"Emergency Contact" by Mary H.K. Choi

Synopsis: 

Penny Lee is a Korean American teenager who lives with her very 'hip' and 'cool' mom. Cecily, Penny's mom, knows all the tips and tricks to being a popular teenager in high school and she's always trying her best to morph her child into being just that.  Even penny's overly suggestive boyfriend is the epitome of Cecily's perfect idea of a guy. Except penny has already accepted the fact that she isn't who Cecily is trying to turn her into and she's had enough of it being forced onto her. On top of all that, Cecily seems to think she's just another teenager, from constantly wearing crop tops to flirting with everyone in her path. So when college is right around the corner penny is overly excited to be rid of her mom not realizing that her roommate, Jude, is just a replacement. but not in a bad way. 

Sam Becker lives above the cafe he bakes at but no one knows other than his boss, and his coworker. Especially not Jude. Jude came into his life when his mom married her grandfather, and she just won't leave him alone, even after his mom became a divorcee. While he's ok with her existence sam likes to keep the details of his life under wraps, such as who he's dating, and his financial status, both of which are a complete mess. Lorraine, the love of his life, cheated and every time he tries to get over her, she waltzes into his life, only to screw it up. So when his ex shows up again to deliver some mind boggling news, Sam almost dies from a panic attack with no-one to call for help.

 Sam and Penny's lives slowly become intertwined when his panic attack causes them to become emergency contacts and to continuously text each other. The only problem is that Jude can't know. 

Style of Writing: The author writes the story in third person, shifting between Penny's and Sam's point of view. I had no trouble deciphering the story, but after reading some reviews, I noticed that people over twenty years old had trouble understanding a lot of the terms used. This book is therefore better adapted for young adult readers but don't let that stop you from reaching for the book. Other than that, I had no problems with the style of writing. 

Review + Recommendation: This book is so original and captivating. Mary H.K. Choi explored different topics and really allowed the characters to develop throughout the story, but also strengthen the friendships. There was a topic related to Penny's past that I felt was randomly and abruptly added to the story, which completely threw me of. This topic would have been a great addition, if only it was incorporated more smoothly into the story. Nevertheless, it is a book that I see myself picking up again. I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a contemporary, interesting read. I'd rate 'Emergency Contact' a 4.2 stars out of 5. Enjoy!!! :)