Permanent Record

I don't exactly regret reading this book, but it was hard to get through because I didn't have strong feelings either way about the love story that consummed much of its pages. I know this would totally change the story, but I sort of wish this novel didn't contain the whole popstar love story. I understand why it makes sense thematically for this particular protagonist to fall in love with a popstar also struggling with her identity, but I just didn't feel their connection the way I did for the protagonists of Emergency Contact. What I wanted more of in Permanent Record was his relationship with his friends, his parents, his brother.On another note, I found that the way Pablo talked about NYC felt unrealistic. He's supposed to be a New York native, but he often sounds like a transplant marveling at all the city's wonders and quirks. As a transplant myself, I really related to his musings, but they sounded inauthentic coming from someone who's supposed to be born and raised in the city. I work with teenagers in NYC and they're often fascinated by my non-native take on the city, things they don't necessarily see as unusual or noteworthy or cool because it's all they've known. This might seem like a minor criticism, but this actually resulted in Pablo feeling less realistic to me.

I was really looking forward to this book because I really liked Emergency Contact but I did not like this book. There was so much slang and colloquialisms I only really understood about half of what the characters were saying. This made it rather painful to read, I kept hoping it would get better which it did...a little, at the end. The story touched on some very poignant issues that people deal with today but they were merely mentioned, nodded at, not directly addressed and I wish they had been (depression, entitlement, general self-centeredness). I didn't really love the characters either, general I felt annoyed by them.

When I finished Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi I was upset even though I had expected early on that it would end the way that it did. The longer I sat there crying and thinking about the book as a whole, my tears dried up and I realized it wasn’t even about that initial upset I felt and actually about something entirely different.I am a sucker for romance. I love HEAs and I can even get behind a good HFN. This book is not a romance. Yes, there is an element of romance, but that is not the purpose of this book.It’s a beautiful book that takes you through Pablo’s struggle with life after high school and a failed attempt at college while trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life. He’s trying to juggle work, family, social life and friends, crippling financial obligations, and a fate encounter and relationship with celebrity Leanna.I definitely recommend this book. It’s one I will read again. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

PERMANENT RECORD is Choi’s sophomore novel centered around a Korean/Pakistani NYU dropout named Pablo. While figuring out what he wants to do next, Pab starts working at a 24 hour health foods bodega in NYC. One night, while working the graveyard shift, he meets a disheveled woman who is none other than Leanne Smart - one of the world’s biggest pop stars. After bonding over unique snack combinations and engaging in flirtatious banter, these two characters spend more time together and ultimately discover who they want to be.Choi’s sophomore novel is even better than her first! I loved this book because it focuses more deeply on issues I care about such as being mixed race, the pressure to be a high performer, financial debt and responsibility, and feeling lost/depressed. There is also a lot of diverse representation throughout the wide cast of characters, which I greatly appreciated.The characters in the book are also a little older (from early to late 20’s), so I felt like I related to them more than I did the cast of EMERGENCY CONTACT. And on top of these themes, the book talks about delicious food combinations so much that it made me want to make these snacks myself! What else could you want in a book?! And lastly, I won’t reveal much because of spoilers, but I loved the ending! It’s not the predictable closing to a romance plot, and honestly it’s way more realistic which I appreciated. Overall, if you loved Choi’s first book, this one is a must. And if you haven’t read it, definitely give this one a try! I think it has something to offer everyone, and I enjoyed it immenselyPerfect for readers who love diverse YA novels, or those looking for a book with a compelling mixed race male lead!

Story of relationships - when you meet randomly but somehow it works, how you can both impact each other and will it work out

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This book was great and I loved how it dealt with the pressures uni, deciding what to do with your life and how in the world your going to pay for it.I think the characters were great and I really really connected to Pablo and what he went through.Not everyone will like it, but I sure did

I bought this book solely based on an interview of the author (about this book). She is soooo funny! While I see some of her humor and wit in these pages, I found the main characters unlikable and whiny. I did not find myself rooting for this romance.

Even though YA is not usually the genre I gravitate towards, this book will truly resonate with any age. And I may or may not have been constantly hungry through it all! #hotsnack