Sunlight Playing over a Mountain

by Selina Li Bi

A lyrical, 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 and Ann Liang.

Jasmine Cheng has grown up on stories spun by her beautiful, free-spirited 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. For her mother, love brings chaos, sleepless nights, and frightening episodes, and 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, events unfold 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 find the truth, even while 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.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Young Adult Contemporary

320 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2025

About the author

As the child of immigrant parents from the Philippines, Selina always felt like she lived in two different worlds. Now, she gets to write characters that move between worlds of reality, fantasy, and mythology to discover who they truly are. A practicing optometrist for many years, Selina began writing books for children and young adults after receiving her MFA in Creative Writing from Minnesota State University Moorhead. She is also a certified Creativity Coach. SUNLIGHT PLAYING OVER A MOUNTAIN is her debut novel.
Visit her online at https://www.selinalibi.com and find her on Instagram: @selina.libi.

Reviews

[snazzy pen ✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 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!

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

[Manon the Malicious · Rating 3 out of 5]

*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 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.

[Reese (anakin’s version) ✨💙 · Rating 3 out of 5]

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 yourself, but I feel as though it was missing something. I did feel as though there were some points where it lulled for me, but it did pick up after a while.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

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. 

[The Bookish Chimera - Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Most people moved to pursue new jobs, or careers. But not us. We just followed the stars.”

Reading Sunlight Playing Over A Mountain felt like a road trip under the end of summer sky, snaking, like a river and its perpetually changing flow. It isn’t, by any means, a romance, but it’s a great coming of age story. I loved the writing style, how figurative and metaphorical it often was.
I loved how Jasmine’s mother struggles, and the fact that the author chose not to use labels, but to show us everything through a teenager's eyes instead. It allowed a glide towards the imaginary, just like Jasmine (and her mother) does, to escape the difficulty of the reality. The identity quest associated with the suffering linked to the family secret (and lies) was something especially difficult –but precious– to read for me, as it felt very relatable. I felt in tune with this girl, lost, angry, looking for answers. It didn’t make it easy to love the characters, but they felt true and raw, as much as the challenges they had to face. It is, I believe, a lesson, for us to love ourselves (and the others), despite (and thanks to) our flaws. Jasmine is incredibly human, no matter how much she tries to make a distance with the real world through her escapes via stories and myths. This book felt covered with the nostalgia typical of the teenage years, slow, messy, but full of hope, and left me with a lot of lingering feelings.

Thank you to the author and Literary Media Tours for the eARC of this book via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

[Air · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was a beautifully written book that from the start, you can tell will take you on a journey with the main character. Jasmine’s view of the world was interesting and brought the story to life in a way that surprised me! Her life with her very intense mother and how they view the world. The book reads slightly younger than I thought but overall I really enjoyed!

Thank you to Literary Media Tours for my copy!

[maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

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 engaging and I really felt for Jasmine.

The ending was sweet!

3.5/5

[Linda Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunlight Playing Over a Mountain is a gorgeously written, mesmerizing book. It takes you into a world where mysticism blends with reality until the reality is suddenly too real, when Jasmine, the main character, confronts what she desperately wants and fears to know. The interplay between her and her mother is achingly real but pulses with love underneath. I think many teens will find the push and pull of that love familiar. It will keep you reading right to the last page. I recommend this story highly.

[Michela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! Poetic, slice-of-life, and basically the YA contemporary book version of The Florida Project.

It’s a very unique story with flawed and interesting characters. It will stay with me!

[Sarah Talks Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

“My mother and I came from the moon.
My father, a mythical god named Pangu, created the world out of chaos.
We were two whimsical creatures with great wing spans, traveling through space and time. We had each other and that’s all that mattered.
Everything changed the year I turned fifteen. The stars collided and my life turned upside down and spun, spun, spun, out of control.”

Tropes/Themes:
🐲Young Adult
🐉Coming of Age
🐲Mythology-Tinged
🐉Chinese-Filipino American Representation
🐲Cross-Country Journey 
🐉Complex Daughter-Mother relationship told from Daughter’s POV
🐲Family Secrets

I love a YA that is appropriate for its target audience, and this book fits the bill.

Probably due to my stage in life, I was really drawn into the mother’s character. She clearly has very serious struggles and mental illness that makes raising her daughter a challenge. While it would be easy to judge her, I found myself really empathizing with her character.

The pacing of the story is really well done and kept me turning the pages. Between the mystery behind their family secrets and the outside threats that could destroy their family, I felt really invested in the characters and their journey. This is a wonderful YA debut that anyone can enjoy.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this very unique story, told through the eyes of a young teen who is slowly seeing that the magical whimsy she’s grown up knowing, isn’t so much magic as it is a mother struggling with emotional stability. This was an incredible experience to read as the author touched on some very deep themes and difficulties faced by teens in unstable homes. Questions about identity and belonging interwoven throughout. And the complicated emotions of love in all its forms.

This is a YA literary fiction, the writing has a bit more of a poetic prose style, and the narrator voice reflects well the characters age and circumstances.

While I as a reader would have enjoyed to see more closure at the end, but I think creatively it was a solid choice to leave the characters with an open ended question, reflecting the way things were ever changing for Jasmine throughout her life.

I received a gifted an ARC and these are my own opinions.

[Maddie Elam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for those who have *unique* relationships with family members.

I love books like this, where we really see one person’s experience of a situation. In this case, we see Jasmine’s perspective.

Overall, it’s well-written, and very unique! I felt so sorry for Jasmine much of the time, and because of that, found it really difficult to understand/connect with her mother’s character. But I feel like that’s kind of the point!

Thank you for the ARC!

[erikoreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This magical debut was so interesting to read! It’s a YA coming of age tale with a tinge of mythology — I enjoyed going on this cross-country journey with the FMC, Jasmine, as she tries to make sense of her world. The magical realism in this book brought this extra dimension as family secrets tumbled out.

Thanks for having me on this book tour and the eARC Literary Media Tours!

[Aila Krisse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as an ARC from Netgalley, many thanks to the publisher, Soho Teen
I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, there were parts I enjoyed and hit me hard emotionally, yet there were also parts where it fell absolutely flat for me. For one, I thought the dynamic between Jasmine and her mother was wonderfully constructed. I felt her pain and how torn she was, knowing that her mother is ill and not really able to care for her, but also not wanting to lose her, since she is the only family she has, and feeling protective over her. I also appreciated the more subtle way Jasmine's loneliness is portrayed throughout. She has trouble feeling at home, she does not have many friends and is constantly vigilant about 'the keeper', which only serves to isolate her more from the world around her, reinforcing her mother as her only friend.
The romantic aspect of Jasmine's relationship with Blaine in the second half of the book always felt very forced and clunky, whereas their friendship that preceded it felt much more organic and real. On that note, the fact that the relationship is between a 15 year-old and an 18 year-old also did not sit right with me, usually 3 years is a very insignificant age gap - but when one party is underage and the other is not, it starts becoming uncomfortable.
Another part of the narrative that felt rather half-baked was Jasmine's religiosity; the very beginning of the book made me think that religion/christianity was going to play much more of a role in Jasmine's struggles, which did surprise me at first because nothing along those lines is mentioned in the blurb, but then the christianity aspect hardly ever shows up after that. There was potential there to do something interesting with this, especially if the syncretistic nature of Jasmine's belief in a Christian god and a Chinese god (Pangu) had been explored. However, with the story in its current form, it would make much more sense to remove references to Jasmine being religious from the beginning of the book, as it proves completely irrelevant for the rest of her story.
The book is very readable, and on the faster end of medium-paced. There were many aspects of the book that I enjoyed, but many of them felt under-explored and thus somewhat shallow. It is, nevertheless, a fine book, though it couldcertainly use some polishing.

[Aki Kobayashi · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 20%

I just could not read this book. I really tried. I don’t like DNFing books, but I just had to. This book wasn’t anything like it was marketed to be, specifically it was not like Ann Liang’s books, which I love.

The general premise is about a 15 year old girl, Jasmine, and her mother. They live in an illusion of stories that escapes reality. Jasmine's life gets upended by her mothers unstable condition and realities of the past resurfacing. The novel seems to be a very character driven book on Jasmine's journey of trying to keep her life from breaking apart.

This book felt like a middle grade novel (which isn’t a bad thing) but the main character was in high school, so it felt a little jarring for her to act like a 6th grader. I did not find the character relatable at all, and given that this is a book about family and stuff, I think one of the points was to relate. She also felt very naive for her age although it wasn't necessarily her fault? In general I like books with aspects of mythology but the way it was presented in the book was not what I was expecting and made it less interesting. It's not a story inspired by myth but a family living in an illusion of myth that is made up in their head.

I do feel like I want to give this book a bit of slack, because I technically didn’t mean to request it, but I really feel like the author missed the mark with the target audience and writing style. Overall this just wasn’t for me but I think it might have its place with other people.

Thank you to NetGalley and Soho Press for providing this eARC

[Sometimes IRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunlight Playing Over the Mountain by Selena Li Bi introduces us to Jasmine, an Asian American trying to hold everything together. And by that, I do mean everything. Her mother is very much still a child herself emotionally, seeking love and acceptance from a revolving door of boyfriends, leaving Jasmine to be the parent in the dyad. On her part, Jasmine does wonder about her parentage. Being fed the story that her father is mythological being Pangu does have its benefits since he’s technically everywhere. However, is the truth a little more pedestrian and can the adults in her life deal with reality?

My heart went out for Jasmine, it really did. The poor girl basically had to grow up and mother her mother because that woman had the emotional fortitude of crepe paper. It really isn’t healthy and we see the damage it wreaks on Jasmine’s psyche. Girl has little forward thinking and just acts on her impulses. Sure, some of that could be attributed to her artistic tendencies but this definitely goes beyond an artist’s temperament. I wanted so badly to hug her and care for her.

Li brings out the messiness of familial relationships well and realistically. No one’s perfect, people say and do things they don’t mean, and what we get really is what we have. Yet, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t love for each other.

Such a lovely note to end the year on. Hug your loved ones, guys!

Diversity meter:
Asian American characters
Strong female characters

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunlight Playing over a Mountain is a young adult novel, the protagonist is 15 years old.

Her mother seems to have a problem with addiction ... and men. Her single mother has been avoiding telling her about her father and has filled in the blanks with Asian folklore.

My sister-in-law is Filippino, so I'm always on the lookout for books that might provide an additional glimpse into the Filippino culture.

Sometimes the book seemed a bit strange, they up and left the Midwest and drove to the Pacific Coast. The mother doesn't really reveal why until after they arrive.

A lot happens in this book ... especially for a 15 year old.

I really think that author Selina Li Bi did a good job with her debut novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Soho Press / Soho Teen for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Sunlight Playing over a Mountain in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is April 1, 2025. Approx 320 pages.

[Greer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunlight Playing over a Mountain by Selina Li Bi is a story about a flighty, mother and her grounded yet overwhelmed daughter. The only way she thinks she can shield her daughter is through mythological fairy tales, not the sweet ones, but those teeming with powerful characters like the Phoenix and the Dragon. Jasmine and her mother are both headstrong and set in their ways, protecting their selves with a false outer shell, one with strength and the other with defiance. They are both extremely sensitive on the inside, and their hard outer shells are on the verge of cracking.

This book covers all the feels. It is full of love, hate, jealousy, unfulfillment, and a need to justify an existence in the world all of this in a YA book. It’s about a family secret, a mother full of fairy tales, and a daughter who’s struggling to hold it all together. Jasmine becomes the glue holding these two fragile yet fierce souls together while she unravels the secrets of her own life.

[Michelle Kee · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the lowest ratings from me this year.

It is to a certain extent interesting to read about how the MC, Jasmine navigates her life. But it just goes downhill after that.

Originally picked up the book for the "asian fantasy/mythology" vibe the book was giving.. I thought it was going to be a slightly more whimsical sort of read. But it turned out pretty boring and flat throughout.

Didn't enjoy most of the characters in this story.. except maybe for Blaine and Auntie Chong. The mother was pretty useless with her constant string of avoidant good for nothing lovers. And that all she does is escape responsibilities and avoids everything. I loathe characters like that.

I would have enjoyed it more if the mother had a more stronger character and if the ending was slightly better. To me the ending was just "meh".

I give 1.5 to 2 stars only because I enjoyed the illustrations in the book and also because the book didn't end up in my DNF list.

[Caitie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars.

This was hard for me to rate, the synopsis sounded like something I’d love. However, I was more confused and ended up wanting more from this. The writing felt juvenile at times, and even though we’re talking about a novel aimed at teens, the main character felt younger in many ways.

Sunlight Playing Over a Mountain follows a girl named Jasmine who lives with her unstable mother. She lives for the stories of myths from her mother’s culture, believing in monsters and that her father is a faraway dragon waiting to be found. Jasmine’s life is very chaotic, and her mindset reflects that.

While I enjoyed the mythology, and overall the story seemed great, there was something missing for me. The beginning started off slowly, but the last half or so of the book was better.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up hoping for fantasy colliding with reality, a sort of Walter Mitty of a teenage girl. Instead, both the fantasy world and the real world remain static, disconnected. I don’t believe Jasmine has escaped her family’s patterns of running away from harsh truths, or that either she or her mom changed by the end. Blaine’s appearances were so convenient that I suspected for a moment he was part of the fantasy world, too. Likewise the concussion is more a convenient way to wrap everything up than a conflict that brings out the best or worst in the characters. The side characters didn’t have nuance and, while I liked Jasmine and how her acting on her impulses sometimes furthered the plot, I don’t believe she grew because of what happened.

[Shelby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one just didn’t do it for me. I actually enjoyed all of the mythical parts to it more than anything. The mom is actually one of the worst characters I’ve read and was so annoying. She should have gotten her daughter taken away from her and she was putting her in these awful situations. Jasmine was trying so hard to give herself and her mom a good life, but no teenager should be the adult in any situation. The mom was selfish and the entire time and I felt bad for Jasmine. I’m glad she felt comfort in her mythical worlds and creatures and could find hope in her life. It didn’t really have a great ending as well; it feels like a sick cycle of fucked up family dynamics.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted so much more from this book. I was thinking it was going to be a great mix of mythology and reality. There's very little of the mythology of Pangu in this story though. It was disappointing. I wanted it to be more embedded. As far as mother and daughter being the phoenix and dragon- I didn't see that theme developed in the story or the characterization.

The story was a fast read and easy to follow. Still I found the story mostly unoriginal despite my thoughts, especially given the first chapters, that this was going to be a unique story with a mix of myth and real life. I also was disappointed.

[Tory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Selina Li Bi's debut novel, "Sunlight Playing Over a Mountain," is told through the lens of fifteen-year-old Jasmine Cheng. Jasmine lives in a world where the mythical and the mundane intertwine, reflecting her struggle to reconcile the enchanting stories of her childhood with the increasingly apparent instability of her mother. Throughout the novel, the prose delicately peels back the layers of her unconventional upbringing and weaves in elements of Chinese and Filipino mythology as integral threads in Jasmine’s understanding of her identity and her mother’s erratic behavior. I highly recommend this refreshing coming of age story.

[Jame_EReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This coming of age debut book is compelling and intriguing. The relentless issues discussed factoring in the Chinese Filipino blended cultures and the unique perspective of the way Jasmine struggled made me wonder whether she was capable of getting herself out of the situation. She and her prowess spirit to continue while holding the fort down is amazing. Jasmine is Mulan in the contemporary world. It is well-written and I can embrace Jasmine’s story because I grew up seeing and reading stories like this. I love this book!!!

[BookLionQueen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 out of 5 stars

Thank you to @literarymediatours and @selina.libi for a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

This coming of age novel was a bit heavier than I expected. A complicated mother/daughter relationship being told for the daughter's perspective. The mother is struggling with addiction and seeing the daughter cope with this from her perspective using mythology was extremely interesting. I thought this debut was beautifully written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Another thank you to @netgalley and SoHo Teen!

[G X · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very hard to read because I hated the mom. I am so heartbroken for Jasmine. I can see that all Jasmine wanted was to be happy, but her mom was a mess and also very manipulative. This isn't the kind of book I would read and only stumbled on it by accident.

The author is a great writer--this story was just hard to like.

[Tanner Bjorlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunlight Playing over a Mountain is a beautifully told, emotionally resonant debut that blends lyrical prose with quiet power. Selina Li Bi captures the tension between imagination and reality with a rare sensitivity, offering a moving reflection on identity, family, and the stories we inherit.

[Sarah Sexton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what I was expecting from this book, but it wasn't what I got. It was ok. Characters were fine, but it was very predictable. Not bad for a debut though. I'd consider reading more of her work.
If you like realistic fiction and family dynamics, give this one a try.