Sunlight Playing over a Mountain

Name: Sunlight Playing over a Mountain
Brand: Recorded Books
Availability: InStock
Author: Selina Li Bi
ISBN: 9798895942956

Author: Selina Li Bi

Narrator: Cindy Kay

Unabridged: 7 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 04/01/2025

Categories: Young Adult Fiction, Coming Of Age, Fairy Tales & Legends, Asian American & Pacific Islander

Synopsis

A mythology-tinged debut novel about a Chinese-Filipino teenager whose world of daydreams is destroyed by a family secret. Perfect for fans of Emily X. R. Pan, Ann Liang, and lyrical coming-of-age tales. Jasmine Cheng has grown up on stories spun by her beautiful, erratic mother. Together, they’re the Phoenix and Dragon. Jasmine’s father is the god Pangu, creator of the heavens and earth. Her mother may have boyfriends, but Jasmine chases them away. Because for her mother, love brings chaos, sleepless nights, and frightening episodes. It’s Jasmine’s job to keep their home life stable, especially now that a social worker has started to keep tabs on them. When the sudden arrival of Cal, her mother’s old flame, fractures their delicate world, a series of events unfolds that will send Jasmine on a cross-country journey to the West Coast—and into her past. Trapped in a tangle of fantasy and reality, Jasmine becomes determined to shatter the illusion for good, even as her mother’s refusal to be honest drives a deeper wedge between them. Will the crack in their fantasy destroy her, or finally let the light in? Selina Li Bi’s magical debut perfectly portrays the pain of growing up in a less-than-magical world and introduces a remarkable new voice in young adult fiction.

Reviews

Goodreads review by snazzy pen ✰ on November 29, 2024

Rounded to 4 stars for Goodreads 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 could......more

Goodreads review by Manon the Malicious on March 01, 2025

*2.5 Stars* I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 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 awf......more

Goodreads review by Reese 🌌💙 on March 21, 2025

I found this book to be quite interesting and to definitely be a journey of self discovery for our main character, Jasmine, as she navigates through growing up and the complexities of living with her Mother. I definitely thought it was written well and it definitely was a book more about finding your......more

Goodreads review by Therearenobadbooks on February 26, 2025

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 ha......more

Goodreads review by Maddie on March 16, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and soho teen for the ARC! This was a very interesting look at family dynamics and coming of age when you feel like you are alone and struggling. I felt like it was hard to connect with the mother, especially because of what Jasmine has to go thru. But I think the writing was......more