Another edge of your seat book from Lisa! Absolutely hooked from beginning. Great characters, plot the lot!

@currentlyreading__
Book 5 of 2023

Thank you to @NetGalley, @centurybooks and of course my favourite author @lisajewelluk for the VERY advanced copy of ‘None of this is True’ due for publication on 20th July. Teacher friends - get it on your pre-orders and enjoy this on a beach with a piña colada. I, however, enjoyed it in the cold of January, unwell with honey and lemon on the side and what a pick-me-up it was!

Well, as always it was a stunning read. I always feel like such a fangirl when reviewing Lisa’s books but there’s no other alternative that being blown away by the world she creates. I always say “It can’t be any better than (insert name of Lisa’s last book)!” But she does it again - creating a cast of characters you are compelled to read about, loving and hating in equal measure.

This one centres around Alix Summer, a podcaster living with her generous and hard-working flame-haired husband Nathan and their two young children. On the night of her 45th birthday and celebrating with a raucous group of friends and family, she meets Josie Fair, also celebrating her 45th birthday with her husband Walter. Josie, looking on at the “effervescent, swirling, intoxicating aurora borealis of grating, glorious entitlement”, feels compelled to tell Alix that they are “birthday twins” and after discovering they were born at the same hospital, Josie becomes obsessed with Alix’s life; wanting to share her own story as she is on the cusp of great change.

Diverting from her usual podcast style, Alix starts to interview Josie at her home studio and before long, Josie has well and truly made herself part of the Summer family. But not everyone is happy with Josie’s presence. And when Josie’s “dark truth” is shared, who will be affected by her narrative?

A sinister, gripping read with a character who as well as “scattering her dead skin cells” all over Alix’s household, will well and truly get under your skin.

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Oh wow Lisa Jewel does it again!Draws you right in dark, disturbing thoroughly entertaining. Ticked every box for me

Meet Josie and Alix both born on the same day at the same hospital. This is just the start.

Josie befriends Alix who is a podcaster. She tells her story , but is what she says true? Do you believe her. Read the book to find out. I can guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Excellent read 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Celebrating her 45th birthday at her local pub, podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie is also celebrating her 45th birthday. They are, in fact birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix's children's school. Josie has been listening to Alix's podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for Alix's series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Alix agrees to a trial interview. Josie's life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can't quite resist the temptation to keep digging.

Slowly Alix starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it Josie has inveigled her way into Alix's life - and into her home.

Soon she begins to wonder who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?



I am long time fan of Lisa Jewell having read all her books, I look forward to spring each year to get her latest book for my holiday. Was delighted to get a chance to read this ARC and get an early treat. So thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and Lisa.

Having said I am long time fan, I have found some of the books haven’t been as good or in fact are quite poor in comparison to her better books. The family remains was massive let down for me so I was wary that this book would be a disappointment glad to say that this wasn’t the case I was up all night reading this…

One of the things I love about Lisa’s writing is how she takes a topical relevant issue from todays society and weaves into her works effortlessly, within this novel there is so much- the gaming world, grooming, podcasts, social media versus reality- this for me gives her works something more than just a great story, I feel it makes you question things and provides talking points way beyond the pages of the novel.

The plot of this book is very interesting and keeps you guessing, while I had idea that not all was what it seems it still held my interest, kept my guessing and surprised me in the end. There is a good pace though out the book creating the right level of tension and suspense.

The book opens with what is the incident the full book leads up to telling us and what is reason for the Netflix show, we get extracts of. From then on we are told the story thought the third person POV via Josie and Alix as well ,the ever growing in popularity way of writing via interviews, emails, texts,etc, a series of recorded podcast interviews between the two and also Netflix interviews with various minor characters commenting on what has happened in the book. This was great touch as the interviews appeared to be in real time discussing what was happening in the book for me this created a lot tension as you knew something was happening that was about to blow up big time. I really like how Lisa attempted to use this new way of writing for me she was very successful at doing this, she kept it easy to read and follow using the interviews rather transcripts, emails etc a lot writers are using these new modern means to a tell the story some of which do it well using all the sources but others don’t and it makes the reading hard to follow. Lisa in this case has successfully used this new way in a way that works really well I would say in both the written and audio version. I could see this working great as TV adapt would be really good set as a mock Netflix doc.

As is usual with Lisa’s work there is always a wee twist in tale and something left hanging to keep you questioning. The ending of this was a perfect a conclusion for me.

I really enjoyed this book it’s up there with her best work. Fans of Lisa, Liane Moriarty and Claire Mackintosh will rave about this book.

In my top ten books of the year without a doubt.

This is a carefully contrived and cleverly delivered story. Alix Summers and Josie Fair meet by accident- well, is it by accident?-in a restaurant celebrating their forty fifth birthdays and discover they were born in the same hospital on the same day. Alix produces podcasts for a living. Josie seems to already this and more about Alix whom she is meant to have just met casually. Alix persuades her to reveal her past life and her future ambitions on podcast celebrating their ‘twinship’. That becomes a relationship which is more than Alix planned as she discovers there is more to Josie than she imagined. The story moves on at a pace revealing unexpected information about both their families. It is a gripping read. The title is the key. I recommend it.

Hooked from page 1. I sincerely hope there's a book 2 lined up. .
.

Once again Lisa Jewell has completely wow’d me!

I’ve read a few good books recently but it’s been a while since I’ve read a book that has completely taken me in and kept me absolutely hooked from start to finish! Until last night.

From the prologue the book caught me and I literally couldn’t put it down - I read the whole book last night in one sitting. When I say I couldn’t put it down, I meant it.

It had me wondering and trying to guess what was going on the whole way through and whilst I had suspicions I was wrong as throughout Lisa has you doubting yourself and then throws in something else and you’re like what!!

The storyline is amazing. Very clever and I liked how the story was structured. It was told via present day clippings for a Netflix documentary and then went back in time to dig deeper into what lead to the ending.

Then right till the very end - another twist! Mind blown.

Overall a thrilling, captivating read that literally kept me on the edge of my seat. You will not be able to put this book down until you’ve finished it!

Thank you NetGalley and cornerstone for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you for my copy of this book to read and review.

I have read most of Lisa Jewell’s books so I was really looking forward to this new one.

I was completely gripped from the first chapter and finished this book within 2 days of starting it. As expected from this author, it had plenty of twists, kept my attention and kept me guessing right til the end.

I really enjoyed how the podcast recordings and the Netflix scenes were brought into the story.

A 5-star, fast-paced thriller. Looking forward to the next one.

None of this is true is another fantastic book from Lisa Jewell who never fails to disappoint. Her latest novel is perfectly paced and packed full of intriguing characters and plot twists.
Alix and Josie couldn’t be more different. The only thing they do have in common is a shared birthday and happen to meet as they are both celebrating in the same restaurant.
Josie persuades Alix to make her the topic of her latest podcast and as she reveals her story, Alix begins to feel uneasy and increasingly suspicious of what she is being told.
This is both a gripping and chilling book that you will want to binge and will probably struggle to find anything as satisfying to read afterwards. Even when you think everything has been revealed and resolved, there is still more to come. Amazing!

The best word I have to describe this book is 'delicious'. As I read, I quickly found myself questioning everything and everybody, wondering whose truth was I reading and who I should be believing.
Every single character is created so uniquely and perfectly, every character has motive, purpose and drive within the plot and not a word is wasted.
I raced through this novel, reading in every spare second I had both at home and at work, and when I reached the end, I wanted to read it all over again - which I will, as I'll buy it as soon as it's released.
This book had me almost shouting at the page sometimes, as though the characters might be able to hear me, and I had to sit with it once I'd finished for it all to sink in.
I love how modern this novel is, incorporating recent history and modern culture in a way that dates the book at a specific point in time but, also, telling a story that is timeless.
Outstanding storytelling as always from a writer whose books seem to have a life of their own and whose characters will stay with you long after you close the covers.

Two women meet unexpectedly in a restaurant on their birthday and discover they were born in the same hospital on the very same day. One is a successful podcaster and the other woman gets in touch to let her know that she has a story that might be worthy of telling on the podcast. This is the typical gripping twisty thriller from Lisa Jewell and extremely unpredictable.

I really liked the format of the book. The mixture of documentary, podcast and prose really keeps the pace of the book going and it was enjoyable to read.

The story was engaging and information was drip-fed throughout the book so that every chapter advanced the plot. There was an underlying sense of dread throughout and I wanted to scream at Alix to get herself out of the situation!

I found it really difficult to put the book down as I really wanted to see where it would all go. The ending was left a little too open for my tastes but that is personal preference. I would absolutely recommend this book.

Wow! A superb read with a fabulous premise. I really enjoyed how the podcast and subsequent Netflix series is interspersed in the story. The characters are very well developed and believable. A fast paced story that keeps you guessing throughout.

Read this in a day
OMG - I am still taking it all in
What a story, fastpaced, unpredictable
Edge of your seat twists and turns
Highly recommended read for 2023

Thank you netgalley, Lisa Jewell and Random House

I love Lisa Jewell and went into this book with high hopes and I wasn't disappointed! It was a really unique premise, although the podcast setting seems to be the current in thing for thrillers, but I loved the premise around the reason for the podcast and that the book was written in a really readable format rather than spliced with "script" type dialogue for the podcast parts as I've seen in a few other books. It doesn't feel disjointed or veer into chat rooms and such, it's a book.... its written as a book, it's not all over the place with interviews, reviews, chat rooms etc which I appreciated.

The characters were so original, I loved that you didn't quite know who to believe and were second guessing absolutely everything. As per usual, you wont see the ending coming and you'll love every second of not knowing. The suspense just builds and builds and its such an enjoyable journey. I loved every second of this book

Wow! This is the best book I've read in a very long time and I read it in a day. I thought I had worked out quite a lot but there was always a new twist and unexpected turn in the story.

I don't think I can rate this Lisa Jewell book, "None of this is True" highly enough. This is perhaps one of the best I have read to date, being on par or if not better than "The Family Upstairs". This book is full of awful but addictive characters. I couldn't believe what was coming next; the revelations that Josie was revealing to Alix in her new Birthday Twin podcast. These stories just kept on coming but be wary of the title... who would you believe?

I am on such a hot streak of books so far in 2023 - although with Lisa Jewell you can never really go wrong.

I have read quite a few books which involve podcasts recently, it seems to be the 'in' thing right now in crime fiction. However, this one was slightly different. Most of the books I have read involving podcasts are generally true crime podcasts looking to solve cold cases....However, here Alix is a well known podcaster famous for raising the profile of successful women. On a night out for her 45th birthday she meets Josie, her 'birthday twin' also celebrating the same birthday.

Josie quickly tries to make a bond with Alix and convinces her to make a podcast about her and the changes she is looking to make in her life. Whilst Alix is wart, Josie's life is certainly interesting and what harm can come from it? Well, plenty!

This book is told between dual timelines, in the current day we know that there have been deaths and serious consequences from the podcast which has been undertaken. However, Jewell cleverly and skillfully holds it back from us as she takes us through the story teasing it out bit by bit until we are hit with a stunning ending.

Really impressive novel from a very consistent author.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alix Summer has a successful podcast that features women who have overcome extreme difficulties and hardship, to lead happy and successful lives.

Alix herself has a pretty good life too - a smart ultra modern home in London, two beautiful children, a husband that she loves - you get the picture, life’s pretty good in the main, although her husband Nathan does have a tendency to go on benders from time to time, which Alix finds worrying.

Whilst celebrating her 45th birthday at the local pub with family and friends, Alix is approached by a woman in the restroom who introduces herself as Josie Fair and tells her that they’re ‘birthday twins’ as it’s her 45th birthday too.

A few days later Josie approaches Alix as she’s waiting to pick her children up outside school, and says she’s been listening to her podcasts, and wants to know if Alix will feature her, not as a successful woman, but as a woman who has some dark secrets but is about to change her life completely.

After much debating, Alix thinks she would make an interesting subject so she decides to give it a go. Bad choice! As Josie slowly integrates herself into Alix’s life, into her very home, she’ll discover that Josie isn’t exactly who she portrays herself to be.

As the podcast continues, some very disturbing facts begin to reveal themselves, and Alix realises that she’s made a big mistake!
There’s lots of tension, some great twists, together with some very dark and complex characters, as Ms Jewell expertly peels back the layers with consummate skill to reveal an intricate and twisted tale that’s such a worthy read.

My Review:

Disclaimer: I bloody love Lisa Jewell as a person - she's so nice and generous and supportive to readers and authors alike. She's literary Royalty but one of the most approachable and lovely people I know. She also writes quite well (LOL). I will admit to not reading her earlier books, but once she started writing her darker domestic thrillers in 2014 I haven't missed one book yet.

When I saw her talking about her new book NONE OF THIS IS TRUE on twitter and Facebook I knew I had to read it and thankfully I was able to get an ARC copy from Netgalley as this book isn't out until July 2023.

Now I realise many of you won't be able to read this book until July but I felt I had to review it now and hope that you pop it on your wishlist or pre-order it now because it's bloody brilliant.

None of This Is True is about two completely different women who coincidentally meet at their local pub and discover they share the same birthdays and were born in the same hospital at the same time.

Alix Summer is a well known podcaster who is looking for a change in direction for her podcast. She's happily married, has a supportive and close family and appears to have it all.

Josie Fair is a housewife and mother. A quiet and mousey woman who doesn't have any friends, a domineering husband and a fractured relationship with her two grown-up daughters.

When Josie asks Alix to feature her on her podcast and examine her life it seems a really good idea. Titled "Hi, I'm Your Birthday Twin" the two women start to meet regularly and slowly Josie begins to reveal her disturbing and dysfunctional past.

Upon closer investigation it appears Josie's version of the truth may be very different and in someone else's words "recollections may vary!" which now puts Alix and her family in grave danger.

Finally Lisa has taken the leap to the darkest side of domestic noir and this book ticks all my requirements for a 5 star read.

Firstly we have an unreliable narrator ✔, then we have a dysfunctional family ✔, a couple of batsh*t crazy characters ✔, an uncomfortable storyline ✔, a couple of dead bodies ✔, mental and physical abuse ✔, toxic friendships ✔, chapters you can't stop reading ✔, twists and turns ✔.

★★★★★