“A fantastically smart, funny, and thoughtful thriller.”—Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star The year is 1998: Titanic just won six Oscars, boy bands are dominating MTV’s airwaves, and like any other teenager Jess Flynn is just trying to survive high school. Between a crush on her childhood best friend, overprotective parents, … childhood best friend, overprotective parents, and her sister’s worsening health, the only constant is her hometown of Swickley, which feels smaller by the day.
Jess is resigned to her small-town life, until the day she discovers a mysterious device with an apple logo, causing her to question everything and everyone she’s ever known. As more cracks appear in Jess’s world, she faces a choice: can she live the rest of her life knowing it’s a lie, or should she risk everything for the truth?
A fast-paced, mind-bending YA thriller packed with ’90s pop culture references and perfect for fans of Riverdale, This Is Not the Jess Show will keep readers guessing until the very end.
And don’t miss the explosive and thrilling conclusion, This Is Not the Real World!
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This was a really fun read!! I loved the movie The Truman Show, so as soon as I realized that this book was the same premise, I was very excited! I am a tiny bit disappointed with the ending. I would have loved to see Jess’s parents keep looking for her and actually care about her. That part was definitely a little hard to swallow, and even after everything they had done, I was still holding out hope. It was nice to see Jess end up with people that truly loved her though, so I didn’t dock a star for the other part of the ending. I absolutely loved all of the 90’s references!! It was like reliving a part of my childhood, and I had all the nostalgic feelings!
I’ve been a big fan of Anna Carey ever since I read her Blackbird duology years ago (amazing YA thrillers btw) so I already knew I loved her fast-paced and twist-filled writing style, but wow did she blow me away with this one. It’s basically like The Truman Show meets My So-called Life. And yes, it’s exactly as amazing as you’d expect from a mashup like that. I won’t spoil any plot details but since I grew up in the ’90s, I was living for all the nostalgia packed into this book. I’m so excited that there is at least one more book planned in this series because this does end on somewhat of a cliffhanger (and it’s such a good cliffhanger!). If you want a fast-paced fun read that packed full of twists, 90’s goodness, and teen angst, you’ll love this one as much as I did.
Had me from the first page. This one takes off and you will not want to put it down till you’re done reading. I loved it!
2.5 Stars…I had such high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. If you suspend ALL belief and try your best not to over-think this story, then you’ll enjoy it. The second you start questioning things (like how in the WORLD Jess failed to realize sooner that she lived in a TV show SET…or how for 17 years so many people (actors) around her let this child grow up in such a manipulative and abusive manner) then the story falls apart.
Maybe I’m just too old for this book. At 40 years old, all I could think of was how incredibly messed up all these people were. How were her parents able to do this?? How was the production company legally able to get away with such a thing?
As for the ending, if that was it, and this is a stand-alone book, then the ending was awful. It felt rushed and incredibly unresolved, not to mention utterly ridiculous. However, if this is going to continue as a series, then the ending makes a bit more sense and can be forgiven. I hope there is a second book because there are a LOT of things that need to be explained.
Overall, the plot itself is a cool idea, but I feel like the execution could have been a lot better. As it is, we never see any resolution with her ‘friends’ or family. The story was fleshed out in all the wrong places. In the end, I think this book will go over better with the younger set who won’t over-analyze everything and just take this for what it is…a messed up reality show story. Anyone over 28 will most likely find this unrealistic and abusive.
This is Not the Jess Show by Anna Carey will probably become quickly popular with its intended young adult audience. It includes some romance and teen angst while addressing current Youtube/Tok Tok culture, throwing in a touch of reality television as well. The combination of these hot buttons might have wide-spread appeal, but its premise and execution here are not terribly original. Reminiscent of the “Truman Show” and some episodes of “Black Mirror,”, the plot of Carey’s book is already well-worn by better versions. Jess is a teen who is a protype child of the 1990’s and references to that era abound in the novel. She has her core group of friends, one of whom is a boy who she is beginning to have deeper feelings toward. Her life is relatively easy and uncomplicated, except for some typical conflict with her parents and a younger sister whose terminal illness envelops the family’s every moment. Things take a strange turn, however, when Jess starts noticing some weird coincidences and unexplainable happenings popping up around her. When she questions others about what she is experiencing, everyone seems to be covering up a secret of some sort. She soon discovers that everything that she remembers growing up in the town of Swickley is not as she has been led to believe. The story has some thrilling moments and interesting twists, but there are some major non-sequiturs and inconsistencies that will hopefully be corrected prior to the books’ final publication. Light and topically relevant, This is Not the Jess Show is far from great literature, but will still undoubtedly draw in those young readers who avidly follow the current digital zeitgeist.
Thanks to the author, Quirk Books and Library Thing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.