saniiea 's review for:

Never Thought I'd End Up Here by Ann Liang

3.0

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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ann liang should be legally required to publish a new book every six months. at gunpoint if necessary (respectfully). because every time i pick up her writing, it feels like slipping into a story that already knows me. never thought i’d end up here is no exception, even if it doesn’t hit quite as hard as i hope this doesn’t find you or i’m not jessica chen, it still wrapped me up in its warm, funny, tender little arms and said “hey. it’s okay to be lost. you’ll find your way.”

this book is about being a girl who used to be too much — too pretty, too visible, too scrutinized — and now doesn’t know how to be anything at all. leah is that girl. former model. certified hot girl with a heartbreakingly fragile sense of self-worth, taught to believe that her beauty was her only currency. she is sharp and messy and secretly so, so soft. i wanted to hand her a mirror and a hug.

and cyrus?? this sarcastic little disaster boy with a soul full of guilt and a mouth full of mean jokes he doesn’t mean?? loverboy of the year. the chemistry, the banter, the enemies-to-allies-to-"i hate how much i care about you" energy?? delicious. i get why leah was subtly plotting revenge, but also: be so serious girl, he’s in love with you and it's killing him.

also, daisy. my beloved daisy. leah’s first real friend who just sees her. sees her without judgement or competition or envy. the way their friendship blossoms slowly and gently?? oh, to be loved like that. AND OLIVER. my cinnamon roll. 

and of course, the real third main character here: the setting. from yellow mountain to spicy hotpot to language barriers and quiet revelations, china pulses in the background like a memory you didn’t know you had. leah’s attempt to reconnect with her culture, hesitant, fumbling, imperfect, is so beautifully human. this book doesn’t offer neat answers. it just says, “it’s okay to be in-between. your roots will wait.”

it wasn’t perfect. the pacing got a little rushed. the conflict a tiny bit contrived. but you know what? i didn’t care. because this book felt like coming home. not the home where everything is polished and photo-ready—but the home where your favorite mug is chipped, your grandma speaks a language you only half-understand, and the people you love keep showing up anyway.

thank you, ann liang, for writing books that let girls like leah—and like me—be complicated, contradictory, and deeply loved.