth, what is lies and what is really going on?

Throughout this book it is interspersed with chapters alternating between Josie and Alix, but also a Netflix reenactment of My Birthday Twin!

I highly recommend this book.
Well done Lisa Jewell

None of This is True is another great read from Lisa Jewell. It is a dark story full of twists and turns and I found it completely unputdownable. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for my ARC.

Well what can I say but Lisa Jewell has blew it out of the water with this one. What did I just listen to and can I listen all over again! I had this one in ebook and audio and I never got near the ebook as the audio was just to good an experience to stop listening. It’s so cleverly written but the audio really took the whole experience to the next level when it came to the podcast aspect. It worked so well and you could feel the creep factor oozing into your brain. The storyline is incredible and what a tale it spins with all the twists and turns you can think of. This one has it all. Clearly written but really well developed storyline that I was left salivating when the chapters left you hanging in midair. I loved Alix as a character but I completely despised Josie from the get go. She completely gave me the creeps to the point I wanted to shout at Alix to ‘watch out’ and ‘look behind you’. This is a must read - go reserve it, download it, buy it - you can thank me later 😉…

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to listen and review #NoneOfThisIsTrue

Completely unputdownable. Just when I though I was getting a little bored of thrillers this one came along and gripped me from start to finish. I absolutely raced through it. Would definitely recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, Lisa Jewell has done  it again, another great psychological thriller, I was hooked!

Alix Summer is a  successful podcaster, specialising in women's stories. She is married with two lovely kids and a gorgeous husband Nathan. She seems to have the perfect life, even if Nathan is a bit prone to a drunken bender with the lads.

On her 45th birthday she meets Josie Fair in a restaurant, who turns out to be her birthday twin and was even born in the same hospital! However Josie is very different to Alix, dowdy and ordinary with an older husband. When Josie asks  if she could feature in a podcast Alix is dubious, Josie is not the sort of woman her audience is usually interested in. However, things as not quite as they seem...

Another great story, kept me up late (and I am slightly disturbed now!) I'm still wondering what is actually true! I look forward to reading more from Lisa :)

If you like your thrillers dark and twisty, None of This is True by Lisa Jewell needs to be on your tbr list!

Podcaster Alix Summer celebrates her 45th birthday with her husband and friends in her local pub when a chance encounter with a woman called Josie who’s also celebrating her 45th occurs. When they bump into each other again a few days later, Josie tells Alix that she would make a fantastic subject for her podcast. Alix decides to give it a go but soon discovers that Josie’s life is strange and complicated and she’s harbouring some dark secrets. Josie has weaselled her way into Alix’s life and now Alix is afraid…

Fans of true crime podcasts will love the style of this story! The short chapters packed with red herrings and revelations makes the story move at breakneck speed- it’s relentless and utterly absorbing. Alternating between podcast transcript snippets, internal monologues and a Netflix documentary filmed after the dramatic events have unfolded, Jewell ramps up the tension and her unique way of bringing these elements together make this book a real page turner.

Jewell dives into some very heavy topics including mental health issues, coercion control, trauma and dubious parenting. The very title makes you stand on guard from the opening sentences and Alix and Josie’s stories are ultimately about truth and perception.

None of This is True is my new favourite Lisa Jewell book. You will be kept guessing until the very last sentence. One of the standout thriller releases of the year so far, None of This Is True is out now.

Thanks to Randomhouse UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for the arc.

Absolutely loved this book, great author loved all her books. Highly recommend to friends and family. 5 star read

Well, this was one of my highly anticipated books for this year and it did not disappoint. I like Lisa Jewell's writing. And she has nailed it yet again with None of this is True. What an apt title! It took me a while to get into this bizarre yet exciting plot. But after a few chapters, I was hooked. I did find the whole plot unbelievably outlandish. But that didn't stop my curiosity from wanting to find out about Josie's story. Also what is fiction, if not strange especially a thriller with characters like Josie and Walter Fair. At one point I did think how can Alix be so gullible and let a complete stranger come into her home and control her but then again I know it's very much possible even in real life what with human vulnerabilities and the need to believe in the good of others and our own ability to deal with things that are spiraling out of control.

Also this is exactly what makes this book a complex and layered domestic thriller. I liked how Lisa Jewell revealed parts of the story, as the book progressed without giving away much at one go, yet also showing us a glimpse of the true nature of the characters, making me want to keep reading. Which is exactly what I did. At one point, about 60 percent into the book, I started binge reading because I had to know, just like Alix Summer had to know about Josie's life.

Many parts of the book were sad to read, like the mistreatment of Erin and the unnecessary deaths that could have been avoided if not for the twisted mind of a person who wants to be desperately in control but also I think has psychological issues. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is because, I feel like there are so many unanswered questions which I would have liked explained but I guess the author wanted the reader to keep guessing. This is a well-written twisted, dark and tragic domestic thriller that is a must read. It has all the elements required for an intriguing novel. It's the third novel by Lisa Jewell that I have read since last year and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. In the meantime, I will try and read more of her blacklisted novels while I highly recommend you all to grab this one and settle in for a gripping read.

Another wonderful read from Lisa Jewell. Dark and twisty with a unique story. I loved this and binge read in two days.

I loooove Lisa Jewell. I think her thrillers are so twisty and dark and I enjoyed this one even more than her previous books. She is just a queen! Can't wait for her next book.

Starting a book with a title such as this puts the reader on guard from the beginning: if nothing is true, what do you believe?

​A chance meeting of two women who share the same birthday turns into a very dark tale. One woman runs a very successful podcast with links to a television series, the other is an odd, introverted seamstress who is obsessed with wearing denim. The plan is to make a documentary about overcoming abuse and trauma. The question is whose tragedy it is.

Jewell is a skillful writer. Using short, snappy chapters to progress the pace and tension, and haunting scene reenactments, the story considers grooming, mental health, parenting, trauma and coercive control. The writing is timeless and cliche-free although very modern in terms of the media involved in the tale, and the studio in the garden is very contemporary in the post-pandemic society.

All the characters are interesting, the weakest being the podcaster's husband who sometimes appears to be not quite credible, especially near the end, although the idea of perception could be at play. The mystery of the absent characters at the beginning of the book is enthralling and it is fascinating to see them unfurl against the expectations as the story develops.

Dark and disturbing, the core theme is truth, perception and the concept of victimhood. An excellent thriller in the 'unreliable narrator' mode.

Wow wow wow! Lisa does it again, writing another captivating psychological thriller that had me gripped from the off - to the point that I read it in two days, and twice in two consecutive months!

The way the characters were written gave me the creeps and I was so uncomfortable at so many points of the book! An aspect of thrillers that I live for!

Twisty, shocking (lots of gasps from me!), creepy, LOVED IT!! And I spent the whole book trying to work out what the hell was going off and would never have guessed the end!

Absolutely killed it! Quite possibly overtaken The Family Upstairs as my favourite!!

None of This is True Lisa Jewel
I'm a huge fan of this authors books. This book wouldn't go in a my favourite of her work, but I did enjoy it.
There was a different feel to the style of writing you come to expect from Lisa, but that's OK too!
Good all rounder.

OOOF! I just knew as soon as I saw Lisa Jewell had a new book coming out that I had to have it, didn’t even need to read the synopsis. As you can probably tell, it did not disappoint 🤩

We begin with two women, out celebrating their birthdays. An accidental meeting sees them realising they are birthday twins, who also share other past similarities. Alix is a true crime podcaster and Josie convinces her to make a podcast about her and their common backgrounds. From here begins one wild and twisty ride…

The narrative centres around the two women through their internal monologue, transcripts of the podcast and from a Netflix documentary series in the making. Both unreliable characters, though colourful and engaging, I was wholly invested in both their storylines, even forgiving some questionable decisions.

As the podcast unravels and secrets are revealed, both women question their relationships with their partners, families and each other. Jewell is relentless with her twists and turns and brilliant plotting, I was on the edge of my seat throughout.

At the novels core is the element of truth - what and who to believe - is the truth too much to bear?

For a change I’m stumped for words 😂 not wanting to give too much away and still floored by what will undoubtedly be in my top ten reads this year. In a nut shell, read it!

This novel had me hooked as the characters of Josie and Alix are slowly unravelled and intertwine. They meet as they are both celebrating their 45th birthday in the same pub and realize they are birthday twins. Alix is a podcaster and ends up interviewing Josie for her podcast. The pace of this story ramps up in the second half and nothing is as it seems. I mixed reading and listening to this and the narration was excellent and really added to the tension. Highly recommend to fans of psychological thrillers but also be aware some tough storylines are involved. Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the ARC

Absolutely loved this chilling twisty & very disturbing thriller.
Talk about a page turner I just couldn’t put it down.
Well written this addictive read had me burning the midnight oil.
Alix Summer & Josie Fair are both celebrating their 45 th birthday when their paths cross in a pub.
Alix is a well known podcaster where as Josie is an ordinary housewife.
After accidentally bumping into each other the next day Josie convinces Alix to do a podcast about her.
Josie says she would be a good subject as she is about to make some big changes in her hum drum life.
After Alix agrees to the podcast it soon becomes clear Josie is a very complicated & strange person.
As Alix digs deeper she starts to find Josie is hiding some very dark secrets & worries where all this is leading.
Excellent cleverly written storyline that pulls you in & gets under your skin.
Thoroughly enjoyed this brilliant read.