Permanent Record

Written by Mary H. K. Choi

Narrated by Vikas Adam

A New York Times bestseller!
“Smart and funny…warm and rewarding.” —Booklist (starred review)
“A compelling and quirky tale of love and negotiating early adulthood in New York City.” —School Library Journal

From the New York Times bestselling author of Emergency Contact, which Rainbow Rowell called “smart and funny,” comes a “captivating” (The New York Times) romance about how social media influences relationships every day.

On paper, college dropout Pablo Rind doesn’t have a whole lot going for him. His graveyard shift at a twenty-four-hour deli in Brooklyn is a struggle. Plus, he’s up to his eyeballs in credit card debt. Never mind the state of his student loans.

Pop juggernaut Leanna Smart has enough social media followers to populate whole continents. The brand is unstoppable. She graduated from child stardom to become an international icon, and her adult life is a queasy blur of private planes, step-and-repeats, aspirational hotel rooms, and strangers screaming for her just to notice them.

When Leanna and Pablo meet at 5:00 a.m. at the bodega in the dead of winter it’s absurd to think they’d be A Thing. But as they discover who they are, who they want to be, and how to defy the deafening expectations of everyone else, Lee and Pab turn to each other. Which, of course, is when things get properly complicated.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Sep 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9781797100357

Mary H. K. Choi

Mary H.K. Choi is the New York Times bestselling author of Emergency Contact, Permanent Record, and Yolk. She is the host of, Hey, Cool Job!, a podcast about jobs and Hey, Cool Life!, a micro-pod about mental health and creativity. Her writing has been featured in The Atlantic, The New York Times,and GQ. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Follow her on Twitter @ChoitotheWorld. 

Reviews for Permanent Record

[Aislan Hartgraves · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The book was a 3.5/5 for the story,but with this audio book forward the end, it just randomly misses whole sections. Also, the chapters are mushed together, so it’s hard to search around when you’re reading it with the book.

[Conejo lector · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What an amazing book! ? Her writting style is so unique

[Mary · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

She’s is a great writer: her ability with dialogue is uncanny. Plus her point of view is completely original—flippant, sincere, crass, spiritual.

[Megan Burks-Encinas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Definitely worth a listen. Recommend. Have a listen, would ya?

[Saimon Perez · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Archetypal teenage swoon story but make the MCs a little bit conceited and self-centered.

Mary H.K. Choir's sophomore novel introduced us to the world of Pablo Neruda Rind, a Korean-Pakistani teen who works at a deli grocery and has a 5-digt debt for his college and credit card expenses, and Carolina Suarez, aka Leanna Smart a famous popstar who is the face of fame and glory.

When the two unexpectedly meet at Pablo's workplace at 5AM and they feel a connection without knowing each other's background, they decided to stay connected and allow the other in their respective world but with reservations.

However, life is not perfect and so are theirs that's why Pab and Lee try to stay strong for each other against all odds but cracks still manage to surface. How will our MC manage their commitment when they come to reality that love, in general, is messy?

I like how the author tried to create another world similar to her well-liked debut but the MCs struggle in this one is too far-fetched or should I say, too firstworldly.

The incorporation of modern setting and the impact of social media in our daily life is a key element that made this interesting as it is relatable for everyone.

But in my own opinion, Pab's struggle with college and his debt is too self-focused and if he just acknowledged his towering pride and come to his parents in the first place, then the debt can be addressed and his study won't be interrupted. (I know Pab admitted this at the end but still...)

Also, Lee's life proved that you can't have everything in life. She may be famous and rich but happiness is too far-fetched in her circle.

Still, I enjoyed their secret dating but the storyline really is not relatable at all and I continued it to show what will happen with his own journey, his friends, and her career.

RATING: 3stars

[Michelle Dowzer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mary Choi is always a great read. I always enjoy her books, and this was the final one until she releases a new one. Unsure if I love this one or Emergency Contact more.