Scan barcode
hotmessmamareads's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Mika in Real Life is a beautiful and tender emotional ride through motherhood, generational and cultural conflict, overcoming past traumas/fears, and coming into one’s own. I picked it up on a whim, and didn’t know a whole lot about it going into the tale apart from what was on the back cover–and oh, am I glad I did.
I loved every moment of it and didn’t expect that it would be so incredibly moving. There were striking sentences about parenthood peppered throughout that caused me to stop and reflect – and many, many moments of painful relatability when the story delves into exploring the disconnect between Mika and her mother. Ultimately, there was also a lot of love–familial, relationship-wise, friendship-wise, and loving oneself–infused in the tale, even when Mika experienced challenges.
I appreciated the way information and the resolution of issues was gradual, as it allowed me to really note the ways in which Mika grows. Along a path marred by her own mistakes, she learns to be brave, to stand on her own, to find her strength, her voice, her art, herself.
It was a joy to read, and the difficult topics were delicately navigated. There was so much authenticity woven into Mika’s character, culture, thoughts and emotions. It was easy for me to identify and empathize with her, which made the journey through her story far more emotional. I laughed. I cried. I related. I reflected.
There’s not really much more I can ask from any story than that.
For readers interested in content warnings, it may be helpful to note that the story does include the following: adoption, teenage pregnancy, sexual assault/rape, complicated relationship with rigid/stoic parents, death of a parent.
I loved every moment of it and didn’t expect that it would be so incredibly moving. There were striking sentences about parenthood peppered throughout that caused me to stop and reflect – and many, many moments of painful relatability when the story delves into exploring the disconnect between Mika and her mother. Ultimately, there was also a lot of love–familial, relationship-wise, friendship-wise, and loving oneself–infused in the tale, even when Mika experienced challenges.
I appreciated the way information and the resolution of issues was gradual, as it allowed me to really note the ways in which Mika grows. Along a path marred by her own mistakes, she learns to be brave, to stand on her own, to find her strength, her voice, her art, herself.
It was a joy to read, and the difficult topics were delicately navigated. There was so much authenticity woven into Mika’s character, culture, thoughts and emotions. It was easy for me to identify and empathize with her, which made the journey through her story far more emotional. I laughed. I cried. I related. I reflected.
There’s not really much more I can ask from any story than that.
For readers interested in content warnings, it may be helpful to note that the story does include the following: adoption, teenage pregnancy, sexual assault/rape, complicated relationship with rigid/stoic parents, death of a parent.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Rape
Minor: Death of parent and Grief
alanakuni's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
although i dont have a lot of first hand experience with a lot of the themes in this book the characters felt v authentic and imperfect. i really enjoyed listening to it and fell in love with all the diff characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
yesdnil's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I thought the budding romance between Mika and [character] took away from the more interesting plotline of Mika and Penny reconnecting. I found myself skimming some chapters towards the middle/end. Hiromi was just a consistently awful/negative character, and reading about her was unbearable.
Pet Peeve: The novel's typeface (in the hardcover at least) made all of the chapters read like a never-ending text message.
Pet Peeve: The novel's typeface (in the hardcover at least) made all of the chapters read like a never-ending text message.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
alysereadsbooks's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really enjoyed this book, especially from the perspective as an adoptee. Though categorized as romance, make sure you check the trigger warnings before reading. I thought Mika was a relatable likeable character and I liked the overall exploration of mother/daughter relationships (both between Mika and her mother and Penny and Mika).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Cancer, and Sexual assault
bibliophilecats's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Was ich mir erhofft habe: Ich kenne bereits ein Jugendbuch der Autorin, welches mir gefallen hat. Der Plot dieses Buches klang auch gut.
Was mir gefallen hat: Mir hat sehr gut gefallen, dass es Mika nicht besser geht, weil sie eine Beziehung findet sondern dass sie alleine sich entschließt, etwas zu ändern und den Weg alleine geht. Keine „Wunderheilung durch die Liebe“. Das finde ich viel realistischer.
Was mir nicht gefallen hat: Die Schlafzimmersequenz hätte für mich weniger detailliert sein können.
Sprecherin: Die Sprecherin war in Ordnung. Insgesamt eher langsam.
Übersetzung: An ein paar wenigen Stellen hat mich der deutsche Text irritiert und ich habe mich gefragt, ob es an der Übersetzung liegt. Zum Beispiel sagt Mikas Freundin zu ihr, es wäre auch schwer gewesen „Penny aufzugeben“. Ich vermute, das ist die Übersetzung von „to give up a baby for adoption“, was ich im Deutschen aber besser als abgeben statt aufgeben bezeichnen würde. Auch habe ich Zweifel, dass die 16-jährige Penny wirklich Apfelwein trinkt und denke, dass es eher ein ungenaue Übersetzung des amerikanischen „apple cider“ (ohne Alkohol), im Gegensatz zum „hard cider“.
Fazit: Das Buch hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Es hat sich mit schwierigen Themen beschäftigt und diese mit dem nötigen Gewicht betrachtet ohne dabei mich als Leser total zu deprimieren. Es endet auf einer hoffnungsvollen, positiven Note. Und auch die Nebencharaktere waren liebenswert.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
piratenami's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Death of parent, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Cancer, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
chatty_cath's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
abbiechron's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
What started off as a surface-level read bloomed into a beautiful story of finding one's way. At times it was painfully predictable, for example, Mika and Thomas , but the beautiful youth and growth shown through and allowed for room for my predictions to be flawed in the best ways. Don't skip this read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Cursing, Alcohol, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Cancer, Bullying, and Death of parent
Minor: Medical content, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Animal death, Terminal illness, Blood, and Toxic relationship
Job loss, immigrationbeckyyreadss's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thank you to Michael Joseph Penguin Publishing for sending this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows Mika Suzuki, she is 35 and she is struggling. She’s been fired (again). Her last relationship went up in flames. Her fervently traditional mother is perpetually disappointed in her. And now, she’s had a phone call from sixteen-year-old Penny Calvin. Her baby she reluctantly gave up for adoption when she was a teenager herself. Mika is desperate to meet her baby. But she barely feels like she can take care of herself. Is she ready to show Penny who her mother really is. This book is a contemporary fiction book set in America.
I wanted to give my heart to Mika and wanted to give her the biggest hug I could possibly give someone. Her story is so powerful, so heart breaking and how she managed I would have no clue. I would have loved to see Peter finding out he has a daughter and what the cause of his actions were. Penny was so smart and bright, and you can tell how much she wanted to learn but also respecting Mika’s boundaries. I loved to see the relationship grow between Mika and Penny and Thomas and how they became a blended family. I’m have a best friend like Hana in my life, so I was totally in love with Hana, I thought she was amazing and brilliant, and I wanted to see more of her and her girlfriend.
I wouldn’t say it was a weakness but considering this book is about Mika’s self-worth and that she doesn’t feel worthy another person or her worth, so I would have loved to see her friends point of views and showing what she looks like to other people and they can see that she’s holding back and the change in her that happens.
All and all, I enjoyed reading this book and I would read another one of Emiko Jean’s books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Rape
Moderate: Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Cancer
Minor: Infertility
melloui's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault