What do you think?
Rate this book
Julie Chan Is Dead
Not yet published
Expected 29 Apr 25In this razor-sharp, diabolical debut thriller, a young woman steps into her deceased twin’s influencer life, only to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade.
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.
Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.
Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.
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.
Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.
Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.
320 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 29, 2025
75.8k people want to read
About the author
Liann Zhang
1 book148 followersLiann Zhang is a second-generation Chinese Canadian who splits her time between Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario. After a short stint as a skincare content creator, she graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in psychology and criminology. Julie Chan Is Dead is her first novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 737 reviews
April 6, 2025
this was a very #weird and #unhinged but #kindoffuntoread thriller! i didn't absolutely hate it!
julie chan is broke, bitter, and quite anonymous—the antithesis of her twin chloe van huusen, an affluent social media influencer who was adopted by a rich family while julie was left with her aunt. they grew apart after being separated, and julie’s resentment and envy only deepened over time—understandably so. the only time chloe bothered to talk to her out of the blue was to buy her a house to milk the internet's sympathy for profit, and even then she still had a patronizing attitude towards julie. thus, she never bothered to genuinely create a healthy relationship with her twin. so, once chloe mysteriously died of a drug overdose, julie took over her life under her name. good for her, i guess!
i started this thinking it would be strikingly similar to yellowface, and it was for the first 40%— a commentary on identity, influencers, and internet fame. once the influencer retreat started on a secluded island, everything spiraled. can't say i don't love a bit of capitalist culty horror/insanity and deranged women moment, though. i don't doubt rich people can be this diabolical in reality.
to me, this book kind of exuded scientology, bunny by mona awad (from what i've heard, i haven't read it yet but i will update this when i do), and midsommar. that ending was something!
while this is no yellowface (which i personally prefer), if you like weird books and need a quick pick-me-up with absurd yet somewhat entertaining women, then this one is not a bad option! there's lots of murder, obsession, drugs, strange rituals and mantras, and mass brainwashing, which is always intriguing and slightly addictive.
thank you to the publishers for the e-arc!
-
pre-review
what 😦 (i promise i’ll write the review tomorrow)
-
pre-read
got inspired by joni to pick the arcs back up and they're also due in 13 days so i need to lock in!!
-
tbr review
got the arc! hopefully this serves cause i loved yellowface
julie chan is broke, bitter, and quite anonymous—the antithesis of her twin chloe van huusen, an affluent social media influencer who was adopted by a rich family while julie was left with her aunt. they grew apart after being separated, and julie’s resentment and envy only deepened over time—understandably so. the only time chloe bothered to talk to her out of the blue was to buy her a house to milk the internet's sympathy for profit, and even then she still had a patronizing attitude towards julie. thus, she never bothered to genuinely create a healthy relationship with her twin. so, once chloe mysteriously died of a drug overdose, julie took over her life under her name. good for her, i guess!
i started this thinking it would be strikingly similar to yellowface, and it was for the first 40%— a commentary on identity, influencers, and internet fame. once the influencer retreat started on a secluded island, everything spiraled. can't say i don't love a bit of capitalist culty horror/insanity and deranged women moment, though. i don't doubt rich people can be this diabolical in reality.
to me, this book kind of exuded scientology, bunny by mona awad (from what i've heard, i haven't read it yet but i will update this when i do), and midsommar. that ending was something!
while this is no yellowface (which i personally prefer), if you like weird books and need a quick pick-me-up with absurd yet somewhat entertaining women, then this one is not a bad option! there's lots of murder, obsession, drugs, strange rituals and mantras, and mass brainwashing, which is always intriguing and slightly addictive.
thank you to the publishers for the e-arc!
-
pre-review
what 😦 (i promise i’ll write the review tomorrow)
-
pre-read
got inspired by joni to pick the arcs back up and they're also due in 13 days so i need to lock in!!
-
tbr review
got the arc! hopefully this serves cause i loved yellowface
April 7, 2025
Well, this thriller/dark comedy is absolutely riveting—an undeniably intriguing mystery I simply couldn't put down! I can confidently say that a brilliant new thriller author has arrived with an impactful debut that explores the addiction of voyeurism and the dark side of social media—pushing people to extreme lengths, from stealing the identity of an influencer to impersonating a very dead sister, and even more than you could ever imagine—all to stay at the top.
I especially loved the first half, which focuses on Julie Chan, who was separated from her twin, Chloe, after a tragic accident left them orphaned. While Julie was adopted by her manipulative and abusive aunt, Chloe was fortunate enough to be taken in by the wealthy and influential VanHuusen couple, who provided her with the glamorous lifestyle of her dreams—luxurious living in New York, the best education, summers in the Hamptons, and elite social connections.
As Julie struggles to survive, working as a supermarket cashier with no access to the privileges Chloe enjoys, her sister basks in the spotlight as a powerful influencer with millions of followers. Even when Chloe briefly reconnects with Julie at her workplace—offering her a rundown house in need of renovations just to create content and boost her online engagement—she soon ghosts her again, leaving Julie more hurt than she expected.
Then, out of nowhere, Chloe calls Julie with a cryptic message before abruptly hanging up. Concerned, Julie rushes to her sister’s New York apartment—only to find her dead. When the police arrive and mistake Julie for Chloe, a dangerous idea takes root. Resentment, ambition, and a deep desire to escape her own circumstances push Julie to step into her sister’s shoes.
After all, she’s watched enough of Chloe’s videos to imitate her perfectly. How hard could it be to post content, keep smiling, make paid collaborations, and hang out with socialites like Bella Marie—the ultra-rich queen bee eager to take "Chloe" under her wing?
But as Julie embraces her sister’s life, she grows suspicious about Chloe’s strained relationship with her adoptive family and her connection to a journalist with whom she was about to share a scandalous story before her death. What secrets was Chloe keeping? Was her death really an accident, or did someone want her gone?
Then comes the invitation—Bella insists that Julie join her and a group of influencers for an exclusive retreat on a secluded island with no phone reception. The retreat’s attendees are eerily secretive about their past visits, and as soon as Julie steps onto Bella’s family's island, she realizes that assuming Chloe’s identity may have led her somewhere far more dangerous than she ever anticipated.
Overall:
I absolutely loved the first half of this book—the mystery surrounding Chloe was gripping and deeply immersive. The second half, set on the exotic island, took a wilder, more mind-bending turn that was slightly over the top for my taste, but I still enjoyed the dark humor woven throughout. If you’re looking for something fresh, sharp, entertaining, thought-provoking, and completely unputdownable, I highly recommend this book!
Put this on your radar—don’t wait to read it, just dive in! This is one of those hidden gems that will absolutely captivate book lovers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
medium.com
instagram
facebook
twitter<
I especially loved the first half, which focuses on Julie Chan, who was separated from her twin, Chloe, after a tragic accident left them orphaned. While Julie was adopted by her manipulative and abusive aunt, Chloe was fortunate enough to be taken in by the wealthy and influential VanHuusen couple, who provided her with the glamorous lifestyle of her dreams—luxurious living in New York, the best education, summers in the Hamptons, and elite social connections.
As Julie struggles to survive, working as a supermarket cashier with no access to the privileges Chloe enjoys, her sister basks in the spotlight as a powerful influencer with millions of followers. Even when Chloe briefly reconnects with Julie at her workplace—offering her a rundown house in need of renovations just to create content and boost her online engagement—she soon ghosts her again, leaving Julie more hurt than she expected.
Then, out of nowhere, Chloe calls Julie with a cryptic message before abruptly hanging up. Concerned, Julie rushes to her sister’s New York apartment—only to find her dead. When the police arrive and mistake Julie for Chloe, a dangerous idea takes root. Resentment, ambition, and a deep desire to escape her own circumstances push Julie to step into her sister’s shoes.
After all, she’s watched enough of Chloe’s videos to imitate her perfectly. How hard could it be to post content, keep smiling, make paid collaborations, and hang out with socialites like Bella Marie—the ultra-rich queen bee eager to take "Chloe" under her wing?
But as Julie embraces her sister’s life, she grows suspicious about Chloe’s strained relationship with her adoptive family and her connection to a journalist with whom she was about to share a scandalous story before her death. What secrets was Chloe keeping? Was her death really an accident, or did someone want her gone?
Then comes the invitation—Bella insists that Julie join her and a group of influencers for an exclusive retreat on a secluded island with no phone reception. The retreat’s attendees are eerily secretive about their past visits, and as soon as Julie steps onto Bella’s family's island, she realizes that assuming Chloe’s identity may have led her somewhere far more dangerous than she ever anticipated.
Overall:
I absolutely loved the first half of this book—the mystery surrounding Chloe was gripping and deeply immersive. The second half, set on the exotic island, took a wilder, more mind-bending turn that was slightly over the top for my taste, but I still enjoyed the dark humor woven throughout. If you’re looking for something fresh, sharp, entertaining, thought-provoking, and completely unputdownable, I highly recommend this book!
Put this on your radar—don’t wait to read it, just dive in! This is one of those hidden gems that will absolutely captivate book lovers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
medium.com
twitter<
April 16, 2025
Twisted, dark, gripping, and thought provoking. Julie Chan Is Dead is an interesting book that not only looks at the quest for fame and likes, but also sibling relationships, jealousy, and acceptance. In the digital age, being an influencer equals BIG bucks if you capture the right audience and create the best content. This book also shows how fickle fans of influencers can be and how you are only as good as your last post/podcast/photo/endorsement, etc.
Julie Chan works in a supermarket and in the shadow of her twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, who is a popular social media influencer. Julie was also on her sister's stream one time when Chloe gifted her a house for likes. When Julie goes to her Chloe's luxury apartment, she finds her twin sister dead! Julie decides to take her sister's place and assumes Chloe's identity and luxurious lifestyle! How hard can it be? They are twins after all! When Julie is invited and shows up for a weeklong island retreat with a group of top influencers, she will begin to see that all that glitters is not gold!
This was a dark commentary(ish) book that takes being a social media influencer to a whole new level. As I mentioned this book tackles many things such as relationships, the need for acceptance, belonging, popularity, jealousy, secrets and backstabbing. I found this book to be an enjoyable fast read which kept me engaged and invested in the plot. This book took a turn that I did not see coming but I rode with it and enjoyed the ride.
This was a well thought out and captivating debut novel. I enjoyed the twists, turns and reveals in this book.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Julie Chan works in a supermarket and in the shadow of her twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, who is a popular social media influencer. Julie was also on her sister's stream one time when Chloe gifted her a house for likes. When Julie goes to her Chloe's luxury apartment, she finds her twin sister dead! Julie decides to take her sister's place and assumes Chloe's identity and luxurious lifestyle! How hard can it be? They are twins after all! When Julie is invited and shows up for a weeklong island retreat with a group of top influencers, she will begin to see that all that glitters is not gold!
This was a dark commentary(ish) book that takes being a social media influencer to a whole new level. As I mentioned this book tackles many things such as relationships, the need for acceptance, belonging, popularity, jealousy, secrets and backstabbing. I found this book to be an enjoyable fast read which kept me engaged and invested in the plot. This book took a turn that I did not see coming but I rode with it and enjoyed the ride.
This was a well thought out and captivating debut novel. I enjoyed the twists, turns and reveals in this book.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
April 2, 2025
3.75 stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to Atria Books for the eARC via Netgalley! 💌
OKAY, SO—this book??? Was ABSURD. Kinda UNBELIEVABLE. Completely unhinged. AND I ATE IT UP.
☠️ A girl finds her dead influencer twin.
💰 Takes over her life.
🎭 Plays the ultimate game of pretend.
🏝️ Gets invited to a secluded influencer retreat (aka Cult Island™).
🔪 And then… CHAOS.
DO Y'ALL KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE BOOKS ABOUT UNHINGED WOMEN???
Because let me tell you, JULIE. WAS. UNHINGED. And yet, I weirdly respected her hustle?? Like, girl saw an opportunity and RAN with it.
First half??? BANGER. I was flipping pages like my life depended on it.
Second half??? Uhhh. WHAT. THE. HELL. It was like the book chugged three Red Bulls and went on a conspiracy theory rant at 3AM.
🔥 THE GOOD 🔥
✔️ The influencer satire was chef’s kiss. So much commentary on social media, validation, and the cult-like world of rich people with no real job.
✔️ The tension was top-tier. Every scene felt like Julie was one mistake away from EXPOSURE.
✔️ The writing was SO bingeable. I barely blinked.
💀 THE UNHINGED 💀
✔️ That ISLAND. Cult vibes? Horror movie? Elite socialite death trap? ALL THREE???
✔️ Listen, I personally believe cults like this exist. Rich people are WEIRD. And if y’all don’t think certain celebs are deep in some secret societies… well, I’m just saying.
✔️ The ending??? Left me so conflicted. Did I love it? Did I hate it? Who am I?
TROPES:
✔️ Unhinged Female Lead
✔️ Fake Identity
✔️ Cult Vibes
✔️ Secluded Retreat
✔️ Bingeable Writing
✔️ Tension/Exposure
✔️ Absurd Plot
✔️ Dark Humor
🎭OVERALL:
Would I recommend it? HELL YEAH . It’s messy, it’s fun, it’s a little too real, and it will have you side-eyeing influencers forever.
Put this on your radar, besties. And when you read it, DM me because I NEED TO SCREAM ABOUT THAT ENDING WITH SOMEONE.
OKAY, SO—this book??? Was ABSURD. Kinda UNBELIEVABLE. Completely unhinged. AND I ATE IT UP.
☠️ A girl finds her dead influencer twin.
💰 Takes over her life.
🎭 Plays the ultimate game of pretend.
🏝️ Gets invited to a secluded influencer retreat (aka Cult Island™).
🔪 And then… CHAOS.
DO Y'ALL KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE BOOKS ABOUT UNHINGED WOMEN???
Because let me tell you, JULIE. WAS. UNHINGED. And yet, I weirdly respected her hustle?? Like, girl saw an opportunity and RAN with it.
First half??? BANGER. I was flipping pages like my life depended on it.
Second half??? Uhhh. WHAT. THE. HELL. It was like the book chugged three Red Bulls and went on a conspiracy theory rant at 3AM.
🔥 THE GOOD 🔥
✔️ The influencer satire was chef’s kiss. So much commentary on social media, validation, and the cult-like world of
✔️ The tension was top-tier. Every scene felt like Julie was one mistake away from EXPOSURE.
✔️ The writing was SO bingeable. I barely blinked.
💀 THE UNHINGED 💀
✔️ That ISLAND. Cult vibes? Horror movie? Elite socialite death trap? ALL THREE???
✔️ Listen, I personally believe cults like this exist. Rich people are WEIRD. And if y’all don’t think certain celebs are deep in some secret societies… well, I’m just saying.
✔️ The ending??? Left me so conflicted. Did I love it? Did I hate it? Who am I?
TROPES:
✔️ Unhinged Female Lead
✔️ Fake Identity
✔️ Cult Vibes
✔️ Secluded Retreat
✔️ Bingeable Writing
✔️ Tension/Exposure
✔️ Absurd Plot
✔️ Dark Humor
🎭OVERALL:
Would I recommend it? HELL YEAH . It’s messy, it’s fun, it’s a little too real, and it will have you side-eyeing influencers forever.
Put this on your radar, besties. And when you read it, DM me because I NEED TO SCREAM ABOUT THAT ENDING WITH SOMEONE.
April 2, 2025
Okay folks…. This one is CRAZY BONKERS! Bonkers in a good way. But just know, this story is not what you think.
Julie Chan has a deadbeat job. She has no friends and really no life. She was separated from her twin sister, Chloe, when they were little after a terrible car accident that killed their parents. Only Chloe lives a more glamorous lifestyle. Chloe is a mega famous influencer.
One day Chloe calls Julie only she can barely speak and the line goes dead. Julie rushes to New York to make sure her twin is okay…. However, when she arrives, Chloe is found dead on the floor.
What does Julie do? The sensible thing, take over Chloe’s life. Soon, Julie will find out just how glamorous the influencer life really is. Or is it???
Get ready, all bets are off. This story gets wild as hell and I loved every bit of it!!!!
Publication date - 4/29/25
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Julie Chan has a deadbeat job. She has no friends and really no life. She was separated from her twin sister, Chloe, when they were little after a terrible car accident that killed their parents. Only Chloe lives a more glamorous lifestyle. Chloe is a mega famous influencer.
One day Chloe calls Julie only she can barely speak and the line goes dead. Julie rushes to New York to make sure her twin is okay…. However, when she arrives, Chloe is found dead on the floor.
What does Julie do? The sensible thing, take over Chloe’s life. Soon, Julie will find out just how glamorous the influencer life really is. Or is it???
Get ready, all bets are off. This story gets wild as hell and I loved every bit of it!!!!
Publication date - 4/29/25
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 23, 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Julie Chan is a supermarket cashier, while her identical twin sister, Chloe, is a social media influencer and sensation. The two sisters were separated at a young age following the death of their parents. So the sisters were never close. One video of Chloe’s reunion with her sister goes viral, and Julie Chan comes into the picture and her sister’s life. But she discovers that all the kindness that her sister shows her is just a way to get more views!
One day Julie Chan finds her sister dead at her place, so the idea comes to her to become Chloe and claim that Julie Chan is dead instead. The glamorous lifestyle that Chloe lived encourages Julie to do that, unaware of the dark secrets that her sister had.
I’m a big fan of stories that involve twins, so this checked one big box for me. For a debut novel, the book was very entertaining. It is nicely written, and the story has constant tension and twists. The more secrets came out, the more the protagonist realized that her decision was a very foolish one.
The story concentrates on themes like distant sibling relationships, manipulation, the influencer culture, and one’s identity. The pace is fast and steady. However, there are no likable characters in this book. Both the twins were not decent human beings. They both were selfish and manipulative.
If you read this book and enjoy it, try to watch Bette Davis’ Dead Ringer (1963). I love that movie, and it has a very similar theme to this book, where the poor sister kills her rich twin sister and impersonates her. Like this book, that film has lots of tension and stressful events.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Julie Chan is a supermarket cashier, while her identical twin sister, Chloe, is a social media influencer and sensation. The two sisters were separated at a young age following the death of their parents. So the sisters were never close. One video of Chloe’s reunion with her sister goes viral, and Julie Chan comes into the picture and her sister’s life. But she discovers that all the kindness that her sister shows her is just a way to get more views!
One day Julie Chan finds her sister dead at her place, so the idea comes to her to become Chloe and claim that Julie Chan is dead instead. The glamorous lifestyle that Chloe lived encourages Julie to do that, unaware of the dark secrets that her sister had.
I’m a big fan of stories that involve twins, so this checked one big box for me. For a debut novel, the book was very entertaining. It is nicely written, and the story has constant tension and twists. The more secrets came out, the more the protagonist realized that her decision was a very foolish one.
The story concentrates on themes like distant sibling relationships, manipulation, the influencer culture, and one’s identity. The pace is fast and steady. However, there are no likable characters in this book. Both the twins were not decent human beings. They both were selfish and manipulative.
If you read this book and enjoy it, try to watch Bette Davis’ Dead Ringer (1963). I love that movie, and it has a very similar theme to this book, where the poor sister kills her rich twin sister and impersonates her. Like this book, that film has lots of tension and stressful events.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.
April 21, 2025
4 Stars
Note to self: never trust a cute cover again.
I never read book tags, so based on the cover, I totally expected a fluffy mystery chick-lit. lol.
Instead, the author completely blindsided me with the direction this story took. From the middle to the end, it was one “Wait, what?!” moment after another. And that one particular scene? If you’ve read it, you know. I legit gagged and felt my skin crawl. (Not a complaint, though. Totally worth it.)
I loved every minute of this ride. Julie, our protagonist-slash-villain(?), was such a complex, sassy character. She actually made me snort-laugh more than once.
All in all, a super enjoyable and unputdownable read.
Note: Thank you, Atria Books, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Note to self: never trust a cute cover again.
I never read book tags, so based on the cover, I totally expected a fluffy mystery chick-lit. lol.
Instead, the author completely blindsided me with the direction this story took. From the middle to the end, it was one “Wait, what?!” moment after another. And that one particular scene? If you’ve read it, you know. I legit gagged and felt my skin crawl. (Not a complaint, though. Totally worth it.)
I loved every minute of this ride. Julie, our protagonist-slash-villain(?), was such a complex, sassy character. She actually made me snort-laugh more than once.
All in all, a super enjoyable and unputdownable read.
Note: Thank you, Atria Books, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 16, 2025
WOW. Just—WOW. I’ve never read anything like this before! At first, I wasn’t sure—I felt a bit detached, surrounded by all these dull, Instagram-perfect, cookie-cutter characters. But if you’ve spent a questionable amount of time online (like me), you’ll recognize the vibes: think Dramageddon-level chaos, the Stauffer adoption controversy, and that weird magnetic pull of crime podcasts you can’t stop listening to. This book has all of that energy... and then goes completely nuclear.
This is the definition of a slow burn that rewards your patience. And when it finally takes off? OH. MY. GOD. At 72%, I was in full meltdown mode — gasping, shrieking, gagging (yes, gagging — and when you get there, you’ll know). From that moment on, I could not put it down.
This book scorched me in the best way possible. If you love twisty, pitch-black stories that sneak up on you and then explode, this is it. Stick with it — the payoff is absolutely worth every second. 🔥✨
This is the definition of a slow burn that rewards your patience. And when it finally takes off? OH. MY. GOD. At 72%, I was in full meltdown mode — gasping, shrieking, gagging (yes, gagging — and when you get there, you’ll know). From that moment on, I could not put it down.
This book scorched me in the best way possible. If you love twisty, pitch-black stories that sneak up on you and then explode, this is it. Stick with it — the payoff is absolutely worth every second. 🔥✨
March 24, 2025
When Julie Chan and her twin sister Chloe were just 4 years old their parents were killed in a car accident. Chloe was adopted right away to a wealthy family that only wanted one child leaving Julie to live with her bitter and miserable aunt.
Over the years Julie has kept track of her sister through social media. Chloe has become a wellness influencer so her days and nights are always recorded for the public to view.
Then one day, out of the blue, Chloe reaches out to Julie. She's out of breath and she keeps saying she's sorry. When the call disconnects and Julie can't get ahold of her again she decides to head to NYC to do a wellness check only to discover her sister's lifeless body.
Then Julie has an idea. What if she becomes Chloe?
It doesn't take Julie long before she realizes her sisters enviable life was anything but enviable.
If this book has taught me anything it's that wellness influencers are insufferable and full of shit. I was enjoying this for the first 50% but then Zhang decided to flip the script and this went completely off the rails. So very strange. There isn't much I can say without giving away the goods but if I could compare this book to another one it would be Bunny. IYKYK.
Enjoyed the beginning but the ending ruined it all. 2 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my complimentary copy.
Over the years Julie has kept track of her sister through social media. Chloe has become a wellness influencer so her days and nights are always recorded for the public to view.
Then one day, out of the blue, Chloe reaches out to Julie. She's out of breath and she keeps saying she's sorry. When the call disconnects and Julie can't get ahold of her again she decides to head to NYC to do a wellness check only to discover her sister's lifeless body.
Then Julie has an idea. What if she becomes Chloe?
It doesn't take Julie long before she realizes her sisters enviable life was anything but enviable.
If this book has taught me anything it's that wellness influencers are insufferable and full of shit. I was enjoying this for the first 50% but then Zhang decided to flip the script and this went completely off the rails. So very strange. There isn't much I can say without giving away the goods but if I could compare this book to another one it would be Bunny. IYKYK.
Enjoyed the beginning but the ending ruined it all. 2 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my complimentary copy.
December 21, 2024
Well this one was coo-coo-ka-kooky- choo!
First half book: 5 stars
Second half book: 3 stars
I don't want to say a lot about the 2nd half because I love to keep my reviews spoiler free.
Julie Chan is a supermarket employee who is living paycheck to paycheck and not much going on in her life. Typically, her workplace puts her in a position to have no choice but to steal from them and then threaten to fire her. She is a pitiable individual. Julie is an identical twin, she and Chloe were separated at the age of 4. After a car accident killed their parents, Julie is taken in by their greedy, rude aunt. Chloe is adopted by racist white people who are rich and will use her as an exploitation device.
Still, Julie has it worse. Due to Chloe's privilege- and also likely her extroversion- she is a successful and rich influencer. When she is found dead, Julie takes her phone (Face ID works!) and completely takes over her identity. Will she be found out? Can she infiltrate into the influencer world by studying the people Chloe is following and her DMs? Some of this is easy, and others, not so much.
This book is making a point to compare social media and influencing to being in a cult like mentality. That the collective internet thinks they know you and they don't. That all of us, to some extent, curate our identities into an online brand. In a way, I am doing it right now, by writing this review. It gives you a lot to think about. The second half will tell you how Chloe died and will unite the social media Chloe with the real world Julie. The reader will find themselves rooting for her.
Again, the second half takes a turn. It is much darker and more disturbing. If you like the themes and exploring how celebrity and wealth change people, and you like a roller coaster dark thriller, you will probably love this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for recommending this ARC to me. I am grateful that I got to be one of the first people to read this talented new debut author. Book to be published April 29, 2025
First half book: 5 stars
Second half book: 3 stars
I don't want to say a lot about the 2nd half because I love to keep my reviews spoiler free.
Julie Chan is a supermarket employee who is living paycheck to paycheck and not much going on in her life. Typically, her workplace puts her in a position to have no choice but to steal from them and then threaten to fire her. She is a pitiable individual. Julie is an identical twin, she and Chloe were separated at the age of 4. After a car accident killed their parents, Julie is taken in by their greedy, rude aunt. Chloe is adopted by racist white people who are rich and will use her as an exploitation device.
Still, Julie has it worse. Due to Chloe's privilege- and also likely her extroversion- she is a successful and rich influencer. When she is found dead, Julie takes her phone (Face ID works!) and completely takes over her identity. Will she be found out? Can she infiltrate into the influencer world by studying the people Chloe is following and her DMs? Some of this is easy, and others, not so much.
This book is making a point to compare social media and influencing to being in a cult like mentality. That the collective internet thinks they know you and they don't. That all of us, to some extent, curate our identities into an online brand. In a way, I am doing it right now, by writing this review. It gives you a lot to think about. The second half will tell you how Chloe died and will unite the social media Chloe with the real world Julie. The reader will find themselves rooting for her.
Again, the second half takes a turn. It is much darker and more disturbing. If you like the themes and exploring how celebrity and wealth change people, and you like a roller coaster dark thriller, you will probably love this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for recommending this ARC to me. I am grateful that I got to be one of the first people to read this talented new debut author. Book to be published April 29, 2025
April 22, 2025
Blurb:
“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.
Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.
Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.”
What…did I just read? 😅 I’m going to be honest, I’m a little frightened. I did hear that this was like Bunny and Yellowface, and since I read neither one of those books, I was…let’s just say, I was stunned by what happened. Let’s get into the basics of what I liked and didn't like about the story, shall we?
Side note: If you don’t want spoilers, I’d avoid reading the content warnings, which I will put at the very, very bottom.
The Plot: Seems interesting, right? Julie Chan’s life sucks. Nothing in life goes right for her, just like her aunt said it would, and she finds herself envious of Chloe, her twin, who is a social media influencer and is very, very successful. She is also nonexistent in Julie’s world and has no intention of bridging the gap that tragedy made between them. Discouraged and downcast with how things have turned out for her, Julie is startled when she gets a chilling call from her “beloved” twin sister. Unsure of what to do, Julie goes to Chloe’s apartment, and what she finds is the beginning of a crazy, horrendous experience I don’t think anyone wants to be a part of. And, oh boy, does it get interestingly weird real fast. I’ll be frank with you, if you don’t like cultish stuff and privileged arrogance, then I don’t advise you to read this book. And that ending? Holy cow, I was not expecting that! It felt so right yet so…wrong. I was uncomfortable with a lot of the things that happened on the island, but since none of it was explicitly sexual, I decided to push through and see what happened to Julie’s social media world. And does crazy stuff always have to happen on privately owned islands? Is that a thing? 🤷♀ Anyway, this was strange, interesting, and very thought-provoking, especially about the prevalence of social media in our day and age and how it’s teeth are sunken so deep into our lives that it seems like we can’t ever, ever go back to those glorious days of when we owned technology and not the other way around. I wasn’t alive for those days, but golly-gee-whiz, I miss them. 😂
The Characters: Is it so hard for people to be–oh, I don’t know–sane? In other words, I didn’t like any of the characters, which docks off a star for me. Julie was all right. She was funny (sometimes), and I think you can describe her as a morally gray character, which was relatable and realistic since we are human after all. Our logic might not make sense to some, but it does to us, and that’s enough…for now. But everyone else? Oh heck no. Uh-uh. Everyone was crazy, except for the minor characters. They might not seem crazy at first, but once they set foot on that island, all hell breaks loose, literally and figuratively. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, not even Julie, and I didn’t root for anyone because they were so full of themselves. I wanted everyone to stop what they were doing and take a moment to reexamine their lives because this ain’t it, girly. This ain't it.
The Writing: Here is a reason why I gave it three stars and not two. Liann Zhang can write a dang good story, drawing me in even though I was resisting the urge to finish this book. The dialogue was realistic, funny, and concerning when it needed to be. The story flowed well, and I wasn’t left scratching my head, wondering what the heck happened to so-and-so or who did what. And you know what else? I find myself thinking about it afterward. I mean, if I feel this way about a book, then you know the author is fantastic. I am excited to see what else Zhang will write in the future. ☺
Overall Thoughts: I was unsure as to how I should rate this book, but after looking at the pros and cons of the situation, I thought 3 stars was a good rating for me. I didn’t love it. I didn’t hate it. Would I recommend it? Uh…sure, if you’re into thrillers. If you aren’t into a lot of swearing or blood/gore, then I’d be wary of reading it. The story is very intriguing, and if you want to give it a shot, then by all means, go for it. It makes you ponder aspects of our world, and I’d say that is a good thing.
Pub Date: 04/29/25
I received a digital arc from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.
#NetGalley
Content Warnings: death, grief, trauma, loss of parent(s), drug use, alcohol, cussing, blood, gore, murder, miscarriage, animal death, mention of suicide/self-harm, violence, mention of racism, classism
Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.
Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.”
What…did I just read? 😅 I’m going to be honest, I’m a little frightened. I did hear that this was like Bunny and Yellowface, and since I read neither one of those books, I was…let’s just say, I was stunned by what happened. Let’s get into the basics of what I liked and didn't like about the story, shall we?
Side note: If you don’t want spoilers, I’d avoid reading the content warnings, which I will put at the very, very bottom.
The Plot: Seems interesting, right? Julie Chan’s life sucks. Nothing in life goes right for her, just like her aunt said it would, and she finds herself envious of Chloe, her twin, who is a social media influencer and is very, very successful. She is also nonexistent in Julie’s world and has no intention of bridging the gap that tragedy made between them. Discouraged and downcast with how things have turned out for her, Julie is startled when she gets a chilling call from her “beloved” twin sister. Unsure of what to do, Julie goes to Chloe’s apartment, and what she finds is the beginning of a crazy, horrendous experience I don’t think anyone wants to be a part of. And, oh boy, does it get interestingly weird real fast. I’ll be frank with you, if you don’t like cultish stuff and privileged arrogance, then I don’t advise you to read this book. And that ending? Holy cow, I was not expecting that! It felt so right yet so…wrong. I was uncomfortable with a lot of the things that happened on the island, but since none of it was explicitly sexual, I decided to push through and see what happened to Julie’s social media world. And does crazy stuff always have to happen on privately owned islands? Is that a thing? 🤷♀ Anyway, this was strange, interesting, and very thought-provoking, especially about the prevalence of social media in our day and age and how it’s teeth are sunken so deep into our lives that it seems like we can’t ever, ever go back to those glorious days of when we owned technology and not the other way around. I wasn’t alive for those days, but golly-gee-whiz, I miss them. 😂
The Characters: Is it so hard for people to be–oh, I don’t know–sane? In other words, I didn’t like any of the characters, which docks off a star for me. Julie was all right. She was funny (sometimes), and I think you can describe her as a morally gray character, which was relatable and realistic since we are human after all. Our logic might not make sense to some, but it does to us, and that’s enough…for now. But everyone else? Oh heck no. Uh-uh. Everyone was crazy, except for the minor characters. They might not seem crazy at first, but once they set foot on that island, all hell breaks loose, literally and figuratively. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, not even Julie, and I didn’t root for anyone because they were so full of themselves. I wanted everyone to stop what they were doing and take a moment to reexamine their lives because this ain’t it, girly. This ain't it.
The Writing: Here is a reason why I gave it three stars and not two. Liann Zhang can write a dang good story, drawing me in even though I was resisting the urge to finish this book. The dialogue was realistic, funny, and concerning when it needed to be. The story flowed well, and I wasn’t left scratching my head, wondering what the heck happened to so-and-so or who did what. And you know what else? I find myself thinking about it afterward. I mean, if I feel this way about a book, then you know the author is fantastic. I am excited to see what else Zhang will write in the future. ☺
Overall Thoughts: I was unsure as to how I should rate this book, but after looking at the pros and cons of the situation, I thought 3 stars was a good rating for me. I didn’t love it. I didn’t hate it. Would I recommend it? Uh…sure, if you’re into thrillers. If you aren’t into a lot of swearing or blood/gore, then I’d be wary of reading it. The story is very intriguing, and if you want to give it a shot, then by all means, go for it. It makes you ponder aspects of our world, and I’d say that is a good thing.
Pub Date: 04/29/25
I received a digital arc from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.
#NetGalley
Content Warnings: death, grief, trauma, loss of parent(s), drug use, alcohol, cussing, blood, gore, murder, miscarriage, animal death, mention of suicide/self-harm, violence, mention of racism, classism
January 26, 2025
ARC for review. To be published April 29, 2025.
3 stars.
In this promising debut thriller identical twins Julie Chan and Chloe Van Huusen are separated at age 4 after their parents die. Chloe is adopted by a wealthy Long Island family, Julie is sent to live with a mercenary aunt. Julie becomes a grocery store cashier and Chloe is a popular influencer who once gave her sister a house, but only to use her for social media clicks; otherwise they have no relationship, though Julie would love one.
Then, one night Julie gets a mysterious phone message from Chloe and goes to NYC to find her. She discovers her body in the apartment and quickly decides to take over her incredible life; it shouldn’t go to waste, after all. And it’s easier than she thought. However, she finds that Chloe’s life isn’t as fab as she thought.
This book definitely tends young, and more mature young adults will like it. It’s really all about young people being influencers. Crazy, crazy influencers. It’s fine. 3 star fine. I liked it fine. I would recommend to some of my younger friends on here.
3 stars.
In this promising debut thriller identical twins Julie Chan and Chloe Van Huusen are separated at age 4 after their parents die. Chloe is adopted by a wealthy Long Island family, Julie is sent to live with a mercenary aunt. Julie becomes a grocery store cashier and Chloe is a popular influencer who once gave her sister a house, but only to use her for social media clicks; otherwise they have no relationship, though Julie would love one.
Then, one night Julie gets a mysterious phone message from Chloe and goes to NYC to find her. She discovers her body in the apartment and quickly decides to take over her incredible life; it shouldn’t go to waste, after all. And it’s easier than she thought. However, she finds that Chloe’s life isn’t as fab as she thought.
This book definitely tends young, and more mature young adults will like it. It’s really all about young people being influencers. Crazy, crazy influencers. It’s fine. 3 star fine. I liked it fine. I would recommend to some of my younger friends on here.
April 10, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own
What did I just read? 🤣 This debut thriller about influencers, a young woman stepping into her dead twin's life, and the dark secrets waiting to be revealed was unsettling. It's also one of those books that readers will either love or hate. Personally, the narrative had me turning the pages for the majority of the book. I could feel that atmosphere that the shoe was going to drop, and soon Julie's masquerade as Chloe would be unveiled. But those last twenty chapters- wild, eyebrow-raising, and " do I want to continue reading?' occurred.
I will go with a 3-star because it did have me turning the pages( fair warning, you have to go along with the narrative even if you're in disbelief). But oh my goodness, that ending was ________.( I don't even know what word I would use. 😂
Expected Publication Date 29/04/25
Goodreads Review 08/04/25
What did I just read? 🤣 This debut thriller about influencers, a young woman stepping into her dead twin's life, and the dark secrets waiting to be revealed was unsettling. It's also one of those books that readers will either love or hate. Personally, the narrative had me turning the pages for the majority of the book. I could feel that atmosphere that the shoe was going to drop, and soon Julie's masquerade as Chloe would be unveiled. But those last twenty chapters- wild, eyebrow-raising, and " do I want to continue reading?' occurred.
I will go with a 3-star because it did have me turning the pages( fair warning, you have to go along with the narrative even if you're in disbelief). But oh my goodness, that ending was ________.( I don't even know what word I would use. 😂
Expected Publication Date 29/04/25
Goodreads Review 08/04/25
March 14, 2025
Julie Chan is Dead takes a look at how easy it would be to slip into someone else’s skin and not be recognized as an imposter as long as you look like them. The superficiality of parasocial relationships means no one truly knows who you are underneath. It’s a wild, over-the-top ride, which is a statement all in itself. My feelings on the story are mixed, but I cannot deny its impactfulness.
I can’t tell you whether or not the author presented the big name influencer world accurately. It all felt so extreme, but as an outsider looking in and often feeling grated by inauthenticity, I comprehend what contributed to the birth of these notions.
This book required patience on my part, not because it is slow or tedious. It’s quite propulsive, actually. But the main character made one terrible choice after another, and I had to keep reminding myself that she’d been raised by an unscrupulous aunt, so good decision making was never modeled for her.
Eventually the novel morphs into something that may leave readers incredulous. It’s dark and absurd, but I think as an emblem, it serves its duty well. Zhang poked fun at how ridiculous one can be in a quest for love and acceptance through social media status, and how equally ridiculous we can be in our support of someone we don’t even truly know. I didn’t love the path it followed, but I can see how its creation made sense to the author.
I am immensely grateful to Atria Books and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
I can’t tell you whether or not the author presented the big name influencer world accurately. It all felt so extreme, but as an outsider looking in and often feeling grated by inauthenticity, I comprehend what contributed to the birth of these notions.
This book required patience on my part, not because it is slow or tedious. It’s quite propulsive, actually. But the main character made one terrible choice after another, and I had to keep reminding myself that she’d been raised by an unscrupulous aunt, so good decision making was never modeled for her.
Eventually the novel morphs into something that may leave readers incredulous. It’s dark and absurd, but I think as an emblem, it serves its duty well. Zhang poked fun at how ridiculous one can be in a quest for love and acceptance through social media status, and how equally ridiculous we can be in our support of someone we don’t even truly know. I didn’t love the path it followed, but I can see how its creation made sense to the author.
I am immensely grateful to Atria Books and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
January 6, 2025
It’s the age old question: WHO HAS IT HARDER: STREAMERS OR MCDONALDS WORKERS???
One thing is certain: Julie Chan did not kill her twin sister, Chloe. Interesting phrasing of the sentence, as things start to get murky after that. Adopted separately, identical twins Julie and Chloe grew up with different families and experiences. Julie lived with an emotionally abusive and manipulate aunt while Chloe lived with an affluent shire family. In her loneliest hours, Chloe turns to the internet, and after some years becomes a powerhouse influencer. After Chloe’s death, Julie is thrown into the world of influencers, cults, and the obsessive and addiction validation that comes with internet fame.
I really liked this book and jt grabbed my attention from the beginning. I liked the commentary on “influencers” and how ridiculous they all are and how “hard” their jobs are and how “others just don’t get it” and to be accepted into this world, how far are you willing to go and give up?
In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that this ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
One thing is certain: Julie Chan did not kill her twin sister, Chloe. Interesting phrasing of the sentence, as things start to get murky after that. Adopted separately, identical twins Julie and Chloe grew up with different families and experiences. Julie lived with an emotionally abusive and manipulate aunt while Chloe lived with an affluent shire family. In her loneliest hours, Chloe turns to the internet, and after some years becomes a powerhouse influencer. After Chloe’s death, Julie is thrown into the world of influencers, cults, and the obsessive and addiction validation that comes with internet fame.
I really liked this book and jt grabbed my attention from the beginning. I liked the commentary on “influencers” and how ridiculous they all are and how “hard” their jobs are and how “others just don’t get it” and to be accepted into this world, how far are you willing to go and give up?
In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that this ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 10, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Pubslihing (UK & ANZ) for the arc!
🌟✨️/5
Me: No one can test the limits of my suspension of disbelief like Freida McFadden
Liann Zhang: Hold my beer
Julie Chan Is Dead was a wild, wild ride but not in a good way. I was looking forward to reading this take on racism, influencer culture and the toxic relationships that come with it and of course, my favorite trope: rich people doing bad things (and hopefully suffering towards the end). Unfortunately, this turned out to be a huge mess.
The first half mostly delivered on what it promised. Yes, Julie was insufferable, but I suppose that's the point of the book. Some parts almost gave me Yellowface vibes. It felt rooted in real life, I could believe that influencers could do these things. That said, I did not expect it to be almost slow paced. Personally, it didn't feel like unputdownable, addictive, fast paced thriller it was touted as.
The second half...oh, the second half. It felt like it was written by a completely different person and couldn't decide of it was a normal thriller or horror. The author suddenly decided to pull of Bunny and the result was ridiculous. I can't say exactly what made me intensely loathe this book because of spoilery reasons but feel free to DM me if you've read this and would like to talk about it. Let's just say that it left a bad taste in my mouth.
You my be thinking that I just don't get it, that the absurdity was intentional on the author's part and it's a critique of influencer culture. Look, I get it...I just didn't like the way it was executed, especially because I didn't know that THIS was what I was getting into. And of course, getting the point a book is trying to make and disliking said book are not mutually exclusive. I didn't completely hate the ending, though.
I disliked both halves of the book for different reasons. I understand why it's getting glowing reviews and I'm sure it'll find its audience but it's just not me.
🌟✨️/5
Me: No one can test the limits of my suspension of disbelief like Freida McFadden
Liann Zhang: Hold my beer
Julie Chan Is Dead was a wild, wild ride but not in a good way. I was looking forward to reading this take on racism, influencer culture and the toxic relationships that come with it and of course, my favorite trope: rich people doing bad things (and hopefully suffering towards the end). Unfortunately, this turned out to be a huge mess.
The first half mostly delivered on what it promised. Yes, Julie was insufferable, but I suppose that's the point of the book. Some parts almost gave me Yellowface vibes. It felt rooted in real life, I could believe that influencers could do these things. That said, I did not expect it to be almost slow paced. Personally, it didn't feel like unputdownable, addictive, fast paced thriller it was touted as.
The second half...oh, the second half. It felt like it was written by a completely different person and couldn't decide of it was a normal thriller or horror. The author suddenly decided to pull of Bunny and the result was ridiculous. I can't say exactly what made me intensely loathe this book because of spoilery reasons but feel free to DM me if you've read this and would like to talk about it. Let's just say that it left a bad taste in my mouth.
You my be thinking that I just don't get it, that the absurdity was intentional on the author's part and it's a critique of influencer culture. Look, I get it...I just didn't like the way it was executed, especially because I didn't know that THIS was what I was getting into. And of course, getting the point a book is trying to make and disliking said book are not mutually exclusive. I didn't completely hate the ending, though.
I disliked both halves of the book for different reasons. I understand why it's getting glowing reviews and I'm sure it'll find its audience but it's just not me.
April 5, 2025
This book earned the full five stars already after the first few chapters and even when the story took a completely different turn, my feelings stayed the same.
Here we have Julie, working in a supermarket while her twin sister Chloe is a well-known influencer. Every time customers (usually young girls) mistake Julie for Chloe, the world crumbles a little more around Julie. Fact is, after the very untimely death of their parents, Chloe was adopted by very rich white people, while Julie was shipped off to her nasty aunt. How nasty, we will discover later. We read how horrible Julie’s life is; still living with her horrible aunt, no real education and working in a dead-end low-paid job. The only pleasure she has in her life is watching Chloe on every social and dreaming of being ‘rescued’ by her someday. Actually, at one point in time Chloe reaches out, telling Julie she bought her a house because she was so happy to find her again – and then she disappears without further notice.
So when Chloe rings Julie one day, apparently in need, Julie comes to the rescue – and then real story begins.
At first, it seems that all goes well. Julie is of course very sad about the loss of Chloe, because a big part of her life is gone. Not the part where they grew up together, but the part where Julie tried to follow her sister and other influencers to see what see could learn from them. Julie’s scam seems to pay off and before she knows it, she really is Chloe.
And then the story takes a whole new turn. Julie starts to find out things. Things that shed a whole new light on her, her sister and her family. Slowly she realizes that Chloe only ever indeed lived for the likes and the money. Even the big show Chloe made of ‘finding her sister again’ was just that. A show. A show that generated an awful lot of money. And suddenly, the nasty aunt is back – and not as a proud family member.
When Julie gets an invitation to join a small group of very famous influencers for a week on a tropical island, a week without phones, without internet even – a week to detox and form a strong bond – she jumps at the opportunity. She’s more and more convinced that behind all the glamour and glitter and money there is something not right with this life.
A just loved it because of its strangeness! It starts out with very cleverly set the difference between influencers and ‘the rest of the world’; there is a lot of humour and razor-sharp observations. Gradually we are introduced to the real Julie, the Julie who is an aspiring influencer discovering that not all is at it seems.
I just loved the last part because it is, in part, totally over the top but it reminded me also of the work of one of my favourite horror-authors. To say who would give too much away, I think. And although I never write any trigger warnings I must make an exception now: there is animal cruelty here. It made me rather uncomfortable and I wished the author had chosen something else instead to make her point.
I’ve read a couple of books lately that more or less have the same theme: young people only living on the internet, and everything is for the money and the likes. They drink too much and do not have one original thought between them. They are also not very intelligent mostly. Julie doesn’t even know what a fortnight is. This story however made me laugh out loud at times and cringe at others. Well done!
Thanks to Edelweiss and Atria Books for this review copy.
Here we have Julie, working in a supermarket while her twin sister Chloe is a well-known influencer. Every time customers (usually young girls) mistake Julie for Chloe, the world crumbles a little more around Julie. Fact is, after the very untimely death of their parents, Chloe was adopted by very rich white people, while Julie was shipped off to her nasty aunt. How nasty, we will discover later. We read how horrible Julie’s life is; still living with her horrible aunt, no real education and working in a dead-end low-paid job. The only pleasure she has in her life is watching Chloe on every social and dreaming of being ‘rescued’ by her someday. Actually, at one point in time Chloe reaches out, telling Julie she bought her a house because she was so happy to find her again – and then she disappears without further notice.
So when Chloe rings Julie one day, apparently in need, Julie comes to the rescue – and then real story begins.
At first, it seems that all goes well. Julie is of course very sad about the loss of Chloe, because a big part of her life is gone. Not the part where they grew up together, but the part where Julie tried to follow her sister and other influencers to see what see could learn from them. Julie’s scam seems to pay off and before she knows it, she really is Chloe.
And then the story takes a whole new turn. Julie starts to find out things. Things that shed a whole new light on her, her sister and her family. Slowly she realizes that Chloe only ever indeed lived for the likes and the money. Even the big show Chloe made of ‘finding her sister again’ was just that. A show. A show that generated an awful lot of money. And suddenly, the nasty aunt is back – and not as a proud family member.
When Julie gets an invitation to join a small group of very famous influencers for a week on a tropical island, a week without phones, without internet even – a week to detox and form a strong bond – she jumps at the opportunity. She’s more and more convinced that behind all the glamour and glitter and money there is something not right with this life.
A just loved it because of its strangeness! It starts out with very cleverly set the difference between influencers and ‘the rest of the world’; there is a lot of humour and razor-sharp observations. Gradually we are introduced to the real Julie, the Julie who is an aspiring influencer discovering that not all is at it seems.
I just loved the last part because it is, in part, totally over the top but it reminded me also of the work of one of my favourite horror-authors. To say who would give too much away, I think. And although I never write any trigger warnings I must make an exception now: there is animal cruelty here. It made me rather uncomfortable and I wished the author had chosen something else instead to make her point.
I’ve read a couple of books lately that more or less have the same theme: young people only living on the internet, and everything is for the money and the likes. They drink too much and do not have one original thought between them. They are also not very intelligent mostly. Julie doesn’t even know what a fortnight is. This story however made me laugh out loud at times and cringe at others. Well done!
Thanks to Edelweiss and Atria Books for this review copy.
April 7, 2025
***Thank you to Atria Books for providing an ARC of ‘Julie Chan is Dead’ via NetGalley.***
Julie Chan hates her life, which tracks since she’s a low-level Superfoods cashier living off pilfered candy bars with no financial prospects or personal connections. To further torment her already feeble psyche, she spends her evenings doom-scrolling Instagram and obsessively stalking the profile of Chloe VanHuusen, a successful social media influencer who also happens to be Julie’s estranged twin. Out of the blue, Chloe calls Julie warbling incomprehensibly, so Julie uses her last dollars to take a bus to NYC, only to arrive at Chloe’s brownstone and find her dead on the kitchen floor.
Afflicted, but ever the opportunist, Julie seizes her chance in the spotlight by unlocking Chloe’s phone (bcuz same face) and proceeds to adopt Chloe’s extravagant lifestyle. Julie might not know what a fortnight is, but she knows how to edit in three mid-rolls to a sponsored YouTube video despite having never created content until mere hours ago, an inconsistency that I won’t dwell upon further. As part of assuming Chloe’s identity, Julie joins an exclusive club of viral internet streamers known as the Belladonnas, who are basically just 8 brainwashed Finding Nemo seagulls in wigs. The flock travels to a private island for an unplugged retreat and Julie finds herself slonking the kool-aid of group synergy and self-actualization pretty quickly. Some other stuff happens like a ritualistic fire seance and plant-based hallucinogens that while weird, seem harmless enough, but the plot then jarringly launches into a deranged horror show where there’s a dead guy with one eye, fleeing inmates, axes, and sacrificial rodents, and I was gravely underprepared for a lot of it. All hail Eto or whatever I guess.
This started off at 4-stars for me as the first 65% was a relevant mockery of influencer culture intertwined with Julie’s unhinged musings, some of which were so out-of-pocket I’m wary to admit they kind of charmed me. Unfortunately, the word ‘uvula’ is used thrice, which is at least twice too many especially in one chapter, and the startling vibe-shift once the gulls land on Shutter Island made for a disjointed reading experience, ultimately warranting 3-stars.
Julie Chan hates her life, which tracks since she’s a low-level Superfoods cashier living off pilfered candy bars with no financial prospects or personal connections. To further torment her already feeble psyche, she spends her evenings doom-scrolling Instagram and obsessively stalking the profile of Chloe VanHuusen, a successful social media influencer who also happens to be Julie’s estranged twin. Out of the blue, Chloe calls Julie warbling incomprehensibly, so Julie uses her last dollars to take a bus to NYC, only to arrive at Chloe’s brownstone and find her dead on the kitchen floor.
Afflicted, but ever the opportunist, Julie seizes her chance in the spotlight by unlocking Chloe’s phone (bcuz same face) and proceeds to adopt Chloe’s extravagant lifestyle. Julie might not know what a fortnight is, but she knows how to edit in three mid-rolls to a sponsored YouTube video despite having never created content until mere hours ago, an inconsistency that I won’t dwell upon further. As part of assuming Chloe’s identity, Julie joins an exclusive club of viral internet streamers known as the Belladonnas, who are basically just 8 brainwashed Finding Nemo seagulls in wigs. The flock travels to a private island for an unplugged retreat and Julie finds herself slonking the kool-aid of group synergy and self-actualization pretty quickly. Some other stuff happens like a ritualistic fire seance and plant-based hallucinogens that while weird, seem harmless enough, but the plot then jarringly launches into a deranged horror show where there’s a dead guy with one eye, fleeing inmates, axes, and sacrificial rodents, and I was gravely underprepared for a lot of it. All hail Eto or whatever I guess.
This started off at 4-stars for me as the first 65% was a relevant mockery of influencer culture intertwined with Julie’s unhinged musings, some of which were so out-of-pocket I’m wary to admit they kind of charmed me. Unfortunately, the word ‘uvula’ is used thrice, which is at least twice too many especially in one chapter, and the startling vibe-shift once the gulls land on Shutter Island made for a disjointed reading experience, ultimately warranting 3-stars.
April 17, 2025
Thank you SO much to Simon and Schuster, Netgalley, Atria books and the author for this advanced readers copy! Out on April 29!
4.5 This is exactly what I needed. Laugh out loud funny, sharp, witty and sarcastic.
I love Julie. She’s real and raw, got the short end of the stick between her and her sister and now she’s making up for lost time. At a cost.
The layered mysteries kept me flipping through pages with my eyes peeled to the words. This book also dives into the dark side of social media, especially with influencers. It encapsulates the pressure of reaching as many people as you can no matter what you need to do. Including exploiting trauma
This is such a great palette cleanser. It’s fast paced, speculative, and about 3/4 way through it gets culty and ritualistic. I loved the creepy vibes of it all.
Such a good read! It’s wild this is the authors debut novel 🤯 more please!
4.5 This is exactly what I needed. Laugh out loud funny, sharp, witty and sarcastic.
I love Julie. She’s real and raw, got the short end of the stick between her and her sister and now she’s making up for lost time. At a cost.
The layered mysteries kept me flipping through pages with my eyes peeled to the words. This book also dives into the dark side of social media, especially with influencers. It encapsulates the pressure of reaching as many people as you can no matter what you need to do. Including exploiting trauma
This is such a great palette cleanser. It’s fast paced, speculative, and about 3/4 way through it gets culty and ritualistic. I loved the creepy vibes of it all.
Such a good read! It’s wild this is the authors debut novel 🤯 more please!
April 7, 2025
First of all, I love books with short chapters.
I do wish there was more background on Julie’s character, like her sophisticated appreciation for music. It felt a bit out of place when she was recognizing classical music pieces and criticizing the “odd” music choices during her first public appearance at a party as Chloe. Additionally, her transformation from being shocked by Belladonnas’ erratic behaviors to becoming the person she was by the end felt a bit too far fetched.
Despite these stretches, it was still an entertaining read and has potential to be a great movie adaptation.
Thank you for reading my review. “You are perfect, beautiful, so smart, and hot—sublime, really.”
I do wish there was more background on Julie’s character, like her sophisticated appreciation for music. It felt a bit out of place when she was recognizing classical music pieces and criticizing the “odd” music choices during her first public appearance at a party as Chloe. Additionally, her transformation from being shocked by Belladonnas’ erratic behaviors to becoming the person she was by the end felt a bit too far fetched.
Despite these stretches, it was still an entertaining read and has potential to be a great movie adaptation.
Thank you for reading my review. “You are perfect, beautiful, so smart, and hot—sublime, really.”
March 22, 2025
Where to begin.. this book had me absolutely hooked! Missing hours of sleep kind of hooked, and honestly thank god because I was dealing with anxiety and this book distracted me sooo hard I forgot to be anxious 😂😂
“Razor sharp” is definitely an accurate description, the main plot of the book follows the every day life of social media influencers but I promise it isn’t shallow, there’s lots of deeper subtext and relevant / truthful subject matter in here, And it’s also just a lot of fun to read!
The ending had me nervous, I wanted to have faith in Julie and Eto because I’m rooting for her to succeed but it is left to the interpretation of the reader and I’m
Just going to leave it with positive vibes and wishful thinking 😂
Thank you to Atria Books, Simon & Schuster Canada and Liann Zhang for the EARC! I’ll definitely look forward to more from this author
Publish date : April 29th 2025
“Razor sharp” is definitely an accurate description, the main plot of the book follows the every day life of social media influencers but I promise it isn’t shallow, there’s lots of deeper subtext and relevant / truthful subject matter in here, And it’s also just a lot of fun to read!
The ending had me nervous, I wanted to have faith in Julie and Eto because I’m rooting for her to succeed but it is left to the interpretation of the reader and I’m
Just going to leave it with positive vibes and wishful thinking 😂
Thank you to Atria Books, Simon & Schuster Canada and Liann Zhang for the EARC! I’ll definitely look forward to more from this author
Publish date : April 29th 2025
April 19, 2025
3.5 fun stars for this one
✨️twin swap
✨️murder mystery
✨️influencer lifestyle
This was such a fun read. Julie Chen gets the opportunity to step into her dead twins influencer lifestyle. She thought it would be nothing but a glamorous time but she realizes she was wrong. Her sister Cloe had secrets.
This book was filled with satire and was funny. I feltlike the first half and second were rather different but not in a bad way but the transition was just weird. If you're looking for a quick humorous but yet almost sinister influencer type of read then this is for you.
A big thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Release date April 29, 20253
✨️twin swap
✨️murder mystery
✨️influencer lifestyle
This was such a fun read. Julie Chen gets the opportunity to step into her dead twins influencer lifestyle. She thought it would be nothing but a glamorous time but she realizes she was wrong. Her sister Cloe had secrets.
This book was filled with satire and was funny. I feltlike the first half and second were rather different but not in a bad way but the transition was just weird. If you're looking for a quick humorous but yet almost sinister influencer type of read then this is for you.
A big thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Release date April 29, 20253
February 5, 2025
I 👏🏻 Love 👏🏻 Influencer 👏🏻 Tropes
This debut was so fun! A combination of thriller and horror - you’ve got cults, you got influencers, you’ve got murder, you’ve got a twin who took the place of her dead twin… wait what?
This book has it all and I could not put it down. Getting a behind the scenes look at influencer culture was so entertaining, but boy did it take a dark turn! I think this book is going to be the talk of the summer, so mark your calendars!
This debut was so fun! A combination of thriller and horror - you’ve got cults, you got influencers, you’ve got murder, you’ve got a twin who took the place of her dead twin… wait what?
This book has it all and I could not put it down. Getting a behind the scenes look at influencer culture was so entertaining, but boy did it take a dark turn! I think this book is going to be the talk of the summer, so mark your calendars!
January 17, 2025
3.75/5
did i just get off an acid trip????????
before reading this book i read some other early reviews just to see what some people were thinking and i was not prepared for the ride this book would take me on. in the beginning, julie, is very down on her luck and lives a normal, boring life in comparison to her estranged twin chloe. chloe is a very famous influencer who used julie's for brand deals. chloe ends up dying and julie takes her place which leads us down one of the most insane stories of all time.
at first i kind of understood julie but the beginning of her influencer era took away all her relatability. i was annoyed watching her blend with these women who were obviously creeping and rude and just all the bad thing. the commentary on influencers compared to average people is nothing new to me but i did appreciate the way this author brought it into the story. once we got to the island the story goes off the rails and i am honestly quite unsure how i felt about it. like it took me for a loop but the writing was so addicting so i didn't even mind what i didn't understand. i think the evolution of julie's is the most interesting part of this book. she starts off like any other person but a venom takes over her by the end. even if she's out of the cult like girl group, she has been overtaken by the internet and the power of being "famous." that was very interesting to me and i would yap about it with people when this book is released in april.
*thank you net galley and atria for the arc*
did i just get off an acid trip????????
before reading this book i read some other early reviews just to see what some people were thinking and i was not prepared for the ride this book would take me on. in the beginning, julie, is very down on her luck and lives a normal, boring life in comparison to her estranged twin chloe. chloe is a very famous influencer who used julie's for brand deals. chloe ends up dying and julie takes her place which leads us down one of the most insane stories of all time.
at first i kind of understood julie but the beginning of her influencer era took away all her relatability. i was annoyed watching her blend with these women who were obviously creeping and rude and just all the bad thing. the commentary on influencers compared to average people is nothing new to me but i did appreciate the way this author brought it into the story. once we got to the island the story goes off the rails and i am honestly quite unsure how i felt about it. like it took me for a loop but the writing was so addicting so i didn't even mind what i didn't understand. i think the evolution of julie's is the most interesting part of this book. she starts off like any other person but a venom takes over her by the end. even if she's out of the cult like girl group, she has been overtaken by the internet and the power of being "famous." that was very interesting to me and i would yap about it with people when this book is released in april.
*thank you net galley and atria for the arc*
April 14, 2025
Overall: 4/5 I can’t wait to hear the audio for this one. Thank you to Atria for my copy!
If you’re looking for likable characters, I can tell you right now—this book is not for you.
This book is unexpectedly funny in ways I didn’t anticipate. There’s a lot of social commentary that stuck with me, and I’m still thinking about it—which must mean I enjoyed it, right? The exploration of influencers, who holds influence, and the predatory nature of that industry was fascinating and enjoyable. At the same time, I found myself constantly saying, Julie! Girl! Be so for real!
For those unfamiliar, Julie Chan is Dead follows Julie Chan, who isn’t in the best place in her life. She’s stuck in a cycle of comparison, especially when it comes to her twin sister, Chloe. After their parents died, Chloe was adopted by a wealthy family, while Julie wasn’t, and their contact has been minimal—so minimal that the last time they spoke, Chloe had essentially used Julie as content. After filming was over, she ghosted her. So when Julie receives a distressing call from Chloe, she’s shocked. With nothing to lose—especially since she’s been stealing from her convenience store job and has basically burned that bridge—she heads to New York to check on her twin.
Julie initially longs for family and connection, but what blew my mind was how easily she skated around the truth. When she finds Chloe dead in her apartment, it takes her a minute to call the police. And when they arrive, it doesn’t take a second for her to step into Chloe’s life like a Skims bodysuit. Watching her awkwardly fumble through Chloe’s world, I kept thinking about The Incredibles scene: Where is my super suit?! Because in Julie’s mind, Chloe’s life is power, access, and privilege. But as she learns more, she realizes just how little Chloe had and what she sacrificed to maintain the illusion of success. The twins mirror each other in a way that’s heartbreaking—both believing the other has a better life while missing key truths.
The book’s examination of social media and influencer culture was sharp! From the way Chloe was willing to exploit Julie for content, to the expectations and dangers of influencer culture. One moment that stood out to me was when Julie prepares for a big event, meeting Chloe’s influencer circle for the first time. She takes pills to make herself go to the bathroom, hoping to lose weight and fit into a dress. It made me think about real-life diet culture, the desperation to meet beauty standards, and how Julie is willing to harm herself to fit into a life that isn’t hers.
While this book is somewhat predictable, it’s truly in the best ways! You’re constantly engaged. It’s definitely sparks conversation, and it’s an easy read. There’s no hiding that Bella and her minions are terrible people, or Julie herself is influenced into a state of constant comparison. I even appreciated the direct discussions about race and inclusivity in social media—especially regarding pay disparities and opportunities for creators of color.
I was happy I had someone to talk about this book with in depth! In my conversations with Naz, we talked a lot about the growth of these characters. Personally, I don’t think Julie grew. She was always a villain—even to herself—which is why it was so easy for her to slip into Chloe’s life and start to belittle herself when speaking to others. She just became who she always was, now with a larger platform. She finally got what she wanted—to be seen—but there was no true transformation.
There were moments in this book where I thought, How did you even get yourself in this situation? But that’s the point. The absurdity of it all mirrors real life—people will do anything for money, clout, or recognition. While the book critiques influencer culture, it also offers some grace, showing how much effort it takes to constantly perform, to exist under a facade. Even Isla, who seems authentic and grounded, makes sacrifices and tolerates things for success. As one of the only Black women in a sea of white influencers (besides Julie), she and Julie often share knowing glances, aware of how they could be tokenized. Yet, Isla is still part of the machine.
Now, I’m trying to avoid spoilers, but I have to say—Bella was hilarious. Not because she’s likable (because no one in this book is), but because she’s so easy to visualize. We have so many Bellas in real life, and I could hear her dialogue playing in my head. I wonder what the author’s inspiration was because, to me, she was giving Regina George.
There’s also something cyclic about this book. By the end, what’s stopping another influencer from doing exactly what Bella did? What’s stopping Isla from becoming money-hungry? Now that Julie has an audience, what’s stopping her from continuing the cycle?
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Some things annoyed me, but I think it’s the kind of book you can finish in a day and still think about long after. It would make a great book club pick!
Spoilers
Okay, now I need to get my thoughts off! If you don’t want spoilers, stop reading now!
First off, Julie stepping into Chloe’s life while constantly putting herself down was fascinating. She was so quick to talk badly about herself but uncomfortable when others did the same. And then—her aunt? Watching on TV and immediately knowing Julie was cosplaying as Chloe? That took me out. I had to laugh when she basically said, Don’t play with me. Run me my money.
I also found Thea interesting. She’s a great example of how people with proximity to power, money, or fame can also be exploited. She knew Julie was lying. She knew Chloe was dead. But as long as she got paid, she wasn’t saying a word.
And let’s talk about the influencer girls. As a reader, it was obvious they knew Julie wasn’t Chloe the whole time. So when they reveal at the end that they saw through her and basically applaud her for taking control of her life, I was gagged. They’re essentially saying, Good for you, girl! We admire your hustle! And Julie? She finally feels seen and accepted—but at what cost?
Now, Miss Isla. My eyes rolled a few times. Not necessarily because of her, but because of how the author wrote her. She starts off as the voice of reason—the authentic one, a mother who survived an abusive relationship. She sees Bella & Co. for what they are. But then? She willingly goes on a trip where they take her phone away. A single mother with two kids? Realistically, no way. It’s clear she knows these women don’t share her experiences, yet she aligns herself with them for some kind of success. Even when she calls them out—pointing out how much harder her journey is—she still stays.
And then, when the fire happens, Julie saves Isla… only to wake up handcuffed to a bed because Isla sold her out and is already looking to sell her own story. In a way, I’m glad the author didn’t make her one-note, but I also think they hammered the point too hard—using her Blackness to make her a voice of reason, only to turn around and show she’s just as deep in the mess.
And y’all. When they sat there and ate those mice? All I could think of was Fear Factor. The way reality TV and social media push people to do the absolute most for clout… the book captures that absurdity too well.
If you’re looking for likable characters, I can tell you right now—this book is not for you.
This book is unexpectedly funny in ways I didn’t anticipate. There’s a lot of social commentary that stuck with me, and I’m still thinking about it—which must mean I enjoyed it, right? The exploration of influencers, who holds influence, and the predatory nature of that industry was fascinating and enjoyable. At the same time, I found myself constantly saying, Julie! Girl! Be so for real!
For those unfamiliar, Julie Chan is Dead follows Julie Chan, who isn’t in the best place in her life. She’s stuck in a cycle of comparison, especially when it comes to her twin sister, Chloe. After their parents died, Chloe was adopted by a wealthy family, while Julie wasn’t, and their contact has been minimal—so minimal that the last time they spoke, Chloe had essentially used Julie as content. After filming was over, she ghosted her. So when Julie receives a distressing call from Chloe, she’s shocked. With nothing to lose—especially since she’s been stealing from her convenience store job and has basically burned that bridge—she heads to New York to check on her twin.
Julie initially longs for family and connection, but what blew my mind was how easily she skated around the truth. When she finds Chloe dead in her apartment, it takes her a minute to call the police. And when they arrive, it doesn’t take a second for her to step into Chloe’s life like a Skims bodysuit. Watching her awkwardly fumble through Chloe’s world, I kept thinking about The Incredibles scene: Where is my super suit?! Because in Julie’s mind, Chloe’s life is power, access, and privilege. But as she learns more, she realizes just how little Chloe had and what she sacrificed to maintain the illusion of success. The twins mirror each other in a way that’s heartbreaking—both believing the other has a better life while missing key truths.
The book’s examination of social media and influencer culture was sharp! From the way Chloe was willing to exploit Julie for content, to the expectations and dangers of influencer culture. One moment that stood out to me was when Julie prepares for a big event, meeting Chloe’s influencer circle for the first time. She takes pills to make herself go to the bathroom, hoping to lose weight and fit into a dress. It made me think about real-life diet culture, the desperation to meet beauty standards, and how Julie is willing to harm herself to fit into a life that isn’t hers.
While this book is somewhat predictable, it’s truly in the best ways! You’re constantly engaged. It’s definitely sparks conversation, and it’s an easy read. There’s no hiding that Bella and her minions are terrible people, or Julie herself is influenced into a state of constant comparison. I even appreciated the direct discussions about race and inclusivity in social media—especially regarding pay disparities and opportunities for creators of color.
I was happy I had someone to talk about this book with in depth! In my conversations with Naz, we talked a lot about the growth of these characters. Personally, I don’t think Julie grew. She was always a villain—even to herself—which is why it was so easy for her to slip into Chloe’s life and start to belittle herself when speaking to others. She just became who she always was, now with a larger platform. She finally got what she wanted—to be seen—but there was no true transformation.
There were moments in this book where I thought, How did you even get yourself in this situation? But that’s the point. The absurdity of it all mirrors real life—people will do anything for money, clout, or recognition. While the book critiques influencer culture, it also offers some grace, showing how much effort it takes to constantly perform, to exist under a facade. Even Isla, who seems authentic and grounded, makes sacrifices and tolerates things for success. As one of the only Black women in a sea of white influencers (besides Julie), she and Julie often share knowing glances, aware of how they could be tokenized. Yet, Isla is still part of the machine.
Now, I’m trying to avoid spoilers, but I have to say—Bella was hilarious. Not because she’s likable (because no one in this book is), but because she’s so easy to visualize. We have so many Bellas in real life, and I could hear her dialogue playing in my head. I wonder what the author’s inspiration was because, to me, she was giving Regina George.
There’s also something cyclic about this book. By the end, what’s stopping another influencer from doing exactly what Bella did? What’s stopping Isla from becoming money-hungry? Now that Julie has an audience, what’s stopping her from continuing the cycle?
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Some things annoyed me, but I think it’s the kind of book you can finish in a day and still think about long after. It would make a great book club pick!
Spoilers
Okay, now I need to get my thoughts off! If you don’t want spoilers, stop reading now!
First off, Julie stepping into Chloe’s life while constantly putting herself down was fascinating. She was so quick to talk badly about herself but uncomfortable when others did the same. And then—her aunt? Watching on TV and immediately knowing Julie was cosplaying as Chloe? That took me out. I had to laugh when she basically said, Don’t play with me. Run me my money.
I also found Thea interesting. She’s a great example of how people with proximity to power, money, or fame can also be exploited. She knew Julie was lying. She knew Chloe was dead. But as long as she got paid, she wasn’t saying a word.
And let’s talk about the influencer girls. As a reader, it was obvious they knew Julie wasn’t Chloe the whole time. So when they reveal at the end that they saw through her and basically applaud her for taking control of her life, I was gagged. They’re essentially saying, Good for you, girl! We admire your hustle! And Julie? She finally feels seen and accepted—but at what cost?
Now, Miss Isla. My eyes rolled a few times. Not necessarily because of her, but because of how the author wrote her. She starts off as the voice of reason—the authentic one, a mother who survived an abusive relationship. She sees Bella & Co. for what they are. But then? She willingly goes on a trip where they take her phone away. A single mother with two kids? Realistically, no way. It’s clear she knows these women don’t share her experiences, yet she aligns herself with them for some kind of success. Even when she calls them out—pointing out how much harder her journey is—she still stays.
And then, when the fire happens, Julie saves Isla… only to wake up handcuffed to a bed because Isla sold her out and is already looking to sell her own story. In a way, I’m glad the author didn’t make her one-note, but I also think they hammered the point too hard—using her Blackness to make her a voice of reason, only to turn around and show she’s just as deep in the mess.
And y’all. When they sat there and ate those mice? All I could think of was Fear Factor. The way reality TV and social media push people to do the absolute most for clout… the book captures that absurdity too well.
February 24, 2025
What a wild ride... 🤯
Julie Chan is Dead starts as an entertaining story of stolen identity and influencer culture, then takes a sharp turn into a bloody cult nightmare... and I enjoyed every minute of it. An impressive debut!!! Also the T. Swift references were gold 😅🫶
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!
Julie Chan is Dead starts as an entertaining story of stolen identity and influencer culture, then takes a sharp turn into a bloody cult nightmare... and I enjoyed every minute of it. An impressive debut!!! Also the T. Swift references were gold 😅🫶
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!
December 29, 2024
I’ve been sitting on my thoughts on Julie Chan Is Dead for a few days and I still can’t figure out exactly how I feel about it.
This book is incredibly fun to read, and it’s fast paced. I read most of it on a red eye flight where I was unable to sleep, and it kept me entertained until I reached my destination. It’s a silly goofy time full of influencer antics and I would recommend it to readers based on that alone — if you’re in a reading slump, this will propel you right out of it.
However, this book lacked emotional depth and I never felt connected to any of the characters. I wanted to care more about the main character Julie, but I simply didn’t. This made it hard for me to want to continue reading from her point of view.
Overall, I did have a fun time reading this book and I’m glad I picked it up, but the lack of connection I felt to the story and the characters makes it a bit forgettable in my mind.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is incredibly fun to read, and it’s fast paced. I read most of it on a red eye flight where I was unable to sleep, and it kept me entertained until I reached my destination. It’s a silly goofy time full of influencer antics and I would recommend it to readers based on that alone — if you’re in a reading slump, this will propel you right out of it.
However, this book lacked emotional depth and I never felt connected to any of the characters. I wanted to care more about the main character Julie, but I simply didn’t. This made it hard for me to want to continue reading from her point of view.
Overall, I did have a fun time reading this book and I’m glad I picked it up, but the lack of connection I felt to the story and the characters makes it a bit forgettable in my mind.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2025
Thank you Edelweiss for an opportunity to read and review this ARC for honesty feedback, truly grateful
I can't believe I finished this one in one sitting...
I truthfully don't even know how to describe this book because it was SO DANG WEIRD... but in a good way. All I knew before going in was one twin dies (social media influencer) only for the other twin to take over. & phew did she (Julie) embrace that role. There are some short chapters (some with only one page) and you'll find yourself flying through.
But let me tell you it takes a turn a little over halfway through where you'll start to wonder, what in the hell. more or less in a way kind of like the movie midsommer but not quite. If that doesn't peak your interest to read, then I don't know what will.
1000% would recommend to friends
I can't believe I finished this one in one sitting...
I truthfully don't even know how to describe this book because it was SO DANG WEIRD... but in a good way. All I knew before going in was one twin dies (social media influencer) only for the other twin to take over. & phew did she (Julie) embrace that role. There are some short chapters (some with only one page) and you'll find yourself flying through.
But let me tell you it takes a turn a little over halfway through where you'll start to wonder, what in the hell. more or less in a way kind of like the movie midsommer but not quite. If that doesn't peak your interest to read, then I don't know what will.
1000% would recommend to friends
March 6, 2025
4.25 stars - thank you Atria books for an early copy in exchange for my honest feedback
This book was so much fun. I love a diabolical FMC with little to no moral compass and this book delivered just that.
I loved how absolutely ridiculous and far fetched the plot line was. It kind of reminded me of You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q Sutanto mixed with another book I won’t say for the sake of avoiding spoilers.
While this book does center around rich people, it’s not the uptight business old money vibes that I dislike - it’s the young social media influencer shop til you drop vibes, so it felt more relatable.
Now, this book takes a dark turn and initially I wasn’t sure about it. I kept a positive outlook and ultimately thought the direction it took was the right move and left me staring at the wall wondering wtf I just read, though I do think the ending was too rushed and I would’ve been down for like 50 more pages.
Video review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2QDSGVQ/
This book was so much fun. I love a diabolical FMC with little to no moral compass and this book delivered just that.
I loved how absolutely ridiculous and far fetched the plot line was. It kind of reminded me of You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q Sutanto mixed with another book I won’t say for the sake of avoiding spoilers.
While this book does center around rich people, it’s not the uptight business old money vibes that I dislike - it’s the young social media influencer shop til you drop vibes, so it felt more relatable.
Now, this book takes a dark turn and initially I wasn’t sure about it. I kept a positive outlook and ultimately thought the direction it took was the right move and left me staring at the wall wondering wtf I just read, though I do think the ending was too rushed and I would’ve been down for like 50 more pages.
Video review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2QDSGVQ/
February 17, 2025
Book Review 📖📱☠️
thank you so much partner @atriabooks @atriathrillers #atriapartner for the gifted copy!
Julie Chan Is Dead
by Liann Zhang
About the book 👇🏽
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.
📱My thoughts:
I binged this ARC the moment it touched my hands! It gave me major Bunny (the book) and Influencer (Netflix) vibes. I love these kinds of books (I wont be specific because I don’t want to spoil anything)! It was fun and stabby and completely unhinged. And a huge part of me thinks this isn’t too far off from influencer culture. I mean… hopefully the death is but the mentality part… probably spot on. This story was the perfect balance of unsettling and upbeat and had me hooked from the beginning. With the dark humor and twists, it’s a recipe for a must read of 2025. I know I can’t wait to get my hands on a finished copy and for more people to read it so we can discuss! This debut hits shelves, 4/29/25 and trust me… you don’t want to miss it! It’ll be the book of the summer.
Happy reading 📖☠️📱
Displaying 1 - 30 of 737 reviews