I can definitely see the appeal of this book, specifically for some of our teen readers, but it just didn't work for me personally. I think this would do well for fans of teen romance books and movies.

Really well written young adult book about navigating social norms, family, social media, crushes and friendship.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2018 April 04

BOOK REPORT for Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

Cover Story: Pinterest Perfect
BFF Charm: Little Sister and (Almost) Be Mine
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Virtual Is Reality
Bonus Factors: Austin, Pursuing Dream Jobs, Tasty Business, Cool Mom
Relationship Status: It's Complicated

Cover Story: Pinterest Perfect

This isn't the #aesthetic that I typically go for, but ohgigue's illustration is kind of a gorgeous distillation of the novel. It's even rose gold like Penny's phone!

The Deal:

Penny's so ready to get away from the nothingburger life that she's leaving behind as she starts college. Sam can't wait for the next stage of his life either, since the current one consists of being broke and living in a storage room above the cafe where he works.

After a chance encounter brings them together, Penny and Sam keep in touch via text, confiding in each other in the safe and open way that strangers who never plan on hanging out IRL can. (... they don't plan on hanging out IRL, right?)

BFF Charm: Little Sister and (Almost) Be Mine

Penny's an organized introvert who likes to overprepare, so, uh, SAMESIES. But what makes her relatable also makes her frustrating, since we share a lot of the same flaws at that age, too. Thinking that you know better than everybody else? Lashing out at your well-meaning parent? OH, YES. And Penny—you're judgy as heck, particularly when it comes to other women. Being interested in makeup and clothes doesn't make someone less than; it just makes them interested in makeup and clothes. TRUST, your life's going to be a lot better when you stop caring about what other people are doing with theirs.

Sam's a tattooed hipster heartthrob who's age appropriate for both Penny and us Olds, since he's 21. (Although he'd do the occasional thing to remind me that, YUP, 21 is still very, very young.) And he's a whiz in the kitchen, which nearly made me overlook him not being my type at all: an emoji snob who's a smoker and hates musicals. So he'd basically be perfect except for mostly everything.

Swoonworthy Scale: 5

Neither Penny nor Sam are exactly unattached when they first meet; she technically still has a boyfriend back home, and he has unresolved drama with his ex. But their conversation flows so easily and they just get each other. And the narrative switch between their perspectives makes it especially fun to compare how they regard each other or the same situation.

Talky Talk: Virtual Is Reality

Anyone whose relationships originate or are maintained digitally—so, anyone—will probably find some truth in Choi's observations about text-based connections. Over in the real world, she turns her attention to issues like racial microaggressions, socioeconomic differences, and undocumented immigration with similar insight.

Less perceptive, however, are small cringey moments like a male character joking about scaring off a hypothetical daughter's suitors, or the repeated use of 'spaz' (which has a stronger connotation in British English, but is jarring nonetheless since it's not as commonplace anymore). Not that these throwaway lines even mattered to the story, but they just completely and unnecessarily took me out of the book. (Different strokes, obvs, since not everyone's going to share my same principles.)

Bonus Factor: Austin

Hey, it's the birthplace of FYA! And also, like, where Penny's attending college at UT Austin. Although her lactose intolerance deprives her from one of the many highlights of my own Austin experience, because NOT ENOUGH QUESO.

Bonus Factor: Pursuing Dream Jobs

Penny's majoring in creative writing, while Sam's taking online film classes to refine his skills as a documentary filmmaker. The book follows the progress of their respective term assignments. (Yes, I just called homework a bonus factor. How very Hermione.)

Bonus Factor: Tasty Business

In addition to his filmmaking pursuits, Sam's the manager and chef at House Coffee, with pastries being his specialty. Pro-tip: DO NOT READ WHILE HUNGRY.

Bonus Factor: Cool Mom

Penny's mom, Celeste, isn't a regular mom; she's a cool mom. (Think Lorelai Gilmore, but without as good of a relationship between mother and daughter.) Though they might not have much in common, Celeste tries her best—often misguidedly, but always well intended—to relate to a daughter who's so different from her. (And I know I'm getting old when I sympathize more with the YA parents rather than the actual protagonists.)

Relationship Status: It's Complicated

When this book and I were figuratively on the same page (since we were literally always on the same page, but you know what I mean), it understood me so well and shizz would get WAY TOO REAL. But the little incompatible things between us also built up; I held out hope that we'd see eye-to-eye eventually, but we still ended up butting heads. I won't lose its number just yet, but I'm going to keep looking for an emergency contact.

I have mixed feelings on this book. I was drawn in by the cover and description, but then the characters annoyed me more than I would have liked. I was invested in the beginning and I tried to like the book, but the further I got, the less I cared about the plot and characters. I can see why people really like this book, though. I think there are some relateable elements, but overall, I don't think it was for me. 2.5 stars.

This was a fun summer contemporary read, it does follow some basic ya tropes but overall it was enjoyable.

Slight but easily digestible fluff for older teens that ultimately isn't really what we're looking for when we recommend items through our committee. That said, this book is doing quite well and doesn't really need our help, so I'm happy to see it succeed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read a review this book.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars, but I round up because #math.


A few not so great things first - The first 50 pages are filled with reasons why so many readers either DNF'd this or weren't as generous with their ratings. The story is very slow to get going, Penny is the most interesting naive little irritant in the world, and it's like a competition between the protagonists for who had the crappiest life. Blegh.
Also, authors, PLEASE don't use the word "paw" for "hand." Don't. Animals have paws, humans have hands. Yes?
Terrible mom characters. Even if they're realistic. I'm gettin' really sick of the "bad parent" trope.
And, sorry, but the entire sub-plot of Sam's documentary and everything with that was totally useless. As the old adage goes, don't put a gun on the mantle unless you intend to fire it. Too many side plots were disconnected from the real story and took away from it, rather than added to it.


BUT after the foundational bits and character development and non-essentials, the basic plot was superb. The connection formed between Penny and Sam felt natural and absolutely beautiful. I found myself holding my breath a few times at truly beautiful lines or emotion. Not always likeable, but always realistic - that's what I kept repeating about the story and the characters. I LIVE for realistic. But not trope-y. I'm so done with likeable narrators. Give me someone I can roll my eyes at, thinking, "Ugh I'd definitely do that. Not cool."

I need a sequel because it ended way too fast. Get rid of extra characters, focus on these two beautifully flawed humans, and let me have my romantic fantasies, okay?

I really liked this one. I almost let it slip by, but am so glad I read it. The relationships read real, not forced. My senior students will like the college setting.

Penny has left home for her first year at college. She’s half Korean and dislikes when people stereotype her. Her mother who’s Caucasian, dresses and acts in a way that demands attention. It bothers Penny that her mother openly flirts and behaves in a manner that causes her embarrassment.

Now at college, Penny is pursuing her dream of becoming a writer. But she’s alone and has no one to turn to. When she helps a young man having a panic attack, she begins a friendship with a fellow loner. Sam is a skinny tattooed guy who is struggling, but who has dreams of becoming a director. He lives in the storage closet of the coffee shop where he works and college is out of range for him.

The two begin texting and their texts become a daily consolation for each other. Unlike typical romances, there is no gazing into each other’s eyes or gentle touches. Instead they bolster each other’s sagging spirits through their phones.

Sam is the likeable down and out guy who can’t catch a break. Penny is a little harder to warm to but their texts show some of the depth their actions don’t. Choi uses the texts as vehicles for the budding romance. It’s a slow sizzle that takes its time but is worth the wait.
3.5*

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for sending me this e-copy of Emergency Contact! This hadn’t influenced my review or rating in any way.

Trigger warnings : sexual abuse (flashback), panic attack, mentions of alcohol abuse.

I really liked this book overall, it was a modern tale of love, new-found friendship and making connections.

I’m starting to really adore books that focus on our personas in the virtual world and outside of it. This one focuses on a relationship (at first, it’s more of a friendship) that starts to develop through texting and it was absolutely adorable. Soooo cute. You can hear me screaming from here.

I was a bit hesitant about shipping Penny and Sam at first because Sam had a very strange situation going and he was going through a lot, it wasn’t the best time to start a new relationship (that’s a little bit of an understatement). But as Sam resolved his issues and got his shit together, I started to root more and more for them, because they are hugely supportive of each other, I felt like they really helped one another grow throught the period they knew each other and therefore, they deserved to be together. I SAID IT. They deserve so much happiness.

Penny was a writer, still in college, still trying to discover what she wanted to write and what was her style and figuring out how to do friendships and how to deal with her mom. I loved her connection with Celeste, her mom, it was very complex and a bit annoying, at times. But when Penny started to reveal things about herself, it became so obvious why things between them were that way. Mostly, Penny is very mature and responsible and Celeste is not, she’s more like the fun mom (you can see how that can become tiring very fast). That didn’t use to be a problem, they used to be friends, when Penny started distancing herself from her mother without giving her a reason, their relationship became rather strained and it only went worse after Penny got into college and stopped visiting all that much.

Sam is more of a cool kid, I literary felt at times like I was reading about a cool kid x nerd ship, even Penny felt like this at times. I had mixed feelings about Sam sometimes, I HATED THE WAY HE WROTE HIS TEXTS AT FIRST. Kid, write properly, okay?

I’m kidding. Mostly.

Anyway, Sam grew on me slowly as I started to understand him more. I liked very much how he was the devastated one after his break-up (usually it’s the girl while the guy is super fine and not feeling any pain). I loved how he felt many things and he was vulnerable, this book kind of killed the whole ‘men-have-to-be-strong’/ ‘men-can’t-feel-things’ stereotype. To the hell with it.

I loved the friendships that were formed between the girls, I liked how they didn’t start out very well and then Penny got over her judgmental opinion and started to hang out more with them.

My favourite parts are, for sure, the emergency contact idea – I absolutely adored this – it made me want to have an emergency contact as well. Just someone that you call when you need help, when you need someone to talk to, someone that can listen to you and be there for you. YEAH, sounds like the real deal right there. AND the way their relationship developed without much physical contact. I mean, I’m a sucker for tension and angst and not-yet-couples meeting and feeling all the feels, but I enjoyed seeing their relationship and respect for each other grow through their texts, how they managed to disclose so much information through those and be there for each other.

I should probably clarify that Penny and Sam met each other twice (in person) before starting texting, so they knew each other and everything. And they see each other some more while they are texting, so this aspect won’t be completely missing.

Also, to me, Penny’s college experience was hella relatable, the way she had a hard time making connections and feeling all the pressure and the teachers’ expectations and not really knowing how to deal with all of that on top of family and roommates. Yeah. Relatable.

I would totally recommend this to people who like stories that include special formats (I ADORED THE TEXTS IN THIS ONE AFTER SAM STARTED WRITING LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN BEING), who like soft romances, lots of internal conflicts and unexpected friendships.

I really wanted to like this, but I got about 40% into it and put it down and I've had no desire to pick it back up. It might've just been my mood while I was reading it, but I didn't care either way about this book. I'll try to pick it back up one day but for now I'm just gonna DNF it.

A charming book about relationships!
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi! Penny lives with her single mother and every neighborhood man seems to hover around her. This embarrasses Penny to no end. Sam lives where he works, literally, and he absolutely loves to bake. Sam’s ex-girlfriend shows up to tell him she might be pregnant and that information knocks him over. By chance, Sam and Penny meet and through an unfortunate panic attack, they become friends. I enjoyed their relaxed friendship and their humor. Both Penny and Sam have family issues and other things they need to figure out. Emergency Contact shares their stories, with all the ups and downs, the good and bad and builds a charming book about relationships in the process. 5 stars!

4.5 Stars

Though it took me a while to get into this one, I really enjoyed it! Penny and Sam come alive in this book. They definitely aren't perfect, and I loved their interactions together. I also appreciated that this was a young adult novel set in college. Penny was so endearing, and I loved reading about her college experience as I finish my first year in university. The romance was so adorable, and I loved that it didn't follow the formula of "boy meets girl, start dating, big fight, make up". Mary H.K. Choi is humorous as well, and I laughed out loud multiple times while reading Emergency Contact.

Introverted, creative and so ready to get away from her mom, Penny isn't really looking for love or friendship, but she finds both during her freshman year at UT Austin. On the heels of an epic breakup, barista Sam is struggling to make it through each day financially and emotionally. When Penny and Sam's lives intersect on a horrifically hot day, they become emergency contacts...and maybe more?

I loved the setting, humor, wisdom and overall vibe of Emergency Contact. I think it will find fans amongst Rainbow Rowell's readers.

*This book was given to me by NetGalley in return for a honest review*
This contemporary has a great premise told from two perspectives. Two very different people develop an unlikely friendship that turns into more through text. I enjoyed the quirkiness of the characters, the setting, and the portrayal of Sam's heartbreak and his first panic attack. I did not enjoy the interactions between Penny and some of the characters. I know that struggle was part of the MC's development arc, but Penny came off self-centered at times. Overall, the story was cute and filled with witty banter and just the right amount of awkwardness.

Honestly, this wasn't my cup of tea. A little too hip, a little too formulaic... but I have readers who will enjoy it.

This book was fabulous! From beginning to end, it was sweet, realistic and adorably awkward. As an adult, I loved reading this and I know my high schools with enjoy it just as much.

***Actual rating: 4/5 Stars***

Emergency Contact indeed gives me a unique perspective of a romance story, featuring the most ordinary characters I’ve ever seen in fictional novels. The female main character, Penny is a Korean-American girl whose mother is a MILF, has a zit on her chin and always brings an entire first aid kit with her as if every day would be the end of the world. Similarly, Sam is a German-Polish guy who’s an aspiring documentary filmmaker but can’t focus on pursuing his dream due to financial issues. He works in a bakery and bakes some of the most delicious pastries in town. He’s skinny, covered with tattoos and doesn’t get along well with his mother, all of which represent a perfect example of a not-so-typical love interest.

Thanks to Penny’s roommates and her popular friend, she gets to know Sam…however reluctantly. Although they don’t seem to click at first sight, they dress exactly the same from head to toe and I’m down for their further romantic development. I love how they become each other’s “emergency contact” when Sam’s trying to cope with a serious break-up with his ex-superficially-snobbish-girlfriend. The timing of such essential roles in both of their lives is impeccable and the whole situation makes everything look so natural.

As more and more secrets Sam shares with Penny and vice versa, they become inseparable…online. Interestingly, just like the millennials nowadays, talking face-to-face is a serious challenge to them and it’s also a barrier between Sam and Penny’s relationship since they feel more comfortable messaging.

Honestly, I think this book sort of reflects on our daily life and subtly addresses some potential problems of social media addictions/smartphone overuse among teenagers/young adults. Much to my surprise, I end up liking these aspects of Sam and Penny’s story because their chemistry feels so right to me; hence, I really enjoy witnessing their slowly brewing relationship. Besides, the carefree feeling of watching this pair of lovebirds cross their paths eventually is truly memorable.

However, I would definitely appreciate more if the characters, particularly Penny, could be less cynical about their milieu. I understand that being a part of the diverse culture is hard for Penny to blend into the world around her, but I personally think she doesn’t have to put a label on literally everything/everyone she encounters along the way. Most of her thoughts are extremely judgmental and totally stereotype-driven, in my opinion, which leads to my initial dislike about her personality. (But I do change my mind about Penny’s character in general by the end of the book!)

Despite the misleading character development in the beginning, I still have a wonderful time getting along with Penny and Sam. Both protagonists are far from perfect but I guess that’s what makes this book outstanding. Readers can easily relate to them (and their flaws as well) so I highly recommend Emergency Contact to everyone. The story is pretty realistic and the characters are being rational/pragmatic, all of which successfully enhance the credibility of a fictional YA novel. Anyway, please don’t hesitate to pick this book up if you’d like to see how Sam and Penny’s online-to-real-life romance work out eventually…and many other turning points!

***Thanks to the publisher for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the eBook ARC of Emergency Contact in exchange for an honest review.

Emergency Contact tells the story of two isolated, creative types who develop a textual relationship after one almost passes out on the street. Penny and Sam, once strangers, build a close friendship via text message after agreeing to be each other's emergency contact. They are both awkward. They are both witty and cultured in their own ways. They both have baggage, including mommy issues.

Told from the alternating viewpoints of Penny and Sam, this awkward love story will appeal to anyone who has ever felt a sense of security behind the act of sending a message instead of building IRL relationships. At times, it is super cheesy - like Velveeta levels of cheesy, and it is super predictable, but it FEELS SO REAL. As a millennial who grew up on AIM, Emergency Contact feels like how half my teenage romances started.