I am not Jessica Chen

By: Ann Liang

Official Synopsis:

After getting rejected by every single Ivy League she applied to and falling short of all her Asian immigrant parents’ expectations, seventeen-year-old Jenna Chen makes a wish to become her smarter, infinitely more successful Harvard-bound cousin, Jessica Chen—only for her wish to come true. Literally.

Now trapped inside Jessica’s body, with access to Jessica’s most private journals and secrets, Jenna soon discovers that being the top student at the elite, highly competitive Havenwood Private Academy isn’t quite what she imagined. Worse, as everyone—including her own parents—start having trouble remembering who Jenna Chen is, or if she ever even existed, Jenna must decide if playing the role of the perfect daughter and student is worth losing her true self forever.

My Review:

I am not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang had me go through all of the emotions. I cried twice before the end of the first chapter. Since I am also waiting for decisions from schools, this hit close to home. Jenna Chen has always wished to be her cousin Jessica Chen, with her good grades and perfect family. However, when Jenna’s wish come’s true she realizes the struggles Jessica goes through everyday and how her life is not as bad as she made it out to be.

As always, this author knocked the ball out of the park! Her writing style is so beautiful and makes me feel as if I am right there with the character. This book can appeal to everyone, not just teens. It perfectly encapsulates the feeling of wanting to be someone else and not feeling good enough. Particularly in this day and age, technology and social media can result in people wishing they had a different life. Once I read this book, my perspective altered. I saw how people can not see everything on the outside. Everyone has their own problems and issues that are hidden behind a curtain.

Jenna Chen, the main character, has such a relatable vibe to her. Throughout the book, Jenna has so much personal growth. At the beginning, she felt insecure and unsure about herself. Towards the end, she realized that her life was not one to through away and it had so much potential. This book and these characters are a masterpiece. 

Ultimately, this book was beautiful. The author perfectly encapsulated what it feels like to compare yourself to others and how to move past that. I would rate this book a five out of five stars.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Format: Hardback Book