Perfected (Perfected #1) by Kate Jarvik Birch - Restarting June 8th 2017

[Adriana]

It's one of those.

[faith]

now i'm scared to keep reading :/

[Adriana]

My lips are sealed.

[faith]

70%
(view spoiler)[Missy is so blatantly honest when she talks to Ella, but at least she understands the problems with genetically engineered girls.

the congressman is getting creepier and creepier the more I read. when he took her to the beach, i was so scared he was going to do something to her. thankfully, he didn't, but he basically admitted that he spied on her and Penn. and when they were in the car he smelled her. creepy much?

Claire also seems hostile towards Ella, but this time I'm pretty sure it's just because she doesn't like her. she glares at Ella and talks about her like she's not there.

Penn is gradually becoming a better person to me. I feel like he seems to understand Ella, but at first he basically forced Ella to be with him in a way? so I'm not sure where I stand. (hide spoiler)]

[faith]

90%
(view spoiler)[it was basically just confirmed that the congressman raped Ravenna, and then was sent back to die, which makes me even more angry at Claire. she says Ravenna tore the family apart, so she's essentially blaming Ravenna for being a victim of rape?! seriously?!

i'm glad Penn and Ella ran away together and we got to see a whole new side of the congressman's wife while this happened. she always seemed kind to Ella, but I had never realized she was fighting for her freedom the whole time.

I also cannot believe that they just got separated. they were so close to having a future together, and the officer Ella was with didn't even try to help Penn. the story ended just like that, with them separated, and now I'm really frustrated. (hide spoiler)]

[Adriana]

(view spoiler)[ The knowledge of the rape is why I hate all of the other characters. Penn had to know she was raped so even though he "saved" her he's a hypocrite. It was only when he fell for her that he cared. He took advantage of Ella in my eyes... (hide spoiler)]

[faith]

(view spoiler)[true. after reading Penn's perspective all he talked about was how he wanted to touch her and her body, which was disgusting. (hide spoiler)]

[Adriana]

(view spoiler)[ She doesn't know anything about sex and he's the only teenage boy she's seen. It felt wrong. (hide spoiler)]

[faith]

forgot to post update again!

Done
(view spoiler)[I can't really decide on whether or not I like Perfected so I've given it three stars.

it was a very interesting concept, having genetically engineered girls that you could buy, but it was basically slavery. they treated Ella like an actual animal pet, maybe even worse. they gave her a necklace that was basically a dog tag, made her eat at a different table, and even chained her around the house so she basically had no freedom.

a lot of people in the story treated Ella as a lesser being. Rosa, the congressman, Penn, and even Ruby sometimes acted like she wasn't a real person. the congressman was especially creepy because he kept trying to kiss her and touch her all the time. at first, Penn was a bad person, acting hostile to and ignoring Ella, but then he got a lot nicer and they fell into sort of a relationship. to me, Penn was now a good character and I liked the two of them together and thought they understood each other.

but then I read Penn's POV and it made me hate him so much. literally all of his thoughts were about how he wanted to touch and kiss Ella (like his father) and about how pretty she looked. there was not a single thing, nothing at all, about liking her as a person and for her personality. the only reason Penn liked Ella was for her looks. that is absolutely disgusting. I thought Penn was different from his dad and actually understood her, but nope. he had to like her just because she was pretty.

I loved the relationship between Ella and Ruby, how they both relied on each other and cared about each other (even if she thought of Ella as a "pet.") aside from that, they went really well together. Ruby was so happy to see Ella after she was kidnapped by Mrs. Harper and wanted to teach her how to read, which was really cute.

there were a lot of parts of the book I disliked (*cough* Penn *cough*), but it was a great and interesting story. I don't think I will be continuing the series though. (hide spoiler)]