Review by Booklist Review
Jessica Chen is perfect--and now Jenna Chen is Jessica Chen, and Jenna is ready to bask in the spotlight that her cousin Jessica has always claimed. However, being inexplicably trapped in Jessica's body means that Jenna has to impersonate her cousin when Jenna has spent her whole life as the hardworking runner-up. As Jenna navigates Jessica's life, she learns to appreciate aspects of her own, but in an unexpected twist, that isn't enough for Jenna to want to return to her own body. This raw narrative explores the immense pressure of being a child whose family has sacrificed for their success, while sketching out how harmful the "model minority" status can be. The intensity of Jenna's self-hatred is atypical for YA and is the driving force of the story; this is not a fast-paced speculative novel. However, it contains an invaluable message for every high-school student who feels like a perfect SAT score and a 5 on every AP exam are the only things that make their life worthwhile: you are not alone.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A Chinese American high school senior who wants to be more like her perfect popular cousin gets more than she wished for in this haunting speculative novel by Liang (I Hope This Doesn't Find You). Jenna Chen has been rejected from Harvard, an event that not only disappoints her immigrant parents but once again puts her in the shadow of her Harvard-bound cousin Jessica. Tired of feeling inferior, Jenna wishes upon a shooting star--"I wish I was Jessica Chen"--and suddenly finds herself trapped in Jessica's body. Jenna finally gets a taste of what it's like to live Jessica's life, but all is not as it seems. Jessica's journal reveals her true feelings and deep secrets of her own. And after receiving cryptic messages, Jenna learns that Jessica might not be as beloved as she thinks. Amid these revelations, Jenna contends with feelings for her childhood friend and crush until a larger problem surfaces: Jenna's memories of her old life are fading. Via vivid prose, Liang grapples with identity, desire, and issues surrounding self-worth, immigrant parents' expectations, and class divides. Ages 13--up. Agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary. (Jan.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Jenna Chen has never been the best, or the brightest. Much to her parents' disappointment, she has been entirely average--living in the shadow of her beautiful, talented, and perfect cousin Jessica. When college admissions letters start pouring in, it's no surprise that Jessica gets in to all the Ivy Leagues and Jenna does not. Feeling defeated (and just a little jealous), Jenna makes a wish on a shooting star--that she could change places with her cousin and finally have the perfect life she desires. What follows is a creative twist on the classic Freaky Friday trope. Jenna wakes up in Jessica's body, and she has to navigate her new life, while trying to figure out why the more time passes, the more the memory of her old life seems to fade--as if she never existed at all. This is a poignant exploration of what it means to be uniquely "you" and the struggles of wanting what you don't have. The supporting characters are diverse and uniquely flawed, adding depth to Jenna's character and propelling the story with its relatability. VERDICT Hand this to students who never feel like what they do is enough, who just want to feel seen, and who long for that moment of fame and feeling perfect. Highly recommended.--Ashley Grillo
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Seventeen-year-old Jenna Chen gets her heart's desire when she makes a wish to become her perfect cousin, Jessica. Jenna and Jessica are Chinese American seniors at the cutthroat Havenwood Academy. But while Jessica's exemplary academic and athletic performance has earned her admiration from teachers and peers alike, Jenna has always fallen short of expectations, no matter how hard she works. In a moment of despair, Jenna wishes on a shooting star to be Jessica--and is astonished to wake up the next morning in Jessica's body. At first, being Havenwood's star pupil is a dream come true for Jenna, whose hunger for outward approval is finally satisfied by the praise that's being heaped upon her. But Jenna's bliss fades as she experiences the immense social pressures that forced Jessica to maintain her spotless record. She feels a creeping sense of unease as everyone around her seems to forget her own actual existence, apart from Aaron Cai, her childhood friend and unrequited crush, who recently returned from studying abroad. Liang's latest examines the costs of pursuing perfection through a vivid portrayal of the mental and emotional toll it takes on Jenna, Jessica, and their peers. Jenna's artistic eye sometimes manifests in overly ornate prose in her first-person narration, but the vulnerability of her voice will pull readers in. A sincere and emotionally astute story offering reassurance to anyone who feels like they don't matter.(Speculative fiction. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
