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Finding Mia
Intelligent and fiercely independent, sixteen-year-old Mia Marchette has never had a childhood. After her father’s disappearance when she was six, she has alone borne the burden of her mother’s bipolar disorder.
When her mother is institutionalized after a failed suicide attempt, Mia is abruptly forced to live with the estranged father she has not known for ten years. She is shocked to discover that he has created a new, picture-perfect life for himself, and is now living with a stepmother and a half-sister Mia never knew she had. Together, Mia and her new family must face the bitterness, mistakes, and long-hidden secrets that threaten to destroy their precarious happiness.
Finding Mia follows Mia's journey as she searches to find the unanswered questions from her past, leading to her own self-discovery.
Ultimately, this is a story of confronting pain and finding freedom, of letting go and learning to search for love in unexpected places.
When her mother is institutionalized after a failed suicide attempt, Mia is abruptly forced to live with the estranged father she has not known for ten years. She is shocked to discover that he has created a new, picture-perfect life for himself, and is now living with a stepmother and a half-sister Mia never knew she had. Together, Mia and her new family must face the bitterness, mistakes, and long-hidden secrets that threaten to destroy their precarious happiness.
Finding Mia follows Mia's journey as she searches to find the unanswered questions from her past, leading to her own self-discovery.
Ultimately, this is a story of confronting pain and finding freedom, of letting go and learning to search for love in unexpected places.
229 pages
First published January 8, 2012
88 people are currently reading
1014 people want to read
About the author
Rachel K. Burke
6 books209 followersRachel Burke is the author of three new adult novels, Sound Bites, Love Bites and Finding Mia.
In 2014, she created The Skinny Chick’s Cookbook, a health food blog that features all-natural recipes with 10 ingredients or less, which was published as a cookbook in 2017.
Rachel grew up in Boston, MA and now resides in Santa Monica, CA.
Her blog can be found at theskinnychickscookbook.com.
For more information on Rachel's fiction work, please visit www.rachelkburke.com
Facebook:
facebook.com/rachelkburkebooks
Twitter:
@rachelkburke
In 2014, she created The Skinny Chick’s Cookbook, a health food blog that features all-natural recipes with 10 ingredients or less, which was published as a cookbook in 2017.
Rachel grew up in Boston, MA and now resides in Santa Monica, CA.
Her blog can be found at theskinnychickscookbook.com.
For more information on Rachel's fiction work, please visit www.rachelkburke.com
Facebook:
facebook.com/rachelkburkebooks
Twitter:
@rachelkburke
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
December 21, 2012
I've always been an emotional reader. I hardly notice grammatical errors unless they're blatantly obvious. More often, I tend to criticize the characters more than the author's writing prowess. Finding Mia was a book where I got so involved with the characters' respective psyches that it may have affected my rating. On the other hand, I believe that good books are written to incite emotions so even if I didn't like how the characters acted, I think the author was successful in that respect.
This book was difficult to get through – with characters that are even more difficult to understand. You have a teen girl who has struggled to exist with a mother who slowly lost herself to bipolar disorder and a father who abandoned them when he could no longer handle the pressure. He was selfish, and hard to forgive. He found solace with another woman whom he eventually married and had another child with. When everything came to a head, Mia found herself in the care of strangers – her father and his wife.
On top of everything else, Mia is dealing with the usual hassles that teens go through. The pressure of wanting to belong, a pregnancy scare and a boyfriend developing a substance abuse. It's a wonder she didn't lose her mind. My struggles to understand the characters stem from the fact that they weren't able to convince me with how they dealt with the mental disorder. The therapy sessions, specifically read more like unfinished conversations between the physician and Mia and her father.
The narrative is told through everyone’s “stingy” point of views. It doesn’t really give much as to how everyone actually felt - they all seem emotionless and detached from the situation. This was unfortunate considering the heaviness of the subject matters that were discussed. I also found that there was a distinct lack of cohesiveness and smooth flow when the author switches from one point of view to the next. It made for a choppy read.
I can’t forgive a father who thought that being young once excuses his daughter from drug use. I just can’t. Just because you want to make up for the times you missed being a father doesn't mean you’d be willing to forgive her for everything. And while I understand her need to rebel, Mia’s polarizing personalities didn't make any sense. The Mia who has had to take care of her mother seemed smarter; but the Mia who had no choice but to live with her father’s family was not. She’s irresponsible and juvenile. I don’t know how she can just hitch a ride from a stranger to see her drug addict of a boyfriend. She was lost in her impetuous anger that more often, she didn't seem to be thinking at all.
Suzanne, her step mother didn't seem like a very realistic character. She took on the maternal role to a teenager quite easily. She wasn't intimidated by the fact that she was going to alienate Mia by being the disciplinarian. Don’t get me wrong, I think Mia could use all the discipline she handed over but she didn't hesitate at all when she’d ground Mia for doing something wrong. I guess my point is, they’re practically strangers; there has to be a moment when Suzanne would think it odd to punish a teen she barely knew.
There was also a sense that Mia and her father wasn't all that estranged from each other. It was in the way they tackled on Denise’s (Mia’s mother) treatments. The family therapy sessions should’ve highlighted the fact that her father wasn’t around through the bad episodes of Mia’s mother but no. In fact, he sounded like he stuck around when he didn't. I can’t be sympathetic to what he was going through because the reality is, he abandoned ship.
Overall, I think this book didn't really give me any closure. I was left unsatisfied but couldn't really say I wanted more.
This book was difficult to get through – with characters that are even more difficult to understand. You have a teen girl who has struggled to exist with a mother who slowly lost herself to bipolar disorder and a father who abandoned them when he could no longer handle the pressure. He was selfish, and hard to forgive. He found solace with another woman whom he eventually married and had another child with. When everything came to a head, Mia found herself in the care of strangers – her father and his wife.
On top of everything else, Mia is dealing with the usual hassles that teens go through. The pressure of wanting to belong, a pregnancy scare and a boyfriend developing a substance abuse. It's a wonder she didn't lose her mind. My struggles to understand the characters stem from the fact that they weren't able to convince me with how they dealt with the mental disorder. The therapy sessions, specifically read more like unfinished conversations between the physician and Mia and her father.
The narrative is told through everyone’s “stingy” point of views. It doesn’t really give much as to how everyone actually felt - they all seem emotionless and detached from the situation. This was unfortunate considering the heaviness of the subject matters that were discussed. I also found that there was a distinct lack of cohesiveness and smooth flow when the author switches from one point of view to the next. It made for a choppy read.
I can’t forgive a father who thought that being young once excuses his daughter from drug use. I just can’t. Just because you want to make up for the times you missed being a father doesn't mean you’d be willing to forgive her for everything. And while I understand her need to rebel, Mia’s polarizing personalities didn't make any sense. The Mia who has had to take care of her mother seemed smarter; but the Mia who had no choice but to live with her father’s family was not. She’s irresponsible and juvenile. I don’t know how she can just hitch a ride from a stranger to see her drug addict of a boyfriend. She was lost in her impetuous anger that more often, she didn't seem to be thinking at all.
Suzanne, her step mother didn't seem like a very realistic character. She took on the maternal role to a teenager quite easily. She wasn't intimidated by the fact that she was going to alienate Mia by being the disciplinarian. Don’t get me wrong, I think Mia could use all the discipline she handed over but she didn't hesitate at all when she’d ground Mia for doing something wrong. I guess my point is, they’re practically strangers; there has to be a moment when Suzanne would think it odd to punish a teen she barely knew.
There was also a sense that Mia and her father wasn't all that estranged from each other. It was in the way they tackled on Denise’s (Mia’s mother) treatments. The family therapy sessions should’ve highlighted the fact that her father wasn’t around through the bad episodes of Mia’s mother but no. In fact, he sounded like he stuck around when he didn't. I can’t be sympathetic to what he was going through because the reality is, he abandoned ship.
Overall, I think this book didn't really give me any closure. I was left unsatisfied but couldn't really say I wanted more.
December 14, 2012
Finding Mia
“What I’ve learned is that any obstacle we are given is a gift, to allow us the chance to grow stronger and to shape the people we are today, as we are nothing without our experiences, and our experiences are nothing if we don’t learn from them.” - Mia Marchette, Finding Mia.
This book was ridiculously amazing! No, this is not an exaggeration or a joke. I can honestly say that I’ve only ever been this effected by a book once or twice, but Finding Mia was heart wrenching, beautiful, and filled with the kind of hopeful tomorrow you want to see after the sadness of the beginning.
I felt for Mia through this entire story. It’s not easy to have to always be the adult and think for two people. But Mia’s strength was a prevailant theme throughout the whole story. We can clearly see how strong willed and determined she is and even after she goes to stay with her Dad when she finds her Mom passed out and they take her away to a facility.
Finding Mia is rugged and honest. I loved how it delves into issues that most author’s won’t touch. Having a Mother who is Bipolar can’t be easy for 16-year-old Mia and not being able to do the other things kids her age are doing, is hard for her, but once she’s with her Father, a stranger who happens to be remarried with another kid, her entire life is turned upside down.
Things aren’t as bad as Mia initially thinks, but it’s clear to see that despite everything she misses her Mom. There are so many parts of this book that I enjoyed, but I want to highlight one part that stood out the most to me and that was the essay near the end of the book. Oh my god I totally cried like a baby, I’m absolutely going to blame hormones, but the truth is it was just really beautifully written. I could feel the pain, frustration, and finally acceptance all in that one part.
I don’t want to give a lot away about the story because it really is worth the read, but Finding Mia is excellent. The character development was spot on and I liked how we got to see different perspectives and where the other characters were coming from. I am seriously impressed with this story. Another thing I loved about it was the journal entries and how we got to see Mia’s thoughts and feelings.
The end was sad and hopeful all in one. I can’t tell you how many times this book made me tear up. Finding Mia is most definitely going on my list of favorite books. This story was truly worth the read and I really hope if it sounds interesting to you, that you take the time to read it, you won’t be disappointed.
“What I’ve learned is that any obstacle we are given is a gift, to allow us the chance to grow stronger and to shape the people we are today, as we are nothing without our experiences, and our experiences are nothing if we don’t learn from them.” - Mia Marchette, Finding Mia.
This book was ridiculously amazing! No, this is not an exaggeration or a joke. I can honestly say that I’ve only ever been this effected by a book once or twice, but Finding Mia was heart wrenching, beautiful, and filled with the kind of hopeful tomorrow you want to see after the sadness of the beginning.
I felt for Mia through this entire story. It’s not easy to have to always be the adult and think for two people. But Mia’s strength was a prevailant theme throughout the whole story. We can clearly see how strong willed and determined she is and even after she goes to stay with her Dad when she finds her Mom passed out and they take her away to a facility.
Finding Mia is rugged and honest. I loved how it delves into issues that most author’s won’t touch. Having a Mother who is Bipolar can’t be easy for 16-year-old Mia and not being able to do the other things kids her age are doing, is hard for her, but once she’s with her Father, a stranger who happens to be remarried with another kid, her entire life is turned upside down.
Things aren’t as bad as Mia initially thinks, but it’s clear to see that despite everything she misses her Mom. There are so many parts of this book that I enjoyed, but I want to highlight one part that stood out the most to me and that was the essay near the end of the book. Oh my god I totally cried like a baby, I’m absolutely going to blame hormones, but the truth is it was just really beautifully written. I could feel the pain, frustration, and finally acceptance all in that one part.
I don’t want to give a lot away about the story because it really is worth the read, but Finding Mia is excellent. The character development was spot on and I liked how we got to see different perspectives and where the other characters were coming from. I am seriously impressed with this story. Another thing I loved about it was the journal entries and how we got to see Mia’s thoughts and feelings.
The end was sad and hopeful all in one. I can’t tell you how many times this book made me tear up. Finding Mia is most definitely going on my list of favorite books. This story was truly worth the read and I really hope if it sounds interesting to you, that you take the time to read it, you won’t be disappointed.
December 15, 2012
First thoughts
First that blurb pulled me right in. Just from reading it, I knew that I would enjoy it! What I didn’t know was that I would love it!!
My thoughts
Finding Mia is a story about a sixteen year old girl named Mia, whom is living with her mother who is bipolar. She has always had to take care of herself. Her father ran off when she was six, and since then she lives for the day when her mother has good days. Even though her life it’s perfect it was the only one she knew, so she learned to deal with it, and to take every day as it was. One day she comes home from school to find her mother unconscious after a failed suicide attempt. After calling the police and getting her mother to the hospital she is immediately told that she is to be reunited with her estranged father, whom has started a new life, because her mother will be hospitalized. Now Mia must become accustomed to this new life, while also dealing with the normal teenage problems.
The characters: First you have Mia and you will love her instantly. She is so strong. She had to grow up so fast. She had an absent father, and a sick mother. Through her journal entries you can try to grasp all that she had to go through, but you really can’t imagine how she was able to do all of this and still remain sane. I think she is the first main character that I’ve read in a while that I loved everything about their personality.
Keith (mia’s father) was a character that kind of had me in emotional tug-a-war. Sometimes I wanted to hug him because it can’t be hard to watch the person you love, turn into someone else. But then I’m like he abandoned his hid. Luckily he grew on me.
Suzanne (mia’s step mother) was perfect to me. I loved her character. She was everything a teenager needs. She was strict when she needed to be, always loving, and the shoulder to cry on when the day just became too much.
Then we have Gretchen. Mia’s best friend she also was a great character. She also had absent parents and was beyond her years when it came to wisdom. She was always there for Gretchen and I think you couldn’t have asked for a better friend. This book was also had a slew of other characters that rounded this story, and every one of them was fully developed and brought their own element to Mia’s story.
I have to praise Rachel Burke for her writing. It really sucks you in, and makes you fall in love with their story. From the first paragraph knew I would love the book because the writing was just amazing It flowed well; there was no weird pacing, and no dead sentences. It's the type of book you can read in one sitting, and I did! I just found a new author to follow!
Overall, I really enjoyed finding Mia. It told the story of love, loss, acceptance, forgiveness, and I can go on. It explores what life for not only the person is dealing with a disorder, but how it affects all around them. Finding Mia is truly one of my favorites this year, and I recommend it to all who enjoy a good contemporary read. It’s sad that if I wasn’t a part of this tour I would have never gotten the chance to read this book!
First that blurb pulled me right in. Just from reading it, I knew that I would enjoy it! What I didn’t know was that I would love it!!
My thoughts
Finding Mia is a story about a sixteen year old girl named Mia, whom is living with her mother who is bipolar. She has always had to take care of herself. Her father ran off when she was six, and since then she lives for the day when her mother has good days. Even though her life it’s perfect it was the only one she knew, so she learned to deal with it, and to take every day as it was. One day she comes home from school to find her mother unconscious after a failed suicide attempt. After calling the police and getting her mother to the hospital she is immediately told that she is to be reunited with her estranged father, whom has started a new life, because her mother will be hospitalized. Now Mia must become accustomed to this new life, while also dealing with the normal teenage problems.
The characters: First you have Mia and you will love her instantly. She is so strong. She had to grow up so fast. She had an absent father, and a sick mother. Through her journal entries you can try to grasp all that she had to go through, but you really can’t imagine how she was able to do all of this and still remain sane. I think she is the first main character that I’ve read in a while that I loved everything about their personality.
Keith (mia’s father) was a character that kind of had me in emotional tug-a-war. Sometimes I wanted to hug him because it can’t be hard to watch the person you love, turn into someone else. But then I’m like he abandoned his hid. Luckily he grew on me.
Suzanne (mia’s step mother) was perfect to me. I loved her character. She was everything a teenager needs. She was strict when she needed to be, always loving, and the shoulder to cry on when the day just became too much.
Then we have Gretchen. Mia’s best friend she also was a great character. She also had absent parents and was beyond her years when it came to wisdom. She was always there for Gretchen and I think you couldn’t have asked for a better friend. This book was also had a slew of other characters that rounded this story, and every one of them was fully developed and brought their own element to Mia’s story.
I have to praise Rachel Burke for her writing. It really sucks you in, and makes you fall in love with their story. From the first paragraph knew I would love the book because the writing was just amazing It flowed well; there was no weird pacing, and no dead sentences. It's the type of book you can read in one sitting, and I did! I just found a new author to follow!
Overall, I really enjoyed finding Mia. It told the story of love, loss, acceptance, forgiveness, and I can go on. It explores what life for not only the person is dealing with a disorder, but how it affects all around them. Finding Mia is truly one of my favorites this year, and I recommend it to all who enjoy a good contemporary read. It’s sad that if I wasn’t a part of this tour I would have never gotten the chance to read this book!
December 10, 2012
Finding Mia is an incredible story. If anyone has had to deal with someone who has Bipolar they know first hand that this is no easy task. I personally have to deal with someone very close to me who has this disease and that person suffers everyday because he can't be near his family unless he is supervised and his wife is divorcing him. This disease slowly kills the person's mind causing them to have mental breakdowns of an epic proportion. It is very scary for someone to watch the one they love fall apart and lose themselves to a disease.
In Finding Mia we meet 16 year Mia who is living at home with her bipolar mother. She lives day to day never knowing what she is going to come to. One day her mother could be fine one minute then the next minute she could be off. So Mia lives on egg shells not knowing what she is going to come home to. Mia is a great daughter because she is taking care of her mother as best she can because her father left the family and disappeared when Mia was 6 years old. Mia waited everyday for her father to come back but he did not. He did snot try to contact the family or her so Mia just moved on with her life loving and caring for her mother.
Then one day Mia comes home to find her mother lying on the floor unconscious. She calls for help and her mother is locked up in a mental institution and Mia is sent to live with her father who she does not know. At first Mia has mixed feelings and issues with living with her father because he has a wife and another daughter. Mia can't understand why he left her and her mother but as the story goes on we see the torment and torture Mia's father suffered. He had to watch the woman he loved deteriorate right before his eyes and he could not handle that. So he took the cowards way out and left.
This story is one of love, loss and what happens when someone you love mentally deteriorates right in front of you and you have to move on. Give this book a go because you will love it! It is one of my favorites for 2012~
In Finding Mia we meet 16 year Mia who is living at home with her bipolar mother. She lives day to day never knowing what she is going to come to. One day her mother could be fine one minute then the next minute she could be off. So Mia lives on egg shells not knowing what she is going to come home to. Mia is a great daughter because she is taking care of her mother as best she can because her father left the family and disappeared when Mia was 6 years old. Mia waited everyday for her father to come back but he did not. He did snot try to contact the family or her so Mia just moved on with her life loving and caring for her mother.
Then one day Mia comes home to find her mother lying on the floor unconscious. She calls for help and her mother is locked up in a mental institution and Mia is sent to live with her father who she does not know. At first Mia has mixed feelings and issues with living with her father because he has a wife and another daughter. Mia can't understand why he left her and her mother but as the story goes on we see the torment and torture Mia's father suffered. He had to watch the woman he loved deteriorate right before his eyes and he could not handle that. So he took the cowards way out and left.
This story is one of love, loss and what happens when someone you love mentally deteriorates right in front of you and you have to move on. Give this book a go because you will love it! It is one of my favorites for 2012~
November 28, 2012
I received a review copy in exchange for my participation in the blog tour.
First off, I have to say that in all of the ways this book could have gone, it kept pleasantly surprising me when it didn't go the way others would have. But the near ending...I saw it happening, but didn't think it would.
Out of all the stories I've read about mothers who suffer from Bipolarism, Finding Mia is probably the only one who truly stayed it's course in what it's like for the family, not just the sufferer.
I enjoyed getting to know Mia and seeing her grow from a shuttered young woman who hid from the rest of the world, to one who thrived and was able to see herself as part of a many faceted family. To see herself as beautiful.
I think what I enjoyed most is that when the It Girl sought Mia out, she didn't try to change who she was; in fact, Gretchen seemed to thrive on who Mia WAS, not who she could be or what she could do for Gretchen.
Evan saddened me in so many ways, but I think for the amount of time he was in her life he was good for Mia. And don't even get me started on her father...I wanted to strangle him for a good portion of the book. I liked how Suzanne stayed true to her own nature, even if it wasn't the popular thing to do.
If you've read Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, If I Stay by Gayle Foreman, or Willow by Julia Hoban, I think you'll really, really like Finding Mia.
First off, I have to say that in all of the ways this book could have gone, it kept pleasantly surprising me when it didn't go the way others would have. But the near ending...I saw it happening, but didn't think it would.
Out of all the stories I've read about mothers who suffer from Bipolarism, Finding Mia is probably the only one who truly stayed it's course in what it's like for the family, not just the sufferer.
I enjoyed getting to know Mia and seeing her grow from a shuttered young woman who hid from the rest of the world, to one who thrived and was able to see herself as part of a many faceted family. To see herself as beautiful.
I think what I enjoyed most is that when the It Girl sought Mia out, she didn't try to change who she was; in fact, Gretchen seemed to thrive on who Mia WAS, not who she could be or what she could do for Gretchen.
Evan saddened me in so many ways, but I think for the amount of time he was in her life he was good for Mia. And don't even get me started on her father...I wanted to strangle him for a good portion of the book. I liked how Suzanne stayed true to her own nature, even if it wasn't the popular thing to do.
If you've read Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, If I Stay by Gayle Foreman, or Willow by Julia Hoban, I think you'll really, really like Finding Mia.
August 27, 2013
After reading the synopsis, I assumed that the story would focus on Mia's struggles with her mother's mental illness. While that was definitely a part of the story, there was lot more to it. There was also the struggle to relate to her father and his new family after spending most of her life estranged from him. There was the struggle to find a place for her new stepmother in her life without feeling as if her own mother was being replaced. There was also the struggle to love and support her boyfriend in his time of need and to know when it was time for her to let go. And there was the story of finding love in the last place you expected to find it... in romance, in friendship, and in your family.
The story is predominantly told from Mia's perspective, but also from her mother's, as well as her father's and her stepmother's. This creates a very well-rounded story as we learn about what is happening from different viewpoints. This is definitely not a light story, but one that has some pretty intense emotions, situations, and moments. There are some lighthearted moments, but there are some that can break your heart, too. There are others that leave you frustrated and wanting to yell at these people in the book that you have become engrossed in!
The characters, too, can incite some pretty conflicting emotions. Mia is a character that is easy to love. Her new BFF, Gretchen, is also easy to love. She was pretty and popular and could have been a Mean Girl, but was considerably deeper than that, with a story of her own. Mia's stepfather, however, was one that I alternately loved and hated. It was hard to get beyond the fact that he abandoned Mia, but there is no question that he had reasons, even if they were misguided and perhaps selfish. Suzanne, Mia's stepmother, was wonderful and the growing relationship between Mia and Suzanne really added a lot to the story. And then there was Evan... tragic, messed up, brilliant Evan. That was story in itself. But I think Josh, her childhood friend, was the true hero in this book for Mia!
There were some heavy topics, themes, and situations in this book and I think the author did an amazing job in addressing them. It was written in a way that maybe educated a bit, but did it in a way that did not read as such. There was no glossing over of reality and no glamorizing it either. Instead, you had a story of real people, real situations, and all the messiness that goes along with all of that.
Things to love about Finding Mia...
--Strong characters. Whether you loved them or were annoyed by them, they were real. They made mistakes and they weren't perfect.
--Strong writing. The story flowed well and told the tough stories that needed to be told without dragging the reader down unnecessarily.
My recommendation: This is a fantastic story of love and loss, compassion and forgiveness. It shows how mental illness and drug addiction can affect not only the person with the issue, but everyone around them. A book that I highly recommend!
The story is predominantly told from Mia's perspective, but also from her mother's, as well as her father's and her stepmother's. This creates a very well-rounded story as we learn about what is happening from different viewpoints. This is definitely not a light story, but one that has some pretty intense emotions, situations, and moments. There are some lighthearted moments, but there are some that can break your heart, too. There are others that leave you frustrated and wanting to yell at these people in the book that you have become engrossed in!
The characters, too, can incite some pretty conflicting emotions. Mia is a character that is easy to love. Her new BFF, Gretchen, is also easy to love. She was pretty and popular and could have been a Mean Girl, but was considerably deeper than that, with a story of her own. Mia's stepfather, however, was one that I alternately loved and hated. It was hard to get beyond the fact that he abandoned Mia, but there is no question that he had reasons, even if they were misguided and perhaps selfish. Suzanne, Mia's stepmother, was wonderful and the growing relationship between Mia and Suzanne really added a lot to the story. And then there was Evan... tragic, messed up, brilliant Evan. That was story in itself. But I think Josh, her childhood friend, was the true hero in this book for Mia!
There were some heavy topics, themes, and situations in this book and I think the author did an amazing job in addressing them. It was written in a way that maybe educated a bit, but did it in a way that did not read as such. There was no glossing over of reality and no glamorizing it either. Instead, you had a story of real people, real situations, and all the messiness that goes along with all of that.
Things to love about Finding Mia...
--Strong characters. Whether you loved them or were annoyed by them, they were real. They made mistakes and they weren't perfect.
--Strong writing. The story flowed well and told the tough stories that needed to be told without dragging the reader down unnecessarily.
My recommendation: This is a fantastic story of love and loss, compassion and forgiveness. It shows how mental illness and drug addiction can affect not only the person with the issue, but everyone around them. A book that I highly recommend!
December 11, 2012
An emotional journey through both heartbreak and love.....
Finding Mia is a novel which will test your emotional stamina at every turn. Rachel K. Burke has created characters whose trauma and inner turmoil is almost palpable. This story was very well crafted and thought out so that every loose end is tied up and every question you have is answered with precision.
From the beginning, you will find yourself yearning for the life the main character has spent her short existence dreaming of; a life full of love and joy rather than adult situations, loss and heartache. Mia, the main character, is so complex it’s difficult to disengage yourself when you put the book down at times. Her diversity of emotions is so realistic, you will find yourself crying along with her struggles and cheering when she finds such unexpected joy in the most startling places. You will literally watch her “find herself” during this tale and feel honored to be allowed a glimpse into her incredible life. While very young, Mia is a terrifically strong character you will fall in love with.
The supporting cast is very fleshed out and projected in a manner in which you will relate to their trials and tributes as well. You want to be angry and yet you also want Mia to find what she’s been searching for her whole life. You won’t, however, find it where you expected in the beginning. She blossoms right before your eyes as you turn the pages, as do those whose lives she touches. She brings such clarity to so many in such a short period of time.
Emotionally vested, you will shadow this coming of age tale in a kind of backwards direction. A child who was forced to grow up too soon is finally presented with a place where she can be "young", make good and bad choices and just plain be a teenager. If you can keep yourself from losing yourself in the character of Mia, her desires, her heartache, her obstacles and her triumphs, you are a stronger person than I am. I was entranced by this story right from the beginning and never let go until the end. This was a fantastic read with tangible characters and an incredibly well told story. Easily one of my favorite reads for 2012-I can't recommend this book enough!
Finding Mia is a novel which will test your emotional stamina at every turn. Rachel K. Burke has created characters whose trauma and inner turmoil is almost palpable. This story was very well crafted and thought out so that every loose end is tied up and every question you have is answered with precision.
From the beginning, you will find yourself yearning for the life the main character has spent her short existence dreaming of; a life full of love and joy rather than adult situations, loss and heartache. Mia, the main character, is so complex it’s difficult to disengage yourself when you put the book down at times. Her diversity of emotions is so realistic, you will find yourself crying along with her struggles and cheering when she finds such unexpected joy in the most startling places. You will literally watch her “find herself” during this tale and feel honored to be allowed a glimpse into her incredible life. While very young, Mia is a terrifically strong character you will fall in love with.
The supporting cast is very fleshed out and projected in a manner in which you will relate to their trials and tributes as well. You want to be angry and yet you also want Mia to find what she’s been searching for her whole life. You won’t, however, find it where you expected in the beginning. She blossoms right before your eyes as you turn the pages, as do those whose lives she touches. She brings such clarity to so many in such a short period of time.
Emotionally vested, you will shadow this coming of age tale in a kind of backwards direction. A child who was forced to grow up too soon is finally presented with a place where she can be "young", make good and bad choices and just plain be a teenager. If you can keep yourself from losing yourself in the character of Mia, her desires, her heartache, her obstacles and her triumphs, you are a stronger person than I am. I was entranced by this story right from the beginning and never let go until the end. This was a fantastic read with tangible characters and an incredibly well told story. Easily one of my favorite reads for 2012-I can't recommend this book enough!
December 10, 2012
Reviewed by Nina
I cannot remember exactly why I picked this book. I guess it looked cool and I had available dates on my journal and I thought that it would be a great book to finish this year's tours.
Starting the book, you feel a melancholic atmosphere. The way the author writes and expresses Mia's feelings and private thoughts in her journal. It doesn't take you long to enter the book, to become part of it and understand everything that is going on.
The author writes on the third person and what made this book different is that she doesn't focus only on Mia and Mia's problems, but also on the other characters too. The memories and the mistakes of the past. Except maybe Denise's, but there is a reason for that.
The author explores the hard side of life. Diseases, addictions, lost, everything that no matter how difficult they are, when they are over, they make us stronger and transform us in a way that we become different on the inside.
Bottom line, I liked it. It was one of those books that after you finish them, you have a voice in your head pointing at you which characteristic and decision of yours, you have to change or look in an alternative perspective. I liked how it ended, though slightly sad. It was a ray of light in a cloudy day.
I cannot remember exactly why I picked this book. I guess it looked cool and I had available dates on my journal and I thought that it would be a great book to finish this year's tours.
Starting the book, you feel a melancholic atmosphere. The way the author writes and expresses Mia's feelings and private thoughts in her journal. It doesn't take you long to enter the book, to become part of it and understand everything that is going on.
The author writes on the third person and what made this book different is that she doesn't focus only on Mia and Mia's problems, but also on the other characters too. The memories and the mistakes of the past. Except maybe Denise's, but there is a reason for that.
The author explores the hard side of life. Diseases, addictions, lost, everything that no matter how difficult they are, when they are over, they make us stronger and transform us in a way that we become different on the inside.
Bottom line, I liked it. It was one of those books that after you finish them, you have a voice in your head pointing at you which characteristic and decision of yours, you have to change or look in an alternative perspective. I liked how it ended, though slightly sad. It was a ray of light in a cloudy day.
March 30, 2013
I love this book...it's amazing!It's so emotional and felt like I could really understand Mia and what she was going through.I think the author did an amazing job putting all those emotions into words. It was like she knew what it means to have that life. I know what is like, at least about growing up without a mother and having someone you love committ suicide, and I thought she could put what I was feeling and going to into words. I cried so much but at the same time I am really glad I've read this book.
March 4, 2013
I downloaded this on a day when the author offered it for free on amazon. I have to say that I would have payed full price to read this book. It is nice to see a book written about Bipolar and mental illness(I understand it is fiction although it was written very accurate). So often mental illness is shoved under the rug. The author writes beautifully and I cant wait to read more of her writing.
January 19, 2013
Do you ever have that empty heart feeling when you finish a book that blew you away? Yeah, that's what I have right now. Absolutely wonderful. A great find that I highly enjoyed.
July 15, 2017
This is the first book i read by this author.
This story is a great coming of age book with the complications of dealing with a loved one that suffers from mental illness. Mias father an adult couldn't handle the challenge and walked out on them when she was a little girl forcing Mia to be an adult. Mia was never a child because caring for her mother left no room for going to the movies, malls or a friends house.
Then it just all crashes down. Mia is faced with a life changing series of events that in the long run free her from her personal captivity. I wont get into the details of these events well because the author has written it way better than what I could..
This book is well written has so many powerful messages and in spite of the darkness well there is light and every negative has a positive. Mias final essay is just amazing and heartfelt. Truly enjoyed this read.
This story is a great coming of age book with the complications of dealing with a loved one that suffers from mental illness. Mias father an adult couldn't handle the challenge and walked out on them when she was a little girl forcing Mia to be an adult. Mia was never a child because caring for her mother left no room for going to the movies, malls or a friends house.
Then it just all crashes down. Mia is faced with a life changing series of events that in the long run free her from her personal captivity. I wont get into the details of these events well because the author has written it way better than what I could..
This book is well written has so many powerful messages and in spite of the darkness well there is light and every negative has a positive. Mias final essay is just amazing and heartfelt. Truly enjoyed this read.
June 22, 2020
An emotional read and very well written. I did feel the mental health professionals were putting too many expectations on 16-year-old Mia for watching her mother after they are reunited.
December 6, 2012
[FOR MORE REVIEW, CHECK OUT : http://mnkbooklife.blogspot.com/]
"Because if both of them are going to put their own feelings before anything else, then where does that leave me?"
—Mia
This book had actually hooked me right from when I read the blurb, especially its last sentence, which was exactly why I decided to give it a try. And I'm really glad I did, since this book was amazing. Probably the best indie book I've ever read so far.
Finding Mia told us about Mia Marchette, sixteen-year-old teenager with a bipolar mother, and a father who had abandoned her when she was a little child. Her everyday life was a constant struggle, watching her mother from doing anything reckless, going to school, and waiting for her father who would never came back.
Until one day.
Until she came back from school and found her mother, unconscious after trying to kill herself.
Suddenly, Mia life turned upside down. Suddenly, her father come back and agree to look after her and become her legal guardian.
And suddenly, Mia realized that what she thought all this time might not be so true after all.
I love how this book dealt with teen's problem that happened on our world every single day. How parents left their family, how a child struggle from feeling unloved and grew up with hatred and broken heart, and how our choice—be it a bad one or a good one—would affect so many lives around us. The plot was fast enough to keep the reader entertained, but not too fast it became confusing. The detail was presented in the right amount so it became easy to picture what exactly was going on. And the conclusion of the story was very heartwarming and satisfying too, with the right twist at the right time, and all the problem was straightened the way it should be.
Mia Marchette, our main character, was portrayed as a strong and tough girl Taking care of her mother from such an early age, it actually made my heart ache when she said that she had to make dinner when any normal kids would probably playing all day long. I love how she would try to fulfill her mother needs, and how she would place her mother first before herself. Her character was very in-depth, and I love her complex personality, and her scarred heart from her childhood that truly reflected on who she was today.
Gretchen Meyers, Mia new best friend, was well developed as well. Unlike any typical popular girl out there, I love how Gretchen actually had a real heart, a real life, and a real problem that she had to deal with. That she was actually craving for her parent's love, and that she just want a real friend that would just not agree with whatever crap she said. Even thought she was a side character, she felt really flesh and blood to me, and that's surely another point to add.
Keith Marchette, Mia father, was not actually easy to imagine. His image was vague, not too detailed, and overall hard to picture. But his struggle was very interesting, having to restrain himself while he saw that the person he once loved slipping away farther day by day. I love how Rachel had made his problem seemed pretty much unsolvable, with every solution had its own good and bad.
Another character I found very interesting was Suzanne, Mia stepmother, and a figure who would gave Mia a place to cry and poured all of her heart. She was very warm, and I really like how she could be strict when she had to, but underneath she was still loving. Her character was unique and well-written, and it totally portrayed a motherly figure.
One thing I'm not quite fond of this book was when Mia was writing her journal. On some points, the journal could enhance the story, but on some points, it was sagging. But still, it was a minor, and it didn't really have a big impact on the story.
Overall, if you like reading a contemporary story, or if you're looking for a book about family, true friendship, loving someone once again, or giving forgiveness for someone who had hurt you in the past, you should really try this one. Totally recommended.
"Because if both of them are going to put their own feelings before anything else, then where does that leave me?"
—Mia
This book had actually hooked me right from when I read the blurb, especially its last sentence, which was exactly why I decided to give it a try. And I'm really glad I did, since this book was amazing. Probably the best indie book I've ever read so far.
Finding Mia told us about Mia Marchette, sixteen-year-old teenager with a bipolar mother, and a father who had abandoned her when she was a little child. Her everyday life was a constant struggle, watching her mother from doing anything reckless, going to school, and waiting for her father who would never came back.
Until one day.
Until she came back from school and found her mother, unconscious after trying to kill herself.
Suddenly, Mia life turned upside down. Suddenly, her father come back and agree to look after her and become her legal guardian.
And suddenly, Mia realized that what she thought all this time might not be so true after all.
I love how this book dealt with teen's problem that happened on our world every single day. How parents left their family, how a child struggle from feeling unloved and grew up with hatred and broken heart, and how our choice—be it a bad one or a good one—would affect so many lives around us. The plot was fast enough to keep the reader entertained, but not too fast it became confusing. The detail was presented in the right amount so it became easy to picture what exactly was going on. And the conclusion of the story was very heartwarming and satisfying too, with the right twist at the right time, and all the problem was straightened the way it should be.
Mia Marchette, our main character, was portrayed as a strong and tough girl Taking care of her mother from such an early age, it actually made my heart ache when she said that she had to make dinner when any normal kids would probably playing all day long. I love how she would try to fulfill her mother needs, and how she would place her mother first before herself. Her character was very in-depth, and I love her complex personality, and her scarred heart from her childhood that truly reflected on who she was today.
Gretchen Meyers, Mia new best friend, was well developed as well. Unlike any typical popular girl out there, I love how Gretchen actually had a real heart, a real life, and a real problem that she had to deal with. That she was actually craving for her parent's love, and that she just want a real friend that would just not agree with whatever crap she said. Even thought she was a side character, she felt really flesh and blood to me, and that's surely another point to add.
Keith Marchette, Mia father, was not actually easy to imagine. His image was vague, not too detailed, and overall hard to picture. But his struggle was very interesting, having to restrain himself while he saw that the person he once loved slipping away farther day by day. I love how Rachel had made his problem seemed pretty much unsolvable, with every solution had its own good and bad.
Another character I found very interesting was Suzanne, Mia stepmother, and a figure who would gave Mia a place to cry and poured all of her heart. She was very warm, and I really like how she could be strict when she had to, but underneath she was still loving. Her character was unique and well-written, and it totally portrayed a motherly figure.
One thing I'm not quite fond of this book was when Mia was writing her journal. On some points, the journal could enhance the story, but on some points, it was sagging. But still, it was a minor, and it didn't really have a big impact on the story.
Overall, if you like reading a contemporary story, or if you're looking for a book about family, true friendship, loving someone once again, or giving forgiveness for someone who had hurt you in the past, you should really try this one. Totally recommended.
December 11, 2012
Finding Mia was an emotional and poetic 4 star read for me. It had a little bit of everything: love, loss, addiction, soul-searching, forgiveness...
Mia is a 16 year old girl that is wise beyond her years. She has spent most of her life taking care of herself and everyone around her. Her mother suffers from bipolar disorder and her father disappeared when he couldn't handle her mother's disorder anymore, leaving Mia to pick up the pieces at a mere 6 years old.
"While other kids would light up about a field trip or a summer vacation, my happiness was based on what was waiting for me at the end of the day."
10 years later, an event forces Mia's mother into an institution, leaving Mia to go live with her father, Keith. Keith has built a brand new life for himself. He has a new wife, Suzanne and a three year old daughter. Mia is forced into this new life of her father's without a moments notice. Adjusting to a new way of life and dealing with the resentment that she harbors for her father only adds to the obstacles that Mia has to face in her life.
"Ever since I can remember, nothing in my life has ever been black or white. Everything just blurs into deeper shades of gray, white shadows of hope burning through strained darkness. All it takes is just the right touch of gray for everything else to fade to black; one swift action, one decision, one second of your life to affect everything that follows."
I felt so much sorrow for Mia. Her childhood had been stolen by a disorder that she had no control over. Furthermore, everyone has always seemed to abandon her in one way or another, clouding her view on life and herself.
"As far as she could remember, her entire life had been an obstacle, one giant hurdle."
When Mia moves in with her dad, her life is turned upside down. She has never had a "family" and suddenly she is a part of the most stereotypical one which includes rules and expectations. Even though these are things that she had yearned for at one point, they seem completely foreign now that she has them. Ultimately she rebels and tests her limits.
The one light that occurs in Mia's darkness is Suzanne. While Mia fought Suzanne, Suzanne's immediate and continued acceptance of Mia proved that not everyone would give up on her. Suzanne is such a positive influence in Mia's life that helps her to grow and learn from her life experiences. I loved Suzanne and was so happy that she became a part of Mia's life.
On the other hand, Mia's father caused me a great deal of frustration. His choices and the way he dealt with them made me want to slap him. He was so lucky to have such understanding women in his life and I don't think he realized that.
That thing that I loved the most was Mia's journal excerpts. Through these, we get to see how Mia's life experiences have molded her view of the world. Furthermore, we get to see her growth as she learns to let go and see her obstacles as learning experiences.
"Forgiveness isn't something that happens overnight, and it isn't something that's done for the benefit of the other person. Forgiveness is for you, because its the only way you can allow yourself to move forward."
I really enjoyed Finding Mia. It is such a great tale of facing life's obstacles, finding the healing of forgiveness, and discovering yourself in the process. Furthermore, it is a honest portrayal of the effects that mental disorders have on loved ones. The one thing that I would have loved is maybe an epilogue, giving insight into Mia's life after everyone has had a chance to cope with their new lives.
Mia is a 16 year old girl that is wise beyond her years. She has spent most of her life taking care of herself and everyone around her. Her mother suffers from bipolar disorder and her father disappeared when he couldn't handle her mother's disorder anymore, leaving Mia to pick up the pieces at a mere 6 years old.
"While other kids would light up about a field trip or a summer vacation, my happiness was based on what was waiting for me at the end of the day."
10 years later, an event forces Mia's mother into an institution, leaving Mia to go live with her father, Keith. Keith has built a brand new life for himself. He has a new wife, Suzanne and a three year old daughter. Mia is forced into this new life of her father's without a moments notice. Adjusting to a new way of life and dealing with the resentment that she harbors for her father only adds to the obstacles that Mia has to face in her life.
"Ever since I can remember, nothing in my life has ever been black or white. Everything just blurs into deeper shades of gray, white shadows of hope burning through strained darkness. All it takes is just the right touch of gray for everything else to fade to black; one swift action, one decision, one second of your life to affect everything that follows."
I felt so much sorrow for Mia. Her childhood had been stolen by a disorder that she had no control over. Furthermore, everyone has always seemed to abandon her in one way or another, clouding her view on life and herself.
"As far as she could remember, her entire life had been an obstacle, one giant hurdle."
When Mia moves in with her dad, her life is turned upside down. She has never had a "family" and suddenly she is a part of the most stereotypical one which includes rules and expectations. Even though these are things that she had yearned for at one point, they seem completely foreign now that she has them. Ultimately she rebels and tests her limits.
The one light that occurs in Mia's darkness is Suzanne. While Mia fought Suzanne, Suzanne's immediate and continued acceptance of Mia proved that not everyone would give up on her. Suzanne is such a positive influence in Mia's life that helps her to grow and learn from her life experiences. I loved Suzanne and was so happy that she became a part of Mia's life.
On the other hand, Mia's father caused me a great deal of frustration. His choices and the way he dealt with them made me want to slap him. He was so lucky to have such understanding women in his life and I don't think he realized that.
That thing that I loved the most was Mia's journal excerpts. Through these, we get to see how Mia's life experiences have molded her view of the world. Furthermore, we get to see her growth as she learns to let go and see her obstacles as learning experiences.
"Forgiveness isn't something that happens overnight, and it isn't something that's done for the benefit of the other person. Forgiveness is for you, because its the only way you can allow yourself to move forward."
I really enjoyed Finding Mia. It is such a great tale of facing life's obstacles, finding the healing of forgiveness, and discovering yourself in the process. Furthermore, it is a honest portrayal of the effects that mental disorders have on loved ones. The one thing that I would have loved is maybe an epilogue, giving insight into Mia's life after everyone has had a chance to cope with their new lives.
December 26, 2012
For more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!
Finding Mia is one of those books that just really connected with me, kind of on an emotional level. I have to admit that the writing style wasn’t absolutely fantastic - some of the transitions seemed kind of awkward, and some things could have been worded a bit better - but I found that Mia was great to relate to, in some aspects.
The teenagers in this book were, on a certain level, really easy to relate to. When Mia feels frustrated at her parents, you really could see both sides of the story - on one hand, as a teenager, I would have reacted the same way as Mia might have, even though I clearly did something wrong. On the other hand, as you also get to see from Mia’s father & Suzanne’s point of view, that they really did try to care about her, but didn’t know how to. As the story went on, I loved the emotions that were portrayed, which is the one of the main reasons why I enjoyed the story (:
The author is also able to portray all the characters in such a way that kind of makes my heart break. Even the supporting characters had different but very important roles in the story. Mia's father & Suzanne, although adults, still had some mystery and a lot of emotion behind their roles. Gretchen, one of Mia's new friends, is a popular, beautiful, and rich girl, but is also ignored by her parents for the most part, and also holds complexity. Throughout the story, every character you meet somehow attaches him or herself to you, eventually intertwining each of their side stories into one gigantic beautiful novel (:
However, to me, the writing style isn’t the best. Although the words and sentences themselves were great, sometimes it felt like the story and writing was just jumping back and forth. Specifically, I felt like the transitions between some of the diary entries and actual story seemed... awkward I suppose? It might just be me, but those are my thoughts.The ending also ended abruptly, and although there was a sense of satisfaction, it just... ended, I suppose.
Overall, Finding Mia was an emotional and realistic contemporary YA read. With the perfect balance of sorrow, hope, romance, and shock, I really fell in love with the characters & story. This book is a must read for YA contemporary fans!
*Thank to you the author for providing me a review copy with this book*
Finding Mia is one of those books that just really connected with me, kind of on an emotional level. I have to admit that the writing style wasn’t absolutely fantastic - some of the transitions seemed kind of awkward, and some things could have been worded a bit better - but I found that Mia was great to relate to, in some aspects.
The teenagers in this book were, on a certain level, really easy to relate to. When Mia feels frustrated at her parents, you really could see both sides of the story - on one hand, as a teenager, I would have reacted the same way as Mia might have, even though I clearly did something wrong. On the other hand, as you also get to see from Mia’s father & Suzanne’s point of view, that they really did try to care about her, but didn’t know how to. As the story went on, I loved the emotions that were portrayed, which is the one of the main reasons why I enjoyed the story (:
The author is also able to portray all the characters in such a way that kind of makes my heart break. Even the supporting characters had different but very important roles in the story. Mia's father & Suzanne, although adults, still had some mystery and a lot of emotion behind their roles. Gretchen, one of Mia's new friends, is a popular, beautiful, and rich girl, but is also ignored by her parents for the most part, and also holds complexity. Throughout the story, every character you meet somehow attaches him or herself to you, eventually intertwining each of their side stories into one gigantic beautiful novel (:
However, to me, the writing style isn’t the best. Although the words and sentences themselves were great, sometimes it felt like the story and writing was just jumping back and forth. Specifically, I felt like the transitions between some of the diary entries and actual story seemed... awkward I suppose? It might just be me, but those are my thoughts.The ending also ended abruptly, and although there was a sense of satisfaction, it just... ended, I suppose.
Overall, Finding Mia was an emotional and realistic contemporary YA read. With the perfect balance of sorrow, hope, romance, and shock, I really fell in love with the characters & story. This book is a must read for YA contemporary fans!
*Thank to you the author for providing me a review copy with this book*
November 28, 2012
I loved it!
I was browsing through my kindle books and I found this one. I don't remember downloading it so it must've been one of the free ebooks I randomly chose. I wasn't really sure what this book was about, curious, I opened it up just to read a few pages to see if its something I'd like... I read HALF the book in one sitting. I couldn't put it down, it's good. Really good.
Mia is a sixteen year old girl who lives with her mother. Her mother was adored deeply by Mia and Mia's father, but lost herself in depression. Mia's father left them because he couldn't bare living with the stranger his wife became and has stayed out of their life. Mia has had to take care of herself because of her mothers illness, basically had no supervision, rules or discipline. She's a teenager so she's testing the limits like most teenagers do.
Something happens and she has to stay with her father she hasn't seen since she was six, and his wife and her 3-year old sister, she never knew she had. Their life seems so put together, so different from her own, and she feels like her world is turned upside down. She now has rules and discipline for her actions. She feels bitter and hurt towards her father for leaving and never looking back. She misses her mom and wants their life together back. It's emotional. Even from her fathers perspective of feeling guilt, and her stepmoms view for trying to do what's right for Mia. It's just so good, I think I'm really going to love this one.
I really enjoy reading Mia's poetic pieces of her thoughts and feelings from her black notebook.
"For some, the word "family" is a relative term, but for me, it's always been measured in days. Most days she's unreachable, but when she finds her way back to the surface, it's like a poem you want to freeze, reread until the page blurs, bottle up and live in it forever. A smile that descends into the darkness, reappears when you're not watching. Except that I'm watching. Watching and waiting for the next small miracle. Sometimes I feel as if its all I ever do. "
"Things have a funny way of working out. It's almost as if the one thing you don't want turns out to be the one thing you really need."
"What I've learned is that any obstacle we are given is a gift, to allow us the chance to grow stronger and to shape the people we are today, as we are nothing without our experiences, and our experiences are nothing if we don't learn from them."
I was browsing through my kindle books and I found this one. I don't remember downloading it so it must've been one of the free ebooks I randomly chose. I wasn't really sure what this book was about, curious, I opened it up just to read a few pages to see if its something I'd like... I read HALF the book in one sitting. I couldn't put it down, it's good. Really good.
Mia is a sixteen year old girl who lives with her mother. Her mother was adored deeply by Mia and Mia's father, but lost herself in depression. Mia's father left them because he couldn't bare living with the stranger his wife became and has stayed out of their life. Mia has had to take care of herself because of her mothers illness, basically had no supervision, rules or discipline. She's a teenager so she's testing the limits like most teenagers do.
Something happens and she has to stay with her father she hasn't seen since she was six, and his wife and her 3-year old sister, she never knew she had. Their life seems so put together, so different from her own, and she feels like her world is turned upside down. She now has rules and discipline for her actions. She feels bitter and hurt towards her father for leaving and never looking back. She misses her mom and wants their life together back. It's emotional. Even from her fathers perspective of feeling guilt, and her stepmoms view for trying to do what's right for Mia. It's just so good, I think I'm really going to love this one.
I really enjoy reading Mia's poetic pieces of her thoughts and feelings from her black notebook.
"For some, the word "family" is a relative term, but for me, it's always been measured in days. Most days she's unreachable, but when she finds her way back to the surface, it's like a poem you want to freeze, reread until the page blurs, bottle up and live in it forever. A smile that descends into the darkness, reappears when you're not watching. Except that I'm watching. Watching and waiting for the next small miracle. Sometimes I feel as if its all I ever do. "
"Things have a funny way of working out. It's almost as if the one thing you don't want turns out to be the one thing you really need."
"What I've learned is that any obstacle we are given is a gift, to allow us the chance to grow stronger and to shape the people we are today, as we are nothing without our experiences, and our experiences are nothing if we don't learn from them."
December 12, 2012
Having a family member who suffered from Bipolar Disorder, I was a bit undecided at first as to whether I wanted to read Finding Mia. I worried about the angle that the storyline would take and if it would hit too close to home for me. But in the end I decided to go with it and reasoned that if the story was too hard to read I could pull up stumps and call it a day. But this was so much more than a story about a person with Bipolar. While the constant of the Bipolar is there, Finding Mia focused much more on the impact that the illness has on the family.
Mia Marchette has had to grow up fast. Without a father, because he left when Mia was little and a mother who because of her illness struggles to function in a normal capacity on a daily basis. Arriving home from school one afternoon, Mia finds her mother unconscious after an overdose. Her mother is placed in a facility to get help for her illness and Mia is told that she will be going to live with her father Keith. A father that she has had no contact with and who she finds has created a whole new life for himself which includes a new wife Suzanne and a daughter.
Mia is filed with so many different emotions as she struggles to come to terms with the changes in her life and the impact that those changes are having. She has always wanted a normal family life with rules and expectations, but when she finally has them she completely rebels against them.
I can't say that I was immediately in love with the characters. At first I struggled with why Keith had left his family. Unless you have lived with someone who has a mental illness it's very hard to understand how truly difficult it can be, so it was more why he left Mia and had no contact with her. I felt that Suzanne was very gung- ho in her approach to Mia and I leaned more with Keith and his softer approach. However over the course of the book I found that they had all wormed their way into my heart, especially Suzanne. And that is thanks to the wonderful writing of Rachel K. Burke and the insights into the thoughts of Keith, his wife Suzanne and for me, the journal entries written by Mia.
Finding Mia is not just a story of mental illness and it's impact. It's a story of friendship, guilt, forgiveness, addiction, love and the surprises that can come your way just by opening your heart!! A truly wonderful story!!
Review first posted at YA Book Addict... http://youngadultbookaddict.blogspot....
Mia Marchette has had to grow up fast. Without a father, because he left when Mia was little and a mother who because of her illness struggles to function in a normal capacity on a daily basis. Arriving home from school one afternoon, Mia finds her mother unconscious after an overdose. Her mother is placed in a facility to get help for her illness and Mia is told that she will be going to live with her father Keith. A father that she has had no contact with and who she finds has created a whole new life for himself which includes a new wife Suzanne and a daughter.
Mia is filed with so many different emotions as she struggles to come to terms with the changes in her life and the impact that those changes are having. She has always wanted a normal family life with rules and expectations, but when she finally has them she completely rebels against them.
I can't say that I was immediately in love with the characters. At first I struggled with why Keith had left his family. Unless you have lived with someone who has a mental illness it's very hard to understand how truly difficult it can be, so it was more why he left Mia and had no contact with her. I felt that Suzanne was very gung- ho in her approach to Mia and I leaned more with Keith and his softer approach. However over the course of the book I found that they had all wormed their way into my heart, especially Suzanne. And that is thanks to the wonderful writing of Rachel K. Burke and the insights into the thoughts of Keith, his wife Suzanne and for me, the journal entries written by Mia.
Finding Mia is not just a story of mental illness and it's impact. It's a story of friendship, guilt, forgiveness, addiction, love and the surprises that can come your way just by opening your heart!! A truly wonderful story!!
Review first posted at YA Book Addict... http://youngadultbookaddict.blogspot....
December 5, 2014
I received Finding Mia from the publisher for my honest review on a book tour.
This book started off in a weird way. With Mia in class and then her and her friend Gretchen smoking in the bathroom. So that kind of confused me I wasn’t sure what to think of her as a character but by the end I knew who she was and what kind of person she was.
The story is about a girl named Mia who lives at home alone with her bipolar mother, and this is hard for her because she doesn’t really know how to deal with her mother while she’s like this. Mia is 16 and she really shouldn’t have to take care of her mother like a child but her father gave up a long time ago which means it falls on her shoulders.
One day Mia comes home to find her mother close to death in bed. So she freaks out and calls 911 just in time to save her mother. One other problem now is she is underage with no legal guardian. This is where her father comes into the picture. She hasn’t seen him since he left when she was 6. This is where I’m going to stop before I get spoilery!
I could not get over some of the characters in this book because I literarily loved most of them! Mia was so strong and well put together. Then their was her dad Keith who I was ready to hate because he left but he ended up being a sweet guy and I forgave him. Then we had Suzanne which is Mia’s step mom, Everybody knows how evil step parents can be so that’s what I was expecting in this story but it wasn’t like that at all.
Lets talk about the boys for a minute shall we? First we start with Ethan! He started off to die for. Everything he said I was like aww he’s so sweet and I was kind of bummed with what happened to him but I’ll get over it because the next guy Josh was so much sweeter. Josh is Mia’s childhood friend and you know what people say about childhood friends! <3 <3
Overall the plot was fantastic I loved how the author integrated Mia’s hobbies like writing into the book and I love how she scaled happy times with sad times very well, so you weren’t overwhelmingly happy at one point or really depressed at another. 5 out of 5 stars is a understatement! I wish I could give it a 10 out of 10!
This book started off in a weird way. With Mia in class and then her and her friend Gretchen smoking in the bathroom. So that kind of confused me I wasn’t sure what to think of her as a character but by the end I knew who she was and what kind of person she was.
The story is about a girl named Mia who lives at home alone with her bipolar mother, and this is hard for her because she doesn’t really know how to deal with her mother while she’s like this. Mia is 16 and she really shouldn’t have to take care of her mother like a child but her father gave up a long time ago which means it falls on her shoulders.
One day Mia comes home to find her mother close to death in bed. So she freaks out and calls 911 just in time to save her mother. One other problem now is she is underage with no legal guardian. This is where her father comes into the picture. She hasn’t seen him since he left when she was 6. This is where I’m going to stop before I get spoilery!
I could not get over some of the characters in this book because I literarily loved most of them! Mia was so strong and well put together. Then their was her dad Keith who I was ready to hate because he left but he ended up being a sweet guy and I forgave him. Then we had Suzanne which is Mia’s step mom, Everybody knows how evil step parents can be so that’s what I was expecting in this story but it wasn’t like that at all.
Lets talk about the boys for a minute shall we? First we start with Ethan! He started off to die for. Everything he said I was like aww he’s so sweet and I was kind of bummed with what happened to him but I’ll get over it because the next guy Josh was so much sweeter. Josh is Mia’s childhood friend and you know what people say about childhood friends! <3 <3
Overall the plot was fantastic I loved how the author integrated Mia’s hobbies like writing into the book and I love how she scaled happy times with sad times very well, so you weren’t overwhelmingly happy at one point or really depressed at another. 5 out of 5 stars is a understatement! I wish I could give it a 10 out of 10!
January 2, 2013
See the full review at Short & Sweet Reviews!
I spend a lot of time railing on books for getting mental illness wrong -- for turning people who are ill into villains, or for misunderstanding what it means to live with depression or anxiety or bipolar disorder. It's a pet peeve of mine, both as someone who has an academic background in psychology and who has experienced mental illness firsthand. So I was a bit worried, picking up a book where the main character's mother's bipolar disorder is the catalyst for many of the story's events.
I was pleased to find, however, that Finding Mia gets it right. Mia's mom, Denise, is never vilified because of her disorder. In the book, bipolar disorder is something the characters get educated on, and no one ever judges Denise because of what she did or how she felt. Mia loves Denise and accepts her as she is, even though it means that Mia's never really had a childhood of her own because she spends so much time caring for her mom. As the story picks up, Mia learns how to trust Keith and Suzanne, her father and step-mother, and how to integrate into a family with rules and boundaries. She also learns about her mom's illness and how to help her manage it in the future - she doesn't abandon her mom, she doesn't write her off, she steps up and goes to family counseling and is resolved to get her mom back home, safe and healthy.
Unlike a lot of other teenagers in YA books, Mia's life is full of supportive people. While she understandably has a lot of friction with her dad and step-mom, it's clear that they want the best for her, and while she doesn't like it, she understands it. Gretchen, is part of the popular clique but befriends Mia because they have something in common, and Gretchen isn't one of those "mean girls" that you usually see in popular cliques in books (or in real life). Mia's got some crummy people in her life, but over the course of the book she learns who is really there for her and who she needs to walk away from.
I spend a lot of time railing on books for getting mental illness wrong -- for turning people who are ill into villains, or for misunderstanding what it means to live with depression or anxiety or bipolar disorder. It's a pet peeve of mine, both as someone who has an academic background in psychology and who has experienced mental illness firsthand. So I was a bit worried, picking up a book where the main character's mother's bipolar disorder is the catalyst for many of the story's events.
I was pleased to find, however, that Finding Mia gets it right. Mia's mom, Denise, is never vilified because of her disorder. In the book, bipolar disorder is something the characters get educated on, and no one ever judges Denise because of what she did or how she felt. Mia loves Denise and accepts her as she is, even though it means that Mia's never really had a childhood of her own because she spends so much time caring for her mom. As the story picks up, Mia learns how to trust Keith and Suzanne, her father and step-mother, and how to integrate into a family with rules and boundaries. She also learns about her mom's illness and how to help her manage it in the future - she doesn't abandon her mom, she doesn't write her off, she steps up and goes to family counseling and is resolved to get her mom back home, safe and healthy.
Unlike a lot of other teenagers in YA books, Mia's life is full of supportive people. While she understandably has a lot of friction with her dad and step-mom, it's clear that they want the best for her, and while she doesn't like it, she understands it. Gretchen, is part of the popular clique but befriends Mia because they have something in common, and Gretchen isn't one of those "mean girls" that you usually see in popular cliques in books (or in real life). Mia's got some crummy people in her life, but over the course of the book she learns who is really there for her and who she needs to walk away from.
September 26, 2013
1st let me say that this is my 1st book from Ms. Rachel K. Burke and she left me in tears with Mia story...Mia is a i6 years old girl, who father left when she was 6 years old with a mother who suffer from bipolar disorder...Mia story take you into emotional roller coaster ride..Ms.Burke not only touch the disorder of bipolar but also child neglect, absence of parental care , suicide or attempted suicide, drugs used and so on...This book was so full of sorrowful, pain but also finding love and finding itself in the end...Even thou I felt in love with Mia how she found her strength to keep on going, but my hero of the book was her step mother Suzanne, what a wonderful character....There were so many characters in this book that I really like as well..Even Mia father Keith, who grew on me, Gretchen, Mia best friend, (Wish I had a friend like Gretchen when I was 16 years old)...Evan, Mia boyfriend who will in many way stay in her heart as her 1st love...This is just a powerful story of a young girl who had to grew up fast and letting her childhood go and to flourish into the grow up world...This story will touch your heart and will stay with you for a long time...I had read my share of books and I could say, that only a hand full stay with me after I am done reading..I know I be thinking and having a hard time letting "Finding Mia" go, it was that powerful....What I also love about this book was that Ms.Burke not only wrote about Mia POV but also her father Keith and her step mother Suzanne....You will feel all the emotional of this characters..I do highly recommend this book..So take a journey with Mia on her searches to find the unanswered questions from her past, leading to her own self-discovery and confronting pain and finding freedom, of letting go and learning to search for love in unexpected places...
March 19, 2013
I found this book on the free ebooks section of Goodreads. Unfortunately, I did not realize that the ebook was just a preview for it only contained three chapters.
I want to continue reading this book and I hope I could find a copy of this book, free or not, hardcover or paperback or ebook. It doesnt matter, I just really want to finish reading it.
From what I've read so far, it has a really interesting plot. The title was the one that caught my attention for I am on the verge of finding myself but what really hooked me in wanting to read it was the plot and the short description given by Goodreads.
Mia is a relatable character, although I do not like the fact that she smokes and how she reacted when her father was willing to take her in. I know that change is frightening especially when your father left your family and you find out all of a sudden that he his own apart from yours; a new wife and daughter.
Her father sounds like a good guy, a good dad. Besides from the fact that he left their family - from reasons I do not know because of said reasons above - he sound like a decent guy to me but the gaping hole of not knowing reasons makes my statements on her father being a good guy is invalid. For yes, I do not know but from what I know he sounds like a good guy. So please... don't argue with me.
And I could give you a thousand more reasons why I would love to read and finish this book but I wont cause I have better things to do than list these things for you. Please understand.
But if you want my opinion, this is a very good book. It kind of reminds me of In The Middle Of Nowhere by Julie Knudsen, check that book out if you would like to read or have already read this one.
Happy reading! :)
I want to continue reading this book and I hope I could find a copy of this book, free or not, hardcover or paperback or ebook. It doesnt matter, I just really want to finish reading it.
From what I've read so far, it has a really interesting plot. The title was the one that caught my attention for I am on the verge of finding myself but what really hooked me in wanting to read it was the plot and the short description given by Goodreads.
Mia is a relatable character, although I do not like the fact that she smokes and how she reacted when her father was willing to take her in. I know that change is frightening especially when your father left your family and you find out all of a sudden that he his own apart from yours; a new wife and daughter.
Her father sounds like a good guy, a good dad. Besides from the fact that he left their family - from reasons I do not know because of said reasons above - he sound like a decent guy to me but the gaping hole of not knowing reasons makes my statements on her father being a good guy is invalid. For yes, I do not know but from what I know he sounds like a good guy. So please... don't argue with me.
And I could give you a thousand more reasons why I would love to read and finish this book but I wont cause I have better things to do than list these things for you. Please understand.
But if you want my opinion, this is a very good book. It kind of reminds me of In The Middle Of Nowhere by Julie Knudsen, check that book out if you would like to read or have already read this one.
Happy reading! :)
Read
December 11, 2012I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading Finding Mia; it'd been awhile since I read the synopsis so I didn't go into this YA contemporary with any expectations, yet really enjoyed this heart-wrenching story of family and self-discovery. Mia was an incredibly strong heroine, who I clicked with - her individuality was really inspiring, and her fears when it comes to her new family are completely relevant and understandable. I found her very genuine and sympathetic, and warmed to this story right away. I actually didn't want it to end!
My favorite part of Rachel K Burke's story was the characters. They all contributed to the story, from Mia, to her outspoken friend Gretchen, who was a layered character, to Evan, Mia's boyfriend. While I definitely didn't agree with all of Mia's actions, she was a lost teenager, and I could absolutely identify. Her struggles made her seem more real, although there were times when I wanted to jump into the book and give her a shake or a talking to. I was really moved by seeing her try to find a way to not just get along with her father and step-mother, but find a way to let them into her lives. That was one of my favorite aspects of the plot of Finding Mia, although I also really enjoyed Mia's growth.
Finding Mia is a powerful story of a girl finding who she is, when she's finally able to step out from the shadow of her mother's illness. It's a character study, and a story of bravery, and second chances. The pacing was really nicely done, and Burke's writing style is strong and clear. I would definitely recommend this story to teen readers, because I think it will resonate with others as it did with me!
My favorite part of Rachel K Burke's story was the characters. They all contributed to the story, from Mia, to her outspoken friend Gretchen, who was a layered character, to Evan, Mia's boyfriend. While I definitely didn't agree with all of Mia's actions, she was a lost teenager, and I could absolutely identify. Her struggles made her seem more real, although there were times when I wanted to jump into the book and give her a shake or a talking to. I was really moved by seeing her try to find a way to not just get along with her father and step-mother, but find a way to let them into her lives. That was one of my favorite aspects of the plot of Finding Mia, although I also really enjoyed Mia's growth.
Finding Mia is a powerful story of a girl finding who she is, when she's finally able to step out from the shadow of her mother's illness. It's a character study, and a story of bravery, and second chances. The pacing was really nicely done, and Burke's writing style is strong and clear. I would definitely recommend this story to teen readers, because I think it will resonate with others as it did with me!
February 6, 2013
When I saw that ATOMR was doing this book for tour, I knew I had to read it. Finding Mia follows a sixteen year old girl going through a pretty rough time. But you already know that from the description above.
You see, Mia’s mom is Bipolar. Bipolar is pretty serious stuff. I never really thought much of it until after a close friend of mine had her child. She was very depressed afterwards. It tore apart her marriage, and she’s still putting pieces of her life back together, but she’s in a better place. I don’t want to get too into detail, because it’s private, but she’s the reason this blurb fascinated me so much.
After Mia’s mom tries to off herself, she’s stuck living with her estranged dad. Talk about a low blow, he hasn’t seen her since she was six. Now he’s remarried and has another daughter. That’s a tough pill to swallow.
This book goes through all the feelings they all have, the problems they go through. I only wish it would have been deeper. You see it skips point of views, which is great for seeing what other family members are thinking, but that hindered my connection to Mia. I think if I had been in her head the whole time, I would have felt closer to her character.
Over all, I really did enjoy it. Be sure to check out some of the other post on the tour. Click here! Plus there is a giveaway. Enter below!
My Favorite Quote spoke volumes to me.
“While other kids would light up about a field trip or a summer vacation, my happiness was based on what was waiting for me at the end of the day”
You see, Mia’s mom is Bipolar. Bipolar is pretty serious stuff. I never really thought much of it until after a close friend of mine had her child. She was very depressed afterwards. It tore apart her marriage, and she’s still putting pieces of her life back together, but she’s in a better place. I don’t want to get too into detail, because it’s private, but she’s the reason this blurb fascinated me so much.
After Mia’s mom tries to off herself, she’s stuck living with her estranged dad. Talk about a low blow, he hasn’t seen her since she was six. Now he’s remarried and has another daughter. That’s a tough pill to swallow.
This book goes through all the feelings they all have, the problems they go through. I only wish it would have been deeper. You see it skips point of views, which is great for seeing what other family members are thinking, but that hindered my connection to Mia. I think if I had been in her head the whole time, I would have felt closer to her character.
Over all, I really did enjoy it. Be sure to check out some of the other post on the tour. Click here! Plus there is a giveaway. Enter below!
My Favorite Quote spoke volumes to me.
“While other kids would light up about a field trip or a summer vacation, my happiness was based on what was waiting for me at the end of the day”
December 15, 2012
Finding Mia is quite the emotional read. I like to read books that talk about serious issues so when I saw this book I was instantly interested. And it didn't disappoint at all.
I liked that we got to see things in everyone's perspective. It was nice to see what was going through her father's mind, even his wife.
Mia has always taken care of herself. So when she has to move in with her dad and his new wife she's not looking for any kind of guidance or parental presence. I don't think she's ever realized that she could have a better life then she was living till she moved in with her dad. She held a lot of resentment towards him in the beginning because he left but surprisingly her step mother is kind and always trying to be there for Mia.
This book deals with some pretty serious issues. I've never been around someone who has Biploar but I never realized just how serious and heart breaking it could be. Finding Mia was a real eye opener for me.
Finding Mia is about life, moving on and that glimmer of hope at the end of the day that keeps us going. Fans of Deb Caletti, or just anyone looking for a book about serious issues should pick this book up.
*Received for Blog Tour.
**This review also appears on my blog World of Books
I liked that we got to see things in everyone's perspective. It was nice to see what was going through her father's mind, even his wife.
Mia has always taken care of herself. So when she has to move in with her dad and his new wife she's not looking for any kind of guidance or parental presence. I don't think she's ever realized that she could have a better life then she was living till she moved in with her dad. She held a lot of resentment towards him in the beginning because he left but surprisingly her step mother is kind and always trying to be there for Mia.
This book deals with some pretty serious issues. I've never been around someone who has Biploar but I never realized just how serious and heart breaking it could be. Finding Mia was a real eye opener for me.
Finding Mia is about life, moving on and that glimmer of hope at the end of the day that keeps us going. Fans of Deb Caletti, or just anyone looking for a book about serious issues should pick this book up.
*Received for Blog Tour.
**This review also appears on my blog World of Books
May 6, 2016
This was a beautifully written story of a teenage girl who had to face more in her 16 years than many of us face in a lifetime. The author did an excellent job of providing background and building the story. I was captivated! Mia is your typical teenage girl, looking to fit in and belong. However her circumstances prevent her from living the life of a teenager. When tragedy strikes, her whole world is shifted and that's when she begins to find herself. Her journey, is sad at times but in the end, she is so much stronger. I would recommend this for the older teen, young adult and adult readers. There are many lessons I think we could all learn.
May 29, 2015
Having been a high school teacher and having worked with bi-polar students, this was a novel whose characters I related to easily. Mia struggles to survive a situation in which she as a child is forced to be independent and to mother her own mom. As her mother sinks into depression and near-suicide, Mia is forced to move in with her father who chose to walk away from their home when Mia was just 6 years old. Now they come together and have a myriad of problems to overcome. Rachel Burke handles this family crisis and its complexities with sensitivity and understanding.
July 12, 2013
4.5 stars! I devoured this book! When it ended I kept tapping to turn the page and was totally distraught that it was over. This book is tackles a lot of serious situations eloquently. Mia is such a unique character. I would love to read more about her. I really wish that this book had been longer. It's because of that and the distracting typos, that I couldn't rate it 5 stars. I'm so glad that I gave this book a chance.
December 26, 2013
This was about a young girl whose Dad left the family that included her mother who suffered from bi-polar disorder. Her mother's condition pretty much robbed the girl of her childhood. When the mother is institutionalized Mia moves in with her father and step mom. She has had no connection with him and his new wife knew nothing of Mia. Mia didn't even know she had a 3-year old baby sister. These details led to a tender story that was well told.
January 20, 2013
The story itself was compelling and well-written. I liked how the author included enough of Mia's journal for readers to hear her thoughts. I wish it had been more closely edited. The Kindle version contained a few typos.
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