4.5 stars.

"I miss my life, because even when I felt like I had nothing, I had everything. I just didn’t know it at the time. You never do, until it’s in hindsight."

I Am Not Jessica Chen is a well-written and enjoyable YA contemporary with fantasy elements woven in. Ann Liang, the artist you are. This is my second book of hers, and the writing is always so descriptive and beautiful.

In this book, Ann truly captures the essence of being an overachieving teenager in high school and generally anyone who feels inadequate as they are and constantly compares themselves to others.

There are a lot of relatable and moving aspects, to the point that I cried-- and when a book makes me cry, I know it's good.

The romance is sweet yet subtle, and contributes to the story and characters without overshadowing the main plot. I do wish Jenna's relationship with her parents had been explored a bit more, but that wasn't too big of an issue.

Overall, I cannot wait to read more of her books.

Thank you to HarperCollins for the digital ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow!! This was such a beautiful teen/YA contemporary novel that moved me. The romance was just enough - not the main plot, but just a side story. The bulk of the novel was centered on character growth, and I loved it so much.

I did think a few scenes weren’t necessary to the character or plot, which are my only complaints…but besides that, I really enjoyed this one! Ann Liang’s contemporary novels continue to be some of my favorites :)

I Am Not Jessica Chen is reminiscent of so many other body swap stories that have come before. But while it's nostalgic, it also feels fresh. For fans of Disney's Wish Upon a Star and Freaky Friday.

I really enjoyed I Am Not Jessica Chen! The whole body-swap concept was fun but also surprisingly thoughtful. It dives into identity, family pressure, and figuring out who you are, something a lot of teens can relate to. Jenna’s voice felt super real, and I liked watching her grow throughout the story.

There were a few moments where things felt a little rushed or predictable, but overall it was a smart, engaging read with a unique twist. One of the better YA books I’ve read recently.

I don't think I will ever fully understand how Ann Liang writes so beautifully and so perfectly but I am not complaining in the slightest. She has this way of turning something mundane into the most extraordinary experience ever. I want to live in her books and be friends with all her characters. Her use of magical realism to elevate everyday feelings always hits me right in the feelings. Her ability to amplify daily life into a wonderful adventure never ceases to amaze me. I am so grateful to have been given early access to her story because there is no greater joy than seeing her characters find their way.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another great read by Ann Liang. I didn’t realize how much this book would resonate with me. Having wished to be someone else who was better than me in every aspect. But now that I am older, I wouldn’t want to be anyone else but me. Ann Liang writes such great stories that truly feel like you are watching a Cdrama. I couldn’t out this book down.

I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang takes us on a journey to finally understand that not everything is how we see it.

Will Jenna Chen regret her wish?

Jenna Chen
Jenna Chen has always wanted to become successful and, at least for once, be acknowledged for what she can do. She would even love to be able to pass a test with flying colors just once so that she would be on the same standing ground as her cousin. Except for Jenna, that never happens because even doing her best always leaves her behind her cousin. The funny thing is that Jenna has things she is good at that her cousin could never do. Her art, for one thing, is a great thing, but not only that. Jenna has a way of always being there for someone when they didn't know they needed her until she showed up.

Jenna is an amazing character. She grew from wanting to be like her cousin to finally realizing that being herself is more rewarding.

Jessica Chen
Jessica Chen has everything that Jenna has ever wanted: a big house, successful parents, perfect grades, and winning all the awards. Except Jessica is hiding something not even Jenna is prepared to find out. Jenna takes the reader on a journey through Jessica's body, and Jenna discovers that maybe not everything is perfect for Jessica.

Jessica is one of those people in high school who is excellent at everything. Yet they suffer from burnout once they finish high school and go to college. She hides things quickly from people she knows wouldn't care about the fact that Jessica is beginning to suffer from burnout, and that maybe striving to be the best isn't always the best thing.

Five Stars
My rating for I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang is five stars. Ms. Liang is a fantastic author who can tell a tremendous story about whatever she wants. I loved this book, and I felt so bad for Jenna and how hard it must have been for her not always to be compared to Jessica, but always to feel inferior to her. This book is about self-discovery and realizing that maybe love isn't too far gone for anyone.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

I wanted to preface this review by saying that it has existed, in bits and pieces, for over nine months now, and the reason it's taken this long to post is because I haven't known how to finish it, to figure out what else I can add that will do this book justice. But at some point, enough is enough, so here I finally am. There's never been a book that I have resonated with more, out of everything I've read, ever. I hope that, if you haven't already, you find the book that represents you the way I Am Not Jessica Chen does for me.

Ann Liang can’t keep doing this to me, yet she does. With each book, she manages to reach further into the depths of my soul, unlocking feelings I didn’t know I still had, a river of emotions to accompany the images painted in the words I'm reading. Maybe it’s the similarities between our backgrounds, but something in her writing always rings true to me, this almost inexplicable sensation of, ‘oh, who someone gets it’. This book gave me that exact feeling, and I fear Ann just took my deepest, darkest emotions, the ones that often feel shameful, and put them on full display for the world to see.

As she writes in the opening author’s note, this is a tale of wanting. Wanting what you don’t have, wanting what you can never have, and, perhaps most importantly… wanting what others have. Besides that, it’s also about what defines self-worth, and how society gets so caught up tying that with surface-level achievement, the amassment of accolades. It takes years to really move beyond viewing your value to society as the number of awards you collected in school, and I think the complexities of growing and moving toward that realization are reflected so well in our protagonist, Jenna Chen.

While it hurts to relate to Jenna, if I could choose one book to toss in a time portal so that it would be released five years earlier and younger me could've read it then, it has to be this one. I can't begin to describe how much it would've meant to that girl to know that she wasn't alone. At that point, I truly thought I was the only person in the world who had ever felt like this, and reading this book really took me back to a time in my life when Jenna and I had more in common than not. There were several scenes and character dynamics that felt like they were taken directly from my life then, some of them so specific I never expected to ever see them portrayed in a book.

When we're younger, so much of life is made into a competition. We're taught that others' success is detrimental to our own, which couldn't be further from the truth. Still, as a teenager it hurts watching someone else, no matter how nice they are, achieve something close to your dreams. It's easier to wish they were a horrible person so you'd feel justified in hating them. I'm in awe of how Ann managed to capture these incredibly complicated and confusing feelings, the way that even if you know that what someone else has isn't what you've lost, it can still feel that way.

As the story develops, there are some incredible scenes showcasing other themes in the book. The pressures of achieving perfection, growing up as the child of immigrants, the difference between being valued for your achievements versus your family name. I won’t say too much about the characters because I really believe this is a story best experienced yourself without too much knowledge outside of the synopsis, but Aaron deserves a mention because his presence was a comfort throughout the book, especially during the darker moments. (Where's my Aaron?)

I Am Not Jessica Chen showcases the pressures of perceived perfection, failing to live up to others’ expectations, and wanting so much the entire universe wouldn’t be enough. This story is so close to my heart, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Liang does such a masterful job of marrying big hooks with strong character development—this one has a brilliant conceit for exploring the madly paddling overachiever who looks effortless on the surface. The family dynamics, romance, and school setting were all wonderfully developed, and the finale was both satisfying and surprising. I loved it!

This book completely grabbed me from the description and I knew that I wouldn't be able to stop reading it. I love this book and even though it is and mostly at children it didn't change my views in any way. If anything I think that this made this book all the more compelling because it took serious issues and made them a little less complicated and easier to get into. The characters were flawless in their writing however completely flawed in their being, which in turn made them all the more relatable. The book focuses around our main character Jenna Chen. Jenna has always found herself in the shadow of her cousin jessica. Jessica gets top grades in her class, acceptance to any college she wants, and always manages to make it look simple, well Jenna however struggles. Jenna knows she will always be a disappointment to her family and desperately wishes to change that. So one day she makes a wish to become her cousin not thinking anything of it. However when she wakes up one day in her cousin's body she's presented with the life she's always dreamed of. It isn't long however until Jenna comes to realize that nothing is as it seems. And also if she is in Jessica's body where is the real Jessica? With a body swapping theme this book was really great because it shows how even if you think you know someone you never really understand until you are in their shoes. I really found myself connecting to the main character there was something about her flaws that really made her jump off the page. She was very well written and it almost seemed like I knew her. While this book is directed at teens and young adults I believe that this is one book that everyone young or old will be able to relate to. It was such an easy read that I found myself completely getting lost in the characters in the plot. I love this book and I could not get enough. Do not let the genre fool you this is one book that you will definitely want to have read when it hits the shelf. The way that the author created her characters and her word choices and descriptions was unlike anything I ever expected. The world could have stopped while I was reading this book and I would have been none the wiser. Great read and cannot wait until everyone else gets the chance to check it out.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest review. This book was very cute and romantic however, it is not Ann Liang's best work in my opinion! I enjoyed it though!

Jenna always try hard but never be the best. Meanwhile Jessica seemed to achieve everything without too much effort. Jenna wished she was Jessica, and the next morning she woke up as Jessica, while Jenna’s body (and Jessica’s soul) disappeared.

To be clear this isn’t dark academia IMO. So kinda false marketing? Anyway. This book frustrated me. Jenna’s thoughts were driving me crazy, and she’s in her head A LOT. Apparently I’m not the target audience for this. Aaron was cute, tho.

I am not Jessica Chen is an academics nightmare, since we see so much of our present and past selves within the story. This is something my own sister resonated with. I saw so much of my young self in this book, as will so many young readers. Our main character Jenna is surrounded by the best of the best. Her cousin is the golden star of the family, smart, beautiful and well loved by the masses. Jenna? Jenna believes she’s anything but. After getting rejected from Harvard but being forced to accept that her cousin, Jessica, has gotten in, it does nothing but further dampen Jennas view on life and school. What’s the point if I can’t be Jessica? Well that’s easier done than said. After a desperate wish among the stars, Jenna wakes up in Jessica’s body. The catch? Nobody knows what happened to the real Jessica and Jenna has all but disappeared. We watch Jenna struggle with her inner demons, yearning to be validated like Jessica but wanting to be Jenna. This was an emotional read, especially as Jenna learns that Jessica may not be as perfect as she shows to be. I cried reading this, since so much of this story is focused on familial bonds but bonds with one self too. The struggle with self love and discovery and the desperate need for academic validation from those you yearn it from. I loved everything about this book and I can’t wait to see what Ann liang puts out next.

FIVE STARS. Such a nostalgic and beautiful book! I felt like I was right there with Jenna all the way. My emotions literally fluctuated with each plot twist (transitions were smooth and fairly paced, although Jenna's initial reaction and the the reason provided for Jessica's disappearance was a little suspect) SUCH a ride regardless, though. When Aaron of all people began to forget her too-- I literally wanted to DIE. GOODBYE this could not have been more of a rollercoaster... thank you Ann for pulling at my heartstrings for four hours and counting ONCE AGAIN. Flawless writing, with no technical critiques. TYSM!!

This is a beautifully written book. Jenna is tired of falling short of her cousin Jessica's success. She got into every Ivy League school she applied for, wins every award, earns top marks in all her classes, and is surrounded by wealth. Jenna makes a wish to become her more successful cousin, which is granted. Jenna wakes up in Jessica's body, and as she lives her cousin's life, she realizes it's not as perfect as she thought. What's worse, is that everyone has forgotten who Jenna is - except for Aaron, whom Jenna has had a crush on for half her life.

Ann Liang tackles feelings of not being good enough, jealousy, wanting, and dissatisfaction with poignant honesty and stunning language. "Maybe the universe will be kind for once, and when I reach up, the stars will fall into my palms." One of my favorite reads so far this year.

This book felt like a love letter or maybe an overdue hug to every overachieving kid who clung to validation like it was oxygen, only to crash and burn sometime after uni (myself very much included T_T). Or that one kid who avoided every CNY family gathering like it was the plague because the moment your parents tried to flex one single accomplishment, your cousins had already done something ten times more impressive. Like okay, we get it, you’re in med school and also started a non-profit. Meanwhile, I’m just trying to finish a to-do list without crying. Anyway… I digress, haha.

Out of the three Ann Liang books I’ve read so far, I Am Not Jessica Chen is hands down my favourite. There’s something magical (and slightly traumatic lol) about a book that manages to hit so close to home that you can feel all your repressed resentment bubbling back up like an uninvited guest at a family dinner.

Jenna and Jessica are two sides of the same coin, both trapped in the exhausting race for perfection, in academics and in life, to the point where even existing feels like a performance. I felt Jenna’s desperation to finally be seen for something, anything, and equally understood Jessica’s fear of losing the only identity she’s ever known: being “the best.” That fear of messing up even once? Whew. Too real.

If I had one teeny-tiny wish, it would be for a dual POV. I would’ve loved to be inside Jessica’s head and hear her take on everything going down. Still, the emotional core of this story landed beautifully. That final message? That you don’t have to be perfect, that you don’t have to measure your worth by the unattainable standards of others? A gentle reminder that just being you is enough. Mistakes, imperfections, all of it.

Thank you HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books, author Ann Liang, and NetGalley for providing me the eARC. The following review reflects my honest opinions and ratings.

3.5 STARS

Jenna Chen is an Asian American high school senior who's freaking out over her academic performance, in particular her rejection from Harvard admissions. She constantly compares herself to her cousin, Jessica, the overachieving family darling who DID get accepted into Harvard. Jenna makes a desperate wish that comes true. All of sudden she's living in Jessica's body and living Jessica's so-called "perfect" life. As time goes on, Jenna learns some hard lessons. Perfection is a lot of pressure. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

I feel very mixed on this book.

First of all, the writing is good. Ann Liang caught my attention with her last book, A Song to Drown Rivers, an historical fiction set in ancient China that earned 5 stars from me.

The author provides a realistic feeling journey living the life of a melodramatic, woe-is-me teenager. The realism, for me, was both a negative and positive.

Who was this book for? I am past the age of high schoolers and was not interested in being emotionally bogged down by reminders of stresses I've already lived. You get the whole gamut of emotional insecurity, academic stress, self-destructive comparisons, and puppy love woes. Those experiences would be more directly relatable for someone of the age of the heroine, except that I don't think someone going through those negative emotions and experiences in real time would appreciate being mired in the fictional misery either. The overall arc didn't feel satisfying because the epiphany for the main character and resolution of the book did not equal the interminable suffering and whining of the main character for the first 90 percent.

The book felt liked it dragged. Such a fantastic plot device like switching lives should be met with high camp, wit, or at least inventive execution. The story greatly suffered from predictability and lack of entertainment value or creativity in the plot,

I Am Not Jessica Chen plays on the Freaky Friday model where a young woman makes a wish to be someone else and wakes up in that person's body. Jenna Chen is Jessica Chen's cousin. Both girls attend an exclusive private school where academic excellence is at the forefront. Both girls are only children of Chinese immigrants, and both feel extraordinary pressure to succeed. The problem for Jenna is that, while Jessica is the perfect daughter and student, Jenna herself struggles to meet her parents' expectations. She feels invisible. On the evening Jenna finds out that she doesn't get admitted to Harvard and Jessica does, Jenna wishes on a shooting star to be her cousin. She wakes up the next day in Jessica's body, but Jenna's own body has disappeared along with Jessica's soul. As the story goes on, Jenna as Jessica finds that all aspects of her old life as Jenna are slowly disappearing--people's memories of her fading as the days go by. The story deals with teens' struggles to perform as well as how they find their place in a precarious world. The author does a really nice job with the twist, and I'm excited to add this title to my library.

I Am Not Jessica Chen has been on my TBR since I first heard about it and it did not disappoint. It is a story about Jenna Chen, a girl who feels like she does not measure up to her "perfect" cousin, Jessica. They are the same age and it always seems like Jessica excels and makes her parents proud, while Jenna struggles and feels like her parents are in a constant state of disappointment. One night, she wishes that she could be her cousin and the universe answers her. The rest of the book is about learning to accept oneself, appreciating the differences between individuals, realizing that no one is perfect. There is a romance and a happy ending for everyone. I would recommend this book for teens on up..

I received a free advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I adored I Am Not Jessica Chen! Jenna Chen is always being compared to her seemingly flawless cousin Jessica, and when she makes a wish on a shooting star that she could become her cousin, her wish comes true. At first, Jenna is thrilled to live her cousin's life, but slowly comes to realize that Jessica's life has its own set of challenges, because she's constantly a target for jealousy and competition from the other students at their private school. Jenna says she hates herself and would rather stay as Jessica forever, but eventually she realizes that even her "perfect" cousin faces discrimination, like the director of the school getting her name wrong, and a fellow student discriminating against her for an award that she wins. Jenna eventually comes to the realization that she would rather have her own life back even if she doesn't get as much recognition as Jessica does. The book explores the concepts of being satisfied with your life, self love, and not comparing yourself too harshly against others. I would definitely recommend it!