Full review at Wild and Wonderful Reads

Permanent Record is a starkly realistic, character-driven contemporary that I enjoyed, for the most part.

This book has slightly older characters and grittier topics for a YA, but that’s one of my favorite things about it. Mary H.K. Choi has an amazing ability to paint a true-to-life picture of the less than ideal reality that a lot of young adults face as they begin to step out on their own.

Permanent Record is told from the POV of Pablo. I really liked Pablo’s character; I found myself understanding a lot of his problems and rooting for him. I do think, though, that the story would have benefited from dual POVs to include that of Leanna. She is a bit mysterious, which was probably the point given her fame and the need to stay on brand, but I found myself not enjoying her character very much because I didn’t get as much insight into her as I might have liked.

In all honesty, the plot itself didn’t wow me and seemed quite implausible. To me, this book has a lot more to do with the character growth than anything.

Overall, I enjoyed Permanent Record enough to recommend it, as long as you understand what you’re getting into.