None of This Is True

Really great writing and gripping story -I hope there is going to be a second book as it seems left open... Really liked the twists and turns and literally wasn't sure of anything by the end. Brilliantly done.

I feel like this book had a very clever, unique premise, and for the first half of it, I was expecting this to be a 4 or 5 star book. I did not like the format: Netflix, and podcast, and typical novel excerpts all thrown together just felt messy. After the first half, the events of the second were fairly predictable, so it got to a point where I couldn’t wait for the book to be over.

“She forces herself to eat some toast and necks three espressos in a row, none of them touching the sides of her exhaustion.”

3.5 stars, a fun thriller read of a book where I started really rooting for one character while totally falling for her side of the story, then progressively changing my opinion as the twists and turns started happening.

SYNOPSIS:

Alix Summers, a popular podcaster, meets Josie Fair inside the bathroom of a local pub. They discover they were both born at the same hospital on the same day, and they are separately at the pub celebrating their 45th birthdays. For Josie’s birthday, she dines alone with her husband, Walter. Alix, however, dines with 13 loved ones, including her husband Nathan, her sister Zoe, and friends. Shortly after, Josie seeks Alix out, and she suggests Alix make a podcast about a Josie. The two move forward, and there’s a lot of twists and turns…

MY THOUGHTS

- I love Lisa Jewell’s books. This is another one of her gems, and it doesn’t disappoint.

- I’m a fan of the how the story is structured. It’s told from multiple POVs (Alix & Josie), as well as excerpts of a Netflix documentary called “Hi! I'm your birthday twin”

- Good character development. Really liked Alix’s character.

- This book has a lot of twists and turns, and it’s engrossing. I didn’t want to put it down! I don’t want to spoil anything, so keeping this review short here.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4.5 stars rounded up. Another hit by Lisa Jewell.

Thanks to Atria Books, and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. It's due to be published on August 9, 2023.

This was a twisty one! JF is a creepy, creepy gal. Obviously, we knew something was going to be off with her from the get-go, but I didn’t really anticipate all the things! Alix was likable enough, but her lack of communication with her husband and children irked me. I would have liked to know more about Erin and Roxy, and I would have been interested in knowing more about Walter. I couldn’t decide if I was supposed to like his character- what was true and what wasn’t? Especially some of the reveals at the resolution. At the end of the day, he groomed a child! And that’s super icky.

I really enjoyed the way this story was told; it switched perspectives and there were narratives paired with interviews and other alternative forms of writing. This kept me interested for sure! I was hesitant to read this story because I hadn’t been the biggest fan of The Family Upstairs. After finishing, I’m definitely going to keep an eye out from more from this author!

I had expected so much more, but unfortunately, this book didn't quite work for me.

I already suspected that I may not be a fan of domestic thrillers after all, and this books proved it. I wish I could say I was captivated by Josie and Walter's relationship, but that would be far from the truth. The sparse shocking revelations Josie discloses are far too infrequent to truly hold my interest in this story. So, I often found myself just scanning through pages, searching for something to pique my interest, because there wasn't much happening between these more intriguing scenes.

For almost two-thirds of the book, we are well aware that something is awry in this story, and we simply wait for the main character, Alix, to catch up, see the light, and uncover what's really going on. It all unfolds too slowly for my taste; I prefer a faster pace and more plot twists in my thrillers. Really, there are hardly any plot twists in this part of the book, or at least none that managed to sustain my interest.

Still, I won't say it's a bad book, and I understand why many people enjoyed it. The concept itself is pretty good, while not acutely revolutionary or groundbreaking. I can't say I was particularly surprised by anything, but I doubt the author aimed to shock her readers. What I did enjoy were the snippets from the Netflix series; those were the most intriguing parts of the book, and during those moments, I was genuinely into the story.

The entire book heavily relies on building tension. As readers, we quickly realize that something is off with Josie, and the Netflix series snippets reveal that something terrible has happened. We begin to suspect early on that not everything Josie says may be true. However, this feeling that something's amiss and waiting for Alix to catch up, takes up practically two-thirds of the book. If you appreciate slow-burning tension, this book might be right up your alley. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me.

All in all, this book didn't quite hit the mark for me. While the whole concept is promising, the pacing is slow, and the plot lacks the twists and turns that typically keep me engaged in a psychological thriller. The family drama is just not enough for me. It's not a terrible read, and some readers may find it pretty enjoyable, especially if they appreciate a gradual buildup of tension. However, if you're like me and prefer a more fast-paced, suspenseful thriller, this one might not be your cup of tea.

It was okay. Not great, not much suspense in my opinion. I guessed most of the tie-ups. Of course the finale twist was not guessed, it was a little outrageous. I don't know what I believe happened.