Take a photo of a barcode or cover
betweentheshelves 's review for:
Permanent Record
by Mary H.K. Choi
Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com!
I got an ARC at BookCon, and it is one of my most anticipated releases for the fall. I'm so sad I didn't love this as much as Emergency Contact.
My main complaint is probably that the book felt too long to me. It took too long to get to Pablo meeting Leanna (Lee), and then their relationship felt weirdly paced. Pablo’s life slowly starts to spiral out of control as their relationship continues, which also gave me anxiety. It made Pablo relatable, but I think there were parts that could have been cut out in order to make the book’s flow feel more natural.
However, the characters were fantastic. Where the story sometimes fell flat or felt like it was dragging a bit, Choi made up with a quirky cast of characters all trying to make their way in New York. By the end, I was rooting for Pablo to get his life together and for Leanna to figure out a way to balance her work and her own life. The supporting characters breathe life into the book, making you want to keep reading.
Ultimately, this is a story highlighting the fact that basically no one has their life completely figured out, even those in the limelight. It also shined a light on the dark side of fame and social media and the toll it takes on everyone involved.
3/5 stars
I wanted so much to like this more than I did. Trying to pinpoint what felt off in a full review to come tomorrow morning!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
I got an ARC at BookCon, and it is one of my most anticipated releases for the fall. I'm so sad I didn't love this as much as Emergency Contact.
My main complaint is probably that the book felt too long to me. It took too long to get to Pablo meeting Leanna (Lee), and then their relationship felt weirdly paced. Pablo’s life slowly starts to spiral out of control as their relationship continues, which also gave me anxiety. It made Pablo relatable, but I think there were parts that could have been cut out in order to make the book’s flow feel more natural.
However, the characters were fantastic. Where the story sometimes fell flat or felt like it was dragging a bit, Choi made up with a quirky cast of characters all trying to make their way in New York. By the end, I was rooting for Pablo to get his life together and for Leanna to figure out a way to balance her work and her own life. The supporting characters breathe life into the book, making you want to keep reading.
Ultimately, this is a story highlighting the fact that basically no one has their life completely figured out, even those in the limelight. It also shined a light on the dark side of fame and social media and the toll it takes on everyone involved.
3/5 stars
I wanted so much to like this more than I did. Trying to pinpoint what felt off in a full review to come tomorrow morning!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook