THREE REVIEWS ONE POST: emergency contact, you asked for perfect and P.s i still (no i don’t) love you.

At first, i was frightened by the direction of this month because… i was hating the books i was reading.

but luckily that turned around.

some scene-setting: It started off nicely, with a reread of I Wish You All The Best, and, ironically, it did not go well from there. Summer Bird Blue (review here) did not live up to my expectations, and quite frankly, i was counting down the pages until i was done. then Lara-jean graced me with her presence and i nearly called it quits for the month after that disaster. But then came Emergency Contact…. ahh… finally… a book i LIKE.

Let’s start with the disaster of the month:

P.S I STILL LOVE YOU

this is gonna be really short

So i had high hopes for this book, because the movie was okay, and i really hoped to see some character development and maturity from the first book.

I didn’t. and that was my main issue with it. I ended up DNF’ing this book because the problems that arose as “plot” in what i did read were mainly caused by Lara-jean’s immaturity and her lack of ability to have a conversation with her boyfriend.

there was also a worrying sexist message within the first seventy pages that really disappointed me and was the absolute final straw. so no, things were not looking good for this month at all after attempting to read this book.

EMERGENCY CONTACT.

SO MUCH LOVE FOR THIS BOOK.

This is definitely a slow-paced book to start, and extremely character-led. I just??? loved everything about it. The anxiety rep was SO GOOD. Not to mention I’m half in love with Sam myself and by the end I just wanted to hold this book forever and give it all the love it needs/deserves. I was rooting for them sm!!!! my heart just collapsed. it was so easy to read this book and FLY through it because they got along so well. it made me so happy to read!!

They both narrate but I liked Sam’s chapters a more I felt like Penny’s kind of overwhelmed Sam’s chapters a bit??? he’s 10/10 a soft boy™ and he bakes (HE BAKES!!! HE’S PERFECT). Penny’s Korean-American and FED-UP with racism there’s one scene right near the start where she completely owns someone bc they said smth racist to hurt her and she was all ‘that’s Japanese culture, we’re Korean’). They meet because of a mutual person (who’s a little pushy but turns out to be good), but then Sam basically has a panic attack because of all the THINGS happening???? AND FAINTS??? and Penny rescues him like the SAVIOUR she is and they become “emergency contacts” i.e secret exting bffs.

the diversity!!!
1) #ownvoices Korean-American representation + convos in Penny’s class about writing diversity that was just…amazing!!! 2) the anxiety rep (they both struggle with it)(It also was about being poor, body-acceptance, and some deep stuff that i had no idea was coming!!)

it’s basically about two people who are very alone learning that you don’t have to be. it’s okay to lean on your friends when you need them, rather than pushing them away. It is full of everyday life and feelings and the gentlest romance. it was so adorable, my heart melted. this author made me care about Sam and Penny, and their relationship.

YOU ASKED FOR PERFECT

Thank you, goodreads, for finally recommending me a book that is actually something that i want to read. i don’t know about you, but i really don’t use Goodreads that much??? i don’t find a lot of books on there that actually sound like something i’d read????

but this. This.

THIS BOOK WILL STRESS YOU OUT LIKE NO OTHER. FORGET TRILLERS, AND PSYCHO KILLERS.

I had to remind myself so many times that No, I’m Not Reallly In The Situation Too, A Levels Are Over. This boy just needed a nap and the American school system was just screaming ‘NO!!!’ at him. I felt so much stress from his pushy teachers and the pressure he was under all the time, not just from teaches but also from FRIENDS.

I was actually lowkey annoyed at his best friend because she was so pushy towards her bandmate and Ariel (the mc) even though she was under pressure herself. tho, while everyone else was stressed out, they weren’t being pushy with others like she was and i just wanted to shake her and make her aware of everyone else bc clearly she was oblivious to everyone but herself. BUT SHE REALISED AND IT WAS FINE IN THE END.

the rep! THE. REP.
I always adore books with diversity, but this book just took it to another level. the main character is Jewish and I loved how much detail there actually was. there was sm culture and GOD I WISH EVERY BOOK WAS LIKE THIS! The ship is m/m (Ariel is bi) and he’s also Jewish. Amir (who is gay i think) and his family are Muslim, + the mc’s best friend is fat and queer and asian, and there are other POC characters!

IT WAS ALSO SHORT AND SWEET AND PERFECT *hearteyes*

have you read these books? what did you think of them? are they on your tbr? what are some of the books that you want to read soon?

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