Twins? Cults? YES, PLEASE!!!

I loved Janelle Brown's last novel Pretty Things and I enjoyed this one even more.

Sam and Ellie are identical twins but they could not be more different. Sam, an alcoholic and addict in recovery, tries to get back in her family's good graces when they call upon her to help with Ellie's adopted daughter while Ellie is away at a spa. But when she doesn't return after the long weekend, Sam gets the sense that something may be wrong. Digging into Ellie's whereabouts uncovers secrets that could destroy the twins' family and their lives.

I listened to this book on audio and I always adore Julia Whelan as a narrator. Part of me wished she had done the voices for both Sam and Ellie because they were supposed to sound similar. I also enjoyed Sam's parts of the novel more, possibly because I preferred Whelan's narrating.

A part of the end of this book had me literally sobbing and it's always a testament to great writing when I become that emotionally invested in a novel.

The character development in this novel was fantastic. Ellie and Sam were so different and I loved hearing about their pasts as child actors and the problems in their presents. Even though their stories were so different from my own, it was easy to connect to each twin and empathize with them. Ending this book almost felt like saying goodbye to good friends.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.

As children, identical twin sisters Sam and Elli were child actors who spent nearly all their time together. Sam loved acting and spending nearly every moment with her sister. But Elli was a reluctant actress and longed for more space and privacy. After acting, Elli dedicated herself to being the perfect wife and dreamed of being the perfect mother as well. Sam never recovered from losing acting, bouncing from one job to the next, struggling with addiction. She's shocked when her parents call her, telling her that Elli has disappeared to a strange spa, leaving her newly adopted young daughter, Charlotte, with their parents. Sam goes to help her parents with Charlotte and tries to figure out what's happened with Elli. As she pieces things together, she wonders if Elli has joined a cult and if her decisions will threaten them all.

This was sort of a strange book. Please note that a 3-star rating doesn't mean I did not like it; I just didn't love it. I admit I had hoped for more based on the author's previous book, and I found this to be less of a mystery and more a character-driven story, though there are certainly twists and plot pieces to figure out as the story moves along.

The focus here is basically entirely on Sam and Elli. The book is told from both their perspectives, and I felt myself drawn more to Sam, despite all her issues (she has many, including addiction to various substances and the ability to abandon and betray all who love her). Yet Elli seems more brittle and when the book shifts to her point of view, it seems almost jarring.

YOU is filled with thoughts on twins, sisterhood, and reflections on self. It's a very thoughtful and reflective tale, even with the central theme of Elli's whereabouts at its core. There are a few surprises thrown in, but if you go into this one expecting more of an exploration of sisters and their relationship, you'll enjoy it more.

This book confirms Brown's ease with writing interesting characters and concepts. It may not be as much a gut punch that Pretty Things was but it is definitely a quick and worthy read!

Book Review: I’ll Be You by Janelle Brown
I’ll Be You is a contemporary fiction novel about two estranged twin sisters who decades after being child television stars find themselves on diverging paths.
Sam is a recovering addict working as a barista in Hollywood after her acting career dried up and she blew through all her money. She is estranged from her twin Ellie after she drunkenly crossed a line and the two haven’t spoken in over a year. She is shocked when their father reaches out for help with Ellie’s toddler Charlotte after Ellie went to a mysterious spa retreat one weekend and didn’t come home. Sam will find herself forced to be a caretaker for Charlotte, deal with her aging parents, struggle with her sobriety and try to figure out why her sister walked away from everything for a spa weekend and what it will take to get her back.
I really enjoyed this dramatic novel with a realistic portrayal of childhood stardom, addiction and how a cult can often hide behind radical self-improvement. Both sisters were relatable but also complicated and often frustrating. I enjoyed reading Sam’s point of view because of her wry sense of humor and the bold attitude that allowed her to thrive as a childhood star, survive her addiction and then take the risks she needed to go after her sister. Many readers can probably also relate to Ellie who is heartbroken by her struggle with fertility and the eventual loss of her marriage as well. With no child, husband and estrangement from her sister she’s a perfect candidate for a cult and she finds herself making terrible choices to build a family and find the joy she’s missing.
I recommend this novel for readers that enjoy books about complicated family bonds and afar we will risk for the people we love.

https://thereadingraccoon.com/f/book-review-i’ll-be-you-by-janelle-brown

Janelle Brown’s “Pretty Things” turned me into a fan of hers, and “I’ll Be You” was a very good, engaging and fast paced summer read. She packs a punch with interesting characters - in this case twin sisters who were teen TV stars and have struggled in different ways as adults since. Sam has flamed out through addictions; Elli sought a simpler suburban life and finally has a child she wanted but things are not as they appear, and she has fallen susceptible to a women’s empowerment group that is clearly (not a big spoiler here)… a cult.

Read it for the relationship between these sisters, characters who are not always sympathetic but ones you still root for, and a story that keeps you turning the page.

Not for me. I can’t pinpoint why I couldn’t get into this one but I’m appreciative of the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Los Angeles Times has this pegged as "an addictive thriller that will keep readers burning through pages."
I think I read a different book, I didn't find it addictive, nor thrilling. I wasn't bored but it certainly wasn't riveting, in fact it took quite awhile for me to stick to reading it. Had I known this book would focus more on the cult aspect I would not have requested it. What I also didn't like was the underhanded way the sisters would switch places and even manage to confuse their mother, to me that's not funny...it's dangerous and conniving.
A story about identical twin sisters Sam and Elli who while they're identical in looks have very different personalities. We have a then and now scenario explaining how each sister ended up where they are now. Sam is a recovering addict (pills & alcohol) and Elli appears to have been swept up into a cult promoting female empowerment. Their parents are enablers and take a passive approach to parenting which didn't do a thing for either girl's confidence. The various storylines were simply implausible to me, particularly regarding Elli's daughter. The ending felt too tidy and rushed for the subject matter and smacked of "oh so that's how people with money operate."
I'm giving this book 3 stars for the writing, but that's it. I didn't like it and wouldn't recommend unless you like reading about cults teaching women to hate men and anyone else who is stopping them from being their true selves.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I’ll Be You has really got to be inspired by America’s favorite annoying twins…The Olson Twins of course! Although I suppose there have been plenty of twins in Hollywood, especially as two are needed to play the role of one child with a bigger role. Still, it was the Olson twins that I pictured in my mind as I read the book. Although it was also NXIVM that I pictured when it came to the cult, so really it was just a mismosh of all the fun Hollywood child stars.

There’s one thing that child stars have proven time and again. Growing up in Hollywood messes you up. It’s no different for Elli and Sam. One turned to drugs and one worked hard to build the most stable, “normal” life she could fathom. But neither escaped without deep psychological issues.

I’ll Be You is a compelling tale of two twins who are stuck in the downward spiral of having lived through a dysfunctional household. But it’s also the tale of the bond between two sisters and definitely worth a read.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advanced review copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved this riveting story of two twins--former child stars!--whose lives have seriously diverged. I really enjoyed the family dynamics and the way that Sam, the "damaged" twin, grew so close to her niece. The first half is from her POV as she tries to figure out why her sister, who has it all together, has suddenly disappeared. I inhaled it. The second half is from the POV of Elli, and it was less compelling, but still interesting. It just felt less twisty, and Sam was a more interesting narrator.

Overall, I really loved this story and especially Sam. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of this book.

I'll Be You was absolutely thrilling. It was such a unique story that I had a hard time putting it down. I read this one quickly, because it truly captured my attention.

✨Book Review✨
I'll Be You by Janelle Brown
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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I had no idea what to expect going into this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. I have always been obsessed with identical twins, so the premise of this book intrigued me immediately. I almost think it's better going in without knowing much about it so I won't say much more.
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This book explored some deep themes such as addiction, infertility, family struggles, and whether or not identical twins can grow into their true selves while growing up together. Pick this one up if you want a good suspense novel that will keep you turning pages trying to figure out what is going on.

Ellie (Eleanor) and Samantha (Sam) were identical twins. People looked at them -- a lot -- just because they were twins. Whether the result of environment or circumstances, each had her own personality; yet as twins, they were never one; one was the other and the other was the first. They were an important commodity, and soon the Logan twins were cast as the star/stars of a TV series, two girls playing one part as if to mirror their own existence. Unfortunately, twins, while valuable as children, stop being appealing as grown-ups.
The story is told in a first-person narrative by Sam. She shares her present and her past with readers, going back and forth in time. Sam shares the hang-ups, problems, and general annoyances thrust upon her by society simply because of the unique quality of her birth. Sam is thirty-two years old, sleeps on a futon, and is still crawling her way back after losing most everything. She still has her looks, some interesting tattoos, a generous AA sponsor, and employment at a trendy café popular on social media. She finds that her twin Ellie is getting a divorce and is incommunicado. Their parents are taking care of Charlotte. Who?? Charlotte is Sam’ niece, two years old, adopted by Ellie. It would be easy to leave the problem of Charlotte for her parents to solve, but Sam cannot abandon her sister. Ellie has gone to an exclusive retreat spa in Ojai, GenFem, but this turns out to be much more than just a week at an expensive women’s resort. There are problems with GenFem, very big problems, and her sister is in the middle of them.
The story unfolds at a leisure pace with lots of little clues sprinkled throughout the narrative like the crumbs in a fairy tale; they lead down a path, but the path does not go where Sam thought it would take her. The story grows in intensity, and Sam discovers the unthinkable. She has to decide what to do next, and that is a decision that changes everything and everyone.
I received a review copy of “I'll Be You” from Janelle Brown and Random House Publishing Group. It is about family dynamics, complex moral challenges, control, and two individuals inseparably bonded from birth.
“I'll Be You” is now available in print, as an e-book, and on audio from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries and anywhere you get your books.

3.75 STARS

Janelle Brown introduces readers to Sam and Elli, identical twin sisters, whose primary commonality begins and ends with their physical characteristics. While, at a young age, Sam embraces the illusion of becoming a Hollywood Star, Elli begrudgingly goes along for the ride if only to ensure Sam’s success.

Fast-forward a little more than a decade and Sam, having not accomplished her dream, evolves into a self-destructive addict, while Elli happily settles into life as a wife, homemaker, and moderately successful entrepreneur.

Sam eventually maintains her sobriety, in an attempt to resurrect some form of normality, about the time she discovers Elli has disappeared and fears her beloved but estranged twin has become enamored with an all-female cult.

I can’t honestly say that I found the novel gripping. For me, there were a few issues with the plot, flow, and character development. I felt had the cult been a bit more threatening, the ending not quite so tidy, and the circumstances a bit more believable, the story would have drawn me in. However, those who enjoy family drama and unconditional devotion, as well as a slow-burn mystery, will probably enjoy I'LL BE YOU. Because I thought the novel had its redeeming moments, I hope to read other books by Ms. Brown. Much appreciation to the author, Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC.

family related thriller? this is a go to!!! haven’t read a family related thriller in a long time and this gave it a great satisfaction!

So, I picked up this book because of al the buzz around it.

Sam and Elli are twins. They become twin tv stars but it is clear one is more interested in show biz than the other. As thy get older, Sam takes being out of showbiz harder and turns to alcohol and drugs whereas Elli goes on to live a normal life: job, marriage, etc. However, Sam is called and told to come watch Elli's daughter since she is away at a retreat. Sam wasn't even aware she had a daughter but they have been estranged since her last rehab stint. As Sam begins to bond with her niece and await her sister's return, she begins to find out that her sister had secrets. Where is she? Why isn't she returning? Sam begins to dig through her sister's life to find out who Elli really is.

This was a complete miss for me. I loved the premise of it: twins who have a connection and the one twin essentially knows something is wrong and has to find the other. But this book was so cliché. Showbiz twins, twins that take on each other's personas, cults, missing children. The premise WAS there but then in the second half, it truly went crazy and ended up like a strange soap opera. In my opinion, the worst part of the book was the ending. Are people not held accountable for their actions? Do we have no consequences for our life choices? Unfortunately, you will have to sit through this horrible book in order to find out the awful ending.

I found myself glued to this story right away! It kept me guessing, and had some brilliant twists. I highly recommend this book! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was not an unputdownable, edge-of-your-seat, “can’t go to sleep till finished” type of book, but it was enjoyable and it was worth definitely worth the read. All in all, a solid read if not life altering. But do we always need those? Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC opportunity !

I’ll Be You is the story of twin child stars that are trying to make their way into adulthood after fame fades away. As children, Sam and Elli are as close as can be despite their personality differences. Sam is the wild one. She has been trying hard to get her life on track after battling long standing substance abuse problems. Elli, has aspired to have the perfect husband and perfect life. After dealing with infertility, she gets caught up in a cult disguised as a self help group for women. When Sam is called in to help her parents while Elli is away at a “spa” she begins to fear that Elli is caught up in something she cannot escape. Sam begins to find purpose in finding out the truth of Elli’s whereabouts.
This was a very fun and quick read! Perfect summer read for the beach! It’ll leave you trying to solve a mystery and rooting for family to come together.
*huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

After growing up at identical halves twins who have mastered the art of switching places yet they have grown up to be entirely different people. When life becomes a challenge and their lives are thrown off axis they swap places and the worst things happen. another thrilling mysterious novel by Brown.

The depth and darkness of a twin's relationship is deftly explored within a propulsive plot. This novel will capture your interest and keep you guessing as it careens to the end.

Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the chance to review this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.