Ann Liang skillfully captures the feelings of being above average but not exceptional, coupled with the desperation to be the best. Through Jenna, the main character, we get a peek into her feelings of inadequacy and the pressure of not living up to her family's expectations. Her accomplishments are never enough, and there is always someone smarter and more talented who has achieved more.

The magical realism element, where Jenna finds herself inhabiting Jessica's body, is a novel way of showing that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. However, the execution fell short for me. I think Jenna should have felt even more pressure pretending to be Jessica than she actually felt. Jessica's journal reveals the crushing weight of her own pursuit of perfection, but Jenna doesn't seem to truly understand these impossible and harmful expectations. Jenna reaps the rewards of Jessica's achievements and happily wears her halo of success, but doesn't reflect on what Jessica has gone through to get to where she is. What was sorely missing were chapters from Jessica's perspective; I wish we got to know her as a person rather than the godlike figure that others perceive her to be.

It was also incredibly unconvincing that Jenna's decision to return to her own body was mostly spurred on by her crush, Aaron, forgetting who she was. Prior to this, she seemed content to bask in Jessica's glory for the rest of her life. I don't believe Jenna's issues with self-worth and academic validation were properly addressed, as somehow her longing for acceptance, admiration, and adoration from her peers and family disappears over the course of a single day and she realizes that she values her family, friends, and her art more. Detangling one's self-worth from external validation isn't something that happens overnight, and I wish this had been explored more thoroughly.

The ending felt very incomplete and rushed to me and I wish it had revealed how Jenna's relationship with her parents and peers changed moving forward. Most of all, I wanted to hear Jessica's side of the story, which would have added more depth and closure. Unfortunately, this book didn't quite hit the mark for me.

I love Ann Liang's writing and I'm a big fan of hers, but I felt like this book was hard for me to connect with. Because Jenna's stuck in Jessica's body without anyone really to confide in, I feel like we get A LOT of inner monologue and turmoil that isn't necessarily satisfying for the reader. It's a very isolating experience, so maybe that's purposeful since Jenna feels that way? I wish we got more context of who Jessica is as a person before Jenna took over Jessica's body so I understood her and her struggles more. The romance was really cute but seemed really sporadic. I was really looking forward to this one, but ultimately I just found it to be okay!

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets If You Could See The Sun in Ann Liang’s new young adult standalone where Jenna Chen, a girl who thinks she will never be enough for everyone around her wishes to be her perfect, smart, and Harvard-bound cousin. But what happens when it actually comes true?

4.75 ⭐️

Ann’s books always find me at times where I need to feel seen and understood and this is the personification of my life, where the narrative describes the experiences that made me. At one point I was Jessica, then Leela, Aaron, and now Jenna. When the first chapter made me cry, I knew it was for me.

I lived through these characters at one point in my life, considering how it has changed within two years. I recognized the anxiety, self-loathing, and exhaustion of every single one of these characters. I never felt enough for anyone, and I was so ahead that at one point, it became too difficult. Studying has always been the one thing I’m good at, and when I failed at that, I absolutely hated acknowledging burnout, leading me to the decision that ruined my future the first time. I am Jessica Chen, but I sympathized with Jenna: two sides of the same damn coin. Thus, I recognized that this book teaches that you CAN be enough. That success at the cost of your entire being is not always exciting because eventually, accomplishments will feel dull and empty, and life will humor you by taking away everything you’ve worked so hard for. This book is for the girls who’ve always been independent yet lonely, successful yet drained. It’s me. I’m the girl.

°˖➴ ꒰🪐꒱ <b>plot 〰️</b>: jenna chen is always second place to her cousin, jessica chen. her [jennas] grades are always good but not good enough, while jessica is always top of the class and getting all awards possible. one day, jenna wishes to be jessica and surprisingly, her wish comes true. the next day, jenna wakes up in jessicas body and has her life.

౨ ✉️ ৎ <b>my opinion ✔️</b>: SO SO GOOD!! this may be my favorite ann liang book? like ever? this felt so different than her other books - ann liang always has a mc who is the best, whose top of her class, who wins all the awards. this time, we got an mc who <i>wishes she could be like that</i>. jenna is like the song '<i>this is me trying</i>' by taylor swift and i relate to her SO MUCH - here is a note i took while only being on <u>page 12</u>.
<blockquote>pg 12 | • i already relate to jenna chen SO MUCH. she is me, i am her. always trying your hardest but never being/feeling as good as everyone else is honestly so true. every single one of my friends are so smart, theyre always above average while i am just average. its honestly exhausting always giving my all and it never being <i>enough</i>. so, i strongly believe that ann liang wrote a book about me.</blockquote>

not only that but i loved all the other characters as well - aaron, in usual ann liang fashion, was amazing 🤭 another thing that was different was there was no enemies to lovers storyline - instead it was more of a second chance? i dont really know how to explain it but i really enjoyed the romance regardless. ANOTHER THING - <u>that ending</u>. when i tell you cried till my eyes hurt. i know i was promised a heartbreaking ending from ann liang herself : (<a href=https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9iA6lgPZ4s/?igsh=MW1vMGZpMnU5M2ExbA==>click here</a>) - im just so glad that everything worked out in the end 🙈🤍

°˖➴ ꒰🪐꒱ <b>what i didn't like✖️</b>: honestly? there was nothing that i didnt like. the only reason this wasnt five stars was because it didnt have that five star feeling for me, but still - it was an amazing book, easily one of my favorite reads of the year. im so exited to see everyones reviews and reactions when this is released!!

········· ꒰🏹꒱ <b>recommend❔</b> 👍🏻∿👎🏻
જ⁀➴ ···· ౨ 📖 ৎ ⤳ <i>yes!</i>
i 100% recommend this. for me, this was such a relatable book - i felt so seen, and i feel like it could be the same for <i>so many people</i>. to the '<i>this is me trying</i>' (by taylor swift) girlies - this book is for you <3
<b>౨ৎ release date</b>: <u>1/28/25</u> ⁺˖ ✉️❕

You know when you read a book and you can picture the students you want to read it? That's how I feel about I Am Not Jessica Chen...but I want them ALL to read it. This was such a fun concept, yet delved into some serious issues of family (scholastic) pressure, anxiety, and self-confidence. While this story focuses on high school seniors, I wouldn't hesitate to share it with some 8th graders as well. Especially in today's high-stress environment for students, this is a great read.

Another ARC from my favorite author !! 🥹 And yet another 5 star read from her <3 I swear on everything that Ann lives inside my head at this point. Jenna is so raw and relatable, at multiple points throughout the book I could feel my stomach twisting with sympathy and understanding. I think most people understand what academic pressure is like, and how it feels to not be good enough. Jenna has both of these things hanging over her head, as well as an exact version of herself but better to compare herself to in her cousin, Jessica. And after making a dangerous wish to be her cousin, she actually wakes up in her body and has to live her life. Not only this, but as time goes by, her loved one's memory of Jenna Chen as a person starts to fade. Despite this, Jenna continues to struggles with letting go of her cousin's "perfect" life out of self loathing. To her, validation is more than a pat on the back. It's like proof that she's worth something. Ann captures this as well as Jenna's other struggles perfectly throughout the book. She covers this, as well as topics of both parental and societal pressure, and Asian-American identity. Even if you can't relate to Jenna, Ann portrays not only her story but the side character's with such evident care. I can guarantee that this book will leave you feeling both heard and seen, and hopefully help you to appreciate your own life a little better. I know it helped me <3 This book was a wonderful reminder that life is a gift and not everything is as it seems. I'm still overjoyed over the fact that I was allowed to read about Jenna's journey early 🥹.

I was so happy to receive an ARC of this book! Ann Liang has solidified herself as one of my favorite authors due to her ability to create real and human characters with genuine flaws. I Am Not Jessica Chen is a beautiful novel that tackles difficult topics like imposter syndrome and the constant desire to chase after the next best thing, even when all you could ever want ends up being right in front of you.
Both Jenna and Jessica are realistic characters with concrete motivations. Even though they seem like they are on different ends of a spectrum, both characters are similar in their desires to become someone else and leave their current lives behind. Even though the book is only from Jenna's point of view, I loved that we were able to see into Jessica's life and understand that the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
In addition to themes of self-discovery, I liked that this book stayed true to the dark academia genre. Details like Jenna's fading portraits and her disappearance from her loved ones' memories really elevated the story and added an extra layer of tension that had me on the edge of my seat.
I absolutely cannot wait for this book to release so I can hold a copy in my hands.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the eARC!

This book takes imposter syndrome to a whole new level! Jenna has always envied her cousin Jessica. Jessica excels at everything, is beautiful, poised, and kind as well. On the night that they find out that Jessica got into Harvard and Jenna did not, Jenna wishes that she was Jessica. When she wakes up the next morning, her brain is in Jessica's body. She gets to live Jessica's perfect life. But as she makes her way through the days and weeks, she begins to learn it might not be so perfect after all. Lots of good life lessons here, in a fantastic story. Highly recommended for grades 8 & up.

ann liang has yet to disappoint me! her ideas are so unique whilst her romances are so swoon worthy. this is my third book by her and i’ve given them all 5 stars. there’s some logistics in here that kinda don’t make sense but actually i don’t care. jenna chen is so damn relatable!

5 shining, glittering stars for this book. Ann Liang you did it again! Oh how much do I love your dash-of-supernatural-element books. The way I am Not Jessica Chen unearthed several of my thoughts that I was not ready to process in writing felt like listening to a brand new Taylor Swift song and instantly relating to it on a personal level. The moment I read the opening sentence should've made me realize that the book I'm about to read was going to be a menace and proceed with caution. I was able to feel how much Jenna yearns for literally everything that Jessica has and it hurts my heart. This book gave me a whiplash because I was crying one chapter and then giggling and kicking my feet by the next.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for my gifted e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Netgally for providing me with this ARC!

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 4 starssss ⊹ ࣪ ˖

This book. This BOOK. THIS BOOK!!!!
I was actually crying because this book was SO FREAKING RELATABLE!!!

I am literally a mix of Jenna and Jessica! I just felt so seen whilst reading about them!!! 😭

And the ROMANCE!!! Omg it was SOOOO CUTE!!! 🥰

I throughly enjoyed this and honestly I would 100% recommend this to anyone I know, I loved it SO SO SO MUCH!!! ♥️

“This book is for anyone who’s ever wished they could be someone else” - Ann Liang

This is one of those books that I will think about for a long time. First of all, the cover is stunning. Whoever designed it deserves a forehead kiss and a raise! The story itself was beautiful and really spoke to my soul. It changed how I think about myself and how I think of others.

I Am Not Jessica Chen is about wanting. Wanting so desperately to be enough. To be perfect. It’s about wanting what you don’t have and not noticing/ appreciating what you do. It’s about learning to love yourself and see the experiences of others.

Jenna Chen was such a relatable character and her personal journey was so beautiful. I want to give Jenna, Jessica, and Aaron each a hug, but especially Aaron. The romantic subplot of this book was phenomenal as well.

I can’t wait for this book to come out so that everyone else can experience it!

*I received this book as an ARC but the opinions are my own- posted to netgalley website, goodreads, and instagram

I Am Not Jessica Chen introduces the character Jenna Chen who has always been in the shadow of her much more successful cousin Jessica. After wishing on a shooting star, she finally gets to see what life is like to like as Jessica, and ultimately discovers that Jessica's charmed life may not be all it's cracked up to be. The author does an excellent job at making her characters come to life, and Jenna's story is incredibly relatable.

as a loyal ann liang fan and enthusiast, this book is amazing! a quick bittersweet, relatable, and heartwarming read. I absolutely LOVED aaron and jenna <3 I can't wait for everyone to read this! <3

This book was so relatable on such a personal level, I feel so seen. This is the reason I love Ann Liang’s books so much. She gets it. She understands. And I think she writes these books so that her readers know they’re not alone. Like Ann said in her authors note, sometimes it means the most just to know other people are going through it too. Also, can we take a moment to appreciate this gorgena cover?? I loved how it talked about Jenna actually painting it in the book, that was so cool! I can’t wait for I Am Not Jessica Chen to be officially released into the world, so everyone can experience this freaking masterpiece.

5 Stars
This is my new favorite book and I am a different person after reading it.

WOWWWW this book was just incredible and I felt like so many times I was being straight up called out (in a good way). I’ve never seen myself more in a book until now. When I said I was a different person after reading it, I was being so serious. I feel like after reading it I’ve just started looking at things in a whole new perspective. I loved every single aspect of this book and I think Ann did a phenomenal job at pulling it all together. Ann Liang just keeps outdoing herself and I can’t wait for her next book!

thank you again to harpercollins and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

5 ☆

ann liang the writer that you areeeeeee

this book was perfect in every possible way. it pulled at my heartstring in a way that i find myself struggling to put into words. it was like seeing a part of my soul poured into the page, a kind of understanding so deep i can't believe it comes from someone who doesn't even know me. it made my heart ache, but in a good way, if you can believe it.

her writing got possibly even better than her previous books, it is simple yet so beautiful and moving. and don't get me started on the romance! probably my favorite couple and love interest of hers (sorry henry i still love you!) loved it so, so bad.

i'd been waiting for this book for a couple of years and i am so glad to say it did not disappoint one bit!

thank you to harpercollins and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own!

4.75 rounded up
wow wow wow
This book is freaky friday for all of the lacy girls out there. This story is not only entertaining but also important. The feeling of wanting to be anyone other than yourself is something that everyone has experienced and this book is a love letter to anyone who has ever felt inferior to other people. I think everyone should read this book and that’s not something I throw around casually. Jenna’s experience when it comes to feeling second best to her cousin Jessica is something almost too relatable. The lessons that Jenna learns in this book are things that I honestly still need to learn. I kind of don’t want to say too much because we are still months out from this book officially being released and I want ever to experience it the way I did. No one is perfect and this book perfectly highlights that in the perfect way. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3YnEMjTmoq7wQp8KqexoKK?si=BWrTvEC3RR6g26VICU1kJw&pi=u-NG-Gh3rGQSO2
That’s my playlist for the book if anyone is interested! To wrap this all up let me just say that I cannot wait for everyone to get a chance to read this book and experience the things it has to offer.

I loved reading this book! As a Chinese-American daughter of immigrants myself (and an only child, just like Jenna and Jessica), reading this book was like looking in a mirror. At several points, I had to stop reading and just process the feelings and memories that became unburied because of what was happening in Jenna's life. I don't think I've ever had a more intimate experience with a book, I've never felt this represented before.

I initially wanted to pick up this book because the premise feels similar enough to my current writing project to use as a comparable title, and I thought that I might be able to learn something from it. It did not disappoint. From start to finish, it was gripping read. So gripping, in fact, that a few chapters in, I pretty much forgot about my original purpose of wanting to read it from a writer's lens and simply consumed it.

“I used to have this theory that if I wanted something badly enough, the universe would make sure to keep it just out of my reach. Like a cruel joke, or a trick. But . . . maybe the cruelest trick the universe can play on us is to give us exactly what we wish for.”

ann liang, i am awed by your ability to seamlessly switch between genres while maintaining your expertise storytelling.

this is for everyone who's struggled trying to attain perfection, and those who've suffered reaching it.

Success is only meant to be rented out, borrowed in small doses at a time, never to be owned completely, no matter what price you’re willing to pay for it.

jenna chen is not the model student, the perfect daughter, the girl everyone loves - but her cousin, jessica is. jessica has it all - the mansion, the doting parents, the perfect grades, she never even needed braces. what jenna would give to be her...

until she becomes her.

It was perfect. For those first ten minutes, everything was perfect. And now I’m up here alone in my room, the same as always, and the thrill has faded, and I know it sounds awful and so very ungrateful, but all I can think is: that’s it?

an emotional story about the fallacy of perfection and success, the ever-moving marker post for it and its inevitable fruitlessness and inescapable dissatisfaction. it's also about our inability to see ourselves how those who love and really see us, with our perfectly imperfect flaws and all.

“You make me feel the same joy just by looking at you.”

the romance subplot was also surprisingly breath-taking; ms liang pls give me more fictional men with this devotion 😩

i can't wait for you all to enjoy this.

It’s my life, I think with amazement, and it’s beautiful, and I can paint it any color I want to.

an honest arc review <3