After reading several duds over the past couple months, I was relieved when this book hit all the right spots for me. It’s a perfectly-plotted suspense mystery that’s not too dark, yet not sugar-coated either. Two adult twins, former child stars, and estranged from one another, are brought back together when one of them abandons her child and disappears. The one left behind is convinced she wouldn’t intentionally abandon her daughter and is determined to find her sister. As she slowly follows the clues to her whereabouts, she learns things about herself and her upbringing that starts to heal her own painful memories and grudges. I thought that this book was very well done. The characters show real emotions and the situations they’re in are interesting. I wasn’t expecting to be thinking about the plot as much as I still am, weeks later. I guess you could say it has a little bit of a literary fiction style to it. I would recommend this to my book club friends, because it will make you want to discuss it once you’ve finished.

3.5 stars. Janelle Brown can be a bit hit or miss for me. Some books are a bit more "thriller-ish" than others, but when they are not, I feel that they are often miscategorized (which I think ends up disappointing readers resulting in a lower rating than what might otherwise be given if readers knew what to expect). Regardless of the book, Brown excels at writing morally gray characters....all of the characters have both positive and negative traits. I am a huge fan of books centered on cults, and I enjoyed this aspect of the book. However, I felt that things got just a bit too far-fetched, and I struggled to buy into the plot. Overall, a decent read but not exceptional.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

Identical twins Elli and Sam used to switch places growing up. They were child actors and when Elli didn’t want to do her part, Sam took over. Now they are grown up, leading very different lives, and are no longer speaking. Their parents contact Sam because Elli is missing and they need her to come help with a niece Sam didn’t even know she had.

Sam finds it odd of Elli to disappear and starts piecing together clues as to find her. Can Sam save Elli from the mess she’s gotten herself into?

So…I both liked and didn’t like this book. I was intrigued at first - twins switching places, one twin missing, weird crap going on…but I felt like I was waiting for a huge twist that didn’t happen for me. I also think this is more family drama than thriller. It has gotten several really good reviews, so maybe it’s just me - definitely check it out if the synopsis appeals to you!

The plot featuring twins is what captured my attention since we will soon be welcoming a set to the family. Twins are a fascinating subject—even more so when they are identical. Even though identical twins are sometimes hard to tell apart, each one has their own distinct personality that shines through as they grow into adulthood.

In this story, twins Sam and Elli shared many things, but as they hit puberty, the differences began to emerge. When they are “discovered” by a Hollywood agent, Sam is excited to be a part of the acting world, while Elli is reluctant to be in the spotlight.

I felt like the story merged a bit of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen with a star like Lyndsey Lohan. The glare of the spotlight, the pressure to perform and the drug scene all played a part in ending their career as twins and eventually becoming estranged from each other.

When Elli disappears, she leaves Sam with some disturbing clues and a lot of questions. Sam is determined to find out what is going on with her sister and in order to find her, she decides to be her. The lengths each sister goes in order to protect each other proves just how strong with twin bond can be when tested.

Besides the Hollywood scene, California is also known for its offbeat religions and cult communities, which is another part of the plot.

I enjoyed the book and liked the ending, but some readers may feel everything was too neatly wrapped up. This is a clean story and the drug use is not dealt with in detail.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Random House for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.

This was a fun slow-burn mystery which had identical twin sisters and former child actors who have grown apart. Elli, the golden child, goes missing and her sister, struggling to stay sober after a lifetime of addiction is called in to help her parents babysit the niece she didn't know she had. Elli is supposedly at a spa, but she stops returning their calls and texts and hasn't returned. The book has a sold story line that is full of suspense without being super murdery or scary. Check this one out.

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for the electronic advanced copy.

This was a really unique story with a lot of components thrown into the mix.

Sam and Elli are sisters and former childhood stars who have lost touch with one another. As an adult, Elli has dedicated her life to being the perfect homemaker to her real estate lawyer husband. Sam, on the other hand, is still dealing with her failed Hollywood career and is overcoming addiction to pills and alcohol. It was this destructive behavior that ultimately drove a wedge between the sisters.

But when Sam is contacted by her father out of the blue, it’s then that she learns just how imperfect Elli’s life really is. Elli’s husband has left her and she now has an adopted two-year-old child that she has dumped on her parents while she attends a mysterious spa in Ojai. Sam isn’t quite convinced, however, that her sister is merely decompressing, and she believes Elli may be in trouble. Sam now makes it her mission to find her sister and what she uncovers along the way is so much more complicated than she imagined.

This was such an interesting story, and I really enjoyed reading it. The secrets that Elli was harboring were quite surprising and it wasn’t until Sam dug a little deeper that they came to light. Despite their differences, I think it showed just how deeply connected these twin sisters were. Elli helped Sam through her sobriety and though certain actions ultimately caused some contention between them, the fact that Sam was still willing to go to such lengths to find and help Elli revealed the strength of their bond and love for one another.

Definitely recommending this book!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4169324944

Title: I'll Be You
Author: Janelle Brown
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"I'll Be You" by Janelle Brown

My Assessment:

'I'll Be You' was a long read, but a good one in how these identical twins Elli and Sam were former childhood TVstars who now are adults. However, even though they were identical twins, they were pretty different. We find Sam is recovering from drugs and alcohol, and Elli has divorced her husband and supposedly adopted a daughter. However, it seems like Elli is going through something but seeking help in the wrong place...a cult. Sam has been called home to help her mother, who is now taking care of Elli's child...Charlotte. What was weird about this? Sam had no dealing with children. Even though Sam has had her problems with alcohol is being asked to come home and help with this child. The big question is, where is Elli, and why is she not there taking care of her child. It wasn't like Ellie to abandon this child for a never-ending spa retreat. There will be a lot going on with these two sisters, so the reader will have to keep up with the problems the mom added to this story. Both of these sisters had issues, but it seems like just one was trying to work on theirs while the other just kept making all kinds of wrong decisions.

As the story continues, there will be a lot of twists and turns as Sam makes it her goal to find her sister as it seems like her parents are not concerned about this issue. The story starts as they are young kids who started as stars, and what an intense and intriguing read the reader will be given as we see what they go through going back and forth in time, explaining the lives of the children to the present day now that they are adults.

Be ready for a little bit of it all from 'alcoholism, kidnapping, family drama, cults, control abuse, manipulation, the twins switching places, and unfailing love of these twin sisters' will show its hand in this read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

Best book yet by author Janelle Brown, period, I'll take no questions on that. This twisty sister story combined with a cult story is absolute captivating perfection. It's got remnants of stories we are familiar with- the escapades of child stars, the recognizable lures of cults- but there are aspects of this story that ring shockingly unique. There are some really heartbreaking moments in this story, and the sister relationship between twins Sam and Ellie rings really true as it explores the things that challenge their bond.

When identical twins Samantha (Sam) and Eleanor (Elli) are spotted by a talent agent, the two beautiful young girls are thrust into a life as child TV stars. Sam loves the spotlight and Elli would prefer a normal life going to school and having friends her own age. After a childhood of switching identities and keep secrets, the two sisters grow apart. As adults, Sam is battling addiction in Hollywood after her acting career has ended and Elli is leading a normal life in Santa Barbara with a husband and her own business doing floral arrangements. After being sober for a year, Sam is contacted by their father. Elli, who she no longer speaks to, and her husband have split up. Elli has gone to a spa retreat in Ojai to recharge. She has left her adopted two-year-old daughter Charlotte in her mother’s care and help is needed.

It is soon clear that Elli has not been truthful about where she is. She is not responding to calls and texts and could be in danger. Told from each sister’s perspective, Sam and Elli’s stories unfold and despite lies and deception, the bonds of sisterhood may prove stronger than they realize. I was a big fan of author Janelle Brown’s last book Pretty Things and I’m very happy that I’ll Be You is another twisty, can’t put down suspenseful mystery.

Rated 4.25 stars.

I loved Brown's last book, Pretty Things, so I expected a lot, especially hearing it described as the Olsen twins with a NXIVM plot. It did not disappoint! The story and characters were fascinating and well-defined with beautiful, gritty prose. The story is told in the perspective of two sisters, ethereal identical twins who were child actors. However they took separate directions in early adulthood. The twists were unexpected, but felt organic. That's not always the case with mysteries/thrillers these days. Brown has quickly become one of my favorite authors!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House / Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

This was a gripping read. I loved diving into the strained sisterly relationship between the twins. I loved the nitty gritty part of addiction. I loved the sneakiness of the cult. I thought this was a thriller, and it wasn’t necessarily a thriller, but it did keep me guessing the whole way through. I really enjoyed this book. Janelle Brown has a way of writing that just sucks you in to the story and makes you want to keep reading to learn more about the characters. Such a great read!

I’ll Be You
I’ll Be You by @janellebrownie

Publishes 4/26/2022!

S for SO FREAKING GOOD. A great read :) 4.25/5 ⭐️

Thank you #Netgalley and @randomhouse for the eARC in exchange for an honest review ❤️

Twin child stars Elli and Sam are so polar opposites in everything but looks. Child stardom did a number on Sam but Elli came out seemingly unscathed. This story of familial love and addiction stems so much farther than you can even realize. Medium paced, real characters with raw problems.

Check this gem when it drops the 26th!

I’ll Be You by Janelle Brown

Published: April 26, 2022
Random House
Pages: 348
Genre: Psychological Fiction
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Janelle Brown is the New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Things, Watch Me Disappear, All We Ever Wanted Was Everything, and This Is Where We Live. An essayist and journalist, she has written for Vogue, The New York Times, Elle, Wired, Self, Los Angeles Times, Salon, and more. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their two children.

“…it was already the beginning of the end.”

Sam and Ellie are identical twins who have lived quite a life. First, being discovered by an agent on the beach, two starring in television shows as young adults, to growing up and growing apart. Sam fell into addiction at a young age. The demands of being a young Hollywood actor took their toll. Ellie went the traditional path- college and falling in love, and getting married. When their paths cross again, it’s after a year passes, and the changes are immense. Now, the sisters realize how much they need each other to move on. To right the wrongs of their lives and finally find forgiveness and accept redemption.

Wow. Wow, wow, wow. This was an intense ride from page one. I loved everything about this novel.

The characters were so beautifully written. I loved how clear it was that while Sam and Ellie were mirror images of each other, they were very different people. I found the balance between being a single unit and two separate individuals well represented.

I loved the twists in this book. They come up so smoothly and slap you in the face. The premise of terrifying because this happens.

The aspects of this book are fiction, but their type of behavior happens and sucks people in. The charisma, charm, and desire to be accepted. Wanting to find our tribe and yet are preyed upon when we are at our most vulnerable. Powerful stuff.

I loved the concept of being an identical twin and how easy it is to trade places. Yet the complexity that comes with being able to ultimately assume another humans persona-the weight of being someone else even for a brief time. How consuming yet addicting that can be.

What starts are harmless fun quickly leads to disaster. This was impossible to put down and brilliantly delivered. I could not devour this novel fast enough. I found the twist at the end of part one so well placed- I did not see it coming.

I loved the alternating narrators between the parts, and I enjoyed how each of the characters was given a voice to be their own. This was a fantastic book, and I am excited to recommend it.

I’ll Be You by Janelle Brown
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: 4/26/22

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! I found this book really intriguing. It was a fast read and if you are looking for something slightly different than typical psychological thrillers this is it!

Sam and Elli are identical twins that have known to switch places when necessary. They were child stars turned into messy adults.
Sam has dealt with extensive alcohol and drug abuse since she was a teen. She’s tried many stints in rehab, but it’s never stuck.
Elli stopped wanting to act in her teens and wanted to live a normal life marriage, career, kids.
When she struggles with infertility and her marriage is falling apart she turns to a “womens self-help” group called GenFem.
She leaves her “foster” daughter Charlotte behind with her parents and tells them to enlist her sisters help. After weeks of being gone Sam starts digging into GenFem and starts to believe they are a cult. She is concerned for her sisters safety, so she begins digging up the truth. She’ll be shocked at what she finds.

This book was definitely interesting. The story line was different, although in my opinion there were unnecessary parts that made the book drag out at times. I wanted more depth from the characters, however at the same time they were different and they grew and changed over the course of the book. I was engaged and curious to see how the story ended.

Sam and Elli are identical twin sisters, who become child stars. As they grow up, their lives follow very different paths. Elli gets married to a successful man, and lives the life of a happy homemaker. Sam spends her adult life chasing fame (unsuccessfully) and leads a life of addiction. When Elli disappears after checking into a spa, Sam finds herself caring for Elli’s adopted daughter (who she didn’t know existed) and searching for answers as to what really happened to her sister.

A story revolving around family dynamics, a cult, finding oneself and the lies that can either strengthen a relationship or destroy it.

THank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy!

A well done thriller with a mystery and a twist! Elli was always the good twin while Sam found drugs and alcohol early. Now, though, Elli's taken off for some sort of retreat leaving behind Charlotte, a toddler she's just adopted and their parents have, at Elli's request, called Sam to come help take care of her. But Sam's worried about Elli and she sets off on a quest to find her. This moves back and forth in time between their adolescent years, when they were B list tv stars- which Sam loved and Elli hated- and the present. Sam's struggling with sobriety and she's never been one for kids but she's handling it. Her parents aren't allies but Caleb, who she meets at AA, is. Sam's the sister you would not want to have until she is- she's fierce when it comes to Elli, who is a cipher until she has the chance to tell her story. No spoilers from me so that you can experience what Sam does as she starts to question different things in Elli's life. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Great storytelling and intriguing characters make this a page turner.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. This book was a bit of a letdown for me. I have read a couple of the author’s other books and liked them, but this one was a miss. It was slow and just didn’t feel particularly original. It definitely is not the twisty thriller it is being billed as and the cult stuff was all too predictable. I did enjoye Sam’s voice more and felt the section that was told from Elli’s POV was unnecessary.

This book was soooo good. The story of identical twins who are former child actors. Once they were as close as sisters could be, but not they have grown apart. Addiction, booze, crippling anxiety, and infertility are just a few of the issues Elli and Sam have faced in their lifetime. But now Elli is in real trouble, possibly under the influence of a dangerous cult like group and an adopted daughter to care for. Beautifully written story of sisterhood and surviving a dysfunctional family.

3.5 rounded up. This was definitely unputdownable for me and I found it entertaining. I did enjoy the 1st half of the book more than the second, but it was a good escape read for me. I don't know if I would have loved this one if I had twins, lots of dissecting of this unique relationship. Elli and Sam are the twins and were also child actors and now have gone their separate ways. Sam is a recovering alcoholic and Elli has just adopted a daughter but is also newly separated from her husband and in deep with a women's self help group. All of this equates to a big hot mess. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an early release copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I'll Be You will be available on April 26th.

I'll be You is based on the lives of identical twins Elli and Sam. The narrative volleys back and forth between their teen years and the present. As children they were discovered by a talent agent and became actors. Sam thrived in the spotlight but Elli did not. Thus began their scheme to swap and be each other.

In the present Sam is still trying to recover from the pill and alcohol addiction started as a teen. Elli is living a perfect cookie cutter life. But sometimes looks can be deceiving. Now Elli is missing or maybe just finding herself but Sam's instincts know there's more.

With every twist and turn we are pulled further into how far sisters will go for each other even when their lives have dissected and they are no longer even speaking to the other.

This psychological thriller will pull you in with it's gripping, mysterious and intriguing plot line as you wonder what comes next.

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**