5 ☆

ann liang the writer that you areeeeeee

this book was perfect in every possible way. it pulled at my heartstring in a way that i find myself struggling to put into words. it was like seeing a part of my soul poured into the page, a kind of understanding so deep i can't believe it comes from someone who doesn't even know me. it made my heart ache, but in a good way, if you can believe it.

her writing got possibly even better than her previous books, it is simple yet so beautiful and moving. and don't get me started on the romance! probably my favorite couple and love interest of hers (sorry henry i still love you!) loved it so, so bad.

i'd been waiting for this book for a couple of years and i am so glad to say it did not disappoint one bit!

thank you to harpercollins and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own!

4.75 rounded up
wow wow wow
This book is freaky friday for all of the lacy girls out there. This story is not only entertaining but also important. The feeling of wanting to be anyone other than yourself is something that everyone has experienced and this book is a love letter to anyone who has ever felt inferior to other people. I think everyone should read this book and that’s not something I throw around casually. Jenna’s experience when it comes to feeling second best to her cousin Jessica is something almost too relatable. The lessons that Jenna learns in this book are things that I honestly still need to learn. I kind of don’t want to say too much because we are still months out from this book officially being released and I want ever to experience it the way I did. No one is perfect and this book perfectly highlights that in the perfect way. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3YnEMjTmoq7wQp8KqexoKK?si=BWrTvEC3RR6g26VICU1kJw&pi=u-NG-Gh3rGQSO2
That’s my playlist for the book if anyone is interested! To wrap this all up let me just say that I cannot wait for everyone to get a chance to read this book and experience the things it has to offer.

I loved reading this book! As a Chinese-American daughter of immigrants myself (and an only child, just like Jenna and Jessica), reading this book was like looking in a mirror. At several points, I had to stop reading and just process the feelings and memories that became unburied because of what was happening in Jenna's life. I don't think I've ever had a more intimate experience with a book, I've never felt this represented before.

I initially wanted to pick up this book because the premise feels similar enough to my current writing project to use as a comparable title, and I thought that I might be able to learn something from it. It did not disappoint. From start to finish, it was gripping read. So gripping, in fact, that a few chapters in, I pretty much forgot about my original purpose of wanting to read it from a writer's lens and simply consumed it.

“I used to have this theory that if I wanted something badly enough, the universe would make sure to keep it just out of my reach. Like a cruel joke, or a trick. But . . . maybe the cruelest trick the universe can play on us is to give us exactly what we wish for.”

ann liang, i am awed by your ability to seamlessly switch between genres while maintaining your expertise storytelling.

this is for everyone who's struggled trying to attain perfection, and those who've suffered reaching it.

Success is only meant to be rented out, borrowed in small doses at a time, never to be owned completely, no matter what price you’re willing to pay for it.

jenna chen is not the model student, the perfect daughter, the girl everyone loves - but her cousin, jessica is. jessica has it all - the mansion, the doting parents, the perfect grades, she never even needed braces. what jenna would give to be her...

until she becomes her.

It was perfect. For those first ten minutes, everything was perfect. And now I’m up here alone in my room, the same as always, and the thrill has faded, and I know it sounds awful and so very ungrateful, but all I can think is: that’s it?

an emotional story about the fallacy of perfection and success, the ever-moving marker post for it and its inevitable fruitlessness and inescapable dissatisfaction. it's also about our inability to see ourselves how those who love and really see us, with our perfectly imperfect flaws and all.

“You make me feel the same joy just by looking at you.”

the romance subplot was also surprisingly breath-taking; ms liang pls give me more fictional men with this devotion 😩

i can't wait for you all to enjoy this.

It’s my life, I think with amazement, and it’s beautiful, and I can paint it any color I want to.

an honest arc review <3

ann liang genuinely has such a way of perfectly capturing so many feelings i've had for years (as a hard-worker desperate for validation) -- if it wasn't already evident i will read any and everything she publishes

miss liang writes it, i'll read it. and i'll automatically rate it 5 full fucking stars!!

on my tbr. to read soon :)

thankyou netgalley and ann liang for the advance reader's edition. #NetGalley

Miss Ann Liang has done it yet again! I genuinely don’t think she’s capable of writing a bad book. I have read and enjoyed every single one of her books thus far and she has exceeded my expectations every time. This book was no exception. She has such a talent for writing the most real and relatable characters. The entire time I was thinking is this book about….me? I related so much and so hard with Jenna that I had to physically put down the book several times. Anyway as hard as it was being inside her head, I also felt so seen ? Anyway, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend for all the “this is me trying” girlies out there. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review

Thank you NetGalley, Ann Liang, and the publisher for this eArc!! I cannot even begin to express how elated I felt when I got the notification that I had been approved for this book. Some screams were screamed...

But anyways I am easily one of Ann Liang's biggest fans, like everything I have read of hers is so enjoyable and relatable on some level. This book is no different, I loved it!

Jenna and Jessica as characters are both so relatable, I feel as if somehow, I am both of them. I liked the premise of the book, although sometimes the execution felt a little weird. One thing I love about Ann Liang's books are that her characters are always so real and relatable. Jenna wishes she were Jessica, because Jessica is the perfect everything in her mind. Jessica is the embodiment of what Jenna wants to be.

This book is not a romcom, and in fact the romance was more of a sideline part of the plot. I think that was a good decision and I liked having the focus being on the issue of wanting.

I liked Aaron but as I already said this book does not focus on romance like at all so at times, I just wished a had a bit more context surrounding Aaron and Jenna. However, I still liked their relationship.

There were some things that I felt could have had more detail or explaining and that is why I gave a star reduction; however, the book is still one I would highly recommend!

I am not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang

5/5 stars

for all my girls who feel like they're always looked over, constantly trying to hold themselves to some impossible standard, or if you feel scared to be yourself because you don't want to disappoint others, this book is literally meant for you. I don't think I have ever related to a character quite as immediate as I related to Jenna - being compared to cousins or friends was definitely a thing that haunted my late night study sessions, and to this day, I still have to stop myself from comparing my success to others.

Jenna Chen hates how perfect her cousin, Jessica Chen, is compared to her. Jessica is one of the prettiest girls in school, is known for being the smartest girl in their classes, and seems to be perfect in every regard. Jenna, on the other hand, feels like she's the "walmart" version of Jessica, complete with a similar name.

Ann Liang perfectly captured the feelings of immense pressure and desperation that you feel as a teen and that I even feel now - wanting to impress the people who sacrificed so much for you, but never seeming to measure up to it, despite your best efforts. I loved seeing the peek behind the curtain at what Jenna had previously thought was Jessica's perfect life, but was just as flawed as her own.

The romance was a subplot in this book but it was so beautifully done, in my opinion. (although the MMC has my brother's name so I couldn't reaaaallly get into it,) I thought it was very well written and I loved the way Aaron helped Jenna see how amazing she was from someone else's perspective, even when she struggled with her own self worth. I do think that the romance - although very well done - could have used a little more build up. I didn't mind the sublety of it, but it felt like it was meant to be in the background of the plot, but then happened very suddenly, and was a big part of the second half of the novel.

I truly DEVOURED this book and cannot wait for it to be published. Thank you NetGalley, Ann Liang, and Harpers Collins for this amazing ARC!

“i am not jessica chen” was with no surprise at all ANOTHER amazing read from ann liang and it’s definitely one of the best books i’ve read so far this year!

jenna chen, the protagonist, was so incredibly relatable to the point where i even felt a little nauseous at times. being the same age as her and from an asian family, i could easily relate to her distress in never being good enough and her low self confidence. her pains and desires were so understandable and i adored following her character development throughout the book.

and speaking of her development, one thing that i really appreciated about this novel was that the main focus was not romance but in fact jenna’s character and her journey to finding peace in who she is. i love a good romance story as much as the next person (and aaron cai, the eventual love interest, was so so great! i loved him SO MUCH) but in a story about a teenage girl coming to terms with who she is, i loved that it focused mostly on her!

also, without giving away spoilers, i loved the way ann liang told this story; the concept of body swapping has been a interest of mine within different medias and i love the way she pulled it off here!

personally, throughout my life i’ve had different issues regarding my self confidence. whether it’s my academics or something else, there’s been a constant soft voice in the back of my mind telling me that “i’m not good enough.” and while i’m not one to get super private on goodreads dot com, i thought that i should mention that since this book comforted the emotions that resulted from those nagging cries deep in my subconscious. ann liang’s writing within this book invigorated so many feelings in me whether they were anxiety induced or full of joy and i genuinely recommend everyone to check this out for themselves!

In I'm not Jessica Chen, Ann Liang perfectly captures that feeling of desperation, that you want something so badly, it is almost a need that you might die without. I found Jenna to be such a relatable character, it is so easy to put those around you on a pedestal when you don't know the kind of work they put into their studies, or themselves, and have such a strong belief in your mediocrity. It felt almost validating to read about Jenna's experience, almost giving the book a coming-of-age feeling.

I love the magical realism twist this book takes, it allowed Ann Liang to creatively explore themes of academia, the true value of prestige, and many more. I especially enjoyed reading about the cost of perfectionism, and how Ann Liang idea of leaving a legacy or impact, and just being okay with yourself and your abilities. However, I felt there were minor details, such as the lack of attention paid to Jenna's return to her original self, and weeks-long disappearance, which left me a bit confused and felt like a small plot hole to be filled.

Despite the romance only being a subplot, I found it quite compelling. I only wish there had been more build-up to Aaron's confession to Jenna, or hints of his inclination towards her. Even though we see memories of moments between Aaron and Jenna, since he had left for a year and returned, I wished they'd had a moment before she turned into Jessica to more effectively hint at their romance later in the book.

Overall, this book is fun (unless you find the premise of waking up in somone's body distressing), and almost felt like some kind of mystery-thriller-magical realism-subplot of romance amalgamation of a book. for anyone who has fallen into the pits of academic pressure, I hope you enjoy too.

OH MY GOD !! this one hit home.

this one was written for those people who always felt like they weren't good enough, who no matter how hard they tried always came up short, constantly wishing that they could be better and knowing they somehow can't.

'I Am Not Jessica Chen' follows seventeen year old Jenna Chen who after being rejected by every Ivy League school and disappointing her Asian immigrant parents, wishes to become her smarter, more successful cousin, Jessica Chen. When her wish miraculously comes true, Jenna finds herself living Jessica's life at the prestigious Havenwood Private Academy. However, Jenna soon realizes that being the top student at such a competitive school is far from ideal. As people, including her own parents, begin to forget Jenna ever existed, she must decide if living up to the perfect daughter and student image is worth sacrificing her true identity.

This one was written for those people who always felt like they weren't good enough, who no matter how hard they tried always came up short, constantly wishing that they could be better and knowing they somehow can't. Jenna Chen my relatable queen, constantly wanting and wishing to have what she cannot have, and when she finally does get it . . . she doesn't feel instant regret !! nope, my girl enjoyed her time.

thank you to net galley for this arc <3

This book is for all the girlies who feed on academic validation as if its necessary for survival. It's for those who feel like they're not ever enough. And for those who feel average but crave so, so desperately to be much, much more than that.

When Jenna Chen wishes on a shooting star to be her perfect-in-literally-every-way cousin Jessica Chen, she doesn't expect the universe to actually listen and for the wish to actually come true. But despite all scientific reasoning, it does and she wakes up in perfect Jessica's life. It's all perfect, like a dream come true, except that Jenna is slowly disappearing away.

In a world where human connection is so important to our wellbeing and livelihood, being able to gather the praises and accolades and admiration from other people seems almost vital to life itself. What are we if we aren't recognized by other people? Don't we always want to meet and become this standard that others have set? But to what extent do we finally stop and ask what our expectations and desires for ourselves are? And has that become muddled with what others expect and place on us? I give out five stars very often to books because I just love how the story is told in this exact, specific way that can't be replicated by any other book. Isn't this the same with people too? Yes, but also no, because it doesn't often feel that way. No matter how much someone tells you that you are on your own path and your own timeline, you can't help but compare yourself to someone else, to someone better, to someone who seemingly lives that ideal life that you so desperately wish you are living right now. This book captures that feeling. It tells you that it's okay to feel this way. It's okay that you are jealous, it's okay that you want to be like this person, it's okay to hate yourself. And it sounds so terrifyingly cruel and sad to say that it's okay to feel all of this, but in a world where we do not know a cure to all these feelings, it is wonderful to feel seen and feel the connection to others in knowing that you are not alone in all of this.

And honestly, maybe we're all Jenna Chens and we're all Jessica Chens at the same time. We don't feel enough, but we may be these shining idols for other people. I know the main part of this book isn't the romance, but it reads so much like a romance to me. Sometimes, you really do feel the most loved when someone recognizes you and tells you that you are good enough. Even if all the compliments slip away quickly, forgotten and covered by all the subsequent failures, sometimes that one person's words will seep through continuously, carving a picture until you can see yourself in that way too.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the e-ARC!

I Am Not Jessica Chen is an amazing book that follow a failing artist, Jenna Chen who is a good but not perfect student like her cousin, Jessica. Jenna who is jealous of Jessica and wanted to be like her then wake up in Jessica's body after making a wish to be her.
The book follow Jenna's discovery about her cousin, Jessica with twisted truth. The book show how students are always working hard to be better, to be perfect, and to have validation from others. It show the students struggles of keeping up with their work and social status. And that someone who is view as perfect can also have their own struggles. Besides from learning more about her cousin, Jenna also becomes aware of what she had and learned to accept and appreciate them more.
I also really like the dynamic between Jenna and her family but I will not go about it because it is better to read it yourself. As for our golden boy, Aaron Cai, he really is a golden boy. Like all of Ann's male lead, Aaron is also the perfect boyfriend material. Though romance is a subplot in the book, I was dying and screaming while reading their scenes together (especially that one chapter). Their chemistry and trope is
amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for this ARC! "I Am Not Jessica Chen" by Ann Liang follows seventeen-year-old Jenna Chen, who wishes to become her seemingly perfect cousin, Jessica Chen, after facing rejection from Ivy League schools and falling short of her parents' expectations. When her wish comes true, Jenna finds herself living Jessica's life at the elite Havenwood Private Academy. The novel explores themes of identity and self-worth as Jenna grapples with the reality of Jessica's life and the cost of losing her true self in the process.

Even if you're not a YA romance person, I'm convinced you're bound to love Ann Liang's books. Her writing is just so good and she writes such convincing, relatable characters. Not to mention the absolute loveliest romances.

And she's done it again! I was so hyped to get to read this early, and I absolutely flew through it. This book reminded me a lot of early 2000s romcoms, with its supernatural twist. But it also had a lot more depth to it than I remember from those movies.

Yes, this is a romance, and such a wonderful romance at that. I was afraid there would be a lot of lying, so I was really glad to see Jenna open up to Aaron very early on, and them trying to fix the situation together. They were truly so precious together.

But I also loved the focus on dealing with the pressure to be a high achiever, struggling to feel like you're enough, not feeling seen for who you really are. Both Jenna and Jessica deal with these issues in different ways, and I loved how this situation made them learn they're more alike than they thought.

i didn’t know i needed this book until i read it. ann liang the woman you are OH MY GODDD ive never felt so seen before and the way she creates such relatable and comforting characters never fails to impress me. im so glad i found this book ESPECIALLY at this time as im around jenna’s age and completely understand what she’s going through as im approaching one of the scariest years of my life 😭😭😭 i would 100% recommend this book to my fellow ambitious girlies who crave academic validation (no judgement im one of u 😓😓), reading this book has made me feel so seen and has given me hope for the future ❤️❤️❤️

jenna. she gets so caught up in this fantasy of living jessica’s ‘perfect life’ that she starts losing herself and only realises when it’s too late. when she starts to find out that jessica’s life isn’t as perfect as she thought, i feel im able to see myself in her character even more. her concern of always slipping into the shadow of her cousin jessica, the star student, is a concept im sure many of us are familiar with, myself included. the way aaron helps her feel seen again and makes her understand that she IS valuable and loveable makes me go soft 😭

aaron. AARON CAI THE MAN YOU AREEE MY GOD aaron’s been through so much i just want to give him the biggest hug ever. while both aaron and jenna aren’t perfect people, they’re perfect for each other. when jenna’s lost or struggling, he’s always there for her no matter what 😞 the definition of she fell first, he fell harder. through the story i loved getting to see aaron’s development, the way ann liang writes seriously isn’t a joke ❤️

overall im so excited for the release of i am not jenna chen in jan of 2025!!!!!!!! thank you so much for this masterpiece ann, i guarantee ill be rereading this VERY frequently 😓


thank u harpercollins for the arc!!!

Ann Liang has done it again. Reading this book was like watching my very soul be laid bare. I have never related to a book more, and like Ann said, it did make me feel less alone in my struggles. The book itself was beautifully written and masterfully executed. I don’t know if Ann is capable of writing a bad or mediocre book, but if she is, it sure isn’t this one. If there’s one thing I beg you to do, it’s add this book to your tbr. You won’t regret it.

Thank you HarperCollins and Netgalley for providing this ARC!

Don't you have that one person either it's a relative or a friend that you feel is so much better than you and had it easy with life?

And wonder what's it like to live their perfect life and be them..

This book embodied that concept pretty well... and it really hit so close to me that i could relate to it.

Jenna wanted to be her cousin Jessica and suddenly got that wish. The story covers high pressure that students like them get in this academic system with such crazy high expetations.

Well yes, the characters are not perfect. But the characters feels realistic that's why i feel like i can relate.

As for the romance sub plot i think it's cute and a nice addition to the story.

This is the first Ann Liang's book that i have ever read and it definitely give a good first impression to me.

I enjoy Ann Liang’s engaging writing style and her well-developed, relatable characters. "If You Could See the Sun" was one of my favorite fantasy works by her, and I was thrilled to discover she has returned to that genre with another unputdownable YA fantasy titled "I Am Not Jessica Chen." I eagerly got my hands on it and devoured it in one sitting. The mystery, character development, and exploration of issues such as success pressure, rivalry, and high competition in high school are approached realistically. The character development is well-rounded. The only thing that confused me was the similarity between the names Jenna and Jessica. Perhaps the author chose them specifically to emphasize the body change element!

The plot reminds me of a "Freaky Friday" style body switch with one twist: one girl's soul invades the other's body, but we have no idea what happened to the other girl's soul and body! Confusing? Let me start from the beginning.

Jenna Chen thinks she's mediocre at everything, which worries her parents. She is artistic and creative, drawing great portraits, but she's not good at school and has been rejected by nearly all the Ivy League colleges. She's not good at extracurriculars or sports. Recently, she found out that Harvard also rejected her application, which was the last straw. On the other hand, her cousin Jessica is worshipped by the entire high school for her beauty and intelligence. She’s valedictorian, great at sports, and wins trophies in every category, from math competitions and debate to swimming contests. Can a person be perfect at everything? Yes, Jessica is the proof of pure excellence, and now she’s been accepted to Harvard. Everyone at the academy adores her, including Jenna’s longtime crush Aaron, who has just returned from school in Paris and might have a crush on Jessica.

Jenna wants to know what it feels like to be perfect like her cousin: to be adored, seen, applauded, and to shine. She wishes to be her cousin, and the next day, she wakes up in Jessica's body. Her dream has come true. She’s now Jessica, the smartest, most popular, and most successful student at the academy, friends with the most popular girls in school. She catches the spotlight and, for once in her life, doesn’t feel like a failure. But what happened to her own body? What happened to her cousin’s soul? And what if being Jessica Chen comes with a high price, revealing that her perfect cousin is hiding a big secret?

Jenna starts receiving threatening messages that her cousin did something really bad, and she has to uncover Jessica's dirty secret before it ruins her life. Interestingly, she finds help from the person she least expected: her longtime crush Aaron. He might be the only one who knows what happened to Jenna, as the real Jenna hides in Jessica Chen’s body. He may be the only person who can see the truth about herself and help her face the reality of her life.

Overall, this is a riveting fantasy with inspirational messages, questioning the pressures students face during their school life, which threaten their mental health. I also adore the love story between Jenna and Aaron, which is one of the best parts of the book and pushes me to give it five blazing, fantasy, Freaky Friday-ish stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for sharing this adorable fantasy’s digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.