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pucksandpaperbacks 's review for:
You Asked for Perfect
by Laura Silverman
Rating: 3.5/5
Trigger warning: stress, academic pressure & anxiety
Representation: Jewish, bisexual MC, Muslim side characters
This book is #ownvoices for Jewish representation.
This book was mediocre for me. I was torn between DNFing in the middle because I felt like this story needed more development. I also believe that I wasn't the target audience because I am a 25 year old in college and high school is behind me.
You Asked for Perfect follows Ariel in his senior year of high school as he tries to juggle his academics, extracurricular activities, volunteering at the local animal shelter, religion, family and friends. Ariel is the top of his class and eager to keep his title for Valedictorian and get into Harvard. Ariel is constantly stressed and anxious about his several AP classes and keeping up with playing violin for the orchestra at his school to get first chair. Ariel has a lot on his plate and struggles SO MUCH to try to get everything done for school and it starts to put a toll on him. I was never a student who wanted to be the best, I was an outcast, for sure. So, I couldn't relate to Ariel at all . I felt that he was super dramatic and just needed to chill out? His anxiety gave ME anxiety. But, I understand why Ariel's character was like this, he was pressured by everyone around him to be the best.
This book is pitched as a budding romance between two teen boys, one of which needs tutoring. So, basically a tutoring romance? But, I felt that the romance REALLY LACKED. I was super confused because it felt rushed, one day Ariel was flipping out and having an anxiety attack that he just leaves their first tutoring session being rude to Amir because he ONLY HAD A 97.5 IN CALCULUS AND THOUGHT BECAUSE HE BOMBED A TEST HE WOULD BE FAILING?? AND DIDN'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW HE WAS GETTING TUTORED??? WHAT?? CONFUSING. Then, about maybe 3 tutoring sessions in they are out to dinner and they go outside to the parking lot and have their first kiss?? There was no flirting or anything that I picked up on that seemed like they were both into each other. AND this is a short book, so this happened in the middle of the book! It was half way over. So, it took longer than it should've in my opinion.
Overall, I enjoyed this book for the diversity and having a bisexual male!! I thought the second half of the book was better than the first. I'm glad to have stuck through reading it all, but I didn't have much closure? I really needed an epilogue.
Trigger warning: stress, academic pressure & anxiety
Representation: Jewish, bisexual MC, Muslim side characters
This book is #ownvoices for Jewish representation.
This book was mediocre for me. I was torn between DNFing in the middle because I felt like this story needed more development. I also believe that I wasn't the target audience because I am a 25 year old in college and high school is behind me.
You Asked for Perfect follows Ariel in his senior year of high school as he tries to juggle his academics, extracurricular activities, volunteering at the local animal shelter, religion, family and friends. Ariel is the top of his class and eager to keep his title for Valedictorian and get into Harvard. Ariel is constantly stressed and anxious about his several AP classes and keeping up with playing violin for the orchestra at his school to get first chair. Ariel has a lot on his plate and struggles SO MUCH to try to get everything done for school and it starts to put a toll on him. I was never a student who wanted to be the best, I was an outcast, for sure. So, I couldn't relate to Ariel at all . I felt that he was super dramatic and just needed to chill out? His anxiety gave ME anxiety. But, I understand why Ariel's character was like this, he was pressured by everyone around him to be the best.
This book is pitched as a budding romance between two teen boys, one of which needs tutoring. So, basically a tutoring romance? But, I felt that the romance REALLY LACKED. I was super confused because it felt rushed, one day Ariel was flipping out and having an anxiety attack that he just leaves their first tutoring session being rude to Amir because he ONLY HAD A 97.5 IN CALCULUS AND THOUGHT BECAUSE HE BOMBED A TEST HE WOULD BE FAILING?? AND DIDN'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW HE WAS GETTING TUTORED??? WHAT?? CONFUSING. Then, about maybe 3 tutoring sessions in they are out to dinner and they go outside to the parking lot and have their first kiss?? There was no flirting or anything that I picked up on that seemed like they were both into each other. AND this is a short book, so this happened in the middle of the book! It was half way over. So, it took longer than it should've in my opinion.
Overall, I enjoyed this book for the diversity and having a bisexual male!! I thought the second half of the book was better than the first. I'm glad to have stuck through reading it all, but I didn't have much closure? I really needed an epilogue.