Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang

This was an amazing thriller/dark comedy read that I could not put it down! The mystery and twists had me absolutely gasping for more. Liann Zhang does a fantastic job depicting the dark side of social media and how it can push people to extremes.

The first half of the book had me hooked, as we follow Julie Chan’s perspective. Julie struggles with life after being adopted by her terrible aunt and growing up in poverty. Meanwhile, her twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, was adopted by wealthy white parents and became a popular influencer who seems to have it all.

One day, Julie receives a random phone call from Chloe, who sounds distressed. Julie decides to investigate this and visit her long-lost twin, only to discover Chloe is dead. When the opportunity arises, Julie, who always felt a bit envious of Chloe’s seemingly perfect life, decides to literally step into her sister’s shoes.

The first half of the novel delivers a thrilling story about Julie trying to blend into Chloe’s life, spending time with Chloe’s closest friends, adapting to her public persona, and navigating the high-pressure world Chloe lived in. But as Julie sinks deeper into Chloe’s life, she begins to question: Was Chloe’s life truly perfect? Did Chloe actually overdose... or was she murdered?

I highly recommend this for anyone who loves a thriller with dark humor. It’s absolutely interesting and so much fun to read, plus, the second half of the book gets WILD.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a digital eARC.

Release Date: April 29, 2025

Wow! I am so happy that I decided to read this book! I had no idea what really to expect and it exceeded my expectations! I had a hard time putting the book down!

I enjoyed this book for a few different reasons. My first one is, this book’s plot is very different than any of the books out there. The concept of taking over your sister’s identity isn’t new, but it definitely isn’t a very common and how it was done was pretty unique.

Another reason I liked this book was how accurate it portrays society (typically younger individuals) and their love for social media and influencers. There are various types of influencers in this book that are very unlikeable, but not so awful that you don’t want to read about what will happen next to them. It was also interesting to see how they all buddy up with one another to get more likes and increase their interactions on social media.

This book didn’t really slow down and it wasn’t repetitive, so that was a major plus for me. However, the ending was a little unsatisfying. It was kind of a cliffhanger so it makes me wonder if there will be a book two? If so, I’m definitely going to read it.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have absolutely no idea what I just read. In a good way. This book was extremely entertaining but was definitely a WTF. It's categorized as a thriller and even as a horror but I disagree with those. It's mostly a mystery and a little surrealism in a way?

I knew influencing was a tough gig, but I didn't know it got this dark.

Liann Zhang's debut novel, Julie Chan is Dead, caught me by surprise with how much I loved it. I went in a little blind, after receiving an invitation from Atria Books to read an early copy, and I'm glad I did, because I was totally riveted! Chloe/Julie and the Belladonnas are fascinating, and, without spoiling anything, I was perplexed about how it would all wrap up, but IT WAS PERFECT! Liann Zhang is a new voice in the thriller genre, but I'm all in for whatever she's writing next!

4.25/5 rounded down

Thank you Atria for the advanced reading copy!

This book started off soooo wild and only got crazier from there. There’s an element of suspending disbelief needed to enjoy this one, because the overall premise seems far fetched for a lot of reasons.

The first 60% was 5/5 for me. I’m always entertained by influencer/celebrity/rich people dramas and by thrillers and this has the vibes of both

As things progressed and story got more and more twisted, it started to feel a little too unbelievable and coincidental for me— plus just plain disturbing at times (🐭 iykyk). The conclusion at the end felt drawn out and unsatisfying; something was just missing and left something to be desired.

Overall, I was definitely entertained by this book. The writing pushed you to want more and had me binging this book whenever possible. Was it flawed? For sure. Did I gave a good time? Hell yeah, and that’s enough for me.

Thank you Atria for the gifted copy!

Julie Chan is Dead
Liann Zhang
Publishing Date: April 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 Rounded Up

This book was… unhinged 🤣

We take a deep dive into the behind the scenes of influencer life. Julie and Chloe are twins who were adopted separately after their parents died. Julie lived a humble life with a terrible aunt, while Chloe seemingly lived the life of luxury with her adoptive parents and then became an uber successful influencer.

When Chloe unexpectedly dies, and Julie finds her body, she capitalizes on their identical physical appearance and steps into Chloe’s life.

The first half of this book had me so locked in. It was edge of your seat suspenseful as we wait for this to inevitably blow up in Julie’s face. Then the second half took a complete turn in a direction I did not see coming and I found myself saying WTF on the regular. Fully deranged, much suspension of disbelief required, body horror, grossness involving animals 🐁.. this was a wild ride indeed.

I thoroughly enjoyed the satirical approach at social commentary about influencer life, social media, and race/class. I also appreciated the backstories of the twins and how this added some depth. This required a smidge more suspension of disbelief than I typically prefer, but regardless I was thoroughly entertained and found this book to be very binge worthy.

This was so wonderfully weird. I think I would have enjoyed this book if it was just about Julie taking over Chloe's life but the cult bit in the second half really made it fun. I enjoyed the mystery and plot in this book and really liked Julie as a character.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Liann Zhang, and Atria Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I’ve had my ARC for a bit, but when I saw a TikTok saying Julie Chan is Dead was like “Yellowface by R. F. Kuang meets Bunny by Mona Awad”, I knew I IMMEDIATELY had to read. And I’m SO glad I did!!!! The comparison is spot on, but I would even say it’s more The Honeys by Ryan La Sala than Bunny, which is one of my favorite YA horror books. This was a JUICY ride that I read in less than 2 days. While the read-alikes are apt, Zhang does have a fresh, innovative voice that I enjoyed throughout. There’s lots of snark and satire, especially in regards to the influencer industry, but there’s also great introspection on class background and being Chinese American. I truly never knew where the book was going, and I think Zhang did a fabulous job of setting up the world and characters in the first half before diving more into horror in the second half. The culty “Belladonnas” were hilarious, and the book was definitely way creepier than I was expecting it to be! I especially liked the commentary between Julie and Iz as the only women of color in the influencer group. If you’re looking for a read that is truly a wild ride and has great moments of both satire and horror, run to go pick this up! I’m already ready for whatever is next from Zhang.

TW: Animal death/sacrifice

The first half of this book was great.

Julie and Chloe are twins who were separated at 4 years old when their parents died. Chloe was adopted by rich, white parents, whereas Julie went to live with her abusive aunt. Chloe became a famous influencer while Julie was working a dead end job. Chloe commits s*icide and Julie makes the snap decision to pretend she's Chloe and steps into her life. It was interesting watching Julie try to figure out Chloe's life without giving away that she's not Chloe. There were discussions about white vs POC influencers, and Julie struggling with her identity as a Chinese person in a white influencer society. Chloe was part of an influencer group and they were ridiculously shallow while talking about how hard their jobs are. I hurt my eyes from constantly rolling them while the influencers were talking, but it felt very realistic since that's how many influencers are. It was all very well done.

The second half of the book went off the rails.

Julie goes with the influencer group to one of their private islands for the weekend. We start to get drugs, cult behaviors, animal sacrifices, and maybe the supernatural. I checked to make sure I didn't pick up the wrong book by mistake. If you told me two different authors wrote two halves of a book without talking to the other - I would believe it. It was very disjoint and strange. It felt like the 2nd half couldn't decide if was supernatural horror or regular mystery/thriller or what was going on with it. I don't mind any of those genres, but I was bothered by how unexpected it was after the first half.

Overall, I'll go with 2.5 stars, rounded down. The second half ruined the first half for me.

Thank you @atriabooks @atriathrillers for the complimentary ARC. ♡₊˚⊹

👯‍♀️ Unhinged premise: estranged twin sister takes place of identical twin when she dies of an overdose.

Thusly, overnight Julie becomes Chloe, rich influencer with the seemingly perfect life, perfect body, perfect everything.

I was jiving hard for the first half. The second half took a major 180 into the deranged suspension of belief category — à la Stepford Wives. I kinda wonder if this is what LSD would feel like.

If you’re willing to go with it, it’s an addicting, terrifying, fast-paced satirical social commentary on social media culture, race, and class. How far would you go to ‘have it all’?

A book to make you go: wtaf 🥸😳🤯
3.5⭐️ rounded up

TW: body horror, arson, murder

Julie Chan is also rumored to be a May @aardvarkbookclub pick.

This was a wild ride and I cant decide if i liked it or not. It certainly was entertaining and weird. I feel like some of the more interesting parts were skipped over pretty quickly (her getting caught, the cult)

After finding Chloe’s body under suspicious circumstances, Julie steps into her glamorous influencer life without much effort. Same face, better wardrobe, and millions of followers ready to adore her. But it does not take long for Julie to realize Chloe’s world of picture-perfect posts and brand deals was way more twisted than it looked.

NOTE: Content warnings are listed at the end of this review. They reveal key elements of the story, so skip them if you want to go in blind. However, I want to give an extra heads-up. There are two topics that I personally cannot handle in books: child abuse and animal cruelty. This story includes scenes of animal cruelty starting in Chapter 50, and it is referenced again later.

Now onto the review.

Julie Chan is Dead is a clever and darkly funny exploration of our obsession with validation, curated identities, and the illusion of success. I loved the concept right from the start. The way Liann Zhang built the world of Julie's new "perfect" town gave me serious cult and Stepford Wives vibes. It was eerie and captivating.

The book tackles tough subjects like racism, nepotism, and privilege, and it highlights how addictive external praise can become. I especially loved how it showed the dependency we have on our phones. There is a line that stuck with me: "How can I tell what's real without a record?" It was a haunting commentary on how technology warps our perception of reality.

The witty humor added a punch to some very real and uncomfortable truths, especially around toxic positivity and how fake smiles can hide so much pain. I appreciated how the author called out the shiny, influencer lifestyle without making it cartoonish.

That said, a few things held me back from loving this book as much as I hoped. The first half was slow to build. It took a while for the tension and mystery to really sink in, though the second half definitely delivered more twists and urgency. I also felt that while topics like racism were introduced, they were not explored as deeply as they could have been.

And I cannot ignore the animal cruelty scenes. Personally, I felt like they were unnecessary and could have been replaced with another plot device. It pulled me out of the story and left a bitter taste that overshadowed a lot of the book's important messages. I tried to separate my feelings from that part while writing this review because the overall satire and ideas were strong.

If you like dark humor, dystopian cult vibes, and books that shine a light on modern society's flaws with a wicked grin, Julie Chan is Dead is worth checking out. Just be sure to read the content warnings first.

The Vibes It Brings:

📱 Social media obsession and validation
🏡 Stepford Wives style cult vibes
😂 Dark wit and biting humor
🌱 The grass isn't always greener lessons
☀️ Toxic positivity bubble bursting
🔪 Creepy mystery and slow-burn tension
👩‍💻 Dependency on technology
🧠 Satirical take on modern society

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the copy of this book. Julie Chan is Dead is a darkly funny and unsettling look at the curated realities we build and the dangers of chasing external validation. It offers a chilling portrayal of how easily truth can be buried under a sea of likes, fake smiles, and self-delusion. While the pacing could have been tighter and some topics could have been explored more deeply, the sharp commentary and eerie atmosphere kept me hooked.

Despite certain discomforts, like animal cruelty elements, Zhang's unraveling story will appeal to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers layered with humor. It is a story that will make you laugh, cringe, and maybe even rethink how often you reach for your phone. Just make sure you check out the content warnings if you have sensitive triggers.


Content Warnings:

Animal abuse, death, and cruelty
Miscarriage
Drug use
Murder
Cult and sacrificial themes
Suicidal ideation

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.

Julie Chan is Dead had such a unique premise to me and I was willing to forego by apprehension of influencer books to check it out. Unfortunately for me, I disliked the characters - all of them - to the extent that it detracted from the book. I think that this has the potential to be a super popular read, but just was not for me.

The premise of this sounded so interesting and the first little bit had me pretty hooked, but then it took a trip to crazy town and just wasn't the sort of weird that works for me. Sadly this is a "great premise, faulty execution" situation.

I'm sure it's the exact right kind of "weird fic" for some other horror/thriller girlies though.

What a wild ride this story was! With separated twins, identity fraud, cult-like groups, and a mysterious private island, this book pulls the reader into a dark, twisted journey. One of the things I appreciated most was how Zhang exposes the darker side of social media. How addicting it can be, how corrupt it has become, and how the pursuit of influencer fame can warp identity and reality.

I loved how the author weaves real life news elements into fiction, giving us a story that feels disturbingly possible. Zhang explores the price of fame in today’s world, where power is measured in followers and approval comes in likes and comments. Julie’s descent into this influencer culture is both fascinating and unsettling.

There are also some really interesting, subtle parallels between the fictional cult like group and real life conspiracy theories about celebrity elites and secret islands. Bella Marie’s island, for instance, eerily mirrors Epstein’s, and I found this comparison both bold and clever. While some readers found these elements far fetched, I think that’s exactly the point. It blurs the line between fiction and the hidden truths of our world.

If I had one critique, it’s that I wish the plot had focused more on Julie investigating Chloe’s disappearance from the start, leaning more into the mystery. The island section also felt a bit off track, almost like a separate storyline.

Still, this book is a captivating, fictional reflection of our society's obsession with fame, the dark allure of the rich and powerful, and the cost of chasing a life that isn’t your own. It leaves you wondering…. What would you do if you had the chance to take over the life of someone rich and famous?

*Thank you to Liann Zhang, Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Julie Chan Is Dead was one of those thrillers that I ate up from the very beginning. The overall discussion of how social media brainwashes people and what people will do to become internet famous was on point.

Julie is not a perfect character. She makes not so good decisions, like stealing her twin sister's identity and continuing on her sister's social media fame. She soon finds herself in the whirlwind of social media fame and fake friends. Seeing Julie go through the gigs of thinking social media influencers have it easy to thinking she deserved her sister's fame because of how hard Julie works to keep everything going was so interesting. It felt real because so many people lost their authenticity when money is involved, and how so many people who are authentic who have money aren't trusted because of their richness.

Zhang's writing about social injustices, racism, fame, money, and social commentary in this book was done so well. I think people could get a lot out of this book while still having a good time reading. There's a lot of satire, plus the right amount of outrageousness you hear about rich people do to keep their fame alive.

Great debut. Zhang is an incredibly talented writer and it shows in this dark comedic thriller. The first half was perfectly crafted, whip-smart.. one twin dies and the other assumes the identity of her famous social influencer sister. And with it are friends, sponsors, money, and a social life she never had before.
The last 1/4 of the book did get confusing, and I couldn’t wrap my head around it - definitely felt chaotic, perverse, dark and twisted, and it’s meant to come across that way. In this purely fictional story, the author uses hilarity in exposing the dark side of a social influencers world. The absurdity of it all. And to the extreme. Although that last half didn’t work for me, I feel it would have been interpreted much clearer by a younger audience. Am looking forward to what she writes next. 3 stars — Pub. 4/29/25

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to read this book because it felt like it could be like another Yellowface, which I highly enjoyed. The writing was engaging and sharp and I appreciated the commentary on influencer lifestyle, wealth and the idea of the twins being separated and having such different lives highly intrigued me.

Unfortunately, I read a spoiler (and I'm glad I did) and as soon as I did I knew I wouldn't be able to continue the book.

Thank you to NG and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Atria & NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Is Julie likeable? Not really. But this is in the vein of Yellowface meets Bunny and it is a WICKEDLY fun ride. Pick this up, you'll love it.

Bunny by Mona Awad meets Yellowface by RF Kuang. I truly couldn’t put this book down. I loved the pacing and the writing style Liann Zhang utilized, it kept me on my toes and wanting more at the end of each chapter. The cult like group, “The Belladonnas” were eerie and unsettling while also being a great reflection of all the negative aspects of social media influencing. The social commentary on social media and the harm that comes from monetizing your life is displayed in such an entertaining and fun way to read. The book leaves you thinking about all of the secrets and lies that might be lurking on our For You Pages! So good!