I picked this one up because of the cover, but I stayed because of the dynamics. The tension between our academic rivals, the moral questions, and the escalating excitement.

First off, the academia vibes. They were elite. The high levels of competition were addicting to read, especially between Henry and Alice. Even though this was truly slowburn, and they weren't together for ages, I was shipping them by the first page. I loved their dynamic.

I also loved the whole premise of this one. The question of how far is too far. Alice was the perfect vehicle to explore this, and even when she made some less-than-spectacular decisions, I was rooting for her. The way it played with morality was so fun, especially as the book progressed and everything got grayer.

Id put off reading this one because I'm not a huge fan of urban fantasy/magical realism, but I ended up really liking it! I do wish Alice's invisibility powers had been explored a bit more, but that's a minor complaint. As a whole, this was a super fun read

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

I received a copy of this book from Inkyard Press and Netgalley.

From the description of this book I knew I would like this book and I absolutely fell in love with it.

Alice Sun is a great character and I really felt with her feeling the odd one out.

I appreciate the heck out of morally grey characters and this was a fascinating read!

I was not expecting to fall in love with this book as much as I did, but well, I absolutely did. The premise of the story is so interesting, and the character development is on point. I am obsessed with Alice and Henry's academic rivals trope, which is just so amazingly done. The whole concept of being surrounded with people who have a lot of money when you don't, and the idea that they never really notice others. The morality standpoint is also well done, because you know I love a good morally-grey character, even if in the end Alice doesn't fall into that trap. Overall outstanding and would recommend.

If You Could See the Sun had me sold at “elite Beijing international boarding school” (I went to a Beijing international school for 8 years). But wait, it gets cooler! There are invisibility superpowers! As the only scholarship student at her school, Alice Sun is quick to monetise her newfound superpower, and she’ll unearth the scandalous secrets of her wealthy classmates for the right price. A girl’s gotta pay her tuition, and that partial scholarship isn’t cutting it. To get her business going, she partners with her inconveniently attractive academic rival Henry Li, who also happens to be heir to China’s second biggest tech startup. It’s a business decision. He’s a genius, what can you do? We all know where this is going.

This was a thoroughly entertaining, fast-paced read. As the tasks escalated, I wished Alice’s schemes evolved in sophistication beyond showing up and waiting around to turn invisible (because she hasn’t figured out how to control it), and I also wished to see more of Alice’s internal moral conflict, to feel it bubbling toward the climax. If anything, this story might have been too fast-paced! Alice could go from 0 to 100 real quick, and there were lots of minor themes I would have loved to get more than a paragraph on, like the idea of home for an international student. Even for the recurring themes, like the inaccessible ease of life that wealth affords, the exploration rarely went past acknowledgement of Alice's sudden jealousy or aggression.

Much of her aggression was directed toward her one-sided insta-hate for Henry, which was a transparent obsession, but was no more egregious than any other YA novel with this trope. Henry’s role in the operation was more of a sidekick, but I think it would have been fun to see him and Alice plotting and bickering as partners, and considering the percentage of the profits he negotiated, Alice should have demanded more of him (he was a total simp, he would have done it). Also, no, showing up and waiting for her powers to appear — or rather, disappear — doesn’t count as plotting. Any of her schemes could have been completed without her superpowers with a little more planning, and surprisingly, invisibility turned out to be a small part of the story with little resolution about it by the end. The end was totally improbable. Yes, more improbable than a girl who can turn invisible.

But all that is secondary to the fact that I had so much fun with this one, flew through it, and with a cover like that, it’ll be a YA booktok hit for sure! I’m definitely making my international school YA reader friends read this one so we can pick out all the easter eggs together.

This book was a joy to read. Alice and Henry were a force to be reckoned with. Liang tackles common tropes (academic rivals to lovers!!) with ease, making “If You Could See the Sun” a light-hearted read that makes you punch the air with how cute the main couple is.

If You Could See the Sun was an absolute treat of a book! Academic rivals to lovers with a speculative twist, it follows the story of Alice, a student who uses her newly emerged power of invisibility to earn money towards her school tuition at an elite Beijing boarding school. Using an app she developed with her classmate (and infuriating handsome rival) she embarks on anonymous tasks set by her classmates, for a price. What starts off as simple gossip quickly takes a dark turn, putting both Alice’s academic career and life into question.

One thing I loved about this book was the pacing. Oftentimes with YA contemporary I find myself growing frustrated with side-plots and details I don’t really care about, but IYSTS does a wonderful job of laying out the stakes and goal right off the bat, and sticking to it throughout the course of the novel. It almost felt like watching a movie. Liang’s writing is clear, atmospheric and easy to read, making for a great reading experience.

I loved both Alice and Henry and absolutely adored their dynamic. Alice is determined and thoughtful, her inner monologue and great exposition on class, parental expectations and privilege. Liang does a fantastic job of making her invisibility the least interesting thing about her, which is a testament to her ability to craft a well written character! I greatly emphasised with Alice’s struggle to fit in as a working class student amidst the children of celebrities and billionaires. Her thoughts on the subject were nuanced and determined to succeed despite her barriers, something I really admired about her.

I loved Henry so much. Alice originally sees him as the perfect nemesis— rich, handsome and always seemingly to effortlessly come out on top. As both the reader and Alice gets to know him, we find he is so much more than that. I loved how soft he was, and how caring. Although there wasn’t the space to fully delve into their relationships (it’s not a very long book), we definitely get a fully formed view of Henry. The romance was one of my favourite parts of the novel, though it is a smaller plot point compared to Alice’s schemes to raise her tuition.

Overall, If You Could See the Sun was a thoughtful, pacey look at privilege, inequality and academic rigour though the eyes of a young student doing everything she can to make her way in the world. 5/5 stars!

I really enjoyed this! I don’t reach much contemporary YA but this felt fresh and unique! I loved the international school setting which felt so relatable to my own background and how real Alice felt as a character - her struggles and perfectionist desires made you sympathetic but also frustrated by her decisions. So she felt very human. The romance was also pretty cute and sweet.

Oh my god. This book was so, so good! First of all, an elite boarding school in Beijing? Academic rivals to lovers? Yes to all of those things! This was so fluffy and adorable, I loved it so much. I hope I'm not being too dramatic, but I would probably die for Henry. 5 stars.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the team at Inkyard Press for sending in an e-ARC of this book!

Alice Sun has a lot on her plate. Between keeping up with the school work as a scholarship student at an elite Beijing boarding school and competing against her infuriating, and stupidly handsome rival, Henry Li, Alice is determined to succeed and hold onto her status as one of the top students. However, when her parents drop the news that they are no longer able to afford the expensive tuition fees to keep her at Airington, Alice is given the option to go back to America and finish up her schooling in Maine or attend a public school in Beijing. Unable to accept her fate, Alice discovers that she has the ability to turn invisible. This ability, she realizes, could be her way to finance her tuition at Airington - but at what cost?

This was a wonderful read. Brilliantly paced, I found myself reading into the night, absolutely devouring the book. I saw so much of myself in Alice. As an overachieving daughter of an immigrant family, the stakes are even higher to be able to succeed and come out at the top. Liang carefully weaves discussions on class, privilege, and wealth all play crucial parts in the life of a student. More than anything, Alice wants to feel a sense of belongingness; she wants to be seen as more than the “scholarship kid” who has to fight tooth and nail to survive. Alice is smart, thoughtful, and incredibly witty - there’s just so much to love about her.

Of course, I can’t forget the cute romance that blooms between her and Henry. There is so much growth and understanding between the characters that made me smile until my face hurt. “If You Could See the Sun” has it all: academic enemies to lovers, endearing characters you want to root for, an exploration of Chinese diasporic identity, and a heart-warming ending!

I would like to thank Inkyard Press for providing me with an ARC.

This was a fantastic book. The writing is very engaging and beautiful. The characters were very well written. Alice is a very relatable character and her the problems were written in such a relatable manner. The academic rivals to lovers between Alice and Henry was written perfectly. I loved their banter and just how their relationship changed and grew. I also loved how Alice was making other connections between characters, like Chanel. I loved the commentary on class, privilege, family, and friends. I loved this book and I'm looking forward to Liang's future work.

3.75 stars rounding up

Striving for the top against an academic rival in a high-end school in China can be rough, making you feel alone, and why not complicate that more than with a fee increase AND a new invisibility power!
That is what has happened to Alice, and we see her struggle with pressure, morals, life, love and friendship in this fantastic debut.
It does take a few chapters to get into; same with the love interest connect, but after a little, the relationships and pov of Alice become so interesting. I didn't love the central conflict, but I loved the ending!

Unsure of my expectations going in but wow was the writing amazing! I loved reading about the characters and the dynamic between all of them!

it was worth reading all the details and the relatable things were on point and love the way of writing too ! keep it up ! cant wait to get a hardcopy so i could re read once more !

First off, let me just say thank you so much to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for giving me an ARC of this incredible book!!

I had seen some videos on Instagram, thought it sounded terrific, and requested it on Netgalley. It did not disappoint!! I finished the book in a few days and didn’t want to put it down. This book has academic rivals to lovers, which I personally think is even better than enemies to lovers (yes, I said it.). The romance was so well done, that I was rooting for them to kiss within the first interaction.

Past the romance, the rest of the cast of characters was incredible. Alice was kind and relatable and didn’t deny the fact she made mistakes. Henry was funny, sweet, and the right amount of sarcastic. Chanel was probably the most surprising character, obviously, Alice and she were going to become friends, I was just surprised by how kind she really was.

I loved the invisibility element!! I was excited to see it in a somewhat contemporary book, but I wasn’t sure how it would be handled. I thoroughly enjoyed the way it was done. It was interesting and somehow realistic despite because completely unrealistic.

I just really loved this book! I’m preordering it and suggesting it to all of my friends!

This book felt like it was made for Type A readers who struggle with feeling like they have any value outside of our achievements, and that they had to be the best to be seen.

This book addresses several difficult topics but still manages to be a lighthearted and upbeat read. Alice, our main character, is a scholarship student at a prestigious boarding school, and we get to see some of her struggles with that. Because of her lower economic and social class, she struggles with feeling seen, and the privilege that she sees other have just because of their parent's wealth. Being the best student in the entire school is the only way she can prove, to everyone else and herself, that she belongs here and that her parents did not waste their money. She pushes herself past her limitations, willing to sacrifice her health to stay ahead. Alice is a very relatable character that I think will resonate with readers.

The tension between Henry and Alice was so well written and their banter was absolute gold. I loved seeing them go from being reluctant partners on a slightly questionable endeavor, to something so much more. I giggled out loud so many times. Academic rivals to lovers is a top-tier trope, and it was done beautifully here.

I loved getting to learn about Chinese culture as well. It so seamlessly flowed with the book, and it made me want to visit Bejing!

One of the best debut novels I've ever read. Miss Ann Liang has written a story with common tropes but has executed them perfectly that the writing is anything but ordinary. Between the academic rivals' banter, the heartstopping plot twists, and Henry Li, I was screaming at every other page. From the very beginning, you can feel that the attention Henry has for Alice is unlike anything he's given to anyone else. And if you've seen the bonus snippets on Miss Ann's socials, the reason why Henry finds their academic competition fun is that it's the only time he's certain that Alice's focus is solely on him and nowhere else.

Besides the slowburn romance, the development of each character, especially Chanel, had me sobbing into my pillow. Chanel is Alice's roommate, but while they never really talked before, by the end of the book, Chanel is one of Alice's best allies and supporters. The dynamic she has with Alice and Henry, the two main characters, is pure serotonin. It almost makes me wish that there was a sequel just so we could see the three of them interact more.

However, beyond the characters and romance, Miss Ann has crafted a story that accurately depicts the joys and difficulties of being Asian-American. Some of the things that Alice went through hit a little close to home, like struggling to write an essay in Chinese and feeling as if she needs to be the top in everything. (Of course, it's also because she needs to maintain her scholarship, but like- you know?)

Honestly, I went on a whole Instagram close friends story spam while reading, and one of the worst things is that I can't fully discuss this book with anyone because no one I know has read this masterpiece. Then again, not everyone has received an arc, so I'm working on getting all my friends to preorder If You Could See the Sun. If it doesn't work, I'll repeatedly send them snippets and tiktoks that Miss Ann has shared. Maybe that'll work.

15/10, highly recommend, Alice the Beijing ghost will come for you if you don't read it!!

A refreshing and fast-paced read! This story's speculative twist was so much fun, and I loved learning more about life at an elite international school. Plus, the wonderful food descriptions and academic rivals to lovers were the cherries on top!

If You Could See The Sun!! This is a brilliant debut novel that has made me want to read everything Anne Liang has written. Throughout the story, I enjoyed the diversity, romance, and unexpected gritty action.

If You Could See the Sun features a lot on the trope of academic rivals to lovers but yet the overall plot didn't feel like it was trope driven which was relieving. The characters are so lovable that I can't help but adore every student's relationship and dynamic with one another. The main relationship between Henry Li and Alice Sun who are the main characters touched my heart. Their constant bickering and academic competition. Not to mention how Henry loved her from the very start of the novel. I know that I will recommend this to all my friends as it holds so many elements from romance to action that I feel that a vast audience will truly cherish. Another factor that played into my enjoyment of the novel was the fact that the characters had Chinese backgrounds. While it might seem irrelevant, I truly appreciate the diversity in novels such as this.

I will admit that it did take me an incredibly long time to finish and to get into but as soon as I was hooked, I couldn't stop. It's truly refreshing and I didn't expect to love it so much. People say to never judge a book by its cover but that cover is a work of art.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story was beautiful. I found it extremely immersive and the writing to be extremely well done. I also found Alice and Henry to be extremely likable. The plot of the story was also very unique and I could not put this book down! The cover is also beautiful!

what a slay debut!

okay so i applied for this arc on a whim? i’d added the book to my tbr a few days before, but i never thought i’d actually get it. and when i did get it…it languished away in my phone because i was too lazy to read it. major mistake on my part, because this book is good! it’s a great debut!

the book follows alice sun, a scholarship student at one of the top international schools in beijing as she helps students at her school with problems, because she found out she can go invisible. tbh i forgot about the supernatural part of this book when i started to read it so i was like ??? i do not remember this book being supernatural. the plot isn’t super intricate or too complicated, and i liked that! i also think that the author accurately captured the environment and the characterization of the rich prep school kids well, as well as exploring classism and the feeling of not fitting in and not feeling like enough. i did enjoy the plot, however it’s very strange that no one was suspicious of beijing ghost like no shade but if this happened at my school i’m sure the admin would’ve caught wind of it and shut it down immediately.

i personally enjoyed the characters the most, i think! alice is a very strong narrator; you can really grasp her voice and her character from the first few pages. she’s determined and smart and willing to fight for her goal. i admire that. i also feel like the supporting characters(henry and chanel) were great as well! alice’s classmates were also well-characterized; they did give off rich prep school and sometimes asshole vibes.

the romance! henry is a very charming love interest and so i liked it! i also really liked that he never disparaged or demeaned alice. their banter even when they became friends was great, and the fact that he fell first? immaculate.

overall, this was a very promising debut! i enjoyed this novel and i was hooked on it. i’ll definitely keep an eye out for whatever ann liang writes and publishes next.

also…chanel please call me.