Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang Review

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

Julie, a simple grocery store worker, leads an ordinary life. But her quiet existence is disrupted by a series of events that throw her into a world she never imagined.
As she delves deeper into the mystery of Chloe, she uncovers secrets that threaten her perception of her own life.
So many twists and turns you don’t see coming. Read this so fast, it was hard to put down. Highly recommend.

Synopsis:

In this razor-sharp, diabolical debut thriller, a young woman steps into her deceased twin’s influencer life, only to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade.

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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First Book of 2018 Here We Go!

 Happy New Year ! 2018 promises to be an awesome year.

To kick off the year, Sheila over at Book Journey, has a yearly tradition, 1st Book Of The Year .

This is what she says:

Here is what First Book is.  The first book of the New Year should be:

A.  A coveted book that you have wanted to read but have just not found the time.

B.  A delicious favorite… one you have read before, but crave to read again.

C.  Really whatever you want it to – it is after all YOUR First Book Of the year.

Make it AWESOME.

My first book of the year is ..... drumroll please.........

The Man In The Black Suit by Sylvain Reynard

If you have never read a book by this author, waaahh??? GO GET IT!!!  If you love a good, romantic love story, GO NOW!! 

About this book:

Brazilian Acacia Santos excels at her job as concierge at the prestigious Hotel Victoire in Paris. When her senior colleague is attacked and sent to the hospital, she is tasked with serving one of the hotel’s most mysterious and attractive guests.

Nicholas Cassirer checks into the hotel under an assumed name every three months. Usually, he stays in the penthouse suite with a beautiful female companion but on this occasion, he arrives alone and is displeased in having to deal with someone new. A match of wits ensues as he tests Acacia’s expertise with a series of almost impossible demands. Her intelligence and creativity rise to the challenge, earning his respect.

They strike a tenuous accord until Acacia discovers a famous stolen painting in his suite. Compelled to report her discovery, she contacts a former boyfriend who works for the elite BRB, a unit of French law enforcement that deals with stolen art.

Nicholas is questioned by police and released when it is revealed the painting is a reproduction. Irked with her behavior, Acacia’s supervisor demotes her, threatening dismissal and the cancellation of her work permit.

But Acacia has already attracted Nicholas’s attention. Remorseful that she may lose her job on his account, he offers her a choice—she can wait until her supervisor dismisses her, or she can leave the city of lights behind and become his personal assistant.

Acacia initially refuses his offer, but Nicholas is persistent. He reveals himself as a man who quietly acquires stolen art in order to restore it to its rightful owners. Faced with mounting familial debts and the possibility of dismissal and deportation, she agrees to work for him.

Nicholas opens up a whole new world of beauty and intrigue to Acacia as they travel the globe. Soon the line between employer and assistant is blurred, and the two lonely people embark on a passionate relationship.

Secrets and danger abound as Nicholas and Acacia try to solve the mystery of a piece of stolen art. But Acacia may prove to be the most dangerous mystery of all.

Other books by Sylvain Reynard

Recieved notice that i just : original post 5/28/2009

snagged Tender Graces By Kathryn Magendie!! Amazon description:

Product Description
TENDER GRACES Kathryn Magendie Trade paperback, April 2009, Bell Bridge Books Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Southern A gentle yet unflinching look at how we find our way home. A woman returns to her West Virginia roots to resolve the ghosts of her childhood. In the tradition of Rebecca Wells, Sue Monk Kidd, Olive Ann Burns, and Dorothy Allison. TENDER GRACES by Kathryn Magendie is strong literary women’s fiction written with exquisite style. The death of her troubled mother and memories of her abused grandmother lure a young woman back to the Appalachian hollow where she was born. Virginia Kate, the daughter of a beautiful mountain wild-child and a slick, Shakespeare-quoting salesman, relives her turbulent childhood and the pain of her mother’s betrayals. Haunted by ghosts and buried family secrets, Virginia Kate struggles to reconcile three generations of her family’s lost innocence. Rave reviews include: "Kathryn Magendie's TENDER GRACES is a powerful, moving and beautifully written debut. With rich detail, vivid imagery and finely drawn characters who leap off the page, drag you into their lives and make you root for them, this book will command your attention all the way to the final page...and leave you wishing for more."--Danielle Younge-Ullman, author of FALLING UNDER “Kathryn Magendie's TENDER GRACES leaves a ghostly trail of broken hearts from by-God West Virginia to Texas to the shimmering seasons of Louisiana where real love and an unexpected home is found for a lost child. Reminiscent of early Lee Smith and Silas House, Magendie's Virginia Kate Carey is the steady beating pulse of this beautiful narrative that sweeps through a lifetime of loss, grief, and ultimately redemption and what it means to go home again.” – Kerry Madden, author, Gentle’s Holler “Gifted” – Deborah LeBlanc, author “Powerful” – Angie Ledbetter, author “Arresting” – David Madden, author “A poem to childhood” – Ed Cullen, NPR contributor “Held me spellbound” – Cheryl’s Book Nook reviews “Poetic” -- J. Kaye’s Book Blog “Poignant and funny” – Booklove reviews “Simply amazing” – Firestalker Reviews “I truly couldn’t put it down” – Suburban Sanity Reviews “Don’t miss this book”—The Serenity Room Reviews “Highly recommended – Kaye’s Penguin Posts Reviews “TENDER GRACES by Kathryn Magendie is the kind of book that sticks with you long after you finish it. I turned the last page this morning, and I still can't get the characters out of my head. . . I highly recommend Tender Graces, and I know it will make my list of favorite books for the year.” – Diary of an Eccentric Reviews “This is supposed to be a review of Kathryn Magendie’s exquisite literary novel, not a general discussion of my father’s peculiarities, but maybe that’s my point. Tender Graces became part of my family. Virginia Kate could have been me. Her mother could have been my father’s mother. Her brother Micah could have been my Dad. Maybe that’s the highest praise I could ever give a book anyway: I couldn’t separate my reality from Magendie’s fiction.” – Katrina Stonoff, Let it Simmer Reviews

Sounds like a wonderful story and can't wait to read it!