Mad Honey

A Novel

De: Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan

Narrado por: Carrie Coon, Key Taw, Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finn

GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • A soul-stirring novel about what we choose to keep from our past and what we choose to leave behind, from the New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here and the bestselling author of She’s Not There

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 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 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 Ash, and as the case against him unfolds, she realizes he’s hidden more than he’s shared with her.

Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves.

*Includes a downloadable PDF of recipes from the book

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (P)2022 Random House Audio

Dont read other reviews unless you want spoiled

No spoilers here. Another amazing novel by jodi! All the reviews crying about this book have apparently never actually paid attention to her other books.

The story is seemless and doesn’t feel like it was written by two people. The stuff about bees and the random facts were all well placed.

I’m Glad I Read This Book

I think I was meant to learn what this book imparts to its readers. I learned a lot about the extraordinary lives of bees and the dedication it takes to be a beekeeper. But, Mad Honey offers many lessons for us that I, for one, needed to hear. It sensitively and unblushingly unfolds its compelling story in a way that kept me involved while informing me of things I thought I understood but definitely did not. I am teary eyed as I write this review. I am changed as a result of reading it.

An Awakening & profound story...Why the naysayers?

I'm thankful for this story. This book awakened me to the parallel universe in which segments of people are enduring & struggling to live through, all while my blind 47 year old self lives in its bubble of unknowingness. I don't want to give any spoilers but for someone like me who lives a low key predictable life - seeing the same group of friends and not being exposed to the true 'variety' of different types of people and thier ranging plights of life. This book opened my eyes to something vast & expansive; to which I had no previus understanding for. I have been ignorant & blind to the true-to-life plight that "Lily" (in this book) portrays, and now I can SEE. I can empathisize with Lily's plight to the basic human level; eventhough my life is so differen/opposite. This book really opened my eyes and widened not only my understanding, but my empathy & my respect towards those who have to struggle with acceptance of themselves in this harsh world. I'm trying not to spoil anything!! Open your mind, and JUST LISTEN to this book!!!

Very Unexpected

I absolutely love Jodi Picoult’s books and this one is no exception. It’s a heartbreaking, beautifully written story with some plot twists that I wasn’t expecting just by reading the synopsis. I couldn’t put it down and highly recommend!

No Spoilers

The reviews with low ratings is to be very much (and sadly) expected with this one - but not because the story is bad or that it is poorly written.

This novel will require readers to be comfortable with being uncomfortable - a place where thought and growth happen. We seem to have become a society who has forgotten this place as we are so committed to remaining comfortable.

This novel is heartbreaking and beautiful. It explores various aspects of love, especially the type of love that requires a person to examine how much they trust it and themselves. It also happens to include (in a pretty normalized, not in your face way) a variety of diversity. It is so strange to me that when novels include humanized characters that happen to be Asian or Black, etc - the reaction is that the novel is “preachy” or full of “stereotypes”. Both can be true but are NOT automatically true because two side characters mentioned happen to be underrepresented identities. For those upset about any mentioned or raised social issues centered in the novel and feel that these things are contrived or also “preachy” - there are so many plots overly used in novels (starting over after a divorce, tragic love, the not so perfect suburban family, finding a lost relative, etc) that somehow have become normalized even though they themselves also are social issues or were once not normalized (divorce, oh my!). Also considering most published works still include mostly straight, cis, white characters going through these issues anything but may feel jarring - but nothing is being forced. It’s simply a story that happens to include different types of people which at this point - feels refreshing and I applaud Jodi and Jenny for their efforts to write stories that include characters reflective of the society around them.

Again, enjoyable story with so many explored themes and hard truths that is worth finishing.

Close to home

Let me begin by saying that I have never written a review before, but this story really hit home. I had no idea when I began this book who the characters would reveal themselves to be. Possible spoiler alert ahead....
As the mother of a Trans female, my greatest fears were realized in this story. We have been fortunate that our daughter (18 years old) has been accepted by everyone in our families and embraced by her friends. She is a happier person than we could ever have imagined. However, her dad and I are not blind to the stares or the possibility of her being hurt. As I listened to the harm that Lilly endured, it took everything I had not to picture my daughter. My favorite part of the story was the authors' notes. Thank you for telling this story! It may be difficult to hear or read, but it is necessary.

5+ out of 5

Well written, brilliant, intriguing.
Anyone who needs to understand and be educated about transgender people should read this book. Very educational about honey bees as well!
Thank for writing this book! I highly recommend it!

Excellent! ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

I admit if I had known the topic of this book was about the murder of a trans woman, I would not have listened. And I am glad I didn't know because I not only learned a great deal, but I am ashamed to say, I was clearly uninformed about the struggles and the medical problems these women go through. If you consider yourself to be a humane individual, you must read this novel, it is very moving and for many, highly informative.

Careful and delicate

This is a careful and delicate exploration of challenging issues ; love; abuse; sexuality vs personhood; understanding vs communication; community vs theory. Not for everyone…but I found it beautiful and moving.

OMG!

What a moving, brutally honest and loving novel. I have always (because I believe I’ve read all of her novels) loved Jodi Picoult. She is the one author who is unafraid to delve into, and bring to the surface (in a real and very heartfelt way) topics that are contemporary yet “disguised” as taboo on mainstream media. But, my point, is that she has introduced yet another author whom I was unaware of until Mad Honey and whom I will be relishing in any future book hunts to come. Thank you, Jodi and Jennifer, for such a moving story❤️