This story was addicting from the beginning! We all live in the day and age of influencers and social media so to have a thriller like this surrounding these two twins was so fun.

I think the characters were relatable and likeable and then also unlikable, there were so many layers to each of them and that made the story deeper and more interesting.

I was trying to figure out the mystery the whole time and was surprised by the players each chapter, from Chloe's parents to Julie's aunt it was all a fun mystery to unravel.

Well done!

Julie Chan is a grocery store cashier. She was separated from her identical twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, at a young age. Chloe is a popular influencer. The only time Julie and Chloe have seen each other since childhood is when Chloe bought Julie a house in a video that went viral. When Julie discovers Chloe’s body under mysterious circumstances, she jumps at the chance to live the life she’s always dreamed of. It’s all too easy for Julie to transform into Chloe. However, Julie quickly realizes that Chloe’s life was anything but the picture-perfect life she seemed to have as an influencer. Julie jumps at the chance to attend a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. Unfortunately, things quickly spiral out of control, and Julie may be the next target.

I was immediately drawn into the premise of this book, a twin stealing the other twin’s identity. I have to say I loved this book and the characters until about 70% of the way through. I was certain I was going to give this one at least 4 stars. However, once Julie and the group of influencers arrived on the island, things took a turn. The story becomes completely unhinged at this point. Honestly, it felt like I was reading a story written by a different author. I would rate the last 30% of the book 2 stars. So, overall, I would rate this book 3/5 stars. If you enjoy completely unhinged thrillers, this one is for you!

What exactly does it say about me that I love unhinged FMCs so damn much? This was bonkers, but so fun to read. It actually reminded me of Yellowface, which I also enjoyed and devoured. This book hits on the topic of Influencers and their behind the scenes. It was weird, wild and creepy in all the best ways.

Julie and Chloe, twins, lost their parents when they were young and eventually were adopted into separate families, Chloe to a White family and Julie to her Chinese aunt. They did not grow up together or have any contact, yet the bond was still palpable between them. Unfortunately, death brought them together, as Julie finds Chloe deceased in her apartment. By taking over Chloe’s online accounts, Julie falls prey to the addictive nature of getting more likes, thumbs up, stars, etc. and the constant barrage of affirmations from her adoring followers. Being initiated into the “it” group of White women, Julie forms a whole other opinion that this is not the life for her. This book goes a little off the rails when Julie is inducted into a cult, and then takes matters into her own hands which, ultimately, grants her a greater audience of popularity than she had previously. This book was an entertaining debut, albeit a tad unrealistic.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

If you were hooked by Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, you absolutely need to pick up Julie Chan Is Dead, a razor-sharp and unforgettable debut by Liann Zhang.

Julie Chan has nothing. Her estranged twin sister Chloe VanHuusen had everything—millions of followers, brand deals, designer clothes, and an enviable life curated for the algorithm. That is, until she’s found dead.

In a moment of desperation—and opportunity—Julie slips into Chloe’s role, assuming her identity and stepping into a glittering world of influencer retreats, luxury products, and parasocial relationships. But the deeper she goes, the more she realizes that Chloe’s life wasn’t just filtered perfection—it was dangerous. As secrets start to unravel and threats close in, Julie begins to question whether she’s living a dream or walking straight into a nightmare.

What I love about influencer thrillers is how they tap into our collective obsession with image, identity, and internet fame—and Julie Chan Is Dead delivers all of that and more. It's biting, clever, and often unsettling in the best way. Some scenes were more graphic than I usually go for, but I couldn’t look away. The pacing is tight, the twists are genuinely surprising, and the ending left me reeling. Zhang masterfully blends dark humor, social critique, and psychological suspense into a truly compelling read.

Rated: 4 out of 5 stars.

Huge thanks to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#JulieChanIsDead #LiannZhang #NetGalley #ARC #ThrillerReads #SocialMediaThriller #InfluencerFiction #AtriaBooks #DebutNovel #BookReview #YellowfaceVibes

Well, it got very weird very fast. I’m still not sure if I actually enjoyed it or if the twist just kept me captivated.

I have very complicated feelings about this book. I was enjoying it, then I was hating it, then I was enjoying it again; was it an incredibly insightful book or incredibly weird (or both?); was it exaggerated satire or a realistic behind-the-scenes view of the influencer life? I'm still very befuddled about my reading experience, and I think this is a book that will take up rent in my brain for a while, so . . . that's a good thing?

My initial draw to the book was the whole Julie-taking-over-Chloe's-life thing, as well as my enjoyment of You Will Never Be Me, a book I read earlier this year about influencers. Unlike that book, though, this one was bizarre and had me going "Whhhhaaatttt?" more than once. I'm not on social media, so part of me was "This is too crazy to be true . . . right?"

This book started as a four star read and I was really excited about pitching it as a purchase for my high school library (yay, Canadian content!), then plummeted into a two star read (dangerously close to a one star read after the whole mouse thing), then redeemed itself a tiny bit with the ending, which really can only be interpreted as satirical. Again, super complicated feelings.

On the plus side, Liann Zhang is a WRITER. I was really impressed with her writing as a debut author.

Delighted to include this title in the April edition of Novel Encounters, my column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national lifestyle and culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

Wow! I sat on this book for way too long and now I’m kicking myself! I absolutely devoured it and it was so weird and so wild in all the best ways! I loved how twisty this story was and how it unfolded. I was falling down the rabbit hole the entire time and I loved it! Julie is a character that is written well and you follow along, knowing you’re in it, but unable to get out.

This book is so weird and creepy and totally unhinged, but I was entertained the entire time. I enjoyed it overall but would never want to read it again. It had a definite ick factor.

“I know Chloe normally looks put together, but compared to a corpse, I must look okay right?”
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Julie Chan has always been envious of her twin sisters, Chloe’s life. While Julie rotted under the care of her abusive aunt after her parents died, Chloe was adopted by a wealthy white couple and grew up with mommy. Chloe became an influencer, and Julie followed from afar. When Chloe dies, Julie jumps into the spotlight, but realizes something is amiss.
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This books goes off the hinges real quick! Not your typical run of the mill. This one will keep you glued to your seat for the entirety of the ride!

This is a twisty, fast-paced read with a killer premise — a down-on-her-luck cashier steps into the life of her dead influencer twin. It’s juicy, dramatic, and full of dark secrets.

I loved the setup and commentary on influencer culture, but the mystery didn’t fully deliver for me. The middle dragged a bit, and I wanted more depth from the plot and characters.

Still, it’s an entertaining ride if you're into identity swaps, drama, and glamorous chaos!

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC!

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.