Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi

25 reviews

starbeans's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Jayne is a young Korean-American woman living in New York after moving out from her parents’ house in Texas. Her older sister, June, moved to the city a few years before her. While Jayne’s life consists of dealing with her faulty apartment, skipping college classes, fighting with her situationship, getting sloppy drunk with her friends, and a heavy case of binge-eating and bulimia, June’s world is seemingly perfect, with a high-paying job in hedge funds. The two sisters seem nothing alike and apparently can’t really stand each other. 
That is, until June discovers she has cancer. 

It’s a heartwarming, funny, and gut-wrenching story all at the same time. It’s written incredibly well, the characters are fleshed out, and I love how unreliable Jayne is as a narrator. The ending (tiny spoiler) doesn’t really give any closure to the reader plot-wise, but it ends at a really, really good point nonetheless. Nothing but love for this book, practically inhaled it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Alcoholism

Moderate: Cancer

Minor: Drug use

sakisreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

I was honestly so rattled by this book. A friend had mentioned that this one was good to read because I’d thoroughly enjoyed ‘Disorientation’ by Elaine Hseih Chou. 

I was not expecting this depth of humanness, right down to all the upsetting content (content warnings below). But I loved Jayne for all her fucked up energy and for finally owning it, and I loved June for her fierceness, especially at the end.

Imagine getting fired because you stole a Supreme ashtray 😂

I’m going to be thinking about this book for a while now. 4 out of 5 stars, thank you ✨

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Self harm, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Cancer, Racism, Body horror, Alcoholism, Body shaming, and Bullying

motz_stick's review

emotional reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

Perfectly Mundane

I was hesitant to continue this book after some mental health struggles caused me to read at such a slow pace, but I’m forever grateful I did. This book was so beautifully written that I feel like I lived another life. It’s pacing and content felt so realistic. It’s the perfect slice of life book because it’s messy and has ups and downs. I also found comfort in the writing, the descriptions of mental illness made me feel understood and less alone. Although this book may not be for everyone I adored it and would love to read more of Choi’s writing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Grief, Self harm, Addiction, Alcohol, Vomit, Body shaming, Medical content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Medical content, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Death, Infertility, and Sexual assault

mswarning's review against another edition

emotional funny

5.0

"I'm like a truffle pig for fuckboys." 

Great combination of funny and heartbreaking.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, and Vomit

Moderate: Cancer, Medical content, and Racism

Minor: Blood

annesophiekeita's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“i’ve never felt so known. so fucking spied on.” c’est ce que j’ai ressenti en lisant ce livre, il était juste incroyablement beau, triste et rempli d’espoir 💗

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Eating disorder, Cancer, Grief, and Child death

Moderate: Vomit and Medical content

Minor: Racism, Blood, Bullying, Drug abuse, and Alcoholism

tarynsbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.75

This book was cringey to me, the writing style was inconsistent. The story telling was just, off. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Mental illness, and Infidelity

cerilouisereads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Racism, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Cancer, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Gaslighting, and Drug use

logikitty's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, and Mental illness

Moderate: Vomit, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Grief, Medical content, and Toxic friendship

seoulatte's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Dysphoria, and Vomit

Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Sexual harassment, Death, Child death, Blood, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Bullying, and Alcoholism

thevietvegan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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

Honestly I think don’t remember what it was that inspired me to add this to my TBR but this book was gutwrenching and so hard in so many ways but so beautiful and familiar in many. It’s also written so beautifully and shares such concisely perfect moments that I can picture or feel so clearly. I love when an author is able to so this.

It had a few traditional romance novel tropes but it surprised me in so many ways. At first it was really hard to read Jayne’s thoughts and perspectives. I thought, wow, is this what its like to hate yourself so much? Seeing how jayne steels herself from being hurt and how she throws herself into shit situations was really hard to read. My heart hurt for her. 

The dynamic of June and Jayne was so clear and vivid and truthful of so many sibling relationships.

I wanted to hate Patrick but I liked him. I liked who P and J were for each other. I wanted something good for her with him and I am really glad he wasn’t the catalyst for her to change. I’m so thankful it was her and her sister and her own desire for change and not a love interest.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cancer, Blood, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Abandonment