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Almost Perfect

by Brian Katcher (Goodreads Author)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 2,718 ratings · 417 reviews

You only hurt the ones you love.

Logan Witherspoon recently discovered that his girlfriend of three years cheated on him. But things start to look up when a new student breezes through the halls of his small-town high school. Sage Hendricks befriends Logan at a time when he no longer trusts or believes in people. Sage has been homeschooled for a number of years and her pare...more

Hardcover, 368 pages

Published October 13th 2009 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (first published October 5th 2009)

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Sep 05, 2010 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was... Almost Perfect. (pun intended) It took me a while to get into this book. I actually almost stopped reading it. Logan just wasn't an appealing character... he was sort of boring actually and I struggled with the novel as a result. However, I can admit by the end of the novel Logan really grew on me, and the authenticity of his voice came shining though.

The writing was, well... I felt like someone decided to throw a few SAT words in there just for fun. I hate when people use 'big'...more

15 likes · like · see review

Apr 13, 2012 Tom rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: literary-genre-fiction, fiction, ya-general, books-kelly-told-me-to-read, best-books-of-the-year

Most of us, I suspect, have "met somebody" who would be just perfect, except...

I look back on some of my "almost perfects," and I cringe at what a douchebag I was.

Logan has just broken up with Brenda, and he's not optimistic about his prospects. He's a senior in a tiny high school (50 seniors). I went to a similar school: my class was 44, and it was hard to date girls I'd known since age nine.

One day, Sage walks into biology homeroom. Sage is tall, quirky, has a great laugh, and most of all, is...more

6 likes · like · see review

Oct 28, 2011 John Egbert rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Jesus. I'm serious, he'd get a kick out of this one.

Recommended to John by: Cory

Shelves: annoyed-after-reading, could-have-been-so-much-better, no-just-no, oh-mah-god, why-did-i-read-this, wtf-is-this, wtf-dude, finally-a-good-book

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So a few months ago I wrote an Almost Perfect review. It was really long, really confusing and the worst part: really, really fucking boring. So after careful consideration I've decided to re-write it. So let's get this party started!

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First -- Logan.

Logan is our narrator. Logan is a jock.

Logan is also a fucking prick.

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In fact, if it wasn't for Logan I may have given this book four stars. If you had been watching my Goodreads ratings a few months ago you would see that I did, at least for a little...more

42 likes · like · see review

Apr 20, 2011 Ines rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: re-read-material, saddening, beautiful-cover, quotable, grief, high-school, glbt, young-adult, romance, provocative-endings, depression, abuse

...talk about (view spoiler). You know the ones that make you want to (view spoiler) Yep, that kind of (view spoiler)

Okay, on to the review.
I really enjoyed this novel. It gave me great perspective on the world on trans-people. I had never read a book that touches on this subject before, so I don't have much to compare it to, but it hit th...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Beth G. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, library-books, fiction, glbt, books-for-teens, author-male

Edit (12/7/11): I've given this a second read (this time in audiobook format), and I liked it more the second time around.

Original Review:

I knew I shouldn't stare, but I couldn't look away. Girls this strange didn't exist in Boyer. They lived in Columbia or Kansas City or places like that.

High school senior Logan Witherspoon has known all of his classmates since kindergarten. In a town the size of Boyer, MO, everyone knows everyone. So, it's a surprise when a new girl, Sage, joins his biology cl...more

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Apr 01, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who's willing to leave prejudices and judgments at the door

Shelves: glbt-spotlight, 2011-reads, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, glad-i-gave-it-a-chance, exceeded-my-expectations, wowed-me, left-me-feeling-drained, left-me-feeling-conflicted, realistic-fiction, writing-to-which-i-aspire, best-characters, made-me-cry, soared-above-and-beyond, ultimate-favorites, heroes-i-love-and-respect, heroines-i-love-and-or-admire, realistic-teenage-voices, amazing-storytelling, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, went-out-of-my-box-to-read, reviewed

We draw the line. Maybe we even believe it. That's why it's so hard when we break that promise we make to ourselves.

Sage Hendricks was my line.

Narrated by high school senior Logan Witherspoon, Brian Katcher's sophomore novel Almost Perfect is not an easy book to describe. Yes, you can read a blurb about how its plot deals with transgender issues and sexual identity, but I can't put it so simply or designate it to some box on the book spectrum. You can only truly know a book once you have read it...more We draw the line. Maybe we even believe it. That's why it's so hard when we break that promise we make to ourselves.

Sage Hendricks was my line.

Narrated by high school senior Logan Witherspoon, Brian Katcher's sophomore novel Almost Perfect is not an easy book to describe. Yes, you can read a blurb about how its plot deals with transgender issues and sexual identity, but I can't put it so simply or designate it to some box on the book spectrum. You can only truly know a book once you have read it and lived it through the characters and their experiences -- and, wow, did I live this book. I thought I had despairingly sighed a lot while reading Melina Marchetta's The Piper's Son earlier in the week, but this book kept pulling the sighs from me almost every chapter!

But I loved it. I really did love it even though, upon finishing it, I had to just sit there a moment and ache. It was quite a bit like heartache, actually.

Maybe you are a bit interested now, and you're reading over the blurb and thinking, "Yeah, I definitely would not read a book like this on my own." And I say, "Why not? It's not offensive, it's not derogatory, it's not explicit. It's a learning experience more than anything."

This book is about more than just transsexuality. This is a story about a boy and a girl. This is a story about prejudices and preconceptions. This is a story about real life and hard choices.

What makes this novel shine are the two main characters, Logan and Sage. Sometimes I read books where the characters feel distant or unrealistic or just plain idiotic -- but here I found two characters that I ended up loving even despite their flaws and choices throughout the novel. Brian Katcher is simply amazing with the way he handles the friendship between Logan and Sage and the precarious attraction that ebbs and flows between them. Honestly, I could never once say that the progression of the relationship between Logan and Sage wasn't realistic, resounding perfectly during both the high moments and the low. Even though Logan screws up time after time with Sage, I could never deny that he really was a nice guy who was just too overwhelmed and burdened by the thought of what other people would think. Given the circumstances, he was definitely portrayed realistically as a teenage boy (though I would perhaps say that seven out of ten boys would likely react worse than Logan did).

But, truth be told, this is much more Sage's story than Logan's (though I should probably say the book is their journey). The story would not exist and would not move forward if not for her. Sage draws all the lines of the story together and forces Logan to face himself and change. Sage opens up Logan's world -- and, even though Logan kicks and screams all the while as Sage drags him into this new world, the eventual outcome leaves them both forever changed. As a reader, I too was changed, and I was given much to ponder and contemplate, both as a writer who hopes to handle GLBT issues in her own works and a human being who wants to be as understanding and open-minded as she possibly can be. There are many Sages in the world, but many of them don't have their own Logans, people trying and willing to understand them, but they have their villains, their judges, and their critics. And what a shame that is. Everyone deserves a chance at happiness, at love, and it's wrong to deny anyone those freedoms.

I want to say that Almost Perfect is the perfect book for anyone -- but I know I don't live in that kind of world. At least not yet. To those of you who do not mind reading a story about a girl who is not really a girl and the boy who comes to love her, then I want you to read this. To the rest of you -- I wish you would think about giving this novel a try. It is worth every page, and the world needs a little more understanding, even if it first has to come through fiction before it can be faced head-on in reality.(less)

19 likes · like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, trt-gold-star-award-winner

Reviewed by McKenzie Tritt for TeensReadToo.com

Logan Witherspoon recently broke up with his high school girlfriend of three years, Brenda. He thought they were both in love, but it turns out that she cheated on him. Now he's depressed and lonely, and his friends aren't sure he'll recover.

Then along comes Sage, a quirky and odd new girl in the tiny town of Boyer. Although she doesn't completely fit in, Logan is instantly attracted to her. Their relationship grows, becoming more and more complicat...more

1 like · like · see review

May 02, 2013 Shelby rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you are the type of person who enjoys books that have suspense, cliff hangers and romance then Almost Perfect is the book for you. This book is has you buried deep in its well written pages. I couldn't put the book down! The main character has a tough home life, his getaway is school in biology class where he gets to see the girl of his dreams. At first he thinks she is a bit odd, standing out from everyone else. As the book progresses he falls in love with her and she begins to crush on him....more

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Mar 07, 2013 Megan Revette rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book didn't take long at all for me to love! ♥ ♥ ♥ It's so relatable from a teenage perspective, especially for people who have gone through a break up with someone they really loved. It seemed so basic at first, like it would just be another high school love story that ended badly. That was my prediction, but I couldn't have been more wrong. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who plans on reading it, so if you don't want to know what happens don't read anymore! My heart totally broke for L...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Shelby rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Jul 09, 2012 Rachel Neumeier rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm having a hard time thinking of anything about this book that WASN'T perfect! It's a contemporary YA, not a category I'm much interested in, but in fact the author handed me a copy of this book last year at a convention, and I just got around to reading it, and, well, it's really really good.

The writing is excellent. I even liked the prologue, and I hate prologues! The dialogue is excellent. There are some HILARIOUS scenes that are just brilliant, I'm thinking of the bit with the McDonald's...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Ashley rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adults, trans-content

I desperately want to give this book 4 stars, but I can't. It pisses me off when a book advances the cause of one minority at the expense of another. In this book, it's more unnecessary than usual. Why Brian Katcher felt the need to inject his story with racism I will probably never know, but I just can't bring myself to recommend a book to a teen when it includes this passage:

"Approaching Greek Town was like riding up to an encampment of angry Indians. I could hear their war cries long before I...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bildungsroman, genderqueer, lgbtq, romance, ya

This was a good book. I know that because I wanted to smack the main character upside his self-centered, very true-to-life, homophobic, teenaged boy head. In spite of Logan being the protagonist, I did a little mental cheer when another character told him, "This isn't about you!

Because it wasn't. It's not even about Sage. I think it's about society, perceptions, and the horrible experiences of so very many LGBTQ people. Sad but true, Sage actually kind of lucked out. Her parents weren't happy w...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 09, 2012 Jolanda rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It all began with a breakup and it has incredible moments but gets worse. This touching work about the struggles of two teens is made all the more dramatic for its realistic character responses. This compelling work could not be put down in my hopeful search for the happy ending, which I caution, did not really come.
Meet Logan an average student, a runner, a senior in high school that was just thoroughly and effectively dumped by his girlfriend of three years. How did she dump him without sayin...more It all began with a breakup and it has incredible moments but gets worse. This touching work about the struggles of two teens is made all the more dramatic for its realistic character responses. This compelling work could not be put down in my hopeful search for the happy ending, which I caution, did not really come.
Meet Logan an average student, a runner, a senior in high school that was just thoroughly and effectively dumped by his girlfriend of three years. How did she dump him without saying a word? You will have to read and find out why Logan is so angry and disappointed; until, that is he meets Sage.
Sage is an incredible, vivacious, and attractive teen; but she has a secret. In addition to having been homeschooled for years, having a protective younger sister, and having a stern and domineering father, she is a mystery. This secret strains her relationship with Logan even after she tells him and despite their attraction and repeated attempts to be together at some point the strain is too much. Sage’s life is full of disappointment and discomfort despite the seeming contradiction of her extroverted and pleasant personality.
Reading about Logan and Sages families, plans for the future, and desires are so real there on the pages lay two people and their small worlds. Despite being set in a location only hours from where I grew up, the setting is so well developed as to become familiar to any reader: the high school, sports fields, college campus, and domiciles of every shape and size. Their concerns as unusual as they may be are so poignantly presented as to be heart breaking, and maddening in turns.
The delicate nature of Sage’s secret and her struggles keep this work perched between pain and diversity. The incredible story and characters would appeal to any teenager with an open mind. I would suggest due to the uncomfortable and painful realities that this book be read by young adults no younger than high school age. I also caution that many parents could be easily offended due to: one character’s MTF pre operation status, the violence of a gay-bashing by one displeased college student, and various underage drinking and sexual references.
Brian Katcher’s Almost Perfect is an incredible book. In 2011 AP was awarded the Stonewall award: http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/ne.... Though I am unfamiliar with any work quite like this one some suggestions I would recommend are Am I Blue a collection of short stories about gay and lesbian young adults coming out.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 17, 2012 Jenni French rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-contemporary-fiction, age-5-grades-9-12, lgbtqia-lit

I almost didn't read this book. I picked it up at the library and read the synopsis, which starts with "Logan is sad because his girlfriend cheated on him." Okay, so that's a bit of a paraphrase, but I was instantly turned off. I kind of felt sorry for Logan, but since he is only a character in a novel, I figured I'd leave him and his emotional issues on the shelf. But then I finished the synopsis: Logan lives in a very small town and a new girl, Sage, joins his class at school. Logan befriends...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: transgendered, relationship-problems, relationships, friendship, high-school, teenagers, realistic, violence, families, young-adult-fiction, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Logan is still getting over Brenda – the girl who broke his heart and ruined his life – when he meets the new girl, Sage Hendricks. She’s tall and beautiful and full of life and they immediately hit it off. But Sage isn’t allowed to date. At first Logan thinks it’s because her parents are really strict, or religious, but when he finds out that Sage’s little sister, Tammi, *can* date, he begins to suspect that it’s something else. When Sage finally works up the courage to tell him exactly what th...more Logan is still getting over Brenda – the girl who broke his heart and ruined his life – when he meets the new girl, Sage Hendricks. She’s tall and beautiful and full of life and they immediately hit it off. But Sage isn’t allowed to date. At first Logan thinks it’s because her parents are really strict, or religious, but when he finds out that Sage’s little sister, Tammi, *can* date, he begins to suspect that it’s something else. When Sage finally works up the courage to tell him exactly what the situation is, Logan is so angry and disgusted and horrified and confused, he runs off and refuses to speak to her. He’s afraid of how he feels, afraid that others will find out what happened between him and Sage, and worst of all, afraid that they’ll discover Sage’s secret.

I was reading this on the treadmill at the gym and wondering, “What the heck is going on with this girl?” And then it came to me in a flash and I announced to the gym at large, “Oh my god, she’s a MAN!” She was. I think the actual revelation came a few pages later, but I was still oh-so-proud that I’d guessed on my own.

Almost Perfect really hits the mark. Logan’s feelings and behavior are spot-on for the situation in which he finds himself. He’s pretty restrained, actually. It’s the college guy who takes his fists to Sage’s face and tries to rearrange it to his liking. A lot of people don’t understand and don’t know how to respond to transitioned or transitioning persons, and Brian Katcher really handles this well in this book. Sage talks about how she always wanted to be a girl, how her little sister encouraged, her, how her father was furious and disgusted. But Logan’s feelings are important, too. He’s fallen in love with Sage, thinking that she was a girl, and then finding out that she wasn’t quite as advertised. How to wrap his mind around that? Gender is almost more important to Sage than it is to Logan, who realizes that he loves a person, not a gender. Maybe being together as a couple or in a romantic relationship isn’t in the stars for them, but he still cares about the person he has come to know. That’s an amazing transformation for a kid from a small-minded, small town to make. These teens are struggling with some serious issues and readers will find themselves immersed and involved in this mind-bending and enlightening ride. This one will make you think.(less)

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Aug 07, 2011 bjneary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: glbt, realistic-fiction, ya

Such a good book, you will love Logan Witherspoon. He is such a great teen, angry, sensitive, and totally ambushed by his long time girlfriend; he is having a very difficult time getting over her cheating on him. Katcher does a great job of showing how very, very small Logan's hometown is, how his single mother's job is taking its toll on her and the stifling smallness of his trailer park home and high school where everyone knows everyone's business. And into this small town community, comes Sag...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Logan has lived in the same small central Missouri town his whole life. He was looking forward to his senior year, graduating, and heading off to the state university in the fall with his long time girlfriend. Turned out that Brenda didn't feel the same way and Logan is reeling from his first heartbreak until a new girl, Sage, moves to town and shows up in his first hour Bio class. There's an instant chemistry and soon Logan's heartbreak over Brenda is a distant memory. But Sage is keeping a big...more Logan has lived in the same small central Missouri town his whole life. He was looking forward to his senior year, graduating, and heading off to the state university in the fall with his long time girlfriend. Turned out that Brenda didn't feel the same way and Logan is reeling from his first heartbreak until a new girl, Sage, moves to town and shows up in his first hour Bio class. There's an instant chemistry and soon Logan's heartbreak over Brenda is a distant memory. But Sage is keeping a big secret and in equal turns pulls and pushes Logan to and from her. Despite the usual teenaged preoccupations and concerns about image and sex, Logan is inherently a good guy and he wants Sage to trust him enough to confide in him. Logan could have never have guessed Sage's secret and once he knows, things can never be the same for Logan and he will question everything he has always believed about himself and relationships and what it means to truly love someone and stand by and support unconditionally.

Katcher's first novel, Playing with Matches, was set in a small town in Missouri and touched on many of the same themes as Almost Perfect. Almost Perfect is refreshing in that Katcher can craft a small town character who is mostly believable, open minded, and fairly progressive despite the stereotypical conservative and backwater reputation I generally associate with small midwestern middle America. That said, Almost Perfect takes on some very serious issues that are best suited to mature readers. It may well cause some discomfit in conservative communities. It is well written and never gratuitous. You experience Logan's discomfort, hurt, and confusion as acutely as he does as he tries to wrap his brain and heart around completely alien ideas and feelings. He doesn't always react nobly or with good intentions, making him all the more human and honest. I did find the repetitiveness of his preoccupations and musings to be egocentric and whiny at times, but again, I think this is what makes the character a believable teenage adolescent. Rated M for mature. (less)

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Jul 20, 2011 Becky rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: age-high-school, diversity

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

********************************************

Hmmm. 2.5 stars. This is the story of how straight, male, small-town Logan falls for new girl Sage, then shuns her when he finds out she was born a boy, then slowly patches up their friendship and eventually their romance.

Pros:

Boyer: I haven't grown up or lived in a small town, but I've always wondered how people get "stuck," both physically and in their intolerant mindsets, and I feel like the description of Boyer was...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Joell Smith-Borne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-resources-class, ya-fic, genderstuff

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I read this book for a booktalk assignment for my YA resources class, but I don't think I can do it. I'm finding it difficult to enthusiastically recommend this book. It's told from the point of view of a guy, Logan, who falls for a girl, Sage, who turns out to be MTF trans. She's a really interesting character, maybe a bit saintly, the way she keeps forgiving him for being a jerk, but the book is really about the guy. It reminded me of those movies about South African apartheid that were always...more I read this book for a booktalk assignment for my YA resources class, but I don't think I can do it. I'm finding it difficult to enthusiastically recommend this book. It's told from the point of view of a guy, Logan, who falls for a girl, Sage, who turns out to be MTF trans. She's a really interesting character, maybe a bit saintly, the way she keeps forgiving him for being a jerk, but the book is really about the guy. It reminded me of those movies about South African apartheid that were always about how morally difficult it was for the white people, instead of how difficult it was for the black people physically, emotionally, economically, and every other way you can imagine. And Sage isn't even present by the end of the book; we're just left with our straight white dude's somewhat self-congratulatory reflection.

I'm trying to imagine how a genderqueer teen might take this book. Maybe just thrilled to find a character that looks like herself? Or kind of horrified to see how this book says relationships are likely to go, and she should just hope for a guy who can manage not to hit her when she tells him the truth? Maybe that's not fair--Logan really is a decent guy but he is mostly a product of his surroundings--working class, rural Missouri. Had manages to rise above what we might expect from him, but there's a lot of freaking out and running away and saying awful things along the way. And I just don't think that the most interesting story to be told is about the dude who overcomes his revulsion and accepts how he feels. We've got a teenaged transwoman whose family locked her away for like 5 years so no one would see her, whose father said he wished she were dead rather than transsexual, and who is managing to survive, transition, and keep a sense of humor and hope--I'd love to hear the story from her perspective. Maybe the author, a white male, didn't feel like he could or should speak for her.

I guess it's early days, though--there are not too many books about teenaged transwomen (the only other one I've read is Luna, which has the sister of a teen transwoman as the narrator), so we're still at that stage where we should just be glad they are showing up in stories, being presented positively, and not ending up dead by the end of the book. But after reading I Am J and Parrotfish, which are both about FTM trans teens, and told from their points of view, I'm having a hard time accepting that we can't have a MTF narrator telling her own story just yet.

And maybe I'm just impatient for realistic fiction to catch up to speculative fiction, which has been warping and exploring gender for ages. (less)

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Apr 27, 2011 Brandy Haru rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, lgbtq

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. As soon as I picked up this book, I almost couldn't put it down. I loved the concept of the novel and thought it was excicuted well, with a few minor incidents.

Logan's flip-flopping with his feelings on Sage annoyed me; but I had to remind myself, he was an eighteen-year-old guy raised in a tiny rural area so his views on the subject were somewhat understandable as well as believable.

I think the novel would have been far more interesting from Sage's point of view, or at the very least maybe bot...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Debrarian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-aka-teen, queer, romance, discussable

It's senior year and Logan is trying to get over being dumped by his girlfriend of 3 years when his attention is diverted by a fascinating new girl to his small Missouri town: Sage. Sage is tall and lovely and funny and off-beat, and Logan's growing attraction to her is given a sharp set-back when Sage -- who has been backing away from his advances -- finally kisses him and then confesses that she was born a boy. Logan is a product of his tiny mid-America town and not particularly open-minded; h...more

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Mar 19, 2011 Sarai rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, general-fiction

I found this to be an extremely interesting book. I wanted to give it a 4.5 star rating because I really did like it, but the character of Logan did become a little whiny toward the end. It also was not a "can't put it down" book - for me; there may be others to whom it makes a more personal connection.

I liked the way the relationships were handled and the way the central topic was handled. I felt that Logan reacted in a realistic way, as did the boy who reacts violently toward the end. (It is u...more I found this to be an extremely interesting book. I wanted to give it a 4.5 star rating because I really did like it, but the character of Logan did become a little whiny toward the end. It also was not a "can't put it down" book - for me; there may be others to whom it makes a more personal connection.

I liked the way the relationships were handled and the way the central topic was handled. I felt that Logan reacted in a realistic way, as did the boy who reacts violently toward the end. (It is unfortunate and fear-driven, but realistic.) I don't really care for books where the main characters do a lot of lying, but in this situation I could see why (though I did get tired of it eventually). Logan kind of went through the 5 stages of grief in trying to work through his own feelings on the subject, so I guess they apply to more than grief.

I was not sure how I wanted the book to end, but I did feel kind of let down by the ending. I won't go into more detail because I don't want to spoil anything, but the one ending would have been too nicey nice and the other would have been too negative. I guess I just feel like I wanted more from the ending.

Over all, a very good book, and an important one, I think. One that makes you think after the book has ended.

Product Description

Eighteen-year old Logan Witherspoon has just discovered that his girlfriend of three years cheated on him. But things start to look up when a new student enrolls in his small-town high school. Tall, unconventionally pretty, and a bit awkward, Sage Hendricks appeals to Logan at a time when he trusts no one. And as Logan learns more about Sage, he realizes she needs a friend as much as he does, if not more. One day, Logan acts on his growing attraction and kisses her. Moments later, he wishes he hadn't. Sage discloses a secret: biologically, she’s a boy. Enraged, frightened, and feeling betrayed, Logan lashes out at Sage. Once his anger has cooled however, his regrets lead him to attempt to rekindle their friendship. Impressed that Logan is even trying to understand, Sage agrees to give him a second chance. But Logan has no idea how rocky the road back to friendship will be, or how many unexpected, exciting, and painful places he and Sage will visit along the way.(less)

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Jan 28, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sexuality, young-adult, realistic

God, what a stunner this book is. I stayed up late to finish it, which, despite my compulsion of reading, I haven't done in ages. This book is so well done. I laughed, I cried, I rooted for the characters. It was just really wonderful. Logan is surprised by a new student arriving in his small-town Missouri high school. Something about Sage catches him. Soon, they are friends. But when the boundary of friendship is crossed by a kiss, Logan finally learns Sage's secret - biologically, she is a boy...more

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Nov 14, 2010 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great book! There are a lot of great reviews for it, but I'll add my own for my friends. This book is great, but difficult to read. It's about a college senior whose girlfriend of 3 years broke up with him. While he's still quite vulnerable, he meets Sage. In a small town, having a new student is exciting. She's tall and quirky, and he thinks quite pretty. They become friends, but she keeps telling him that they can ONLY ever be friends. She isn't allowed to date, and that's all they will ever b...more

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Oct 15, 2010 Suzanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: peach-consideration

A tough sell to young readers because most, especially boys, will drop a book with gay or transgender characters like a hot potato almost as soon as a libarian murmurs anything about that aspect of the story. Eyes will drop away, and the book generally gets put down, as if merely holding it might brand one a sexual suspect.

I think a lot of media specialists have a similar reaction when they read reviews for "gay" books as they are selecting materials for purchase: their eyes hit the hot button w...more

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Sep 25, 2010 Jamie Fahlgren rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction

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

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Mar 26, 2010 McKenzie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Logan recently broke up with his high school sweetheart after she cheated on him. Now he's basically clinically depressed. His friends are starting to get worried, and wonder if he'll ever be back to normal. Then along comes Sage. She's different than other girls: a bit taller, a bit more awkward, a bit off. But that's what Logan likes about her. He quickly begins pursuing her, though she warns him not to. She's got a secret that can't get out. But when Logan can't resist any longer and kisses h...more Logan recently broke up with his high school sweetheart after she cheated on him. Now he's basically clinically depressed. His friends are starting to get worried, and wonder if he'll ever be back to normal. Then along comes Sage. She's different than other girls: a bit taller, a bit more awkward, a bit off. But that's what Logan likes about her. He quickly begins pursuing her, though she warns him not to. She's got a secret that can't get out. But when Logan can't resist any longer and kisses her, he'll wish he never had. Sage reveals her secret: she's a boy. What follows is a series of tumultuous events that will literally affect both Logan and Sage for the rest of their lives.

Almost Perfect is a wonderful addition to the collection of GLBT young adult books. Brian Katcher has managed to capture a very touchy subject with complete honesty, never shying away from the difficult truths.

Logan and Sage were both believable, lovable characters. Logan, even after his many mistakes, is a good guy. You can't blame him for being a little on edge in a situation like this. It was impossible not to sympathize for Sage. Her situation was incredibly rough, and I don't know how she handled it all. The secondary characters were enjoyable, as well. Each added their own part to the story, but Logan and Sage really stood out from the crowd.

The plot had great pacing - never a dull moment. Logan and Sage's relationship was tumultuous, inspiring, and revealing. Logan had a difficult time with it, but in the end, I believe he turned out okay. Their relationship is hard to describe. There was such a give-and-take quality to it - Sage gave and Logan took. She opened herself up, and he often took that for granted. Though I make Logan sound like a poor character, he grew into an understanding person.

Based on the intensity and incredible exploration found in Almost Perfect, I'll be sure to pick up anything that Mr. Katcher writes in the future.

Overall: Simply wonderful. Great exploration of an untouched upon subject. Heart wrenching.(less)

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Feb 28, 2010 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-queer, teen-romance

This book has a pretty great voice. This is a story of a M to F transgender teen living in small town middle America. There are lots of relationships that get examined, between her and her sister, her and her potential boyfriend, her parents the boy and his sister and mom. There is not one character that just feels stock to me. Even the boy and his ex-girlfriend have a pretty realistic conversation later in the book.

I do not think this books shies away from the difficulties a transgender teen w...more

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Jan 31, 2010 Nancee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Logan Witherspoon lives in a small, rural Missouri town, looking forward to getting out to attend college and never returning. Running track and hanging out with a couple of his good friends, mowing lawns and shoveling snow for college money, and mooning over a girlfriend who cheated on him take up most of Logan's time. Then Sage, a new student in town, enters Logan's first period biology class. At first, Logan is attracted to Sage as a friend, but soon, acts on his emotions and kisses her. Sage...more

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Quotes from Almost Perfect

“Sage would survive. I'd survive. We were better off apart. Painful and quick, just like ripping off a Band-Aid. Well, more like gouging a piece of shrapnel out of my stomach, pouring a bottle of gin into the wound, lighting it on fire, and sewing my guts up with a dirty bootlace. But the concept was the same.” — 9 people liked it

“Everyone has that one line they swear they'll never cross, the one thing they say they'll never do. Not something serious like I'll never kill anyone or I'll never invade Russia in the winter. Usually, it's something less earth-shattering.
I'll never cheat on her.
I'll never work at a job I hate.
I'll never give up on my dreams.
We draw the line. Maybe we even believe it. That's why it's so hard when we break that promise we make to ourselves.
Sage Hendricks was my line.” — 9 people liked it

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