Emergency Contact: 6 reasons this is one of the best young adult releases of 2018

2. The writing is quirky, comical and authentic.

Mary H.K. Choi is a master when it comes to capturing the eccentricities of human beings and their every day experiences. Be prepared to have a lot of “I’m not the only person who does that?” moments while reading Emergency Contact. Every bizarre interaction or thought process is spot on. Because let’s be honest: We’re all a little awkward, just like Penny and Sam.

Despite being more sophisticated than many other young adult works out there, the writing of Emergency Contact flows easily. You’ll find yourself reading 100 pages in one sitting, wondering where the time possibly could have gone. Even the hard topics the book addresses feel lighter simply due to the writing style. Whatever magic Choi infuses into the pages, it pulls readers in and barely allows them to climb back out.

The novel goes beyond being merely well-written, though. It’s an observant and honest examination of relationships and the ways they affect us. And while most novels focus on the major points of these relationships, Emergency Contact takes the time to examine the small, daily communications we have with others. It takes the quirks and awkward moments that define getting to know someone and lays them bare.

And because Emergency Contact does this, it feels authentic. It doesn’t read like some distant story about characters that don’t exist. Instead, it feels like taking apart your own daily occurrences — just through someone else’s eyes.