Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang

Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Atria Books via NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
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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.
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I really enjoyed this debut novel from Liann Zhang, but I am having trouble putting into words the reasons I did. It's described as a thriller, but it's not one of those twisty, turny psychological thrillers that you want to race to get to the end of. This book is quite a ride, however, and the plot includes some timely commentary about the electronic world we are living in and the focus we all place on our status in it. It was darkly funny, bent reality almost to the breaking point, and made me uncomfortable in a good way. It was a great way to spend a rainy Saturday off.

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