I've never read anything from Brown before, and this premise really caught my eye. Sadly, it didn't meet my expectations. I thought it would be an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but it was more of a family drama. The pace was slower than I thought it would be, and I had a hard time staying engaged or connecting with the characters. The ending was a bit too predictable.

“I’ll Be You” is a dramatic novel focused on a set of twins, Elli and Sam. They’re “discovered” and become child actors, a la Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen. As they grow older, they each take different paths. Elli walks away from acting, goes to college, gets married, and works a typical job. Sam, however, goes the route many child actors do, falling prey to addiction. Both women face many struggles when life doesn’t go as planned. Childless and yearning for a family while her marriage falls apart, Elli turns to GenFem to help her “rediscover” herself. Unfortunately, GenFem isn’t all about female empowerment and discovering your true identity, and Elli ends up in a difficult and dangerous position. Can Sam overcome her weaknesses to help save her sister?

I waffled on this one and how I felt about it. I love a book that has dual POVs, however, I didn’t like how this one was done. While it’s certainly a personal preference, I didn’t like that the first half of the book was all Sam’s POV, THEN we got Elli’s POV. The story moved along well while in Sam’s POV, but once we got to Elli’s, the story line felt like it hit pause while we went back to the beginning to get Elli’s version of events and her timeline. Once Ellie’s timeline caught up, we hit play again, and the last 4 chapters were Sam’s POV. I think this book would’ve greatly benefitted from going back and forth between Sam & Elli’s POV. The story line would’ve been more fluid and natural. Again, that’s just a personal preference.

I did like that while this book dealt with cults, the story line felt original. I haven’t read a book with this type of story line before, so I appreciated that. It’s tagged as a suspense novel, but I don’t necessarily feel that it read as a suspense novel. More of a drama/mystery.

I would’ve liked a different ending. It felt a little too neat & unrealistic based off the first 95% of the book.

All in all, it was a good read. I went back and forth between 3.5 and 4 stars, but I’ll round up to 4 for its originality.

3.5 rounded up. I liked the dueling perspectives in this novel; twins always fascinate me and I think Brown did a good job distinguishing between both twins, and more so, showing how their circumstances caused them both to spiral in different ways. I will say I feel I've read a few books about cults lately (Please Join Us and This Might Hurt both come to mind) so the idea itself didn't feel fresh, but it was still enjoyable. The novel did seem to drag a bit at times and the ending felt a bit too clean, but overall, I would read more from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You have Two identical twin sisters and former child actors who have grown apart- until one disappears, and the other is forced to confront the secrets they’ve kept from each other in. I think it’s important to know going in that This is not a thriller- there is an element of suspense but it’s more about the relationship between the sisters than anything else.

Sam and Elli were very close growing up - identical to the point where their parents sometimes couldn’t even tell them apart. They got discovered when they were little and mbecame B-list child TV stars, often inhabiting the same role.

But as adults, their lives have taken very different turns. After leaving acting, Elli became the perfect homemaker: married to a real estate lawyer, living in a house just blocks from the beach. Meanwhile, Sam has never recovered from her failed Hollywood career, or from her addiction to the pills and booze that have propped her up for the last fifteen years.

Sam hasn't spoken to her sister since her destructive behavior finally drove a wedge between them. So when her father calls out of the blue, Sam is shocked to learn that Elli’s life has been in turmoil: her husband moved out, and Elli just adopted a two-year-old girl. Now she’s stopped answering her phone and checked in to a mysterious spa in Ojai. sam has a lot of questions but as she's being trusted with something for thr first time in a long time, she goes to help.

This book had so many elements that worked for me. I loved the LA setting and the way the author told the story. It's in 3 parts, and it all leads up to what is happening at this mysterious retreat. Theres also sections where we flash back to the girls growing up and their rise to fame and fall from stardom. Sam has an addiction problem and I thought the author handled it in a very realistic way and with care. The organization elli is a part of has a very Nexium vibe to it and I couldn't wait to figure out what all was going on.

This would be a great book pairing with cultish by Amanda montell. If you like stories about sisters or missing person stories, then I think this will work for you.

I really enjoyed this thriller! Very entertaining, good characters, and I didn’t expect the twist. I read it all in one day!

I felt like this book was less thriller, but more mystery. I enjoyed the characters and the plot line— it just wasn’t exactly my type of book or what I had expected. Doesn’t make it bad— just doesn’t make it good for me.

3.5 stars rounded down

I’ll be You is more of a general/women’s fiction book with a touch of suspense rather than a thriller. With that lens in mind the book is a decent read.

The focus on woman’s self-help groups is timely given society’s obsession with MLMs and cult-like groups like NXIVM. We’ve all had that one friend from high school send us a Facebook message asking us to change our lives with whatever new product/program they’re selling, and this book explores the problematic nature of this trend. I thought this was a unique topic to explore and I really enjoyed the main character, Sam. I also liked the premise of a book about identical twins.

However, I did struggle with a few aspects of the book and that impacted my rating. Firstly, some of the chapters were excruciatingly long and focussed too much on a one dimensional re-telling of the twins’ past (specifically chapter 12 and 13 were ridiculously long and all back story).

Secondly, I found the lack of alarm over Elli’s disappearance unbelievable. Particularly Elli and Sam’s parents behaviour read as beyond belief. While Brown tries to justify this by building up the mother as a bit unreliable and flaky, it just didn’t work for me.

Finally, the switch in narrators from Sam to Elli wasn’t as smooth or utilized as efficiently as I would’ve liked.

Overall, I’ll be You is a solid general/women’s fiction read. While there isn’t a ton of thrill or suspense, it is an engaging story with engaging characters and outlines a shift in our society that has proven to be quite dangerous. I will definitely read another Janelle Brown book in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for a free digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I enjoyed this suspenseful story. This is my first book by this author which I enjoyed her writing style as well as her attention to details. This is a story that is fast paced and well written. The author has created characters that not only are connectable but bring the story to life. I enjoyed how they pulled me into the story from the beginning. They are supportive of each other which made the story easy and entertaining to read. This is a story about a set of twins. One comes up missing and the other has secrets that they kept from each other. The twists and turns had me sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what would happen next. A great story that was hard to put down and I look forward to reading more from this author. I highy recommend this book.

This book is the story of Elli & Sam, twins that are discovered as youths to become child stars. Elli wants nothing to do with it but goes along because of Sam. Eventually, Elli quits & Sam has to find her way without her. She is already knee deep in drugs by this point & spirals out of control. She is trying to make her life better & stay sober when she finds out Elli has been missing & has a child from her parents that need her help watching this child. That's all I am going to say & highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens. I like how the story weaves the past & the present together.

I need to become attached to characters to truly enjoy a book and "I'll Be You" did not disappoint for me. Elli and Sam's relationship through the years is up and down, tumultuous and desperate. They each wanted the other to be happy and sacrificed their own wants for the other but addiction and misunderstanding sent them off course in such a way there seemed to be no way back to one another.

As for the cult aspect of the book, it's obvious the Author did her due diligence in her research! I've had personal experience in this area, albeit not anywhere NEAR as drastic as in this book, but so many things ring true and struck a bit of a nerve while reading.

I'm not going to give anything away but I was VERY pleased with how the book ended. I loved the backstory, new relationships, possibility for whatever could come after the ending and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I'd definitely recommend!

After a big fight, identical twins Sam and Elli haven't spoken in a year. Suddenly, their mom calls on Sam to come help care for Sam's niece while Elli is having a relaxing week at an exclusive spa. Sam becomes suspicious after Elli doesn't come home when expected. What has Elli gotten herself into?

This is a slow burn story following identical twins that are pretty opposite. They started out as child stars but when they left the starlight one headed to typical suburb life and the other struggled with addiction. One of the twins disappears and so the other tries to track her down while uncovering quite a few secrets.

I really don’t like to read about cults so it wasn’t surprising that I really didn’t like those parts. I did find there was an excessive amount of detail about them which caused me to lose interest. Also the part involving Charlotte seemed pretty far fetched. Then all of a sudden the story ends rather abruptly and too neatly.

This one was a miss for me. I loved Pretty Things but I didn’t find this one similar at all.

⭐️Mini Review⭐️

Finished this one last night (thank you @randomhouse) and I want to be clear that this is not a thriller at all.

I’d call this more of a VERY light suspense with a huge focus on Sam & Elli’s upbringing and personal development as twins. I really enjoyed this one and how we watched how being twins (and very different personalities) effected the choices of both sisters.

I love JB’s books but happy she did not make this as long as Pretty Things. So please go into this knowing it’s a slow burn, but a really well written story! Out 4/26!

Clear your schedules! I could not put this book down! Every page was a different twist! I am definitely recommending this book to everyone I know. Two identical twin child stars go different ways in life and I love the way the book ended!

Janelle Brown is a master at suspense. She is able to weave an intricate story full of twists and turns where you just can't wait to see how it ends. Ever since I read Watch Me Disappear and it blew my mind, I have been a loyal fan.

I'll Be You is no different. Elli and Sam are identical twin sisters, as children they were child stars - think Mary Kate & Ashley Olson. They share roles for years but as teenagers they begin to drift apart. Sam wants to delve into her acting career and Elli just wants a normal life, a regular college experience, etc.

Now, Sam is an addict, estranged from her family, when she gets a call from her parents asking them to come help with their niece while her sister is away. From here we are sucked into the family drama, the triumphs and disappointments leaving them at a place where Sam didn't even know she had a niece. After some digging, some investigating, she learns that her sister has been sucked into a cult and all is not okay.

This book is twisty and full of suspense. If you like books about twins - this is it. If you like books about cults - this is it. This one kept me turning pages until the end. It has themes of alcohol and addiction. This is a solid suspense novel that will have a broad appeal due to many themes throughout the book such as addiction, alcohol, twins, and of course cults!

What a great twin story! This was full of twists, turns, cults, and relationships.
I loved this quick read - It was well done and moved fast.
Thankful for the ARC

Sam and Elli are identical twins whose stint as child actresses affected the two very different paths their lives would take. Sam revels in the spotlight, and her arc follows a path of addiction and destructive behavior that all-too-frequently plagues child actors. Elli would have preferred to be a normal, non-famous kid, and her adult life goes down a more ordinary path. That is, until Elli drops her toddler off with her parents to go off on a women’s retreat but doesn’t return as planned. Sam is determined to get to the bottom of Elli’s disappearance.

“I’ll Be You” is a skillful blend of suspense and family drama. Deep and thought-provoking, it delves into tough topics like substance abuse, dysfunctional families, and psychological manipulation. The story is a bit of a slow burn with a lot of exposition and flashbacks to set up the current day situation, but it’s necessary in order for the reader to understand how Sam and Elli got to where they are in their lives. While not a typical psychological thriller, there's definitely a creep factor and enough plot twists to keep this suspense-loving gal turning the pages.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me an advance copy of this book.

The story is an intriguing one: a twin, who has suffered through alcohol and drug addiction and who has been estranged from her sister for more than a year, goes to search for her sibling who may be held by a cult-like group against her will. Nonetheless, I found this to be a good read, but not a great one. Too many unrealistic happenings and coincidences, and the ending was too abrupt and anticlimatic. I liked the storyline well enough, but overall this just didn’t really do it for me.

My first read by this author, who is certainly an excellent writer. She took the interesting subject of identical twins and their tendency to trade places, and turned it into an interesting psychological drama.
Set in Santa Barbara and LA, with a movie career thrown in, and it was a entertaining. But when one twin goes off the grid and her sister tries to pick up the pieces, the story really gets interesting.
This is more than a novel about twins, but their families, friends and also the flaws from living with someone so alike but completely different than you.
Janelle Brown is a wonderful storyteller, develops great characters and keeps you hooked from start to finish. My thanks to NetGalley, Random House and Janelle Brown for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Pretty Things by Janelle Brown but I thought I'll Be You was just average. I was very intrigued by the concept of identical twins pretending to be their twin; however, I had a difficult time getting invested in the whole cult storyline. Not only wasn't the book very twisty, I thought that it was fairly predictable. The ending did not satisfy me. I thought everything was wrapped up rather abruptly.