Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Contacto de Emergencia by Mary H.K. Choi

11 reviews

chloek608's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I recommend this book if you like: 
-YA college romance 
-slow burn 
-Normal People by Sally Rooney 
 
This story switches between the two characters Penny and Sam. I was annoyed however that it isn’t written in first person. This is a very much character based plot and very little happens across the 400 pages. Although we do get to know the characters a lot and dive deep into their issues and lives. 
 
Penny and Sam are unlikely friends who become each other’s emergency contact. Someone they text, vent to, open up to without feeling self conscious. 

Penny has just started college and Sam works at a coffee shop and lives in the back as his mum is reckless with money. 

Sam had a pregnancy scare with his ex-girlfriend. At the very end of the story, Penny and Sam finally get together. I wish this would have been written into the story earlier as it feels like the ending is only the beginning.
 

 


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robin_reads's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0


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lisa_m's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny hopeful tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really enjoyed this book. I thought I was going to give it 5 stars and I probably would have if it had been a few chapters longer. I did not like the ending.
They didn't even speak their feelings, it was just implied. And for the whole book revolving about those too figuring out their lifes and emotions it's quite frustrating to not actually do that with their feelings towards each other.


But other than that I thought the book was really good. I maybe should have read some trigger warnings first because I was quite shocked when the rape scene happened. I did not expect it at all. It wasn't exploitative but in enough detail to make me uncomfortable.

There are definitely some darker themes and important topics but I think they were handled in a great way.

I really enjoyed that Penny wrote a story that we also got to read. I thought it was really good and interesting and I always like 'books' in books and that type of thing.

I might reread this and give it 5 stars in a few years. Who knows.

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caidyn's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I don't know how Choi does it, but she writes books that have such a beautiful tone to them. Alternately funny and heartbreaking, yet aching with hope throughout. Reading this second book has cemented me as a fan.

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bookaholics_anonymous's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


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trippalli's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

At first I thought this was a shallow romance but it evolves into a meaningful story about connecting to others, relationships, family friendships, social risks, anxiety and working through the tragedies in our lives and finding purpose whether it's art, baking. Film, writing, or other ways. It's very beautiful and inspiring

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annika_maree's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 
 
This is probably one of the first romance books where i have bought the connection between the main characters

This book is about Sam and Penny, young adults with big dreams. When they meet and exchange phone numbers, making each other their emergency contact which evolves into constant texts and a friendship over their secrets they would never share in real life.

Tw for anxiety (panic attacks), depression, unavailable parents, rape/sexual assault and alcoholism

Key ideas
-I loved how realistic these characters were, Sam and Penny are not the most likeable characters, they are judgmental and pessimistic. These qualities just made me love them more.
-The conversations in this book between Sam and Penny were the most genuine and natural that i have ever read
-The author put parts of herself in the book which amplified our empathy for the characters and made them feel so much more real
-I loved the maturity, this is classed as ya which I feel as if it should be na/a, the characters are in college and have mature issues eg financial, pregnancy, drugs and alcohol
-both Penny and Sam’s voices felt distinct and i was rarely bored
-They had things going on outside of the romance which i believe had the perfect ratio (Pennys writing class and how what she wrote reflected how she felt and Sam and his ex girlfriend trouble as well as the bakery

Quotes
“Penny believed with her whole heart that there were moments - crucial instances - that defined who someone was going to be. There were clues or signs, and you didn't want to miss them.”

“I like knowing that you exist. It doesn’t make me feel any less lonely, because life is lonely, but it makes me feel a lot less alone.”

“Sam enjoyed texting Penny. They talked about work, sleep, food, random facts. It didn’t need to be anything important. Their last text had been what to eat for breakfast. Since Penny had seen him at his lowest, there was no reason to act cooler than he was. It felt easy.”

“Sam wanted to tell Penny everything. He wanted a record of his thoughts and feelings and stories to exist with her. Like a time capsule for this strange period of his life. With her, he felt less lonely. He hadn't even realised he was lonely. He hadn't let himself. “

“Does he say good morning to her in a way that is reassuring? To where it feels as if he is holding her hand for the entire rest of the day until he says good night?”

 

 

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claireinhart's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I love how these characters were exactly who they are. Incredibly readable and relatable and heart flippy

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riddle's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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essie__reads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


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