tricia0613's review against another edition
4.0
This one broke me. Taking off one star purely because it's open-ended and I hate loose ends. Otherwise it's a beautiful portrait of the human condition and human relations. It tells us that no matter how broken one might be, there's always hope and we can mend.
loveathena98's review against another edition
5.0
This was a really compelling book. My sister isn’t close in age to me but I liked the themes of a complicated family and how you learn things over time. I also thought that Jayne’s mental health issues were written compassionately but realistically. Overall, a great read.
catboyfu's review against another edition
4.0
i picked up this book purely because i thought the cover looked cool lmao. but i was really glad i did because i fell in love with choi's writing style! i'm a sucker for contemporary that is well-written, and this book definitely fits that description. the story was so moving too. the main character's pain really resonated with me; from her insecurities to her eating struggles, everything just hit close to home. the family dynamic in the story also felt very real. it was hard to choose a 'side' of who was right and who was wrong when it came to family struggles. i loved how we learned what happened to the mom at the end of the book; it was a plot twist that i really didn't expect and made me feel for the character so much more. overall, the story was moving, the characters were compelling, and the writing style inspired me to start writing again in my free time! i thoroughly enjoyed this book!
candicedaphne's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
wowww I really really liked this. I almost teared up a bit at the end too. I loved reading along Jayne's journey, her thoughts aligning similarly with my own, how she saw the world around her and the descriptions of Texas almost make me want to visit just to see that big vast night sky :')
Jayne is such an interesting character that I saw so much of myself in unfortunately lol but she's just a young gal going through it, too in her head all the time, it was almost like reading my own thoughts at times, especially her relationship with her mum oof.
this was a journey. I just feel really happy that this book exists, I don't know how to put it into words but I feel connected to this novel somehow. it just got me.
I kinda wish the ending was a little more fleshed out but I also don't mind too much.
loved it and I'm off to read more some of mary's books!
Jayne is such an interesting character that I saw so much of myself in unfortunately lol but she's just a young gal going through it, too in her head all the time, it was almost like reading my own thoughts at times, especially her relationship with her mum oof.
this was a journey. I just feel really happy that this book exists, I don't know how to put it into words but I feel connected to this novel somehow. it just got me.
I kinda wish the ending was a little more fleshed out but I also don't mind too much.
loved it and I'm off to read more some of mary's books!
shreya_jpg's review against another edition
4.75
the author is fucking stalking me because I am such mixtape of june and jayne
binnybeenreading's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
this book was beautiful. at first i hated jayne so much that i almost gave up on reading this. only now at the end am i fully comprehending how much i related to her and how i think that played into me hating her at first. it was like seeing my worst parts and thoughts all laid out on a page. the shame, anxiety, and exhaustively trying to perceive oneself.
i know some people are decisive with this book, but it will definitely hold a place in my heart. i particularly appreciated how this book never implied whether one should forgive their family members. it doesn’t say it’s the right or the wrong way. as someone who has a brother who was not always kind, but is my brother, it’s something i’ll always think about.
anyways thank you ms choi for yolk.
i know some people are decisive with this book, but it will definitely hold a place in my heart. i particularly appreciated how this book never implied whether one should forgive their family members. it doesn’t say it’s the right or the wrong way. as someone who has a brother who was not always kind, but is my brother, it’s something i’ll always think about.
anyways thank you ms choi for yolk.
elliesuns's review against another edition
it's slow and heavy to get through... maybe will come back to this later. also the main character isn't very likeable.