Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Ballantine Books (2022), Edition: First Edition, 464 pages
Description
"Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect life-living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising a beautiful son, Asher-was upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in, and taking over her father's beekeeping business. Lily Campanello is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mom relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both hope it will be a fresh start. And for just a short while, these new beginnings are exactly what Olivia and Lily need. Their paths cross when Asher falls for the new girl in school, and Lily can't help but fall for him, too. With Ash, she feels happy for the first time. Yet at times, she wonders if she can she trust him completely . . . Then one day, Olivia receives a phone call: Lily is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police. Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent. But she would be lying if she didn't acknowledge the flashes of his father's temper in him, and as the case against him unfolds, she realizes he's hidden more than he's shared with her"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Bauernfeind
I just finished "Mad Honey" by Jodi Picoult and Finney Boylan a book that I am sure would be very controversial amongst us older folks. It is a revealing, at times heartbreaking, and at the same time soul-satisfying read about human nature and our views of what it is today to be human. Mixed in is
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an intense court case that will keep you rooting for both sides. It changed my views ... enough said without giving away the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member mojomomma
Olivia and her son Asher left an abusive marriage with her doctor husband in Boston and moved to rural New Hampshire. Olivia keeps bees to support them. Asher is now a senior in high school. He falls in love with the new girl who has moved to town, Lily. After an argument, Lily is found at the foot
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of the stairs in her home, dead, and Asher is standing over her. He is arrested for her death. Olivia hires her brother, who just happens to be an attorney to defend Asher who she feels is not capable of this violence, but she is hounded by her memories of Asher's father, who she also assumed was not capable of violence. During the trial, it is revealed that Lily is trans, having transitioned from her male body at age 17 in California with her mother's cooperation and assent. The move to NH was to give Lily and her mother a new start and some distance from the husband and father who could not come to terms with the transition. Asher is eventually found not guilty of Lily's death. Show Less
LibraryThing member susan0316
Mad Honey is Jodi Picoult's 29th novel. I am happy to admit that I've read and enjoyed every one of them - some more than others. Mad Honey has taken a place in my top 5 books by her - along with Nineteen Minutes and Small Great Things. This is a book that you don't want to miss. The author touches
-Olivia and her son Asher moved from their successful life in Boston to the small home town that she grew up. They live in her father's house and she is continuing his bee keeping business. She and Asher live a quiet life after leaving her abusive husband.
-Ava and her daughter Lily have moved to this new town for Lily to finish her last year of school and to start over where no one knows about their past.
Asher and Lily meet in school and fall in love with each other. Both mothers are happy but worried about this relationship. Olivia worries that her son may have the same abusive tendencies that his dad had and Ava is desperate to keep Lily's secrets. (Note - this is a spoiler free review so I won't go into any discussion of Lily and her past.)
One day Olivia gets a call that Lily has been murdered and that her son is being questioned by the police. She knows in her heart that he's innocent but she keeps being remembering her husband's temper and worries that Asher has the same temper. The big questions that are resolved by the end are whether Asher killed Lily and what is the secret that she's hiding. The suspense in this book will keep you rapidly turning pages but along with the suspense, there is a beautiful love story and an exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take to become the person we want to be.
Along with a wonderful story there is a lot of information about bee-keeping. Not only are there interesting facts about bees but the author manages to tie her well done research to connect with the character or situation that she's writing about
I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. I wanted to find out how it ended and find out what happened to all of my favorite characters. When this book is published on October 4, you need to have your calendar cleared and tissue available. You're in for a fantastic read by a phenomenal author with a story line and characters that you'll be thinking about long after the last page is read.
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on some hot topics in today's society and she looks at them clearly and without prejudice while she creates characters who are very real and believable.-Olivia and her son Asher moved from their successful life in Boston to the small home town that she grew up. They live in her father's house and she is continuing his bee keeping business. She and Asher live a quiet life after leaving her abusive husband.
-Ava and her daughter Lily have moved to this new town for Lily to finish her last year of school and to start over where no one knows about their past.
Asher and Lily meet in school and fall in love with each other. Both mothers are happy but worried about this relationship. Olivia worries that her son may have the same abusive tendencies that his dad had and Ava is desperate to keep Lily's secrets. (Note - this is a spoiler free review so I won't go into any discussion of Lily and her past.)
One day Olivia gets a call that Lily has been murdered and that her son is being questioned by the police. She knows in her heart that he's innocent but she keeps being remembering her husband's temper and worries that Asher has the same temper. The big questions that are resolved by the end are whether Asher killed Lily and what is the secret that she's hiding. The suspense in this book will keep you rapidly turning pages but along with the suspense, there is a beautiful love story and an exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take to become the person we want to be.
Along with a wonderful story there is a lot of information about bee-keeping. Not only are there interesting facts about bees but the author manages to tie her well done research to connect with the character or situation that she's writing about
I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. I wanted to find out how it ended and find out what happened to all of my favorite characters. When this book is published on October 4, you need to have your calendar cleared and tissue available. You're in for a fantastic read by a phenomenal author with a story line and characters that you'll be thinking about long after the last page is read.
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LibraryThing member mzonderm
On the surface, this is a tried-and-true trope: girl is murdered, boy is accused, mother stands by her son. But, as one might suspect with a book by Picoult and Boylan, there is a whole lot more going on here. There are several unexpected twists, not to mention more than a few turns. Told in
Are there a few hanging threads here? Yes. After making dramatic (re)entrances, both Lily and Asher's fathers sort of disappear. And there's a lot in here that would, in the hands of lesser writers, be deemed pedantic, as we learn the ins and outs of beekeeping, among other topics. Instead of feeling like information that isn't really relevant to the plot is being forced on me, as I have in other books, I just found it interesting, like I was just having a nice conversation with an acquaintance. And I really wish I could have a nice conversation with these characters. Or their authors.
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.
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alternating chapters, Olivia, Asher's mother, tells the story going forward from Lily's death and Lily herself tells her story going backward from the same time. Together, the two stories form a brilliant picture of Lily and Asher, together and separately, and of the difference between things that are private and things that are secret.Are there a few hanging threads here? Yes. After making dramatic (re)entrances, both Lily and Asher's fathers sort of disappear. And there's a lot in here that would, in the hands of lesser writers, be deemed pedantic, as we learn the ins and outs of beekeeping, among other topics. Instead of feeling like information that isn't really relevant to the plot is being forced on me, as I have in other books, I just found it interesting, like I was just having a nice conversation with an acquaintance. And I really wish I could have a nice conversation with these characters. Or their authors.
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.
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LibraryThing member LoriKBoyd
Picoult joined forces with Jennifer Finney Boylan to write this book. I had not heard of this other author previously. Book is written from different voices, filling in most gaps and coming together seamlessly. Make sure you read the Author’s Notes at the end of the book.
When you read a Jodi
Characters were likeable and their turmoil was so realistic. All relationships, whether, young love, parent or friend, wererelatable. This book can read as a headline from today’s paper. I so appreciate the research that went into these subjects. I found both fascinating. Hopefully this book will open eyes and soften hearts.
Thanks to Ms. Picoult, Ms. Finney Boylan and Random House/Ballantine for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.
When you read a Jodi
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Picoult book, you expect a unexpected twist, usually something that really makes you think and can be controversial. This book is no different. I can’t delve into anything more without giving something away. I had such a different twist in my mind that I had to put the book down and absorb it. It was handled so beautifully, and honestly. Giving perspective from a whole different, at times heartbreaking side. Ending was as I expected, I mean could they have shocked me twice? Left me with a few questions, but not enough to disappoint me. Characters were likeable and their turmoil was so realistic. All relationships, whether, young love, parent or friend, wererelatable. This book can read as a headline from today’s paper. I so appreciate the research that went into these subjects. I found both fascinating. Hopefully this book will open eyes and soften hearts.
Thanks to Ms. Picoult, Ms. Finney Boylan and Random House/Ballantine for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.
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LibraryThing member fredreeca
Lilly and Asher have just started dating. And their love story should have been fabulous. But, life takes a terrible turn. Lilly has died and Asher is accused of her murder. Asher’s mother, Olivia, calls in her brother, Jordan to represent Asher. And things just keep turning in the wrong
To say I loved this book is an understatement! And yes, this is in true Jodi fashion. A “ripped from the headlines” story which had me all torn up, in more ways then one. And no, I will not give it away…but the story has a shocker twist right in the middle and it changed the whole novel!
Now, this story is not flawless. There are several decisions made in this novel which are contrived to fit the story. (Not sure if this makes sense.) For instance, I felt like the case against Asher was not strong enough and this was not really expanded on. It was just assumed the reader would not see it and follow this author blindly. That being said, I still could not stop reading and I was completely captivated by Asher’s situation. So, I guess I am that reader!
Need a story which will have you viewing a situation from all sides and will have you reading well into the night…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
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direction.To say I loved this book is an understatement! And yes, this is in true Jodi fashion. A “ripped from the headlines” story which had me all torn up, in more ways then one. And no, I will not give it away…but the story has a shocker twist right in the middle and it changed the whole novel!
Now, this story is not flawless. There are several decisions made in this novel which are contrived to fit the story. (Not sure if this makes sense.) For instance, I felt like the case against Asher was not strong enough and this was not really expanded on. It was just assumed the reader would not see it and follow this author blindly. That being said, I still could not stop reading and I was completely captivated by Asher’s situation. So, I guess I am that reader!
Need a story which will have you viewing a situation from all sides and will have you reading well into the night…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
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LibraryThing member CelticLibrarian
I can't recommend this novel that is only marginally related to the description and synopsis given by the publisher. I almost stopped reading when the big shocker appeared at the 45% mark and I realized exactly what this whole book was going to be about.
Basically -- a lecture on every contemporary
Despite how much I disliked the main narrative, the reason I gave the book two stars is because of the information about the bees. Now, that I found interesting. I like books with legal and courtroom drama, and I like a story with a medical slant, but some of that was quite obviously creative license. Anyway, I'm done and I think I can pass on any future books without FOMO.
I would love to discuss this book with others, especially the fact that there is some discussion about whether or not someone should reveal the fact that they are transgender. For real? Anyway, I see mixed reviews for this book and glad that people feel comfortable sharing their opinions. Others have written their thoughts much better than I can, but I don't recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.
Basically -- a lecture on every contemporary
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and controversial subject as the authors flex their virtue, tolerance, and understanding. You name it, this book has it: race, color, politics, the justice system, gender and sexuality, transgender, women's rights, spousal abuse, etc. If you like being told what to think and how to think, this is one for you. It's not that I agree or disagree with the authors, mind, it's that every single concept of diversity is all mashed up in this singular story. I wish that I could just read a great plot with characters I could imagine all on my own without the author describing things in such detail as often much of that has nothing to do with the actual point of the novel. Perhaps I am an outlier, but I am tired of books trying to push a social agenda, and I should have known better than to pick up this one as JP has often been a miss for me because she does it all the time. Sometimes those twists that get tossed in her books are just too much for me to tolerate.Despite how much I disliked the main narrative, the reason I gave the book two stars is because of the information about the bees. Now, that I found interesting. I like books with legal and courtroom drama, and I like a story with a medical slant, but some of that was quite obviously creative license. Anyway, I'm done and I think I can pass on any future books without FOMO.
I would love to discuss this book with others, especially the fact that there is some discussion about whether or not someone should reveal the fact that they are transgender. For real? Anyway, I see mixed reviews for this book and glad that people feel comfortable sharing their opinions. Others have written their thoughts much better than I can, but I don't recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.
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LibraryThing member SilversReviews
Olivia left her abusive marriage before her husband could harm her son, Asher.
It has been twelve years since the divorce, but Olivia is still haunted by Braden.
She also worries if Asher will have the abusive tendencies of his father and even more when he is accused of the murder of his girlfriend,
We meet these characters as we are treated to beekeeping terms and procedures and as we learn of Olivia's past with her husband, the relationship between Olivia and her son, Asher and Lily’s relationship, and Lily's past.
We also follow Asher in jail, the murder investigation, how everyone is coping, and wonder if he really did kill her or was setup.
The tension is very real as Asher’s attorney puts together a defense. You will be nervous along with the characters and react with them when the verdict is announced.
MAD HONEY is an excellent read by Jodi Picoult and co-author, Jennifer Finney Boylan.
It addresses domestic abuse, secrets we keep, relationships, life choices, and why people do what they do.
If you are a fan, do not miss this marvelous book.
It is outstanding for the research done about bees - actually fascinating about the bees, the descriptions of everything going on, and for making you feel every emotion the characters are feeling. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher in print and via NetGalley for an honest review.
It has been twelve years since the divorce, but Olivia is still haunted by Braden.
She also worries if Asher will have the abusive tendencies of his father and even more when he is accused of the murder of his girlfriend,
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Lily.We meet these characters as we are treated to beekeeping terms and procedures and as we learn of Olivia's past with her husband, the relationship between Olivia and her son, Asher and Lily’s relationship, and Lily's past.
We also follow Asher in jail, the murder investigation, how everyone is coping, and wonder if he really did kill her or was setup.
The tension is very real as Asher’s attorney puts together a defense. You will be nervous along with the characters and react with them when the verdict is announced.
MAD HONEY is an excellent read by Jodi Picoult and co-author, Jennifer Finney Boylan.
It addresses domestic abuse, secrets we keep, relationships, life choices, and why people do what they do.
If you are a fan, do not miss this marvelous book.
It is outstanding for the research done about bees - actually fascinating about the bees, the descriptions of everything going on, and for making you feel every emotion the characters are feeling. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher in print and via NetGalley for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member Dianekeenoy
What an incredible book!!!! It was so very good that I was afraid to finish it because I was so nervous about the outcome! This is a novel written by Jodi Picoult, who I love and Jennifer Finney Boylan who I didn't know. I'm now ordering her books! The author notes are so interesting to find out
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how they decided to co-write a novel together. I won't spoil it but don't miss them! Show Less
LibraryThing member Mrsmommybooknerd
This book was something special. Picoult always knows how to create a story that resonates wit readers. She knows how to develop characters, flesh out a story and pace it in way that make the book hard to out down. Mad Honey was all those things and so much more. You cannot help but be drawn into
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the story and care deeply about what is happening. It was such a delight and a book I recommend! Show Less
LibraryThing member tamidale
Such a compelling story! This novel will be a must-read for book clubs and will likely provoke much thoughtful discussion, even among readers who do not share the same views.
The story centers around two teens who fall in love. Asher is an accomplished hockey player, a good student, with a bright
Olivia, Asher’s mother, makes a living as a beekeeper and the story draws many parallels to beekeeping as the events unfold. I was interested in the beekeeping mainly because we had a beekeeper at our home this summer to remove a hive and it was interesting to watch the process.
Asher and Lily seem to be the ideal couple and seem so in love—until Lily is found dead at the bottom of the staircase at her home. Asher is the only other person there to find her and everyone thinks he may have pushed her down the stairs in an argument.
There is a twist in the story and I can tell you, I did not see that one coming! What happens with the teens really encourages our understanding of what others are going through. It also may answer many questions some readers have about a certain topic.
This is definitely a timely story, one with likable characters who each have their own secrets.
I highly recommend this one to readers who are open to learning about tough situations that are often misunderstood.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to recommend it and offer my honest review.
The story centers around two teens who fall in love. Asher is an accomplished hockey player, a good student, with a bright
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future ahead of him. His girlfriend Lily plays the cello and is likely to enter a prestigious music school upon graduation.Olivia, Asher’s mother, makes a living as a beekeeper and the story draws many parallels to beekeeping as the events unfold. I was interested in the beekeeping mainly because we had a beekeeper at our home this summer to remove a hive and it was interesting to watch the process.
Asher and Lily seem to be the ideal couple and seem so in love—until Lily is found dead at the bottom of the staircase at her home. Asher is the only other person there to find her and everyone thinks he may have pushed her down the stairs in an argument.
There is a twist in the story and I can tell you, I did not see that one coming! What happens with the teens really encourages our understanding of what others are going through. It also may answer many questions some readers have about a certain topic.
This is definitely a timely story, one with likable characters who each have their own secrets.
I highly recommend this one to readers who are open to learning about tough situations that are often misunderstood.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to recommend it and offer my honest review.
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LibraryThing member Anniik
TW/CW: Domestic abuse. Relationship abuse. Suicide. Murder. Sexual Assault. Transphobia. Homophobia. Sex. Public humiliation. And FYI, These warnings are pretty strong.
RATING: 4/5
REVIEW: Just another warning – this book is dark and emotional – almost to bordering sometimes on the melodramatic.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Mad Honey is the story of the murder of a young girl. It is narrated by Lily – the young girl – and Olivia, the mother of Lily’s boyfriend, who is arrested for her murder.
While making what I think are very important points, the darkness and heaviness of this book can make it very difficult to read at times. Pretty much everyone in the book has some terrible secret, it seems, and they all just keep getting worse.
That’s not to say that this isn’t a pretty good book. One of my problems with Picoult before this book is that I don’t really feel comfortable reading, for instance, a book about Black people that’s written by white people, and she’s done that more than once.
But here she takes a step forward and co-writes this book with Jennifer Finney Boylan who is a transwoman herself and a trans actvitist. That made me feel a lot better about reading this book, knowing that someone who was actually involved with and familiar with the trans community was helping to write it.
This book is a fast read, and despite the heavy subject matter, it does pull you in and keep you guessing to the very end. I would recommend this book to people who are okay with the above trigger warnings who are looking for a dark book that also makes very good points.
RATING: 4/5
REVIEW: Just another warning – this book is dark and emotional – almost to bordering sometimes on the melodramatic.
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Please read the TW/CW above if you want to read this book, because it contains pretty much all of the bad ones.I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Mad Honey is the story of the murder of a young girl. It is narrated by Lily – the young girl – and Olivia, the mother of Lily’s boyfriend, who is arrested for her murder.
While making what I think are very important points, the darkness and heaviness of this book can make it very difficult to read at times. Pretty much everyone in the book has some terrible secret, it seems, and they all just keep getting worse.
That’s not to say that this isn’t a pretty good book. One of my problems with Picoult before this book is that I don’t really feel comfortable reading, for instance, a book about Black people that’s written by white people, and she’s done that more than once.
But here she takes a step forward and co-writes this book with Jennifer Finney Boylan who is a transwoman herself and a trans actvitist. That made me feel a lot better about reading this book, knowing that someone who was actually involved with and familiar with the trans community was helping to write it.
This book is a fast read, and despite the heavy subject matter, it does pull you in and keep you guessing to the very end. I would recommend this book to people who are okay with the above trigger warnings who are looking for a dark book that also makes very good points.
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LibraryThing member Iudita
Would I recommend this book? Yes…If you are in the mood for a book that deals with social issues, you will find them in abundance here. I would also recommend it to a teen or young adult, and I’m surprised it wasn’t marketed to this age group. Several of the characters are teens and it deals
However, I found big chunks of this book were explanatory, instructional and sermonized. Some people will love this book for exactly those reasons, but for me it completely ruined the flow of what could have been a decent story. There was no subtlety, no nuance at all in the message. The authors spoon feed the reader the exact reaction that they think you should have. There is no room for the reader to think and discover their own perspective. I found it to be the opposite of thought provoking. It was thought stifling and it totally failed the expectations I have as a reader.
Now based on the many wonderful reviews, it is clear that my issues didn’t seem to bother most of the readers. So if you like Jodi Picoult and you’re in the mood for a book that tackles current affairs and social issues, then I say give it a try. I’m giving it two stars because there was value in some of the content and because I think the story had potential, but I’m clearly not the reader for this book.
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with teenage romantic relationships, teen peer relationships and teen social situations.However, I found big chunks of this book were explanatory, instructional and sermonized. Some people will love this book for exactly those reasons, but for me it completely ruined the flow of what could have been a decent story. There was no subtlety, no nuance at all in the message. The authors spoon feed the reader the exact reaction that they think you should have. There is no room for the reader to think and discover their own perspective. I found it to be the opposite of thought provoking. It was thought stifling and it totally failed the expectations I have as a reader.
Now based on the many wonderful reviews, it is clear that my issues didn’t seem to bother most of the readers. So if you like Jodi Picoult and you’re in the mood for a book that tackles current affairs and social issues, then I say give it a try. I’m giving it two stars because there was value in some of the content and because I think the story had potential, but I’m clearly not the reader for this book.
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LibraryThing member VanessaCW
After leaving her husband, beekeeper Olivia moves to Adams in New Hampshire along with her son, Asher, to build a new life. Starting afresh is just what they need but in Asher’s final year of high school he meets Lily and falls in love. Everything seems hunky-dory. Tragically, however, Olivia
Wow, what a gripping story. I found it a page turner from beginning to end. There’s a surprising twist towards the middle which I didn’t see coming. I’ve read a few Jodi Picoult books before but none by Jennifer Finney Boyland. Jodi Picoult’s work usually deals with a controversial subject and this tale definitely contains a contentious issue. I think this book would be a great one to discuss amongst reading groups. I also loved learning about bees, such industrious little creatures! I found it fascinating. There is much to be discovered throughout this story. Just a fab and thought provoking read and one I can highly recommend.
I read this via the Pigeonhole app in ten staves, a stave a day.
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receives a telephone call one day to say that Lily has been found dead at the bottom of the stairs with Asher in attendance. Was it an accident or was Lily pushed to her death?Wow, what a gripping story. I found it a page turner from beginning to end. There’s a surprising twist towards the middle which I didn’t see coming. I’ve read a few Jodi Picoult books before but none by Jennifer Finney Boyland. Jodi Picoult’s work usually deals with a controversial subject and this tale definitely contains a contentious issue. I think this book would be a great one to discuss amongst reading groups. I also loved learning about bees, such industrious little creatures! I found it fascinating. There is much to be discovered throughout this story. Just a fab and thought provoking read and one I can highly recommend.
I read this via the Pigeonhole app in ten staves, a stave a day.
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LibraryThing member Gingersnap000
A powerful novel! A must read for both parents and teens. A small town in New Hampshire, A volatile teen romance and a murder is the center of the story of Mad Honey. Imagine you are a citizen of small town near the white mountains and the high school's star hockey player is on trial for murdering
The novel's plot would have reader believing that Asher could have killed his girlfriend Lily but during the trial a major discovery is introduced. Lily was a trans woman! The novel proceeds from that point to help the readers understand what a transgender person witnesses their entire life. For those readers who are not open minded about the trans community, you should definitely read this novel. In my lifetime, I was privileged to have a friend who went through the whole process as Lily did.
One line in the book which reminded me of the sadness both Lily.and my friend lived as the fact they both wished to have dolls and their Fathers would not allow them to have their own dolls. The sadness which I felt my friend, I felt for Lily. The miracle of birthing a perfectly formed baby can be deceiving when the biology of the child can not be seen.
Please read this book.for a better understanding of the life of a transgender person.
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his girlfriend.The novel's plot would have reader believing that Asher could have killed his girlfriend Lily but during the trial a major discovery is introduced. Lily was a trans woman! The novel proceeds from that point to help the readers understand what a transgender person witnesses their entire life. For those readers who are not open minded about the trans community, you should definitely read this novel. In my lifetime, I was privileged to have a friend who went through the whole process as Lily did.
One line in the book which reminded me of the sadness both Lily.and my friend lived as the fact they both wished to have dolls and their Fathers would not allow them to have their own dolls. The sadness which I felt my friend, I felt for Lily. The miracle of birthing a perfectly formed baby can be deceiving when the biology of the child can not be seen.
Please read this book.for a better understanding of the life of a transgender person.
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LibraryThing member bearette24
This story combines disparate elements - a murder trial, beekeeping, and transgender identity. For the most part, it works. The bees provide relief from the intensity of the trial.
LibraryThing member andsoitgoes
Although I found the story informative and currrent, I found the characters flat - I really could not connect with them.
LibraryThing member authorjanebnight
Plot: Olivia's son is accused of murdering his girlfriend. She calls her brother, a defense attorney, and asks him to help in the defense even though she isn't 100% convinced of her sons innocence.
My Rating:
4/5 Stars
First off, I love Jodi Picoult. She is thought provoking and dives into all kinds
I love that the author who joined her brought an own voices perspective to the book. This certainly was a book that needed to be told but it needed to be told by people who understood the depths of Lily's character and what she faced.
The book description isn't very clear about Lily's story and I wish it had been. I was intrigued to hear all that Lily had been through before moving to the new town. I knew the "twist" about Lily's past and honestly I think my reading experience was better since I did know.
My favorite aspect of this book was the complexity of Olivia's character. She really wanted her son to be innocent but she was never 100% convinced that he was. We don't see that too often in books or in life. Parents are often blinded by their love for their children and unable to take a hard look at what their sweet little angel might be capable of.
Overall, I just had a lovely ready experience with this book though the ultimate reveal of what happened to Lily let me down a bit. I think the authors intended it to be really poignant, but it didn't hit that way for me.
I think fans of Picoult will love this book.
My Rating:
4/5 Stars
First off, I love Jodi Picoult. She is thought provoking and dives into all kinds
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of complex topics. She is one of my go to author's who I always trust to deliver an interesting story that is going to leave me contemplating deep themes.I love that the author who joined her brought an own voices perspective to the book. This certainly was a book that needed to be told but it needed to be told by people who understood the depths of Lily's character and what she faced.
The book description isn't very clear about Lily's story and I wish it had been. I was intrigued to hear all that Lily had been through before moving to the new town. I knew the "twist" about Lily's past and honestly I think my reading experience was better since I did know.
My favorite aspect of this book was the complexity of Olivia's character. She really wanted her son to be innocent but she was never 100% convinced that he was. We don't see that too often in books or in life. Parents are often blinded by their love for their children and unable to take a hard look at what their sweet little angel might be capable of.
Overall, I just had a lovely ready experience with this book though the ultimate reveal of what happened to Lily let me down a bit. I think the authors intended it to be really poignant, but it didn't hit that way for me.
I think fans of Picoult will love this book.
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LibraryThing member nyiper
As usual, Picoult, along with Boylan, does another educational job in a novel, with the addition of bee information along with a complicated but very descriptive story about the subject of "trans" anything and everything. I didn't realize how confused I was about the subject so the book was
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especially fascinating. I do hope that in a real life situation Maya's involvement wouldn't have been missed. Would a sequel help? Not for me. Definitely a book well worth reading!!! Show Less
LibraryThing member bereanna
Four stars because it’s a topic that I wanted to learn about and didn’t know where to look. Jodi’s co-author on this one is a transgender woman. She helped me understand body questions I had. Storyline is boy falls in love with girl who is found dead. Boy is prosecuted for death. The book
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became tedious for me, so I skipped around quite a bit to get the gist. I was uninterested in the bee-keeping segments. Show Less
LibraryThing member LivelyLady
Fictional chapters by the main characters, including a beekeeper, who interspersed honey information throughout the story. When teenboy Asher's girlfriend is found dead, a pandora's box of past history and recollections spilll out. This was a riveting story only losing a halfstar because of the
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frequent change of time and character's voice. The ending was a complete surprise. Very well done. I believe all Picoult fans will love it. Can't wait for her next book. Show Less
LibraryThing member creighley
Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over. Her picture-perfect life-living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising their beautiful son, Asher-was upended when her husband revealed a darker side. She never imagined that she would end up back in her sleepy New
Lilly Campanella is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mom relocate to Adam’s, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both hope it will be a fresh start.
Lilly and Asher become close and involved. Then one day.
, Olivia receives a phone call: Lilly is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police.
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Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in and taking over her father’s beekeeping business.Lilly Campanella is familiar with do-overs, too. When she and her mom relocate to Adam’s, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both hope it will be a fresh start.
Lilly and Asher become close and involved. Then one day.
, Olivia receives a phone call: Lilly is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police.
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LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
Olivia and her six-year-old son, Asher, moved to Adams New Hampshire to escape an abusive marriage. She has moved into her father’s home and taken over his beekeeping business. Now, a decade later, Asher is handsome, co-captain of his school’s hockey team, a good student, in fact, a seeming
Ava Campanello and her daughter, Lily, have recently moved to Adams to start a new life. Lily attends the same school as Asher and, when they meet, it’s instant chemistry. They are in love but it is a somewhat fractious relationship. Then Lily is found dead and Asher is the main, really the only, suspect and is charged with her murder.
Mad Honey is a collaboration between two writers, Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. it starts out like a typical whodunnit but it is so much more than that. The story is told by Olivia and Lily in alternating voices and it is a complex tale of families, secrets, memory, loss, and grief but also about the freedom to be yourself with the acceptance of those who love you.
Mad Honey is a well-written and extremely compelling story with characters who it is Impossible not to care about. This is also a book that revolves around a very topical and, sadly, controversial issue and will likely be loved or hated based on one’s feelings about the issue. But, as the authors show so beautifully. despite all our flaws and seeming differences, we are more alike than we tend to believe.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
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all-around good kid.Ava Campanello and her daughter, Lily, have recently moved to Adams to start a new life. Lily attends the same school as Asher and, when they meet, it’s instant chemistry. They are in love but it is a somewhat fractious relationship. Then Lily is found dead and Asher is the main, really the only, suspect and is charged with her murder.
Mad Honey is a collaboration between two writers, Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. it starts out like a typical whodunnit but it is so much more than that. The story is told by Olivia and Lily in alternating voices and it is a complex tale of families, secrets, memory, loss, and grief but also about the freedom to be yourself with the acceptance of those who love you.
Mad Honey is a well-written and extremely compelling story with characters who it is Impossible not to care about. This is also a book that revolves around a very topical and, sadly, controversial issue and will likely be loved or hated based on one’s feelings about the issue. But, as the authors show so beautifully. despite all our flaws and seeming differences, we are more alike than we tend to believe.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
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LibraryThing member waldhaus1
I listened not knowing this was about transgender rights. A topic I’m not terribly comfortable with. Yet the book left me tolerant and understanding.
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Mad Honey, Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan, authors, Carrie Coon, Key Taw, Jennifer Finn, narrators
Two authors have collaborated on this novel to bring a current controversial subject to the forefront of public consumption. It is currently, very much in the public eye, and needs to be explored
I am not a fan of collaborative books, but the buzz about Mad Honey kept getting louder, in the same way Olivia’s bees got louder when they were disturbed by outsiders. I decided to read it and could not put it down. What is an outsider? This is a question raised by this novel. What is unnatural and what is natural is also front and center. Both questions need further exploration and explanation, since we in the world at large that are not part of the experiencing gender dysphoria, are blind to their needs and their pain. This is not to say one has to agree or disagree with the premises presented in this book, but it is to say that being enlightened about the subject might help the cause of the transgender movement that is aiming to bring everyone into some broader circle of acceptance and focuses also on an effort to reduce condemnation and ridicule.
The novel smoothly moves back and forth as it opens up the lives of both teens and their family issues. Asher’s father is portrayed as a Cardiac-thoracic Surgeon. He is well-respected at Mass General hospital. His mother is a bee-keeper, very much interested in the natural world. Asher is a popular teen, the captain of his hockey team, handsome and charming, a lady’s man at school. Mara his best friend from childhood, and Dirk his sometimes sidekick, welcome Lily into their circle when she suddenly arrives in their town. Asher and his mom moved to Adams, New Hampshire to escape from his father who had been physically abusive to his mother.
Asher’s friend Dirk is a bit of a smart-alec, and is not presented in a very likeable fashion. Mara has two moms. She seems well adjusted and embraces Lily as a close friend, as she had embraced Asher. When Lily and Asher become a couple, Mara welcomes their relationship since she and Asher have been more like siblings, as far as Asher is concerned. Dirk, seems to want a relationship with Lily too.
Lily’s mother works for the Forest Service. She is very much involved in preserving the environment of the creatures in the natural habitat in which she works. Lily’s father is a narrow-minded drunk who is a cruel bigot intent on refusing to accept who she purports to be from an early age. Born as a male, she has never felt comfortable in that skin. She has gone the whole nine yards with medical procedures that have transformed her into the sex she felt was hers. Essentially, Liam is now Lily and is growing more comfortable in her own body and in her world. In Adams, New Hampshire, where she and her mom have moved recently, to escape from her abusive father, Lily feels like she belongs for the first time in her life.
Both Lily and Asher’s moms work hard to rescue those at risk in the world in which they work. This courageous behavior extends into the world of their children. Both will sacrifice enormously to preserve their safety and security, to help them be accepted and to be productive in society. However, secrets abound in this novel, some from necessity, and some from personal grievances that cannot be forgiven. The world of the bees is opened up and explored and the devotion of the drones to the queen bee can be compared to the blind, devotion of a parent trying to protect a child from the world as some of their choices bring conflict, confusion and danger into their lives. Just as the drone will die for the queen, a mother will profess willingness to die for a child. Does that total sense of loyalty exist for the mother of a child, regardless of the child or the situation they become entangled in, or are there limits to the complete sense of devotion that the parent never knew about before or perhaps never allowed themselves to consider previously. Does doubt creep into their thoughts or is their support completely blind, regardless of circumstances and facts to the contrary.
When gender is explained in the natural world, it is more fluid than it is in the human world. What is natural in nature, and requires little help from anything but nature, is not so in the human world. In our world, outside intervention is required when gender dysphoria is present. Therefore, is it natural as it is in the world of nature, or is it contrived as natural since it requires intervention. That is a question that must be dealt with, absorbed and its conclusion accepted, in order for the premise of the book to be accepted, as well. To say more would be to give away the book completely and render the reading of it meaningless. So less is more, in this case.
Read this book, don’t resist its subject matter. It is an important topic to discuss and comprehend more fully. In addition to learning about gender confusion, the reader will be entertained with facts about bee-keeping and honey, the reader will learn more about a job working for the Forest Service. In this way the comparison that exists between our world and nature's world is elucidated, and we are enlightened further about issues that are current that have become problematic and require sensible solutions so we all live harmoniously, happily and peacefully, together.
Two authors have collaborated on this novel to bring a current controversial subject to the forefront of public consumption. It is currently, very much in the public eye, and needs to be explored
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and explained. Using two young teens, Lily Campanello, 16, and Asher Fields, 18, as the main characters, their two mothers, Olivia McAfee and Ava Campanello, both single parents raising their only child, both having escaped from abusive husbands who were not only dangerous to their well-being, but were becoming dangerous to their child, albeit for different reasons, coupled with a love that might have led to a crime of passion, the transgender world is exposed with all the consequences that are experienced by those who carry the burden of their problematic gender in a world that neither understands or accepts them. Are we all guilty, at one time or another, of rushing to judgment without fully understanding the situation with which we are faced?I am not a fan of collaborative books, but the buzz about Mad Honey kept getting louder, in the same way Olivia’s bees got louder when they were disturbed by outsiders. I decided to read it and could not put it down. What is an outsider? This is a question raised by this novel. What is unnatural and what is natural is also front and center. Both questions need further exploration and explanation, since we in the world at large that are not part of the experiencing gender dysphoria, are blind to their needs and their pain. This is not to say one has to agree or disagree with the premises presented in this book, but it is to say that being enlightened about the subject might help the cause of the transgender movement that is aiming to bring everyone into some broader circle of acceptance and focuses also on an effort to reduce condemnation and ridicule.
The novel smoothly moves back and forth as it opens up the lives of both teens and their family issues. Asher’s father is portrayed as a Cardiac-thoracic Surgeon. He is well-respected at Mass General hospital. His mother is a bee-keeper, very much interested in the natural world. Asher is a popular teen, the captain of his hockey team, handsome and charming, a lady’s man at school. Mara his best friend from childhood, and Dirk his sometimes sidekick, welcome Lily into their circle when she suddenly arrives in their town. Asher and his mom moved to Adams, New Hampshire to escape from his father who had been physically abusive to his mother.
Asher’s friend Dirk is a bit of a smart-alec, and is not presented in a very likeable fashion. Mara has two moms. She seems well adjusted and embraces Lily as a close friend, as she had embraced Asher. When Lily and Asher become a couple, Mara welcomes their relationship since she and Asher have been more like siblings, as far as Asher is concerned. Dirk, seems to want a relationship with Lily too.
Lily’s mother works for the Forest Service. She is very much involved in preserving the environment of the creatures in the natural habitat in which she works. Lily’s father is a narrow-minded drunk who is a cruel bigot intent on refusing to accept who she purports to be from an early age. Born as a male, she has never felt comfortable in that skin. She has gone the whole nine yards with medical procedures that have transformed her into the sex she felt was hers. Essentially, Liam is now Lily and is growing more comfortable in her own body and in her world. In Adams, New Hampshire, where she and her mom have moved recently, to escape from her abusive father, Lily feels like she belongs for the first time in her life.
Both Lily and Asher’s moms work hard to rescue those at risk in the world in which they work. This courageous behavior extends into the world of their children. Both will sacrifice enormously to preserve their safety and security, to help them be accepted and to be productive in society. However, secrets abound in this novel, some from necessity, and some from personal grievances that cannot be forgiven. The world of the bees is opened up and explored and the devotion of the drones to the queen bee can be compared to the blind, devotion of a parent trying to protect a child from the world as some of their choices bring conflict, confusion and danger into their lives. Just as the drone will die for the queen, a mother will profess willingness to die for a child. Does that total sense of loyalty exist for the mother of a child, regardless of the child or the situation they become entangled in, or are there limits to the complete sense of devotion that the parent never knew about before or perhaps never allowed themselves to consider previously. Does doubt creep into their thoughts or is their support completely blind, regardless of circumstances and facts to the contrary.
When gender is explained in the natural world, it is more fluid than it is in the human world. What is natural in nature, and requires little help from anything but nature, is not so in the human world. In our world, outside intervention is required when gender dysphoria is present. Therefore, is it natural as it is in the world of nature, or is it contrived as natural since it requires intervention. That is a question that must be dealt with, absorbed and its conclusion accepted, in order for the premise of the book to be accepted, as well. To say more would be to give away the book completely and render the reading of it meaningless. So less is more, in this case.
Read this book, don’t resist its subject matter. It is an important topic to discuss and comprehend more fully. In addition to learning about gender confusion, the reader will be entertained with facts about bee-keeping and honey, the reader will learn more about a job working for the Forest Service. In this way the comparison that exists between our world and nature's world is elucidated, and we are enlightened further about issues that are current that have become problematic and require sensible solutions so we all live harmoniously, happily and peacefully, together.
Show Less
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Fiction — 2023)
LibraryReads (Annual Voter Favorite — October 2022)
Physical description
464 p.; 9.55 inches
ISBN
1984818384 / 9781984818386