EMERGENCY CONTACT

by Mary H.K. Choi

Emergency Contact is one of the first books I’ve read that successfully integrates texting into the narrative in a way that actually furthers the story and is believable, not gimmicky. I remember watching the first season of House of Cardsand feeling that finally someone had figured out how to integrate texting on tv. I felt a similar relief and excitement with this book.

Set mostly in a college town, Emergency Contact follows two young adults who meet in a moment of crisis and form an unlikely friendship, almost entirely through text. Penny is a college freshman and incredibly anti-social. Sam has dropped out of school and is working in a coffee shop, trying to discover where his life went wrong. For both of them, their text exchange becomes the most important and truest friendship they have.

Plenty of drama unfolds with Sam’s ex-girlfriend and Penny’s mother, as well as the feelings Sam and Penny develop for each other. Each continues to mistake the other’s intentions and feelings, which causes a few near misses, but ultimately makes their relationship all the sweeter. (Lily)