Like many of Lee's novels, Finding My Voice was generally well received when it was published in 1992. It has been praised for being one of the first such books to represent the experience of an Asian American young adult. Writing in Kliatt, Barbara Shepp calls the book "well-written" and "believable." She concludes, "It has a mature and sensitive presentation of many teen issues, a likable main character, and a satisfying resolution that does not rely on pat answers."

A number of critics were moved by the depiction of Ellen, as well as the relationship between Ellen and her parents. The Publishers Weekly reviewer comments, "If Lee's story line is somewhat familiar, her portrayal of her heroine is unusually well-balanced." While Libby K. White of School Library Journal calls Ellen a "likable, gentle teen," she is one critic who finds that "The portrayal of her parents is...