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Perfect Ten
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Who is Sam Raines's Perfect Ten?
It’s been two years since Sam broke up with the only other eligible gay guy in his high school, so to say he’s been going through a romantic drought is the understatement of the decade. But when Meg, his ex-Catholic-turned-Wiccan best friend, suggests performing a love spell, Sam is just desperate enough to try. He crafts a list of ten t ...more
It’s been two years since Sam broke up with the only other eligible gay guy in his high school, so to say he’s been going through a romantic drought is the understatement of the decade. But when Meg, his ex-Catholic-turned-Wiccan best friend, suggests performing a love spell, Sam is just desperate enough to try. He crafts a list of ten t ...more
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Kindle Edition, 352 pages
Published
June 6th 2017
by Viking Books for Young Readers
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1.25/5
I received an ARC of this book through Penguin First to Read. Thanks!
Okay, so. This book isn’t my thing. When I applied for the copy, I thought it was just a contemporary - look at the cute cover! But alas, there’s a good chunk of magical realism in there. And you all know my relationship with magical realism. (It’s that I hate it.)
https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...
But, like, that's not the reason I'm rating it so low. I'm not pathological. It's my own fault for doing the bare minimu ...more
I received an ARC of this book through Penguin First to Read. Thanks!
Okay, so. This book isn’t my thing. When I applied for the copy, I thought it was just a contemporary - look at the cute cover! But alas, there’s a good chunk of magical realism in there. And you all know my relationship with magical realism. (It’s that I hate it.)
https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...
But, like, that's not the reason I'm rating it so low. I'm not pathological. It's my own fault for doing the bare minimu ...more

With that cover and synopsis, I was expecting fun and fluffy. What I got was drama, shady behavior, and possibly cheating {depending on how you look at things.}
What I loved:
•The friendship between Sam, Landon, and Meg. They're all so loyal to each other. I loved the code words they used and the perfect support system. People should be so lucky to have friends that will tell you you're being an ass while hugging you.
•How open and comfortable Sam was in his sexuality. He's been out for a while an ...more
What I loved:
•The friendship between Sam, Landon, and Meg. They're all so loyal to each other. I loved the code words they used and the perfect support system. People should be so lucky to have friends that will tell you you're being an ass while hugging you.
•How open and comfortable Sam was in his sexuality. He's been out for a while an ...more

My ship didn't sail, so this book was bittersweet for me. I really enjoyed it, but The Love Interest is still my favorite queer novel. Tee-hee. I'll publish a complete review once I overcome my book hangover. :3
...more

Nov 26, 2016
Dahlia
added it
Lordy that was cute as hell. And what I really liked about it, which is surprising for me considering I kinda hate cheating/love triangle/etc. situations, is how well I think the author handled the whole concept of not being ready as a teen to settle down. It didn't feel like any of that stuff was done for dramatic effect or to make the plot move; it felt like a real depiction of a queer teen finally having options to explore. And I liked that it wasn't utterly predictable, either; that's all I'
...more

This was SUUUUUPER PROBLEMATIC

*Let the RANT Begin*
(view spoiler) ...more

*Let the RANT Begin*
(view spoiler) ...more

Sam Raines is tired of being single. He dated the one other gay guy at his high school during their first year, but he’s been alone since they broke up, and after two years, he’s ready to find a new boyfriend. But who, and where? His best gal pal Meg, a Wiccan, has a suggestion: Make a list of his top ten traits, then ask the Goddess for help. And what do you know? It works, as Sam meets three potentials in quick order: Confident French exchange student Gus, sweet and artistic sophomore Jamie, a...more

May 17, 2017
Grace {Rebel Mommy Book Blog}
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
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Review
I got nervous when I went to read this because I saw a bunch of not great reviews on Goodreads. I am so glad I still gave it a go because I thought it was cute and a really addicting read.
Sam has been single for two years since breaking up with boyfriend, Landon, the only other eligible gay guy at his school. In a desperate attempt to get out of his dry spell Sam lets his Wiccan best friend Meg perform a love spell to find someone with the ten traits he wants in a boyfriend. When three g ...more
I got nervous when I went to read this because I saw a bunch of not great reviews on Goodreads. I am so glad I still gave it a go because I thought it was cute and a really addicting read.
Sam has been single for two years since breaking up with boyfriend, Landon, the only other eligible gay guy at his school. In a desperate attempt to get out of his dry spell Sam lets his Wiccan best friend Meg perform a love spell to find someone with the ten traits he wants in a boyfriend. When three g ...more

The world needs more books like this—a teen romance about a boy looking for a boyfriend that is not a coming-out story or a bullying story or a story where Sam's gayness is any big deal at all, but just a swoony summer read for anyone who's made wrong turns along the road to love.
...more

L Philips's PERFECT TEN is a fun romcom with echoes of David Levithan’s BOY MEETS BOY. A great beach read from this sparkling new voice in YA lit. Buy it. Read it.
...more

Alright where to start. Although I did enjoy reading this and it was a fairly quick read for me, I had multiple issues with it. First, Sam was so indecisive that when he was supposed to be in love with Jamie, he kept thinking about Gus or Trevor and occasionally Langdon. Which brings me to my second issue; Sam is a huge hypocrite. Sam calling Michael out for cheating on a Meg on a technicality is hypocrasity as its finest. He do the same thing to Jamie with Trevor. Also he’s so hung up on Jamie
...more

Is his Perfect Ten a unicorn?
A cute blend of magical realism, young adult rom-com, and a look at the challenges of teenage relationships when they get complicated by expectations, PERFECT TEN, is really good.
I struggled a little with the characters in this book and it took me most of it to figure out why. They frustrated me because they were so well developed and thus, realistically flawed! Sometimes I just really wanted to give Sam a good shake and tell him to... well, I don't want to spoil an ...more
A cute blend of magical realism, young adult rom-com, and a look at the challenges of teenage relationships when they get complicated by expectations, PERFECT TEN, is really good.
I struggled a little with the characters in this book and it took me most of it to figure out why. They frustrated me because they were so well developed and thus, realistically flawed! Sometimes I just really wanted to give Sam a good shake and tell him to... well, I don't want to spoil an ...more

A cute story about a guy trying to find love. He gets his best friend to do a love spell for him, in which he makes a Top Ten list of what he wants in a guy. Bam! His wish gets granted and then some. Is he in lust with a cute French foreign exchange student? That hot musician? The shy artist? Or is he still in love with his ex??
Okay, so I was voting against the French foreign exchange student. I love accents of all kinds, but the book had this poor guy speaking like "zis all ze time. " Nails on ...more
Okay, so I was voting against the French foreign exchange student. I love accents of all kinds, but the book had this poor guy speaking like "zis all ze time. " Nails on ...more


Warning: I’m going to get very ranty, and ragey, and spoilery!
(view spoiler) ...more

3.5 Stars - not gonna lie, when I started reading this I was sure I was going to hate it. But I soldiered on and I'm so glad I did! All of the things I disliked about Sam and his list in the beginning were totally addressed as his character evolved throughout the novel. Did some of this feel a bit cliched and contrived? Sure. But there were so many important topics discussed AND discussed in a manner that was thought provoking and authentic that I didn't mind one bit! Definitely a happy and welc
...more

Received in exchange for a honest review.
Highly entertaining and sweet.
This reminded me of the searching for series by Jennifer Probst but for young adults. The love spell and how it doesn’t always turn out as expected. The funny adventures and growth of characters.
Sam, when he began, was lost and floundering. He is a great character and you learn alot from him as he navigates his way through relationships and not just romantic ones. He has a great set of friends in Meg and landon. Both of them ...more
Highly entertaining and sweet.
This reminded me of the searching for series by Jennifer Probst but for young adults. The love spell and how it doesn’t always turn out as expected. The funny adventures and growth of characters.
Sam, when he began, was lost and floundering. He is a great character and you learn alot from him as he navigates his way through relationships and not just romantic ones. He has a great set of friends in Meg and landon. Both of them ...more

So cute and so fun! The story never judges Sam for wanting to be young and explore his options but he still has a very satisfying journey to figuring out what he wants and how to be ready for it. And of course, all his options are so lovable! It's a rom-com, so don't expect hyperrealism here, but if you want a feel good search for Mr. Right then this is right on target.
...more

Okay, this book is not perfect. It's 4.5 stars round up for people acting like people--cheating, skirting the line of cheating, being b*llshit about being casual, even slut shaming. These kids have a ton of issues, but they're the issues we all have, and they all come out the other end having learned lessons without slamming them home. Which I appreciate.
...more

There was so many things wrong with this book and i had to skip through the last 80 pages of the book only checking if anything interesting happened (which of course didn’t) because i just couldn’t bring myself to care for the story anymore.
Ugh i hated this
Rtc - i’ll try to explain exactly what problems i had with this
Ugh i hated this
Rtc - i’ll try to explain exactly what problems i had with this

You guys, you guy, you don't understand how upset I am. You don't understand how sad I am. If I weren't so sad, I'd be mad. But I'm just so sad. This book was on my most anticipated list of the year. This book promised to be sweet and endearing, funny and poignant, and just downright good.
Guys, guy, this book isn't good.
I mean, this book is just a mess.
And the first and biggest glaring issue with this book, is the main character. Sam comes off as this hipster, arrogant, douchey little prick who ...more
Guys, guy, this book isn't good.
I mean, this book is just a mess.
And the first and biggest glaring issue with this book, is the main character. Sam comes off as this hipster, arrogant, douchey little prick who ...more

I won an advance copy of Perfect Ten through the Goodreads Giveaway with the hope of a review - so here is mine:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read quite a lot of YA, and I think it is easy to forget how an actual 17 year old acts and thinks. Many characters are presented as immature or older than their years. Characters are rarely allowed to just be - and Sam definitely delivers! Sam has a clear voice and the story is presented through his point of view.
Sam knows he wants love and he's will ...more
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read quite a lot of YA, and I think it is easy to forget how an actual 17 year old acts and thinks. Many characters are presented as immature or older than their years. Characters are rarely allowed to just be - and Sam definitely delivers! Sam has a clear voice and the story is presented through his point of view.
Sam knows he wants love and he's will ...more

First of all, if you're turned off by paranormal stories, don't let the paranormal themes surrounding this book turn you off. Nothing paranormal actually happens, and events can be written off to coincidence. Perfect Ten is a fun tale of a desperately lonely gay high school boy who after participating in a Wiccan ceremony is confronted by three very hot and very different potential lovers, all of them meeting the ten things he wants in a boyfriend, the perfect ten. Add to that the boy's best fri
...more

*I received this book for review from Penguin First to Read. In know way shape or form does that influence my opinion.
This book is interesting in the sense that Sam, the main character makes a list of the ten things he is looking for in a boyfriend and his best friend Meg, who is a Wiccan performs a spell so that Sam will meet his "perfect 10." After the spell, things get complicated in the most interesting way. Because I am not a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and I'm not sure about the rep, ...more
This book is interesting in the sense that Sam, the main character makes a list of the ten things he is looking for in a boyfriend and his best friend Meg, who is a Wiccan performs a spell so that Sam will meet his "perfect 10." After the spell, things get complicated in the most interesting way. Because I am not a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and I'm not sure about the rep, ...more

What a great read this book was. I found Sam Raines and his friends to be that rarest of things in a YA novel: real. They are in turns funny, infuriating, charming, alarming, and pretty much everything you hope to find in good characters. Laura Philips skips the usual tropes when it comes to writing about a young, gay boy, trying to juggle friends, romance, and his future. When the story begins, you think, "okay, this is going to be a magic realism kind of thing". I don't want to give too much a
...more

Zippy little romance about a guy's search for the perfect guy.
This is a fluffy read and some fun moments, but I didn't like the main character's contradictions, particularly as they relate towards his best female friend. He shames her into not smoking, but gets high all the time. He shames her into not losing her virginity though he did it 2 years ago. She's there to help him, but it's not reciprocated. Also, he complains how his first boyfriend was jealous and he's basically two-timing all the ...more
This is a fluffy read and some fun moments, but I didn't like the main character's contradictions, particularly as they relate towards his best female friend. He shames her into not smoking, but gets high all the time. He shames her into not losing her virginity though he did it 2 years ago. She's there to help him, but it's not reciprocated. Also, he complains how his first boyfriend was jealous and he's basically two-timing all the ...more

2.5/5 stars. This was an okay read. I loved the ending and I really liked the Wicca aspect ( mostly because I've always been interesting in that kinda stuff). That being said the main character Sam frustrated me to no end. He was whiny and kind of a jerk. I don't think there was anything that really stood out to me in this book. Overall it was all just kind of meh for me.
...more

“She shouldn’t worry. It’ll rise again. Phoenixes always do.”
Perfect Ten is set up as a cute story of a boy going to extreme lengths to find love. What ends up happening is that it grabbed me by the heart, sucked me in, and had me tear up and swell with emotions at the end. Some teen rom-com, huh? I thoroughly enjoyed it so much it was a 24 hour marathon read.
Sam is a hipster, he can be shallow, selfish, and he can be selfless and a really good friend. He explores magic to help him find love-an ...more
Perfect Ten is set up as a cute story of a boy going to extreme lengths to find love. What ends up happening is that it grabbed me by the heart, sucked me in, and had me tear up and swell with emotions at the end. Some teen rom-com, huh? I thoroughly enjoyed it so much it was a 24 hour marathon read.
Sam is a hipster, he can be shallow, selfish, and he can be selfless and a really good friend. He explores magic to help him find love-an ...more

This book. This. Damn. Book.
It was exactly what I needed. I always seem to find a book that suits my mood exactly and this was no exception. It's fluff. No qualms about stating that. Mindless, sorta unrealistic, happy fluff. But you know? Sometimes you need that.
Anyways, on to the book. This was my face after reading it:

After breaking up with Landon two years previous, Sam is tired of being single. As one of few eligible gay guys in town prospects aren't exactly banging down the door. Desperat ...more
It was exactly what I needed. I always seem to find a book that suits my mood exactly and this was no exception. It's fluff. No qualms about stating that. Mindless, sorta unrealistic, happy fluff. But you know? Sometimes you need that.
Anyways, on to the book. This was my face after reading it:

After breaking up with Landon two years previous, Sam is tired of being single. As one of few eligible gay guys in town prospects aren't exactly banging down the door. Desperat ...more
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The pen name for Laura Wettersten who lives in Ohio with her wonderful husband, their adorable baby son, and their two neurotic dogs. She has degrees in both music education and library science, and when she’s not writing or teaching she enjoys directing middle school musicals, dancing awkwardly around her kitchen, and watching WIPEOUT and 30 ROCK reruns. Her debut novel, MY FAIRE LADY, releases f
...more
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