This book was honestly one if the best reads I had this year! As a person who has been reading Ann's books since 'if you could see the sun' I must say that this might be one of her work .

The characters were relatable in a way that made me understand them better in the books . Especially jenna , who is insecure and jealous of Jessica chen who is the complete opposite of her . I am sure many people would be able to relate to jenna situation , I love the character development of jenna as well as she slowly realises the reality of being a perfect student , how it wasn't as glamorous as assumed to be by everyone . I also like how we got to see Jessica chen thoughts and feelings about being perfect and I am sure many overacheivers will be able to understand her as well . Ann's mmc Aaron made me gush and giggle so much 😭


Another thing I enjoyed about the book was the plot , I found the plot about living Jessica live and uncovering her thoughts process interesting . I like how Ann didn't just skip the plot to add more romance scene between Aaron and jenna but instead gave the book a good balance on both romantic scene and plot .


One thing that I think could be improved is describing Jessica friendship with her 2 best friend . As I notice in the book that we barely have any information on Jessica and her 2 best friends relationships and how they interacted in the past . In my perspective while reading the book it seems that Jessica's friends are quite guarded when it comes to her and are not that close to one another . I personally think that that part could improve .


In conclusion , this book was a wonderful read that made me stay up all night reading it as I couldn't put it down . Good job to Ann for making another masterpiece and thank you Netgalley for the arc !

⭐️ 4.5 stars-

I’ve been sitting and stewing on writing this review for a while because, well, I really don’t know how I feel about it. It was a pretty all-consuming read in the moment, but once I finished it, I felt almost completely emotionally cut off from it, so maybe it was a bit of a mixed bag as a whole.

I Am Not Jessica Chen is a hard book to define. It’s about a magical wish/curse, academic pressure and competition, family, romance, and a lot more. It’s very genre-bending, which I can appreciate (it’s so incredibly difficult to sell and market books that don’t fall into neat genre categories these days!) To me, the focus is ultimately the MC’s character arc and growth, more than any external plot points or characters.

The beginning of this book was incredibly immersive. It was easy to get in to, and I felt like I understood and empathized with the MC pretty quickly. I really enjoyed the academia setting and, though I’ve never attended an elite private school like the one in this book, it felt pretty realistic to me. The magical realism element of the premise is SO fascinating. It’s fascinating as a plot device, as a concept, as a metaphor…it’s SO gripping to read about. Almost to the point where it genuinely starts to feel a bit terrifying. There’s a strangely sinister, spooky tone to this book. Everything is unequivocally modern—prep school, fancy houses, horse riding, blue mountains—yet it’s also otherworldly. It’s never very grounded in a specific location or time, which makes it ALL feel a bit mystical, even though there’s only a small (technically?) magical element.

This book has a lot of interesting ideas and things to say. I felt very connected to the MC’s conflict and struggles about being good enough/wanting too much, especially in respect to the romantic subplot. I really rooted for the romance for that reason (relating to the MC’s endless pining lmao), but when I take a step back, there’s really nothing in particular about Aaron (the MMC) as a character that stands out to me. It was more just that I wanted the MC to get what she’d wanted for so long and to finally be happy. But the resolution to it all (the magical conundrum and the romance) felt a little bit unsatisfying/anticlimactic for some reason. There was soooo much buildup, so I was really looking forward to things getting resolved, but then I felt like everything got resolved a bit too easily.

It’s difficult to pinpoint the type of audience this book would appeal to. Honestly, if the premise interests you at all, it’s definitely worth a read for that alone (this is not one of those books that fails to deliver on the premise—it definitely does!) A book that I’ve already been thinking about and musing over for a while, and I can see myself continuing to ruminate on it even more in the future.

Anything that Ann Liang writes is absolutely fantastic, She really captures the feeling of inadequacy and the loneliness that can come with being 'perfect', but contrasts it with the desire to become perfect. The plot was incredible. 10/10

I seem to devour Ann Liang’s books in one sitting always. This one is no different. I don’t want to put any sort of spoilers or plot in my review because I feel this is the type of book you need to go into with just the title and the similar sci-fi magic realism Liang writes.

The one thing I will say is I wanted to say I wish I had an Aaron in my life, but what’s amazing is that I do. And this book helped remind me of that.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC.

Ann Liang skillfully captures the feelings of being above average but not exceptional, coupled with the desperation to be the best. Through Jenna, the main character, we get a peek into her feelings of inadequacy and the pressure of not living up to her family's expectations. Her accomplishments are never enough, and there is always someone smarter and more talented who has achieved more.

The magical realism element, where Jenna finds herself inhabiting Jessica's body, is a novel way of showing that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. However, the execution fell short for me. I think Jenna should have felt even more pressure pretending to be Jessica than she actually felt. Jessica's journal reveals the crushing weight of her own pursuit of perfection, but Jenna doesn't seem to truly understand these impossible and harmful expectations. Jenna reaps the rewards of Jessica's achievements and happily wears her halo of success, but doesn't reflect on what Jessica has gone through to get to where she is. What was sorely missing were chapters from Jessica's perspective; I wish we got to know her as a person rather than the godlike figure that others perceive her to be.

It was also incredibly unconvincing that Jenna's decision to return to her own body was mostly spurred on by her crush, Aaron, forgetting who she was. Prior to this, she seemed content to bask in Jessica's glory for the rest of her life. I don't believe Jenna's issues with self-worth and academic validation were properly addressed, as somehow her longing for acceptance, admiration, and adoration from her peers and family disappears over the course of a single day and she realizes that she values her family, friends, and her art more. Detangling one's self-worth from external validation isn't something that happens overnight, and I wish this had been explored more thoroughly.

The ending felt very incomplete and rushed to me and I wish it had revealed how Jenna's relationship with her parents and peers changed moving forward. Most of all, I wanted to hear Jessica's side of the story, which would have added more depth and closure. Unfortunately, this book didn't quite hit the mark for me.

I love Ann Liang's writing and I'm a big fan of hers, but I felt like this book was hard for me to connect with. Because Jenna's stuck in Jessica's body without anyone really to confide in, I feel like we get A LOT of inner monologue and turmoil that isn't necessarily satisfying for the reader. It's a very isolating experience, so maybe that's purposeful since Jenna feels that way? I wish we got more context of who Jessica is as a person before Jenna took over Jessica's body so I understood her and her struggles more. The romance was really cute but seemed really sporadic. I was really looking forward to this one, but ultimately I just found it to be okay!

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets If You Could See The Sun in Ann Liang’s new young adult standalone where Jenna Chen, a girl who thinks she will never be enough for everyone around her wishes to be her perfect, smart, and Harvard-bound cousin. But what happens when it actually comes true?

4.75 ⭐️

Ann’s books always find me at times where I need to feel seen and understood and this is the personification of my life, where the narrative describes the experiences that made me. At one point I was Jessica, then Leela, Aaron, and now Jenna. When the first chapter made me cry, I knew it was for me.

I lived through these characters at one point in my life, considering how it has changed within two years. I recognized the anxiety, self-loathing, and exhaustion of every single one of these characters. I never felt enough for anyone, and I was so ahead that at one point, it became too difficult. Studying has always been the one thing I’m good at, and when I failed at that, I absolutely hated acknowledging burnout, leading me to the decision that ruined my future the first time. I am Jessica Chen, but I sympathized with Jenna: two sides of the same damn coin. Thus, I recognized that this book teaches that you CAN be enough. That success at the cost of your entire being is not always exciting because eventually, accomplishments will feel dull and empty, and life will humor you by taking away everything you’ve worked so hard for. This book is for the girls who’ve always been independent yet lonely, successful yet drained. It’s me. I’m the girl.

°˖➴ ꒰🪐꒱ <b>plot 〰️</b>: jenna chen is always second place to her cousin, jessica chen. her [jennas] grades are always good but not good enough, while jessica is always top of the class and getting all awards possible. one day, jenna wishes to be jessica and surprisingly, her wish comes true. the next day, jenna wakes up in jessicas body and has her life.

౨ ✉️ ৎ <b>my opinion ✔️</b>: SO SO GOOD!! this may be my favorite ann liang book? like ever? this felt so different than her other books - ann liang always has a mc who is the best, whose top of her class, who wins all the awards. this time, we got an mc who <i>wishes she could be like that</i>. jenna is like the song '<i>this is me trying</i>' by taylor swift and i relate to her SO MUCH - here is a note i took while only being on <u>page 12</u>.
<blockquote>pg 12 | • i already relate to jenna chen SO MUCH. she is me, i am her. always trying your hardest but never being/feeling as good as everyone else is honestly so true. every single one of my friends are so smart, theyre always above average while i am just average. its honestly exhausting always giving my all and it never being <i>enough</i>. so, i strongly believe that ann liang wrote a book about me.</blockquote>

not only that but i loved all the other characters as well - aaron, in usual ann liang fashion, was amazing 🤭 another thing that was different was there was no enemies to lovers storyline - instead it was more of a second chance? i dont really know how to explain it but i really enjoyed the romance regardless. ANOTHER THING - <u>that ending</u>. when i tell you cried till my eyes hurt. i know i was promised a heartbreaking ending from ann liang herself : (<a href=https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9iA6lgPZ4s/?igsh=MW1vMGZpMnU5M2ExbA==>click here</a>) - im just so glad that everything worked out in the end 🙈🤍

°˖➴ ꒰🪐꒱ <b>what i didn't like✖️</b>: honestly? there was nothing that i didnt like. the only reason this wasnt five stars was because it didnt have that five star feeling for me, but still - it was an amazing book, easily one of my favorite reads of the year. im so exited to see everyones reviews and reactions when this is released!!

········· ꒰🏹꒱ <b>recommend❔</b> 👍🏻∿👎🏻
જ⁀➴ ···· ౨ 📖 ৎ ⤳ <i>yes!</i>
i 100% recommend this. for me, this was such a relatable book - i felt so seen, and i feel like it could be the same for <i>so many people</i>. to the '<i>this is me trying</i>' (by taylor swift) girlies - this book is for you <3
<b>౨ৎ release date</b>: <u>1/28/25</u> ⁺˖ ✉️❕

You know when you read a book and you can picture the students you want to read it? That's how I feel about I Am Not Jessica Chen...but I want them ALL to read it. This was such a fun concept, yet delved into some serious issues of family (scholastic) pressure, anxiety, and self-confidence. While this story focuses on high school seniors, I wouldn't hesitate to share it with some 8th graders as well. Especially in today's high-stress environment for students, this is a great read.

Another ARC from my favorite author !! 🥹 And yet another 5 star read from her <3 I swear on everything that Ann lives inside my head at this point. Jenna is so raw and relatable, at multiple points throughout the book I could feel my stomach twisting with sympathy and understanding. I think most people understand what academic pressure is like, and how it feels to not be good enough. Jenna has both of these things hanging over her head, as well as an exact version of herself but better to compare herself to in her cousin, Jessica. And after making a dangerous wish to be her cousin, she actually wakes up in her body and has to live her life. Not only this, but as time goes by, her loved one's memory of Jenna Chen as a person starts to fade. Despite this, Jenna continues to struggles with letting go of her cousin's "perfect" life out of self loathing. To her, validation is more than a pat on the back. It's like proof that she's worth something. Ann captures this as well as Jenna's other struggles perfectly throughout the book. She covers this, as well as topics of both parental and societal pressure, and Asian-American identity. Even if you can't relate to Jenna, Ann portrays not only her story but the side character's with such evident care. I can guarantee that this book will leave you feeling both heard and seen, and hopefully help you to appreciate your own life a little better. I know it helped me <3 This book was a wonderful reminder that life is a gift and not everything is as it seems. I'm still overjoyed over the fact that I was allowed to read about Jenna's journey early 🥹.

I was so happy to receive an ARC of this book! Ann Liang has solidified herself as one of my favorite authors due to her ability to create real and human characters with genuine flaws. I Am Not Jessica Chen is a beautiful novel that tackles difficult topics like imposter syndrome and the constant desire to chase after the next best thing, even when all you could ever want ends up being right in front of you.
Both Jenna and Jessica are realistic characters with concrete motivations. Even though they seem like they are on different ends of a spectrum, both characters are similar in their desires to become someone else and leave their current lives behind. Even though the book is only from Jenna's point of view, I loved that we were able to see into Jessica's life and understand that the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
In addition to themes of self-discovery, I liked that this book stayed true to the dark academia genre. Details like Jenna's fading portraits and her disappearance from her loved ones' memories really elevated the story and added an extra layer of tension that had me on the edge of my seat.
I absolutely cannot wait for this book to release so I can hold a copy in my hands.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the eARC!

This book takes imposter syndrome to a whole new level! Jenna has always envied her cousin Jessica. Jessica excels at everything, is beautiful, poised, and kind as well. On the night that they find out that Jessica got into Harvard and Jenna did not, Jenna wishes that she was Jessica. When she wakes up the next morning, her brain is in Jessica's body. She gets to live Jessica's perfect life. But as she makes her way through the days and weeks, she begins to learn it might not be so perfect after all. Lots of good life lessons here, in a fantastic story. Highly recommended for grades 8 & up.

ann liang has yet to disappoint me! her ideas are so unique whilst her romances are so swoon worthy. this is my third book by her and i’ve given them all 5 stars. there’s some logistics in here that kinda don’t make sense but actually i don’t care. jenna chen is so damn relatable!

5 shining, glittering stars for this book. Ann Liang you did it again! Oh how much do I love your dash-of-supernatural-element books. The way I am Not Jessica Chen unearthed several of my thoughts that I was not ready to process in writing felt like listening to a brand new Taylor Swift song and instantly relating to it on a personal level. The moment I read the opening sentence should've made me realize that the book I'm about to read was going to be a menace and proceed with caution. I was able to feel how much Jenna yearns for literally everything that Jessica has and it hurts my heart. This book gave me a whiplash because I was crying one chapter and then giggling and kicking my feet by the next.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for my gifted e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Netgally for providing me with this ARC!

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 4 starssss ⊹ ࣪ ˖

This book. This BOOK. THIS BOOK!!!!
I was actually crying because this book was SO FREAKING RELATABLE!!!

I am literally a mix of Jenna and Jessica! I just felt so seen whilst reading about them!!! 😭

And the ROMANCE!!! Omg it was SOOOO CUTE!!! 🥰

I throughly enjoyed this and honestly I would 100% recommend this to anyone I know, I loved it SO SO SO MUCH!!! ♥️

“This book is for anyone who’s ever wished they could be someone else” - Ann Liang

This is one of those books that I will think about for a long time. First of all, the cover is stunning. Whoever designed it deserves a forehead kiss and a raise! The story itself was beautiful and really spoke to my soul. It changed how I think about myself and how I think of others.

I Am Not Jessica Chen is about wanting. Wanting so desperately to be enough. To be perfect. It’s about wanting what you don’t have and not noticing/ appreciating what you do. It’s about learning to love yourself and see the experiences of others.

Jenna Chen was such a relatable character and her personal journey was so beautiful. I want to give Jenna, Jessica, and Aaron each a hug, but especially Aaron. The romantic subplot of this book was phenomenal as well.

I can’t wait for this book to come out so that everyone else can experience it!

*I received this book as an ARC but the opinions are my own- posted to netgalley website, goodreads, and instagram

I Am Not Jessica Chen introduces the character Jenna Chen who has always been in the shadow of her much more successful cousin Jessica. After wishing on a shooting star, she finally gets to see what life is like to like as Jessica, and ultimately discovers that Jessica's charmed life may not be all it's cracked up to be. The author does an excellent job at making her characters come to life, and Jenna's story is incredibly relatable.

as a loyal ann liang fan and enthusiast, this book is amazing! a quick bittersweet, relatable, and heartwarming read. I absolutely LOVED aaron and jenna <3 I can't wait for everyone to read this! <3

This book was so relatable on such a personal level, I feel so seen. This is the reason I love Ann Liang’s books so much. She gets it. She understands. And I think she writes these books so that her readers know they’re not alone. Like Ann said in her authors note, sometimes it means the most just to know other people are going through it too. Also, can we take a moment to appreciate this gorgena cover?? I loved how it talked about Jenna actually painting it in the book, that was so cool! I can’t wait for I Am Not Jessica Chen to be officially released into the world, so everyone can experience this freaking masterpiece.

5 Stars
This is my new favorite book and I am a different person after reading it.

WOWWWW this book was just incredible and I felt like so many times I was being straight up called out (in a good way). I’ve never seen myself more in a book until now. When I said I was a different person after reading it, I was being so serious. I feel like after reading it I’ve just started looking at things in a whole new perspective. I loved every single aspect of this book and I think Ann did a phenomenal job at pulling it all together. Ann Liang just keeps outdoing herself and I can’t wait for her next book!

thank you again to harpercollins and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.