This was such a fun read that I just couldn't put it down and finished in a few hours!

The premise is insane and right up my alley. Julie is funny as hell - and honestly, who wouldn't do what she did in her situation? She's a little terrible, but in a relatable way.

The second half of the book may be divisive, but it was weird and disturbing in the best way. (I won't say more than that, I don't want to spoil it!)

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Thank you Net Galley for the E Arc!! Did I stay up utill 12 am to finish this gem of a book? Why yes I did. I quite literally could not put it down. This story follows Julie Chan who is down on her luck working at a grocery story when her long lost twin Chloe walks in and starts filming a Youtube video titled reunion with my long lost twin. Chloe is very much that girl on social media! Rich, beautiful...she has it all. After meeting Chloe, being ghosted by Chloe and receiving a strange call from Chloe, Julie decides to go to New York to her twin's apartment to check on her when she finds Chloe dead!!! What happens atter that is absolutely unhinged in the best way.
Julie steals Chloe's life and gets involved in crazy situations while pretending to be her that had my jaw on the floor! The ending of this story was absolutely bonkers and I couldn't stop reading. Also if you love a story about unhinged social media stars this hit. Highly recommend this thrilling, horrifying, funny story.

The premise of this book is what drew me in. A girl who steals the identity of her long lost twin and becomes an influence? What’s not to like.
As much as I did enjoy the book (had so much trouble putting it down), the beginning was a little slow for me.

Wow! What did I just read?

The premise of a twin accused of murdering her sister immediately pulled me in. I expected an innovative whodunit against the backdrop of social media's chaotic energy. Instead, I was confronted with a surreal mix of a murder mystery, an exposé on the dark side of social media ( which I appreciated), and an unsettling vibe reminiscent of Midsommar combined with the intentions of Black Mirror.

We are introduced to Julie, who is stuck in a dead-end job at a supermarket, while her identical twin, Chloe, basks in the limelight of social media fame and fortune. Their lives took a dramatic turn as toddlers when they lost their parents in a tragic car accident. In a cruel twist of fate, Chloe was adopted by a wealthy couple in New York City, while Julie was forced to grow up under the shadow of her resentful aunt.

Years later, Chloe's motives for reaching out to her long-lost twin are transparently self-serving; she seeks Julie solely to enhance her own social media presence. This leaves Julie grappling with feelings of invisibility and abandonment. One day, out of the blue, Julie receives a phone call from Chloe, which leads her to the shocking discovery of Chloe's death. This revelation thrusts her into the glitzy yet perilous world of social media influencers, where she is irresistibly drawn and gradually sinks into the whirlpool of fame and fortune, all while attempting to unravel the mystery of her sister's death and find her own identity.

Liann Zhang's writing is powerful and evocative, serving as the driving force that kept me engaged despite the story's lack of structure. The initial concept is intriguing, yet many plot gaps remain unaddressed, with an overwhelming number of elaborate descriptions of extravagant influencer parties that often detract from the main storyline.

Drawing from her own experience as a content creator, Liann effectively exposes the lucrative and often absurd world of social media. She skillfully incorporates real-life controversies, grounding the narrative in relatable reality. She candidly reveals the vapid nature of social media and its various personalities.

However, the book's second half left me baffled and scratching my head. The conclusion came too quickly and without the resolution I expected. It could serve as an allegory for the notion that all the extravagant portrayals of social media are merely a façade, hiding a deluge of superficiality, politics, and lies.

Overall, I would rate this book 2.75 to 3 stars, with an additional star awarded for Liann's impressive writing style. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this opportunity, as I discovered a new author. Thank you Atria Books for giving me this arc

Thank you to NetGalley, Liann Zhang, and Atria Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review (Unpaid).

Julie Chan is Dead is a intoxicating tale of mental illness, the costs of fame, and mystery. I was immediately sucked in by Zhang's writing, almost as if I was becoming a Belladonna myself. And the ending! Oh my god, the ending. It was perfect.

I found this book very interesting—it is definitely an intriguing commentary on social media and influencers. Twins Julie and Chloe lead vastly different and very separate lives, but then Chloe ends up dead and Julie seizes the opportunity to take over her life. A great concept and I loved the first half of the book, watching Julie pull this off. It was funny and often biting. The second half of the book was much darker, and I can’t say that I loved it. A few scenes were hard to stomach. The ending was not at all what I anticipated; I thought that the final twists were well done. I’ve heard many readers compare this book to Yellowface, and if you loved that book you should read this one too! Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.

This book was an electrifying thriller that had me hooked from start to finish. The first half simmers with an eerie unease—something feels off, and I couldn’t stop flipping pages to uncover the truth. Then the second half? Completely off the rails in the best way possible. I lost hours of sleep to this book, telling myself, “just one more chapter” until it was way past bedtime. Twisty, dark, and wildly unpredictable, this book kept me on edge until the final page. A solid 4-star read that delivers everything I want in a thriller—unexpected turns, eerie atmosphere, and a storyline that refuses to let go. Thank you for the ARC!

Julie Chan hates her life, which tracks since she’s a low-level Superfoods cashier living off pilfered candy bars with no financial prospects or personal connections. To further torment her already feeble psyche, she spends her evenings doom-scrolling Instagram and obsessively stalking the profile of Chloe VanHuusen, a successful social media influencer who also happens to be Julie’s estranged twin. Out of the blue, Chloe calls Julie warbling incomprehensibly, so Julie uses her last dollars to take a bus to NYC, only to arrive at Chloe’s brownstone and find her dead on the kitchen floor.

Afflicted, but ever the opportunist, Julie seizes her chance in the spotlight by unlocking Chloe’s phone (bcuz same face) and proceeds to adopt Chloe’s extravagant lifestyle. Julie might not know what a fortnight is, but she knows how to edit in three mid-rolls to a sponsored YouTube video despite having never created content until mere hours ago, an inconsistency that I won’t dwell upon further. As part of assuming Chloe’s identity, Julie is part of an exclusive club of viral internet streamers known as the Belladonnas, who are basically just 8 brainwashed Finding Nemo seagulls in wigs. The flock travels to a private island for an unplugged retreat and Julie finds herself slonking the kool-aid of group synergy and self-actualization pretty quickly. Some other stuff happens like a ritualistic fire seance and plant-based hallucinogens that while weird, seem harmless enough, but the plot then jarringly launches into a deranged horror show involving a dead guy with one eye, fleeing inmates, axes, and sacrificial rodents, which I was gravely underprepared for. All hail Eto or whatever I guess.

This started off at 4-stars for me as the first 65% was a relevant mockery of influencer culture intertwined with Julie’s unhinged musings, some of which were so out-of-pocket I’m wary to admit they kind of charmed me. Unfortunately, the word ‘uvula’ is used thrice, which is at least twice too many especially in one chapter, and the startling vibe-shift once the gulls land on Shutter Island made for a disjointed reading experience, ultimately warranting 3-stars.

What an absolutely stunning, satirical horror/thriller debut from Liann Zhang!

Julie Chan and her twin Chloe Van Huusen were separated as toddlers when their parents died in a car accident. Julie went to their abusive, opportunistic aunt, and Chloe went to a wealthy New York couple, the Van Huusens. After years of estrangement, Chloe calls Julie one day and sounds like she's in danger. Julie travels to New York to check on her and finds her twin dead in her Manhattan apartment. Feeling owed for the terrible life she had in comparison to Chloes cushy one, Julie decides to take Chloe's place and enjoy the perks of her wealthy influencer lifestyle. As she settles into Chloe's life, the Belladonas, an influencer friend group, start to answer questions Julie had about Chloe's life, while at the same time causing Julie to wonder about what really happened to Chloe, and if she's on the same dangerous route.

The social commentary and biting wit had me hooked from the beginning, and the ever escalating suspense had me staying up late trying to figure out what happened to Chloe. Zhang masterfully depicts the hilarity and sometimes depravity of the influencer lifestyle while raising the stakes ever higher to an absolutely explosive climax!

Fans of Bodies to Die For, Yellowface and Kismet will love this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I looooved this - totally nuts and frankly, exactly what I’d expect behind the scenes with a bunch of influencers

I’ve seen comparisons to Yellowface but I think that’s mostly for the 😬😬😬 feeling it evokes

Super funny while also being super creepy

This book was...kinda insane to be honest, but in like the best way possible. It's described as a thriller but I feel like horror comedy would be more accurate. Although I do feel like it was way over the top in so many ways, I still very much enjoyed it and was entertained the entire time. This was a great debut novel and I can't wait to see what Liann Zhang comes up with next!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

What do you do when your estranged sister dies? YOU TAKE OVER HER LIFE AND IMPERSONATE HER.

Julie Chan is Dead had me on the edge of my seat. I had so many questions. How did Chloe really die? Why don't her friends know Chloe isn't Chloe? Why are these social media girls so culty? YOU WANT HER TO EAT WHAT AS AN INITIATION?

Overall, this was a true definition of a thriller book, and I enjoyed my time with it. I do think this fits more of a niche thriller book - must love movies like Midsommar, Suspiria and Mean Girls.

Julie Chan Is Dead will be published on April 29, 2025. Thank you, Atria and Netgalley, for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this.I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this.

A wild and complex debut. A look into the darkest of the darkest side of social media influencers.

What. A. Book. Julie Chen is Dead is a heart pounding crazy story of Julie who takes over the life of her dead twin sister Chloe. She is immediately accepted into the posh world of the social media influencers called the Belladonnas led by Bella Marie. With each video posted Julie’s world becomes more and more driven by each like, each reaction, each comment.

But then she’s invited to a private island hosted by Bella and her minions. Insanity ensues. The second half of the book is wild and somewhat far fetched but wow is this a stunning debut.

I’m sure I’m not the first to say it, but when I first heard of this book I related it a lot to by R F Kuang and it had a very similar read to it the first half of the book. That being said, Julie has it a lot harder than June from yellowface as she wasn’t just stealing her twins work but also her identity altogether. Because of that she faced a lot more challenges with not only the fans but also her “friends” and acquaintances.

The second half of the book is where things got darker and was a very different and more eerie vibe. To be honest, the reason it took me a while to write a review is because I had to go back and re-read parts. When I first read it, I was so intrigued to find out the ending I think parts of it went over my head. Now that I have more of an understanding, I can say I enjoyed seeing how Julie handled situations as an outsider being thrown into her sisters world.

This was a thrill to read from start to finish.

While it reminded me of “Yellowface” for most of the story, it took a darker turn toward the end that felt more like “youthjuice”.

The writing and pace conveyed all of the bundled emotions of imposter syndrome and the lengths a person is willing to go for validation and inclusion.

Great debut!

In her razor-sharp debut thriller, Liann Zhang presents a gripping tale of identity and deception in "Julie Chan Is Dead." The story follows Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier who discovers the lifeless body of her estranged twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a successful social media influencer. Seizing the opportunity to escape her mundane life, Julie steps into Chloe’s shoes, effortlessly adopting her sister’s glamorous lifestyle. However, as Julie navigates Chloe’s world of luxury and influence, she uncovers dark secrets lurking behind the curated perfection. During a high-stakes island retreat with Chloe’s influencer circle, Julie is thrust into a web of intrigue and danger, uncovering the sinister forces that may have led to Chloe’s untimely death—and realizing she could be the next target.

"Julie Chan Is Dead" is an absolutely riveting blend of thriller and dark comedy that kept me glued to the pages. The mystery surrounding Chloe's life and death was both gripping and deeply immersive, reminiscent of the excitement I felt reading "Finlay Donovan." The first half of the book captivated me with its intriguing exploration of identity and the dark underbelly of influencer culture. The second half, set on an exotic island, escalated into a more surreal and extravagant adventure that was thoroughly entertaining. If you're seeking a novel that's unique, sharp, and engaging, I highly recommend this irresistible page-turner that offers a thrilling journey into a world where nothing is quite as it appears.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have so many words for this and it is all good. I went into this thinking it would be like Yellowface and instead of Liann just leaning into that she took a story we've seen before and made it entirely her own. The twists of this book were so gripping and you feel just so CONFLICTED throughout it. This does turn into a horror novel which I didn't expect and I loved that. The level of surprise in this is so well done. As you become more enthralled with Julie you start to see things turn but you're in so deep that I didn't even realize what was happening! The critiques on modern influencer culture, especially white rich women (hello NYC influencer scandal happening right as I was reading this) was incredibly grounded.

I think I liked the ending the best contrary to what many people say. It made total sense and I ate it up. This is an insanely amazing debut novel and is a must read!!!

f you like culty, bat shit off the rails crazy, twisted, and horror, this is for you. 🙀

Twins Julie and Chloe are separated after the death of their parents. Julie goes to live with a bitter aunt while Chloe gets adopted by a rich white family. They both go many years without contact, until one day Chloe shows up at Julie's work (a cashier) recording her "reunion" with her long-lost sister. Chloe is a social media influencer who decides to use her life story about her twin sister to gain more followers. Julie is gifted a home and "change of life" by Julie. All contact stops once the socials start climbing for Chloe until one day, Julie receives a very weird call from chloe, and chole disappears. Concerned Julie decides to go check in on Chloe in New York, arriving at her apartment to find Chloe dead.

I enjoyed the first half of the book. Mysterious and lots of character build, funny. The second half however went completely left field! 😳
Over-the-top top, repetitive, creepy, not what I predicting at all. Overall, it was entertaining, but not my cup of tea.

Thank you, Netgalley, for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars.*

I'd seen this title on a few lists of new releases not to miss and was excited to see it as an offering on NetGalley.

It is the first book by Liann Zhang that I have read and I enjoyed her voice and the very of-the-moment story.

Julie Chan is one of a set of twins who were separated when their parents died in an accident. Julie was taken in (reluctantly) by her aunt and Chloe was adopted by the uber wealthy, caucasian VanHuusen family. Rumor has it that the VanHuusen's only adopted an asian child to compensate for racist comments they made that were leaked to the press.

Chloe grows up to become a famous influencer and Julie struggles to make ends meet working at a grocery store. Chloe reaches out to Julie and films a segment where she gives Julie a home and gives her hope of a connection. But that doesn't happen. It was clearly all for views. When Chloe calls and leaves a panicky crypic message, Julie decides to go to her apartment to find out what is going on. She finds Chloe dead and rather than go back to her sad life, she decides to pass off the dead body as herself and take over Chloe's life.

It is a strange but clever tale. I hated almost all of the characters, but really liked the plot and enjoyed the ride!

*with thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.