Common Sense Media Review
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Culturally savvy romance has language, underage drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In NEVER THOUGHT I'D END UP HERE, Leah Zhang has just ended her modeling career and found herself surrounded by people she's not sure she can call friends, and she has also embarrassed her family at a wedding where she publicly said the wrong thing at the wrong time. To make matters even worse, her arch nemesis, family friend Cyrus Sui, watched the wedding incident unfold in all of its cringey awkwardness. Her parents decide to mend the situation by sending Leah on a group tour of China with peers. Guess who's also on the tour?
Is It Any Good?
Dazzling descriptions of travels in China and charming moments of self-awareness bring zest to this fun romance. In Never Thought I'd End Up Here, teens will find the first-person voice relatable, though parents may want to ask teens about references to the regularity of underage drinking, hooking up, and disordered eating.
A likable effort from veteran YA author Anne Liang, it invites readers to join Leah's journey of discovery and connection that chugs along like a train ribboning through ancient misty mountains. Teen readers might pick up a few helpful Mandarin phrases along the way.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about curiosity in Never Thought I'd End Up Here. How does keeping an open mind enhance the characters' experiences in this book? What happens when people close their minds and hearts in judgement?
Characters in this book possess certain levels of skill in their second language. How does perseverance help them advance in their goals?
The main character talks about how boys she dated want to be with her, and then dump her. She began to think that she was to blame for their behavior. What's the difference between humility and humiliation?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School ) , History
- Character Strengths : Communication , Curiosity , Humility , Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic
- Publication date : May 27, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 18
- Number of pages : 320
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate