This was such a thought-provoking, interesting premise—and the witty voice and deep character development made it a joy to read.

This was a really fun read, though with a bit of a dark undercurrent.
I don’t want to give too much away but the 90s nostalgic setting isn’t quite what it seems and the discovery of what exactly is going on is quite addictive. Things get a bit darker as the story progresses and it’s certainly one that I think would be good for a book club discussion, especially in our reality tv obsessed world.
I note that there’s a sequel which I’ll definitely be interested to read.

DNF'd at 46%

This is just not for me. I am not connecting to any of the characters, and the premise is interesting but the book itself is not grabbing me enough to continue reading.

A page-turning YA novel with a very unique plot that delves into the ethical issues of our world that is broadcast and the concept of privacy. Likable characters, riveting action, and a storyline unlike any I’ve read before-great option for young readers with lots to discuss

The Truman Show for teens. That's pretty much exactly what this book is. A little more modern, a little less Jim Carrey but everything else.

This one started off a little bit slow for me... However, it didn't take long for the story to pick up and I became ENTHRALLED.

Jess lives in 1998--she's a teenager. And that's one of the things I loved about it--I was a teenager in 1998. So, of course, I was quickly feeling nostalgic--which is always a plus for me. 

So Jess, goes about life until things start getting strange. She hears things...her friends aren't being normal... And so, of course, this is about where I just couldn't put the book down. 

To avoid spoilers, I won't say much else--except--This book was pretty spectacular. I've been having a bit of trouble with the young adult genre lately, but this one exceeded all my expectations and more!

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. My review will be live, at the link given, on 9/20/22.

Jess is your typical teenage girl in the 1990s, or so it seems. Going to high school, crushing on a boy, hanging out with her best friends are all important parts of her life. When her ill sister dies, she uncovers a secret 17 years in the making. As she deals with the hurt and repercussions of this secret, she finds herself in danger. A fast moving book and I can't wait to read the sequel.

I enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would! It was fun, terrifying, heartwarming and generally fantastic. I highly recommend giving it a shot. It WILL make you question everything, in the very best way.

4 stars.

One of my favorite college books is Running Out of Time, it's a great surprise and my kids loved it too. I saw this book being compared to The Truman Show meets Black Mirror and thought I'd like it, and I definitely do.Jess Flynn leads a normal life as a teenager in 1990s Swickley. Going through school, overprotective parents and the serious illness of her younger sister is difficult, but she has loving friends and family to help her. Then weird things start to happen. A metal device with an apple logo falls out of her friend's bag. She hears mysterious songs. Her dog looks different. What is happening?The writing style of this book is clever and captivating. The story flows well and I never felt stuck or bored. Although this is a YA book, there are many themes that will appeal to adults as well, especially regarding the media and our relationship with them. This part is the first part of a duology which continues with This Is Not the Real World. I can't wait to see what happens at the end of the story and I cheer Jess on all the time!I have voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the 90's nostalgia with this book, the lack of technology and fun to read and think back to my years growing up throughout the decade.

A YA version of 'The Truman Show', which if you've seen the movie, you'll have an idea of the concept of the book.

A youn girl, Jess, is living her life, going to school, having a crush and dealing with her overbearing and over protective parents. When she finds out her whole life us a lie, everyone she knows is an actor, and her life has been broadcast as a TV show that millions have watched for years.

A different book for me for sure, with an intriguing storyline, a character you are behind every step of the way and just the right amount if twists and turns.

Why is this listed as a mystery/thriller and science fiction? It is neither. Maybe a smidge of a thriller in that it's curious what the hell is going on, but it's definitely not a thriller in the typical sense.

This is the young adult version of The Truman Show. Which was really good for when it originally came out. This is a new and modern take on the same premise. Jess wakes up every day in 1998 and lives her life as normal. Then things start to become weird and she's questioning everything and no one wants to tell her what's going on.

I was actually really interested in where things were going with this. I was reading along thinking I was reading some historical-ish type contemporary. Then out of nowhere, when Jess start's questioning things, we're thrown with a curve ball and one hell of a twist. Very interesting turn of events!

I liked the book by itself, and I know it's a sequel but I'm cautious about the sequel. I'm curious how it'll continue but I also wish it had stayed a standalone with a stronger finish. There was a cliffhanger but not enough of one to really reel me in.

I was in the mood for a YA Thriller, so I finally picked this up. It had been so long since I read the description, I basically went in blind and I think that’s the best way to approach this book. This is a little slow in the beginning as we’re doing a bit of world building, but then it really picks up and grabs your attention. The first half felt very contemporary and then I feel like the book did a 180° spin and took us on a RIDE! A wild, thrilling insane ride. I did not see that ending coming!! The writing was smart, I felt a connection with our main character, Jess Flynn, and loved the social commentary aspect and how it dives into our relationship with the media. Overall a good read that I’d recommend to anyone looking for something a little beyond the norm!

This was such a fun YA thriller that gave me total The Truman Show vibes! I relished in the 90s nostalgia and pop culture aspects and absolutely flew through this one!

I found it incredibly thought provoking as it dives deep into the notion of how far some people will go for fame and celebrity and it’s scarily eye opening to think that something like this could actually be a reality!

I wouldn’t say it’s quite a thriller but that may be because it’s a Young Adult book but I’d say it’s more a suspenseful coming of age story that is very entertaining and intriguing!!

I can’t wait to dive into the sequel, This Is Not The Real World!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the 90s nostalgia and the fact that everyone knew more than the main character did. I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel!

I enjoyed this book but was left a little torn. I loved the concept and Jess as a character but I think there was a lot left unanswered. I needed a bit more character development for it to realy shine.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this eARC.

Young Adult version of ‘The Truman Show’. If you’ve seen this movie back in the day then you can just imagine the concept of this book.

You follow Jess Flynn , a teen girl in her junior year of high school. As her days pass by she slowly start hearing and seeing things that seem odd and doesn’t make sense. She begin to feel concerned and afraid as if she can’t tell the difference between truth and reality. With her social life starting going awry with her overprotective “parents”, her very “sick” sister, and everything around fake and unreal; she focuses her “best friend/crush” Ty to tell her everything, the whole truth. Thats when things start falling into place for Jess and her decision on what to next about this new reality.

The first 40% of the book feels like it takes a little long to get into the story but as soon as Jess finds out the truth the story starts to really get interesting.

One thing I did love was the 90s nostalgia, it was fun reading about everything we loved as a teenage girl in the nineties….. awww Scott Wolfe ::swoon::

You will definitely enjoy the great characters, intriguing storyline with the right amount of twists and turns but like I mentioned before if you’ve seen ‘The Truman Show’ then you’ll know what to expected (The teen version).

Please keep in mind that the conclusion of the story will be in the next book ‘This Is Not the Real World’. 
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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𝚃𝚒𝚝𝚕𝚎: This is not the Jess Show
𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛: Anna Carey
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𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝙸𝚏 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎:
- ‘90s nostalgia
- Young Adult/Teen
- Thriller
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𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 3.5/5 ⭐️

The YA Truman show of my dreams! Andddd with all the 90s references I really enjoyed. I didn’t know what to expect and the twists kept me so entertained. This read like a movie with the plot progressing perfectly! I loved the protagonist and how everything played out! I definitely recommend this to anyone that is looking for something different!

Oh my goodness. THIS IS NOT THE JESS SHOW is one of the most brilliant, unique, mind-bending stories I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

I don't want to spoil too much -- there are some *massive* plot twists that'll take your breath away, and it's best to go in empty-handed -- but let me just say...

...the world building is impeccable; I fell right into the '90s, reading this, and was immersed from start to finish. Jess is such a compelling protagonist, and following her journey from "small-town life" to "chills, thrills, and downright action-worthy adventures" was some of the most fun I've had in ages.

Whip-smart, fascinating, and utterly put-down-able, THIS IS NOT THE JESS SHOW is sure to reel you in and not let you go until the very last page.

Set in 1998, this gave me all the nostalgia. I loved the pop culture references. But nothing is what it seems and Jess soon learns that something big is going on that she isn’t a part of. I loved this book!

Fun YA version of The Truman Show, on a reality TV show set in the 1990s, where everyone knows they are being filmed except the lead character Jess Flynn. One day she starts noticing the cracks in the system and quickly she's ready to break free of her cage. But what year is it really? And when you're the most famous teenager in America, how can you ever escape? Great book for reluctant readers who like to consider issues of media responsibility, the nature of reality, and other twisty sci-fi type stories.