Reviews with content warning for Rape - Emergency Contact

Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

108 reviews

befrazzledenby's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

so angsty and pure. tfios vibes, or at least emotionally i was 14 again. 5/5

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cuddlysocke's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The setting feels like it is supposed to be a funny story: over the top cliche characters, ditzy mothers, super rich roommates/friends with famous rockstar boyfriends, ex-girlfriends who are beautiful, funny, perfect, but kind of a bitch (oh, and of course also super rich). And then it tries SO hard to be a serious story. Which didn’t work for me. It’s neither fun to read nor particularly profound.

The characters were all pretty unlikable, partly because Penny saw everyone in such a negative light. Which could have been fine, unreliable narrator and all. But her character growth (if you can even call it that) came way too late into the story to have any impact. I was just annoyed at everyone all the time.

Sam’s feelings and thoughts made the most sense to me. He’s kind of a mess, and understandably so.
His backstory made sense. Penny’s, however, feels forced and almost like an afterthought. The set-up was there from the beginning but to me it felt flat, one-dimensional. Like the author put it in there for the drama. Yikes.

You should be able to write complicated female characters without them being SAed. Especially when in the end her mother goes “you’ve always been like that [single-minded but also narrow-minded, judgmental, etc.]”. Okay, so what was the point of adding the r***? Can’t she just have flaws, and be rude and unlikable as a person? Because that just how people are sometimes? And then grow up and learn to be better? Couldn’t the focus have been her character growth?

The only truly enjoyable parts for me were the moments where Penny and Sam talked to each other in person - there were some funny moments. And that both Jude and Celeste told Penny off at the end.

2.5 - I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it, but listening to the audio book at least kept me somewhat entertained while I cleaned my apartment.

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tardigradest's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Very cute and light YA romance book. I'm such a sucker for cranky people discovering warmth and connection and this delivered so strongly on that front. Good audiobook narrators too.

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dai_renee410's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring reflective 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

4.0

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epeolatrist's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted 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

3.75

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bussmanbooks3000's review against another edition

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dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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l0v3lu's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective relaxing 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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thatrandomdancer's review against another edition

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emotional funny relaxing sad

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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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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maren_hemsath's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-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

2.5

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