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Perfection and Other Illusive Things
What if you woke up one morning looking as perfect as you'd always hoped you'd be? What if you then went after all the things you were too afraid to chase after before? And what if that made everything go wrong, instead of right?
Drawn to Hawk and intrigued by his colorful best friend Ivy, Eden thinks maybe she could choose something more than the safe, vanilla life she's always had. Juggling her old life and new friends is more difficult than she imagines though, and one night changes everything. Now she's grounded, kicked off the volleyball team, and fighting with her best friends. Fine, she thinks, if her old life doesn’t want her, she’ll burrow herself in the new. Except Ivy outs a secret Eden thought was for her and Hawk alone. Retribution comes fast, and Ivy accuses Eden of being the tattletale. If Eden can't embrace her true self and clear her name, she’ll burn everyone she cares about and lose herself in the process.
Drawn to Hawk and intrigued by his colorful best friend Ivy, Eden thinks maybe she could choose something more than the safe, vanilla life she's always had. Juggling her old life and new friends is more difficult than she imagines though, and one night changes everything. Now she's grounded, kicked off the volleyball team, and fighting with her best friends. Fine, she thinks, if her old life doesn’t want her, she’ll burrow herself in the new. Except Ivy outs a secret Eden thought was for her and Hawk alone. Retribution comes fast, and Ivy accuses Eden of being the tattletale. If Eden can't embrace her true self and clear her name, she’ll burn everyone she cares about and lose herself in the process.
- GenresYoung Adult
296 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2020
About the author
J. Mercer
9 books83 followersJ. Mercer grew up in Wisconsin where she walked home from school with her head in a book, filled notebooks with stories in junior high, then went to college for accounting and psychology. She wishes she were an expert linguist, is pretty much a professional with regards to competitive dance hair (bunhawk, anyone?), and enjoys exploring with her husband—though as much as she loves to travel, she’s also an accomplished hermit. Perfect days include cancelled plans, rain, and endless hours to do with what she pleases. Find her on Facebook and Instagram @jmercerbooks or online at www.jmercerbooks.com.
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September 27, 2020First time I’ve ever found a book that comes out on the same day I discovered it. Pretty neat.
Thank you J. Mercer for an ecopy of this book!! I won one in a giveaway and I’m excited to get into it!
Thank you J. Mercer for an ecopy of this book!! I won one in a giveaway and I’m excited to get into it!
November 20, 2022
(SPOILERS WARNING - if you plan to read & do not want spoilers, don't read on)
I really enjoyed the flow and style of this book. The writing was crisp, concise, and easy to follow which has been a good contrast to some of the other stuff I have been reading lately. :) The novel was the perfect length for the storyline and this style of story. It didn't feel like there was "filler" but rather, everything key in the plot was written & flowed nicely
I am a person who really enjoys YA books, especially YA with romantic elements as there always seems to be something so pure about the love the characters have for each other in this genre.
I really enjoyed seeing Hawk and Eden's relationship progress as well as Hawk's writings throughout the course of the narrative. The writings express the depth of the talent of the author.
I was sooooo mad when it was revealed that Eden's Mom did what she did, which goes to show Mercer's ability to connect the reader to the direness of Eden and her friend's situation.
Favorite Character:
Hawk!
Favorite Line/Scene:
"...I slid my arms under his and tilted my head
back for his lips to land where they were meant to be.
They'd never fit more perfectly..."
"In you I've found pieces,
Essentials I need.
So say the words,
Whisper them, scream."
I really enjoyed the flow and style of this book. The writing was crisp, concise, and easy to follow which has been a good contrast to some of the other stuff I have been reading lately. :) The novel was the perfect length for the storyline and this style of story. It didn't feel like there was "filler" but rather, everything key in the plot was written & flowed nicely
I am a person who really enjoys YA books, especially YA with romantic elements as there always seems to be something so pure about the love the characters have for each other in this genre.
I really enjoyed seeing Hawk and Eden's relationship progress as well as Hawk's writings throughout the course of the narrative. The writings express the depth of the talent of the author.
I was sooooo mad when it was revealed that Eden's Mom did what she did, which goes to show Mercer's ability to connect the reader to the direness of Eden and her friend's situation.
Favorite Character:
Hawk!
Favorite Line/Scene:
"...I slid my arms under his and tilted my head
back for his lips to land where they were meant to be.
They'd never fit more perfectly..."
"In you I've found pieces,
Essentials I need.
So say the words,
Whisper them, scream."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2020
***ARC review***
Relatable, but super cliche, Perfection and Other Illusive Things has some truly perfect lines that made me wonder how my feelings could be put into words so well. I think that that was the only thing that this book really has going for it because the rest of the time I was quite literally the embodiment of the facepalm emoji. With the rushed romance that had almost no substance and the main character’s truly horrible decisions I very much disliked the plot. There was essentially no diversity of the characters and a lot of elements of the story I felt as if I’ve seen 100 times before. The book did have some great messages about both body positivity and loving yourself for more than your looks but it also glorified alcohol and bad decision making as both normal and as a way to try new things and come out of your shell which is very much not a good message to be sending. Another thing I did enjoy about the book was that it was short and sweet, no unnecessary exposition, the plot took off from the beginning, and it had a cute ending. The characters’ relationships were developed well enough but were not extremely deep and I can’t say I particularly enjoyed most of the dynamics.
Overall, Perfection and Other Illusive Things has some great aspects but also a significant amount of terrible ones. I didn’t hate it but I can’t say I liked it very much either.
Relatable, but super cliche, Perfection and Other Illusive Things has some truly perfect lines that made me wonder how my feelings could be put into words so well. I think that that was the only thing that this book really has going for it because the rest of the time I was quite literally the embodiment of the facepalm emoji. With the rushed romance that had almost no substance and the main character’s truly horrible decisions I very much disliked the plot. There was essentially no diversity of the characters and a lot of elements of the story I felt as if I’ve seen 100 times before. The book did have some great messages about both body positivity and loving yourself for more than your looks but it also glorified alcohol and bad decision making as both normal and as a way to try new things and come out of your shell which is very much not a good message to be sending. Another thing I did enjoy about the book was that it was short and sweet, no unnecessary exposition, the plot took off from the beginning, and it had a cute ending. The characters’ relationships were developed well enough but were not extremely deep and I can’t say I particularly enjoyed most of the dynamics.
Overall, Perfection and Other Illusive Things has some great aspects but also a significant amount of terrible ones. I didn’t hate it but I can’t say I liked it very much either.
June 26, 2020
What if one day you woke up and everything you hated about your appearance was gone? What would you do if you were suddenly perfect?
Eden’s life is already perfect; she’s co-captain of the volleyball team, on track for salutatorian, has great college aspirations, three friends who have always been there for her...what more could she want? Even though she knows she’s beautiful she doesn’t feel like it and her life feels like it’s missing some things. Her crush Hawk is a poet for the school paper and gives his lyrics to his best friend local “rockstar” Ivy. Despite the advice of her friends Eden decides to go after him anyway, with the unmistakable line every perfectionist knows a little too well “I am already good for me. I need someone who won’t be good for me.” As Eden tries to find what it means to truly be herself, her perfect world crumbles.
Sometimes a girl just needs a good chick-flick as a pick me up for their self-esteem or a reminder of why love matters. This book will now be my version of a pick me up chick-flick. On the surface, it can seem a bit shallow with it being centered so much on physical beauty and romance but that is the irony of any good chick-flick. Those who only look at the surface will never discover the true diamond underneath.
Full of romantic poetry, “I decided he was carved with ocean salt and harsh storms. There were so many contradictions beneath his surface already, deep valleys I wanted to discover.”, and plenty of high school drama. If one forgets to look at the deeper meanings it can feel a bit cringy. Looking beyond the drama one sees a story of learning to love yourself and to not judge others on how they appear at a glance. If you’re willing to look at the good things of someone else you need to stop and appreciate the good things about yourself too.
As I read I was wondering how J. Mercer had managed to find my high school diary and paint all my insecurities into her book. I wish I had come to the conclusion of self-love during high school like Eden eventually decides.
This is a book I will definitely reread.
Eden’s life is already perfect; she’s co-captain of the volleyball team, on track for salutatorian, has great college aspirations, three friends who have always been there for her...what more could she want? Even though she knows she’s beautiful she doesn’t feel like it and her life feels like it’s missing some things. Her crush Hawk is a poet for the school paper and gives his lyrics to his best friend local “rockstar” Ivy. Despite the advice of her friends Eden decides to go after him anyway, with the unmistakable line every perfectionist knows a little too well “I am already good for me. I need someone who won’t be good for me.” As Eden tries to find what it means to truly be herself, her perfect world crumbles.
Sometimes a girl just needs a good chick-flick as a pick me up for their self-esteem or a reminder of why love matters. This book will now be my version of a pick me up chick-flick. On the surface, it can seem a bit shallow with it being centered so much on physical beauty and romance but that is the irony of any good chick-flick. Those who only look at the surface will never discover the true diamond underneath.
Full of romantic poetry, “I decided he was carved with ocean salt and harsh storms. There were so many contradictions beneath his surface already, deep valleys I wanted to discover.”, and plenty of high school drama. If one forgets to look at the deeper meanings it can feel a bit cringy. Looking beyond the drama one sees a story of learning to love yourself and to not judge others on how they appear at a glance. If you’re willing to look at the good things of someone else you need to stop and appreciate the good things about yourself too.
As I read I was wondering how J. Mercer had managed to find my high school diary and paint all my insecurities into her book. I wish I had come to the conclusion of self-love during high school like Eden eventually decides.
This is a book I will definitely reread.
September 9, 2020
PERFECTION AND OTHER ILLUSIVE THINGS by J.MERCER
I'm really in love with this book,it is a simply a story of a teenager who want to overcome her insecurities .This is so relatable because each and every person have this struggle of looking perfect or being perfect at a certain stage of life where we want to just look perfect and feel insecure of what we don't possess .This book is a Ya/high school book about how you see yourself and how others perceive you .The protagonist character Eden searches herself in other people and forgets who she is and end up being depressed .
J.mercer,being a women herself portrayed each and every character so differently .while reading,we involve in the characters and want to become one but at the end of the day it is not possible .Readers can gain insights from both negative and positive choices Eden makes. "Perfection and Other Illusive Things " connects to young audience as they are presently facing such scenarios in their lives .And it also has a touch of little romance .
I liked the part where she realises that perfection is an illusion and being yourself is as perfect as it is .so she makes things right one by one after creating them with her own behaviour .The author of the book also makes everyone realise that being you is what you need;with her awesome quotes in the middle of the book .I really loved some quotes which the writer mentioned in her book .
Anais Nin said, ‘We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are"'
The below quote connects to each and every individual who is juggling to be what you are and what everyone want you to be .
"Better to be all of what you are ,than half of what everyone else want you to be " - Perfection and other Illusive Things
I'm really in love with this book,it is a simply a story of a teenager who want to overcome her insecurities .This is so relatable because each and every person have this struggle of looking perfect or being perfect at a certain stage of life where we want to just look perfect and feel insecure of what we don't possess .This book is a Ya/high school book about how you see yourself and how others perceive you .The protagonist character Eden searches herself in other people and forgets who she is and end up being depressed .
J.mercer,being a women herself portrayed each and every character so differently .while reading,we involve in the characters and want to become one but at the end of the day it is not possible .Readers can gain insights from both negative and positive choices Eden makes. "Perfection and Other Illusive Things " connects to young audience as they are presently facing such scenarios in their lives .And it also has a touch of little romance .
I liked the part where she realises that perfection is an illusion and being yourself is as perfect as it is .so she makes things right one by one after creating them with her own behaviour .The author of the book also makes everyone realise that being you is what you need;with her awesome quotes in the middle of the book .I really loved some quotes which the writer mentioned in her book .
Anais Nin said, ‘We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are"'
The below quote connects to each and every individual who is juggling to be what you are and what everyone want you to be .
"Better to be all of what you are ,than half of what everyone else want you to be " - Perfection and other Illusive Things
November 20, 2022
“Better to be all of what you are, than half of what everyone else wants you to be.”
Blurb: What if you woke up one morning looking as perfect as you'd always hoped you'd be? What if you then went after all the things you were too afraid to chase after before? And what if that made everything go wrong, instead of right? Drawn to Hawk and intrigued by his colorful best friend Ivy, Eden thinks maybe she could choose something more than the safe, vanilla life she's always had. Juggling her old life and new friends is more difficult than she imagines though, and one night changes everything. Now she's grounded, kicked off the volleyball team, and fighting with her best friends. Fine, she thinks, if her old life doesn’t want her, she’ll burrow herself in the new. Except Ivy outs a secret Eden thought was for her and Hawk alone. Retribution comes fast, and Ivy accuses Eden of being the tattletale. If Eden can't embrace her true self and clear her name, she’ll burn everyone she cares about and lose herself in the process.
My thoughts: Here's another book of highschool drama at its finest! This book went in the complete opposite direction then I thought it was going which is great! I always love guessing! The writing style was easy to follow and this is a great quick read I read in one sitting. I didn't feel myself connecting with any of the characters except the mom (does that mean I'm old? cause we all know it's not because I'm a mom 🤣) Anyway, there were a few twists in this I didn't see coming, and that was fun!
Thanks @katieandbreypa as always!
I give Perfection and other illusive things by J. Mercer ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Blurb: What if you woke up one morning looking as perfect as you'd always hoped you'd be? What if you then went after all the things you were too afraid to chase after before? And what if that made everything go wrong, instead of right? Drawn to Hawk and intrigued by his colorful best friend Ivy, Eden thinks maybe she could choose something more than the safe, vanilla life she's always had. Juggling her old life and new friends is more difficult than she imagines though, and one night changes everything. Now she's grounded, kicked off the volleyball team, and fighting with her best friends. Fine, she thinks, if her old life doesn’t want her, she’ll burrow herself in the new. Except Ivy outs a secret Eden thought was for her and Hawk alone. Retribution comes fast, and Ivy accuses Eden of being the tattletale. If Eden can't embrace her true self and clear her name, she’ll burn everyone she cares about and lose herself in the process.
My thoughts: Here's another book of highschool drama at its finest! This book went in the complete opposite direction then I thought it was going which is great! I always love guessing! The writing style was easy to follow and this is a great quick read I read in one sitting. I didn't feel myself connecting with any of the characters except the mom (does that mean I'm old? cause we all know it's not because I'm a mom 🤣) Anyway, there were a few twists in this I didn't see coming, and that was fun!
Thanks @katieandbreypa as always!
I give Perfection and other illusive things by J. Mercer ⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 26, 2022
𝗣𝗲��𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 by @jmercerbooks
This was a quick and enjoyable coming of age read that followed Eden as she struggled with finding herself.
It’s definitely relatable as many of us have been in her shoes at her age and struggled with wanting more for ourselves. I was more like Eden, the cautious, studious, and perfectionist high schooler. However looking back, I wish I would have tried to venture out of my bubble, maybe not exactly how Eden did, but at least she made the effort.
Of course when finding yourself there is always the battle of who you were and who you are trying to be — that is until you figure out who exactly you are. I love how Eden finds herself in the end.
Now for the part I struggled with. I struggled with how much pressure Eden’s mom put on her to be the perfect role model for her brother since their father was out of the picture. This to me just screamed for Eden to want to act out (even if this wasn’t the reason). I could never see myself putting that kind of pressure on my son, like yes, be a good role model but not to that extent.
And don’t get me started on her mom’s actions. Like I get it but I don’t get it. Without spoiling anything, the mom just seemed to me like she wanted the drama and didn’t care of the repercussions.
All in all I enjoyed this one and am thankful I had the opportunity to read it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ / 3 ⭐️
This was a quick and enjoyable coming of age read that followed Eden as she struggled with finding herself.
It’s definitely relatable as many of us have been in her shoes at her age and struggled with wanting more for ourselves. I was more like Eden, the cautious, studious, and perfectionist high schooler. However looking back, I wish I would have tried to venture out of my bubble, maybe not exactly how Eden did, but at least she made the effort.
Of course when finding yourself there is always the battle of who you were and who you are trying to be — that is until you figure out who exactly you are. I love how Eden finds herself in the end.
Now for the part I struggled with. I struggled with how much pressure Eden’s mom put on her to be the perfect role model for her brother since their father was out of the picture. This to me just screamed for Eden to want to act out (even if this wasn’t the reason). I could never see myself putting that kind of pressure on my son, like yes, be a good role model but not to that extent.
And don’t get me started on her mom’s actions. Like I get it but I don’t get it. Without spoiling anything, the mom just seemed to me like she wanted the drama and didn’t care of the repercussions.
All in all I enjoyed this one and am thankful I had the opportunity to read it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ / 3 ⭐️
December 1, 2022
Book review :
Is perfection must? Are we all perfect or can ever be ? Such an illusion lies in each of our mind. What if this is a mind of a teenager who wants to win hearts of others by depicting what is just an illusion.
This book shares a story of teenage girl , Eden . Eden’s life is already perfect; she’s co-captain of the volleyball team, on track for salutatorian, has great college aspirations, three friends who have always been there for her...what more could she want? Even though she knows she’s beautiful she doesn’t feel like it and her life feels like it’s missing some things.
She has a strong crush on Hawk , poet for the school paper. Generally he gives his lyrics to his best friend local “rockstar” Ivy. Despite the advice of her friends Eden decides to go after him anyway. Her blind going towards him makes her perfect world crumble.
The illusion of something can be so dreadful and embarassing is well depicted in this short read. The author has well penned the hidden desires of a teenage girl but how to mould yourself in a positive way apart from all lucrative things .
I liked reading this book and would recommend this thought changing book for all teeanagers as well as adults.
Happy Reading!
Is perfection must? Are we all perfect or can ever be ? Such an illusion lies in each of our mind. What if this is a mind of a teenager who wants to win hearts of others by depicting what is just an illusion.
This book shares a story of teenage girl , Eden . Eden’s life is already perfect; she’s co-captain of the volleyball team, on track for salutatorian, has great college aspirations, three friends who have always been there for her...what more could she want? Even though she knows she’s beautiful she doesn’t feel like it and her life feels like it’s missing some things.
She has a strong crush on Hawk , poet for the school paper. Generally he gives his lyrics to his best friend local “rockstar” Ivy. Despite the advice of her friends Eden decides to go after him anyway. Her blind going towards him makes her perfect world crumble.
The illusion of something can be so dreadful and embarassing is well depicted in this short read. The author has well penned the hidden desires of a teenage girl but how to mould yourself in a positive way apart from all lucrative things .
I liked reading this book and would recommend this thought changing book for all teeanagers as well as adults.
Happy Reading!
January 2, 2023
What if you woke up one morning looking as perfect as you'd always hoped you'd be? What if you then went after all the things you were too afraid to chase after before? And what if that made everything go wrong, instead of right?
I'm reviewing Perfection and Other Illusive Things by @jmercerbooks !
Thanks to the author, publishers and @katieandbreypa , I was provided with a copy for review!
I was surprised to not have loved this book as much as I thought I would. The writing was absolutely magnificent, and I was gasping at how beautifully the author put my feelings into words at almost every other page!
The book was such a quick and fast read, and had a great message of self love and body positivity, but it had shallow characters, and normalization of bad decisions and alcohol abuse.
It also didn't give me a lot of depth onto the characters' relationships or personalities, but it did have a lot of potential.
It wasn't completely unexpected, the book is YA, so it did deliver that, but as a 25 year old, my interest lies elsewhere..
I definitely plan to keep in touch with this author, and read more of her amazing work!
I'm reviewing Perfection and Other Illusive Things by @jmercerbooks !
Thanks to the author, publishers and @katieandbreypa , I was provided with a copy for review!
I was surprised to not have loved this book as much as I thought I would. The writing was absolutely magnificent, and I was gasping at how beautifully the author put my feelings into words at almost every other page!
The book was such a quick and fast read, and had a great message of self love and body positivity, but it had shallow characters, and normalization of bad decisions and alcohol abuse.
It also didn't give me a lot of depth onto the characters' relationships or personalities, but it did have a lot of potential.
It wasn't completely unexpected, the book is YA, so it did deliver that, but as a 25 year old, my interest lies elsewhere..
I definitely plan to keep in touch with this author, and read more of her amazing work!
November 29, 2022
As a teen how often did you look in the mirror and criticise how you looked?
Did you ever try to change just to ‘fit in’?
I was reminded so much of my younger self and how I had overreacted at some of the most silliest things or broken friendships for the most ridiculous reasons.
An absolutely brilliant book on self reflection and life lessons learnt the hard way. I was hooked from the get go.
Eden is in her senior year, perfect marks, perfect friends, perfect life planned. But there’s just a few things that aren’t so perfect, her nose, her tummy and her teeth.
She wakes up one morning and looks at herself differently, she no longer sees those imperfections, could it be magic?
With this ‘new realisation’ Eden finds a huge amount of confidence she never had before, which lead to a new boyfriend, a new group to friends, a touch of cocky behaviour and a change in character. It takes Eden learning several huge life lessons to realise that it’s not her friend’s who had changed, it was herself.
November 28, 2022
It’s hard to review a book when it speaks so much to everything you sort of wish you knew when you were the MC’s age. Between Eden being “perfect” - she’s smart, athletic, has great friends…what more could she need? To Ivy who’s almost the complete opposite.
While I don’t always love when characters feel the realms of themselves should be expressed through partying and drinking, this kind of hit the nail on the head with what it’s like to be in high school as an overall. What is it like when by your senior year, you’re not even sure who you are by yourself? When you finally start seeing you for you?
I liked that this book wasn’t long and drawn out the way it might have been by someone else. It was very direct and in your face. I loved that Eden did learn more about herself, and in turn so did her best friend Billie.
While I don’t always love when characters feel the realms of themselves should be expressed through partying and drinking, this kind of hit the nail on the head with what it’s like to be in high school as an overall. What is it like when by your senior year, you’re not even sure who you are by yourself? When you finally start seeing you for you?
I liked that this book wasn’t long and drawn out the way it might have been by someone else. It was very direct and in your face. I loved that Eden did learn more about herself, and in turn so did her best friend Billie.
June 25, 2020
Thank you to @jmercerbooks for this eARC to review! I read it at the perfect time because I had been working on a historical fiction book at the same time! PAOIT by#jmercer is a great YA/high school book about how you see yourself and how other people perceive you! I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! #paoit was my first read by this author but I do have her other three books I need to read!
📚
Synopsis taken from Amazon:
What if you woke up one morning looking as perfect as you'd always hoped you'd be? What if you then went after all the things you were too afraid to chase after before? And what if that made everything go wrong, instead of right?
Drawn to Hawk and intrigued by his colorful best friend Ivy, Eden thinks maybe she could choose something more than the safe, vanilla life she's always had. Juggling the old and new is more difficult than she imagines though, and one night changes everything. Now she's grounded, kicked off the volleyball team, and fighting with her best friends. Fine, she thinks, if her old life doesn't want her, she'll burrow herself in the new. Except Ivy outs a secret Eden thought was for her and Hawk alone. Retribution comes fast, and Ivy accuses Eden of being the tattletale. If Eden can't embrace her true self and clear her name, she'll burn everyone she cares about and lose herself in the process.
📚
Synopsis taken from Amazon:
What if you woke up one morning looking as perfect as you'd always hoped you'd be? What if you then went after all the things you were too afraid to chase after before? And what if that made everything go wrong, instead of right?
Drawn to Hawk and intrigued by his colorful best friend Ivy, Eden thinks maybe she could choose something more than the safe, vanilla life she's always had. Juggling the old and new is more difficult than she imagines though, and one night changes everything. Now she's grounded, kicked off the volleyball team, and fighting with her best friends. Fine, she thinks, if her old life doesn't want her, she'll burrow herself in the new. Except Ivy outs a secret Eden thought was for her and Hawk alone. Retribution comes fast, and Ivy accuses Eden of being the tattletale. If Eden can't embrace her true self and clear her name, she'll burn everyone she cares about and lose herself in the process.
November 24, 2022
Thank you to the author and Katie for free copy of the book! And I voluntarily leave this review.
First of all, I love this simple cover. I love that every chapter has short pages which makes me entranced to turn over the pages more and more.
I love seeing the Eden and Hawk relationship's growth as they are just an easy couple for me, the troubles that they faced came from Eden itself but they're not too complicated to plunge into. I love that this book is Young Adult so it's not that hard for me to connect to the characters. I love Reese, he's just such a cute little brother for Eden, and he reminded me of my brother when he was a little kid, aww!
I am just sometimes annoyed by Eden's Mom because I feel she didn't pay much attention to her daughter, however, as a mother she has her own way to show her love for her children.
🥀𝘍𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘘𝘶𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴🥀
“Some people will be different from you, or taught different things. Some have different expectations set on them or no expectations and they live life in a different way, but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong or bad."
Sometimes we're tested. Not to show our weaknesses, but to discover our strengths.”
‘We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are.
First of all, I love this simple cover. I love that every chapter has short pages which makes me entranced to turn over the pages more and more.
I love seeing the Eden and Hawk relationship's growth as they are just an easy couple for me, the troubles that they faced came from Eden itself but they're not too complicated to plunge into. I love that this book is Young Adult so it's not that hard for me to connect to the characters. I love Reese, he's just such a cute little brother for Eden, and he reminded me of my brother when he was a little kid, aww!
I am just sometimes annoyed by Eden's Mom because I feel she didn't pay much attention to her daughter, however, as a mother she has her own way to show her love for her children.
🥀𝘍𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘘𝘶𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴🥀
“Some people will be different from you, or taught different things. Some have different expectations set on them or no expectations and they live life in a different way, but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong or bad."
Sometimes we're tested. Not to show our weaknesses, but to discover our strengths.”
‘We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are.
June 19, 2020
I found Perfection and Other Illusive Things very enjoyable and really funny a times. At its core, it is a journey of identity for our main character, Eden. The twists and turns of her search lead her to some choices that are, shall we say, epic fails. But those choices are true to the experience of many young adults. For me the book would have been less honest without them. Eden grows through the narrative as she experimens with different life choices. She comes to some important insights about what influences her identity and, ultimately, the power she has to respond to those influences. Readers can gain insight from both the positive and negative choices Eden makes.
November 25, 2022
3.5 stars
coming of age, high school, pressure, friendships, family, young adult, self-worth, self-love, teenage angst, perception, mystery
I liked the general idea of the story because it hits on how you see you value yourself versus how others can influence your life, in good or bad ways. The story was short enough to not drag out the drama/mystery which I appreciated and enjoyed. I had hoped for some more depth in the characters because I didn't feel much of a connection with one of them. The closest one was Hawk.
coming of age, high school, pressure, friendships, family, young adult, self-worth, self-love, teenage angst, perception, mystery
I liked the general idea of the story because it hits on how you see you value yourself versus how others can influence your life, in good or bad ways. The story was short enough to not drag out the drama/mystery which I appreciated and enjoyed. I had hoped for some more depth in the characters because I didn't feel much of a connection with one of them. The closest one was Hawk.
June 30, 2020
I read this book in 2 sittings! A well written read about overcoming insecurities, believing in yourself and a bit of a magical romance. I loved the diversity of the characters and their stories which I felt truly reflected a high school experience, bad decisions and all (not pointing fingers at my high schools self at all..!). This book delivered some great lines and characters that I felt like I went to school with myself by the end.
November 25, 2022
Eden's journey, while relatable to anyone that felt the need to be perfect in high school or had an immense amount of pressure of them, needed more time. This is one of the shortest books I've read this year. While I appreciate the timeline that played out, I was left wondering how Eden's decisions would've changed if it had played out of the course of several months instead.
November 28, 2022
I really enjoyed this book and it didn’t go in the direction I thought it would. I loved Eden and Hawk. The storyline was great and was a great read overall. Being your true self is the theme of this book and the journey to get there is the story. It’s well developed and written A perfect read for anyone in high school or YA fans!
July 5, 2020
This was such a beautiful story about loving yourself and looking beyond appearance. Trials and errors during high school. Sort of becoming of age, if you will. But it’s meaning is much deeper.
December 26, 2020
This was a Goodreads Giveaway win. Overall it was a good book but it was just a little too juvenile for me. Great for young adults.
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