I have a few very favourite authors and Lisa Jewell is my all-time number 1. I was so excited to start None of This is True and when I got the chance to read it I was not disappointed.

Lisa Jewell writes and weaves an incredible disturbing story that has many twists and turns and will keep the reader engaged from page 1 until the very last page.

We meet character Josie, out with much older husband on a night out for her 45th birthday and in the same restaurant she spots well-known podcaster Alix also celebrating her birthday. When Alix goes to the restroom Josie follows and introduces herself with "I'm your birthday twin". This sets off the premise of the story and I was gripped.

Josie asks Alix to do a podcast on her as she has some very interesting stories to tell and so Alix does.

We learn of Josie's relationship with her much-older husband and how they came to meet, Alix wants to meet him and they come to dinner. Alix is having difficulty with her husband as he is going out on all night drink sessions and on this evening he does not come home and Josie is angry about that, to say the least.

Josie leaves, only to return to Alix's home in the middle of the night stating that her husband has beaten her and she stays the night at Alix's home, well not just the one night the whole week. All the time that Josie is staying with Alix and her family, none of them are comfortable.

When Josie leaves she does some unthinkable things and the story really packs a punch. Great writing from the author.

Lisa Jewell really engages the reader in her characters and we really get a sense of them. Josie is a strange one and Alix is a joy to read about, although she is a bit of a pushover at times.

I will not give too much away but this is a super enjoyable read and another winner by Lisa Jewell.

Thanks to Netgalley, Lisa Jewell and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

R E V I E W: (will be posted on www.instagram.com/kayleyisreading in July)

Things I loved about this one:

✅ unreliable characters
✅ left feeling unnerved and tense throughout
✅ podcast and Netflix documentary transcripts that give you more of the story
✅ a drip drip of information throughout ever chapter
✅ fast paced and plot line

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! It sucked me in, spun me round and threw me back out. I was desperate to find out what happened next.

The characters had me rooting for them, then disgusted and back again. The pacing had me nervous for the characters too, it was very unsettling.

R A T I N G

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Popular podcaster Alix Summers and part time seamstress Josie Fair couldn't be more different, but one thing brings them together and that's the fact that they were born on the same day and in the same hospital, then Josie 'accidentally' bumps into Alix in the toilets of the gastro pub where they are both celebrating their forty fifth birthdays and declares they are birthday twins. Days later their paths cross again when Josie asks Alix if she would consider making a podcast about her life, Alix is intrigued with her story and agrees to do it but, the more she learns about Josie and her complex life, the more she realises there's something very dark about her. The events that follow will change both families lives forever...

None of this is True is told across four parts and you hear from both Josie and Alix throughout, with excerpts from the 'Hi! I'm Your Birthday Twin' Netflix series expertly woven into this intriguing tale. I began this story feeling quite empathetic towards the seemingly downtrodden Josie, but throughout the book my allegiance between the main characters changed so many times and I really didn't know what to think about Walter! It's a fast paced read that I just couldn't put down and devoured it in a matter of hours. This is a very clever, at times bewildering, story that will leave you wondering long after you turn the last page, who was telling the truth! I'd say this is Jewell's best one yet!

I'd like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #Penguin for my copy of #NoneOfThisIsTrue by #LisaJewell
I devoured this book, I really couldn’t wait to get to the ending, and then wanted to read it again.
Renowned podcaster Alix Summers is celebrating her 45th birthday in her local pub when she meets Josie Fair who is also celebrating the same birthday. A few days later they meet again and Josie pitches her idea for a new podcast. Alix is intrigued and sets in motion the following events. Who is Josie Fair and what secrets is she hiding !
A totally gripping read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Two strangers in a pub, both celebrating their 45th birthdays. Alix Summers is a glamorous and successful podcaster; Josie Fair a plain, unassuming woman discontent with her lot in life who regards Alix’s sparkling party with envy. That night their paths cross briefly in the loos.
A few days later, they meet again, outside Alix’s children’s school and Josie persuades her new friend to listen to a pitch she has for a new podcast series, about birthday twins. Josie assures Alix she is on the verge of transforming her humdrum life into something far more exciting.
Alix takes the bait and slowly becomes drawn into Josie’s twisted world, unable to stop herself from making the podcast because the content is just so good. Before she knows it, Josie has wormed her way into Alix’s life and home, upsetting the domestic apple cart.
Then Josie vanishes and it soon become apparent that she has left a terrifying trail in her wake. Unwittingly Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast and must do all she can to save her family from the birthday twin from hell.
I raced through this unputdownable thriller at a breathless pace and was thoroughly entertained.

This gripping psychological thriller was an absolute belter!!. I read this one in twenty four hours and carried it around until the end!!. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up in some places, I even thought about making sure the doors were locked!!. Of course, when I finished it, it was pitch black outside which created a lot of fear and angst on my part!!.
Josie, a bored housewife decides to latch on to a famous podcaster called Alix Summer and tell her a sad and disturbing tale of how she met her husband and created the life she now lives, after seeing her in a pub and seeing how much she was loved by all her friends and what a great life she was living. Alix sees a great podcast that could go far, so she carries on with interviews, ignoring what her little voice must have been telling her...STAY AWAY!.
Josie's obsession with Alix now grows with horrific results.......

As you can tell, I loved this story, but I will admit this, I'm not going to sleep well tonight or the night after that....
I received this free ARC book for an honest review.
#Netgalley, #randomhouseuk, #lisajewelluk.

This was a brilliant thriller domestic noir! Alix and Josie, birthday "twins", meet coincidentally on their 45th birthday. What follows is a masterpiece in menace as Josie persuades Alix to interview her for a podcast, and reveals the astonisihing story of her life. But how far can she be trusted? As she inveigles her way into Alix's life, her influence becomes more malign - and soon there will be a price to pay.
Their story is so astonishing that a fictional Netflix is even making a documentary of it!
What a story. Both Alix and Josie were really strong, convincing characters, their lives skilfully portrayed in all their varying contrasts. The plot is well-paced, with each woman giving her version of events, interspersed by "Netflix " interviews of the various people in their lives who have been caught up in their story - a ploy that makes the narrative feel very fresh and modern.
As you'd expect, there are plenty twists along the way as the story reaches its heart-stopping conclusion. This was a really good read, and exceeded all my expectations, which are pretty high for this author, anyway.

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had seen alot of books by @lisajewelluk but never read any before so when I got the chance to read this before publication via @netgalley I thought I would give it a go and hopefully find a new author to my must reads and that is certainly what I got.

I couldn't stop reading this book and it has you hooked from the very beginning.

What would you do if you found your birthday twin, a complete stranger who is celebrating their 45th birthday at the same time as your celebrating yours.
That's exactly what happens to Alix Summers, a popular podcaster when she meets Josie Fair a mother and housewife.

Josie goes on to persuade Alix to turn her story into one of Alix podcasts following the changes she will soon be making in her life.
But will this new friendship soon bring more changes to both their life's than either was expecting.

The story was gripping from the very beginning and I love the way it was written, and without giving away to much the view of both podcast, TV settings and storyline.

The characters were brilliantly written and really made you feel for them.

You will be able to get the chance to read this book on 20th July 2023.
In the meantime I will be going to find Lisa Jewells' previous books to get stuck into.
Thank you to @penguinrandomhouse
@netgalley and @lisajewelluk for giving me the chance to read this early.
#NoneOfThisIsTrue#netgalley

A dark and compelling thriller!
Alix is a podcaster and a chance meeting whilst celebrating her birthday will change her live for ever .
Josie is in the same restaurant with her husband celebrating her own birthday , she feels drawn to Alix and believes it’s fate that they share a birthday and were also born in the same hospital.
Josie observes Alix from afar then proposes an idea for a new podcast about birthday twins .
Then the story gradually becomes darker with subjects such as child abuse , alcohol abuse and obsession so it’s not a light read but a thriller that I was hooked on from the first page .
Lisa Jewell has done it again !
Highly recommended a must read for every Lisa Jewell fan .
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK , Cornerstone.

As soon as you see a book by Lisa Jewell you know you are in for an amazing ride and I think this was her best book yet.
This was quite a shocking thriller. Strangers that meet and discover they share the same birthday and born in the same hospital. One of these people decides that they need to be involved in the other ones life and although they are not friends, some sort of strange relationshio is formed between them, with one having a shocking tale to tell but is it true?

Many thanks to Lisa Jewell, Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a strange and immensely compelling tale. Yet again Lisa Jewell thinks outside the book and brings something new and very readable.

The main characters were authentic and completely believable, the story was interesting and I enjoyed the pace of the book.

I would've liked to have more details about Erin, but this is the perfect opening to a sequel.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I finished this book last night reading it in one sitting and i still don't know what to say.. I was absolutely blown away and I will be thinking of this for a long time to come.
I guess the title would be a good indication of what's in store but this is the very best of what Lisa jewell has to offer in terms of a thriller.
I didn't know who to trust, I couldn't salvage any clues or anything to try and work out an ending to the story and I just didn't know what was going on throughout the book.
Best she's written yet.

5 stars

Goodness, Lisa Jewell just gets better and better! Such a build up in the book, better than watching a film!

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

I’d like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘None Of This Is True’ written by Lisa Jewell in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Successful podcaster Alex Summer is out with her husband Nathan celebrating her 45th birthday when she meets Josie Fair who’s also celebrating her 45th at the same venue and who was born in the same hospital. Josie tells Alix they’re birthday twins. The following days Josie makes a point of being wherever Alix is and when Alix appears keen to make a podcast of Josie’s story they start meeting in her office culminating in a dinner invitation at Alix and Nathan’s home. But the more often they meet and the more Josie tells her of her life the stranger their relationship becomes until events occur that make Alix wonder if Josie is telling the truth.

‘None Of This Is True’ is a dramatic and totally absorbing psychological thriller of what happens when an unbalanced woman sets her sights on infiltrating the life of another. The story is interspersed with parts of the script from Alex’s Netflix series ‘Hi, I’m Your Birthday Twin!’ as she interviews Josie to discover what makes her tick as well as learning more about her life with husband Walter and daughters Roxy and Erin. It’s been well-written with a brilliantly thought-out plot that becomes dark, chilling and at times disturbing, and I was so involved with the characters and trying to make sense of what Josie was saying that by the time I reached the last few chapters I was in shock with the events that occurred and glued to my Kindle while my brain tried to sort out what had actually happened. This is a fantastic thriller, thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking, and I don’t think I’d be far wrong by saying that it’s the best I’ve read by this amazing author,

None of This is True
by Lisa Jewell

Compulsive, addictive, propulsive, I couldn't tear my eyes off the page. Like all the best psychological thrillers, this resides in the space between "totally unbelievable" and "you just never know".

Centring on the unlikely newfound "friendship" between dull Josie and podcaster Alix, who find each other on the day they are both celebrating their 45th birthday, we watch Josie's uninspiring life collide with Alix's insta-perfect life bringing chaos in it's wake and prompting Alix to reevaluate her outwardly happy marriage. Josie exudes vulnerability but there is something off about her presence and Alix tries to suppress feelings of being manipulated. The pair begin working on a podcast that Josie hopes will chart her progress as she changes her life and that Alix hopes will kickstart a new direction in her career.

Sewell's intercharacter dynamics are brilliantly portrayed, marriages with creepy age differences or threatened by alcohol abuse. Dysfunctional parenting; are childhood behavioural issues stemming from parental abuse, mental health issues or undiagnosed special needs? What's going on behind closed doors and what is that ungodly smell?

Alternating narratives interspersed with testimonies taken from Alix's podcast material build a story in 360 degrees, but who is controlling the narrative? And who's version do you believe? Because as the title of the book tells us, None of This is True.

Publication date: 20th July 2023
Thanks to #netgalley #cornerhouse and #randomhouseuk for the eGalley

This is hands down one of the best books i have ever read! Lisa Jewell is my all time favourite author and she just gets better and better with each book. I found this book a bit different to anything she has written before. A few trigger warnings for this book however its done so well!! I recommend this one to everyone!! Amazing book. I would give this one 10 stars if i could!

For most of this book I had no idea where it was going. Such a compulsive read I finished it in an evening, there was no chance of sleep until I reached the final page. And when I did I sat and stared at it for 5 minutes trying to decide what I believed.

I've loved Lisa Jewell's writing for years and I love how totally different yet completely compelling her novels are.

No summary will do this one justice so I implore you just to grab a drink and dive in. Clear your plans though you won't want to put it down.

Alix and Josie are in the same pub on their 45th birthday, they are Birthday Twins. Josie wants Alix to tell her story on what has become Alix’s very successful podcast. But Josie’s story is unlike any other.

Lisa Jewell has done it again. You have to go into this book completely blind and you will not be disappointed. This book made me realise that the unreliable narrator has become one of my favourite themes within a story. I couldn’t put this down, I had to walk to work whilst reading this because I was that hooked and I HAD to know how it was going to end. I have also learnt I am terrible at guessing twists in books because I didn’t guess any, and there are a few! From the start of this book you are questioning everyone and everything and I loved that.
I also really liked the Netflix documentary aspects of the book I feel like it broke the book up a bit but still made the story flow overall, it literally like witness a true crime documentary come to life.
I am so excited for this book to be released and cannot recommend it enough

Thankyou @atriabooks @atriathrillers @simonandschuster and @netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Lisa Jewell does it again, how does she keep smashing every book out the park?! The title had me hooked before I even opened the book, ‘none of this is true’ and honestly I’m still not sure what was true and wasn’t.

Josie Fair and Alix Summers are ‘birthday twins’ both 45, born on the same day in the same hospital. After a chance meeting in a pub, Josie wheedles her way into Alix’s life by offering herself up as the focus of Alix’s new podcast, with absolutely devastating consequences.

There are so many nooks and crannies at play in this book, what is Alix’s husband doing on his ‘benders’? Why does Josie keep her daughter behind closed doors? And who ends up dead?

Loved this from start to finish! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I honestly don’t know how Lisa Jewell does it but her books are so thrilling and tense you never know what is going to happen next. Such a clever idea having a podcast and a Netflix true crime documentary telling the story of what happens when Alix Summer meets Josie Fair a seemingly trivial meeting at a restaurant where they discover they are the same age to a much darker turn of events . As always a gripping read where everything you thought you knew gets turned upside down and you can’t wait to find out the next twist.