*2.5 Stars*

This one really didn't work for me. I couldn't stand the characters, the main one read much younger than she actually was and I couldn't stand her. I also just didn't understand the point of any of it. The mother was awful, the child was awful. I also didn't like Blaine nor Cal. I was angry the entire time and just wanted to finish it and move on. It was quite a short read and I kept hoping for it to get better but it just didn't work for me.

Sunlight Playing over the Mountain follows Jasmine as she navigates the complexities of growing up and unraveling the tangled web of reality and fantasy through adolescence. I really adored the mix of Filipino and Chinese mythology that is weaved throughout the story and how it constructs Jasmine views the world around her and especially how it informs the way she navigates her complicated relationship with her mother.

I do think the latter half of the book was a lot stronger than the first half as I did find some of the dialogue and interactions between some of the characters to be a bit strange at times as tonally it seemed a bit disconnected from its context and made it hard to fully immerse myself in the scene. I think when the mix of fantasy myths and Jasmine’s understanding of her own background works, it works really well to highlight this straddling of two worlds that diaspora children often feel and are highlights of the books, but there are moments where the blended mythology seems to stilt the overall dialogue and interactions between the characters.

Overall, I really enjoyed this debut from Selina Li Bi and I think those looking for a YA coming-of-age story that blends myth and reality and touches upon some heavier themes will definitely gravitate to this one.

Thank you to Soho Teen and Netgalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

Very captivating novel with a beautiful prose. I loved how the main character is so fierce and brave and takes care of her mother, although her mother doesn't find her daughter's love and company enough and is always rushing from one bad relationship into the next.
The daughter suffers a lot, she has terrible migraines and is a late bloomer into womanhood.
As the novel progresses, we understand how the mother feels and usually deals with her frustrations and misery.
The novel gains tension when the possibility of social services taking Jasmine away becomes an issue, so the young girl feels even more pressure to "save" her mom.
Her mother filled her head with wonderful stories, legends, and Filipino mythology, and being an artist, Jasmine brings to the reality of her life (sometimes miserable and sad) imagination: she sees the people who she thinks want to harm her deform into mythological monsters. This dichotomy of magic and myth balances well with the harshness of her life.
Some elements of the plot are predictable, but it only makes us more invested in reading, so we reach that moment when Jasmine realizes the truth about her mother's past. I love that it's very focused on Jasmine and her perspective. Her journey is not only physical to discover a place to call home but also a coming-of-age one.

This was quite different from what I've been reading recently, but I did like it! It's a coming-of-age story that's a pretty quick read with short chapters.

I enjoyed following Jasmine as she navigated the complexities of puberty and her home life, and although I couldn’t relate to her situation, I was able to sympathize with her and understand her actions and feelings. The writing was great, and I liked reading how reality meshed with fantasies through Jasmine’s perception of the world around her. The references to Chinese and Filipino mythology were also a nice addition.
However, I do think some of the dialogue felt a little strange(?) Personally, I thought it sometimes felt a little unrealistic to how teens speak.

Last notes that don’t rlly fit anywhere: I think this could also make an interesting film, with some cool visuals that show how Jasmine sees reality (e.g: moments where people seem to shapeshift in her eyes)
Overall, this was a great debut and I’m sure there will be many readers who will really love this book!