Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Yolk, by Mary H.K. Choi

46 reviews

ladygetslit's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

Yolk was such a difficult read. Jayne’s perspective is so raw and broken, and as a broken person, I honestly struggled to sit with the parts of me that relate to her. This story brought me back to the darkest parts of my time living in New York, the way I wanted it so badly and never felt like I belonged all at the same time. Yet there are moments of hope in this book as well: the healing in Jayne’s relationship with her sister, her connection with Patrick, and her decision to get help for her eating disorder. As much as I struggled to get through the dark parts, this story was so beautifully written in its raw exploration of what it is to be a flawed human being. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Medical content, Eating disorder, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Addiction

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

eligru's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Mental illness, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Child death, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Medical content, Bullying, Cancer, Alcohol, and Fatphobia

taroroot's review

challenging 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

4.0

i loved this a lot more than i thought i would. i'm generally wary of YA novels written in first-person but i adored being in Jayne's head. so many things she said and felt were so painfully relatable. as someone who doesn't have a sister, i enjoyed this deep insight into the relationship between sisters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Eating disorder, Vomit, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Racism

kellyofcali's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

A book about family, and love, and self-love, I think - I really enjoyed the way Choi writes, and quickly become invested in June and Jayne, two different sisters who share a lot (as sisters do). I found the ending a little weak, but endings are tough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Eating disorder, Medical content, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual content, Grief, Mental illness, Abandonment, Addiction, and Chronic illness

cady_sass's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

“This story might be emotionally expensive for you” 

That kinda says it all, doesn’t it? What a beautiful, honest piece of writing. There is a delicate balance between loving these character and hating them, and we walk it closely, but that is what makes them come alive. The realities of family and childhood trauma and what we become, and how we carry it with us even when we run far away. The reality of living in world (country) where treating illness is a luxury. It takes a bit to get into it and, admittedly, I put it down for a few days at one point but I’m so glad I picked it back up. I love this with my whole heart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Cursing, Chronic illness, Excrement, Self harm, Sexual content, Cancer, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, and Grief

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

valentina_legge's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

I almost abandoned it because of the cancer theme, but I was pleased to see that it was tackled pretty well.

Beautiful, subtle depiction of family dynamics. 

Loved her writing in her previous novels, but it was especially precise in this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Vomit, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Sexual assault

ale__b23's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol

leannanecdote's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Grief, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Classism, Cursing, Abandonment, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Medical content, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Racism, Vomit, Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Sexual content