I absolutely adored this book. I was surprised that I loved a book from a male perspective as much as I did, but here we are. Mary is very much a master of character development through lightning fast dialogue. I didn't know where this book was taking me, but I very much enjoyed the ride and the destination. A wonderful college-age YA novel.

DNF at 45%

Unfortunately I've been struggling to get through this, and while it isnt bad I just dont want to keep forcing myself to read it since it's putting me into a slump to do so.

I plan on finishing this eventually, but for now I'm going to put it to the side.

I read and reviewed Choi’s debut, Emergency Contact, in March 2018 and sadly wasn’t blown away by it. But Permanent Record was getting such good reviews, especially saying it was much better than Choi’s first book. So, I wanted to give it a try. While I was interested in the story, ultimately I was left feeling disappointed. Please be warned this review does contain spoilers. There’s no other way for me to review this book without sharing what specifically bothered me.

I think what really frustrated me about this book is that it’s very character-driven – which in itself is not make or break -, and the characters felt very surface level. At least, the love interest did. And for a book that completely hinges on the romance that was so frustrating for me. I kept putting it down because I felt like we never really got to know Leanna as well as we should’ve, and therefore the romance felt flat and unrealistic.

Pablo is someone who’s struggling with debt and finding what he wants to do in life. That’s one of the most daunting things to decide when you’ve only been out of high school for a couple years and the rest of your life stretches before you. And truly credit card companies prey on college/university students because they probably don’t know enough about the dangers of debt. Not to mention the growing costs of schooling. I really felt for him. And this journey of his is the only thing that kept me reading the book as I wanted to see what his fate would be. The family dynamic and the dynamic between Pablo and his roommates was far more emotional and believable in my opinion. I would’ve liked more of that and less of the romance. Actually…none of the romance.

But because we barely know Leanna, all of Pablo’s decisions as they relate to her felt so completely unrealistic that I was just…frustrated. He finds the things he’s expected to agree to or sacrifice to be with her wrong and angering, but he goes along with it. It made no sense to me, except maybe he clung so tightly to her because he was running from the issues in his life. I couldn’t get behind a relationship where there’s such a huge power imbalance, and Leanna doesn’t even consider that she’s pushing Pablo into a toxic situation. She sacrifices nothing to be with him, and even thinks he’s beneath her.

I don’t even know what to say to sum this up. I struggled with what to rate this because it has moments of such breathtakingly sad issues that a lot of students face, but the romance was just so frustrating and angering. Maybe it was supposed to be. But it made it so hard to read the book when I just wanted to see Pablo turn his life around.

Firstly I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Mary H. K. Choi is a stellar writer. I love everything she writes. This is no exception. She is so skilled in creating relationships we want to read more of

Following the success of Emergency Contact, Permanenet Record is another must read contemporary. Choi just does such a good job of characterizing real and relatable characters. The representation is also very key. Highly recommended.

Rep: Pakistani rep, Korean rep, mental health rep (anxiety)


Everything I loved about Emergency Contact was missing in this novel. And if it wasn't for my cousin, I would probably have DNF'd it. 

My main issue lies with the characters in this book, chiefly our main character Pablo. His personality was just so off-putting. He's always coming up with these quips that I guess the author thought was funny? But they're not. Nobody in their 20s talks like that - and if they do, well, they wouldn't be someone I would want to know. Pablo is obnoxious, shrouded in self-pity, and he speaks in monologues that bored me to tears.

And that takes me to the pacing and writing style: I found it annoying to sift through useless and mundane detail to get to the good stuff. Granted, there are moments when the author is articulate on her views about being someone of mixed heritage, what it's like to not know your purpose in life. But these deeper musings were just touched on briefly.

I also didn't appreciate the constant mentions of how great New York is. Great, you like the place. Can we move on? Because I don't need to spend the rest of the book reading details about a place that doesn't really matter to me. 

The plot itself was an issue for me... because there really wasn't one. The story revolves around Pablo making excuses for his life, and staying in this cloud of self-pity - and he stays there for 80% of the book. For the entirety of the novel, I was in a state of frustration over Pablo and the choices he was making. If you knew the university was going to be too expensive, why did you go in the first place? And if you still wanted to go, why would you not have a plan for what you want to do? Why would you get multiple credit cards and max them all out? If you have enough knowledge about credit limits on a Black Amex, surely you know how debt works?! I could go on and on ... but I won't.

The author tries to use mental health to excuse Pablo's behaviour. And I get it! I have anxiety myself, and there are days when I really want to avoid everything that induces that anxiety. I wish the author had shown Pablo slowly recognizing these toxic behaviours and using proper coping strategies to deal with it. Instead, we are given a romance.

The romance is a joke. It's basically just insta-love between Pablo and Lee, and I honestly didn't feel any chemistry between them. Also Lee has no personality so I didn't really care about her. 

The ending was just the cherry on top of this disappointment cake. Pablo miraculously "gets his shit together". At this point, I didn't care. I just wanted the story to be over. 

I genuinely wanted to love this story so much. But from the first chapter to the end, I could find nothing redeeming about this book. I'm giving it 2 stars for the rep.

While enjoyed this one, I didn't enjoy it as much as the first novel in this series. Still a very enjoyable YA contemporary, that I would recommend to all teens.

This book is about two people who find each other while they're in the middle of trying to find themselves. They're both going through different things, come from different backgrounds and different living situations but they bond over the unknown and the happiness they feel when they talk to each other. This book one of those quiet slice of life stories but speaks volumes. It's the type of story that shows you the world and is a very healing experience.

sometimes you read a book at the perfect time. and sometimes you read books that just fuel your own anxiety and require long breaks between chapters so you can get yourself under control.

after enjoying mary hk choi's first book 'emergency contact' in 2018, i was really excited to read her latest book. 'permanent record' follows pablo, a 20-year-old nyu dropout who, while working the night shift at a health food bodega, runs into international singer/actress leanne smart. through their secret relationship, the novel discuss ideas of fame and what it means to not have agency over your own life.

this book started out with great potential: the concept of the book is interesting, and the cast of characters introduced at the start make for great dialogue and fast-paced narrative. however, at times the writing felt clunky and over-complicated, and very quickly the book's plot slowed down as we witnessed pablo's anxiety-induced spirals and stresses about his life while he continued to do nothing about it. i give choi props for an authentic representation of what it's like to live with anxiety, however entire chapters dedicated to these feelings did nothing to help the plot and honestly didn't help my own anxiety either. if i wanted to witness my own anxiety spirals, i would get my family to ask me "what are you doing once you graduate grad school?" and sit back and watch my brain descend into chaos.

the ending was mildly satisfying, so i am glad i didn't dnf it after getting to the midway point, but this definitely wasn't the best book i've ever read.

thank you to netgalley and simon & schuster for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this new novel.

Pablo straddles two different cultures, Korean and Pakistani. Since he is part of two different backgrounds, he doesn’t really feel accepted by either one. He hasn’t even travelled to either of his parents’ birthplaces, making him feel even more left out. This affects the rest of his life, leaving him unable to finish school and even abandoning his job.

I loved how realistic this book felt. It felt like I was reading about someone’s real life. Pablo has a pretty ordinary and unexciting life until he meets a pop star and they begin a relationship. Even though this extraordinary event happens to him, he is drawn back to his real life. The ending was perfect for this ordinary boy.

This is a great young adult novel!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for this great opportunity to read an early E-arc.
This book was ok, it took me along time to read since I could not get into the story.
This book is for a select young audience which I am sure will devour the story.

I waited way too long to get to this book, so when I actually did read it, I had no idea what I was getting into. But, it was pretty interesting when things started to unfold. There was definitely a discussion of race that was woven throughout the whole story, but I felt like that was one of the only few I enjoyed. Our main character meets a pop star, gets the "girl of his dreams" and things never got more interesting than that. A lot of conflict could have been easily resolved but was dragged on because of the character's stubbornness. However, other than the few things I didn't enjoy, it was definitely a quick read that dives a little deeper into what getting into a relationship with a "famous person" would be like. Of course, I have no experience with that myself, but when comparing it to what celebrities face publicly, it was a great to see what happens behind closed doors.

Pablo is an NYU drop out and is now working the graveyard shift at his local bodega, selling overpriced goods to the posh neighbours. He's in over his head with debt, dogging credit collectors' phone calls and letters, and doesn't know how he's going to come up with his next rent payment.

During a snowstorm, at 5:00 a.m., pop sensation Leanna Smart wanders into the shop. At first Pablo doesn't recognize her, she is by herself with no entourage in sight. There is instant chemistry and soon the two are involved in an intense relationship that has to be kept on the down-low—Pablo puts everything on hold to be with Leanna.

But then the world finds out...

Permanent Record is a character study and comment on society's warped obsession with celebrity culture and social media. True to Choi, her characterization is the perfect combination of complex and endearing. Pablo is an interesting, layered, and dynamic character with an affinity for creating unique pairings of junk food. With Lee, we get a glimpse of celebrity—how the public obsesses over them, the relentless machine of the paparazzi, and how image is everything no matter how fake. And in this artificial world, Pab and Lee's relationship is real and actually quite beautiful.

New York City is so much more than the setting. It becomes a living, breathing character in this story. Choi's sweeping descriptions of the city capture the grit and beauty—even if you have never been to NYC, you can visualize it because of her writing.

Choi strikes the right balance of teenage angst and awkwardness against a beautiful love story. Readers will love this cast as well as this whirlwind affair. Congratulations, Mary, on another fab book!

Permanent Record was ADORABLE.

I loved so many elements of it. I loved how it was so realistic; I felt as though Pab and his roommates could be friends of mine, classmates of mine, people living in this reality. I loved the relationship between Pab and Leanna; I loved Leanna's entire storyline, the fame, the private jets, the notoriety, and how she felt about all of that. The romance was ever-present, but it wasn't overpowering; it was well-written, and I felt myself rooting for Pab and Leanna from their first meet-cute to the very end.

Speaking of the ending - WOW, Truth be told, I expected a fairytale "and they all lived happily ever after!", which is nice, but it's not reality. Choi, however, provided closure and happiness with a bit of an open end AND kept it realistic, avoiding the cliche! I was so satisfied with how it ended, it was absolutely fantastic.

I definitely need to read Choi's previous novel, Emergency Contact, now - she's gotten me hooked on her writing! Loved it!

Honestly, this book was pretty meh for me. I’ve felt this way about both of Mary H K Choi’s books. Maybe she’s just not the author for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters and found the main character to be rather annoying. He constantly complained about his life, but wasn’t willing to do anything to change it. He was a jerk to his friends. He let people walk all over him. I didn’t connect with the characters and the story wasn’t interesting enough to drive me forward. I didn’t particularly enjoy this one and would not recommend it. Personally, this was not the book for me

I absolutely adored this story. This has so many beautiful moments. Pablo and Leanna have a meet cute in a bodega. It was a very realistic depiction of being young and the lessons you learn.

I enjoyed this book! The beginning was great, I loved how the main characters met. However, I felt like nothing happened 3/4 of the way through and I’m still note sure what was the point of the ending. Maybe this wasn’t a book for me, but it was definitely enjoyable. I gave it 3.5/5 stars.

3.5 Stars

Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi is an original story about a pop star and a college dropout that is surprisingly meaningful. I enjoyed the premise as well as the blend of entertainment and serious moments, however the main character’s actions really stressed me out. I had high hopes for this book since I enjoyed Emergency Contact, but this one fell a bit flat for me.

This book follows Pablo, an NYU dropout working at a deli, when he meets pop star Leanne Smart. Pablo pushes the issues in his personal life aside and tags along on spontaneous international adventures. While this may be a book about a celebrity and a normal person, it is surprisingly not cringey. Leanne and Pablo have many meaningful discussions, and the themes found within the book are surprisingly significant. I also enjoyed the balance of seriousness and fun. Pablo’s experimental snacks in particular made me smile. As well, it is worth mentioning that the ending of the book is pretty unconventional for a contemporary, and while I didn’t care for it, I appreciate the innovation.

❀ BALANCE OF SERIOUSNESS AND FUN

One of the main reasons why I didn’t love this book is because of Pablo. Personally, I didn’t agree with a lot of his decisions. He isn’t concerned enough about things like his financial state, but instead he takes off in a private jet with a pop star for the fun of it. Just reading about his debt and how much worse his situation becomes stressed me out, and I just couldn’t handle him taking off instead of dealing with his (incredibly serious) problems. He essentially needs his job to afford to live let alone save for school, and I couldn’t believe how he gives it all up in a second for a chance at love. I understand that it is realistic to have a character who is struggling with finance and identity, and Pablo does have his moments, but his actions are just absurd.

❀ SIGNIFICANT AND ENTERTAINING

Permanent Record is a book that is both significant and entertaining as it follows a pop star and a boy who is struggling to get his life together. I found the premise and many elements of the story engaging, however I found that the main character’s attitude and actions really ruined the story. Perhaps others will feel differently, but a main character really makes or breaks a book for me.

Final rating: 3.5/5

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi was one of my favourite books of 2018 and one that I have continued to reread and recommend to friends and students alike. I've been waiting for her to release another book, so I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Permanent Record! This is an entirely different books with entirely different characters and I enjoyed getting to dive into it.

​Slow Start
It took so long for me to really get into the story. While I ended up really enjoying getting to know Pablo, I had a really hard time connecting with him at the beginning of the book. He just was so different than what I was expecting that it was hard to really understand what his life is like. I’m happy that I stuck with it though because it pays off in the end when we really see so much growth from him. His story may not be mine, but I’m sure his life closely parallels a lot of twenty-something’s who are struggling to figure out who they are, so I love that he exists as a character. But the beginning was definitely a hurdle and I really had to force myself to go back to this book and commit to finishing it.

Single POV
Something I was surprised at was that this book only has Pablo’s perspective. Not having both POVs made it a lot harder for me to really care about these characters, specifically Leanna. Although Pab grew on me, Lee never really developed as a character and I was constantly frustrated with her. While Pab clearly loves her, I just couldn’t get there. While Lee has a huge impact in Pablo’s life, she was actually the biggest drawback of the story for me, in large part because I never really felt like I knew her. I worry that I might be comparing Permanent Record to Emergency Contact, but only having Pab’s POV in this novel made me feel like I was missing part of the story.

Ahhh, So Many Good Life Lessons
I really wish I could quote this book (I’m can’t because it’s an ARC) because there are so many AMAZING lines that I want to post about. What I can say is that Pablo’s journey is so important because I know it’s one that so many twenty-somethings are facing in the world. The idea that teens are supposed to have their life together when they get to university or college is ludicrous, and it’s only more impossible once financials come into it. We’re constantly holding ourselves up to the lives that other people live and it’s way too easy to find ourselves falling short. Pab’s story of trying to actually come to grips with his reality is important and I felt like I flew through the second half of the book in anticipation of where his story would go.

Overall, I thought this was a solid second novel from Mary H.K. Choi. Although it was a slower start for me, there are a lot of reasons I would still recommend this to people. If you are a fan of character-driven or contemporary novels, than this is a strong suggestion for you. Permanent Record came out this week and I’d love to know what you thought about it!

I really liked this book. it was funny and cute but it also talked about how fame can make us hide who we really are and how hard it can be to open up to someone. I have such a fun time ready and am excited to see what Mary H.K. Chio has next.