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Book review: 'Mad Honey'

Olivia McAfee, a beekeeper and single mom, has fled Boston and an abusive husband to give her son, Asher, a better life in small-town New Hampshire. All's well for the next 12 years until the now high school senior meets Lily Campanello, a new girl in town who, like Asher's mother, has fled a troubled past. Without giving away much, one day Asher finds Lily sprawled at the bottom of her stairs, unresponsive. Or did he find her that way? In Mad Honey , authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, A&S '86 (MA), join forces for a book that's part sexual identity tale, part trial drama, and part manual on the intricacies of beekeeping. You'll come for the mystery but stay for the depictions of Olivia harvesting honey.

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Mad Honey: A Novel

Starting over is difficult, but sometimes it is necessary. Olivia McFee learns this the hard way. She is thrilled when she meets Braden Fields, a resident in cardiac surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She works at the National Zoo trying to earn enough to attain her graduate degree in zoology.

After a whirlwind relationship, and they move in together after only three months. Olivia considers him "the one," and they soon marry and relocate to Boston for his fellowship at Mass General.

A year after their marriage, Olivia's father dies of a heart attack. An apiarist, Olivia's dad had taught her everything about raising bees, and after his death, Olivia wonders how to carry on his business. Not only is her mother highly allergic, but she also has no idea about caring for them, so it is up to Olivia to take over this task.

When there is a death in the beekeeper family, the tradition is to "inform" the insects. If they aren't "asked" to stay with their new master, they leave. Olivia and her mom drape each colony with black crepe and communicate that their keeper is deceased. They accept this turn of events and remain in their colonies and for five years, Olivia commutes from Boston to her childhood home in Adams, New Hampshire, to attend to them. Then after she gives birth to her son Asher, she takes him with her. He stays with her mother while she checks on the hives, finding she loves her new "job."

As time passes, Braden becomes overly possessive and abusive. She wears turtleneck tops with long sleeves to cover the many bruises Braden inflicts on her hoping others, especially Asher, will not see her injuries. When Braden strikes out at Asher, Olivia realizes it's time to leave, so she packs up and goes to Adams with Asher. With Asher only seven, Olivia does not want him to have any contact with his volatile father.

The years pass, and Olivia loves being back in her hometown. When her mother passes on with Olivia taking ownership of the farm, she tends to the bees, while producing honey and other items for income. Asher, happy in his new environment, is a star player on the school hockey team and is in love with Lily Campanello.

Lily, a recent transplant with her single mom Ava, has moved to town after living on the west coast. Asher and Lily become an item quickly, and Olivia also finds the very intelligent young woman to be special. She is happy to see her son content as he is on his way to becoming a man. As the two teens get closer, Lily has a secret she is afraid to share though she trusts him. Their friendship becomes intimate, and they state their love for each other, but she still wonders if she can confide in him. She remembers when she confided her "secret" to her best friend in California, the friend disclosed it to the whole school. What kind of person does that?

Lily knows she loves Asher, so she takes the chance to disclose she’s transgender. She was born a boy, but never felt like a male since childhood. He was the constant torment of his peers, and though his mom supports his feelings, his father is livid. This causes animosity between Ava and Lily’s dad, so they leave Seattle where they had been living to move to California. While there, they meet with a doctor who performed a sex change on her.

Uncertain, Lily fears Asher's judgment, and they have an argument. She pushes him away without talking, but he loves her and needs to know what is wrong.

Then, one day Asher calls Olivia saying, "I think Lily is dead!" The next thing she hears he is at the police station. When she arrives, she is met by Lieutenant Newcomb, the sole detective in their small town—and the guy she remembers as "Mike" and attended the junior prom with when they were in high school.

Olivia speaks up, "'Asher—’ "'—is fine,' Mike interrupts. He holds the door to the interior of the station open so that I can walk through. 'But he's pretty worked up.' "'He said that Lily was . . . ' I can't even shape my mouth around the word. "'She was taken to the hospital. I haven't heard anything else, yet. I'm hoping Asher might help us figure out what happened.' "'Was he there?' "'He was found holding her body.' "Body."

Lily had been home from school sick, and Asher went to her house to discuss their recent disagreement, and when he arrives, he finds Lily sprawled at the bottom of the stairs unresponsive. Shaken, Asher takes her to the living room sofa where he tries to revive her. Now the police are questioning . . . did Asher kill her in a moment of rage?

Olivia is shocked. Could Asher have done something like this? Did he inherit Braden's genes and is abusive like her ex-husband had been with her? She cannot accept this, yet, when Asher is arrested and placed in a cell, her mind whirls. Her immediate thought is to contact Jordan, her older brother, a powerful attorney. If anyone can help Asher, he can.

Though Asher vehemently claims he is innocent, everything points to his guilt for harming the girl he loves. Incarcerating him is unacceptable to Olivia, but the amount of bond the judge posts is impossible for her to raise. A simple beekeeper, she is land rich but cash poor, and she refuses to go to Braden for the money, though he could easily afford it. If this goes on, will she have to resort to seeing him after all these years?

The big question is did Asher actually harm Lily or was someone else responsible? A lengthy trial ensues with Jordan as his defense attorney, and soon both Asher and Olivia become pariahs in their small town, sympathizing with Ava as she suffers the death of her daughter.

During the court case, the subject of Lily’s transformation is brought to light. Dr. Powers, the physician doctor who performed this operation is called to testify and this is what she discloses:

“She looks at the jury. ‘This example is a really great way to understand what it means to be transgender. Everyone has a dominant gender identity. It’s not a preference, it’s not something you can change just because you feel like it—it’s just how you’re wired. Most people who are assigned male or female at birth feel their gender identity matches that label—they’re called cicgender . But transgender people know that being in the body they are in feels not quite right. Some know this when they’re very young. Some spend years feeling uncomfortable without really knowing why. Some avoid talking about gender identity because they’re ashamed or afraid. . . .’

‘. . . When trans people tell the truth about who they are, they face stigma, discrimination, harassment, and in some cased, violence,’ Dr. Powers says bluntly. ‘Trans people have been fired for expressing their gender identity. They’ve been beaten up or thrown out of their homes. Last year, nearly thirty trans people were murdered This year, so far, another four have been killed.’”

When asked what transition means, Dr. Powers adds:

“‘Transitioning is the period during which a trans person starts to live according to their gender identity, rather than the gender they were incorrectly assigned at birth. It’s important to point out that you can be transgender and never transition. It’s not a one-size-fits-all, and gender expression looks different for every person. For one, it may mean certain clothing or growing your hair long, or putting on makeup. For someone else, it could be changing your name or the pronouns you use to refer to yourself. Some people change their driver’s license or passport to reflect their correct gender. Others undergo hormone therapy, or a surgical procedure, so that their bodies reflect their correct gender.’”

As she goes on to relay Lily’s experience, she explains the surgery she underwent to attain her true gender, the prosecutor and the spectators in the courtroom use this information to believe that Lily did report her true identity to Asher, which angered him to the point that he caused her death rather than to have others find out and torment him.

Mad Honey is a multi-faceted novel focusing on many issues. With an in-depth description of the responsibilities of beekeepers to the intricacies of the judicial system, to the secrets and the angst of young people dealing with their sexuality, this tale proves to be both informative and interesting as well as heartbreaking.

Nancy Carty Lepri is the author of a children’s chapter book, Tiny Angel , and is an illustrator and freelance editor. She has edited more than 20 books for national small publishers in various genres.

Review: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

Editorial note: I received a copy of Mad Honey in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Mad Hone y by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is an impactful and timely story that will stay with you.

Jodi Picoult does not shy away from covering relevant and to some, controversial topics. She has this masterful way of presenting a story that seems pretty clear cut on paper and then about midway, there is a twist that changes everything.

Mad Honey is the latest example of this.

The novel, co-written with Jennifer Finney Boylan, covers so much: identity, gender, abuse, love, toxic relationships and much more. It’s not an easy read and many times, it’s quite sad but it’s also important and I think will open many eyes to the struggles that people deal with on a daily basis.

What’s the Story About

The story is told from the perspectives of Olivia and Lily. Olivia is a beekeeper and a mother to a teenager son, Asher. She left behind an abusive marriage to start over in her hometown in New Hampshire.

Whereas Lily is a teenager girl who just moved to the area with her mother. She is also hoping for a fresh start from a painful past.

Asher and Lily eventually start to date and fall in love and for once, everything seems at peace. Until one day, Lily is found dead and Asher is the number one suspect.

While Olivia believes that her son is innocent, she starts to recognize similar traits that his father holds as well. She begins to question everything she knows.

Olivia and Lily

Jodi Picoult mainly wrote Olivia’s perspective while Jennifer Finney Boylan wrote Lily’s. The final work is rather seamless and cohesive and I thought their collaboration was quite strong. I was so engaged with both characters and their journey. I so wished for a better outcome for Lily as her story is so heartbreaking.

In many ways, Olivia and Lily are quite similar. They have suffered abuse and left toxic relationships. And they both love Asher.

Olivia’s story is told in present time while Lily’s is told backwards. I’m not sure why they made that choice—perhaps it was to keep the twist hidden longer. It didn’t bother me but I know some readers had a problem with that.

I hope readers approach this story with an open mind. I keep these spoiler free and I don’t want to reveal the twist. I think some will probably see it coming and others may not. I’ve read reviews that explain key plot points and sometimes it’s fine for the particular story but other times, you want to go into the novel fresh and not have that reveal in the back of your mind.

I believe the authors chose to present the story like that for a reason and I want to respect their process.

That said, speaking in somewhat vague terms, I feel like this was eye opening story covering a segment of the population that is underrepresented in the media—unless, they’re being vilified by politicians.

This story, while of course fiction, does give a face and voice to the journey that many people go through.

Mad Honey is an important and impactful read. It’s very well done and will make you think. And those are always the ideal book club selections.

I see why Good Morning America chose this for their October pick. It will for sure get a lot of people talking.

However, there is a melancholy feel to it though and it’s quite tragic. So something to keep in mind.

Check out my book club questions here .

Theresa Smith Writes

Delighting in all things Bookish

Book Review: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

About the book:.

Olivia McAfee and Ava Campanello have each had a change of life forced upon them. Olivia never dreamed that after her messy divorce she would find herself back in her sleepy New Hampshire home town, living in the house she grew up in and taking over her father’s beekeeping business. Ava is also in search of a fresh start, moving to Adams with her daughter Lily, who is in her final year of high school.

For a short while these new beginnings are just what everyone hoped for. Olivia’s son Asher falls for the new girl at school, and Lily can’t help loving him in return. With Ash she feels happy for the first time, yet she wonders if she can trust him completely.

Then one day Olivia receives a phone call. Lily is dead and Ash is being questioned by the police. Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent, but she also recognises the flashes of his father’s dangerous temper in him. As the case unfolds she realises Ash has hidden more than he’s shared with her.

Fan favourite Jordan McAfee, previously in The Pact , Nineteen Minutes and Salem Falls , returns as Ash’s lawyer and Olivia’s brother.

Mad Honey is a gripping novel of suspense, a poignant love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take.

Published by Allen and Unwin

Released October 2022

My Thoughts:

Like many long-term Jodi Picoult fans, I welcomed this return to what felt like her original style of novel. A family drama, a question of morals, a crime, a court case, a twist at the end you never saw coming. Perhaps it is formulaic, but there’s a reason why she is such a well-known bestselling author. Mad Honey felt familiar but also new, the main topic underpinning the story one I’ve not read about before.

Which brings me to the other author whose name graces the front cover of this book. I hadn’t read Jennifer Finney Boylan before, I hadn’t even heard of her, but that’s not unusual for me with Amercian authors. I will admit to deciding that I wasn’t going to read this novel initially, mostly based on the fact it was a collaboration. A few people I know who had read it recommended it to me though, citing it was classic Jodi Picoult and that the reasons for the collaboration made the story all that much more truthful and solid.

After reading it for myself, I agree entirely. Jennifer Finney Boylan’s contribution, which is actually half the book, was essential. Told from two perspectives, Jennifer writes one perspective throughout, Jodi the other, and in the author notes, they tell us how they each edited the other’s chapters along with swapping once to write a chapter of the other author’s character. There is no way to guess which chapter was written by the other author. The book feels seamless, the two authors complimentary in their style and character voice.

I welcomed everything that I learnt from Jennifer Finney Boylan’s character within this novel. While I’m not a huge fan of a story unfolding backwards, it worked in this case. I felt attached more and more to Lily, even though I knew her fate and as the novel got closer to the end, I got sadder at the realisation that I’d gotten to know this beautiful young woman and become attached to her for nothing. Damn you, you clever author!

There were references to one of Jodi’s previous novels, Nineteen Minutes, with the return of lawyer character, Jordan McAfee, who is the brother of Olivia, the character that Jodi writes within this novel. The character of Jordan actually features in three previous novels, all of which I’ve read and loved. I felt this character inclusion was a sort of nod by Jodi to her long-term fans who have missed this style of novel by her.

I don’t have much by the way of criticism for this novel. It began to wear its length towards the end for me, specifically with Lily’s chapters, and Olivia’s recollections of domestic violence became repetitive. I don’t mean to diminish the topic, but I felt that it was expressed enough and then some. Olivia’s motivations early on regarding her response to her son’s arrest were questionable to me, seemingly more about what felt more comfortable for her than what was best for her son’s welfare. None of these things detracted from my overall rating of five stars. This is classic Jodi Picoult, the novel fans have been waiting for, with a twist that will leave you reeling.

Book Review: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult; Jennifer Finney Boylan

Posted September 29, 2022 by WendyW in Book Review , bookblogger / 48 Comments

***I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***

A soul-stirring novel about what we choose to keep from our past, and what we choose to leave behind.

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.

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.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult; Jennifer Finney Boylan is one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and it did not disappoint! I enjoyed the book very much, from the characters to the courtroom drama to the bees and the twist that took the book in a completely different direction.

Olivia McAfee is a single mother to Asher. Olivia and Asher moved to Adams New Hampshire, Olivia’s hometown when Asher was six years old. Olivia’s father kept bees, and Olivia returned to continue the business as well as escape the horrors of her marriage to a cardiac surgeon in Boston. Lily Campanello recently arrived in Adams, with her mother to escape a terrible situation back in California. Lily’s mother, Ava is a Forest Ranger, and also a single mother.

Asher and Lily start dating and fall in love. One day, Olivia gets a phone call from her son, telling her he’s in jail for the murder of Lily. Olivia can’t believe her son could or would do anything to hurt Lily, but in the back of her mind, she remembers the terrible temper of Asher’s father and the few times she had a glimpse of that temper in Asher.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the courtroom drama, the little bits of information about the bees, and the small-town charm of Adams, NH. But most of all, I loved the characters. Two strong single mothers, Olivia and Ava, both sacrificed their own wishes and lives to ensure their children were safe and protected. Their strength and selflessness shine in this book, and I loved both of them.

Next is Asher and Lily, who both fall in love, and there is nothing like first love. They are each other’s strengths and support each other, their relationship seems solid until Lily is murdered, and the only suspect is Asher. Lily’s murder takes place early in the story, but we get flashbacks to her life back in California and her relationship with Asher throughout the book.

My favorite part of this was the courtroom scenes, I was on the edge of my seat each time a witness took the stand, as the tide of the case went back and forth in Asher’s favor and then against Asher. And it’s during the courtroom scenes that we learn so much about their relationship.

I also enjoyed all the trivia about the bees. I have 2 beehives in my backyard, and I still learned a lot about them from this book. But, more importantly, I liked how the bee trivia related to what was going on in the book. It was clever how the authors used the bee information and tied it into the story.

I will be thinking of this book, and these characters for a long time to come. I highly recommend Mad Honey to anyone who enjoys fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About Jennifer Finney Boylan

Jennifer Finney Boylan is the author of sixteen books, including GOOD BOY: My Life in Seven Dogs. Since 2008 she has been a contributing opinion writer for op/ed page of the New York Times; her column appears on alternate Wednesdays. A member of the board of trustees of PEN America, Jenny was also the chair of the board of GLAAD for many years. She is currently the Anna Quindlen Writer in Residence and Professor of English at Barnard College of Columbia University.

Jenny is a well known advocate for human rights. She has appeared five times on the Oprah Winfrey Show and has also been a guest or a commentator on Larry King Live, Good Morning America, and The Today Show. She is also a member of the faculty of the Breadloaf Writers' Conference of Middlebury College as well as Sirenland, in Positano, Italy.

She lives in Maine with her wife Deirdre. They have two children.

About Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-seven novels, including The Book of Two Ways, A Spark of Light, Small Great Things, Leaving Time, The Storyteller, Lone Wolf, Sing You Home, House Rules, Handle with Care, Change of Heart, and My Sister's Keeper, and, with daughter Samantha van Leer, two young adult novels, Between the Lines and Off the Page.

Picoult’s books have been translated into thirty-four languages in thirty-five countries. Four novels – The Pact, Plain Truth, The Tenth Circle, and Salem Falls - have been made into television movies. My Sister’s Keeper was a film released from New Line Cinema, with Nick Cassavetes directing and Cameron Diaz starring. SMALL GREAT THINGS has been optioned for motion picture adaptation by Amblin Entertainment and is set to star Viola Davis and Julia Roberts. Picoult’s two Young Adult novels, Between The Lines and Off The Page, co-written with her daughter Samantha Van Leer, have been adapted and developed by the authors into a musical entitled Between The Lines which had its world premiere in September 2017 at the Kansas City Repertory Theater and is expected to premiere Off-Broadway in Summer 2019.

Picoult is the recipient of many awards, including the New England Bookseller Award for Fiction, the Alex Awards from the YALSA, a lifetime achievement award for mainstream fiction from the Romance Writers of America, the NH Literary Award for Outstanding Literary Merit and the Sarah Josepha Hale Award. She holds honorary doctor of letters degrees from Dartmouth College and the University of New Haven.

Picoult is the recipient of many awards, including the New England Bookseller Award for Fiction, the Alex Awards from the YALSA, a lifetime achievement award for mainstream fiction from the Romance Writers of America, and the NH Literary Award for Outstanding Literary Merit. She holds honorary doctor of letters degrees from Dartmouth College and the University of New Haven. She is also a member of the advisory board for VIDA: Women in Literary Arts.

Picoult lives in New Hampshire with her husband. They have three children.

I like the simplicity of the UK cover. And it’s got bees on the cover.

Have you read Mad Honey? Is it on your TBR? Which cover do you prefer?

‘Mad Honey’ Is ‘GMA’ Book Club Pick

BY Michael Schaub • Oct. 4, 2022

Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan’s Mad Honey is the latest pick for the Good Morning America book club.

Picoult and Boylan’s novel, published Tuesday by Ballantine, follows two New Hampshire high school students, Lily and Asher, who fall in love with one another. When Lily is found dead, Asher is arrested and charged, and his mother begins to doubt her son’s pleas of innocence. A critic for Kirkus called the book “a well-paced story that highlights several timely issues, with a stimulating courtroom trial that makes it worth reading.”

Juju Chang of ABC News announced the book club selection on the morning show. “This book asks the questions ‘How much of our past do we have to share?’ and ‘Are there parts that we can always keep to ourselves?’” she said.

Picoult shared the news of the novel’s selection on Instagram, writing, “TODAY!!! MAD HONEY is finally here!!! And we’re so thrilled to share the news that it’s the @gmabookclub October pick!”

Michael Schaub, a journalist and regular contributor to NPR, lives near Austin, Texas.

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Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan Contemporary Thriller

A soul-stirring novel about what we choose to keep from our past, and what we choose to leave behind.

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.

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.

-Excerpt taken from Goodreads.

Check Goodreads to see the book’s ratings.

“All of us have something in our hearts like a flower that cannot bloom because it is held in secret.”

This one I had to sit on for awhile before I could review it. When it states in the synopsis that it is “soul-stirring” I could not have said it better. It is beautifully written and I haven’t stopped thinking about it. It’s a doozey though, it’ll get your heart beating in fear, anger and love.

The story is made up of multiple POV. Olivia (Asher’s mom), Asher and Lily, his girlfriend. Olivia is a beekeeper and wow, who would’ve thought bees were so fascinating? We get bits of information and caring for them and facts about them which became so interesting to me. I don’t want to downplay the bees but the rest of the book is truly what stole my heart.

As a mom, I connected with Olivia. Oh so much. She is strong and passionate. Nothing can beat the relationship she has with Asher. That was admirable. Asher is a typical teenager but with more maturity than most. I’d say this about Lily also. They made the perfect pair.

A tragedy strikes and oh it broke my heart. So many emotions were felt as Olivia watched Asher go through the worst experience of his life. My mom heart had constant pain just imagining the scenario. But the real winner of this book was the transgender experience.

“Being gay or straight,” says Elizabeth, “is about who you want to go to bed with. Being trans—or cis—is about who you want to go to bed as.”

It’s definitely something you need to experience for yourself but I have never felt so adequately informed. It was educational, heartbreaking, heart warming and honest. There are characters trying to understand the trans experience and the questions that are asked are real. The answers that are given are honest. It is so well done. I couldn’t understand how Picoult had described it so well, but lo and behold, her co-author is transgender. This is gold! Being able to get answers to questions that are hard to ask, to be able to “see” things from a transgender perspective. Once again, my heart broke. I tell you, my heart was broken and put back together multiple times!

Being a strong LGBTQ+ ally, I want everyone to read this story. Without getting too much on my soap box; why do we need to know someone’s sexuality or gender?? Why does it matter? Aren’t we all just people? People who need and want the same things- to be accepted and loved. I once had someone tell me, “Nobody should be talking about my sexuality.” I completely agree. This book has the most real discussion about LGBTQ+ issues that I’ve seen. Transphobia and homophobia are real and they are dangerous. And while I knew this, I didn’t realize the full aspect of it until this book. No one should have to live like that.

AUDIO REVIEW: Stunning. I swear my mom heart was right there with these narrators. I don’t know which of the four narrators was each character but when 2/4 of the narrators are the authors, you know it’ll be good. I once again absolutely adore when authors read their own books. It adds so much more of everything to the audio. I can talk about voice cadence and more but what the author wants you to feel, you do because how they project their voice. The other narrators stood out just as much. I believe this is partly why I was so moved by this one.

Here are just a few of the many beautiful quotes in this book;

“I don’t think it’s an invisible chromosome, or the inability to get pregnant, or anything else, that makes people so cruel to transgender folks. I think what they hate is difference. What they hate is that the world is complicated in ways they can’t understand. People want the world to be simple.”

“If you want to understand something, you first need to accept the fact of your own ignorance. And then, you need to talk to people who know more than you do, people who have not just thought about the facts, but lived them.”

“I know better than most people what it means to make a colossal mistake, how you carry it with you, how it alters you on a cellular level. How, if you cannot forgive yourself for your transgression you snap under the weight of your own flaws.”

“Sometimes, making the world a better place just involves creating space for the people who are already in it.”

General content summary: F words= 20+, death from heart attack, parental deaths, spousal physical abuse (multiple, details), wrist scars (previous suicide attempt, referenced many times), previous alcoholic, previous divorces, teen death (blood), grief, f/f marriage, teen intimacy (multiple, details), teen drinking, menstruation references, vandalism, previous abortion (details), suicide attempt (blood), transgender, hate bullying (multiple), details about gender affirming surgery (many details, multiple times), child physical abuse (few), m/f passionate kissing.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted copy!

**As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Listen to Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan in conversation about Mad Honey on Poured Over: The B&N Podcast .

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“Told in rotating points of view, this Tilt-A-Whirl of a novel brims with jangly tension – an undeniably engrossing guessing

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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 ... Read full review

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 ... Read full review

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Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult
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. Genres FictionMysteryContemporaryAudiobookRomanceLGBTMystery Thriller ...more 464 pages, Hardcover First published October 4, 2022 Book details & editions
MAD HONEY
'Mad Honey' Is 'GMA' Book Club Pick 1 SUMMER SISTERS by Judy Blume ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 8, 1998 The years pass by at a fast and steamy clip in Blume's latest adult novel (Wifey, not reviewed; Smart Women, 1984) as two friends find loyalties and affections tested as they grow into young women.
Book review: 'Mad Honey'
In Mad Honey, authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, A&S '86 (MA), join forces for a book that's part sexual identity tale, part trial drama, and part manual on the intricacies of beekeeping. You'll come for the mystery but stay for the depictions of Olivia harvesting honey.
a book review by Nancy Carty Lepri: Mad Honey: A Novel
Mad Honey is a multi-faceted novel focusing on many issues. With an in-depth description of the responsibilities of beekeepers to the intricacies of the judicial system, to the secrets and the angst of young people dealing with their sexuality, this tale proves to be both informative and interesting as well as heartbreaking.
Review: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
Mad Honey is an important and impactful read. It's very well done and will make you think. And those are always the ideal book club selections. I see why Good Morning America chose this for their October pick. It will for sure get a lot of people talking. However, there is a melancholy feel to it though and it's quite tragic.
Mad Honey: A Novel: Picoult, Jodi, Boylan, Jennifer Finney
Amazon.com Review An Amazon Best Book of October 2022: If you are looking for a book that will give you all the feels, look no further, Mad Honey is an emotional, empathy-filled novel that will also provide more knowledge of bees than you ever thought you needed.
Mad Honey: A Novel Kindle Edition
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. Read more Print length 455 pages Language English Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe Publisher Ballantine Books Publication date October 4, 2022 File size 7424 KB
Mad Honey
Review Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan As the authors of MAD HONEY reveal in their authors' notes, this novel had a thoroughly modern origin story. Jennifer Finney Boylan woke up after having a dream in which she had co-authored a novel with Jodi Picoult.
Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Mad Honey: A Novel
Mad Honey is certainly a well-written interesting novel, though it seemed to me that some of the chapters repeated themselves. But I learned a great deal about the business of bees and the transgender movement and the possible links between he two.
Book Review: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
Mad Honey felt familiar but also new, the main topic underpinning the story one I've not read about before. Which brings me to the other author whose name graces the front cover of this book. I hadn't read Jennifer Finney Boylan before, I hadn't even heard of her, but that's not unusual for me with Amercian authors.
Book Review: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult; Jennifer Finney Boylan
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. Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult; Jennifer Finney Boylan is one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and it did not disappoint!
'Mad Honey' Is 'GMA' Book Club Pick
Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan's Mad Honey is the latest pick for the Good Morning America book club. Picoult and Boylan's novel, published Tuesday by Ballantine, follows two New Hampshire high school students, Lily and Asher, who fall in love with one another.
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This book is like being on a swing. It goes up and down. I enjoyed reading Lily's story and I liked Asher from the beginning and their live story. I didn't realize this was a transgender story in the beginning and had to go back and take a second look. I always felt like Asher wasn't the killer and was guessing who could have killed Lily.
Mad Honey
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. ... Spare Book Reviews [ February 8, 2023 ] Children of Time (Children of Time #1) Adult Fiction Search for: Home Adult Fiction Mad Honey Mad Honey. November ...
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Author interviews, book reviews and lively book commentary are found here. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors.
Mad Honey by Katie Welch
I love this book! Mad Honey is a fabulous read, full of fascinating information about bees, and an eclectic cast of characters. I was drawn in immediately by the idea and enchanting description of living as bees of a hive, and my interest was sustained throughout the story. The author's skillful and evocative writing brought this book to life.
Mad Honey: A Novel: Picoult, Jodi, Boylan, Jennifer Finney, Coon
Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-eight novels, including Wish You Were Here, Small Great Things, Leaving Time, and My Sister's Keeper, and, with daughter Samantha van Leer, two young adult novels, Between the Lines and Off the Page.Picoult lives in New Hampshire. Jennifer Finney Boylan is the bestselling author of more than a dozen books.
Mad Honey
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. Mad Honey. by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. Publication Date: October 4, 2022. Genres: Fiction, Women's Fiction.
Mad Honey (Signed Book)
Editorial Reviews. Praise for Jodi Picoult "Picoult is a skilled wordsmith, and she beautifully creates situations that not only provoke the mind but touch the flawed souls in all of us."—The Boston Globe "Jodi Picoult is that rare, one-in-a-million writer whose books both squeeze your heart and expand your mind."⁠—Emily Henry
Mad Honey
Mad Honey. Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan. Allen & Unwin, Oct 5, 2022 - Fiction - 464 pages. 20 Reviews. Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified. A riveting novel about what we choose to keep from our past, and what we choose to leave behind, from the New York Times bestselling author ...
‎Mad Honey on Apple Books
Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, ... APPLE BOOKS REVIEW. A mother's unconditional love is put to the test in this arresting domestic thriller co-written by best-selling authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. Fearing for her teenage son, Asher, Olivia left her abusive husband and returned to her small New Hampshire hometown ...