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dembury's review against another edition
4.0
5/24/2018 Update: As promised, here's the link to my full blog review! :) https://thedeborahembury.wordpress.com/2018/05/23/emergency-contact-by-mary-h-k-choi-book-review/
I'll be posting a full review for this one on my blog, but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised by "Emergency Contact". After reading the first couple chapters I almost put it down because it seemed annoying and pretentious, but I gave it a chance. There are definitely a few flaws (glamorization of depression, unadressed girl-to-girl hate), plus one of the major plot points just completely vanishes?? But somehow...I liked it. I ended up liking the main characters much more than I thought I would, too. I enjoyed how they each had passions and projects they actually pursued.
I'll dig into these thoughts more in my blog review!
I'll be posting a full review for this one on my blog, but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised by "Emergency Contact". After reading the first couple chapters I almost put it down because it seemed annoying and pretentious, but I gave it a chance. There are definitely a few flaws (glamorization of depression, unadressed girl-to-girl hate), plus one of the major plot points just completely vanishes?? But somehow...I liked it. I ended up liking the main characters much more than I thought I would, too. I enjoyed how they each had passions and projects they actually pursued.
I'll dig into these thoughts more in my blog review!
heathernielsen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
darthmolls's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
3.75
lbarsk's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, this was lovely! A completely different tone than most of the YA books I read, and so very refreshing. Mary H.K. Choi absolutely NAILS what it feels like to be 17/18 and absolutely in your own head; she also NAILS the unique oddities of relationships carried out nearly entirely digitally. Penny and Sam made me ache in the best way -- I just wanted to give both of them huge hugs and try to fix all of their problems -- and each of Choi's side characters felt fleshed out and fun. I can't wait for whatever Choi writes next!
tatyanavogt's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the romance more than I thought I would. In the beginning I was hesitant to see how the two characters would collide and it it was interesting to see how it did happen. I thought the concept was sweet and I liked learning more and more about the characters. I could both relate, and not relate, to penny which was interesting. In general I was pretty into the book the whole way through... until the end. I didn't hate the ending or anything, it just felt a little rushed.
Also, keep in mind that I have a soft spot for romances and am more forgiving of them in general. I think if this wasn't a romance I'd probably only give it a s 3 or 3.5, but since it is a romance and I DID enjoy the romance part of it, i'm giving it a solid 4.
Spoiler thoughts:
First let's talk about the ending. There was nothing actually wrong with the ending. It just felt like it didn't actually end. Like it was just cut off a few paragraphs early instead. It also felt a little rushed compared to the rest of the book. And didn't match the "penny speak" tone that their conversations had so it didn't feel intentional. But perhaps its just me.
Trigger warning: Rape
I don't know how I feel about the rape scene. Part of me feels like it was unnecessary since it isn't what the story was about and there seemed to be no closure around it. And then for the exact same reason part of me feels like it WAS necessary. Unfortunately this kind of stuff is common and not a lot of women say anything about it. It's not their story, it's just a traumatic thing that happened to them and what ever the scum bag does after is not the victims fault, it's the person who raped them.
I think it might be nice for people who experienced a similar thing as her to know that how ever they deal with it is okay. And that whatever happens after, isn't their fault. It's not the victims job to be a hero, the world already puts too much blame on the victims as if they aren't victims.
Anyway, I don't know why THATS the thing that I am focused on, since like I said it was a really small part of the book.
Also, keep in mind that I have a soft spot for romances and am more forgiving of them in general. I think if this wasn't a romance I'd probably only give it a s 3 or 3.5, but since it is a romance and I DID enjoy the romance part of it, i'm giving it a solid 4.
Spoiler thoughts:
Spoiler
First let's talk about the ending. There was nothing actually wrong with the ending. It just felt like it didn't actually end. Like it was just cut off a few paragraphs early instead. It also felt a little rushed compared to the rest of the book. And didn't match the "penny speak" tone that their conversations had so it didn't feel intentional. But perhaps its just me.
Trigger warning: Rape
I don't know how I feel about the rape scene. Part of me feels like it was unnecessary since it isn't what the story was about and there seemed to be no closure around it. And then for the exact same reason part of me feels like it WAS necessary. Unfortunately this kind of stuff is common and not a lot of women say anything about it. It's not their story, it's just a traumatic thing that happened to them and what ever the scum bag does after is not the victims fault, it's the person who raped them.
I think it might be nice for people who experienced a similar thing as her to know that how ever they deal with it is okay. And that whatever happens after, isn't their fault. It's not the victims job to be a hero, the world already puts too much blame on the victims as if they aren't victims.
Anyway, I don't know why THATS the thing that I am focused on, since like I said it was a really small part of the book.
gracepizza40's review against another edition
DNF at page 61/394
boring.. Before I borrowed the book, I read the reviews. Mostly the negative ones. They made me hesitate on borrowing the book, but I did it anyway. The cover seemed promising at first, but after I read/skimmed the first few pages, I was like, the reviews were right... but I kept reading until I was too bored. I did like that Sam bakes though.
boring.. Before I borrowed the book, I read the reviews. Mostly the negative ones. They made me hesitate on borrowing the book, but I did it anyway. The cover seemed promising at first, but after I read/skimmed the first few pages, I was like, the reviews were right... but I kept reading until I was too bored. I did like that Sam bakes though.
lostkairos's review against another edition
emotional
2.25
some of the writing was almost painful to read, and it felt like it was wandering around what could have been a plot line? very meh
slsj_'s review against another edition
5.0
This book deserves a review. I'm not quite sure what my actual rating is, maybe 4.5 or 4.75 stars, but know this... Emergency Contact is on my Best of the Best shelf right now. Shows the high esteem.
This books was really hard to read in the beginning. I've seen a lot of complaints from other reviewers, and honestly I can't fault them. The slang and speak was cringey. I'm a certified Gen-Z/millennial. (That weird age group that could fit into either category) and I still didn't get some of the speech. I speak it everyday. My aunt and grandmother have no clue what I'm saying half the time, and yet I didn't get this?! Seems false. And honestly, it seemed a bit much desperate. Though, after about the first 20% of the book it dies down and the book gets so much better.
PENNY. I was in love with both the main characters: Penny and Sam. Neither of them were viciously unlikeable. Both had very valid issues going on. I have often felt as Penny has...that she'd had to be the adult in a parental relationship and take over the reigns. I've done it often and it is tiring, it is worrisome, it makes you resentful. The fact that this came from such a deep place within her to the point that it effected her everyday speech and association, I genuinely felt that and I think the author did an amazing job carrying it out. She showed Penny's anxiety without saying it, she showed her anal retentiveness without saying it. We see Penny carry out everyday tasks and it shows us how hard it was for her because of things that happened in her past. yet she was so human, so everyday. Proving that you can have these problems and they are valid but they don't have to define you.
SAM. I sympathized with Sam. I've never had to deal with some of the things he's had going on in the novel but I still wanted to wrap him up with a blanket and tell him everything is going to be okay. I loved how the author made him sensitive. He's all emo and brooding with his dark clothes and tattoos and yet with most of the emotional dealings he's had: Lorraine and Brandi Rose, he wasn't afraid to cry. That's a man right there.
RELATIONSHIP. There relationship was adorable. It was slow and progressive and based off of real feelings and affection for each other. So anyone who says online friends are not real friends can suck it because when you make a genuine connection with someone like these two cinnamon rolls right here, and let that grow...man, how strong. How powerful that IRL relationship will be after. It wasn't about how hot either of them were, they just got each other and wanted to hear each other talk. I LOVE THE TITLE. It really embodies their relationship, their communication. They were each other's safety nets, their relief. Their emergency contact. Although I HAVE TO SAY, I'm not happy with the ending. I could have gone for 20 more pages to actually and solidly make sure I was satisfied.
OTHER CHARACTERS. The secondary characters were fun to explore as well. I liked Sebastian and his mom, they really brought another element to the story even if only for a few pages. Jude and Mallory were great side characters. They added to the story and made it more real. I appreciate that the author didn't go there with Jude and Sam and it made it more satisfying and fluid instead of tenny-bop fiction. Lorraine was an actual mess and I'm glad the last time we see her is the last time we see her. Words were spoken, tea was spilled and I'm so proud of Sammy. Celeste, despite what I said in the beginning about feeling like Penny in regards to her relationship to Celeste, I truly liked her. I cared about Celeste and I wanted to help her see where Penny was coming from. I also wanted to shake her and slap her cheek. But overall she was flawed yet likeable and seeing so much her of made the story that much more real.
THE HARD STUFF. Shoutout to the diversity in this book and the author writing it. Penny is Asian. For those who wondered but didn't know. And she speaks the absolute TRUTH right here in this novel. Example, might you ask:
"I haven't ever seen a writer
A big deal writer
Who looks like me
And sometimes when I write
I imagine the hero as white
Like automatically
How fucked is that"
Penny serves her tea boiling. It was brought up a few times in this story - her being Asian without it being overwhelmingly shoved down the readers throats that she was diverse and it being all about her diversity, so I really appreciated that. The book also (SPOILER AHEAD) touches on rape, immigration, homelessness, alcoholism. Wow, Emergency Contact DID THAT. All without it being too cumbersome and without making it too heavy.
WRITING. The writing style as we discussed earlier was choppy, and the reason for me .5 or .25 deduction of a rating. The characterization: amazing. The themes: phenomenal. The writing is what brings it down from being quite perfect. As mentioned earlier the slang was too much in the beginning and not only the slang but also the everyday thoughts. I got used to it going forward, but who talks like that daily? There's a difference from being smart and having a huge vocabulary and saying things that just make no sense because you're using too many big words. There were references I didn't get. Their train of thought were hard to follow at first. It just kept taking me out of the story because I was extremely confused. I kept saying "what am I even reading?" "what are they trying to say?" "what is this!?" But rest assured, after about 75 pages it gets better. The texting was amazing. A highlight for this novel, but sometimes I wondered who said what and it wasn't until they mentioned something distinctly male or female or personality-based that I understood which side of the text they were on, and that happened quite a few times as the story went on. But their inside jokes were cool, how they communicated just worked for them. Like they've mentioned ten times over, they just got each other even if I - the reader - didn't always get them, I can appreciate that the two characters got each other.
Overall I loved this book. It will definitely be a re-read for the future. I will doodle Mrs. Sam hearts in my notebook and fawn over the beauty that is this book. The cover is gorgeous and it was a perfect rendition to this novel, the characters and thoughts I will keep in my heart forever. Also the author Mary H.K, is such a babe and she loves comic books and I wan't to be like her when I grow up.
Give me great YA contemporary fiction with likeable and diverse characters, a meet-cute and excellent themes or give me death.
This books was really hard to read in the beginning. I've seen a lot of complaints from other reviewers, and honestly I can't fault them. The slang and speak was cringey. I'm a certified Gen-Z/millennial. (That weird age group that could fit into either category) and I still didn't get some of the speech. I speak it everyday. My aunt and grandmother have no clue what I'm saying half the time, and yet I didn't get this?! Seems false. And honestly, it seemed a bit much desperate. Though, after about the first 20% of the book it dies down and the book gets so much better.
PENNY. I was in love with both the main characters: Penny and Sam. Neither of them were viciously unlikeable. Both had very valid issues going on. I have often felt as Penny has...that she'd had to be the adult in a parental relationship and take over the reigns. I've done it often and it is tiring, it is worrisome, it makes you resentful. The fact that this came from such a deep place within her to the point that it effected her everyday speech and association, I genuinely felt that and I think the author did an amazing job carrying it out. She showed Penny's anxiety without saying it, she showed her anal retentiveness without saying it. We see Penny carry out everyday tasks and it shows us how hard it was for her because of things that happened in her past. yet she was so human, so everyday. Proving that you can have these problems and they are valid but they don't have to define you.
SAM. I sympathized with Sam. I've never had to deal with some of the things he's had going on in the novel but I still wanted to wrap him up with a blanket and tell him everything is going to be okay. I loved how the author made him sensitive. He's all emo and brooding with his dark clothes and tattoos and yet with most of the emotional dealings he's had: Lorraine and Brandi Rose, he wasn't afraid to cry. That's a man right there.
RELATIONSHIP. There relationship was adorable. It was slow and progressive and based off of real feelings and affection for each other. So anyone who says online friends are not real friends can suck it because when you make a genuine connection with someone like these two cinnamon rolls right here, and let that grow...man, how strong. How powerful that IRL relationship will be after. It wasn't about how hot either of them were, they just got each other and wanted to hear each other talk. I LOVE THE TITLE. It really embodies their relationship, their communication. They were each other's safety nets, their relief. Their emergency contact. Although I HAVE TO SAY, I'm not happy with the ending. I could have gone for 20 more pages to actually and solidly make sure I was satisfied.
OTHER CHARACTERS. The secondary characters were fun to explore as well. I liked Sebastian and his mom, they really brought another element to the story even if only for a few pages. Jude and Mallory were great side characters. They added to the story and made it more real. I appreciate that the author didn't go there with Jude and Sam and it made it more satisfying and fluid instead of tenny-bop fiction. Lorraine was an actual mess and I'm glad the last time we see her is the last time we see her. Words were spoken, tea was spilled and I'm so proud of Sammy. Celeste, despite what I said in the beginning about feeling like Penny in regards to her relationship to Celeste, I truly liked her. I cared about Celeste and I wanted to help her see where Penny was coming from. I also wanted to shake her and slap her cheek. But overall she was flawed yet likeable and seeing so much her of made the story that much more real.
THE HARD STUFF. Shoutout to the diversity in this book and the author writing it. Penny is Asian. For those who wondered but didn't know. And she speaks the absolute TRUTH right here in this novel. Example, might you ask:
"I haven't ever seen a writer
A big deal writer
Who looks like me
And sometimes when I write
I imagine the hero as white
Like automatically
How fucked is that"
Penny serves her tea boiling. It was brought up a few times in this story - her being Asian without it being overwhelmingly shoved down the readers throats that she was diverse and it being all about her diversity, so I really appreciated that. The book also (SPOILER AHEAD) touches on rape, immigration, homelessness, alcoholism. Wow, Emergency Contact DID THAT. All without it being too cumbersome and without making it too heavy.
WRITING. The writing style as we discussed earlier was choppy, and the reason for me .5 or .25 deduction of a rating. The characterization: amazing. The themes: phenomenal. The writing is what brings it down from being quite perfect. As mentioned earlier the slang was too much in the beginning and not only the slang but also the everyday thoughts. I got used to it going forward, but who talks like that daily? There's a difference from being smart and having a huge vocabulary and saying things that just make no sense because you're using too many big words. There were references I didn't get. Their train of thought were hard to follow at first. It just kept taking me out of the story because I was extremely confused. I kept saying "what am I even reading?" "what are they trying to say?" "what is this!?" But rest assured, after about 75 pages it gets better. The texting was amazing. A highlight for this novel, but sometimes I wondered who said what and it wasn't until they mentioned something distinctly male or female or personality-based that I understood which side of the text they were on, and that happened quite a few times as the story went on. But their inside jokes were cool, how they communicated just worked for them. Like they've mentioned ten times over, they just got each other even if I - the reader - didn't always get them, I can appreciate that the two characters got each other.
Overall I loved this book. It will definitely be a re-read for the future. I will doodle Mrs. Sam hearts in my notebook and fawn over the beauty that is this book. The cover is gorgeous and it was a perfect rendition to this novel, the characters and thoughts I will keep in my heart forever. Also the author Mary H.K, is such a babe and she loves comic books and I wan't to be like her when I grow up.
Give me great YA contemporary fiction with likeable and diverse characters, a meet-cute and excellent themes or give me death.
jada1_5's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Girl, this was not it. The characters I felt were so annoying, like all, if not most, of their problems, would be solved with a conversation. Their problems suddenly got solved near the end; one character said, " I don't know why I feel better, but I do. Like babe, I don't know either, and I read this whole thing!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Pregnancy
ghost_of_october's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Abandonment
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Abortion
This does touch on experiences with S/A and child neglect/abuse, as well as mental illness such as depression. Please be cautious.