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neilsj's review against another edition
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
5.0
hkbarnes14's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.5
winemakerssister's review against another edition
DNF @ about 18%. I'm not rating this because I stopped reading it due to a personal issue. I would've liked to have continued, but the layers and layers of lies she was telling her daughter made me really anxious and I wasn't enjoying it.
dejeneratereads's review against another edition
Will try to return to this. I just wasn't feeling at the time.
genthebookworm's review against another edition
5.0
Mika in Real Life surprised me, in the best possible way. It's been a while since I read a book about family that just felt so real, and human. Don't let this cute book cover deceive you, because while this book is totally heartwarming, it's also real and covers some heavy topics that made this book really stick.
Mika is a Japanese-American woman in her mid-30s who's life looks nothing like the one she had once imagined. Mike is a a low point when her daughter she had given up for adoption 16 years earlier, reaches out to her, hoping to connect.
In her quest to be a person her daughter Penny is proud of, Mika creates a few white lies which, of course, end up snowballing into something way bigger than she ever imagined. While this storyline seems predictable at first, it ends up being the foundation of a novel that capture the essence of what makes a parent and what makes a life.
Not only is Mika endearing but she's also beautifully flawed. Author Emiko Jean delves into how our own pasts have made us who we are, and how our families expectations have shaped us but also don't make us. The Japanese American immigrant experience was woven in throughout this story so seamlessly and added so much to the storyline. In addition, the side characters are multifaceted and add so much to this brilliant novel.
I can't say enough about this book and I know it will stick with me for a long time. I am so appreciative to publisher William Morrow Books for allowing me to read and review this book and I highly recommend adding to your end of summer reading list.
Mika is a Japanese-American woman in her mid-30s who's life looks nothing like the one she had once imagined. Mike is a a low point when her daughter she had given up for adoption 16 years earlier, reaches out to her, hoping to connect.
In her quest to be a person her daughter Penny is proud of, Mika creates a few white lies which, of course, end up snowballing into something way bigger than she ever imagined. While this storyline seems predictable at first, it ends up being the foundation of a novel that capture the essence of what makes a parent and what makes a life.
Not only is Mika endearing but she's also beautifully flawed. Author Emiko Jean delves into how our own pasts have made us who we are, and how our families expectations have shaped us but also don't make us. The Japanese American immigrant experience was woven in throughout this story so seamlessly and added so much to the storyline. In addition, the side characters are multifaceted and add so much to this brilliant novel.
I can't say enough about this book and I know it will stick with me for a long time. I am so appreciative to publisher William Morrow Books for allowing me to read and review this book and I highly recommend adding to your end of summer reading list.
tayckingaldor's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
chronicallybookish's review
I can’t do the whole lying thing. Plus I wasn’t super engaged by the narration
paradise_library's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a delight. Managing to combine humour and emotion, it gives a good insight into parenting, cultural identity and growing up.
Characters are well-written and believable. They are also relatable as we’ve all made poor decisions in our lifetime that have hurt the people we love. Mika and Hana’s friendship is one of the best I’ve read recently, as they were supportive and sarcastic, but also honest about each other’s choices.
I do feel like Mika’s life really wasn’t that bad and she was over-dramatising it at times, but then don’t we all? Her choices at university shaped the rest of her life, yet she seems stuck and unable to move past them, despite having a strong support network and artistic talent. Her relationship with her parents is sad while her behaviour with them is extremely immature and selfish at times.
Yet somehow Mika remains likeable and it’s easy to empathise with her, despite wondering why on earth she said what she said to Penny, when it was quite clear that she would want to meet at some point? I do also wonder why she didn’t just take the morning after pill.
There are some questionable dates in the timeline and it is a little silly and far fetched in places - I personally hate characters who lie outrageously with no thought to repercussions. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the romance, but overall it’s a sweet, compelling read. Although it feels more like a YA book than contemporary adult fiction.
Characters are well-written and believable. They are also relatable as we’ve all made poor decisions in our lifetime that have hurt the people we love. Mika and Hana’s friendship is one of the best I’ve read recently, as they were supportive and sarcastic, but also honest about each other’s choices.
I do feel like Mika’s life really wasn’t that bad and she was over-dramatising it at times, but then don’t we all? Her choices at university shaped the rest of her life, yet she seems stuck and unable to move past them, despite having a strong support network and artistic talent. Her relationship with her parents is sad while her behaviour with them is extremely immature and selfish at times.
Yet somehow Mika remains likeable and it’s easy to empathise with her, despite wondering why on earth she said what she said to Penny, when it was quite clear that she would want to meet at some point? I do also wonder why she didn’t just take the morning after pill.
There are some questionable dates in the timeline and it is a little silly and far fetched in places - I personally hate characters who lie outrageously with no thought to repercussions. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the romance, but overall it’s a sweet, compelling read. Although it feels more like a YA book than contemporary adult fiction.