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Enemy Self
(Similar to Freaky Friday but this plot is a drama)"I Have A Secret, I'm Trapped In My Bully's Body!" Jessica Wheaton, a sweet and innocent high school girl, suddenly finds herself transformed into the body of her bully, Denise Bower. She lives Denise's life and experiences all the struggles Denise endures including child abuse, incest, drug experimentation, failing school grades, and dangerous relationships with men. Finally escaping from an abusive home, Jessica (in the body of Denise) goes on a tumultuous journey of violence, drug addiction, rape and prostitution. She is in an endless search for love and true identity. Will Jessica ever find a way to return to her body? Will she ever experience true love? How can she possibly defeat her enemy if she is her enemy?
- GenresThriller
455 pages, Paperback
First published July 10, 2015
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180 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 4, 2021
Jessica Wheaton is constantly bullied by Denise Bower. The last thing that Jessica ever expects is to wake up in Denise's bed and in her body. She is immediately accused of drug usage and assaulted by Denise's father then further chewed out by Denise's mother. Jessica, who is usually a straight A student, struggles in Denise's body as teachers only expect the worst from her. Jessica in Denise's body also can't get Denise to admit that she is in her body and Jessica quickly spirals into self destruction and drugs in Denise's body. Jessica takes Denise's through a series of risky choices, prostitution and illicit drug uses and she spirals out of control, reliving Denise's memories and forgetting herself.
Enemy Self is an intriguing read with a lot of potential; however, had me confused throughout. I liked the premise of being switched into your bully's body to gain perspective on their life. This story only focused on Jessica as Denise though, so the perspective Denise as Jessica gains is completely lost. There is a hint of how Jessica and Denise switched bodies in the very beginning, but nothing was fully explained until a large info dump at the end. I think things would have been far less confusing if the paranormal element was carried throughout the story. Jessica as Denise seemed like a very weak character, she immediately forgot every character trait that Jessica had: hardworking, kind, intelligent and embodied everything she disliked about Denise. Jessica's voice was also odd for a teenager who was supposed to be in middle school as she says things such as " Golly, I felt like a goofy kid again." A firmer setting also would have lent more understanding to the story, a single mention of the year being 1969 more than half way through is the only mention of the time period, which instantly made many things make more sense. Even with all this, the story pulled me forward as I desperately wanted to know what was going on and if the two girls would ever switch back. The whole story is an interesting examination of a teenager's downward spiral and the dangers of unsupportive parents and teachers.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Enemy Self is an intriguing read with a lot of potential; however, had me confused throughout. I liked the premise of being switched into your bully's body to gain perspective on their life. This story only focused on Jessica as Denise though, so the perspective Denise as Jessica gains is completely lost. There is a hint of how Jessica and Denise switched bodies in the very beginning, but nothing was fully explained until a large info dump at the end. I think things would have been far less confusing if the paranormal element was carried throughout the story. Jessica as Denise seemed like a very weak character, she immediately forgot every character trait that Jessica had: hardworking, kind, intelligent and embodied everything she disliked about Denise. Jessica's voice was also odd for a teenager who was supposed to be in middle school as she says things such as " Golly, I felt like a goofy kid again." A firmer setting also would have lent more understanding to the story, a single mention of the year being 1969 more than half way through is the only mention of the time period, which instantly made many things make more sense. Even with all this, the story pulled me forward as I desperately wanted to know what was going on and if the two girls would ever switch back. The whole story is an interesting examination of a teenager's downward spiral and the dangers of unsupportive parents and teachers.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
December 16, 2025
Enemy Self by Suzanne Kovitz is a deeply moving and challenging novel that takes the familiar body-swap concept and transforms it into a powerful dramatic exploration of trauma, identity, and compassion. While the premise may initially recall lighthearted stories like Freaky Friday, this book quickly establishes itself as something far more profound and emotionally demanding.
When Jessica Wheaton—a gentle, kindhearted high school girl—wakes up trapped in the body of her bully, Denise Bower, she is forced to live a life she never imagined. Through Jessica’s eyes, readers witness the hidden pain behind cruelty: cycles of abuse, neglect, addiction, and desperation that shaped Denise long before she became a bully. This shift in perspective is handled with sensitivity and honesty, encouraging readers to reflect on how unseen suffering can manifest in destructive behavior.
Suzanne Kovitz does not shy away from difficult subject matter, but she approaches it with purpose and emotional depth. Jessica’s journey is harrowing, heartbreaking, and at times overwhelming, yet it is also a story of resilience and survival. The question at the heart of the novel—how do you fight an enemy when that enemy is yourself?—is explored with remarkable insight.
What makes Enemy Self so impactful is its ability to foster empathy. By forcing Jessica to experience Denise’s life from the inside, the story challenges readers to reconsider easy judgments and to recognize the complexity of human pain. It is a story about searching for love, identity, and redemption in the darkest of circumstances.
Highly recommended for readers who appreciate emotionally intense, thought-provoking fiction that confronts real issues with courage and compassion.
When Jessica Wheaton—a gentle, kindhearted high school girl—wakes up trapped in the body of her bully, Denise Bower, she is forced to live a life she never imagined. Through Jessica’s eyes, readers witness the hidden pain behind cruelty: cycles of abuse, neglect, addiction, and desperation that shaped Denise long before she became a bully. This shift in perspective is handled with sensitivity and honesty, encouraging readers to reflect on how unseen suffering can manifest in destructive behavior.
Suzanne Kovitz does not shy away from difficult subject matter, but she approaches it with purpose and emotional depth. Jessica’s journey is harrowing, heartbreaking, and at times overwhelming, yet it is also a story of resilience and survival. The question at the heart of the novel—how do you fight an enemy when that enemy is yourself?—is explored with remarkable insight.
What makes Enemy Self so impactful is its ability to foster empathy. By forcing Jessica to experience Denise’s life from the inside, the story challenges readers to reconsider easy judgments and to recognize the complexity of human pain. It is a story about searching for love, identity, and redemption in the darkest of circumstances.
Highly recommended for readers who appreciate emotionally intense, thought-provoking fiction that confronts real issues with courage and compassion.
December 20, 2023
This is a very intriguing concept. Imagine being a middle schooler and waking up in the body of the person who bullied you the most. Would you be a bully now? Do you inexplicably have compassion for others? Jessica is shocked. As she navigates life stuck in Denise's body, Jessica learns the circumstances that have shaped the bully's life. Will she be able to figure out how to switch back into her own body? Is Denise in Jessica's body?
This book has many triggers. Rape, incest, and drug use/abuse are evidenced here. If any of these topics bother you, please be forewarned. It is an interesting idea to wake up in another's body, but the perspective of the other person is never covered. How does Denise feel in Jessica's body? We can speculate based on the occasional reference but it would be good to cover this change from both girls' perspective. A large portion of the book is spent with Jessica in the wrong body. After learning of her upbringing, I found it confusing to see her acquiesce to Denise's rough lifestyle. She has the opportunity to change someone's life from the inside out and sadly, this remains unexplored. This topic and the characters are good, I only wish the author would have explored some of the missed opportunities.
This book has many triggers. Rape, incest, and drug use/abuse are evidenced here. If any of these topics bother you, please be forewarned. It is an interesting idea to wake up in another's body, but the perspective of the other person is never covered. How does Denise feel in Jessica's body? We can speculate based on the occasional reference but it would be good to cover this change from both girls' perspective. A large portion of the book is spent with Jessica in the wrong body. After learning of her upbringing, I found it confusing to see her acquiesce to Denise's rough lifestyle. She has the opportunity to change someone's life from the inside out and sadly, this remains unexplored. This topic and the characters are good, I only wish the author would have explored some of the missed opportunities.
January 14, 2025
Wow where do I begin, this book was an
insane and wild ride that was exciting and will have you on the edge of your seat to find out what happens next. I read this in less than 24 hours because I could not put it down.
The writer really put her past experiences into this book and you can tell. The idea was brought up by a dream she had and expertly covered many taboo topics that can not be ignored, things that happen today and as well as the 70's when the book took place. It shows how just treating a child can shape their entire lives. It gave a heart wrenching side from the bullies view, which you don't see alot.
Enemy Self has tons of twists and turns and goes into a direction you won't be prepared for. To see through another person's eyes, the strength, tragedy and endurance that a person can rise up from, was the highlight for me. I believe we have all wanted to do this once in our lives.
Clear 5/5 stars, I am excited to see if the author comes up with anything else, but this will be hard to beat.
insane and wild ride that was exciting and will have you on the edge of your seat to find out what happens next. I read this in less than 24 hours because I could not put it down.
The writer really put her past experiences into this book and you can tell. The idea was brought up by a dream she had and expertly covered many taboo topics that can not be ignored, things that happen today and as well as the 70's when the book took place. It shows how just treating a child can shape their entire lives. It gave a heart wrenching side from the bullies view, which you don't see alot.
Enemy Self has tons of twists and turns and goes into a direction you won't be prepared for. To see through another person's eyes, the strength, tragedy and endurance that a person can rise up from, was the highlight for me. I believe we have all wanted to do this once in our lives.
Clear 5/5 stars, I am excited to see if the author comes up with anything else, but this will be hard to beat.
October 1, 2018
I really, really wanted to like this book: I'm a tad lukewarm about the paranormal/extra-ordinary genre, but the premise for this book actually won me over. I was intrigued by the concept: a bully’s body being taken over by her complete antithesis. I figured this would be an insight into what makes a bully a bully.
Sadly, this was a bit of mishmash, with some large holes in character and plot development, and ultimately, it was a little ridiculous.
Denise Bower is a high-school bully. Jessica is a hardworking, grade-A, compliant, well-adjusted, student. Two complete opposites. How would Jessica feel in Denise’s body and life? It all starts out promisingly, and oddly, you start to feel a glimmer of sympathy for Denise…just a glimmer, though…she’s very unlikeable. But then the story goes downhill. The story darts about in unexplained time frames, events are unbelievable and the dialogue is trite. Little is portrayed of Denise’s life as Jessica…which would have been the obvious parallel, and Jessica’s wholesomeness just wasn’t there in Denise. The conclusion was weirdly absurd.
This was a great idea for a story. It promised ‘Freaky Friday with more drama’. I’m afraid it wasn’t.
However, Krowitz has great writing potential: there’s no doubt she’s articulate and has some great imagination. Regretfully, this doesn’t showcase those skills to their best.
Sadly, this was a bit of mishmash, with some large holes in character and plot development, and ultimately, it was a little ridiculous.
Denise Bower is a high-school bully. Jessica is a hardworking, grade-A, compliant, well-adjusted, student. Two complete opposites. How would Jessica feel in Denise’s body and life? It all starts out promisingly, and oddly, you start to feel a glimmer of sympathy for Denise…just a glimmer, though…she’s very unlikeable. But then the story goes downhill. The story darts about in unexplained time frames, events are unbelievable and the dialogue is trite. Little is portrayed of Denise’s life as Jessica…which would have been the obvious parallel, and Jessica’s wholesomeness just wasn’t there in Denise. The conclusion was weirdly absurd.
This was a great idea for a story. It promised ‘Freaky Friday with more drama’. I’m afraid it wasn’t.
However, Krowitz has great writing potential: there’s no doubt she’s articulate and has some great imagination. Regretfully, this doesn’t showcase those skills to their best.
December 4, 2025
Wow! Let me just say, this was one of the darkest, most haunting books I’ve read in a long time. When I first started, I thought it might be a dark, twisted retelling of Freaky Friday, but it dives so much deeper and darker than I ever expected. This story is pure psychological torment in the best possible way, a living nightmare that grips you from the first page and refuses to let go.Suzanne Kovitz masterfully crafts tension and dread, keeping you second-guessing everything and everyone. By the time you reach the final pages, you’re completely breathless, still reeling from every gut punch the story delivers.Absolutely a 5-star read. Make sure to check your triggers before diving in, this book doesn’t pull any punches.
August 18, 2025
3 stars for me. Jessica Wheaton, a good girl wake up one morning in her bully body Denise Bower. Being beaten by Denise father before she left to go to school,she starts to see Denise life and experience first hand how is it to be Denise.
From rape, abuse ,drug addiction Jessica see Denise life,and her journey to come back to her body will not be a easy one.
I can honestly say that I never read book like that.It was dark and disturbing, yet I could not put it down until I find out how it's going to end.
I would recommend it if you don't mind sleazy guys, creepy friends and dark theme. Read the warnings first.
Thank you author for free copy.
From rape, abuse ,drug addiction Jessica see Denise life,and her journey to come back to her body will not be a easy one.
I can honestly say that I never read book like that.It was dark and disturbing, yet I could not put it down until I find out how it's going to end.
I would recommend it if you don't mind sleazy guys, creepy friends and dark theme. Read the warnings first.
Thank you author for free copy.
November 16, 2025
Jessica and Denise both middle school girls, end up in a dark freaky Friday ordeal. but there's nothing funny about it because Denise is Jessica's bully. so you can imagine what she thought when she woke up in her bullies body.
this book explores everything Jessica went through as Denise. parental abuse low expectations from her teachers. prostitution, drug use.
what really took away from this story, was that we only got to see things from Jessica's side. Denise was more of an afterthought in this book. so that really threw the book off for me. had this been written in dual POV, I think this story would've been much better.
this book explores everything Jessica went through as Denise. parental abuse low expectations from her teachers. prostitution, drug use.
what really took away from this story, was that we only got to see things from Jessica's side. Denise was more of an afterthought in this book. so that really threw the book off for me. had this been written in dual POV, I think this story would've been much better.
September 10, 2018
Living another life ....
Enemy Self was an interesting premise, as it had remnants of Freaky Friday, where there was a body switch, but that's where the likeness ends. There were some solid story plots that could've been a bit more developed, as Jessica got to see the world through the eyes (and body) of her personal bully. Jessica learns a lot about her bully, as she lives that life. I did like the premise of the story and it has some strengths with characters, and it was an adventure. I look forward to reading more by this new author.
Enemy Self was an interesting premise, as it had remnants of Freaky Friday, where there was a body switch, but that's where the likeness ends. There were some solid story plots that could've been a bit more developed, as Jessica got to see the world through the eyes (and body) of her personal bully. Jessica learns a lot about her bully, as she lives that life. I did like the premise of the story and it has some strengths with characters, and it was an adventure. I look forward to reading more by this new author.
January 25, 2019
I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I have had to deal with bullying and I am not sure how I would have handled this happening to me. I really feel for Jessica and Denise in this book. It was all so dark and twisted. It had me questioning a lot of things from my own experiences. There where time while reading this my heart and soul just hurt that is how deep and real the story got for me. It is like a much more intense version of Freaky Friday. There is a lot of emotions the reader goes through and the character in the books as well.
September 26, 2025
The narrative unsettles us as much as it does its main characters. It intrigues us because, while we hope they can reclaim their lives, the twists reveal a strange sense that, on some level, they are already resigned — or even determined — to remain in the new reality they find themselves in. This striking contrast captures our attention and makes us reflect on the choices that shaped us into who we are today. When everything feels disturbingly normal, we are forced to consider why there are certain things we always choose to overlook.
September 26, 2025
A YA story about Jessica, a high schooler, being trapped in her bully's body. Suzanne brings us a dark tale that keeps us on the edge of our seats. While the story is set in high school, it employs lots of dark concepts in what Jessica learns about Denise and her life. A thriller that is easy to read and makes you want to see what happens next.
March 6, 2024
"I Have A Secret: I'm Trapped In My Bully's Body!" narrates Jessica's journey in Denise's body as she grapples with abuse and self-exploration, revealing an unforeseen turn of events. This book is ideal for individuals who appreciate stories of compassion and strength.
December 10, 2025
pretty good. a little slow
January 1, 2026
Love love love!
August 19, 2016
Waking up to a whole new life, it could be a dream or a nightmare. For Jessica, it's the latter. In "Enemy Self" by Suzanne Kovitz Jessica awakes one day in a strange bed and discovers she has somehow ended up in the body of her enemy Denise. The longer she lives as Denise she starts forgetting her life as Jessica and accepts all the terrible cards this life has in store. Will Jessica be able to endure her new life as an abused, drug addict or will she find a way to become herself again?
I will just come right out and say it, I hated this book. I found it painful to read because it was just so ridiculous. It started out well enough, I figured it would be just be along the lines of a "Freaky Friday" type scenario. I was fine with that. While I applaud Kovitz for going in a new direction, it was not done well. This book seemed like three different books that didn't really belong together at all. The first was the initial shock of discovering their bodies had switched, and I found it to be the most interesting. The second came when "Denise" became a prostitute, which was the worst one and hardest to get through. And lastly we discover how the real Denise came up with her nefarious plan to switch bodies with Jessica, and it includes drugs and time warps. I couldn't even really explain what was going on since at that point I just didn't care anymore. This book comes with many triggers including incest, abuse, graphic sex, drug abuse, and a terrible plot. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I gave this book 1 out of 5 stars, mainly just because it's a book and I can't see giving anything less than 1 star to any book (...yet...) but this book did make me really ponder that decision.
I will just come right out and say it, I hated this book. I found it painful to read because it was just so ridiculous. It started out well enough, I figured it would be just be along the lines of a "Freaky Friday" type scenario. I was fine with that. While I applaud Kovitz for going in a new direction, it was not done well. This book seemed like three different books that didn't really belong together at all. The first was the initial shock of discovering their bodies had switched, and I found it to be the most interesting. The second came when "Denise" became a prostitute, which was the worst one and hardest to get through. And lastly we discover how the real Denise came up with her nefarious plan to switch bodies with Jessica, and it includes drugs and time warps. I couldn't even really explain what was going on since at that point I just didn't care anymore. This book comes with many triggers including incest, abuse, graphic sex, drug abuse, and a terrible plot. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I gave this book 1 out of 5 stars, mainly just because it's a book and I can't see giving anything less than 1 star to any book (...yet...) but this book did make me really ponder that decision.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 19, 2019Here's your review:
Enemy Self is a good book that I really liked.
It's a bit confusing, but very enjoyable to read.
It's about a girl named Jessica who one day wakes up in a stranger's bed and believes that she is trapped in her enemy's body. Her enemy is none other than Denise, who is a drug addict with abusive parents. Jessica is forced to live as Denise and has all her memories and bad experiences.
Soon, she begins to believe she really is Denise. Does she ever get her own body and memories back? Read Enemy Self if you've ever been bullied and see what it means to be in the bully's own shoes; maybe you will be able to understand why that person chose to become one.
4 stars.
Enemy Self is a good book that I really liked.
It's a bit confusing, but very enjoyable to read.
It's about a girl named Jessica who one day wakes up in a stranger's bed and believes that she is trapped in her enemy's body. Her enemy is none other than Denise, who is a drug addict with abusive parents. Jessica is forced to live as Denise and has all her memories and bad experiences.
Soon, she begins to believe she really is Denise. Does she ever get her own body and memories back? Read Enemy Self if you've ever been bullied and see what it means to be in the bully's own shoes; maybe you will be able to understand why that person chose to become one.
4 stars.
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