i thought this was a decent debut novel. I wish Zhang had stuck with the "mean girls" aspects of the story or created a murder mystery. The story lost me when we got the weird cult part.

Ok, I rarely leave a negative review, but this novel did not do it for me. It was over the top, weird and frankly, lost me about 25 percent in. I finished it in order to leave an honest review, and I hate to have to do so here. It was one of my least favorite reads in years- no character made sense, and neither did the plot.

Julie Chan works at a supermarket while her mostly-estranged, condescending twin, Chloe VanHuusen -- who was adopted by a different family when they were young - is a wealthy, glamorous influencer. When the sister ends up dead -- and Julie finds the body -- Julie realizes she can have the life she always wanted by slipping into Chloe's life.

But of course, Chloe's life isn't as shiny as it seemed on social media. Soon, Julie realizes she isn't sure who in Chloe's life she can trust -- and that she may be in a killer's crosshairs.

This story had me on the edge of my seat. It is much more intense and disturbing than I expected, and I found it really engrossing. If you like rich people behaving badly, mysteries with a hint of social commentary, and unlikeable narrators who you can't help but root for, this might be for you.

what on EARTH was this book. I expected a cute murder mystery with a parent trapesque situation but NO. This book was actually insane. It follows Julie Chan, who after finding her rich, famous, influencer twin sister dead in her home decides to pretend to be her sister to basque in her fame and join the sisterhood of influencers.

well that was the first half of the book. the second part was pure Bunny by Mona Awad mayhem. I literally had to take a step back when reading this because it just got more and more insane with each chapter, and slowly unraveled to a cultish horror novel, which I was not expecting at all.

This novel really critics influencer culture and puts a huge “what if” to the things viewers don’t see behind the scenes (who knows? maybe on those influencer brand trips they eat live mice and make odd sacrifices?) and truly shows what lengths people will go through to feel a sense of belonging and true friendship. Though every single character in this book was toxic, it proved to be a great lesson to never trust anyone, and that nothing appears as it seems.

Thank you Atria Books for this arc :)

I had high hopes for this one as I kept reading about it on social media but it didn't really work for me. I really enjoyed the first part of it, but once she went to the retreat I feel like it all fell apart and took unexpected turns. It felt stressful but not in a pleasant way.

I love books about influencers and social media and loved those aspects of it! I really wanted to like this one but just didn't.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

4.5/5 ⭐️
I was so excited to read this one. I also followed the ebook with the audiobook and it was so worth it! I loved everything about this book. It was long but everything felt necessary for the story. It was fun twisty. I thought I knew how it was all going to unravel but it left me guessing and excited for what was coming next. I was also very satisfied with the ending, it felt complete and I wasn’t left wondering about what had happened. I don’t know why, but the Bella Donna’s fashion vibe kind of reminded me of Quinn’s Fashion Club friends from the show Daria lol

Julie Chan is DEAD.

I liked the concept of the book but it also made me realize that I don’t particularly love the popular references and trendy themes that an influencer-y book can have. This is nothing against the author and the writing. I found the book to be enjoyable and comedic but cliche at times.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a slow burn of a thriller. It took its time building up the suspense and then the last 30% or so was bonkers - in a semi-good way. The book held my attention throughout even though the plot was thin and I sometimes struggled to like the main character. It's the kind of book that's really entertaining and even funny if you just go with the flow and don't take it too seriously.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

I saw this book come across my Reels on Instagram or on TikTok a while back from the publisher and let’s face it, I have been loving the books Atria Books has been putting out recently. They’ve been rocking it!

I immediately put in a request for this and I am so glad I did!

Julie Chan and Chloe Van Huusen are twins, separated by tragedy when they were young. Adopted and raised by a wealthy couple, Chloe has been raised with privilege, money, and all that comes with it while Julie was taken in by a less-than-perfect aunt and her spoiled son. Now adults, Julie is barely getting by, watching her successful influencer sister live a life she can only dream of, if she were into that sort of thing. She finds influencers like her sister obnoxious, shallow, and out of touch with reality. But when Julie finds Chloe’s dead body, she decides in a split second decision to step into her sister’s life and become Chloe.

Darkly funny, satirically poignant, and utterly thought-provoking, Julie Chan is Dead is the perfect commentary on present day life and culture. How has the path to fame and infleunxe changed in the past 10-20 years? How far are influencers willing to go for “likes” and sponsorships? At what cost do these individuals ensure they stay on top? And while we may despise them, would we gladly step into their shoes if given the opportunity? The dopamine fix from engagement, likes, and approval from social media is not limited to influencers. We all experience the high of seeing those reactions pop up, we all feel the sting of hurt when someone, even a complete stranger, ridicules a post. So what does that say about our true happiness? What does thea say about being content with out life as it Is? What does that say for the stability of our society as a whole?

For a debut novel, I think Liann Zhang knocked it out of the park. She chose a relevant and important theme, using raw honesty and that dark humor as way to comment on this new age of marketing we are constantly inundated with, the lies we tell and believe in our everyday life.

If you are open to satire, somewhat dark humor, and being made a little uncomfortable with some hard truths about social media culture, I would absolutely recommend giving this a shot.

ARC 📖 Review: Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: April 29, 2025 (OUT NOW!)

I’m blown away that this is a debut novel! I had so much fun reading it. I went in blind, like I always do, and was pleasantly surprised by the turn it took. In my opinion, this is a must-read!

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

👩🏻🤳🏻📱

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.

#mustread #bookish #booklife #arcreader #books #bookworm #booksbooksbooks #read #booklover #bookaddict #bookreview #bookstagrammer #book

I have such respect and admiration for any author who masters the writing process and publishes their work that I hate giving star ratings. Ratings are so subjective. One reader may love a book while another fights to keep reading. What matters most is what a reader takes away from the stories they read.

That being said, I am still trying to sort out all my thoughts and emotions from Julie Chan Is Dead.

It’s not that I didn’t like the story. It is a brilliantly written novel highlighting Liann Zhang’s incredible talents, but the issue is that it reads like two stories in one. I was fully invested in the beginning of the narrative (without giving away any spoilers), but then it turned into something completely different with cultish vibes that I didn’t see coming. Think shades of Mona Awad’s Bunny (which I loved!) and Lianne Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers. But somehow, this book fails to build the same believable transition from the first part of the story to where it ends up.

I found myself stuck in the first part of the narrative in Chloe’s apartment, hoping to see how Julie might adapt to her sister's everyday world. It would have worked well as a traditional murder-mystery ‘who-done it,’ instead of taking a wildly unpredictable boat ride to an isolated island where my mind is still recovering from Eto and the mouse scene!

Regardless, a perfect read for those who love thrillers and unhinged characters! Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Atria for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

If half-stars were available, I'd give this 3.5 stars rather than 4.

Liann Zhang's JULIE CHAN IS DEAD is far more "The White Lotus" than YELLOWFACE. It's easy to see Zhang's novel as a binge-able series on a streaming service. The concept of JULIE CHAN IS DEAD is fantastic and starts with such a great zing.

Julie and her twin Chloe were separated at a very young age after their parents died in a car accident. Chloe is adopted by a wealthy white couple; Julie is raised by her scheming, mean aunt. The two sisters have no contact with each other--until Chloe calls Julie one night. Julie then finds Chloe at Chloe's apartment, dead.

The way Zhang sets this situation up from Julie's point-of-view, there's no choice but to go with Julie's choice to take over Chloe's life as a wealthy influencer. There's no room to judge Julie. This was a delight. It was great ti be thrust into this new world and worry about whether or not Julie would be caught.

Once the group of influencers go on their big trip, the novel felt like it became something else and lost some of its originality. The events that followed seemed very similar to other novels that have taken on the world of beauty and influencers. It seems like this type of story is becoming its own mini-category, somewhat like that of the campus novel. It's entirely possible Zhang's novel was written before Ling Ling Huang's NATURAL BEAUTY but it came out after Huang's book, so JULIEN CHEN IS DEAD is the one that reads like it's rehashing types of plot points that run a bit too close to books in this area.


.

I am such a sucker for a story about sisters. make it twin sisters that were separated, basically at birth and couldn't be more different from one another and I am fully intrigued
The story starts off with such a bang and a twist that I should've seen coming, but didn't. And even though the ending didn't fully satisfy me like the start of the book, it was still a great read. Yu-Li Alice Chen is a new to me narrator and she was incredible

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for my arc, Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang. Julie Chan and her identical twin sister Chloe were separated when they were just four years old when their parents were killed in a car accident. Julie was raised by an unloving aunt. Now an adult, she works as a supermarket cashier and has a boring life. Her sister Chloe was adopted by a wealthy couple and becomes a successful influencer. When Julie is contacted by her sister she longs to have a relationship with her and is intrigued by her lifestyle. Unfortunately when Julie visits Chloe and finds her body, she decides to assume her identity. As she uncovers more details about her dead sister she soon realizes that fame comes with a steep price.

Julie Chan is Dead is a dark, unhinged, unsettling, crazy thriller.
Separated as young children, Julie is the unlucky twin sister who works at a grocery story while Chloe is the lucky twin who is rich and famous. Chloe uses Julie for a "long lost twin" social media video and then drops her until she mysteriously calls Julie on the phone. When Julie shows up at Chloe's to find out why Chloe called, Julie finds Chloe dead.
What happens next is where all the craziness comes in! Julie decides to steal Chloe’s life and readers are left with their jaws on the floor. The second half of this story is particularly unhinged and the ending is particularly unexpected.
Thank you to the author, Netgalley, and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

i will say, i think that i’m the problem here. i saw the YELLOWFACE comp and the reviews calling it a scathing, satirical critique of influencer culture, so i went into this expecting something sharp and literary. this book end up being a lot of things — fun, fast-paced, engaging — but it did not scratch the itch the way that i wanted it to until the very end.

the first half of this novel just skims the surface of how toxic the world of social media can be. the pitfall of our narrator, julie, being quickly thrusted into her sister’s grand lifestyle that she’d been desperate for is that she sort of checks out on us in moments that deserve critique and instead eagerly inhabits the thing i was expecting her to critique? there’s a lot of her marveling at the of innocuous things instagram lives, pr packages, sponsored posts, and brand events, which is fun! but not especially novel for the chronically online reader (arguably this book’s main audience) who knows how the cake is made, so to speak. in all of this, i just wanted more of an awareness to how she was contributing to the consumerism, exploitation, and elitism at the core of it all. just a little crumb of introspection!

that said, there is a huge plot and tone shift in the middle to cult horror in the second half (think DON’T BLINK meets MIDSOMMAR). i see lot of people saying it was jarring, which is true, but i actually think it was the stronger half and what i wanted in whole novel. i think using the way the cults manipulate their vulnerable members as a parallel to way the cult of consumption within social media and influencer culture manipulates the consumer is interesting. not only does the last half become more absurd and gripping, but the moment julie realizes that all that glitters isn’t gold, she becomes a sharper observer of the things happening around her.

i’d say going into this with no expectations. it’s a bit of a slow burn and it falls off and on the rails sometimes, but if you can put the comps and reviews out of your brain it ends up being an enjoyable, quick read!

This is a goooooood satirical take on influencer, surveillance, and elite white culture. If you're a fan of Yellowface, Bunny, or Natural Beauty, you need this in your life!

I've seen several other reviewers call this book unhinged, and I'd have to agree. But I was there for it- every unhinged moment, just along for the ride. It's hard to really say with this book is about without giving too much away, but suffice to say it's weird and it's wonderful.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC ebook of Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang!

Julie Chan Is Dead totally sucked me in—I seriously could not stop reading! It’s about Julie, a grocery store cashier who finds out her estranged influencer twin sister Chloe is dead. So what does she do? Steps right into her sister’s ridiculously over-the-top life. And wow, things get wild fast.

This book had me flipping pages like crazy trying to figure out what was going to happen next. It’s part satirical thriller, part social media fever dream—and yeah, it absolutely made me laugh out loud at times. But also… I definitely cringed more than once. The influencer world Zhang builds is so over-the-top and fake that it’s hilarious, but also kind of terrifying.

And then there’s that twist—the culty island retreat?? Totally threw me. Didn’t see it coming, and I loved the creepy turn it took.

Funny, creepy, ridiculous, and oddly addictive. Such a fun read!

"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞."

Julie Chan Is Dead is the opposite of a slow-burn read from debut Canadian author Liann Zhang!

Twins Julie and Chloe were separated when their parents died in an accident; Chloe has a charmed life, especially as a popular influencer, while Julie works for scraps. Discovering Chloe dead gives Julie an opportunity: to slip into Chloe’s life and to get what she thinks she deserves, but is all that glitters gold?! I couldn’t put down this book; from the first page, it is super gripping with short chapters and propulsive pacing. With a concept that is slightly absurd from the beginning (could Julie really take over Chloe’s life that easily?!), it becomes an over-the-top ride about the dark side of fame and content creating. Zhang makes some sharp points about the power of social media: how it can lead to interconnectedness and open up the world for some, but how it is also about manufactured authenticity and controlled identity. Julie is genuinely funny in her commentary, while also being a complex character that is equally easy to root for and to loathe. Zhang’s story gives vibes of R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface, with its overtaken identity, twisted thrills and biting commentary, with an off-the-rails wild second half that reminded me of Julia Bartz’s The Writing Retreat.

Julie Chan Is Dead is a truly unhinged satirical ride that would make for such an addicting television series. Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC!