One shooting star, one risky wish, two lost souls (literally).

Woah. This was a powerful read. This was my first Ann Liang book, and I’ve got to say I really, really liked it! It was fun, raw, romantic, emotional…

I felt so seen as I read this. Jenna is such a relatable character, in a depressing way unfortunately, but it made it super easy to connect with the story and her, which is a big win in my book. The character development was slower than I’d have liked, but I really loved Jenna in the end!

The romance was light, but it was still there, and I loved it for what it was! Aaron and Jenna were just ugh so cute. That boy loved the hell out of her, and the chemistry was so strong I may have screamed at the really cute scenes between the two.

I really like the aesthetic of this, and the writing is beautiful—painfully so sometimes. I listened to the audiobook as I read along, and it was such a lovely experience. The narration was wonderful; everything was delivered perfectly, even the accents were amazingly done! I can definitely say I have a new favorite way of reading and even a new favorite author, as well as narrator!

A couple of things I’ve taken from this book: never take for granted the life you have, don’t let someone’s facade fool you into thinking they have everything, and never wish for someone else’s life because being you is the best possible thing.

3.6 ★

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠!

I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang
•spoiler-free review•

This is the third book I’ve read by this author, and just like the others, I greatly enjoyed it! It’s a body swap story about Jenna, who feels inferior to everyone and thinks that her life would be better if she was her perfect cousin, Jessica.

Although I don’t think this book does anything shocking, it doesn’t need to. The lesson about being careful what you wish for is important, especially for teens. I was very gripped by the second half of this book, and discovering Jessica’s flaws. It took me a bit to get into, but I’m glad I stuck around.

I’m excited to read her other works coming out this year!

4.50 ⭐️

qotd: have you read any of Ann Liang’s work before?

Thanks you @netgalley and @harlequin_audio for the audiobook ARC!

#bookstagram #netgalley #netgalleyreviewer #audiobook #yafiction #yabookstagram #arcreview #annliang #booksbooksbooks #newbooks #2025books

THIS IS AN AMAZING BOOK. Exceeded all my expectations. It was my first Ann Liang read, and I'm looking forward to reading more books by her.

This is the second of Ann Liang’s novels that I’ve read and I absolutely love her style of writing!
💫💫💫💫💫/5
Jenna Chen has felt constantly compared to her cousin Jessica Chen for as long as she can remember. But what happens when she gets her wish to BECOME Jessica?
This novel was very beautifully written about how sometimes we don’t see our own worth and how self comparison can negatively impact our self view. It also deals a lot with the concept of not knowing what we have and how to appreciate it until it’s gone.

“Sometimes I forget that in the bigger scheme of things, it’s okay to not be the best at everything.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Ann Liang for the audio coly!

4.8/5 stars — it felt like, and I mean this sincerely as a compliment, an elevated DCOM. Jenna’s arc is so relatable and the ROMANCE OMGGGG 🥰 it did reach a point in the middle where things felt a little slow and repetitive for me, but the ending was so strong and I love Ann Liang’s writing so much!

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5

Kept me asking myself “where the hell is Jenna??” Perfect for those who have asked themselves what would it be like to be someone else, specially someone who you admire or feel jealous of. But just as it happened to Jenna, one must be careful what one wishes for.

Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing.

Okay, I am not sure where to start with this. I will say that I enjoyed the audiobook greatly. The narrator was great and the production was very nice and smooth. I just was not a fan of the book itself. The plot felt generic but that has nothing to do with the audiobook. I will definitely pick up whatever this narrator does.

I Am Not Jessica Chen is a story of jealousy, identity, and the pressures of perfection, following Jenna as she magically takes over her cousin Jessica’s body—only to realize that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. What starts as an escape from her own insecurities quickly turns into a high-stakes nightmare, with academic pressure, anxiety, and the struggle to maintain Jessica’s “perfect” life, pushing Jenna to the edge.

The book has a strong theme of self-worth, but it leans heavily into angsty teen emotions—lots of yearning, jealousy, and self-deprecating inner monologues. Jenna’s low self-esteem is a major focus, and it takes someone else appreciating her and admiring her to see her own value. It’s a relatable journey, though at times, the “woe is me” tone felt a bit overdone.

I liked the idea that even when Jenna thought she had nothing, she ultimately realized she had everything. It’s a powerful message—too bad everyone can’t have a magical body-swap experience to teach them gratitude and contentment! However, the plot itself was predictable, and the story required some serious suspension of disbelief, especially with elements like people forgetting Jenna ever existed.

Overall, I Am Not Jessica Chen is a compelling, if somewhat overdramatic, exploration of striving for perfection and learning to appreciate what you already have. It might not be the most surprising read, but its themes will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt like they weren’t enough.

ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is definitely a case of <i>be careful what you wish for because you just might get it</i>.

Envious of her seemingly perfect cousin Jessica's life, Jenna makes a wish to <i>be</i> Jessica. While everything seems wonderful at first, Jenna slowly discovers that oh-so-perfect Jessica is far from perfect.

More horrifying still, Jenna discovers that her cousin didn't not end up in her life, but rather, that Jessica's soul seems to be missing. It also seems that all of their friends and family are beginning to forget that Jenna herself even existed.

It's been just over a month since I've finished this book, and I'm still not quite certain how to properly review my experience. While I was hooked by the horror of the possibility that both Jessica's soul and the memory of Jenna fading into nothingness and the discovery that perfection is often uglier than it appears, I felt like I was left wanting for something that I can't quite put my finger on. It might just be that I've not read much magical realism and I'm still adjusting to the genre.

Still, the lesson of this story is an important one and, while I am new to reading magical realism, I enjoyed how I was able to feel the suffocating feeling of living someone else's life while struggling with your own sense of worthiness and identity.

This was my first Ann Liang book, and I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future.

This book is a love letter to all the gifted students out there who suffer(ed) endless burnout climbing up the tallest mountain only to reach the peak and still feel like you’re not good enough.
Jenna Chen is smart, but she’s not /as/ smart as her cousin Jessica Chen, who receives about every award there is and gets top marks. She even got into Harvard, whereas Jenna didn’t. If only Jenna could hate her, but Jessica also happens to be the kindest person.
This book really harps on the damaging effects familial expectations can have, as well as generational guilt. “I have to be the best— because my parents sacrificed everything for me to be here”. I feel like a lot of kids of immigrants feel this way, myself included.
Jenna made a wish to be Jessica, and it came true. But there was no Freaky Friday situation. Jessica was essentially in the ether, and Jenna’s real life and memory (people’s memory of her, not actually her own memory) began to fade the longer she became Jessica. She also learned that life isn’t always greener on the other side. Jessica struggles a lot—- what looks like so much on someone’s plate IS a lot. She has pressures of her own.
I am glad that Jenna got to experience both the highs and lows of being Jessica, because I think it enabled her to appreciate more who she is and their differences, and begin to move past the self-hate. Aaron was also a great support, and I love that he was always there rooting for the real Jenna. In the end nothing really changed, just how the two girl’s viewed their own lives. It was a good coming of age moment right before they head off to college.

Thank you Harlequin Audio for the listen!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for this arc audio. I really enjoyed this narration and the story. When you wish to be someone else, but aren't expecting for your wish to come true. This was a really good story, I enjoyed it.

Who hasn’t thought they’d like to switch places with someone who seemingly has an easier life? Even with the magical realism of becoming another person, the main character is deeply relatable with so many normal thoughts, doubts, dreams. It is gratifying to see her learn that everyone, no matter how perfect their life may seem, has their own challenges and struggles. These lessons, softened by a sweet little romance, add up to a very satisfying story. The narrator does a beautiful job as well!

Ann Liang does it again by making a person feel seen through her characters. This story speaks to anyone who just has never felt like they were enough, no matter what.

The voice actor for the audiobook did such an incredible job! I was so engaged and it felt like I was really listening to the characters speak.

For me personally, I wish there were details on the paranormal aspects of this story. I was really interested in how it all worked out, but I felt like there were a lot of holes in the paranormal element in the story.

Overall, an enjoyable story!

Jenna has worked her whole live to make her family proud, to make herself proud, to reach her goals, to be perfect. And she has fallen short, in her eyes. Meanwhile, her cousin, Jessica, is everything she wishes she could be. One wish later, she wakes up in her cousin's body, with her own, and her cousin's mind, no where to be found.

Through her misadventures in her cousin's life, she learns that the boy she loves, likes her more, that her cousin is far from perfect, to stand up for herself, and mostly, that she wants to live her own life, imperfect and all.

This story was a wonderful adventure in loving yourself and a lesson in "the grass is always greener on the other side." Layer in is racism issues from her Asian heritage (google says Chinese-American, specifically, but for the life of me it is slipping my mind.) and a romance plot in which Jenna realizes she is more than enough.

Jenna is a lovely protagonist, and damn I recognize the struggle of not feeling like you're enough. Some of those lines hurt my heart a bit.

Great book for anyone struggling with not feeling like they're enough.

I loved these characters and this story. This took me back to high school insecurities in a way that was so relatable. A great story about how the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

The audiobook was well done with great narration

Jenna Chen has spent her whole life in the shadow of her perfect cousin, Jessica. Jessica is everything Jenna is not, complete with her brand new acceptance to Harvard. That night Jenna makes a wish on a shooting star. She wishes she were Jessica. When she wakes up the next morning, she is, and her life is immediately and infinitely better. But where is Jessica? And how come people can’t really remember Jenna? And is Jessica’s life really that perfect?

This isn’t really a happy story, but I tink it’s an important one. It’s especially recommended for anyone who’s ever wanted it all or who’s ever felt second best. Jenna is such a richly developed character, and one you sometimes hate to love. She’s also wildly relatable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Katharine Chin’s narration was perfect. She was 100% Jenna,

Ann Liang shines again in this moving story that explores the complexities of identity, belonging, and self-discovery. Jenna Chen has always lived in the shadow of her perfect cousin, Jessica Chen—who has everything Jenna has ever longed for: intelligence, beauty, and wealth. After a strange meteorological event, Jenna wakes up in Jessica's body and begins living as her—only to realize that her own existence is gradually fading from the memories of those she loves.

Narrator Katherine Chin enhances our understanding of the story with energy, warmth, and vulnerability.

4 out of 5 stars

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to listen to an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine you have a cousin who is perfect in every way. Now Lets imagine that she gets into the Ivy League school that you also applied to but did not in. Let then try and imagine that the boy you love is in love with her. So on one magical night you make a wish to be her. How do you think that turns out? Let me tell you...not great. This was a good YA novel.

Imagine wishing to be someone else, only to wake up and find that your wish has come true. Jenna, feeling overshadowed by her cousin Jessica—who is smart, popular, and seemingly perfect—makes a wish after learning that Jessica got into her dream college while Jenna did not. The next morning, Jenna wakes up in Jessica’s body, thrilled to finally become just like Jessica.

This book is exceptionally well-written and captivating. I couldn't put it down. It offers a great reminder to be careful what you wish for and explores the idea that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. The story vividly captures the pressure of feeling inadequate and constantly comparing oneself to others in a world that pushes for perfection.

Jenna’s journey, struggling with feelings of failure and longing to be like her cousin, was incredibly relatable. Once she tasted that power, she couldn’t let go. It was also eye-opening to see Jessica’s life from the inside, especially her true home life. Aaron was an outstanding friend throughout, and I really enjoyed his character.

The audiobook was fantastic. The narrator brought the characters to life with perfect tone, pitch, and pacing, making it an immersive experience.

The cover is stunning and perfectly reflects the themes of the book. It’s a true masterpiece.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and Ann Liang for this wonderful ALC.