Wow! This was a crazy ride! I thought it was a very original story. So current and modern times. A woman, Julie finds her “famous” estranged twin sister dead from an overdose. She makes a split decision and basically switches places with her and takes over her life as a an influencer. This book takes a wild turn towards the end. For some it may be outrageous, but in my opinion it demonstrates the absolute craziness that some influencers lives are. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

This book is one wild ride!! The first half is a mystery combined with an impersonation, then the 2nd half turns into a cult horror movie. Everything starts out when Julie finds her twin sister, Chloe, dead in her apartment in Manhattan. Julie and Chloe were just 8 years old when their parents died in a car crash. Julie was adopted by her aunt, while Chloe was adopted by a rich white family. Why the aunt didn't take both of them in isn't really explained in detail. Their two childhoods moving forward could not be more different. Julie barely gets by, and is living paycheck to paycheck working in a grocery, while Chloe is a wildly successful Instagram influencer. They don't keep in touch, until Chloe reaches out to Julie to buy her a house, with the ulterior motive of filming it all to boost her subscribers.

After that incident, Julie keeps her distance, until 2 years later when she gets a bizarre call from Chloe. On the phone Chloe is apologizing and gasping for breath. Initially disturbed, after dwelling a bit, Julie decides to drive to her apartment to see what's going on. Since they are twins, she's automatically let in by the doorman and ushered upstairs, where she finds Chloe's lifeless body. When the cops arrive and mistake her for Chloe, she decides 'why not', and thus begins her adventure into the world of Instagram, product placements, and the most shallow group of friends you'll ever meet. This book definitely doesn't paint a pretty picture of these types of social media darlings, who will do absolutely anything to improve their subscribers, reputation, and money earning potential. However, each has their own reasons for choosing this lifestyle. Julie is determined to find out what has happened to her sister, and the fact that her aunt is blackmailing her now, doesn't improve the situation. She has to make more money, and gets deeper and deeper into this world. She's so successful, she gets invited to the queen bee influencer's yearly retreat on an island, where she finally gets some answers. This is when things get really weird and it becomes a cult like environment. You really have to suspend disbelief as to what happens next. And during some scenes I was like 'alllright!!'. I still was invested enough to want to know what would happened to Julie and if she would be able to get off the island. This is a bit of a fluff book, but well written enough that it held my attention throughout.

I wasn't a fan of this book. It started off intriguing, but then all the social media jargon got to me. By the end of it, I was surprised it was listed as a thriller because no part of it was thrilling to me.

WOW!! This book is definitely a precautionary tale of the danger of social media. But i must say the story was original and had so much fun reading all the twists. This book was a fun read it kept on my toes and every time i thought i had it figured.... boy was i wrong. The ending was nuts thats all i am going to say. A must read if you want to on a fun roller coaster ride.

I want to give a huge thanks to @NetGalley and @Atria Books having me allowed to read this fun twisted tale.

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 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was drawn into this book through the plot, and I truly did get sucked into the world of the novel. It's pretty fast paced; I was getting through the chapters fairly quickly on my Kindle copy. It reminded me of a television series (and I could really see this novel being adapted for the screen one day), and it was quite memorable throughout. I'd recommend this novel for someone who is also interested in the synopsis and wants a weekend read.

This book had me. I was completely hooked—immersed, entertained, and happily strapped in for a ride that felt equal parts edgy and addictive. The story is bold and twisty, with sharp commentary on influencer culture, identity, and the performative nature of social media. I loved the twin angle (always juicy), the influencer cult vibes (deeply unsettling in the best way), and the smart, satirical tone that made everything feel fresh and compelling.

For about 75% of the book, I was all in.

But then… the story took a sharp turn—and not the good kind. The plot started veering too far off the rails, to the point where I found myself blinking at the page like, Wait, what? And not long after that, I hit my one hard stop: animal cruelty. It came out of nowhere and overwhelmed me emotionally. I know some readers can push through things like that, but for me, it’s an immediate disconnect. From that point on, I had to speed read just to make it to the end, but the magic was gone. My whole perception of the book shifted.

It’s frustrating, because there is so much to appreciate here. Zhang’s voice is sharp, the concept is original, and the first three-quarters had me completely enthralled. But that turning point changed the experience for me—and not in a way I can shake off easily.

So would I recommend it? With caution. If you're okay with darker turns and can stomach graphic content involving animals, there's a lot here to dig into. But if that’s a trigger for you like it is for me, I’d say proceed carefully or maybe steer clear.

This book has a perfect blend of thriller and humor and it kept me entertained. It did remind me of bunny so that kind of threw me off a bit the story line was great and the characters really well shaped. I read this in a day because I could not put it down.

Julie Chan steps into the life of her identical twin a popular online influencer. This book was really entertaining and I loved the premise behind it, there was plenty of mystery and dark humor to keep me guessing. Definitely recommend and am looking forward to more from Liann Zhang. I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

"In this debut thriller perfect for fans of Bunny and Yellowface, 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."

I mean, sure, being a popular influencer might be exciting, but then again, why is she dead!?! Those are questions you should ask BEFORE impersonating said influencer.

Julie Chan is Dead is a fast-paced, dramatic thriller sprinkled with dark comedic elements. The main character, Julie, is flawed almost to the point of being unlikable. You’ll be on the edge of your seat, wondering how she’ll make it through everything in the novel. It was very reminiscent of Yellowface, which I enjoyed. I loved the first half of the book, but the second half fell a bit flat for me. It felt slower but also rushed at the same time. The part of the book set on the island was absolutely bonkers, and I couldn’t put the book down! That said, I did enjoy the ending, and the story wrapped up nicely.
Overall, this book was crazy and over-the-top in a good way. I thought the social media aspect was super interesting, and it showcased the dark side of influencing. I would rate this book 4 stars and recommend it to anyone who wants to read a crazy and stress-inducing thriller.

I LOVED this one. This book is Bunny (which I loved) meets Yellowface in this dark comedic thriller. Liann Zhang perfectly balanced humor throughout the novel and some of the things she wrote had me laughing out loud. Julie's character was so obviously flawed but you can't help rooting for her. The social media aspect of this book felt relevant, albeit extreme (I hope), but that's what made it wild and entertaining. It was completely unexpected but I loved the dark turn in book.
I thought the ending was brilliant, down to the last page. Zhang's acknowledgements at the end made me laugh out loud (I'm drawn to humor), and excited to read more from her.

🪦
This was an arc that came into my email, and I leapt at the chance to read it. The description was interesting, I was very intrigued. I am a heaux for good literary fiction, so I couldn’t resist the allure.
🪦
I will freely admit that for the first 70% or so, this is delicious lit fic. It makes you think, you’re pulled into Julie’s orbit. And then around 72% or so it starts to go off the rails; by 90% you’re on a flaming horse that is galloping its way to hell. Is it an enjoyable ride? Sure, but it’s not at all what you were expecting.
🪦
I had a great time with this novel, and it made me think a lot about the power we give influencers in our society. Overall I think it was a little excessive in its absurdity in the last quarter, but it was still a great time overall. I wouldn’t call it magical realism, which is my most beloved genre, but it’s definitely out there!

This was an interesting book. Had some funny parts and some deep introspective parts. I enjoyed and will recommend this.

The first half of this book was good, intriguing. Julie Chan is a twenty-something person who is in the literal trenches. She and her twin were separated after a tragic car accident took their parents. But where Chloe, her twin, got adopted by two wealthy white people, Julie was stick with an abusive aunt. Naturally, Chloe found immense success as an influencer and Julie was left to watch all this through a phone screen paid with her meager salary as a cashier. Things take a drastic turn when Chloe calls one night in a daze and Julie hurries to visit her sister only to find her dead.

The premise is good and I like that Julie is slightly terrible. We need more unlikeable protagonists, especially women who take the selfish, self-serving route. The funny moments also delivered:

<blockquote>”I start wondering if cardio classes are the elite’s answer to self-harm.”</blockquote>

<blockquote>”Grief is not easy to deal with alone. If you or a loved one is suffering from a loss like I am, please seek counseling for support. This video is sponsored by <i>BetterTherapy.</i>.”</blockquote>

<b>Issue #1: Julie is Kinda Dense Lmao</b>

I didn’t realize till the midpoint that I was waiting for Julie to start questioning the circumstances of her twin’s death. Understandably, Julie held onto a lot of resentment because Chloe exploited her low-income status to make a video and get tons of social media clout before promptly icing out further communication. Chloe is not infallible, and we learn about a ton of her flaws as the story progresses. But I find is strange that Julie so readily accepted that Chloe died of an overdose. Sure, that evidence that her sister drank a lot, but there were obviously suspect conditions that I would think to be common sense for investigation (ie. Chloe wanting to tell a reporter a huge story before she died, the signs of muting all the Belladonnas, etc.)

It can be said that Julie was caught in the whirlwind of stealing someone’s life and she was so deprived of love that she embraced whatever she found, even if it was sketchy. But as a regular person entering into the glitz of social media life, I expected Julie to have more skepticism instead of meek allegiance. I think the author also hinted at a tense home life for Chloe that never got explored (ie. Chloe was adopted by her white parents following some racist comments they made about Chinese people. She was meant to be proof they weren’t racist. It was also teased a couple times that she was nervous around her parents, such as a cut off video clip where she hurriedly stopped recording when her dad entered the room. None of this was ever built upon).

Julie herself says, “I’ve developed a jaded view of social media influencers, viewing them as a toxic cesspool of self-aggrandizing narcissists who feed us images of their deceptively attainable wealth through LED screens connected to our palms.”

OKAY, but where was that energy at any other point in the book?? Julie so quickly drank the Kool-Aid, from March (when she stole Chloe’s identity) to June, she gets a whole mentality shift about these people. It was even stranger because one of the people she welcomed into her circle was previously canceled for having racist tweets. So I’m sitting here like, where is your sense of questioning now? Why are you so starry eyed about these people in only THREE MONTHS??

<b>Issue #2: Julie is Actually Very Dense</b>

In taking on their mantel of Chloe’s life, Julie finds that her sister was inducted into an elite social media group headed by influencer Bella Marie. Those in the circle are considered Belladonnas and their membership always results in explosive social media success.

I know the author had a brief stint as a skincare influencer, but the way she characterized how these women talked……..

<blockquote>”I am not sad. IU am happy. I am so happy that I cried.”

“She’s so happy she cried!” Emmeline exclaims.

“We are so happy you are happy,” says Kelly.

Angelique bursts into a smile and throws the blanket around her shoulder. “I am so happy,” she says as she skips, the blanket a cape. We dance again, carried by our bountiful joy.”</blockquote>

I get that the author is poking fun at the valley girl trope of airhead influencers. But like. Some of the dialogue was so juvenile lol. Maybe this is my bias because I’m not in contact with a lot of social media influencers, but it sometimes felt like these adult women were children.

But that’s not my biggest complaint about them. Basically, the Belladonnas have an annual trip to Bella Marie’s private island and Julie learns her new circle of friends are involved in worshipping a deity known as Eto. They are convinced sacrificing to Eto ensures social media success.

I feel like we lost the plot here. We went from looking into the superficial mechanisms of social media influencing to abrupt cult horror??? There was literally NO build up this this, no mention of Eto beforehand, even the slightest hint of the Belladonnas being involved in this stuff. There was so much nonsense mentioned about auras and eating mice, <b>“my aura was warm, golden, euphoric, but hers was cold and blue”</b> WTFFF???

I wouldn’t be opposed to it, but it just came so out of left field, I feel like it killed the storyline because everything became so illogical after. Julie decides the Belladonnas are evil and must die. She drugs them and sets them on fire. Bella Marie reveals she killed Julie because?? And then she ends up in jail and the ending is just circling back to the start of the story in the most unsatisfying way.

<b>Conclusion</b>

As a debut, I commend their author for such a bold story. Julie Chan is not Dead is a fun romp, but be prepared for nothing to make sense in the end lol.

Well this story took a much different turn than where I thought it was going. The first half starts out by laying out who Julie and Chloe are and paving the way for how we get to the second half. There is so much that happens in the second half. It’s a completely different tone and energy than the first half. I can’t say much because it would give away spoilers and I don’t like to do that. I will say if you like crazy, disturbing and bizarre things then you will enjoy it. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!!!

Thank you Atria for the ARC!

I enjoyed this book. It was well written and easy to read. There was a good level of suspense that kept me interested in reading. I look forward to seeing what else this author comes up with.

This book took me some time to get into - in the beginning I was caught off guard with more of a YA writing style that I wasn't expecting - but once we get past the setup and move into the second half of the novel I was much more intrigued. This story starts to feel a little campy too and employs a writing technique to pull you into a hallucinogenic experience that the main character is experiencing which I thought was great. The social commentary on influencers, privilege, and race felt a bit surface level to my tastes, but overall I had an enjoyable experience with this book for the story it was.

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions remain my own.

Likely a good for you, not for me scenario here. I've had it up to my chin with hearing about wellness influencers and their toxic bullshit so that really hampered my enjoyment here. The story tends young, and 25 year old me surely would have liked this if social media was a thing when I was 25. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to the publisher for this advanced copy! I flew through this book. The pacing was excellent and no sections of the book felt like they dragged at all. Chronically online readers will appreciate the anonymized nods to real life social media scandals and characters. The relationship--or lack thereof--between Julie and Chloe was handled well, leaving Julie as a morally dubious protagonist and Chloe haunting the narrative. Readers will be sucked into this story as they try to navigate the Twilight Zone-esque lives of Chloe and the Belladonnas, while trying to not give away her own scheme.

Darkly funny and a sharp commentary, I would recommend this book to all of my mystery-thriller readers who appreciate a unique take on the "it's a secret cult trope."