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brooke_review's review
4.0
Permanent Record serves as my introduction to the witty and engaging writing and storytelling of Mary H.K. Choi. Halfway through Permanent Record, I stopped reading and browsed her backlist, putting last year's release, Emergency Contact, on my immediate to-be-read list. I can't wait to jump into more of her stories!
So what is it exactly that I like about Choi's writing? First of all, she has a way of pulling you in to descriptive and imaginative worlds with compelling storytelling. Her characters are fully-fleshed and leap off the page. It is not difficult to get a clear and accurate image in your head of what her leads are like. She also has a way of tapping into the world of the modern young adult - Choi is up on cultural references and writes in a way that today's youth can easily relate to and see themselves in.
Choi's newest novel Permanent Record follows twenty year old NYU dropout Pablo as he works at his neighborhood bodega - although he insists it is not a bodega - maintains an Instagram page where he posts creative pairings of snacks with shoes, and dodges calls from the student loan office and credit card companies. His life changes, however, when Leanna Smart walks into his store one early morning in search of sustenance and perhaps some anonymous human contact. See Leanna is an uber-celebrity. She got her start as a Disney TV star and later became a teenage pop sensation, a la Britney Spears. However, she feels disconnected from the world and her life because everyone wants a piece of her. Who is the real Leanna and what does she really want out of life?
When Pablo and Leanna meet-cute, it is insta-love of the most unimaginable kind - at least to Pablo. Could a mega-celebrity really fall in love with an ordinary guy? As Pablo is introduced to the sleek, sexy, and highly-controlled and publicized life of Leanna Smart, he finds himself falling more and more in love with this girl who is nothing like how she appears to the rest of the world. Tied to a non-disclosure agreement, Pablo can't speak about his relationship with Leanna, and he finds himself unable to explain his erratic and mysterious actions to his family and friends - disappearing for days at a time as he and Leanna jet off to foreign countries, dodging bill collectors, and not showing up for work. Pablo feels this is all too good to be true, and he is afraid his relationship with Leanna won't last. Furthermore, he can't continue to ignore his "real life" forever. Should he follow his head or should he follow his heart?
Readers who enjoy pop culture stories, intense relationships, and glimpses at the life of the rich and famous will enjoy Permanent Record. Furthermore, this isn't just a glitzy, celebrity-fueled novel. These characters have heart and are all working through realistic and relatable problems of their own. There are as many takeaways from this book as there are hours of entertaining reading. Enjoy!
Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
So what is it exactly that I like about Choi's writing? First of all, she has a way of pulling you in to descriptive and imaginative worlds with compelling storytelling. Her characters are fully-fleshed and leap off the page. It is not difficult to get a clear and accurate image in your head of what her leads are like. She also has a way of tapping into the world of the modern young adult - Choi is up on cultural references and writes in a way that today's youth can easily relate to and see themselves in.
Choi's newest novel Permanent Record follows twenty year old NYU dropout Pablo as he works at his neighborhood bodega - although he insists it is not a bodega - maintains an Instagram page where he posts creative pairings of snacks with shoes, and dodges calls from the student loan office and credit card companies. His life changes, however, when Leanna Smart walks into his store one early morning in search of sustenance and perhaps some anonymous human contact. See Leanna is an uber-celebrity. She got her start as a Disney TV star and later became a teenage pop sensation, a la Britney Spears. However, she feels disconnected from the world and her life because everyone wants a piece of her. Who is the real Leanna and what does she really want out of life?
When Pablo and Leanna meet-cute, it is insta-love of the most unimaginable kind - at least to Pablo. Could a mega-celebrity really fall in love with an ordinary guy? As Pablo is introduced to the sleek, sexy, and highly-controlled and publicized life of Leanna Smart, he finds himself falling more and more in love with this girl who is nothing like how she appears to the rest of the world. Tied to a non-disclosure agreement, Pablo can't speak about his relationship with Leanna, and he finds himself unable to explain his erratic and mysterious actions to his family and friends - disappearing for days at a time as he and Leanna jet off to foreign countries, dodging bill collectors, and not showing up for work. Pablo feels this is all too good to be true, and he is afraid his relationship with Leanna won't last. Furthermore, he can't continue to ignore his "real life" forever. Should he follow his head or should he follow his heart?
Readers who enjoy pop culture stories, intense relationships, and glimpses at the life of the rich and famous will enjoy Permanent Record. Furthermore, this isn't just a glitzy, celebrity-fueled novel. These characters have heart and are all working through realistic and relatable problems of their own. There are as many takeaways from this book as there are hours of entertaining reading. Enjoy!
Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
cooper_michael's review
2.0
I honestly couldn't tell you why I continued with this book. It was so long and annoying. The characters weren't likable and the constant discussion of debt gave me anxiety. I should have just put it down and moved on but I didn't. Honestly, this book was very disappointing. Also, slight spoiler, the mc had soooo much credit card debt... or at least he made it sound like it did. It was actually a really small number (which still sucks, but he had put wayyyy less money on it than I actually thought).
elyssam's review against another edition
reflective
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
3.25
A young man’s journey in finding what he wants to do in life is interrupted by a pop star! I thought the characters were immature (even for 20-year-olds, come on!) and the relationship was semi-toxic. Ha. abut a good read if you can skirt around the heart (romance) of it.Â
mindfullibrarian's review against another edition
Read for a review publication so I can’t rate or write a review here. BUT, as an independent adult reader, I loved it 😉
julieh46's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
garnetguardian's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
artbysmashley's review against another edition
5.0
While I didn't love this nearly as much as Emergency Contact, this was such an engaging read despite both main characters being so utterly, disastrously selfish. But it worked! Permanent Record, to me, showed the complete importance of being able to stand on your own lest you get swept up into someone else's whirlwind. I adored Pablo's journey in this, and while I was at first somewhat worried about only getting one POV in this, it ultimately created such a whole, well-rounded story that I was entirely invested in. This isn't the contemporary romance I expected it to be when I began, but the story of growth and self-love and understanding delivered deeply.
0k_b's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
taylor_reads's review against another edition
3.0
three stars on the sole fact that i finished it and there were some likeable moments through the book. after reading reviews, i see a lot of people don’t like pablo - however, my beef lies with carolina/leeanna/lee/whoever the hell. i couldn’t stand her and there was no chemistry in my eyes at all. she was rude selfish and i agree with pablo when he said he tried to force the relationship.
the dialogue was so-so. i very much enjoyed the rapport from pablo and his actual friends and his family. even his bosses. and the writing style was enjoyable to me, as well as the pacing. just the characters that got under my skin a bit.
the dialogue was so-so. i very much enjoyed the rapport from pablo and his actual friends and his family. even his bosses. and the writing style was enjoyable to me, as well as the pacing. just the characters that got under my skin a bit.