Mika in Real Life

Product Information

And as a new mom, I scrolled through a lot of social media, partly because I was really lonely at the time, and I was also seeking advice. These letters are an integral part of the story and I loved how they gave the book a less traditional feel. Like for me, I felt like it was her mom giving a passive dismissal of what happened to Mika and her assault. Even with the heavy topics however, the overall tone of the book was lighthearted and hopeful, with humor playing a significant role in the narrative.

There are also some instances of alcohol—once by a minor—as well as of language and some mild consensual sexual content. In the end, Mika must face the truth--about herself, her family, and her past--and answer the question, just who is Mika in real life? All she’d wanted was to protect Penny from the truth… She had wanted to show Penny that the adoption had been worth it for both of them. Whereas she was once aiming for a friendship-like relationship with Penny, Mika now must assume the role of a mother who is doing her best, which, as Thomas teaches her, is really what all parents do in the end. Through it all, persistent thoughts about her pregnancy with Penny and her birth draw painful memories and old hurts to the surface.But when Penny and her widowed adoptive father Thomas spring a visit on Mika, things get complicated. I loved other books I've read by Emiko Jean and was excited when I was approved for Mika in Real Life.

But the first one is the main one; it isn’t too graphic, but it also doesn’t shy away from the fear the character feels in that moment. I thought the author handled discussions of generational trauma, sexual assault, and adoption especially well. Looking back now that I finished the book and I’ve had some time and distance from the final draft, I can really see how a lot of Mika’s inadequacies in the book are reflective of what I was feeling at the time. While I think the romance element could have been left out, I still appreciated Mika and Penny’s journey as mother and daughter and would highly recommend listening to the audiobook narrated by Sura Siu and Andi Arndt.GLAMOUR'A funny, touching celebration of second chances' MAIL ON SUNDAY'Warm, funny and a brilliant read' SUN'By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this is a total joy of a read' HOLLY MILLER, author of The Sight of You________Penny Calvin has questions. Payments made using National Book Tokens are processed by National Book Tokens Ltd, and you can read their Terms and Conditions here. For all ebook purchases, you will be prompted to create an account or login with your existing HarperCollins username and password.

If The Princess Diaries met Crazy Rich Asians, you would get close to the wonderfully chaotic splendor of Tokyo Ever After. I’ve kind of discovered that children are their own human beings, and they’re super-intent on going their own way. The culture and art references were interesting too— freaking super glad at the end, brave Mika you did so well! Penny announces that she has spent her birthday money on a flight to Portland to meet Mika, visit her home and attend her big gallery opening.Penny is determined to forge a relationship with her mother, and in turn, Mika longs for someone Penny is proud of. By the third page I already felt broken and I was unprepared for the emotional journey this takes you on, going through a rainbow of emotions over the next 375 pages. You always know it’s going to come back and bite them in the ass, which can be cringy and frustrating.

The story moves back and forth with Mika remembering things about her childhood, her upbringing and the circumstances that have brought Mika to the place she is in life. Not close to this yet, but it gave me a lot to think about) I think Jean captured the nuances and complexities of all these situations so well without overwhelming the reader, and this is a book that I will be thinking about for a long time. Although Mika is the protagonist, and she clearly harbors a lot of pain about giving Penny up for adoption, Jean is careful to chronicle both her journey and that of Penny’s adoptive parents, showing the highs and lows, joys and pains of each side, never favoring one over the other or suggesting that one side is better than the other. To access you ebook(s) after purchasing, you can download the free Glose app or read instantly on your browser by logging into Glose. Some difficult subjects are tackled including *spoiler*TW* rape, so it’s not exactly a light read, but is very engaging heartfelt, and entertaining.From Emiko Jean, the bestselling author of young adult books, comes MIKA IN REAL LIFE, a witty, hilarious and tender novel about the reunion between 35-year-old Mika and the 16-year-old daughter she gave up for adoption at birth. Amidst the backdrop of cherry blossoms, castles, and royal life, she has real-world struggles trying to fit in to two cultures. In the end, though, Emiko Jean’s novel Mika in Real Life is a sweet story about building a family, and rebuilding a life. The story follows a down-on-her-luck 35-year-old woman named Mika who was fired from her job around the same time that her relationship ended in flames. In Jean’s breezy adult debut (after the Tokyo Ever After YA fantasy series), a woman encounters the daughter she gave up for adoption.