This was a fantastic debut from Ann Liang! Fast-paced, full of relatable and intriguing characters, with a healthy splash of commentary on social class and elitism - I was engrossed from the very first page. No seriously I finished this in less than 24 hours. Overall a highly enjoyable read!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC!

first of all, thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I've been wanting to read this book for months. and did not disappoint! the tropes that were promised were fulfilled with excellence, especially that of academic rivals for lovers. I was really scared of being a ya, which is not the kind of book I usually like, but I was so captivated by the characters that it worked out really well for me.

I have to say that the ending felt a little too rushed. but other than that I really liked how people and tasks were getting more and more morally gray.

I have already recommended it to friends. I hope to be able to read more books by this author in the future!

Plot: 9/10
Alice Sun attends Airington, a prestigious international private school for the ultra-rich, on a scholarship. As talented and academically gifted as she is, it isn't enough, and she finds out she'll soon have to leave Airington. This news coincides with another revelation: Alice can turn invisible. She can't control when and she doesn't know how, but she decides to capitalize on her invisibility by teaming up with her academic rival, Henry Li, to complete tasks from her classmates to raise funds for her tuition. However, as the stakes start to rise, Alice must decide how far she's willing to go for money.

This book takes a tried and true concept and adds something new to it by bringing in a supernatural element. Now, I'll be honest, anything that involves an elite private school I will eat up every time, so I am a little biased. However, I do think this book stands out from the crowd. Alice has very good reasons for not wanting to leave Airington. Leaving would mean going to a regular school in China and having to face the gaokao, a notoriously rigorous and stressful test required for college attendance, or moving back to America, where she would be unlikely to be able to complete her IB curriculum and would face racism on the daily. Combine that with her desperation to make something of herself, especially when constantly compared to children with the world handed to them on a platter, the tension is there. Even if Alice's methods were dubious, I wanted her to succeed in the end.

In my opinion, the story does get a little slow around the middle, but it's necessary for Alice's guilt to slowly build and overtake her. I loved the comparisons between her and Macbeth, especially since English is something she cares about. Seeing Alice's gradual downfall as the stress and her conscience creep up on her really kept me on the edge of my seat; I knew she was going to crack, but when?

The only negative thing I can think of is the ending. I don't know, I was just expecting something more severe. On one hand, I'm happy for Alice since I was genuinely attached to her, but on the other, I wish the story had explored the negative effects of this sort of thing to a greater extent. Also, as would be expected in a private school full of children of the 1%, it is a little unrealistic. From aspiring idols to kidnapping plots to truly insane amounts of money being thrown around, expect some crazy antics from the students.

Characters: 10/10
As someone who constantly regrets missing out on social activities and extracurriculars due to my obsession with academics but without it would never have stood a chance of getting into college, Alice hits a little too close to home. She's clever, talented, and driven, but she lacks the privilege of her peers and as such has developed a huge inferiority complex. Her character development as she takes her ploy for tuition too far is very well done, and her constant worry and stress were palpable. She's a character that's easy to root for, even when we know she's in the wrong.

Alice's dynamic with Henry was also just fun to read about. Academic rivals are my bread and butter, and Alice and Henry were pretty much everything I love about the concept. I will admit, Henry is a bit of a stereotype for the genre. He's the heir to a huge company that seems like everything comes easily to him but actually puts a lot of work in, especially due to pressure from his parents. However, as much as I loved the romantic subplot, to me, this book was wholly about Alice and her struggle for greatness. Still, I can appreciate how Henry is a stellar, supportive love interest.

In terms of side characters, I would like to especially discuss Alice's parents, her aunt, and Mr. Chen, her English teacher. They all share one thing in common—they are authority figures in Alice's life that truly care for her. It was just so touching to read about the ways they supported Alice, and they also brought an interesting aspect to the story. Despite their unconditional support, Alice still feels as though she is always disappointing them and that she owes them for their help. It was an intriguing concept to cover that even though Alice technically had the support she needed, her environment and personality as a result of that kept her from reaching out.

Writing Style : 8/10
I think the descriptions of Alice's emotional and mental well-being are the stars of the show in this case. Her constant anxiety adds a lot to the story; it made my stakes in the story grow, and it was visceral at times. As someone who is prone to episodes of intense panic, Alice's reactions were both heartwrenching and realistic. This book did a very good job of showing not telling when it came to this.

I will say that the physical descriptions were pretty average. Nothing particularly stood out to me, and I do wish Alice's own appearance had been more detailed. On the other hand, I can perfectly picture Henry due to Alice's constant attention to him (which is pure rivalry and definitely never to be mistaken for attraction). I did like the ending paragraph quite a bit and the way it tied back to both the title and the overarching theme of the book.

Meaning: 8/10
Something I really appreciated about this book was how it made it clear that money is undeniably something important. The message isn't that Alice should stop reaching above her station and be content where she is; Alice's financial situation is what got her into the mess in the first place. The message is that Alice (and others like her) deserve better, but while they work towards a better life they shouldn't forget what makes that life worth living in the first place, be it family, friends, or personal passion, all things Alice has lost sight of. In the end, Alice's friends use their privilege to help her, and they are not villainized for having that privilege nor is she villainized for desiring it.

I do wish this book had gone a little deeper on the class divide, especially between Henry and Alice. There's potential for a very big fallout there around Henry not understanding why Alice cares about money so much. I can see why it was maybe excluded or glossed over, but it would have been so interesting to see Henry in particular grapple with Alice's reality.

Overall: 9/10
Like I said before, this book takes a story that's been done many times before and executes it well with extra elements that help it stand out. Alice's invisibility brings depth to both the plot and her character, which is well-developed. Her dynamic with Henry is so much fun, and I was able to genuinely root for her the whole time despite her dubious decisions. While I do wish the story had dug into the class divide a bit more, this was overall a very good book, especially for a debut, that I thoroughly enjoyed!

I try not to judge books by their covers... but I will admit that one of the reasons I wanted to read "If You Could See the Sun" is because of this absolutely gorgeous cover. And honestly, the judgment was correct - because the contents of this book definitely lived up to the beautiful cover! Following scholarship student, Alice Sun, and her classmates at an international school in Beijing, "If You Could See the Sun" ponders the question of what you would do if you could suddenly turn invisible (like, literally). This was an amazing debut by Ann Liang, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it. The highlights of the novel were definitely the relationships between Alice and her parents, and Alice and Henry, her academic rival. Overall, it was a unique and well-written exploration of class differences, academic anxiety, and generational trauma... with a very cute high school first love on the side.

I've never been a fan of stories where the character gains a sudden power overnight with no explanation, but "If You Could See the Sun" is making me reexamine my bias. When she discovers she can suddenly turn invisible, Alice, the only scholarship student at one of the most elite high schools in Beijing, enlists the help of Henry, Golden Boy and Alice's academic rival to monetize her newfound abilities as a way to make enough money to cover her rising tuition. Together they develop Beijing Ghost: a way for their classmates to anonymously make requests, but as the jobs start getting more and more sinister, and Alice is forced to pick which is more important--opportunity, or her conscience? Alice is such a compelling narrator, ambitious and incredibly stubborn, and I loved watching how she grew over the course of the novel, particularly her delightfully awkward romance with Henry, the two of them completely obliviousness of the other's (very obvious) feelings. "If You Could See the Sun" was absolutely thrilling from start to finish!

Alice Sun, the only scholarship student at her elite Beijing boarding school, feels invisible amongst her rich peers. Until,, that is, she actually starts becoming invisible. After discovering this new and uncontrollable power, she starts monetizing on it by selling her classmates secrets in order to pay for school. This was an enjoyable read, with a very well done academic rivals-to-lovers, with a good helping of commentary about classism, poverty, and the intricacies of identity.

I loved this!! Alice is the sole “scholarship student” at an elite international boarding school in Beijing. Her fellow classmates are all ultra-rich children of ultra-successful (or ultra-famous) adults, and Alice, feeling inadequate in their company, has framed her entire identity around graduating top in her class…. above her carefree and seemingly flawless academic rival, Henry Li.

Alice’s insecurities and self-perceived identity come to a head when her parents inform her that they cannot afford the remainder of her final year, and that she will need to “go back” to America or transfer to a public school. This decision and these choices send Alice into a tailspin. She doesn’t feel like America is her home, but she also doesn’t speak Mandarin well enough to be successful on her national exams.

In her panic, Alice literally turns invisible. Shortly after her first episode, she begrudgingly approaches Henry with a business proposal- she wants to monetize her invisibility by selling her services. She figures that if she takes enough tasks, she’ll be able to raise the money to stay at her school and finish her IB exams.

I won’t spoil it, but the tasks end up getting increasingly more difficult - and more morally gray. At the same time, Alice starts developing friendships with her classmates that she had previously shunned in favor of studying.

Great book, great main character, great friends. Thank you Netgalley & Inkyard for the ARC!

If You Could See the Sun is a fun and thoughtful story about what happens when Alice Sun, a smart young woman from a low income family, decides to take advantage of literal invisibility to make money to pay her school tuition. When she discovers that she's become invisible, she feels she has no one else to turn to but her main rival at school, Henry Li. The two develop an app that allows their fellow classmates to buy Alice's services anonymously, but the partnership also allows Alice to begin seeing Henry differently. Not just Henry either - she finally becomes friends with her roommate Chanel, and begins forming connections with classmates that she both didn't have the time or the financial means to previously. The story looks at several different ethical issues - when is it okay to spy on people, when is it okay to cheat? But a request gets submitted that goes way beyond those things with long reaching consequences, and Alice has to decide whether the risk and sacrificing her morals are worth the money she needs to stay at school and have the future she wants. The story does a great job of looking at how people with means never get forced into the type of position that Alice does, and how when they make bad decisions of their volition, the consequences aren't nearly as steep. It really is a story of haves and have-nots. I never felt like Liang played out the invisibility storyline to a natural conclusion, and would have like to have seen that tidied up better. I liked the storyline between Alice and Henry, but would have liked a deeper dive into the dynamics of their relationship. I also liked how as the story went on Alice began to see things she was missing because she was so focused on her studies, and how it began to make her reprioritize. I can't say that I completely loved the ending; while it makes sense it just feels like it could be stronger. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I adored this book. The characters were three dimensional, and the story was so engaging. Alice’s spiral throughout the book and subsequent “rock bottom” moment were both perfect. I LOVE Henry, and I’m always pleased to see lovely friendships—with Chanel—on the page. Definitely recommend!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

This was a delightful & endearing story! Thank you NetGalley & Inkyard Press for the ARC!

Some lovely things:
- academic rivals to lovers
- MC learning to open up and make friends
- shenanigans! juicy secrets!
- fast paced ending

This was a wonderful debut from Ann Liang. This "Dear Reader" note at the start of the book made me cry. I think. a lot of ambitious teens will see themselves in Alice Sun, our MC, who wants more than anything to be absolutely perfect and the best all the time. This book was a good reminder to step back, look at the world around you, and really just enjoy life. I also loved the realistic depiction of a struggling family with parents who just want what's best for their kids. I'm giving this 3.5 stars. I will definitely watch for any future projects from Ann Liang.

What a book. Ann Liang blew my mind with the characters, worldview, and dialogue. I really did enjoy reading from Alice's POV. What a FUN book to read!

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

While there were fun and interesting concepts explored in this heist-y book with threads of romance, I felt that the "main" message and metaphor associated with it fell a little flat. Alice's struggle with feeling invisible completely faded into the background in favor of dealing with the ethics of what she was asked to do on the app-an interesting concept to explore, but the book lacked focus either way. The romance elements were very, very lacking. I could see the potential for romance between Henry and Alice, but when actually put on the page their relationship progressed in wild leaps and bounds unsupported by much of anything we had actually seen.

The best parts of this book explored Alice's relationship to her family and conflict (internal and external) with her environment of rich and privileged students. Unfortunately, the lack of focus and follow through on these aspects made If You Could See the Sun drop down to just okay. 3/5.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was ok. I will admit it was not very memorable and the details are super fuzzy in my memory. I wish this resonated more with me.

First off, academic rivals to lovers has never failed me, and I fear this book is keeping that streak alive and well. The two MCs had such an enjoyable back and forth that made reading their story very easy digest. Romance aside though, this is a story that shows the burden most students bear to achieve success, even at a young age.

Only giving it a 3 because the writing seemed a tad rushed, and the side characters were somewhat hard to connect with, but I enjoyed it none the less! :)

As a lover of academia based stories, I was very excited to read this, especially given its unique concept. This was a very fast paced, sharply intelligent book that I was unable to put down. Alice is a fantastic protagonist, and I loved to see her character grow and progress over the course of the story as she realized what sorts of things really mattered to her, and how her ambition was a double edged sword that she needed to learn how to wield properly. Her motivations were very real and well developed, and it added to the stakes and the tension of the narrative.

Henry was wonderful as well; give me some good academic rivals to lovers and I'm SOLD. I liked that his character didn't just feel like a one dimensional love interest, and that we really got to know him as a complex person and character, because it made it so much more satisfying to see his relationship with Alice develop from standoffish rivals to reluctant allies to friends, and then more.

The only thing I wish the story would have delved deeper into was Alice's invisibility power. I really liked how it was woven into the story, but I would have loved to learn the origins of it, why it happened now, and maybe even seen her learn how to control it. But overall, I really enjoyed this and would love to read more from the author in the future.

"If You Could See the Sun" follows Alice Sun as she monetizes her new invisibility powers and enlists help from her academic rival. I was seduced by the possible academic rivals to lovers arc but stayed for Alice's personal growth. The novel would be a great fit for younger readers who crave academic validation. Students will find Alice relatable as she stresses over her exams, but anyone from an immigrant background will ache in understanding over the family sacrifices and an existence in borderlands, from neither here or there.

I found myself cringing a lot. And stressed out for Alice. so very well on the author for making me feel things!

What didn't work for me:
I thought there were some gaps in time and development that didn't have good flow. I wish the academic rivals part was explained in the beginning. I wasn't convinced that Alice should loathe Henry (unless it's to go to show that Alice is a bit misguided) so I wish we got more of that hate-to-love aspect. I also think the "secrets as currency" could have been treated with more mystique. I read more like an adventure than true criminality. Felt glossed over.

Very thankful for the ARC and am rooting for Ann Liang! I will probably check out more of her work since this is just her debut

First of all this cover was so pretty and was definitely what drew me to the book in the first place. I first found out about this on the authors tiktok and was excited to be able to read it before it comes out later this year! I think that the story itself was unique and interesting, and the characters definitely felt like people you would know if you went to an international school. I do think that there were bits where the plot was rushed and the dialogue felt a little clunky, but overall they didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of the book! I read this in two sittings and had a good time! “If You Could See the Sun” by Ann Liang will be out on October 11th 2022. I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If You Could See the Sun follows Alice Sun, a working class student who often feels invisible as the only scholarship student amongst her wealthy peers, despite being one of the top ranking students at their elite Beijing school. Shortly after Alice's parents tell her that they can no longer afford her school fees, Alice suddenly starts to turn invisible. Alice decides to capitalize on this strange new phenomena she cannot control, convincing her academic rival to help her create an app where she uses her invisibility to discover her classmates' secrets for a fee. As the app's reputation grows, so do the stakes of the requested tasks, forcing Alice to choose between money and integrity. Along the way, Alice learns that there is more to life than her relentless pursuit of academic accolades and social advancement at all costs.

My absolute favorite part of this book was the academic rivals dynamic between Alice and Henry Li, the swoonworthy heir to one of China's largest start ups. Henry serves as a foil to Alice—the golden boy who has everything Alice lacks—money, connections, status, charm. Despite Alice's resentment towards him, and their rivalry, Henry agrees to help with her scheme with no hesitation. It quickly becomes apparent that he's been quietly in love with her all along. Watching Alice slowly thaw towards him, moving from begrudging respect to sincere care for Henry is so sweetly tender. All the while, their undeniable chemistry amidst the constant bickering and zingy back-and-forth had me shouting "just kiss already!!" multiple times over the course of the story.

I found the pacing of the book a bit uneven, especially with how dramatically the stakes escalate. The final, most dangerous task Alice receives on the app veers into the melodramatic very sharply in the last third of the book. I found the resolution a little rushed and anticlimactic. The majority of Alice's character development is also saved until after this final task falls apart. Despite the uneven pacing and overinflated stakes, I really enjoyed this book.

This type of contemporary romance YA is not usually my favorite genre, but I really enjoyed If You Could See the Sun!! Alice makes for such a likeable and compelling MC, and even when she’s making not great choices, I still was rooting for her and I never felt like she didn’t make sense or was being overly silly?? She’s ambitious, she’s driven, she’s flawed but she’s learning! I love her (and I adore her concern about her parents💞) The romance was perf, very adorable. This also kind of made me excited for back-to-school?? The only part I didn’t LOVE was the supernatural bits- More of it, or doing more with it, woulda been fun (especially a little more with Alice’s aunt, who seems to know about the invisibility?), but overall: 4/5 stars, definitely on my classroom wishlist, definitely a rec!

-Academic rivals YES
- Boarding school YES

A fun and lighthearted book that delivers exactly what it promises.
It is the kind of story that is easy to get caught up in. With a girl who can suddenly become invisible, the scenarios she gets herself caught up in, the friends she discovers, as well as a little crush (my fave duo!). Most of all, a story of discovering what she truly cares for and learning to let life get a little messy! This has a great set-up for an entertaining time.