This is part of my Summer Reads series where I’ll be sharing book recommendations – a series of “not just cookbooks”.
This week’s Summer Reads pick came out earlier this spring but it’s the PERFECT beach/ plane/ cruise/ couch read to include in this year’s series! This week’s author is “a second-generation Chinese Canadian who splits her time between Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario. After a short stint as a skincare content creator, she graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in psychology and criminology. Julie Chan Is Dead is her first novel.”
Why would it be relevant that Zhang was a skincare content creator, you may ask? Well, it’s much more relevant that you’d think…
From the publisher:
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.
Whoah, right? What a premise! (and you can see the relevance of Zhang’s stint in content creation, right?)
This was a complete roller coaster of a ride – I devoured it in a day, it was THAT readable! I will say that while the first 75%. of the story was a solid 5 stars, the last little bit and the ending…. welllll…. it just got a little *too* kooky for me 😉 Despite this, it was a hugely entertaining read that I could not put down. Be willing to look past a very odd plot twist and suspend disbelief for a few chapters but at that point, you’re in so deep you have to find out how it ends 😉 Julie, whilst very unlikable in parts, was a fascinating protagonist who you do find yourself rooting for despite, well… everything! A deep dive into “influencer life” up close and personal.
Very dark, very weird, very readable, very addictive!
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Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am not receiving any compensation for reviewing the book. Neither the publicist nor the publisher reviewed this post prior to publication. All opinions are my own.
Buy Julie Chan is Dead on Amazon (this affiliate link should bring you to the Amazon store in, or closest to, your country).
For free worldwide shipping, find Julie Chan is Dead on Blackwell’s.
Support your local Indie bookstore and purchase Julie Chan is Dead on Bookshop.org.
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Please note: This post contains affiliate links. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post also contains affiliate links for Blackwell’s and Bookshop.org. This means that if you click over and purchase something, I will receive a very small percentage of the purchase price (at no extra cost to you). Thank you in advance!
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