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Perfect You

by Elizabeth Scott (Goodreads Author)

3.73 of 5 stars 3.73 · rating details · 11,325 ratings · 676 reviews

Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast.

Her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend has become popular, and now she acts like Kate's invisible.

And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, whom Kate acts like she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him. When Will starts acting inter...more

Paperback, 282 pages

Published March 25th 2008 by Simon Pulse

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Young Adult Romance

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Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

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Apr 29, 2012 Morgan Renae rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, young-adult

I didn't like Perfect You that much. It was... okay. First of all, the relationship between Will and Kate seemed to be based just on kissing. Seriously, that's pretty much all Kate thought about when it came to Will. It seemed pretty shallow.

But, it was entertaining enough to keep me reading. Between Kate's school life, home life, and a not-so-friendship-y relationship with Anna (who I never liked), it kept me interested about what would come up next. And, I did like Will. But I hated how Kate a...more

16 likes · like · see review

May 11, 2013 Merna rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm not going to gather up the energy to do an actual review because I read this – truly, I can't remember when I picked this up. Anyhow, this book is one of the explanations on why I'm not a big fan of Contemporary YA romance books.

The basic story is:
The book revolves around Kate who works with her father selling Vitamins in the mall. Her best friend has become popular and ever since that occurred, she acts as if Kate is invisible. And...other cliché teen drama crap.

Okay, the novel does deal...more

7 likes · like · see review

Apr 16, 2009 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, reviewed-books

This is my first introduction to Elizabeth Scott, and to a young adult novel not considered a classic. (I went through the list of the first 200 most widely read YA novels, and discovered I have read at least 30.) So, the competition is pretty tough for a contemporary writer of YA novels.

I have to say that I did not find Kate, the main character, all that likeable. To me, she came across as a pretty shallow person. The irony in her refusal to accept the loss of her best friend, Anna, is that it...more

9 likes · like · see review

Jul 22, 2008 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Perfect You cemented, for me, the fact that Elizabeth Scott is without a doubt the next Sarah Dessen. In other words, a writer whose books CANNOT be missed because they are so utterly perfectly right. My first introduction to Elizabeth Scott came last May when I read and reviewed Bloom. If you haven't read it yet, you don't know what you're missing. Okay, that's not doing Scott much service. If you're a girl who loves realistic teen romance novels that make you grin from ear to ear then you shou...more

12 likes · like · see review

Oct 26, 2008 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, signed-books

Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast. Her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend has become popular, and now she acts like Kate's invisible.

And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, whom Kate acts like she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him. When Will starts acting interested, Kate hates herself for wanting him when she's sure she's just his latest conquest.

Kate figures that the only way thin...more

3 likes · like · see review

May 11, 2008 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

After finding his office destroyed (though there is never any explanation as to why it had been destroyed), Kate's father quits his job to follow his dream. And that dream is to sell Perfect You vitamins. At a stand in the middle of the mall. Could life get any worse?

For Kate, it can, and it does. Her best friend, Anna, will no longer speak to her. After spending the summer in Maine, Anna has come back gorgeous and is welcomed into the popular crowd. Anna...more Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

After finding his office destroyed (though there is never any explanation as to why it had been destroyed), Kate's father quits his job to follow his dream. And that dream is to sell Perfect You vitamins. At a stand in the middle of the mall. Could life get any worse?

For Kate, it can, and it does. Her best friend, Anna, will no longer speak to her. After spending the summer in Maine, Anna has come back gorgeous and is welcomed into the popular crowd. Anna snubs Kate in school, but in private strings her along, telling her that she knows Kate will always be there for her.

To add insult to injury, Kate learns that her mother has invited her grandmother to move in with them. Kate's grandmother has money, and Kate's family is now hurting financially due to her father's crazy dream.

And then there's Will. If everything else didn't already have Kate wound up, Will alone could've done that. Kate keeps pushing Will away before Will has the chance to mess with Kate's head.

During her sophomore year of high school, Kate has more than any 16-year-old should have to handle. PERFECT YOU is a story of one girl's struggle to fit in to a world that keeps changing. All Kate wants is the staid life she has come to know and expect. But no one else seems to realize that's the way it should be.

I have to admit that I was going to give this a 4 star rating. Kate was a bit annoying and constantly pushing people away. But the last fifty pages of the story changed my mind. Kate finally learned to stand up for herself and fight for what she wanted. Her grandmother and her brother finally made Kate realize that she was the one holding herself back.

If you are looking for a feel-good, easy teen novel, this is not the book for you. Ms. Scott writes a shockingly realistic look at how brutal life in high school can be. The story flows quickly and you do get caught up in the characters in the book. There are happy moments in the story, which I don't want to spoil, and you do want the best for Kate in the end. It takes Kate a while to come to terms with the changes in her life, but she does come out okay on the other side. (less)

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Dec 19, 2009 Emma rated it 5 of 5 stars

Perfect You was another perfect YA read for me. The story focused on the different relationships in Kate's life : with her parents who are in the middle of a huge crises, with her best friend Anna who after a total makeover just literally dumped her for the popular crowd, and with Will, a "nice young man" with the reputation of a Casanova.
Those relationships are complexe and thanks to Elizebeth Scott's talent, it only takes a few pages to get into Anna's life (into her head and her heart) and fe...more

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 21, 2010 kari rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, ya, 5-star

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 17, 2011 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good Golly! I think this is one of those books where you want to shake the main character to get her to open her eyes. Kate is m.i.s.e.r.a.b.l.e. It isn’t that she’s unpopular… that’s the least of her worries. One, her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall. Two, she has to work as his assistant. Three, her “nightmare” of a grandmother has moved in to help out. Last, her best friend has turned into a beauty and totally forgotten her. The only bright side is her love/hate relationsh...more Good Golly! I think this is one of those books where you want to shake the main character to get her to open her eyes. Kate is m.i.s.e.r.a.b.l.e. It isn’t that she’s unpopular… that’s the least of her worries. One, her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall. Two, she has to work as his assistant. Three, her “nightmare” of a grandmother has moved in to help out. Last, her best friend has turned into a beauty and totally forgotten her. The only bright side is her love/hate relationship with Will- her school’s hook up king. *more on him later*

I really did not like how self-involved they all were. And I do mean all of them! Her father was too wrapped up in his dream to notice their home life was crap. Her mother was too wrapped up in supporting her husband. Todd, was too wrapped up in being a man about town. Her grandmother was too wrapped up in appearances. Her best friend was too wrapped in being popular. And she was too wrapped up in being miserable.

Wait, am I making them out as hateful? Well they are! Or they were. Her blinders came off slowly, but with each realization, I would go, “Oh, thank gosh.. She’s thinking!” Once her blinders were off… once her mother’s blinders were off, I liked the changes that happened. Once they recognized the gem that her grandmother was (convenient, I know,) I felt relief.

“If they’re all so hateful, why bother?” one might ask. I could not help myself. The story is just that good. Even if the individuals were crappy, and even if the relationships were all screwed up, I liked how honest the story was. Honest. How? Well, there’s no denying that they were flawed, (except for Kate, the MC, it seemed. She just kept on denying till the very last moment when she couldn’t anymore) BUT there’s also no denying that they’ve got a good side too. Her father with his passion (blind as it was,) her mother with her loyalty, her brother with his humor, her grandmother with her willingness to assist (wanted or not.) And Kate with her (slow) discovery and acceptance of those flaws and merits.

But let me get down to the happy-happy side: Will. I really enjoyed him as a character, and then later, them as a couple. They start out a bit juvenile (think boy hair pulling to get the girl to pay attention,) all very love/hate. Deep down she liked him, but just couldn't face another rejection so she'd reject him at every opportunity. Until a very sudden twist of events, then she just couldn’t get enough of him and vice versa. Except, it didn’t stay that way, because like her grandmother said, Kate's used to being miserable. I love how their relationship developed and that the more she learned of him, the more she liked him. I didn’t like the yo-yo that was her emotion though.

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Mar 23, 2012 Zarina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The entire time while reading this book I just wanted to slap some sense into the characters , they were utterly frustrating!

Main character Kate was whiny, moody, unnecessarily mean to Will and blind to Anna's actions.

The dad was the most irresponsible and selfish character imaginable and I cannot believe that everyone kept sticking up for him opposed to the grandmother who was the only likeable and sensible one in the house (until Todd grew up). For all the mentions in the book of how much the...more

5 likes · like · see review

May 07, 2008 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was such a great book! Pick this one up. You won't be disappointed.

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 23, 2011 Danii rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Ronda

Recommended to Danii by: Jennifer Sternberg

First off id liked to say this is an awesome book i couldn't put it down and i just kept reading and reading and i finished it which was amazing im glad i picked this book because i loved it, it was such a good book, usally i do not like reading but im starting to love it which is pretty suprizing because i have a strong opinion and this book was so cute because the chemistry between Kate and will is so weird ackward and funny kate says she doesnt like him he hooks up with half the girls at ther...more First off id liked to say this is an awesome book i couldn't put it down and i just kept reading and reading and i finished it which was amazing im glad i picked this book because i loved it, it was such a good book, usally i do not like reading but im starting to love it which is pretty suprizing because i have a strong opinion and this book was so cute because the chemistry between Kate and will is so weird ackward and funny kate says she doesnt like him he hooks up with half the girls at there school and the truth is after she hangs out with him she devlops deep feelings for him and he devlops deep feeelings for her which i thought was good, and which i think is really mean that the people at her school make fun of her because he dad sells vitamans and i think that they should mind there own bussiness its not her fault its her dads and Anna well anna over the summer changed her image now shes popular and doesnt know kate exists and thats sad but then anna starts to come around and well she allways picks diane over kate and anna says kate youll allways be there and well there not friends now shes been dating will for 6 months this book was amazing with out a doubt i wanna read it again but i gotta pick a differnt boook but i loved this book. kate shes nice funny smart and suprizing opiniated and thats what i love about her she says whats on her mind and its funny i love it this book was so good i would reccomed this to every body i couldnt put it down because everytime i turned the page something differnt would happen and there was so much exitced stuff which i loved and i allways like a book where theres more and more and more exicting stuff happeniong thats what keeps me reading i loved this book and i would love to read it again i couldnt put it down thanks Mrs.Sternberg and Mr.collins for helping me choose this amazing book (: so far this was the best book i read all year i love it so much im looking foward to keep reading (: this book was amazing i cant stop i wannna reallly read it again hehe im exticted (:(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 16, 2010 Adi (Reading in the Windowseat) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-read-list, class-young-adult, genre-romance

If you want to laugh and cry, and appreciate how difficult life could be for others, not only for yourself, than this is the book you should read. And even though you wonder in amusement at the odd, terrifying and yet funny twists and turns of fate while reading the book, completely engrossed by the plot, at the end your thoughts seem to turn to your own way of living.

At least, mine did. When I finished the novel I stopped for a moment and re-evaluated my life. Is it really all that bad, or do I...more

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May 23, 2008 Nian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008

When things were perfect, Anna was still Kate's best friend, her parents were happily married, her brother was living at college, and her father had a real job. But then, things take a bad turn. Anna has suddenly transformed into a social butterfly and is no longer talking to her. Her father quits his job to sell Perfect You vitamins that nobody wants. Her Grandma is back in town due to financial crisis in the family. And finally, Kate has an incredible time kissing Will, whom she can’t stop ins...more When things were perfect, Anna was still Kate's best friend, her parents were happily married, her brother was living at college, and her father had a real job. But then, things take a bad turn. Anna has suddenly transformed into a social butterfly and is no longer talking to her. Her father quits his job to sell Perfect You vitamins that nobody wants. Her Grandma is back in town due to financial crisis in the family. And finally, Kate has an incredible time kissing Will, whom she can’t stop insulting and whom she's sure is using her.

My first Elizabeth Scott book, and well, I like it, but it needs quite some work before I can be satisfied with the novel. I mean, it's kind of unique. Nobody else's father sells Perfect You vitamins, and Kates father is an interesting portrayal of another type of fathers. Usually, you get the normal but overly obsessive and protective dad, but now, you have someone that kind of plays a bigger role in the story and his characteristics a bit different. You kind of have to hate him because of how childish he is that he gives up his family just to sell non-likable vitamins. It's not something you expect to happen in a book. I mean, 99% of the time, the parent realizes his/her mistake, grows up, learns a lesson, and becomes a better person. Here, you’re kind of blasted with a reality hit that not everyone realizes their mistakes or wants to change themselves. People are selfish, and it's a freaky thought, but it's true. This book has amazingly captured that essence of realness that's made me think a lot about fathers, mothers and family relationships.

Apart from that, you kind of get the other basic characters. There's always the best friend (Anna), the unattainable crush (Will), the annoying brother (Todd), and sometimes, the even more annoying-but-somehow-wise figure (the grandmother). Anna is the fat best friend with a newly improved self-esteem after a summer abroad. When school starts, she ignores Kate completely, and Kate is left wondering what she did that turned Anna away.

I really hated how Kate turns into someone else when she talks about Anna or talking to her. Those parts of the story completely revolted me. I could not get pass how Kate was so willing to overlook everything Anna had done (or hadn't done, in this case) every single time. As soon as Kate was ready to forget that Anna and her would never be real friends again, Anna suddenly makes an appearance, says a sweet word or two, and Kate's all for it again. Yes, I realize that's the author's point, trying to emphasize that to certain people, it doesn't take much for that glimmer of hope to appear and disappear again, but it's so pathetic having to read those bits over and over again. And really, each encounter sounds so much alike that I've wondered whether the author has copied and pasted, then changed a few key words and the setting around! She always tries to end the chapter, or the last paragraph, with some kind of insightful comment, but it's more repetitive and annoying than ever. I mean, after the first three times mentioning how they weren't friends because of this/that, or why Anna seemed to not like her anymore, it's pointless to remind the reader that again. Also pointless is how much Dad's forced smiling is repeated. Every time Kate mentions her father, she has to say that he was smiling that fake smile of his, getting wider and wider by the minute as he unsuccessfully tried to tell people he was happy, not pissed off. And I do mean every single time. I get that it's important! But I hate it when people tend to over-repeat things. I mean, at that point, the author's really trying to test my patience because I wouldn't be able to stand reading the rest of it.

But of course, I did finish it. But it was more for Will than for anyone else, because I simply didn't care about the main character, the father, and everyone else. (Although I kind of did like the Grandmother and the purple boots.) Will made the novel funnier with his wit and charm, and the most interesting parts were when Kate's own cleverness popped out while she bantered with Will. Even on paper, they have so much chemistry you'd think the book would be sizzling right now.
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Oct 04, 2008 Adriana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-friendship, ya-self-identity-family, ya-social-situations-family-relatio, ya-social-situations-family-divorce

This is the third Elizabeth Scott book that I read (Stealing Heaven and Living Dead Girl are the other two), and I have to say that she is really good at capturing the spirit of the main character on the page. I could sense how Kate felt. Her dad was not being a dad, her mom was going along with it because of her love for him, her best friend was frankly treating her like sh!t, and her slacker brother wasn't being much help. There are happy moments in there that really made me want to keep readi...more

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Mar 30, 2008 Suzanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult-fiction

I really enjoy Elizabeth Scott's books. The protagonists are very real and the average reader can relate to their plights. In Perfect You, Kate has lost her best friend, is humiliated by her dad, and is perenially confused by boys. What 16 year old didn't/doesn't go through that? And when her dad was walking around the mall with a carrot hat on, I couldn't help but remember the time my dad rode his bike to my lacrosse practice wearing spandex shorts with a padded butt and and aerodynamic helmet....more

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Nov 08, 2008 Annabella rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

1 like · like · see review

Jan 19, 2009 Lily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott is a teen novel examining the issue of identity in a teenager's life. At one point in the novel, the main character decides that it would be best if she kept to herself rather than continuing the outgoing lifestyle she had always been taught to lead.
This, I believe, is a common feeling among teenagers who lost something important to them like the protagonist of thie novel by Elizabeth Scott.
It is interesting to me, to think about the choice of keeping to oneself o...more

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May 15, 2013 Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have read other Elizabeth Scott books and liked them so I decided to give this one a try. This was not her best book I've read but it was still good. The main character in this book, Kate, had a best friend but then she ditched her for other people. That has happened to me and I'm sure a lot of other people, too. Also, Kate keeps things to herself and bottles them up. She gets to a point where she tries to stop caring about every thing and every one. I think lots of people are like that. They...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Beccah rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Super quick read: I finished the book in one sitting (about two and a half hours). It was standard YA fare. Honestly, I spent the entirety of the book trying to figure out whether or not I had read this exact book before, and I couldn't decide if it was because the book is so generic that it blurs into all the others I've read, or if it's because I actually had read it previously. I'm going to have to check my library record because it is killing me.

There were several good things about Perfect...more Super quick read: I finished the book in one sitting (about two and a half hours). It was standard YA fare. Honestly, I spent the entirety of the book trying to figure out whether or not I had read this exact book before, and I couldn't decide if it was because the book is so generic that it blurs into all the others I've read, or if it's because I actually had read it previously. I'm going to have to check my library record because it is killing me.

There were several good things about Perfect You: I found Will very charming and liked the way he and Kate got together (the back-and-forth they had where they were just hooking up and there were a lot of misunderstandings, great!); I felt that Kate's reactions to things were very genuine, even when she wasn't being "likable" she was acting how a real person would act in that situation; but mostly I found the way she handled the dissolution of her and Anna's friendship to be very, very honest and realistic. It was extremely relatable, and kind of hard to read at points because I found the author's portrayal of the situation to be so true. Even while I was mad at her for going back to Anna I was thinking, "I understand exactly where you are coming from."

Bad parts: the standard summary ending ugh; the way...the author wrote...Kate...thinking about...sex... girls think about sex and want to have sex and it's dumb for YA authors to shy away from writing girls who are interested in it, I'm not saying that all YA lead females need to be sex!!! obsessed!!! but some sex positivity would be cool for once; and the general attitude that other girls suck, are dumb, blah blah blah shallow boring not worth my time ugh GIRLLSSSSS. We don't need to bash other ladies! (I get that her attitude towards other girls was, in part, due to the fact that they weren't Anna BUT it felt unnecessary to me.)

Anyhow, I enjoyed the book well enough to finish, because I'm a sucker for a fun, light YA romance, but altogether it wasn't that memorable and fell to the same problems most books in this genre have. Do with that what you will. (less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Lupita Martinez rated it 4 of 5 stars

Plot:
Perfect You is about Kate, a sixteen year old high school girl who's world seems to be falling apart. It all began when her dad lost his job at a software company and had to start selling vitamins at the mall. Not only is Kate's family financially struggling, but she's never had their support either. Kate on the other hand, gives up her social life to help her dad out at work. Even if she has to deal with his embarassing bee hat to promote the vitamins, which are also called Perfect You. As...more
Plot:
Perfect You is about Kate, a sixteen year old high school girl who's world seems to be falling apart. It all began when her dad lost his job at a software company and had to start selling vitamins at the mall. Not only is Kate's family financially struggling, but she's never had their support either. Kate on the other hand, gives up her social life to help her dad out at work. Even if she has to deal with his embarassing bee hat to promote the vitamins, which are also called Perfect You. As if all the family problems weren't enough for Kate, she also loses her only friend. She has to deal with having no friends ever since her best friend Anna became skinny and popular and treats her like she's invisible. To top all this off, through out the book she deals with boy problems as well. Will, an irresistable, confident handsome boy which she thought she never had a chance with. He's the kind of boy who can get any girl he desires in a heart beat...which is why Kate believes he would never have eyes for a girl like her. However, Will might just change the way she thinks of herself and the world in general...I really enjoyed reading this book, because it's a great story about family, romance, friendship, love, life, and growing up. Anyone can relate to it and you won't want to put it down once you start to read it.

Kate: Kate's the main character in the story, and she finds her life being ruined by the "Perfect You" vitamins her dad's selling. She's a really stubborn girl at the beginning, but by the end of the book a special someone changes her view on many things including relationships.

Will: He's the popular cute guy everý girl would like to date. He constantly picks on Kate as his way of flirting. Through out the book his and Kate's relationship completely changes and they end up getting closer than they expcted.

Grandma: Kate's grandma plays a big role in the book, because she moves in with Kate's family once her dad loses the job. The grandma financially supports them, and she's really materialistic. I think she's my favorite character because she has this bubbly personality and ends up helping Kate a lot at the end. She's like me in a way, because she has purple boots and loves shopping!

Dad: Kate's dad is kind of the cause of why Kate's life is going downhill, since he's the one who started selling the vitamins. He's a hard working man, but I feel like Kate blames him for her life so they don't get along all so great.

Theme: I think the theme would be to appreciate what you have before it's gone. Kate's life wasn't perfect before her dad lost the job, but atleast her family was financially stable and she had friends. Now, however, she really doesn't have a social life and her family is strugling economically so she has to help them out a lot by working with her dad. She took what she had for granted and now that her life is not so great she realizes what she had.(less)

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Jan 09, 2013 Annikanguyen rated it 3 of 5 stars

The author's way of telling story was repetitive - she didn't alter, or try to alter, her way of giving hints about the characters' emotions. The theme was cliche, and so are the life lessons. But know what, I liked it. I like how her writing was simple and honest. It feels sincere. I like that she didn't force 10 million literary devices into her writing. I like the way she focuses on telling the story, how she makes it very true, very relateable. The characters are not anyhow likable (except W...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Jacqueline The Everyday Shopaholic rated it 2 of 5 stars

2 Stars

Let me summarize Perfect You for you real quick:

Kate whining
Kate whining some more
Kate meets Will (okay it starts to get good)
Kate complains and whines
Kate acts stupid towards Will and everyone else around her

That’s basically the book in a nut shell. I really didn’t like Perfect You and I should have stopped reading after the first 20 pages, but I actually thought the beginning was okay. I thought well, once I get pass the beginning, it should really pick up, BUT NO nothing happens.

I’m de...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Kat rated it 3 of 5 stars

Bueno, veamos. El padre de Kate renuncia a su trabajo
para empezar a vender en un centro comercial unas vitaminas
que nadie compra, y la hace trabajar con él, donde todos sus
compañeros la pueden ver.

Y también esta que 'su mejor amiga' Anna, la dejo de lado, solo
por que ahora es 'popular.'

Un caos total en la vida de Anna. Okay.
Y entonces este chico, Will Miller tierno, adorable, precioso, un amor, sexy, ~~HOYUELOS~~, mujeriego, ~~HOYUELOS~~.. bueno, él aparece, y como que se interesa en Kate.

Lo que trata...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Suad Shamma rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, favourites, 2011

This is one of those books that just make you go "awwwwww". This is my first Elizabeth Scott book, and I have to say, I approve. It is a young adult book, and I haven't read one of those in a while, so in all honesty, I didn't expect to like it so much. But I did!

Kate's a sixteen year old who has just had the worst year imaginable. Everything is going wrong, from her dad quitting his job to sell vitamins at a mall, to her bestfriend acting like she doesn't exist anymore, and to the only guy she'...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Xela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-read-again

After several long months of working through AP classes, I finally had enough time to pick up a book and read again. Like so many other books I've read, I'd seen this one sitting on the shelves, gathering a fair amount of dust among other paperbacks.
I picked it up and promptly devoured it when I got home. It was that good.
Most books in chick lit. follow the same path: the girl starts out with a crappy life or environment, and by the end of the book they've found a way to be happy. For Kate, it d...more After several long months of working through AP classes, I finally had enough time to pick up a book and read again. Like so many other books I've read, I'd seen this one sitting on the shelves, gathering a fair amount of dust among other paperbacks.
I picked it up and promptly devoured it when I got home. It was that good.
Most books in chick lit. follow the same path: the girl starts out with a crappy life or environment, and by the end of the book they've found a way to be happy. For Kate, it doesn't necessarily happen like this, or even in this order.
Perfect You started out the same as many other novels I've read: Girl is annoyed. Girl is upset. Girl wishes her life was better. But, unfortunately for Kate, it actually gets worse. Much worse.
From a somewhat deadbeat dad to losing her home, her best friend, and the last bit of mellow normalcy left in her life, Kate has it pretty bad. She feels desolate at times, and actually at one point cries herself silly in the corner of her room. On the floor.
I think this book touched me so deeply because I can relate to it. Almost all of it. I understand where Kate is coming from and her emotions parallel mine on several different levels. To be able to relate to a character for a change instead of rolling my eyes and closing the book is refreshing, to say the least.
My favorite character wasn't Kate or Will, though. It was, surprisingly enough, the Grandma. Despite her sharp, ugly attitude towards their poor living and morals, it turns out the Grandma is the one who understands their pain the most. By the end of the novel I appreciated her place in the house, and that she wasn't afraid to stand up and say what others were skirting around.
The most important part of this novel wasn't really the romance though. It wasn't really about Will. Yeah, he was a nice character to read about, but he wasn't the center of the story. The main message was what it's like to feel stable and have the floor fall in from underneath you. It was about dealing with the hardships that life throws at you, and how to pick up the pieces and go on. How to make yourself stronger, and to take action if you aren't happy with yourself. We are the change we wish to see in the world, after all.
Because Scott made Kate so relatable and real, it really made me happy to know that Kate could move on and become greater than what she went through. It made me feel that if she could do it, I could too.
Perfect You is definitely a book I will keep close as the years go by, and I think if anyone has spare time they should give it a chance. The end is worth it.(less)

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Aug 05, 2012 Tammy Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-reviews

Let me start off by saying that I really did enjoy this book. I couldn't put it down, couldn't wait to find out what happens next. While I had problems with Kate for most of the book, I really did care about her in the end.

Kate is a character I wanted to slap upside the head for most of the book and tell her to stop brooding, that she is her own problem. Yeah, she has a tough time of it. Her father quit his job so that he could sell Infomercial vitamins, which is bad enough, but he cashed in his...more Let me start off by saying that I really did enjoy this book. I couldn't put it down, couldn't wait to find out what happens next. While I had problems with Kate for most of the book, I really did care about her in the end.

Kate is a character I wanted to slap upside the head for most of the book and tell her to stop brooding, that she is her own problem. Yeah, she has a tough time of it. Her father quit his job so that he could sell Infomercial vitamins, which is bad enough, but he cashed in his retirement fund to get the business started. Business is not good and he is trying to do everything he can to boost business, which includes patrolling the mall in a giant bee costume. He goes into other stores in the mall to try to generate business which only results in him getting kicked out and banned from some of the other stores. He decides to have a party at their house and invite everyone he knows so he can try to sell them vitamins. Of course, some of these people are parents of students Kate goes to school with. She is forced to work in the kiosk with her dad and older brother who is out of college and basically sponging off their parents. He won't get a real job or contribute to the family any way other than assisting at the kiosk. Her mom just keeps trying to stay positive and supports her husband, but I am having a hard time understanding why she would. She is forced to get a second job just to make ends meet. When that isn't enough, she invites her mother to come stay with them in the hopes that her mother will lend them money until the vitamin business takes off and they can get back on their feet.

Kate's grandmother is insulting, belittling, and far too concerned with her appearance.
Her primary hobby is shopping. She also can't stand her son-in law. To top all that off, Kate has lost her best friend Anna. Anna was on the plump side, but went to visit her aunt over the summer and came home a much thinner girl. When she got back to school in the fall, she was suddenly popular and started dating one of the most popular boys in school. She stopped taking to Kate and ignores her whenever their paths cross. Then there is Will Miller.

Will is also one of the popular boys in school, but he has a reputation for being a player. For some reason, he seems to take delight in tormenting Kate. She holds a grudge against Will because he borrowed a pend from her Freshman year he never returned. He also insulted her after she had confessed that she thought he was cute by responding that she was not his type.

So, Kate has a lot going on, has a lot of anger issues, is depressed a lot of the time and can't stop lamenting the loss of her best friend she would give anything to be friends with again. I have to wonder why she would want to have her friend back when she dumped her for the popular crowd. Yeah, I wanted to smack her. She seems to think every one has a motive, won't let herself get close to anyone, is always on the defensive, always thinks the worst of people and doesn't believe anything anybody says.

She can't stand Will, but she also can't pretend she isn't attracted to him. So when she goes out the the dumpster one night at closing, she encounters Will, who is working at the sporting goods store, and after trading insults, they end up kissing. (Which always happened to me when I went to the dumpster when I worked in the mall.) It then becomes a routine for them. She wants to escape her father so she meets Will every chance she gets for a make-out session. She, of course, thinks the worst of him, thinks he's just playing around, that he doesn't care about her.

Then, after Kate helps her out when she dropped something, Anna seems to want to start up a friendship again with Kate. The problem is, Anna doesn't talk to her in school. She just ignores Kate. She will only talk to her or spend time with her when no one else is around. When Will tries to tell her she is being used by Anna, Kate always comes to Anna's defense. Seriously, she's like a walking door mat. And Will? She doesn't seem to treat him very well. She doesn't trust him and doesn't believe her could really like her. The have a fight at a party and then end up hooking up where they are discovered so now, of course, the entire student body is talking about it. So when he finally asks her out in the hallway at school she figures he is just asking her out to make himself look good and says no. She further tells him she doesn't want anything to do with her any more and dumps him before he can dump her.

As bad as her life seems, it's about to get a lot worse. (less)

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Apr 08, 2012 Alyssa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Perfect You was written by Elizabeth Scott, and is set in a small town .Kate Brown,the main character isn't popular and she doesn't have many friends. She is a quiet girl and has never had any problems within her family and her life has always been pretty normal. Not for long though! All at once Kate's father decides to quit his job and sell vitamins at a stand in the mall.And on top of that her best friend Annabelle (who's always been a little bit overweight) drops 100 pounds over the summer an...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Michelle Shih rated it 3 of 5 stars

Kate Brown is living a life gradually falling apart before her own eyes. How often can one say, "Vitamins had ruined my life"? This line starts the book, sparking my immediate curiousity. It then proceeds to say, "I know blaming vitamins for my horrible life sounds strange. Afterall, vitamins are supposed to keep people healthy. Also, they're inanimate objects. But thanks to them I was stuck in the Jackson Center Mall watching my father run around in a bee costume." With this paragraph, I alread...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Lucie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Impressions:
Brilliant, funny and touching, this book is a marvel! Elizabeth Scott makes her novel more real than real life. I had the impression of being in the high school hallway with Kate, to suffer the ridicule of Diana or to feel the embarrassed looks of passers-by trying to escape the clutches of Kate's father in the corridors of the mall. Her writing is incredible!

Beyond the descriptions of places, the author manages to accurately recount the intimate thoughts and questions that may aris...more Impressions:
Brilliant, funny and touching, this book is a marvel! Elizabeth Scott makes her novel more real than real life. I had the impression of being in the high school hallway with Kate, to suffer the ridicule of Diana or to feel the embarrassed looks of passers-by trying to escape the clutches of Kate's father in the corridors of the mall. Her writing is incredible!

Beyond the descriptions of places, the author manages to accurately recount the intimate thoughts and questions that may arise in the mind of a teenager. Who has never used teasing jokes to help the man of your heart to react or to notice you?
I enjoyed those moments of true emotions that plunged me in my own adolescence with teasing as a preamble to flirt with the person that I liked back then.

But I also appreciated the realistic creativity invented by the author to talk about Kate's dysfunctional family. The dreams of the father who selfishly pushes himself to forget those who are dear to him. The desire for a better future of the grandmother who pushes her daughter to open her eyes and make hard choices. Money problems that bring about change. The friendship and love that are sometimes not enough to keep people happy. The choices that have ricochet effect on all members of one family and the difficulty to accept those changes. Finally, the hopeful note: try to look at the bright side of life and accept it.

Funny in the aftershocks between Will and Kate. Sad to watch Anna's choices. To become popular, she let her personnality fade behind a superficial love and friendship. Poignant in the final scenes with many twists and hard turns. But with a lot of tenderness as with the brotherly relationship between Todd and Kate or the precious romantics moments between Will and Kate.

A great story well imagined to be told with great accuracy in emotion. Much realism also in the way of describing the end of a friendship. The delicate passage between adolescence and adulthood. A crossroads where two friends become aware that a page turns itself and the difficulty of definitively closed it. It was very well described by the author.

After reading "The Unwritten Rule", I decided to continue my discovery of the works of Elizabeth Scott. I loved the first novel and I was not disappointed by "Perfect You". The author success by leading me to embark on an nostalgic adventure that reminded me of my high school years. I remembered the feeling of uncertainties that emerge when facing the opposite sex. The difficulties encountered on the road of friendship. But with only one certainty: "When one door closes, another opens." like said by Miguel de Cervantes.
Happy reading!

Read more about this book directly on my blog: http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.co...

Lucie(less)

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About Elizabeth Scott

Hey there, I'm Elizabeth. I write young adult novels. I live just outside Washington DC with my husband and dog, and am unable to pass a bookstore without stopping and going inside.

All right, and I can't leave without buying at least one book.

Usually two. (Or more!)

My website and blog are at elizabethwrites.com, and I'm also on facebook and twitter.

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“Things end. People leave. And you know what? Life goes on. Besides, if bad things didn't happen, how would you be able to feel the good ones?” — 388 people liked it

“I didn't want it to be one good memory that led to a lot of bad ones. I wanted it to stay what it was, one amazing moment, something that was strong and sweet enough to stand on its own. Something I could remember without any pain.
- Kate” — 236 people liked it

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