Book Review: I Hope This Doesn’t Find You 

By Ann Liang 

5 Stars 

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang is about Sadie Wen, a perfectionist overachiever who prides herself on being the school’s golden child. She’s polite, reliable, academically terrifying, the whole package. But privately? She vents. A lot. Especially about her academic rival, Julius. When those private emails accidentally get exposed, Sadie’s carefully curated image starts wobbling like a three-legged chair, and the story kicks into high gear. What I liked about the book was how Ann Liang leans into the absolute absurdity of being a teenager with a reputation to maintain. Sadie’s inner thoughts are a comedy gold mine, half spiralling anxiety, half unhinged commentary. If you’ve ever replayed a slightly awkward interaction for eight consecutive days, congratulations, you’re basically the target audience. The book captures that relatable fear of being “found out,” whether it’s your flaws, your insecurities, or your secret over-analysis of the way someone said “hey.” People who enjoy enemies-to-lovers stories will find plenty to love here, especially because the rivalry isn’t mean-spirited; it’s more like two gifted kids who take school way too seriously. The academic competition, the awkward forced proximity, the “I don’t like him, I just loudly notice everything he does” energy, it’s all very charming. And there’s a surprising amount of heart beneath the comedy, particularly around identity, pressure, and learning to let go of the need to be perfect. This book is a delight, the story is witty, it’s charming, and it might make you double-check every draft, diary entry, and Notes app rant you’ve ever written, just in case. 

Reviewed by Alfina 

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