If You Could See the Sun

5/5 ★

Recently, I dove into the enchanting world of 'If You Could See the Sun' by Ann Liang, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! After previously reading 'I Hope This Doesn't Find You,' which amazed me, I was eager to read Liang's other works. This rivals to lovers takes place in a high school setting filled with exorbitantly rich students compared to the main character, letting both the her and readers explore morality in tough circumstances. The book also incorporates elements of fantasy as the preface of the book is that she suddenly has the ability to turn invisible. The romance isn't bad, but compared to 'I Hope this Doesn't Find You' the whole book is a step down. This just shows how much Liang has grown in her writing, proving the quality of her work and her talent are always growing. Some moments were especially cute and had me kicking my feet in the air, looking like a typical teen in 2000s rom-com movies. It was overall creative and refreshing how the book introduced themes of self acceptance and second chances in addition to romance which is found in almost every YA novel.

Recommendation

I gave this book 5 stars for a reason, and if you believe me you should check it out! The emotional journey made me cry multiple times, not because it was overly sad but because the revelations I went through reading this were indescribable. This book is more than a love story, its a telling of belonging that I think most teenage girls would appreciate.