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Pushing Perfect: A Suspenseful Young Adult Mystery About Perfection, Secrets, and Blackmail
A girl’s quest for perfection results in dangerous consequences in this smart, suspenseful YA novel by the author of Playlist for the Dead. Fans of We Were Liars and The Secret History will devour this layered, ensemble-cast novel in which “twists and turns abound” (SLJ). How far would you go to be perfect? Kara has the perfect life. At least, that’s what she wants everyone to believe. The truth is, she works hard to maintain that illusion. But when a moment of doubt leads Kara to do something risky—and illegal—someone sees. Before she knows it, she’s drawn into an unlikely group of classmates, all bound together by secrets of their own. Secrets that are being used against them. Soon Kara is forced to confront how far she’s willing to go to be perfect—and if that’s something she really wants to be. “Reminiscent of the novels of Joan Lowery Nixon and Lois Duncan, this mystery set in a modern-day well-to-do suburb in California will keep readers turning the pages.” — School Library Journal
“Full of well-developed, diverse supporting characters. For teens who enjoy mysteries in the form of timely, realistic fiction.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
“Readers will be kept guessing.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Full of well-developed, diverse supporting characters. For teens who enjoy mysteries in the form of timely, realistic fiction.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
“Readers will be kept guessing.” — Kirkus Reviews
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
September 27, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was a contemporary story about a girl blackmailed after buying drugs illegally.
I felt quite sorry for Kara in this story, she was so intent on being perfect that she stopped talking to her two best friends rather than tell them that she had a skin problem, and the panic attacks made things hard for her too. She could have made things a lot easier on herself if she had just been a little less vain though.
The storyline in this was about Kara buying a study aid called Novalert illegally to help her relax during her SATs. Unfortunately though someone took a photograph of the transaction, and then tried to blackmail her by threatening to expose what she had done. I have to say that I lost interest when the blackmail started though, and I struggled to stay focused for the rest of the book. I will say that I didn’t guess who the blackmailer was though.
The ending to this was pretty unbelievable for me. I just couldn’t quite believe that things with the blackmailer were solved as easily as they were.
6 out of 10
“Want me to erase these?
I’ll need a favor. Or two.”
This was a contemporary story about a girl blackmailed after buying drugs illegally.
I felt quite sorry for Kara in this story, she was so intent on being perfect that she stopped talking to her two best friends rather than tell them that she had a skin problem, and the panic attacks made things hard for her too. She could have made things a lot easier on herself if she had just been a little less vain though.
The storyline in this was about Kara buying a study aid called Novalert illegally to help her relax during her SATs. Unfortunately though someone took a photograph of the transaction, and then tried to blackmail her by threatening to expose what she had done. I have to say that I lost interest when the blackmail started though, and I struggled to stay focused for the rest of the book. I will say that I didn’t guess who the blackmailer was though.
The ending to this was pretty unbelievable for me. I just couldn’t quite believe that things with the blackmailer were solved as easily as they were.
6 out of 10
October 7, 2019
3.5 stars
For a suspensful mystery book, Pushing Perfect probably did not make the cut but as a contemporary YA that is quite unique and signifcant, this is actually good. The author surely knows how to write subjects that are out of the ordinary like she did with her debut novel, Playlist for the Dead although I liked this second book of hers a bit better.
This novel explores insecurities teenagers go through and how desperation could make them do something they would later regret. In this case, “Perfect Kara’s” secrets and insecurities pushed her to try something, a drug in particular to help her with her anxiety. However, this drug is also the very thing the “Blocked Sender” is using to blackmail her and as it turned out several other kids too to do his/her bidding.
Together with the other victims, Kara and the others do their best to figure out who the mystery person and although the reveal is a little anticlimactic, it could plausibly explain how drugs could circulate in schools. It’s not a far-fetched concept at all.
What I find good is that despite the bad situation Kara finds herself trapped in, she also learned to become more honest, more self-confident, earn good friends, gain back her old ones, be more open to her parents and even accept her flaws. It was like she had to go through this ordeal in order to learn to accept herself.
For a suspensful mystery book, Pushing Perfect probably did not make the cut but as a contemporary YA that is quite unique and signifcant, this is actually good. The author surely knows how to write subjects that are out of the ordinary like she did with her debut novel, Playlist for the Dead although I liked this second book of hers a bit better.
This novel explores insecurities teenagers go through and how desperation could make them do something they would later regret. In this case, “Perfect Kara’s” secrets and insecurities pushed her to try something, a drug in particular to help her with her anxiety. However, this drug is also the very thing the “Blocked Sender” is using to blackmail her and as it turned out several other kids too to do his/her bidding.
Together with the other victims, Kara and the others do their best to figure out who the mystery person and although the reveal is a little anticlimactic, it could plausibly explain how drugs could circulate in schools. It’s not a far-fetched concept at all.
What I find good is that despite the bad situation Kara finds herself trapped in, she also learned to become more honest, more self-confident, earn good friends, gain back her old ones, be more open to her parents and even accept her flaws. It was like she had to go through this ordeal in order to learn to accept herself.
June 21, 2017
*Thank you very much HarperCollins International for providing me an eARC in exchange of an honest book review.
The story started with this line:
This line, this specific line, really made me feel so excited to dive in this book. I immediately wanted to flip its pages and figure out what she was talking about. Because that was so intriguing, right? Well, it turned out that that was just all because of a zit. Yes. Kara Winter, the so-called “Perfect Kara” is now imperfect because of a zit. And that’s where everything started.
The story is written on Kara Winter’s point of view. Pushing Perfect is a story of different relationships such as friendship, parents-daughter relationship, student-teacher relationship and more, but most importantly, it is also a story which shows how trust and honesty are really important.
The story was all about friendship drama that suddenly turned into a quest for a mysterious blackmailer.
The very first chapter really got me so disappointed. The main character is a negative thinker plus the way she handle things is so bad. And not also Kara, but her so-called best friends from middle grade and parents are also the problem. Because of them, the story had turned into a tangle of misunderstandings which really made my head hurt.
Kara is definitely one of the most annoying main characters I’ve ever seen. Kara had a hard time dealing with all these pressures that her parents, her friends and her own self are giving her. Kara Winter definitely made me want to roll my eyes and face palm almost every freaking time. She is so insecure and all that matters to her is what people will say, given that her friends and schoolmates knows her for being the “Perfect Kara”. She worries too much, like too much. The only thing – I think – is good about her is she is so smart and a very good and obedient daughter.
It’s just a good thing that new characters arrived who I really liked. They aren’t as smart or as practical or as logical as Kara but at least they’re not limiting their selves and they aren’t as negative thinker as her.
What appeals to me in this story was the sudden touch of mystery. I loved that from a “middle grade besties separated on highschool” drama it turned out to be a mystery. It isn’t actually that hard to figure out but the journey they had will make you doubt if the puzzle was really that easy or not. The journey they took while figuring things out and putting the pieces together were actually the very source of entertainment in this book. I am actually glad that Pushing Perfect didn’t turned out to be like what I had truly expected because I really thought at the very start that I’ll not enjoy this given that I really don’t like most of the characters. If it wasn’t for the touch of mystery, I think the highest rating I could give for this book is 2 out of 5.
Aside from the mystery, I also liked the pacing. That was so smooth.
The end was a bit rushed and definitely not that satisfying but I can say that it’s already OKAY. Despite of the lack of details about the end of their quest, we still saw that Kara finally learned her lessons. And that’s what’s the most important. Kara learned. She learned a lot about trust and being honest, which I am really glad to happen, because if it did not, I don’t know what will I feel about this book anymore. So the ending is okay because of the lessons learned.
Overall, there’s nothing much to expect in this book except for the mystery side. The main character is too negative to the point that you’ll be just exhausted and irritated. Her negative thinking was just driven by her desire to maintain her image of "perfect Kara" at that's so annoying. Though there are still a lot of lessons learned in this book, which is definitely a great thing. And the mystery is a good thing Pushing Perfect has. Some clues will lead you to wrong conclusions so be ware.
The title really made sense because Kara was always pushed to be perfect by herself and by her parents without them noticing. Pushing Perfect is a story that will show that pushing for perfection isn’t good because there’s no thing such as perfect. All you have to do is to push yourself for the right direction.
All this pushing for perfection is damaging, you know.
The story started with this line:
During the summer between eighth and ninth grade, I turned into a monster.
This line, this specific line, really made me feel so excited to dive in this book. I immediately wanted to flip its pages and figure out what she was talking about. Because that was so intriguing, right? Well, it turned out that that was just all because of a zit. Yes. Kara Winter, the so-called “Perfect Kara” is now imperfect because of a zit. And that’s where everything started.
The story is written on Kara Winter’s point of view. Pushing Perfect is a story of different relationships such as friendship, parents-daughter relationship, student-teacher relationship and more, but most importantly, it is also a story which shows how trust and honesty are really important.
The story was all about friendship drama that suddenly turned into a quest for a mysterious blackmailer.
The very first chapter really got me so disappointed. The main character is a negative thinker plus the way she handle things is so bad. And not also Kara, but her so-called best friends from middle grade and parents are also the problem. Because of them, the story had turned into a tangle of misunderstandings which really made my head hurt.
I was just happy not to look like myself, now that looking like myself had become so scary.
Kara is definitely one of the most annoying main characters I’ve ever seen. Kara had a hard time dealing with all these pressures that her parents, her friends and her own self are giving her. Kara Winter definitely made me want to roll my eyes and face palm almost every freaking time. She is so insecure and all that matters to her is what people will say, given that her friends and schoolmates knows her for being the “Perfect Kara”. She worries too much, like too much. The only thing – I think – is good about her is she is so smart and a very good and obedient daughter.
“God, you’re more dramatic than I am,” Justin said. “You’re being ridiculous. Your life won’t be over. Your current plan might get disrupted a little, that’s all. A little disruption never killed anyone.”
It’s just a good thing that new characters arrived who I really liked. They aren’t as smart or as practical or as logical as Kara but at least they’re not limiting their selves and they aren’t as negative thinker as her.
What appeals to me in this story was the sudden touch of mystery. I loved that from a “middle grade besties separated on highschool” drama it turned out to be a mystery. It isn’t actually that hard to figure out but the journey they had will make you doubt if the puzzle was really that easy or not. The journey they took while figuring things out and putting the pieces together were actually the very source of entertainment in this book. I am actually glad that Pushing Perfect didn’t turned out to be like what I had truly expected because I really thought at the very start that I’ll not enjoy this given that I really don’t like most of the characters. If it wasn’t for the touch of mystery, I think the highest rating I could give for this book is 2 out of 5.
Aside from the mystery, I also liked the pacing. That was so smooth.
The end was a bit rushed and definitely not that satisfying but I can say that it’s already OKAY. Despite of the lack of details about the end of their quest, we still saw that Kara finally learned her lessons. And that’s what’s the most important. Kara learned. She learned a lot about trust and being honest, which I am really glad to happen, because if it did not, I don’t know what will I feel about this book anymore. So the ending is okay because of the lessons learned.
Overall, there’s nothing much to expect in this book except for the mystery side. The main character is too negative to the point that you’ll be just exhausted and irritated. Her negative thinking was just driven by her desire to maintain her image of "perfect Kara" at that's so annoying. Though there are still a lot of lessons learned in this book, which is definitely a great thing. And the mystery is a good thing Pushing Perfect has. Some clues will lead you to wrong conclusions so be ware.
The title really made sense because Kara was always pushed to be perfect by herself and by her parents without them noticing. Pushing Perfect is a story that will show that pushing for perfection isn’t good because there’s no thing such as perfect. All you have to do is to push yourself for the right direction.
December 16, 2016
3.5 stars
Kara has lived her life struggling to be perfect. That's why she always push herself to be one. One petty imperfection needs to be covered. Little misdemeanor needs to be hidden. Which is why she was pretty shocked that her desire to nail the SAT exam has gotten her something that "Perfect Kara" never really needed - trouble. And discovering that she isn't alone in this, she learned that secrets, trust and friendships don't really go well.
This was actually an interesting read. Kara wasn't really likeable but throughout the book, I've seen the improvements through the help of her awesome friends. Some more conflicts here and there, and she manage to pull things off. It was a mystery, but I went in blind and just read something about making a mistake swallowing a pill, and turning into monster, that I was sureprised learning what this is about. Only wanting to kill her panic attacks for one exam, she never knew that it would cause something big, but not really. The main character, Kara, tends to just be dramatic at times that I was really glad that this has a mystery part, where I happily diverted my attention. It was pretty meh, but it has its moments and I'm glad it worked out in the end.
Kara has lived her life struggling to be perfect. That's why she always push herself to be one. One petty imperfection needs to be covered. Little misdemeanor needs to be hidden. Which is why she was pretty shocked that her desire to nail the SAT exam has gotten her something that "Perfect Kara" never really needed - trouble. And discovering that she isn't alone in this, she learned that secrets, trust and friendships don't really go well.
This was actually an interesting read. Kara wasn't really likeable but throughout the book, I've seen the improvements through the help of her awesome friends. Some more conflicts here and there, and she manage to pull things off. It was a mystery, but I went in blind and just read something about making a mistake swallowing a pill, and turning into monster, that I was sureprised learning what this is about. Only wanting to kill her panic attacks for one exam, she never knew that it would cause something big, but not really. The main character, Kara, tends to just be dramatic at times that I was really glad that this has a mystery part, where I happily diverted my attention. It was pretty meh, but it has its moments and I'm glad it worked out in the end.
October 31, 2018
Note: I have read an ARC copy of the book, there may have been changes in the final and finish copy.
I'm still having a hard time believing that just happened. The ending, that is. Oh, specially that ENDING.
The ending was really unbelievable for me. It wasn't what I thought it'll be. Can't get my mind off it.
Overall, it was a light and profound read at the same time. It was compelling in its own way, fast-paced read it in one sitting.
September 16, 2016
Received an arc copy from my blogging partner JT. He received it at ALA Orlando 2016. Thanks.
I know, shocking. No favorite quote this time. There wasn't a single line from this book that actually sank into me.
This contained a lot of my favorite book scenarios. Blackmail, forbidden romance, intrigue and drugs, but this fell faster than a whore getting paid.
Kara is the perfect little angel, gets what she wants, has amazing supportive friends and her grades are outstanding. The only thing standing in her way of getting into a great college is panic attacks. When life gets the better of her, her panic starts to rise. She lies to her friends, hides her real self and does some very questionable things. And before it's too late, she loses the only friends she has ever had and starts sitting with the nerds.
Alex, a girl that grew up with Kara invites her to hang out and new friends are formed. They start hanging out more and partying. Kara fills Alex in on her panic attacks and the looming SAT that keeps eating away at her soul. Alex introduces her to the world of prescription drugs. Oooh Goody gumdrops! Novalert will help her focus and get her mind in a most serene place. This makes adderall and xanax look like childs play.
After taking her first taste, they arrive at a party and she lays eyes on the most breathtaking male. Raj is not only easy on the eyes, hes got an accent to boost.
Kara needs a few more pills to take her life altering test and Raj is just the man to see.
Karas life slowly spins out of control and blackmail is keeping her down. What she doesn't realize is how many other people are affected by this as well. And the worst is yet to come and haunt her.
Will little miss perfect be able to keep her little miss innocent reputation?
I really should have known better than to read this book. What clued me off was it being compared to We Were Liars and boy! Oh! boy! what a pile of dreadfulness that was.
This book really could have ended fifty pages before it actually did. And that ending was not even remotely believable. If they want us to believe that then I guess I'm having lunch with Big Foot and Tinkerbell tomorrow. Come on!!
What started off so promising, ended up being a million miles away. You should have stuck with addiction.
Xanny bars anyone?
I know, shocking. No favorite quote this time. There wasn't a single line from this book that actually sank into me.
This contained a lot of my favorite book scenarios. Blackmail, forbidden romance, intrigue and drugs, but this fell faster than a whore getting paid.
Kara is the perfect little angel, gets what she wants, has amazing supportive friends and her grades are outstanding. The only thing standing in her way of getting into a great college is panic attacks. When life gets the better of her, her panic starts to rise. She lies to her friends, hides her real self and does some very questionable things. And before it's too late, she loses the only friends she has ever had and starts sitting with the nerds.
Alex, a girl that grew up with Kara invites her to hang out and new friends are formed. They start hanging out more and partying. Kara fills Alex in on her panic attacks and the looming SAT that keeps eating away at her soul. Alex introduces her to the world of prescription drugs. Oooh Goody gumdrops! Novalert will help her focus and get her mind in a most serene place. This makes adderall and xanax look like childs play.
After taking her first taste, they arrive at a party and she lays eyes on the most breathtaking male. Raj is not only easy on the eyes, hes got an accent to boost.
Kara needs a few more pills to take her life altering test and Raj is just the man to see.
Karas life slowly spins out of control and blackmail is keeping her down. What she doesn't realize is how many other people are affected by this as well. And the worst is yet to come and haunt her.
Will little miss perfect be able to keep her little miss innocent reputation?
I really should have known better than to read this book. What clued me off was it being compared to We Were Liars and boy! Oh! boy! what a pile of dreadfulness that was.
This book really could have ended fifty pages before it actually did. And that ending was not even remotely believable. If they want us to believe that then I guess I'm having lunch with Big Foot and Tinkerbell tomorrow. Come on!!
What started off so promising, ended up being a million miles away. You should have stuck with addiction.
Xanny bars anyone?
January 31, 2019
When Kara experiences her first acne outbreak , she believes it is the beginning of her slide away from perfection. She slowly pushes away from her best friends and begins to worry about getting in to the best college. When she realizes she suffers from test anxiety, she seeks out a new way to ace the test. A new friend introduces her to a drug that will help her to concentrate. She soon begins to be blackmailed by someone who knows what she did. Kara worries that she will never be perfect again.
What I Loved:
I did understand Kara's motivation to be perfect. I think it is an experience that many teenagers face. They push themselves to do well in school and sports and to look perfect. I liked that this issue is addressed in this story, as it is often overlooked in young adult novels. I felt the story was very realistic and believable. I think Kara's insecurities and her relationships with her friends are pretty accurate for high school students. I also love the title. It could have double meaning. As in the person selling Kara the drugs is pushing her need for perfection but also Kara was pushing herself for perfection.
What Left Me Wanting More:
I would like to have some back story as to why Kara pushed herself so hard. I think the story hinted at the idea that her mother expected a lot from her but it was never fully explained.
I think that Kara's reaction to her acne was a little overboard. It seemed to be the main focus to the beginning of the book.
Although I connected with and somewhat understood Kara, I felt like something was missing from her character. She just seemed somewhat hollow and self absorbed.
My Final Verdict:
I do feel like 'Pushing Perfect' highlights an important topic. This story brings attention to the battle ground that is high school and how difficult it is. This is a great YA book and I think one that many teenagers will connect with.
Giveaway:
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May 23, 2016
A 3.5 actually, but I was feeling generous today so I will round up!!!
I liked this book because it's a light and a heavy read at the same time plus it speaks to me on an deep, emotional level (although I most certainly do not do drugs).
RTC later or tomorrow, I guess!
I liked this book because it's a light and a heavy read at the same time plus it speaks to me on an deep, emotional level (although I most certainly do not do drugs).
RTC later or tomorrow, I guess!
May 25, 2017
3.5 stars. I loved the second half and the resolution too! I liked the characters a lot, even with all the side characters.
Actually, now that I think about it, a lot of my opinion on the first half was influenced by the description. The back promises something very different than what the book is, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by the plot. From the back, I was expecting PLEASE change everything written on the back, it's not giving your book nearly enough credit.
I actually liked the ending. Okay, maybe it wasn't necessarily the most realistic, but it showed that everyone can have a second chance, which fit the message of the book perfectly.
In general though, this was pretty forgettable.
* I received a copy of this via my local bookstore. This does not impact my review in any way.
Actually, now that I think about it, a lot of my opinion on the first half was influenced by the description. The back promises something very different than what the book is, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by the plot. From the back, I was expecting PLEASE change everything written on the back, it's not giving your book nearly enough credit.
I actually liked the ending. Okay, maybe it wasn't necessarily the most realistic, but it showed that everyone can have a second chance, which fit the message of the book perfectly.
In general though, this was pretty forgettable.
* I received a copy of this via my local bookstore. This does not impact my review in any way.
September 28, 2016
Kara is determined to be the best she can be. It's never clear whether the pressure placed on her comes from her own ambitions, or those of her parents. However, she has extreme anxiety over spots in her forehead (the way it's described sounds disfiguring, but nobody seems to notice) and has panic attacks at the prospect of messing up her SATs.
When Kara becomes friends with Alex she ends up being offered a new drug to ease her anxiety. She keeps it quiet, and thinks all will work out okay. Only someone knows her secret and is determined to use it to their advantage.
What seemed like it was going to be a novel about teen pressure and living with a sense of needing to achieve, quickly became a mystery along the lines of Pretty Little Liars. Every time they think they know who's behind it, a new detail comes out. Odd. I thought this was going to be much better than it ended up.
Thanks to edelweiss for the advance copy.
When Kara becomes friends with Alex she ends up being offered a new drug to ease her anxiety. She keeps it quiet, and thinks all will work out okay. Only someone knows her secret and is determined to use it to their advantage.
What seemed like it was going to be a novel about teen pressure and living with a sense of needing to achieve, quickly became a mystery along the lines of Pretty Little Liars. Every time they think they know who's behind it, a new detail comes out. Odd. I thought this was going to be much better than it ended up.
Thanks to edelweiss for the advance copy.
October 25, 2022
pretty good, the ending definitely didn’t resolve everything and felt rushed. but other then that the book was amazing.
October 31, 2016
I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the author/publisher via Irish Banana Tours.
Pushing Perfect is about a girl with severe anxiety issues. The first thing that I have to say about this book before I go into the story or the characters is that much of the main character's inner workings can be very triggering to someone with these same issues. I personally deal with severe anxiety issues and while I appreciate the view of the main character, I also had a hard time getting through the book because of this. So, just to get my point across, I enjoyed this book even though it felt overwhelmingly personal. That being said, the anxiety issues only seem to take up the first part of the book. Once the mystery portion of the book kicks off, the main character's anxiety issues don't seem to be as intense. Since I know what anxiety feels like, this seemed highly unbelievable. Anxiety issues don't just disappear overnight, which is what it felt like happened for the main character, Kara. I do applaud the author on tackling such a serious and sometimes controversial issue. I loved the diversity, and I will always be a fan of diversity in books.
The plot of the book is fleshed out really well. There weren't any loopholes in the story, and everything flowed together fabulously. I am not usually the biggest fan of first person viewpoints, but it was very effective. Especially in terms of the main character's anxiety issues. I really loved the mystery/suspense parts of the story. It was orchestrated fabulously. I couldn't stop turning the pages to find out who the blackmailer was. I was so intrigued. I had some mixed feelings about the way the story ended after the identity of the blackmailer was brought to light. It felt unrealistic. I don't want to give anything away though, so I will leave it at that.
The characters were written very well. I felt very connected to the main character, Kara, and not just because I identify with her anxiety issues. She came across as very genuine and wholly realistic. Kara had a distinct narrative voice that pulled me in. I enjoyed all of the side characters as well. The chemistry was believable, and I enjoyed all the different relationships between the characters.
The romance in the book was in short supply. I would have loved to see Kara and Raj come together in the book a little sooner.
Overall, Falkoff tells a compelling story about self identity and self discovery that merges with a shocking mystery. This was a book that surprised me. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I would definitely recommend this book.
More reviews on my blog: The Alchemy of Ink
Pushing Perfect is about a girl with severe anxiety issues. The first thing that I have to say about this book before I go into the story or the characters is that much of the main character's inner workings can be very triggering to someone with these same issues. I personally deal with severe anxiety issues and while I appreciate the view of the main character, I also had a hard time getting through the book because of this. So, just to get my point across, I enjoyed this book even though it felt overwhelmingly personal. That being said, the anxiety issues only seem to take up the first part of the book. Once the mystery portion of the book kicks off, the main character's anxiety issues don't seem to be as intense. Since I know what anxiety feels like, this seemed highly unbelievable. Anxiety issues don't just disappear overnight, which is what it felt like happened for the main character, Kara. I do applaud the author on tackling such a serious and sometimes controversial issue. I loved the diversity, and I will always be a fan of diversity in books.
The plot of the book is fleshed out really well. There weren't any loopholes in the story, and everything flowed together fabulously. I am not usually the biggest fan of first person viewpoints, but it was very effective. Especially in terms of the main character's anxiety issues. I really loved the mystery/suspense parts of the story. It was orchestrated fabulously. I couldn't stop turning the pages to find out who the blackmailer was. I was so intrigued. I had some mixed feelings about the way the story ended after the identity of the blackmailer was brought to light. It felt unrealistic. I don't want to give anything away though, so I will leave it at that.
The characters were written very well. I felt very connected to the main character, Kara, and not just because I identify with her anxiety issues. She came across as very genuine and wholly realistic. Kara had a distinct narrative voice that pulled me in. I enjoyed all of the side characters as well. The chemistry was believable, and I enjoyed all the different relationships between the characters.
The romance in the book was in short supply. I would have loved to see Kara and Raj come together in the book a little sooner.
Overall, Falkoff tells a compelling story about self identity and self discovery that merges with a shocking mystery. This was a book that surprised me. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I would definitely recommend this book.
More reviews on my blog: The Alchemy of Ink
December 8, 2016
I dived into the book without knowing much about it. I had no clue in which direction the story would go and I also had no idea how easy and heavy at the same time this book would turn out to be.
I couldn't help but feel sorry for Kara, especially since I can relate to her in many ways. It's pretty quick clear to see how much pressure she puts on herself and how demanded she is to always be perfect. It reaches the point at which she stops talking to her friends because of her skin problem and ends up getting panic attacks.
What made me like the book in the beginning was definitely the anxiety and panic attack rep. I say that all the time but we need way more books that include anxiety and panic attacks. I already mentioned it but I also liked Kara a lot simply because I was able to relate to her and her wish to be perfect at everything she does. In my opinion a book is always better when you're able to relate to a character.
I've never read a book written by the author before so I didn't know what to expect from the writing and the way the story would eventually develop. I gotta admit, I ended up not enjoying the story as much anymore during the middle. The story just went into a direction I didn't like that much and it made the book less enjoyable, all of it reminded me a bit too much of Pretty Little Liars. But what has been great was definitely the writing, the book included a few pretty heavy topics but the author still managed to write it in such an easy way.
I can't say if I liked the others characters besides Kara. I couldn't really get myself to care about either of them, which isn't a really good thing in my opinion. I'd say Alex might be the only characters I ended up liking aswell.
I'd definitely recommend the book if you're interested in a book that includes anxiety, panic attacks, self struggling and self pressure. Because even though the whole black mailing story went a little bit out of hand in my opinion the few things I've mentioned were absolutely on point and worth the read.
I couldn't help but feel sorry for Kara, especially since I can relate to her in many ways. It's pretty quick clear to see how much pressure she puts on herself and how demanded she is to always be perfect. It reaches the point at which she stops talking to her friends because of her skin problem and ends up getting panic attacks.
What made me like the book in the beginning was definitely the anxiety and panic attack rep. I say that all the time but we need way more books that include anxiety and panic attacks. I already mentioned it but I also liked Kara a lot simply because I was able to relate to her and her wish to be perfect at everything she does. In my opinion a book is always better when you're able to relate to a character.
I've never read a book written by the author before so I didn't know what to expect from the writing and the way the story would eventually develop. I gotta admit, I ended up not enjoying the story as much anymore during the middle. The story just went into a direction I didn't like that much and it made the book less enjoyable, all of it reminded me a bit too much of Pretty Little Liars. But what has been great was definitely the writing, the book included a few pretty heavy topics but the author still managed to write it in such an easy way.
I can't say if I liked the others characters besides Kara. I couldn't really get myself to care about either of them, which isn't a really good thing in my opinion. I'd say Alex might be the only characters I ended up liking aswell.
I'd definitely recommend the book if you're interested in a book that includes anxiety, panic attacks, self struggling and self pressure. Because even though the whole black mailing story went a little bit out of hand in my opinion the few things I've mentioned were absolutely on point and worth the read.
July 21, 2017
I was mildly irritated by the end of this book but overall I did enjoy it. I didn't know much going into it but I expected the plot to focus more on the Novalert and drug themes, perfectionism, mental illness and consequences of destructive coping mechanisms with either a downward spiral into addiction or an uplifting (but hopefully realistic) recovery story. I didn't get that and I was disappointed, but for the most part, I did enjoy the first half of the book.
Of the three people I suspected (to be the Blocked Sender) throughout the book, I did guess fairly quickly... but I found the progression of the blackmail and also the ending quite unbelievable and perhaps too convenient in the sense that
I liked the portrayal of anxiety in this book and the fact it wasn't passed off as a quirk but instead a very real problem that isn't taken seriously in many cases despite the effects it can have on someone's social and emotional well-being. I could relate to the agonising over 'minor' skin complaints and the habit of avoiding friends rather than facing them or actively saying 'no' or 'I can't do X because of Y'. I like how it was relevant and not brushed aside, but also not the main focus of the book. I also liked that the romance wasn't a huge focus either.
Of the three people I suspected (to be the Blocked Sender) throughout the book, I did guess fairly quickly... but I found the progression of the blackmail and also the ending quite unbelievable and perhaps too convenient in the sense that
I liked the portrayal of anxiety in this book and the fact it wasn't passed off as a quirk but instead a very real problem that isn't taken seriously in many cases despite the effects it can have on someone's social and emotional well-being. I could relate to the agonising over 'minor' skin complaints and the habit of avoiding friends rather than facing them or actively saying 'no' or 'I can't do X because of Y'. I like how it was relevant and not brushed aside, but also not the main focus of the book. I also liked that the romance wasn't a huge focus either.
December 12, 2016
I wrote and posted this review a while ago, but Goodreads ate it. Fortunately, I'd already copied it to NetGalley, so I can easily retrieve it again.
Sadly, this was very much not for me.
The NetGalley blurb led me to believe this would be a fairly relatable story about an intelligent perfectionist who, after years of doing well at school, is cracking under the pressure of college applications and as a result makes some point life choices. I thought from there it might either go into a downward spiral about drug addiction and despair, or result in a happy inspirational story about her realising she didn't need a perfect GPA to be happy. Possibly both at once.
It ended up being neither relatable nor really about any of those things -- instead, it's a convoluted story of blackmail and conspiracy. It's a shame that it felt messy rather than complex: even the parts I saw coming felt somewhat contrived and the final reveal was done melodramatically. Moreover, the writing style didn't click with me, to the point where I couldn't connect to any of the characters. It's not like I don't have anything in common with Kara -- I'm an anxious person who has struggled with academic pressure, too. But she didn't feel real to me, so I didn't really connect on that gut level.
Reasons I found this book difficult to relate to/didn't like it:
- It's very American. While I've read a lot of American YA to the point where I understand their school system reasonably well, and while I've got enough imagination to empathise with characters whose lives aren't like mine, the fact that the tests the characters are stressing about are SATs and so on mean there's a certain disconnect, because those are meaningless to me. In fact, a lot of the college-based pressures were just very different to those you'd face in England. As the generically British character points out, there's a logical solution to a lot of this stress -- take a gap year!
- It's a bit too straight. This book does feature a gay character (well, two, because he has a boyfriend), and another character makes sure to clarify whether their friend is into girls or guys, so it gets points for not being entirely heteronormative. However, since the viewpoint character is a straight teenage girl of the "inexperienced YA protagonist" variety, we do have to witness her awkward swooning over a guy, which is just... dull.
- I don't have acne. Let me explain. Kara suffers from very severe acne that has destroyed her self-confidence and her previous love of swimming (chlorine makes it worse), taking with it her former friendships. This was an aspect of the book that, had I actually FELT anything for the characters, I might have liked. But my own inexperience with acne means I didn't know whether to feel sorry for Kara, or whether to give in to my real feeling, which was to tell her to get over it because if her friends were so shallow they'd run screaming from her face, she needed better friends. Basically, it FELT the whole time like she was overreacting, but I'm also aware that I've been blessed with relatively clear skin (just a few spots now and again), and maybe I'm being too harsh. I don't know. She literally believes her friends won't want to be seen in public with her because of a zit. Either they're terrible friends, or she's making a big deal out of nothing. Because I can't speak with any authority, I tried to squash my irritation, but it wouldn't die.
- The whole blackmail scenario reached a point where it felt over-the-top and contrived. Kara felt the need to work through everything logically, which should have helped me understand it better, but instead just made the whole thing seem more muddled. Actually, you know what it really reminded me of? My writing, when my characters are trying to think things through but I haven't finished plotting the next bit so it's all rather vague and contradictory and rambling. But the lack of emotion stopped this from feeling deliberate, like a representation of the character's feelings. In other words, Kara's voice felt less "confused scared teen" and more "first draft".
- While I understood Kara's family's reluctance to medicate her for anxiety because of a previous negative experience her dad had had, it bothered me that the only drugs in the book were those sold illegally, because I felt it contributed to the whole stigma against medicating mental illness. Plus, we never did see Kara getting help (therapy or something) which she probably did need.
This seems so harsh and I hate writing negative reviews, so let's focus on some positives.
Things I liked about this book:
+ Even though there's some romance, it's absolutely not the focus of the book, and the story focuses more on Kara gaining new friends and regaining some old ones.
+ None of these things involve her acne being magically cured, and she does take steps towards learning to accept herself by the end of the book.
+ Generically British guy is actually from an Indian family even if he grew up in England, so that makes him less of the straight white cliche that you would expect. (In my head, I kept reading him in a fake British accent like you might see in a US TV show and I don't know why. I'm literally British?? Maybe something about his phrasing reminded me of that -- he didn't jump out as English from his word choices but he didn't sound completely wrong either, which is something.)
+ Like I said, there were gay characters.
+ Also, the girl character who "mostly had guy friends" and found girls harder to befriend still had a feminine side, wasn't bitchy, and made an effort to befriend Kara because she wanted to, so she didn't fall into a lot of harmful tropes that she might have succumbed to.
This book wasn't what I expected, and maybe I shouldn't have been as disappointed as I was. I guess I was hoping for something that reflected my life, but mine has been bereft of conspiracies and blackmail so far. That said, it did feel pretty unpolished, with characters and writing that needed more editing to give it the depth and emotion that might have made all the difference. I think if I'd had feelings, I would have enjoyed the plot more -- as it was, I didn't particularly care about any of the characters.
Sadly, this was very much not for me.
The NetGalley blurb led me to believe this would be a fairly relatable story about an intelligent perfectionist who, after years of doing well at school, is cracking under the pressure of college applications and as a result makes some point life choices. I thought from there it might either go into a downward spiral about drug addiction and despair, or result in a happy inspirational story about her realising she didn't need a perfect GPA to be happy. Possibly both at once.
It ended up being neither relatable nor really about any of those things -- instead, it's a convoluted story of blackmail and conspiracy. It's a shame that it felt messy rather than complex: even the parts I saw coming felt somewhat contrived and the final reveal was done melodramatically. Moreover, the writing style didn't click with me, to the point where I couldn't connect to any of the characters. It's not like I don't have anything in common with Kara -- I'm an anxious person who has struggled with academic pressure, too. But she didn't feel real to me, so I didn't really connect on that gut level.
Reasons I found this book difficult to relate to/didn't like it:
- It's very American. While I've read a lot of American YA to the point where I understand their school system reasonably well, and while I've got enough imagination to empathise with characters whose lives aren't like mine, the fact that the tests the characters are stressing about are SATs and so on mean there's a certain disconnect, because those are meaningless to me. In fact, a lot of the college-based pressures were just very different to those you'd face in England. As the generically British character points out, there's a logical solution to a lot of this stress -- take a gap year!
- It's a bit too straight. This book does feature a gay character (well, two, because he has a boyfriend), and another character makes sure to clarify whether their friend is into girls or guys, so it gets points for not being entirely heteronormative. However, since the viewpoint character is a straight teenage girl of the "inexperienced YA protagonist" variety, we do have to witness her awkward swooning over a guy, which is just... dull.
- I don't have acne. Let me explain. Kara suffers from very severe acne that has destroyed her self-confidence and her previous love of swimming (chlorine makes it worse), taking with it her former friendships. This was an aspect of the book that, had I actually FELT anything for the characters, I might have liked. But my own inexperience with acne means I didn't know whether to feel sorry for Kara, or whether to give in to my real feeling, which was to tell her to get over it because if her friends were so shallow they'd run screaming from her face, she needed better friends. Basically, it FELT the whole time like she was overreacting, but I'm also aware that I've been blessed with relatively clear skin (just a few spots now and again), and maybe I'm being too harsh. I don't know. She literally believes her friends won't want to be seen in public with her because of a zit. Either they're terrible friends, or she's making a big deal out of nothing. Because I can't speak with any authority, I tried to squash my irritation, but it wouldn't die.
- The whole blackmail scenario reached a point where it felt over-the-top and contrived. Kara felt the need to work through everything logically, which should have helped me understand it better, but instead just made the whole thing seem more muddled. Actually, you know what it really reminded me of? My writing, when my characters are trying to think things through but I haven't finished plotting the next bit so it's all rather vague and contradictory and rambling. But the lack of emotion stopped this from feeling deliberate, like a representation of the character's feelings. In other words, Kara's voice felt less "confused scared teen" and more "first draft".
- While I understood Kara's family's reluctance to medicate her for anxiety because of a previous negative experience her dad had had, it bothered me that the only drugs in the book were those sold illegally, because I felt it contributed to the whole stigma against medicating mental illness. Plus, we never did see Kara getting help (therapy or something) which she probably did need.
This seems so harsh and I hate writing negative reviews, so let's focus on some positives.
Things I liked about this book:
+ Even though there's some romance, it's absolutely not the focus of the book, and the story focuses more on Kara gaining new friends and regaining some old ones.
+ None of these things involve her acne being magically cured, and she does take steps towards learning to accept herself by the end of the book.
+ Generically British guy is actually from an Indian family even if he grew up in England, so that makes him less of the straight white cliche that you would expect. (In my head, I kept reading him in a fake British accent like you might see in a US TV show and I don't know why. I'm literally British?? Maybe something about his phrasing reminded me of that -- he didn't jump out as English from his word choices but he didn't sound completely wrong either, which is something.)
+ Like I said, there were gay characters.
+ Also, the girl character who "mostly had guy friends" and found girls harder to befriend still had a feminine side, wasn't bitchy, and made an effort to befriend Kara because she wanted to, so she didn't fall into a lot of harmful tropes that she might have succumbed to.
This book wasn't what I expected, and maybe I shouldn't have been as disappointed as I was. I guess I was hoping for something that reflected my life, but mine has been bereft of conspiracies and blackmail so far. That said, it did feel pretty unpolished, with characters and writing that needed more editing to give it the depth and emotion that might have made all the difference. I think if I'd had feelings, I would have enjoyed the plot more -- as it was, I didn't particularly care about any of the characters.
June 23, 2018
Pushing Perfect was a book focused on relationships and a mystery. While I enjoyed this book, I expected a little more. The main character annoyed me throughout the book and though she got better at the end, I had trouble relating to her. The only redeeming quality of the main character was her relationships with the other, more likable characters. The mystery was interesting, but I felt that it ended sudddenly and was left partly unresolved. I liked this book, but I felt that it had the potential to be better.
June 23, 2018
I definitely think this book had some untapped potential. It set up some interesting debates and topics - there was some interesting stuff about body image through the lens of skin trouble/extreme acne, female friendships evolving with age, parental pressure & panic attacks.
I did enjoy reading this book, and the reveal of the blackmailer was definitely unexpected, but it kind of felt pretty underwhelming from then on. I liked the romance that was set up, and how subtle it was throughout, but I probably could've dealt with like 50% more of their cute lil flirtation together, realistically.
I did enjoy reading this book, and the reveal of the blackmailer was definitely unexpected, but it kind of felt pretty underwhelming from then on. I liked the romance that was set up, and how subtle it was throughout, but I probably could've dealt with like 50% more of their cute lil flirtation together, realistically.
June 1, 2023
The story takes time to build up. It doesn’t kick off to be directly interesting. I’ve been avoiding this book for a really long time cause I just couldn’t get past the first few pages. However, after reading through- the plot does build up highlighting teen insecurities, friendships, feuds and the academic stress faced by students.
I feel like the plot was not very strong in itself but the mystery/investigation angle is what really held the book together. The ending of the book was unsurprisingly weak, nonetheless, it provided if any, closure to the main characters concerns and insecurities.
I feel like the plot was not very strong in itself but the mystery/investigation angle is what really held the book together. The ending of the book was unsurprisingly weak, nonetheless, it provided if any, closure to the main characters concerns and insecurities.
May 2, 2017
This book was kind of all over the place? At first I thought one thing was the plot, but them that was only the set up to the actual plot to start happenning and the actual plot was bananas. I think it would have succeed more if it focused on the MC struggles to open up and maintain healthy friendships, possible also deal with a substance abuse and have a cute side romance. Instead the book chooses to focus on a blackmail plot, that takes over almost any substancial and meaningful message the story could have passed, and honestly it wasn't all that hard to guess what was happenning so it was boring that all these people didn't guessed sooner.
December 30, 2017
~riverdale vibes~
October 6, 2021
This book was so much more than I was expecting. Really well written and beautifully executed.
January 9, 2022
This gets a star for being readable which I guess made it a decent distraction. If it wasn’t for a monstrously inappropriate teacher/student relationship made to sound normal and okay I might have given this 3 stars but honestly it’s poorly written and gross :)
July 22, 2022
Not s good book at all, very boring
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June 7, 2023This book played out a totally different story then i thought it would but it was great.
May 19, 2024
I honestly really liked this book, it was a really easy read, and I really liked the plot. I just wish there was more romance with Raj and Kara
November 5, 2017
I enjoyed this book as I thought it was quite well written and it had a good story line. I would recommend this book for teenagers aged 13+.
February 14, 2019
Perfect Kara doesn’t realize what she gotten herself into, when she makes a bad decision trying to fix her anxiety that revolves around the sat. Kara has always been the top of her class, and has always been pushed to get amazing grades. She aced every test, won awards, was part of a brain trust, and excepted fo attend an Ivy League school. All of this is endanger when she gets involved with the wrong people, and makes a decision that could change her future.
This book was very good, and similar to ones that I read often. Throughout the book a sense of foreshadowing and suspense was constantly there, but when it all starts to come together you are still waiting to find out what happened. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense, or can relate to the story of a person who is under so much pressure that eventually cracks. I really enjoyed this book, and it allowed me to see high school from another persons point of view.
This book was very good, and similar to ones that I read often. Throughout the book a sense of foreshadowing and suspense was constantly there, but when it all starts to come together you are still waiting to find out what happened. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense, or can relate to the story of a person who is under so much pressure that eventually cracks. I really enjoyed this book, and it allowed me to see high school from another persons point of view.
February 5, 2018
3.5 stars
April 8, 2022
what the hell 3.5 ⭐️ or 4 ??
March 25, 2019
Not the story I expected basing from the cover. And I loved it.
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