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Permanent Record
A New York Times bestseller
An NPR Favorite Book of 2019
A BuzzFeed Best YA Book of 2019
From the New York Times bestselling author of Emergency Contact , which Rainbow Rowell called “smart and funny,” comes an unforgettable new romance about how social media influences relationships every day.
On paper, college dropout Pablo Rind doesn’t have a whole lot going for him. His graveyard shift at a twenty-four-hour deli in Brooklyn is a struggle. Plus, he’s up to his eyeballs in credit card debt. Never mind the state of his student loans.
Pop juggernaut Leanna Smart has enough social media followers to populate whole continents. The brand is unstoppable. She graduated from child stardom to become an international icon and her adult life is a queasy blur of private planes, step-and-repeats, aspirational hotel rooms, and strangers screaming for her just to notice them.
When Leanna and Pablo meet at 5:00 a.m. at the bodega in the dead of winter it’s absurd to think they’d be A Thing. But as they discover who they are, who they want to be, and how to defy the deafening expectations of everyone else, Lee and Pab turn to each other. Which, of course, is when things get properly complicated.
An NPR Favorite Book of 2019
A BuzzFeed Best YA Book of 2019
From the New York Times bestselling author of Emergency Contact , which Rainbow Rowell called “smart and funny,” comes an unforgettable new romance about how social media influences relationships every day.
On paper, college dropout Pablo Rind doesn’t have a whole lot going for him. His graveyard shift at a twenty-four-hour deli in Brooklyn is a struggle. Plus, he’s up to his eyeballs in credit card debt. Never mind the state of his student loans.
Pop juggernaut Leanna Smart has enough social media followers to populate whole continents. The brand is unstoppable. She graduated from child stardom to become an international icon and her adult life is a queasy blur of private planes, step-and-repeats, aspirational hotel rooms, and strangers screaming for her just to notice them.
When Leanna and Pablo meet at 5:00 a.m. at the bodega in the dead of winter it’s absurd to think they’d be A Thing. But as they discover who they are, who they want to be, and how to defy the deafening expectations of everyone else, Lee and Pab turn to each other. Which, of course, is when things get properly complicated.
421 pages, Hardcover
First published September 3, 2019
513 people are currently reading
22115 people want to read
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June 10, 2021
ARC acquired at Book Expo in exchange for an honest review.
“Trying to get better at the thing you want to be the best at is humiliating.”
Hello to my favorite contemporary of 2019. Friends, this book was so quiet, but so loud, and really impacted me more than any other book I’ve read all year. This is the type of story that makes you want to see the world, the type of story that heals wounds you didn’t know you had, the type of story that makes you feel seen and loved and realize you are worthy of unconditional happiness, and the type of story that will make you want to find that happiness and hold on to it with both hands. I know I probably sound so very cheesy, but this really is the type of book that you close and you just want to be a better person, and want to live a happier life, and it’s a reminder why books truly have the power to change lives. I loved this book with the sum of my being, and I’ll carry it with me and pass it along for the rest of my life.
This is a book that borderlines on Young Adult and New Adult, about two characters who find each other while they are at the crossroads of trying to find themselves, too. They have very different backgrounds, and very different current living situations, but they both bond over the unknown and the bursts of happiness that they feel while communicating with each other.
➽ Pablo Neruda Rind - biracial (Korean and Pakistani), 20, working at a bodega in NYC, was an actual meme and now has a little bit of Instagram success because of it, and is thinking about going back to college after dropping out with a large sum of debt following him.
➽ Leanna Smart - biracial (Mexican and white), 22, childhood star now pop singer, and trying to be happy with the content she is putting out in the world.
And one very late night, while Pablo is working in the bodega, Leanna comes in and their lives change. They are both searching for happiness, in very different ways and very different forms of outlets, but they start to think that maybe they can also find happiness together.
And Mary HK Choi delivers a story that is so beautifully written, so heartfelt, so very real, that I won’t forget it, ever. Some of the themes and discussions in this book are so important and I truly think this story is going to change lives. I feel like I normally only read one book a year that changes my life, and I think that this year’s is without a doubt Permanent Record.
Seeing Pablo question what he wants for his life, while also entering into depression because of this overwhelming debt he has accumulated because of doubt and uncertainty is something that I’ve never read about before. Never has a book really forced me to understand that Americans truly expect seventeen-year-olds and eighteen-year-olds to make choices that will impact them financially (and so many other ways) for the rest of their lives. Graduating college with 100k debt is the reality that so many people in their young twenties have, but so many also have that debt without a degree as well. It’s heartbreaking, truly, that we put this pressure on young adults and that we expect them to know how they want to spend their lives at such a young age, while also feeling that weight from society, from schools, and from their families.
“God, this country. It’s so predatory.”
And people have so many options that don’t involve school. Sometimes people find happiness chasing dreams that don’t require degrees. Sometimes people find happiness becoming celebrities in many different forms. Yes, sometimes people do find happiness with a degree that will help them live the life with the job they want. But sometimes people will find happiness simply by being on the journey of searching for happiness in the first place. There is no wrong way to find happiness, and it can be so very hard to find, but it is always so important that you search for it, because you’re so deserving of it.
I think Pablo and his situation is such a reality for so many. Finding happiness, and determination, and inspiration… it can be so very hard. And Pablo, much like many of us, is someone who doesn’t make it easy. This book, in my eyes, is also a love letter to depression awareness and how depression can come in many forms unknowingly. Pablo’s life and struggle, both academically and with his loved ones, was something so very raw, and I was so easily able to connect with, and I think many others will feel like that too. Because sometimes the weight of other peoples’ expectations can be so very heavy.
“Life isn’t a destination. It’s the continual practice of things that make you wiser and happier.”
This is ownvoices for the Korean representation, but I just want to touch on how I really loved seeing Leanna and Pablo talk about them both being biracial. It was so important and meaningful for me to see characters talk about how they are both of their races, instead of half and half. This seems like such a simple concept, something that should be easy for me to say, “hello, my name is Melanie and I’m Filipino” but it is something that I really struggle with, and I always want to break my racial identity of being Filipino and white up in percentages as a kneejerk reaction when talking about myself. And this small conversation between Pablo and Leanna just really meant so very much to me, and really hit me extremely hard. Also, just seeing Pablo having a tough time not feeling as connected to parts of his identity was really important and moving, too.
And, like always, seeing an older sibling help take care of their younger brother is something that will always resonate with me and inside my heart. Pab’s entire family dynamic really was perfection actually, because I feel like in literature, we either get really horrible parents or really perfect parents; we never really get the messy in between, where parents are supportive and loving but have a hard time showing their love and support.
“You don't get to start over every day; you get to keep going.”
Overall, I just really loved this book and it means so very much to me. The messages in this book really are life changing and I truly wish I could put this book in everyone’s hands. I feel like, much like Emergency Contact, this could be a polarizing book, but I also think it is a book that is going to touch and impact so many. I know a lot of people probably won’t love the ending, but I truly thought it was perfection and really made this book standout as a true masterpiece. And if you read through this whole review, I hope you know that I appreciate you, and that it is never too late to follow your dreams and find the happiness you deserve. Oh, also, be warned that the mention of all the snacks in this will make you extremely hungry.
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The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
Content and Trigger Warnings: anxiety, debt, the debt crisis, credit debt, bill collectors, talk of sudden death briefly, talk of cancer, minor scene involving childhood cancer and the Make A Wish foundation, depression, codependency, and talk of assault (unwanted touching).
November 10, 2022
Life is a bummer.
So many bad things happen every day. Like good shows getting canceled. Or when autumn ends and it’s too cold and all the leaves are brown and the trees are bare. Or that thing that happens sometimes, inexplicably, when you bake cookies where they turn all liquidy and spread out into this flat unappetizing chocolate-chip-lumpy Thing.
Or the worst thing of all: me anticipating a book for OVER A YEAR and then not caring for that book very much at all.
(I know none of these even begin to enter the top million of the list of worst things happening in the world, but let’s pretend for a moment we live in a utopia where these are our biggest problems. And then everyone would feel bad for me and give me attention. So. Extra utopian.)
I loved Emergency Contact with my life. I loved the flawed characters, I loved the Very Hip And Online tone of the writing, I loved the story of the relationship that builds between everyone, not just our romantic duo.
Which is why it’s so disappointing (and surprising, and upsetting, and horrible, and so on) that none of those loves translated to Mary H.K. Choi’s second book.
In Permanent Record, we follow Pablo, a deeply indebted college dropout-turned-bodega employee who soon develops a crush-at-first-sight on teen pop sensation Leanna Smart. And not only did I not love either of these characters, I had trouble understanding them.
Pablo is an unknown amount of money in debt - probably tens of thousands of dollars, if not more. His story is that it’s because no one educates high schoolers on how much college costs, nor on the burden of credit card debt, nor on the importance of being sure of what you want to do before you pay six figures to attain a degree in it.
And that is, in some ways, fair. America has a student debt crisis, and at its foundation is the fact that asking 17 year olds to saddle up with a $40,000 price tag for four years isn’t fair.
However. This doesn’t sit well with me.
When I was 13, I went on a family trip to New York City. I fell in love with it so much that the second I got home, I booted up the family laptop, googled “colleges in New York,” and penciled a list of the results in a half-used notebook.
Over the years that followed, I did more and more research, and fell more and more in love with New York University - the school Pablo attends in this book. I spent a weekend on a pullout couch with my friend in her aunt’s apartment so I could tour it. I wrote lists of study abroad destinations and majors and schools. I was obsessed with the idea of attending.
And when I applied, I got in. But I couldn’t go. It just cost too much money. That was a conclusion I came to all on my own.
So it was hard for me to accept that Pablo got himself in a ton of student debt because he “you don’t say no to NYU.” That he ignored the advice of his parents and people he knew in order to attend.
I didn’t have much more support than he did. I didn’t know sh*t about student loans or debt. I experienced a high school culture that really placed a lot of pressure on name recognition for college choice. I had dreamed about NYU for years. And I still said no.
So I spent a lot of my time with this book staving off resentment and a lack of understanding. Especially as Pablo opened credit cards and racked up balances and abandoned payment. Especially as he refused to speak to his friends or his parents or his boss or anyone (and quit his job without notice).
Because that sh*t is just common sense.
I also was unable to connect with Pablo’s love interest, Leanna, who is extremely selfish and mean. Can’t relate to the life of a teen pop sensation like I can relate to someone who wants to go to NYU, but I still managed not to connect to either of them!
The language also didn’t feel as real and relatable to me in this one? It felt a lot more forced and cringey. Maybe I’m just getting old. Although I’m 22 and not more than a couple years older than either of these characters. So. Probably not that.
And likely no surprise, seeing as I didn’t care for these characters at all, but I was NOT interested in their relationship. And I didn’t really...get it? Pablo is instantly obsessed with Leanna upon meeting her, to the point of constant stalking. Which I guess makes sense from a celebrity crush standpoint, but in my humble opinion, not the cutest in a romance type situation.
Anyway.
I’m going to go cry for a hundred years now.
Bottom line: WHY DO I SUFFER.
----------
pre-review
i don't know what i did in a past life to deserve being disappointed by a book i anticipated for over a year, but i assume it was murder. or worse.
review to come / 2.5 stars
----------
currently-reading updates
turns out the only thing i had to do to be able to read this book was wait.
the worst thing of all.
----------
tbr review
list of things i would do in exchange for being able to read this book:
- give up cookies for a week. okay 3 days
- reread The Fault in Our Stars
- go without talking about Alice's Adventures in Wonderland for as long as humanly possible (36 hours)
- write anotherlove letter to review of Emergency Contact
- actually start writing the 10-12 page paper I have due in 3 days now, instead of the day before it's due
- put down what i'm currently eating (raw cookie dough with a spoon at 10:36 a.m.) and eat a vegetable or something
i would do all of this and more. mary h.k. choi hmu
So many bad things happen every day. Like good shows getting canceled. Or when autumn ends and it’s too cold and all the leaves are brown and the trees are bare. Or that thing that happens sometimes, inexplicably, when you bake cookies where they turn all liquidy and spread out into this flat unappetizing chocolate-chip-lumpy Thing.
Or the worst thing of all: me anticipating a book for OVER A YEAR and then not caring for that book very much at all.
(I know none of these even begin to enter the top million of the list of worst things happening in the world, but let’s pretend for a moment we live in a utopia where these are our biggest problems. And then everyone would feel bad for me and give me attention. So. Extra utopian.)
I loved Emergency Contact with my life. I loved the flawed characters, I loved the Very Hip And Online tone of the writing, I loved the story of the relationship that builds between everyone, not just our romantic duo.
Which is why it’s so disappointing (and surprising, and upsetting, and horrible, and so on) that none of those loves translated to Mary H.K. Choi’s second book.
In Permanent Record, we follow Pablo, a deeply indebted college dropout-turned-bodega employee who soon develops a crush-at-first-sight on teen pop sensation Leanna Smart. And not only did I not love either of these characters, I had trouble understanding them.
Pablo is an unknown amount of money in debt - probably tens of thousands of dollars, if not more. His story is that it’s because no one educates high schoolers on how much college costs, nor on the burden of credit card debt, nor on the importance of being sure of what you want to do before you pay six figures to attain a degree in it.
And that is, in some ways, fair. America has a student debt crisis, and at its foundation is the fact that asking 17 year olds to saddle up with a $40,000 price tag for four years isn’t fair.
However. This doesn’t sit well with me.
When I was 13, I went on a family trip to New York City. I fell in love with it so much that the second I got home, I booted up the family laptop, googled “colleges in New York,” and penciled a list of the results in a half-used notebook.
Over the years that followed, I did more and more research, and fell more and more in love with New York University - the school Pablo attends in this book. I spent a weekend on a pullout couch with my friend in her aunt’s apartment so I could tour it. I wrote lists of study abroad destinations and majors and schools. I was obsessed with the idea of attending.
And when I applied, I got in. But I couldn’t go. It just cost too much money. That was a conclusion I came to all on my own.
So it was hard for me to accept that Pablo got himself in a ton of student debt because he “you don’t say no to NYU.” That he ignored the advice of his parents and people he knew in order to attend.
I didn’t have much more support than he did. I didn’t know sh*t about student loans or debt. I experienced a high school culture that really placed a lot of pressure on name recognition for college choice. I had dreamed about NYU for years. And I still said no.
So I spent a lot of my time with this book staving off resentment and a lack of understanding. Especially as Pablo opened credit cards and racked up balances and abandoned payment. Especially as he refused to speak to his friends or his parents or his boss or anyone (and quit his job without notice).
Because that sh*t is just common sense.
I also was unable to connect with Pablo’s love interest, Leanna, who is extremely selfish and mean. Can’t relate to the life of a teen pop sensation like I can relate to someone who wants to go to NYU, but I still managed not to connect to either of them!
The language also didn’t feel as real and relatable to me in this one? It felt a lot more forced and cringey. Maybe I’m just getting old. Although I’m 22 and not more than a couple years older than either of these characters. So. Probably not that.
And likely no surprise, seeing as I didn’t care for these characters at all, but I was NOT interested in their relationship. And I didn’t really...get it? Pablo is instantly obsessed with Leanna upon meeting her, to the point of constant stalking. Which I guess makes sense from a celebrity crush standpoint, but in my humble opinion, not the cutest in a romance type situation.
Anyway.
I’m going to go cry for a hundred years now.
Bottom line: WHY DO I SUFFER.
----------
pre-review
i don't know what i did in a past life to deserve being disappointed by a book i anticipated for over a year, but i assume it was murder. or worse.
review to come / 2.5 stars
----------
currently-reading updates
turns out the only thing i had to do to be able to read this book was wait.
the worst thing of all.
----------
tbr review
list of things i would do in exchange for being able to read this book:
- give up cookies for a week. okay 3 days
- reread The Fault in Our Stars
- go without talking about Alice's Adventures in Wonderland for as long as humanly possible (36 hours)
- write another
- actually start writing the 10-12 page paper I have due in 3 days now, instead of the day before it's due
- put down what i'm currently eating (raw cookie dough with a spoon at 10:36 a.m.) and eat a vegetable or something
i would do all of this and more. mary h.k. choi hmu
October 1, 2019
I loved this SO MUCH. SO MUCH!!!!
November 9, 2019
name a better duo than mary h.k. choi books and aesthetic ass covers that make you want to buy the book despite not knowing anything about it
January 15, 2022
I had seen everyone really hyped about this book and some how the premise of this book as I understood it through the osmosis of being online was that it was a love story between a Korean girl and Pakistani guy. That misunderstanding is clearly on me though, as always I could do more to figure out what a book is about before actually reading it. Just want to put it out there that I would love to read a book where the love story involves people of two ethnicities we don't usually see.
The book is actually about Pablo who is half Korean and half Pakistani. He works in a health store/bodega and his life is a mess. One day a pop star happens to come into a bodega and the usual happens from there. The real premise requires a lot of suspension of disbelief that I don't really have in me to be quite honest which is part of why I had trouble with this one.
I also was born in NYC and have lived here my whole life and find nothing more annoying than people insisting something is so New York and the right way to be New York, which Pablo does constantly. I can explain how grating it was. Also everyone is this book is mixed and I'm not sure if that's the reality of living in New York? I just also find it annoying how much time was spent describing New York to be quite honest, mostly because I live here and it just feels tedious to have to read about it. I think the truth is that this book wasn't really aimed at me and since I'm not the target audience I didn't enjoy it?
I do think that some of the things discussed in this book are interesting like the idea of education and having to do the hard work everyday to get to where you want to be. It was really enjoyable to have those explorations of finances and fame in there as well. I just think the resolution to those issues weren't satisfactory and not enough time was spent exploring them. I wish instead of having so much time spent on talking about New York and the different cultural idiosyncrasies of the ethnic identities in this country we'd even had more time devoted to Pablo's struggle with his own mixed race ethnicity to be quite honest.
I also don't understand this valorization of doing what you love and creative pursuits to be quite honest. I think its quite lame how we constantly talk about working in those terms when work can also just be about financial security. I think I've gotten to the place where I'm a curmudgeonly adult who is like who cares about loving what you do? It's work you're doing it to eat? Maybe I'm too old and cynical for YA now? Its much more realistic for people to fail in their creative ambitions than not even in NYC and it feels like a cop out that he just ends up figuring out a way to find a creative outlet that might be his way to being successful.
I think the book brought up a lot of interesting things but then glossed over them superficially and they some how just end up being resolved in the end and it just felt disappointing. This one was a 2.5 stars for me. I considered rounding it up to 3 because it does deliver on what its supposed to be but I just felt really bummed out by it to be quite honest.
The book is actually about Pablo who is half Korean and half Pakistani. He works in a health store/bodega and his life is a mess. One day a pop star happens to come into a bodega and the usual happens from there. The real premise requires a lot of suspension of disbelief that I don't really have in me to be quite honest which is part of why I had trouble with this one.
I also was born in NYC and have lived here my whole life and find nothing more annoying than people insisting something is so New York and the right way to be New York, which Pablo does constantly. I can explain how grating it was. Also everyone is this book is mixed and I'm not sure if that's the reality of living in New York? I just also find it annoying how much time was spent describing New York to be quite honest, mostly because I live here and it just feels tedious to have to read about it. I think the truth is that this book wasn't really aimed at me and since I'm not the target audience I didn't enjoy it?
I do think that some of the things discussed in this book are interesting like the idea of education and having to do the hard work everyday to get to where you want to be. It was really enjoyable to have those explorations of finances and fame in there as well. I just think the resolution to those issues weren't satisfactory and not enough time was spent exploring them. I wish instead of having so much time spent on talking about New York and the different cultural idiosyncrasies of the ethnic identities in this country we'd even had more time devoted to Pablo's struggle with his own mixed race ethnicity to be quite honest.
I also don't understand this valorization of doing what you love and creative pursuits to be quite honest. I think its quite lame how we constantly talk about working in those terms when work can also just be about financial security. I think I've gotten to the place where I'm a curmudgeonly adult who is like who cares about loving what you do? It's work you're doing it to eat? Maybe I'm too old and cynical for YA now? Its much more realistic for people to fail in their creative ambitions than not even in NYC and it feels like a cop out that he just ends up figuring out a way to find a creative outlet that might be his way to being successful.
I think the book brought up a lot of interesting things but then glossed over them superficially and they some how just end up being resolved in the end and it just felt disappointing. This one was a 2.5 stars for me. I considered rounding it up to 3 because it does deliver on what its supposed to be but I just felt really bummed out by it to be quite honest.
July 11, 2019
“Life isn’t a destination. It’s the continual practice of things that make you wiser and happier”
This was so relatable and enjoyable. Pablo was an amazing character, and the story is really about him trying to find his footing in life. The romance was also adorable, and I just had the best time reading this!
I received an ARC of this at BookExpo. It comes out 3rd September 2019!
This was so relatable and enjoyable. Pablo was an amazing character, and the story is really about him trying to find his footing in life. The romance was also adorable, and I just had the best time reading this!
I received an ARC of this at BookExpo. It comes out 3rd September 2019!
October 6, 2019
I wanted to like this more than I did. From the synopsis I thought this was going to be dual POV, but it’s just told in the guy’s POV. I think I would have enjoyed this if we could have heard more from her. I also found him a bit.. insufferable? And while that’s the point and makes sense for what he’s going through, I found that made his arc rather stagnant at times. I did enjoy the slice of life elements and depiction of depression and anxiety. But the romance didn’t give me butterflies. And you always want butterflies.
April 2, 2020
i had knots in my stomach for almost the entire time i read this book. i think it’s important to set expectations: this isn’t a cutesy ya contemporary. it’s about people in their 20s who are living and struggling and trying to find their footing. and it is brilliant at depicting that.
i also think one of the things choi does so brilliantly is capturing an authentic voice - her characters sound so completely real in the best and worst ways.
i also think one of the things choi does so brilliantly is capturing an authentic voice - her characters sound so completely real in the best and worst ways.
December 30, 2019
Cry me a river.
If Choi's intention had been to write a novel about quintessential gen z-ers, the way we, the olds, see them, she succeeded spectacularly. Every stereotype of an obnoxious 20-something you have in your head, it's in this book. And it's excruciating to read.
I know, I know, this is a story about a 20-year old guy drowning in student debt. But as much as I generally feel sorry for this kind of plight, it just doesn't hit you the same way when the person who is in debt is a whiny, narcissistic, lazy, privileged guy who's never learned to take responsibility for anything. (It all is mom's fault!)
And then this debt story is wrapped in a romance, but of the kind that doesn't really make you ship the couple. Pablo and Leanna have no chemistry and are united by their love of snacks and complaining. See, she is a pop star and her Instagram life is HARD!
I only sort of started liking Permanent Record at about 80% when both these drama queens were finally called on their bullshit. But as Pablo's solution to his financial woes included taking money from his parents and making YouTube videos (yes, you read that right!) among other things, I groaned and gave up on the whole enterprise of feeling empathy for these people. What did we learn? No matter how much you mess up, your privilege will bail you out? Niiiice.
If Choi's intention had been to write a novel about quintessential gen z-ers, the way we, the olds, see them, she succeeded spectacularly. Every stereotype of an obnoxious 20-something you have in your head, it's in this book. And it's excruciating to read.
I know, I know, this is a story about a 20-year old guy drowning in student debt. But as much as I generally feel sorry for this kind of plight, it just doesn't hit you the same way when the person who is in debt is a whiny, narcissistic, lazy, privileged guy who's never learned to take responsibility for anything. (It all is mom's fault!)
And then this debt story is wrapped in a romance, but of the kind that doesn't really make you ship the couple. Pablo and Leanna have no chemistry and are united by their love of snacks and complaining. See, she is a pop star and her Instagram life is HARD!
I only sort of started liking Permanent Record at about 80% when both these drama queens were finally called on their bullshit. But as Pablo's solution to his financial woes included taking money from his parents and making YouTube videos (yes, you read that right!) among other things, I groaned and gave up on the whole enterprise of feeling empathy for these people. What did we learn? No matter how much you mess up, your privilege will bail you out? Niiiice.
September 2, 2019
Pablo Neruda Rind, or Pab for short, is a somewhat-rudderless, half-Korean, half-Pakistani college dropout with a mound of credit card debt. He works the graveyard shift at a 24-hour upscale bodega in Brooklyn and spends a good deal of time wondering what to do with his future.
Should he try reapplying to NYU despite not being able to afford it (much less afford his rent)? Should he get a job? Should he move back in with his mother, who hasn't forgiven him for dropping out in the first place?
All of the questions about the path he should take, coupled with the letters and phone calls from bill collectors, tend to overwhelm him. He tries to content himself with inventing unique snack combinations for his Instagram feed. (Snack foods are his jam.) He also is trying to figure out how to navigate his relationships with his tiger mother and his laissez-faire father.
And then one winter morning at 5:00 a.m. during one of Pab's bodega shifts, she walks in. Leanna Smart—former child star who transitioned to pop star and social media celebrity—shows up in his store. Alone. No entourage. But she does accumulate an impressive supply of snacks.
The two trade jokes, roll their eyes at the world, and flirt. This is a relationship destined to go nowhere because they couldn't come from two more different worlds. But they can't resist each other. So they take a leap, which leads them on a journey that is at once spontaneous, magical, emotional, and fraught with trouble.
Permanent Record is funny, poignant, thought-provoking, and a little ridiculous, but it's an insightful commentary on our celebrity- and social media-obsessed culture, and how difficult it is to let someone see your true self. This book started a little slow but definitely picked up steam as it went on.
Mary H.K. Choi's first book, Emergency Contact , was one of the best books I read last year. She has such an ear for dialogue and while the characters here are tremendously erudite, sarcastic, and whip-smart, it works for the book considering who the characters are. I also felt that while some of the situations that occurred were silly the relationships between Pab and his family seemed genuine.
The characters are fun and you root for them, and at the same time, you want to smack them when they're acting like idiots. Pab isn't really very sympathetic through a good portion of the book and his near-total paralysis toward his future and the financial situation he's in, as well as the way he treats people really wore on me a bit.
Choi is a tremendously talented writer, and while Permanent Record didn't quite wow me as her first book did, I really enjoyed it, and read most of it on a long flight. She remains one of the authors whose work I'm most excited to follow.
Simon & Schuster provided an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
This book publishes September 3, 2019.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Should he try reapplying to NYU despite not being able to afford it (much less afford his rent)? Should he get a job? Should he move back in with his mother, who hasn't forgiven him for dropping out in the first place?
All of the questions about the path he should take, coupled with the letters and phone calls from bill collectors, tend to overwhelm him. He tries to content himself with inventing unique snack combinations for his Instagram feed. (Snack foods are his jam.) He also is trying to figure out how to navigate his relationships with his tiger mother and his laissez-faire father.
And then one winter morning at 5:00 a.m. during one of Pab's bodega shifts, she walks in. Leanna Smart—former child star who transitioned to pop star and social media celebrity—shows up in his store. Alone. No entourage. But she does accumulate an impressive supply of snacks.
The two trade jokes, roll their eyes at the world, and flirt. This is a relationship destined to go nowhere because they couldn't come from two more different worlds. But they can't resist each other. So they take a leap, which leads them on a journey that is at once spontaneous, magical, emotional, and fraught with trouble.
Permanent Record is funny, poignant, thought-provoking, and a little ridiculous, but it's an insightful commentary on our celebrity- and social media-obsessed culture, and how difficult it is to let someone see your true self. This book started a little slow but definitely picked up steam as it went on.
Mary H.K. Choi's first book, Emergency Contact , was one of the best books I read last year. She has such an ear for dialogue and while the characters here are tremendously erudite, sarcastic, and whip-smart, it works for the book considering who the characters are. I also felt that while some of the situations that occurred were silly the relationships between Pab and his family seemed genuine.
The characters are fun and you root for them, and at the same time, you want to smack them when they're acting like idiots. Pab isn't really very sympathetic through a good portion of the book and his near-total paralysis toward his future and the financial situation he's in, as well as the way he treats people really wore on me a bit.
Choi is a tremendously talented writer, and while Permanent Record didn't quite wow me as her first book did, I really enjoyed it, and read most of it on a long flight. She remains one of the authors whose work I'm most excited to follow.
Simon & Schuster provided an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
This book publishes September 3, 2019.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
July 10, 2020
4 stars
After reading Emergency Contact, I knew I would be picking up any and everything Mary H.K. Choi writes. You know how you just jive with an authors writing style? I totally jive with hers. Although I loved her debut novel just a tad more than this (I think it was just a personal preference/my connection to the main character in the first book) I thought this was amazing as well.
Pablo Neruda Rind is a twenty year old guy still trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life. This is not made easy by the crippling debt he has from dropping out of school. Right now, he’s working at a health foods store and trying to figure it out. It’s there he meets Leanna Smart. Leanna is famous, but when she meets Pablo, he doesn’t recognize her at first. He’s kind to her and likes her right away and this meeting changes both of their lives forever.
I think this will be relatable for people in their twenties and even those older than that. I’m not in my twenties anymore and thank the lord I’ve worked super hard to pay off all my student loans, but I have so many friends that are still struggling with this. It’s truly a crisis for so many and Pab was just one example of how it can feel like it’s drowning a person. It’s already scary that age, trying to figure out what you want to do with your life and accumulating all this debt while trying to decide. There’s so much pressure and it’s hard. This book did a fantastic job of reflecting all that.
Permanent Record is a hard-hitting contemporary that made me think about things, made me feel, made me laugh, and gave me so much of that family dynamic I love in books. Pablo’s family was fantastic, as well as his roommates and Leanna’s abuela. This is one of those books I didn’t want to put down and I’m such a huge fan of Choi’s writing, I can’t recommend it enough!
I chose this as my monthly YA BOTM and my goodness… isn’t the cover SO GORGEOUS!
After reading Emergency Contact, I knew I would be picking up any and everything Mary H.K. Choi writes. You know how you just jive with an authors writing style? I totally jive with hers. Although I loved her debut novel just a tad more than this (I think it was just a personal preference/my connection to the main character in the first book) I thought this was amazing as well.
Pablo Neruda Rind is a twenty year old guy still trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life. This is not made easy by the crippling debt he has from dropping out of school. Right now, he’s working at a health foods store and trying to figure it out. It’s there he meets Leanna Smart. Leanna is famous, but when she meets Pablo, he doesn’t recognize her at first. He’s kind to her and likes her right away and this meeting changes both of their lives forever.
I think this will be relatable for people in their twenties and even those older than that. I’m not in my twenties anymore and thank the lord I’ve worked super hard to pay off all my student loans, but I have so many friends that are still struggling with this. It’s truly a crisis for so many and Pab was just one example of how it can feel like it’s drowning a person. It’s already scary that age, trying to figure out what you want to do with your life and accumulating all this debt while trying to decide. There’s so much pressure and it’s hard. This book did a fantastic job of reflecting all that.
Permanent Record is a hard-hitting contemporary that made me think about things, made me feel, made me laugh, and gave me so much of that family dynamic I love in books. Pablo’s family was fantastic, as well as his roommates and Leanna’s abuela. This is one of those books I didn’t want to put down and I’m such a huge fan of Choi’s writing, I can’t recommend it enough!
“Nothing that is a manifestation of your creative energies is stupid. Doing nothing is the only stupid.”
I chose this as my monthly YA BOTM and my goodness… isn’t the cover SO GORGEOUS!
April 20, 2020
This isn't a bad book. Not technically. The writing style is still good and all that, but then there were the characters. Boy, oh boy, these characters. I just didn't like them.
No, scratch that. It's not that I didn't like them. It's that I didn't care. Lee was so boring to me. So superficial. And yeah, maybe that was the point, and you know what? I still didn't like her. At times she didn't even feel like a character at all. She felt like a caricature pulled right out of someone's fantasy in order to be the perfect idea of a girl.
But then again, maybe that was the point? At least, I hope that was the point?
In seeing her only from Pablo's mind, we're only shown an idea of Lee. An idea over which Pablo obsesses, ignoring friends and family and responsibilities. As Pablo goes deeper into his relationship with Leanna, the more his life spirals out of control.
The reason I couldn't cheer for Pablo and like him as a character was that he never did anything about it. He just kept digging himself in deeper, letting the spiral run out of control, willingly as he chased Lee around. It felt like he complained a lot and did little to actually help his situation and that got boring and annoying for me.
Some other issues I had was that there was like, no plot? Maybe I missed it? But also, where was this going? What did the characters actually want? Idk.
Pablo and Lee's relationship was also a bit questionable perhaps. I personally would have loved it if the book focused more on Pablo and his family. His little brother Rain was cool and his parents had an interesting dynamic. Instead, we focused on Pablo drool over a girl for several hundred pages.
All of that said, I did enjoy the ending, although it was a bit cliche. I liked seeing Pablo try to get his life back on track. I would have liked to see a bit more focus on the fact that Pablo was very clearly depressed and needed some serious help. They briefly mention it and then it's sort of ignored and he's magically better.
Overall, despite everything I just said, I actually thought the book was pretty ok. Not great, I certainly didn't love it, but it also wasn't bad. It was more than meh, less than wow. Make of that what you will.
Let me know id you've already read this one and what you think! Or if you're planning on reading it any time soon! Also, which did you like more, this one or Emergency Contact?
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No, scratch that. It's not that I didn't like them. It's that I didn't care. Lee was so boring to me. So superficial. And yeah, maybe that was the point, and you know what? I still didn't like her. At times she didn't even feel like a character at all. She felt like a caricature pulled right out of someone's fantasy in order to be the perfect idea of a girl.
But then again, maybe that was the point? At least, I hope that was the point?
In seeing her only from Pablo's mind, we're only shown an idea of Lee. An idea over which Pablo obsesses, ignoring friends and family and responsibilities. As Pablo goes deeper into his relationship with Leanna, the more his life spirals out of control.
The reason I couldn't cheer for Pablo and like him as a character was that he never did anything about it. He just kept digging himself in deeper, letting the spiral run out of control, willingly as he chased Lee around. It felt like he complained a lot and did little to actually help his situation and that got boring and annoying for me.
Some other issues I had was that there was like, no plot? Maybe I missed it? But also, where was this going? What did the characters actually want? Idk.
Pablo and Lee's relationship was also a bit questionable perhaps. I personally would have loved it if the book focused more on Pablo and his family. His little brother Rain was cool and his parents had an interesting dynamic. Instead, we focused on Pablo drool over a girl for several hundred pages.
All of that said, I did enjoy the ending, although it was a bit cliche. I liked seeing Pablo try to get his life back on track. I would have liked to see a bit more focus on the fact that Pablo was very clearly depressed and needed some serious help. They briefly mention it and then it's sort of ignored and he's magically better.
Overall, despite everything I just said, I actually thought the book was pretty ok. Not great, I certainly didn't love it, but it also wasn't bad. It was more than meh, less than wow. Make of that what you will.
Let me know id you've already read this one and what you think! Or if you're planning on reading it any time soon! Also, which did you like more, this one or Emergency Contact?
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January 9, 2021
➽ 2021 reads: book 4/75
mary h.k. choi has once again created a masterpiece of realness and heartbreaking human connection. the first few chapters of this book were hard, because i expected it to immediately match the magic she created with emergency contact and unfortunately for me, it didn't blow me away from the get go quite as much. but i'm so glad i put my head down and carried on, because this book touched me in a way i had no idea it would.
pablo as a character was infuriating, yet i felt so seen. we had a lot of similarities in ways that i usually hate to admit. as he was going on his journey to better himself, i felt like i was there with him the entire time. my heart broke for him, yet at the same time i wanted to strangle him. it's that sort of emotional response and investment that i don't find in a lot of books that i read, which is why i find choi's writing so special.
the idea that choi plays with throughout this novel, of two people who connect on such a deep level and love each other so much but can't be together because of their circumstances and where they're at in their life, is one that absolutely breaks my heart. i'm not much of a crier when it comes to books but i have to say that final chapter managed to squeeze a few out of me. this author writes her stories with such a bleak and melancholic lens, but makes her dialogue and character's inner monologues so charming that it never feels exhausting or difficult to read about. just another reason why i will literally pick up every single book this woman has touched.
i don't want to talk too much about this book critically, because i feel like it was a book that was so personal to me and paralleled my life in ways i don't want to get into. but just know that i love this so much. thank you mary, you've saved my life.
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mary h.k. choi has once again created a masterpiece of realness and heartbreaking human connection. the first few chapters of this book were hard, because i expected it to immediately match the magic she created with emergency contact and unfortunately for me, it didn't blow me away from the get go quite as much. but i'm so glad i put my head down and carried on, because this book touched me in a way i had no idea it would.
pablo as a character was infuriating, yet i felt so seen. we had a lot of similarities in ways that i usually hate to admit. as he was going on his journey to better himself, i felt like i was there with him the entire time. my heart broke for him, yet at the same time i wanted to strangle him. it's that sort of emotional response and investment that i don't find in a lot of books that i read, which is why i find choi's writing so special.
the idea that choi plays with throughout this novel, of two people who connect on such a deep level and love each other so much but can't be together because of their circumstances and where they're at in their life, is one that absolutely breaks my heart. i'm not much of a crier when it comes to books but i have to say that final chapter managed to squeeze a few out of me. this author writes her stories with such a bleak and melancholic lens, but makes her dialogue and character's inner monologues so charming that it never feels exhausting or difficult to read about. just another reason why i will literally pick up every single book this woman has touched.
i don't want to talk too much about this book critically, because i feel like it was a book that was so personal to me and paralleled my life in ways i don't want to get into. but just know that i love this so much. thank you mary, you've saved my life.
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March 12, 2021
No overhyping of this book worked anyway.
What I liked: the interracial representation, the smooth writing style, the first chapter. What I didn’t like: the rest of the book. It was really unnecessarily long and nothing much is there to get into. I hate the cover with a vengeance.
What I liked: the interracial representation, the smooth writing style, the first chapter. What I didn’t like: the rest of the book. It was really unnecessarily long and nothing much is there to get into. I hate the cover with a vengeance.
September 3, 2020
this review was originally posted on twirling pages
objectively, this book is closer to a 3.5 or 4/5 star BUT because i had such a wonderful reading experience and enjoyed it so so so much, i have no qualms for giving it a 5/5. Permanent Record is the first book i stayed up to read in a really long time; i can’t remember the last time it happened. i just– T—T
mary h.k. choi’s writing continues to blow me away. i’m obsessed and in love. it makes me want to write, or be a writer. i wish i were able to put my thoughts into words the way she does. this felt more like a collection of essays than a novel. it reminded me of durga chew-bose’s Too Much and Not the Mood (aka one of my all! time! favorites!) in the way it was unfiltered, casual (but not), and cultured.
much of the story is set in new york/brooklyn and i really felt myself transported back to the dingy streets. i could almost feel the rumble of passing trains and cluster of people you know but don’t know. it was wonderfully cinematic. for a while, i was “over” being obsessed with new york and okay with not moving there. but after reading this?? it felt weirdly personal. i want to roll my eyes at the train delays; i want to go to the bodega and hunt for specific food items. this isn’t a loud NEW YORK book, but it really felt like one. also it made me hungry for snacks. fair warning.
a big thing i noticed was the pacing. it was a littlevery scattered – jumping from chapters of a singular night to sentences summarizing weeks. at first i was kind of bothered and confused, but i came to see it as a metaphor for our main character, pab’s, well-being. (and i have a lot of Thoughts about him) throughout the novel, he’s unsure of what he wants and seems out of focus. (how does one make the main character, told in first-person pov, unfocused????? truly a skill. how?!!!) but when things feel Big for him, you can see it reflected in the writing, pacing, and everything. when things become clearer for him, he loses his haze.
these characters and relationships are messy and complicated. i kind of hated some of them. but by the end, i loved them all!! (shocker) they were so human. at times they were very frustrating, but it was annoying because it’s things i would do and hate myself for doing. these characters were very much their own, but i could also see hints of them in myself and my friends. when relationships were messy or tense, i could see it’s because people are in certain places at certain times. it made me reevaluate my relationships. and kinda feel existential. it's great.
objectively, this book is closer to a 3.5 or 4/5 star BUT because i had such a wonderful reading experience and enjoyed it so so so much, i have no qualms for giving it a 5/5. Permanent Record is the first book i stayed up to read in a really long time; i can’t remember the last time it happened. i just– T—T
mary h.k. choi’s writing continues to blow me away. i’m obsessed and in love. it makes me want to write, or be a writer. i wish i were able to put my thoughts into words the way she does. this felt more like a collection of essays than a novel. it reminded me of durga chew-bose’s Too Much and Not the Mood (aka one of my all! time! favorites!) in the way it was unfiltered, casual (but not), and cultured.
No finite moment is responsible for my success. There wasn't a fork in the road. Some monumental inflection point where my life changed. It was the accumulation of totally normal, regular-ass days where I worked hard, followed my better instincts, and did the right thing.
much of the story is set in new york/brooklyn and i really felt myself transported back to the dingy streets. i could almost feel the rumble of passing trains and cluster of people you know but don’t know. it was wonderfully cinematic. for a while, i was “over” being obsessed with new york and okay with not moving there. but after reading this?? it felt weirdly personal. i want to roll my eyes at the train delays; i want to go to the bodega and hunt for specific food items. this isn’t a loud NEW YORK book, but it really felt like one. also it made me hungry for snacks. fair warning.
a big thing i noticed was the pacing. it was a little
Trying to get better at the thing you want to be the best at is humiliating.
these characters and relationships are messy and complicated. i kind of hated some of them. but by the end, i loved them all!! (shocker) they were so human. at times they were very frustrating, but it was annoying because it’s things i would do and hate myself for doing. these characters were very much their own, but i could also see hints of them in myself and my friends. when relationships were messy or tense, i could see it’s because people are in certain places at certain times. it made me reevaluate my relationships. and kinda feel existential. it's great.
Read
November 4, 2019DNF on page 219.
There is almost nothing I enjoyed about this book.
The writing style was exhausting, it was wholly dependent on the narrative talking like a *~hip twenty-something~*, using language that will be cringe-y in a couple of years. Yeah, the main character is a hip twenty-something, but there's way to get that across and still maintain a semi-understandable narrative. Also, the amount of pop-culture references was a big turn-off. Again, not gonna make sense to readers in 5-10 years and beyond. And, god, the niche New York references just screamed that the author wanted everyone to know she's familiar with New York. I just couldn't get into the story because everything about the writing style felt forced and distracting.
The main character is, in essence, insufferable. I did appreciate the way he experienced anxiety, as it is extremely similar to my experiences. But Pablo, however, is a f*cking baby. He's facing really important problems with very big consequences, and instead of using the resources that are offered to him from other characters, he just ignores everything and remains obsessed with his love interest as a coping mechanism. It was really frustrating to read! I can appreciate characters who suffer from mental illness, and I realize procrastination/running away from your problems is part of that for some people, but he had many opportunities to alleviate a big stressor in his life in a pretty easy way and he just... doesn't even try. He's also just really cocky, selfish, bratty, and self-absorbed. Maybe all of these things are addressed in the later half of the book, but I just don't care.
And... the romance. Ugh, the romance! It was awful. Not only was it the definition of insta-love, but all of their conversations were so forced and fake-deep and surface level stupid. It was seriously painful to read their interactions. It was like the manic-pixie-dream-relationship and I wanted to yell every time the MC swooned over the girl he didn't know at all when she said something unfunny. They had zero chemistry yet fell in love after, like, two interactions. Yuck, spare me.
Yeah, so... I appreciated the anxiety rep but that was about it. I pretty much hated everything else! I really wanted to finish this but there are so many other books I'm dying to read right now and I will NOT let this book put me in a slump. BYE!
There is almost nothing I enjoyed about this book.
The writing style was exhausting, it was wholly dependent on the narrative talking like a *~hip twenty-something~*, using language that will be cringe-y in a couple of years. Yeah, the main character is a hip twenty-something, but there's way to get that across and still maintain a semi-understandable narrative. Also, the amount of pop-culture references was a big turn-off. Again, not gonna make sense to readers in 5-10 years and beyond. And, god, the niche New York references just screamed that the author wanted everyone to know she's familiar with New York. I just couldn't get into the story because everything about the writing style felt forced and distracting.
The main character is, in essence, insufferable. I did appreciate the way he experienced anxiety, as it is extremely similar to my experiences. But Pablo, however, is a f*cking baby. He's facing really important problems with very big consequences, and instead of using the resources that are offered to him from other characters, he just ignores everything and remains obsessed with his love interest as a coping mechanism. It was really frustrating to read! I can appreciate characters who suffer from mental illness, and I realize procrastination/running away from your problems is part of that for some people, but he had many opportunities to alleviate a big stressor in his life in a pretty easy way and he just... doesn't even try. He's also just really cocky, selfish, bratty, and self-absorbed. Maybe all of these things are addressed in the later half of the book, but I just don't care.
And... the romance. Ugh, the romance! It was awful. Not only was it the definition of insta-love, but all of their conversations were so forced and fake-deep and surface level stupid. It was seriously painful to read their interactions. It was like the manic-pixie-dream-relationship and I wanted to yell every time the MC swooned over the girl he didn't know at all when she said something unfunny. They had zero chemistry yet fell in love after, like, two interactions. Yuck, spare me.
Yeah, so... I appreciated the anxiety rep but that was about it. I pretty much hated everything else! I really wanted to finish this but there are so many other books I'm dying to read right now and I will NOT let this book put me in a slump. BYE!
January 10, 2023
the best part of the book was its gorgeous cover
October 11, 2019
DNF.
Wow. That narrative voice is intense. I’m not sure how a lot of people are invested in this story as almost half of it are linguistic references and pop culture mishmash that only makes sense if you’re already tuned in to NYC, slang, and internet dialogue.
It almost felt like Pablo was writing out an Instagram description/interior monologue the whole time. Not my jam, and honestly in 5 years this story will read like an outdated Facebook post reads to us now.
I’ve read some other reviews and it sounds like my issues with Pablo don’t get better over time, and we never get another POV. Which is a shame, because this cover is so gorgeous.
Sigh. Very—VERY—slight chance that I’ll pick this one up again, but most likely not.
Wow. That narrative voice is intense. I’m not sure how a lot of people are invested in this story as almost half of it are linguistic references and pop culture mishmash that only makes sense if you’re already tuned in to NYC, slang, and internet dialogue.
It almost felt like Pablo was writing out an Instagram description/interior monologue the whole time. Not my jam, and honestly in 5 years this story will read like an outdated Facebook post reads to us now.
I’ve read some other reviews and it sounds like my issues with Pablo don’t get better over time, and we never get another POV. Which is a shame, because this cover is so gorgeous.
Sigh. Very—VERY—slight chance that I’ll pick this one up again, but most likely not.
Read
July 17, 2020I really enjoyed this one! Pablo’s voice is so distinct and honestly really funny sometimes, and although I thought this was going to be more of a romance than it was, I loved reading about him, his family, and his life! Definitely read as a new adult, though!
dnf
March 30, 2020dnf at 60%
just learnt that depression is one of my triggers. won’t be able to finish this.
just learnt that depression is one of my triggers. won’t be able to finish this.
January 24, 2024
this book is a big fever dream. at no point is there a plot to follow. its just moments and characters. the main character has great narrative voice and is funny so there's that
November 16, 2019
I read EMERGENCY CONTACT, Mary H. K. Choi's debut novel, before the era of the blog so believe me when I say I liked elements of it but didn't love it (sidetone, the review is on GR, so feel free to investigate if you feel so inclined). I found the story to be a little dull, though the characters were occasionally vibrant even if I didn't like them, with plenty of Real Issues(tm) to tackle, but overall the story felt a little.. sad. A lot sad. Nonetheless I wanted to give her follow up novel a chance because I wondered if there might be more of things I liked to balance out what I didn't.
And, sad to say, the answer is a nope.
I definitely appreciate this take on the ‘normie-meets-a-celebrity’ trope, but. So much but. Again, this comes from not quite liking the characters even if sometimes they did dazzle a bit. Adding to this weird sense of dismay was a really rough read, with more Real Issues(tm), sprinkled (heavily. maybe doused) ontop of the whole experience. The greatness factor was having a young person deal with the horrifying and very real danger of credit cards, debt, and the uncertainty of post-graduate school. But w o w was it, like, a serious downer. Sure, we end on a high (medium) note, not resolved with everything tied up in a neat bow, but leaning into the reality, instead of avoiding it, but wow.
The book is hella diverse and occasionally did make me laugh out loud (twice? maybe three times) but honestly I'm just really sad because I know this isn't the author for me. I can appreciate the work she's doing, what she's putting out there, and the people who will relate or learn from it. But I won't do this to myself again and she deserves better than my low reviews when I now know, with certainty, we just aren't meant to be.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
And, sad to say, the answer is a nope.
I definitely appreciate this take on the ‘normie-meets-a-celebrity’ trope, but. So much but. Again, this comes from not quite liking the characters even if sometimes they did dazzle a bit. Adding to this weird sense of dismay was a really rough read, with more Real Issues(tm), sprinkled (heavily. maybe doused) ontop of the whole experience. The greatness factor was having a young person deal with the horrifying and very real danger of credit cards, debt, and the uncertainty of post-graduate school. But w o w was it, like, a serious downer. Sure, we end on a high (medium) note, not resolved with everything tied up in a neat bow, but leaning into the reality, instead of avoiding it, but wow.
The book is hella diverse and occasionally did make me laugh out loud (twice? maybe three times) but honestly I'm just really sad because I know this isn't the author for me. I can appreciate the work she's doing, what she's putting out there, and the people who will relate or learn from it. But I won't do this to myself again and she deserves better than my low reviews when I now know, with certainty, we just aren't meant to be.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
August 30, 2019
I don’t think it’s a secret that I was {am} borderline obsessed with Emergency Contact and I was so eager to get an arc of PR in my hands...sadly, this wasn’t what I was looking for.
Pablo and Lee are just okay characters. He’s fairly apathetic and she’s so busy it comes across as self-centered. They’re both struggling in their own way and even with that, I couldn’t connect with either of them. There’s a pretty large cast of characters here and no one really stood out for me.
Plot wise, it was booooooooring. Pablo’s inner monologue was a struggle and I constantly felt like there was a portion of the story I was missing. Or that I should have just known. There was some growth on Pablo’s part {he was at least in a better place than the beginning}, but by the time it happened, the book was nearly over and I was glad.
Overall, I did think about DNFing, but something kept me reading. I’ve also written this review 5 different times and it still doesn’t sound right to me, but I can’t articulate any further.
**Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing the arc free of charge**
Pablo and Lee are just okay characters. He’s fairly apathetic and she’s so busy it comes across as self-centered. They’re both struggling in their own way and even with that, I couldn’t connect with either of them. There’s a pretty large cast of characters here and no one really stood out for me.
Plot wise, it was booooooooring. Pablo’s inner monologue was a struggle and I constantly felt like there was a portion of the story I was missing. Or that I should have just known. There was some growth on Pablo’s part {he was at least in a better place than the beginning}, but by the time it happened, the book was nearly over and I was glad.
Overall, I did think about DNFing, but something kept me reading. I’ve also written this review 5 different times and it still doesn’t sound right to me, but I can’t articulate any further.
**Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing the arc free of charge**
June 27, 2024
This is hard book to rate, because if i'm rating this off Mary H.K Choi's writing and storytelling alone it would be a much higher rating.
But i found Pablo's character so insufferable that i can't bring myself to give this any higher than 2 stars purely from an 'enjoyment' sense.
(I also think it would've made more sense for this book to be a dual perspective instead of Emergency Contact ?!?)
But i found Pablo's character so insufferable that i can't bring myself to give this any higher than 2 stars purely from an 'enjoyment' sense.
(I also think it would've made more sense for this book to be a dual perspective instead of Emergency Contact ?!?)
September 16, 2019
Why am I so drawn to beautiful covers and interesting-sounding plots? And why do they deceive me most of the time?
The first book by Mary H.K. Choi, Emergency Contact, was okay, but I was willing to give her another big chance because this book sounded so good. But then it wasn't!
Listen, my main problem with this novel is that it was quite boring. The plot didn't capture my attention and I really could not have cared less about the two main characters, Pablo and Lee. The side-characters, those were the ones I loved! They were great and they were there to make Pablo realize a lot of stuff.
I can't even articulate what went wrong exactly in this book, for me it just did not work.
The first book by Mary H.K. Choi, Emergency Contact, was okay, but I was willing to give her another big chance because this book sounded so good. But then it wasn't!
Listen, my main problem with this novel is that it was quite boring. The plot didn't capture my attention and I really could not have cared less about the two main characters, Pablo and Lee. The side-characters, those were the ones I loved! They were great and they were there to make Pablo realize a lot of stuff.
I can't even articulate what went wrong exactly in this book, for me it just did not work.
November 1, 2022
tbh this is my least favorite mary choi book :( brb gonna reread yolk to cry again.
November 5, 2019
this book is like the slight more adult version of Somewhere Only We Know (which i thought was profoundly adorable)
i really liked how we got to zero in on pablo and his daily struggles whether it be about his financial situation, his education choices, or the fact that he is a mixed kid (korean & pakistani) trying to find his identity and where he fits in
i'm not so much interested in the 'famous person' falls for a normie but i think this book did it well. i will admit though, i became increasingly bored when they were with each other. (the romance part was done better in Somewhere Only We Know in my very honest opinion)
however I REALLY liked the ending. it had a great message and expressed it in a realistic, attainable way. i really love when a book can tie things together without being too neat and thats exactly what mary h.k. choi was able to accomplish.
i really liked how we got to zero in on pablo and his daily struggles whether it be about his financial situation, his education choices, or the fact that he is a mixed kid (korean & pakistani) trying to find his identity and where he fits in
i'm not so much interested in the 'famous person' falls for a normie but i think this book did it well. i will admit though, i became increasingly bored when they were with each other. (the romance part was done better in Somewhere Only We Know in my very honest opinion)
however I REALLY liked the ending. it had a great message and expressed it in a realistic, attainable way. i really love when a book can tie things together without being too neat and thats exactly what mary h.k. choi was able to accomplish.
May 4, 2020
I have been DYING to read this book from the moment I heard about it.. and I am so disappointed in this one.
First of all, the insta love in this was absolutely cringeworthy. I get it.. meeting your celebrity crush... you would probably fall into an insta love.. but why was Leanna so interested that quickly?
This story was also way longer than it needed to be and it felt like it dragged on for a while.
There were a couple of scenes that made this book a slightly higher rating, but I could not stand the main character. He was lazy, arrogant, selfish, and blamed everyone else for his problems and never wanted to take responsibility to change his situation. If it wasn't something that could be instantly fixed.. it wasn't for him and it was everyone else's fault.
Ugh.. so sad I didn't love this.
First of all, the insta love in this was absolutely cringeworthy. I get it.. meeting your celebrity crush... you would probably fall into an insta love.. but why was Leanna so interested that quickly?
This story was also way longer than it needed to be and it felt like it dragged on for a while.
There were a couple of scenes that made this book a slightly higher rating, but I could not stand the main character. He was lazy, arrogant, selfish, and blamed everyone else for his problems and never wanted to take responsibility to change his situation. If it wasn't something that could be instantly fixed.. it wasn't for him and it was everyone else's fault.
Ugh.. so sad I didn't love this.
August 7, 2019
This was such a delightful slice-of-life contemporary. I loved that our protagonist, Pablo, is college-aged, but has dropped out of college and is trying to figure out what to do next. This was so refreshing and realistic and painfully relatable and just, ugh. So good.
April 24, 2020
I love myself a good slice of life contemporary and this did not disappoint.
I loved that, not only was this a college age YA, but a college age YA where the MC doesn't have their shit together. It was so great to read about someone in their twenties who still has a lot of self discovery and growing up to do. Don't get me wrong, I love reading about characters pursuing their passions but it was so refreshing to follow a story of someone who hasn't found their's yet, whilst surrounded by people who have and trying to navigate that. I loved that the characters were imperfect, messy humans trying to figure things out, kinda failing at it but learning from those failures.
This book was heartwarming, funny, painfully relatable at times and just... so great.
(It's also been a long time since a book made me so hungry.)
I loved that, not only was this a college age YA, but a college age YA where the MC doesn't have their shit together. It was so great to read about someone in their twenties who still has a lot of self discovery and growing up to do. Don't get me wrong, I love reading about characters pursuing their passions but it was so refreshing to follow a story of someone who hasn't found their's yet, whilst surrounded by people who have and trying to navigate that. I loved that the characters were imperfect, messy humans trying to figure things out, kinda failing at it but learning from those failures.
This book was heartwarming, funny, painfully relatable at times and just... so great.
(It's also been a long time since a book made me so hungry.)
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