This book was fantastic, my favourite so far by Janelle Brown. I could absolutely see this being made into a film or series. I don’t want to give away too much of the storyline, but the suspense in this book definitely kept me on my toes and fully engaged in what happened next. I’ll definitely recommend this book to fans of this genre.

This was a great read! Once I started it, I could not put it down. Have purchased for my library and for Lucky Day Collection!

An excellent read by Janelle Brown. Twin sisters who couldn't be more different, yet one knows when something is off with the other. As Sam searches for Elli, the secrets begin to spill. This book is thrilling and will have you turning pages quickly to see what exactly is going on!

This book gave me Mary Kate and Ashley vibes. Identical twins get discovered at the beach one day by a casting agent and skyrocket to fame as Hollywood's favorite child stars. Sam loved acting and the spotlight. Elli loved Sam and would do anything to maintain a relationship with her sister. The sisters used to swap places-- Sam taking on double the acting roles so they could continue to live the LA life she loved. 

When Elli finally chooses normalcy (prom, college, and marriage), Sam's career tanks. One-half of America's favorite pair just won't work. Sam turns to drugs and alcohol, and "perfect" Elli bails her out time and time again. 

Then, Sam gets a call from her parents. They need her to come home to take care of Elli's newly adopted daughter who seems to have shown up out of nowhere. Her husband left her and no one's heard from Elli after she signed up for a spa retreat. 

Sam decides to "play" Elli one more time to get into this mysterious spa, that's starting to feel a whole lot like a cult. Will she be able to save her sister? And does Elli want to be saved?

Who doesn't love a good identical twin story? "I'll Be You" tells the story of former child actors Elli and Sam and the ways their paths have diverged since stardom. It's a fast, engaging read with some unexpected twists, plus there's even a cult in there for good measure!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the premise of this book and flew through it in no time! I can't wait to read more from Janelle Brown

Twin sisters, both beautiful, talented, and smart, once close enough that the edges of each of them felt blurry and overlapping with the other, but with adult lives so far diverged they haven’t talked in a year.

Once child actors, Sam loved the spotlight, but too much, and it left her a recovering addict, broke, and alone; Elli walked away from their childhood fame and established a calm and stable life for herself, frequently called on to help Sam out of another mess or into another rehab. But when Elli goes missing – solid, dependable, Elli – Sam suddenly finds herself called on to help the niece she never knew she had, and the sister she’s let down over and over again.

At first it’s clear Sam is floundering, as she’s never needed to be dependable, always either being rescued by her family or keeping them at a safe arm’s distance. As she searches for clues about her sister’s disappearance to a mysterious desert retreat with the ominously obscure FemGen, though, she starts to actually find that’s not just trying – she’s capable when she tries. As we follow her hunt, we’re also shown stories from the childhood she shared with Elli, moments that explain their relationship and how their estrangement began. The tension builds naturally but steadily, and when we start to get an idea of the whole picture, it’s clear there’s a whole lot more going on than first appeared.

I’ll Be You took me by surprise, in a good way – there’s a lot of thrillers in the world, but this novel deservedly stands out in a crowded genre. Janelle Brown is a talented author, and she wrote with sensitivity and authenticity about a sibling dynamic that brings new meaning to the word complicated. Sam was a likeable and, more importantly, believable mix of guilt, impulsivity and caring, while Elli was entirely distinct but just as complex and genuine. While tense and high-stakes, the action at the center of the novel felt plausible but original – it was a mix of excellent characters, a beautifully twisty and intriguing plot, and an author who knows how to keep her readers glued to the page. What’s not to love?

4.5 stars! Are identical twins really identical? Are they just copies of the same person? Elli (Eleanor) and Sam (Samantha) may look the same on the outside, but they couldn't be more different when it comes to their personalities. As children, Ellie and Sam are inseparable. They would often "become" each other and switch roles. Sometimes even tricking their own mother.
Elli and Sam are discovered as kids to be actresses. Sam is a natural and soaks up being the center of attention that comes with acting. Elli does not. She does not enjoy being put on display. Now as adults, they have created very different and separate lives. Elli has a very stable life with a career and a husband. While Sam is an addict who has been in and out of rehab. But through all their differences, they still support each other.....until something happens that tears them apart.
Sam is called to her parents' house to help care for Elli's adopted daughter after Elli checks into a spa retreat and stops answering her phone. Sam finds all of this behavior from Elli to be odd and decides to find out what is really happening with her.
The book is told from the perspective of both sisters and allows you to get the complete story. This book grabbed me right away and I couldn't put it down. Will the bond of sisterhood be enough for Sam to help Elli? Will she be allowed back into the life Elli is leading? With twists and turns, this book will not disappoint. Once again, Janelle Brown writes a great thriller that investigates family dynamics. Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group and Janelle Brown for the ARC of this book.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for this advance reader’s copy.
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I think this book was just a case of unmet expectations. I thought it read more like a family drama when I was expecting a page turning thriller. The premise of twin sisters with one missing and cult vibes thrown in sounds like my perfect read, but I really struggled to get invested in the story. I think I expected faster pacing going into the book, and that probably led to my disappointment with this one. I would still be interested in reading more from this author.

“I’ll be You” by Janelle Brown is a psychological thriller about two identical twin sisters, Elli and Sam. Elli goes missing and the plot is centered around Sam trying to piece together what has happened to her. Overall, this is a exciting thriller and I enjoyed it immensely.

Sam and Elli were your normal twin girls until they were discovered and became child stars. While acting wasn’t Elli’s favorite, she went along with it out of love for her sister. It helped that they could trade places every once in a while too! As adults, the two aren’t talking over Sams addiction issues, until their parents call Sam for help with her niece when Ellie disappears on a retreat and doesn’t return. While their parents think she just needs more time away, Sam can tell something is going on. She just needs to prove it.

One of the scariest things as a bookstagrammer is a new book by a favorite author. Especially when you have become fairly friendly with the author on bookstagram and consider them a friend. Lucky for me, there was no need for fear when Janelle Brown is wielding the pen! I am always fascinated by the connection twins have, and was always jealous I didn’t have a twin myself to trade places with! It would have been extra nice if I had a twin that was good at math! I was so invested in both Sam and Elli’s story, both the past and present. I also just adored sweet little Charlotte and how she quickly won over Sam and turned her into a true caregiver. I don’t want to say or give away too much, but I really loved this book!

This book is a perfect blend of Shari Lapina and Jodi Piccoult’s genre and style, but remains true to Brown’s in-depth look at relationships showcasing fantastic characters!

Janelle Brown reminds us that we are all only one choice away from a completely different life.

“You be me, and I’ll be you.”

Despite being indistinguishable in every way and born only 11 minutes apart, Elli and Sam are two very different people. The girls tried to hide it well and overcompensated by making concessions or finding a happy medium. As they matured, the compromise drove them apart rather than brought them closer together. One turned to substance abuse and one pursued perfectionism. Alone, neither road taken ended up to a good destination. How can twins go 379 days without speaking to each other?

This book explores identical twins and former child actors who have grown apart. When one disappears, the other is forced to confront the secrets they’ve kept from each other.

What is it about twins that fascinates us? I was intrigued and drawn to this book which highlights their struggle with identity and individuality despite sharing the same DNA. Brown, known for her ability to dissect complicated female relationships, does a deep dive into behind the scenes of child stars and the dangers of Hollywood as well as give readers a twisty journey unravelling sibling bonds. Brown’s deeply flawed characters have such authenticity that I felt I already knew them. Her descriptions of the twin’s mother were so vivid, I felt like I was staring at her on the page. The plot, told from both Elli and Sam’s point of view, is creative and highlights manipulation and dysfunction as well as highlighting the psychological manipulation of cults and what pulls people towards them. Yes, I was interested in how Hollywood influences child stars. Yes, I was interested in how cults lure innocent people. BUT…it was the twins’ connection to each other, despite being stretched thin over the years, that held my attention.

This is another winner for Janelle Brown. The dichotomy of a twin relationship is put under the microscope as she writes to show readers their intimate and innate connection.

I used to love watching Full House with Mary Kate and Ashley when I was babysitting. How ironic that I should finish this book today and hear about the twins’ TV dad’s death!

I was gifted this advance copy by Janelle Brown, Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This book was so much more interesting and entertaining than I expected it to be. There’s a lot going on with the twin main characters, and it’s easy to empathize with both. There are one or two plot points that are a bit far-fetched, but if you are able to suspend your disbelief, I think this story works as a complex family drama. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

At one point in time, we've all wondered what it would be like to have an identical twin- someone who would be our de facto best friend and always take our side. That's how things begin in this book, but the twins grow up, grow apart, and lose touch. This is the story of twins who struggle to find each other again- both emotionally and physically. Without saying too much, it's a twisty tale of secrets, losing control, and trying to relate to someone with your DNA who is so completely different.

This starts off interestingly enough but I hated where the plot goes. I couldn’t connect with the characters and the prose was a bit flat. Not my favorite.

4.5/5

I don’t know what I expected, but this story really grew on me. DEFINITELY a slow burn. A bit far fetched but I enjoyed it.

Elli and Sam are identical twins who are former child stars fast forward Sam is a recovering addict one year sober and Elli has left her adopted daughter in the care of their parents. Something doesn’t feel right to Sam and she decides to play detective.

I really wanted this Janelle Brown book to be like her last one (seriously, go read it) but it was completely different. Just as enjoyable, just an intriguing, but definitely different. This is not a mystery or thriller in the traditional sense, but more of a family drama. I did quite enjoy it and finished it quickly.

This is one of the BEST books I've read (and I read a lot!). The storyline is intense and original, the pace is great, the character development is excellent. I could not put this book down! The plot was strong from start to finish with some great twists and turns. The writing is so good and creates vivid word pictures - several times I found myself thinking that it reminds me of Jodi Picoult's books. This book makes you think in all the best ways - I'm still thinking about the characters even after I've finished the book. I think I have found a new favorite author!

Secrets, lies, bad decisions, and unbelievable surprises - what else could go on between the identical twins Sam and Ellie.

Sam and Ellie were childhood movie stars, but even though identical, they were completely different. Sam loved being a child star, but Ellie didn't.

As adults Ellie was the responsible one and Sam was still struggling and recovering from drug and alcohol abuse.

The day Sam got a phone call from her parents to come home and help them watch Ellie’s daughter Charlotte, the secrets and surprises unravel. When did Ellie have a child?

I’LL BE YOU takes the reader back and forth in time explaining the lives of the twins as children and present day. Be aware that alcoholism, cults, control, abuse, and manipulation are part of this book.

I enjoyed the present-day chapters the best, but the back ground chapters were needed to understand present day.

I also went back and forth with liking the book and then not liking it. As the surprises became revealed, I leaned more toward liking it, but still wavered until the end even though it was a creative story line.

This book is filled with family drama along with some unlawful and tense situations and decisions.

The ending is very tense, and the cult business was frightening and upsetting. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Do you like stories about cults?
What about complicated sister relationships?
Were you a Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen fan growing up?
All yes?

Cool. Then you’ll love this thriller novel, I’ll Be You, just as much as I did. 👯‍♀️

It’s about identical twins, who were childhood TV stars but drift apart in adulthood. There is a wild twin, and a dependable twin. One goes down the road of addiction, and the other is married and working on starting a family…until she goes missing leaving behind a young child and no clear clues to where she is or when she will return, leaving her sister scrambling for answers.

This book was incredibly addicting. I didn’t want to put it down. I read it when I was stopped in the car at red lights. I inhaled it and thought the writing was a perfect blend of artistry and mystery.