Yet again a fantastic book from a brilliant author! Lots of twists and turns ro keep you going throughout!

A gripping read with twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout! One of my favourite reads for a while.

Lisa Jewell is one of my favourite authors, I have read most of her books. In truth, if Lisa Jewell published her shopping list, I would read it.

I was very excited to read None of This is True and it didn’t disappoint and I was gripped and very invested from the first page. It’s probably my favourite of her books to date.

Josie and Alix are birthday twins, Both 45 years old and couldn’t be more different.

I give this a very easy five stars and didn’t want it to finish.

With Lisa Jewell you know you are in for a nerve-wracking story and this one certainly keeps you reading. The fact that the setting could be so closely related to our own lives adds to the chill factor.

The characterisation is skilfully written with Josie, a compelling and intense loner, contrasting so well to Alix, an open, welcoming and happy, fun person.

What held it as a 4 rather than 5 star review was the pace, which I felt was drawn out in the first half of the book. Once the action really gets underway, the story licks along quickly gaining tension and a variety of possibilities as the momentum builds.

The premise was unique and unnerving and will keep your pulse racing as the story rushes towards its twisty ending.

Review: this is one of those Lisa Jewell novels where you just don’t trust anyone! What I love about Lisa Jewell is that she writes characters which are definitely not all likeable, but they are so so intriguing and also just so easy to relate to. This kind of thing could have happened to any of us. The other big takeaway I loved in this novel is that it features the whole podcast situation. There has been a lot of talk recently about true crime podcasters getting sucked into their work and going too deep. This is so the case with this one. Poor Alix didn’t know what was coming for her when she invited Josie into her life. This mixed media format which cracks open the world of podcasting and just what a risk you could be setting yourself up for is just wonderful.

As already mentioned, I didn't love Josie or Alix, or any of the other characters for that matter but oh my goodness they were intriguing. They stayed with me for a long time. I also really sympathise with both of them. I felt for Josie because of the life she has led, whether she chose to live that way or not and I sympathised with Alix because she just didn’t see what was coming for her. They both have fully formed lives and they’re about to be ripped apart by this story.

I don’t know why I am surprised but I am always just so amazed at how dark a Lisa Jewell novel can get. This wasn’t dark in the same way that The Family Upstairs and The Family Remains was dark, its not scary in that way but the way Lisa Jewell weaves in the level of deception and the depth of twists, turns and lies that go on over the course of this story-it’s just truly remarkable. I absolutely flew through this, I didn’t see a lot of it coming and I really do feel like this ending was left the way it was for a reason. If this is your first Lisa Jewell novel-you’re in for a treat and if you’re already a fan then rest assured, this is every bit as good as her usual offerings, you won’t be disappointed.

I absolutely loved this book! It took a turn that I was not expecting at all and I definitely loved the direction it took. There was an edge to Josie that had you a little on edge especially with her relationship with Walter, you could feel from page 1 which was written so well into the book. Alix frustrated me that she wasn't able to question Josie more with her actions but I liked Lisa had written it so that the nervousness that you felt when reading the book came through Alix and her interactions with Josie.

It was so well written and i loved the interlacing of the interviews that went forward in time, it added depth to the story that made you just want to keep on reading!

I haven't read a book of Lisa Jewell's that I did not love and this one is firmly on the love list!

📖BOOK REVIEW📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

#NoneOfThisIsTrue by @lisajewelluk @centurybooksuk

⏩for synopsis

Well this was a delicious slow burn of a mind bending read… does that even make sense?😂 anyway…

This is an author I’ve been meaning to read for a long while now and after this I’ll defo bumping up her books to the top of the pile.

What a great read this was; as I’ve said it was a slow burn but that definitely wasn’t a bad thing. Time was needed to lay the foundations, gain your trust, get the know the characters on a deep and personal level while the seeds of the plot were dotted around and then the author just smashed everything you thought you knew to pieces. I loved the format with the snippets of podcast added in - they really filled the plot out and kept your interest right there. The story was ever changing and I’m still not sure I know what was true, the characters were flawed and I had constantly conflicting feelings towards them as at times they could be very unlikeable but next second you were emphasising with them. Well I loved every second of it and definitely recommend it!

With thanks the author #lisajewell, @netgalley and #centurybooks for allowing us to read this one early!

RELEASING: July 20th

-EMILY

@the_book_girls_1

When two women celebrate their 45th birthdays in the same restaurant they have no idea how their lives will become interwoven. Alix is a podcaster, looking for her next project. Josie is trapped in a dull life which she is keen to escape from.

As Josie begins to worm her way into Alix’s life and family, it is clear that there are dark things in Josie’s past. As she begins to tell her story the unease ramps up. I couldn’t put this book down. There were many times when I wanted to scream warnings to Alix. I loved that Alix and her husband were portrayed as flawed characters in their own right and enjoyed reading different characters’ views of Walter.

This was a gripping psychological thriller with so many plot twists and turns that kept me guessing to the last page. I have read other books by the same author but this has been my favourite as the pace didn’t let up once.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lisa Jewell is a ‘hit and miss’ author for me and her latest book None of This is True falls probably somewhere in between. It certainly intrigued me, especially the first half, as it was suspenseful and had plenty of twists. However, the plot occasionally became repetitive, and some events were overly explained. As the story progressed, it ventured into the realm of the absurd, prioritising shock value over narrative quality. Though it held my interest, the book didn't leave a lasting impression, making it a decent but not particularly remarkable read.

A tense and thrilling book! Grips you from the very first page with its dark and mysterious characters. Just as enjoyable as Jewell’:s previous books, if not more so!

None of this is true

Celebrating her 45th birthday, Alix Summers, a podcaster crosses paths with Josie Fair and discovers they're, in fact, birthday twins.
A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series.
As the podcast unfolds, Alix starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets.
Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

Oh my !! What a ride that was !! I absolutely devoured this book. I was slightly disappointed by the ending but still a massive 5 Stars (as I'm hoping a sequel will be in the future 🙏) This book was utterly heartbreaking and disturbing and the twists in this book had my head spinning. Brilliantly written, and I loved the podcast element and that we have a real podcast to go listen to definitely gives a new spin to the reading experience. Highly Recommended!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK, and Lisa Jewell for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is no doubt one of the best books that I have read in a long long time. Lisa Jewell really is spectacular and has mastered the art of keeping the reader well and truly on their toes.

Alix Summers and Josie Fair couldn't be more different but a chance meeting on their 45th birthdays, making them birthday twins, leads to true devastation, destruction and incredible lies.

Alix is a popular and glamorous podcaster who seems to have it all - money, children, good looks and an exciting life. Josie on the otherhand leads a dreary life along with her significantly older husband, who groomed her as a 14 year old child, and her special needs daughter Erin.

Alix is bewildered when Josie approaches her with the idea of a podcast based on Josie's life. Surely this woman has nothing significant to offer? However, as Alix delves into Josie's background she feels unsettled with the revealations that are uncovered. But as Josie establishes herself into Alix's life is all as it truly seems and can Alix really trust all that Josie is saying?

This book will have you on the edge of your seat. The twists and turns really are incredible and I literally devoured this book.

I recently had the pleasure of reading this new psychological thriller by Lisa Jewell, which I did not pick until after the release date!

This novel proved to be a captivating literary work. From the very beginning to the very end, it fully engrossed me in the storyline and found it difficult to put the book down. The characters, while fascinating, were intentionally unreliable, which added depth and intrigue to the overall experience. I was so invested in their world that I read the entire book in one sitting. The story is carved into four parts, which I loved, and the writing is exceptional.

This book has quickly become my favourite by Lisa Jewell and I am confident readers will adore this across various demographics. An absolutely flawless five star read that I highly recommend!

‘Her Lies Could Kill You’ - cover tag line.

My thanks to Random House U.K. Cornerstone Century for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘None of This is True’ by Lisa Jewell.

Without doubt Lisa Jewell knows how to craft an unsettling psychological thriller. Here she utilises the premise of framing the story within a Netflix documentary series titled: ‘Hi! I’m Your Birthday Twin!’

Josie Fair is an unassuming woman, married to Walter, a much older man. For her 45th birthday she suggests to Walter that they go out for dinner at a local gastropub. While there they notice a large party entering, clearly celebrating the birthday of another woman.

When Josie sees the woman, Alix Summer, in the ladies they chat. It turns out that they are both celebrating their 45th birthdays and to add to the coincidence, were born on the same day at a local hospital.

Alix is a journalist and podcaster and when they cross paths a few days later outside Alix's children's school, Josie suggests that she could be an interesting subject for Alix's podcast. Alix agrees to an initial interview and discovers that Josie's life does appear to be strange and complicated.

Aix also finds something about Josie unsettling yet can't quite resist the temptation to keep digging. Meanwhile, Josie seems to be inserting herself ever further into Alix’s life. No further details to avoid spoilers.

Well, as regular readers of psychological thrillers know this kind of behaviour is never a good sign. Plus, given that whatever happened between them resulted in the creation of a documentary series, it must be pretty dramatic.

I ended up reading ‘None of This is True’ in a single sitting, which is often the case with Lisa Jewell’s novels. On occasion there’s a mention of cameras and stage directions, reminding the reader of the tv series.

Overall, a dark gripping psychological thriller with plenty of satisfying twists.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

As a big fan of Lisa Jewell I was looking forward to reading this latest one and I wasn’t disappointed.

Alix, a popular podcaster is celebrating her birthday at her local pub when she bumps into Josie, who is also celebrating her birthday. A few days later the two bump into each other again and Alix finds herself committing to meeting with Josie again to talk about a podcast.

Alix finds Josie fascinating and they are soon meeting regularly to record the podcast but soon Josie starts to hint at a disturbing past. Alix is determined to try and uncover the truth about Josie’s past but she spins find herself in an uncomfortable situation when Josie turns up on her doorstep looking for somewhere to stay.

Alix starts to uncover more and more about Josie and the more she discovers the more concerned she becomes. Can Alix discover the truth before she becomes too involved ? And what cost will their relationship have on their lives ?

This is a fantastic psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns. The characters are well developed and you will find yourself invested in the plot as it develops. Not one to be missed !!

Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Lisa Jewell has done it again! I swear she just keeps getting better and better.

None of This is True is an absolute smasher of a thriller. It's addictive, it's creepy, it twists and it turns and it had me gripped from the get go.

It starts off very innocently with the sweet but slightly strange Josie Fair bumping into a local podcaster, Alix Summers, in the pub. They realise they are birthday twins and Josie offers herself to Alix as a podcast subject.

From then on we hear about Josie's life through their podcast interviews and that's when the book takes a drastic turn and we head straight into psychological thriller territory.

Once you have started reading you will not be able to leave this book alone.
As per usual Jewell has created characters that fascinate and repulse you in equal measures and has the reader on the edge of their seat not knowing which way the story is going to go.

Another absolute triumph from one of the Queens of the thriller world!

An easy 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me.

I have to little say on this one, literally no notes. One of the best thrillers I have read in a long time and I believe Lisa Jewell's best book to date. Gripping, impossible to put down, dark, twisty with one of the most terrifying characters I have ever read, I am never forgetting Josie.
Read this book.

4.5 stars.

Very few authors can drag me away from my beloved fantasy and have me hooked, but Jewell is one I can depend on to keep me turning the pages until late into the night. Her new book is no exception and I struggled to put it down.

I was hooked from the short prologue, the hairs on the back of my neck already up and ready, Jewel has such a gift for delving into the dark and disturbing, with breath taking revelations that just keep coming and slapping you across the face. I gave up on thrillers as I always saw the twist, but this book left me SHAKING.

Shy and retiring Josie, 45 with an elderly husband, grown children just happens to be going out for a birthday meal to the same place as Alix, who it turns out is Josie's birthday twin. Alix with her huge, loud group of friends, couldn't be further from Josie, but she reaches out to the famous podcaster Alix. Now Alix finds herself interviewing Josie for a new project, where the revelations and secrets leave her reeling.

The characters are brilliant. The polar opposites of each other and how they start to interact with each other. I love how your constantly questioning what's going on and what's real right up to the final page.

As usual, Jewel leaves you gasping for breath by the end. Just like the family upstairs, this book will stay with me for a long time and it's one I'll buy for friends and family to enjoy. Highly recommend this novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an ARC in return for an honest review of this truly fantastic novel.

It starts as a strange co-incidence. Josie Fair is celebrating her forty fifth birthday with her much older husband Walter at a smart gastropub when a group also celebrating a birthday. Alix Summers is the birthday girl. A broadcaster & a podcaster she has gained some fame after a popular series dealing with successful women. It turns out that the two women are 'Birthday Twins' born on the same day in the same hospital. The are both married with two children- their children even attend the same primary school (although Josie's daughters left a long while ago) Apart from that they are very different. Alix wants a new direction for her podcasts- could this be it? Josie seems to like the idea & agrees to be interviewed. All quite harmless you think? Be prepared for a trip down the rabbit hole! Told from various viewpoints this story grabs you & will not let go. It is one of my favourite reads so far this year! Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- I loved it!

On the simplest level, the new Lisa Jewell thriller None of this is true invites us to cover much well-trodden ground. Creepy Person invades the life of Someone Nice who almost has it all. No one is a reliable narrator. And we’re made complicit because it’s our voracious appetite for looking through strangers’ windows that drives Someone Nice to go along with Creepy Person even when all her instincts are telling her to run for her and others’ lives. Yes, we do get all that. But None of this is true works so well as a thriller because the ending is only the beginning. We’re fascinated with what has brought everyone to this point.
The thing with Jewell’s writing is this. She reveals quite a lot of the what early on. She keeps enough for a big twist, but we know early on who the bad person is and who’s going to get it. (The prose-podcast transcript mix really helps with this.) We stay, mainly because the story-telling is so good - fresh, pacy, compelling even when the characters are deliberately none of those things, but also because we want to know how. But it’s the why that has us pausing once we’ve got to the end. What do we learn about ourselves and our society and our humanity?
That may sound a little over the top. Not for Jewell the big set piece political number, in which conspiracies are uncovered and power structures dismantled. But there’s plenty on trust, and how we open ourselves up to people in ‘authority’, to victims (nuance isn’t a reason to close ourselves off), to our own instincts, to people who say they are our birthday twin. As ever, Jewell examines relationships that are superficially healthy and questions whether they are quite as healthy as they seem, or as unhealthy as we suddenly assume. But she also examines our relationships with the past and the future and how they affect the present. There’s a smidgeon of mid-life crisis here too, with Josie in particular wanting to reinvent, and Alix noticing that foibles she’d have laughed off in the past are becoming unacceptable.
All of the main adult characters have gone to find answers in their lives. Pat abandoned motherhood but became indispensable elsewhere. Walter’s relationship with his daughter is observed by hundreds of thousands of gamers - but it’s hidden from his wife. Nathan keeps his downs away from Alix. Alix has ridden the success of snap decisions, but her place of escape - her recording studio - wasn’t built by her and perhaps that prevents her from her strategy with Nathan. What is it about Alix that makes Josie think that she holds the answer that will set Josie free? The answer comes, of course, from what Josie thinks is Alix’s weightless, Instagrammable lifestyle, even though it is the untidiness of Alix’s kitchen that makes Josie relate to her more. But when Alix beats herself up for being a ‘flibbertigibbet’ we know the punishment was disproportionate.
Jewell’s books quite often encourage the reader to hold a mirror up to themselves, but with None of this is true she takes it to the max. We’re not just readers this time, we’re not just peering through Walter Fair’s window: we’re listening in via the podcast, and we’re watching on Netflix. Jewell has something to say about that in the fictional marketing blurb: ‘Absolutely spine-chilling stuff, with some shocking glimpses into the darkest corners of humanity: we guarantee you’ll be bingeing the whole thing in a day.’ We’re bad people and just like Alix and Josie we hide the truth from ourselves. Some of this is true.