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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
alicelalicon's review against another edition
emotional
fast-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism
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
cinderellasbookshelf's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
5.0
I laughed, I cried - Mika in Real Life by Emiko Jean completely stole my heart, broke it, and put it back together again.
I really took my time reading this book mostly because I was not ready for it to end and to leave these characters behind. You really become attached to them, especially Mika and her relationship with Penny, the now sixteen year old daughter she gave up for adoption years prior. Both characters are in search of something; the person they used to be, who they are now, and a part of themselves they are trying to recapture or understand that they needed to find by meeting each other.
I thought Emiko Jean did such a great job in handling the serious subject matters mentioned while also balancing it with the light and humor. There is so much packed in about parents and children, identity, trauma, grief, and how we heal and grow. Yet, everything is presented so seamlessly.
My only criticism is the ending. It may just be me as a reader, but I really wanted a little bit more in those last few pages, particularly an epilogue. I want to know what happened to these characters after everything they had been through. It’s hinted that they will be alright, but I also have to know. That last letter though really hit me. I felt that it encapsulated so many themes this book explored, while still giving a hopefulness that perfectly ended this whole journey we read. I guess that’s the thing about the ending that I wished there was more of - it’s the end of one story, but the beginning of another. Nonetheless though, everyone will be alright.
I recommend checking the content warnings before reading, but otherwise, I cannot recommend this book enough. It is a subtle gem that will really tug at your heartstrings and leave you tethered to these characters even when it’s over.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent
kim_momreadsbooksinbtwn's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“Mika in Real Life” was Good Morning America’s Book Club pick for the month of August. The concept sounded really interesting, a middle-aged Japanese woman struggling to make a life for herself, I imagined Bridget Jones. Mika loses her job, lives with a roommate, and does not have the best relationship with her family. When out of the blue, her 16-year-old daughter whom she gave up for adoption calls her and tries to reconnect. Throughout the story, you discover what happened to Mika and why she had to put Penelope up for adoption. There are many awkward moments portraying the strained relationship between Mika and her mother. The storyline moved at a medium pace, but it seemed somewhat predictable. I listened to the audio version of this book and the narration was good, I appreciated hearing the conversation amongst Mika’s family in Japanese. It was a cute story and I did feel some sympathy for Mika; however, there were times when I wanted to scream at her to get her life together. This is my first book by Emiko Jean, and curious to try another one of her books.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Rape
Minor: Cancer
katiemack's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-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
3.75
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I love Emiko Jean's Tokyo Ever After books, so I thought I'd give her adult debut a try.
The beginning focuses on Mika, a thirty-five-year-old who has just been let go from her job and is not traditionally successful--especially not to her parents, who moved with her from Japan to the U.S. in search of better opportunities. When her sixteen-year-old biological child, Penny, reaches out to her, Mika finds herself entangled in a web of lies of her own making to seem more impressive to her daughter.
I have a huge problem with books based on the main character's lies, so I was prepared to cringe the entire way through the rest of the book. Thankfully, that aspect of the plot is resolved about halfway through the book and gives way to a more in-depth exploration of trauma (particularly generational trauma), motherhood, and the nature of creativity. It feels more personal than Jean's other books, but it still has its moments of funny dialogue and compelling side characters. The romance feels abrupt but makes sense, in the end.
Try this if you're looking for a tender, diverse read about motherhood and, well, being an adult.
I love Emiko Jean's Tokyo Ever After books, so I thought I'd give her adult debut a try.
The beginning focuses on Mika, a thirty-five-year-old who has just been let go from her job and is not traditionally successful--especially not to her parents, who moved with her from Japan to the U.S. in search of better opportunities. When her sixteen-year-old biological child, Penny, reaches out to her, Mika finds herself entangled in a web of lies of her own making to seem more impressive to her daughter.
I have a huge problem with books based on the main character's lies, so I was prepared to cringe the entire way through the rest of the book. Thankfully, that aspect of the plot is resolved about halfway through the book and gives way to a more in-depth exploration of trauma (particularly generational trauma), motherhood, and the nature of creativity. It feels more personal than Jean's other books, but it still has its moments of funny dialogue and compelling side characters. The romance feels abrupt but makes sense, in the end.
Try this if you're looking for a tender, diverse read about motherhood and, well, being an adult.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Xenophobia
Minor: Toxic relationship and Body shaming
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