Reviews and To Be Reviewed
Mika in Real Life 2, 2022, William Morrow, NetGalley
My comments:
A heart-wrenching story of 36-year-old Mika who was encouraged by her mother sixteen years ago to give up her baby for adoption, and the story of the adoptee who finds her.
Mika Suzuki of Portland, Oregon is gobsmacked by a surprise call from a 16-year-old Penny, who declares herself Mika's daughter. Penny wants to meet and Mika prepares herself for the encounter.
Penny and her adoptive father Thomas are almost too perfect to be believable at first. He is a caring parent, who with his now deceased wife, gave Penny all the love and affection a child could ever want.
However, Mika, the biological mother, is a 36-year-old unemployed woman now, who has a hard time making ends meet, and who decides she has to fake her life so as not to disappoint her daughter when they meet.
The angst of an adoptive child and a woman who gave her up at birth is well portrayed in this novel. It is moving and thought-provoking, and the characters and story line are excellently done. It is so well done, it moved me to tears in several instances. An enthusiastic five stars for this contemporary novel of adoption.
About: Mysterious dreams of grizzly bears, a bumbling FBI agent, and a tense hostage negotiation have the town of Cold Storage, Alaska, turned upside down.
Inspired by assassination conspiracy theories, the life of Thomas Merton, and the changing tide of the ’60s, Blown by the Same Wind is a coming-of-age story for the town of Cold Storage as a whole. (publisher)
Addicted to You
by Krista and Becca Ritchie, Aug. 16, 2022, review copy courtesy of Berkley Books
Genre: romance, contemporary fiction
Memes: The Sunday Post hosted by The Caffeinated Bookreviewer. Also, It's Monday: What Are You Reading, and Sunday Salon, Stacking the Shelves, Mailbox Monday |
Reading: good! Me reading: Not so good! You have read so much more than I have this week!
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Mae, I've yet to read the second and third books. I'm also a slow readerthese days.
DeleteMika in Real Life sounds like a very good read. I will see if I can find a copy. Thanks for your review.
ReplyDeleteAnd Blown by the Same Wind has some elements---60s, grizzly bears, Thomas Merton---that appeal to me, too.
Two good books, Deb.
DeleteI just LOVED Addicted to you! Hope you do too
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it. Looking forward to reading it.
DeleteMika in Real Life and Blown by the Same Wind does grab my attention immediately and Addicted to you might actually also work for me....
ReplyDeleteHappy reading this week!
Elza Reads
Hope you get to read them, Elza.
DeleteAll of these books are new to me and although I don't read much YA, Mika in Real Life sounds very good as does the Alaska crime fiction story. Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteMika is really good as women's fiction too.
DeleteMika in Real Life sounds good. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteI liked it a lot.
DeleteBlown by the Same Wind sounds intriguing!
ReplyDeleteI love the Alaska setting and this writer's works.
DeleteI love the sound of Mika in Real Life. I am drawn to stories like this one. Enjoy your week, and here are my WEEKLY UPDATES
ReplyDeleteI think you will like the novel, Laurel-Rain.
DeleteMika in Real Life sounds really good. Enjoy your books and have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yvonne.
DeleteThose books sound good. I have seen Mika in Real Life around on Instagram. I like the sound of Blown by the Same Wind and I love the cover!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week ahead!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2022/08/28/sunday-salon-18/
The cover is a definite draw.
DeleteMika does sound very thought provoking and emotionally bittersweet, I imagine.
ReplyDeleteNot at all predictable, either, Greg.
DeleteMika sounds very interesting. I can understand her need and want to show her daughter that she's doing well. It would be so hard to give up your baby for adoption.
ReplyDeleteMy Sunday Post
A heart rending story.
DeleteI like the sound of Mika in Real Life. I can understand her wanting to appear better and more together for her daughter than she really is.
ReplyDeleteThis was quite a conflict for her.
DeleteTwo different but good books.
ReplyDeleteBlown By The Same Wind looks interesting with its huge bear and Cold Storage as a character. Happy reading. -vvb32 reads
ReplyDeleteEager to start reading it.
DeleteI really like the cover of Blown by the Same Wind. Nice books. Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteI lucked out on books recently
DeleteAll are new to me. I hope you enjoy them and have a good week!
ReplyDeleteMary @Bookfan
Thanks for the visit.
DeleteMika in Real Life sounds good to me. This is a new-to-me author so I'll have to check this out.
ReplyDeleteIt might be her first novel, Melody.
DeleteThat grizzly looks big on the book cover. I like the premise & setting of that one!
ReplyDeleteHe's a great writer!
Delete