Perfect (Flawed #2) by Cecelia Ahern - Restarting May 7th 2018

[T.J.]

Celestine North lives in a society that demands perfection. After she was branded Flawed by a morality court, Celestine's life has completely fractured--all her freedoms gone.

Since Judge Crevan has declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with Carrick--the only person she can trust.

But Celestine has a secret--one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground. A secret that has already caused countless people to go missing.

Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, Celestine must make a choice: save just herself or to risk her life to save all Flawed people.

And, most important of all, can she prove that to be human in itself is to be Flawed?

[Maxximum]

I cannot wait for this one! I loved Flawed and was super mad when it left me hanging! ---- I thought it wasn't going to be available till April though?

[Elizabeth]

YAYAYAYAY so excited for this, TJ! (and super glad I was approved for an ARC!)

[T.J.]

Elizabeth wrote: "YAYAYAYAY so excited for this, TJ! (and super glad I was approved for an ARC!)"

Me too. I absolutely LOVED Flawed. I wrote so much during the buddy read -- it inspired me to think, contemplate. I would have given it 5 points if it hadn't been for the abrupt ending, leaving too many unanswered questions. I promised Cecilia I'd reconsider my rating if she answers my questions in the next installments. :D

My Flawed Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[T.J.]

Katherine wrote: "I cannot wait for this one! I loved Flawed and was super mad when it left me hanging! ---- I thought it wasn't going to be available till April though?"

I know! I felt the same way, Katherine!

The expected publication is April 4th 2017 by Feiwel & Friends. Elizabeth and I have received advanced review copies.

You can request an advanced copy from Netgalley:
https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/book...

Hope you can join us, Katherine!

[Ariel]

I just requested a copy! I hope I get it, I SPED through Flawed and I'm hungry for more!

[T.J.]

I've had to put this off a few days so I can finish , , and -- all very good books! Has anyone started Perfect yet?

(I want to devote the time and attention to this book that it deserves). :D

[Elizabeth]

TJ wrote: "I've had to put this off a few days so I can finish , , and -- all very good books! H..."

I haven't started yet either--other books somehow keep cropping up out of nowhere and getting put ahead of this in priority! I'll be picking it up soonish though!

[T.J.]

Elizabeth wrote: "I haven't started yet either--other books somehow keep cropping up out of nowhere and getting put ahead of this in priority! I'll be picking it up soonish though!"

Oh, good! It's not coming out until April 4th, so we have some time. ;) It is next on my list, though. I'm really looking forward to this -- it's been getting such great reviews.

I see you're reading on the 22nd. Do you want to start this after? I'd like to read Ensnared too, but I don't want to overcommit (and that's not coming out until December). Just tell me when you want to start and I'll drop everything and join you. I don't want to get behind in this one -- As with , I'm sure there is a lot of food for thought.

[Elizabeth]

TJ wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I haven't started yet either--other books somehow keep cropping up out of nowhere and getting put ahead of this in priority! I'll be picking it up soonish though!"

Oh, good! It's..."

We can start after, ooooor before, or during. I don't have another review due until next week, so while I should be starting that book soon too, I've a bit of free time (which is soooo nice! I work 6 days a week now, 40+ hours, so between work and book review requests....free time? is something I'm totally unfamiliar with these days. LOL)

Really though, just let me know when YOU'RE good to start lol.

[T.J.]

Lol! Free time? What is this concept you speak of?

Good news! I finished the 3 books I was reading and can start this one at your convenience.

[Elizabeth]

TJ wrote: "Lol! Free time? What is this concept you speak of?

Good news! I finished the 3 books I was reading and can start this one at your convenience."

OH YAY! Okay, so I'm currently reading a book that's due for review next week, but I can fit this one in next and start tomorrow or Friday at the latest. Does that work for you?

[T.J.]

Perfect!

[Elizabeth]

TJ wrote: "Perfect!"

Hi, TJ! I started this read this morning--will be adding some notes here soon!

[T.J.]

Super, Elizabeth! I started today as well and I'm looking forward to discussing.

Chapter 11 (10%)
(view spoiler)[
I'm really glad we're finally getting to know Celestine's grandfather. He impressed me in the first book -- even though Celestine only mentioned him to criticize, he impressed me as being the only free thinker around (at least in the family).
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 14 (13%)
(view spoiler)[
I wonder who the mysterious owner of the CCU and CDU plants is. The V in the company's name Vigor is designed as a mathematical square root sign. Celestine has seen it before, but she can't place it. My first thought was maybe the same V symbol is also used on the campaign posters for Enya Sleepwell of the Vital Party. Her slogan is "Compassion and Logic" -- the square root could represent the logical part... Maybe Enya is the mysterious owner... "Vigor. Turning A Problem Into A Solution." -- maybe the company's slogan means solving more than just scientific problems.

I wonder what happened to the journalist Pia Wang/Lisa Life.

Does Celestine actually have a copy of the video her lawyer made of the branding? I don't remember if she actually got it before the lawyer disappeared in the first book.
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 16 (17%)
Uh oh.
(view spoiler)[
I wonder what really happened to Lizzie. I'm tending to believe Leonard -- that he really loves Lizzie and doesn't cared if she's a Flawed -- so why did Mona say the complete opposite? Now I'm wondering if Mona is trustworthy.

And the big question: Why did giving no more thought to the Lizzie/Leonard situation turn out to be Celestine's first mistake?
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 17 (19%)
(view spoiler)[
Bahee's little ritual about focusing on the positive in a person instead of their "flaws" or mistakes is a very positive contrast to the Guild. But obviously Bahee is into the here and now and not into revolution or overthrowing the entire flawed system (and I do mean that it is flawed!).

I wonder what Rogan's deal is. Jealous about sharing his parents with Carrick? It seems to be a bigger issue than that.
(hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

TJ wrote: "Super, Elizabeth! I started today as well and I'm looking forward to discussing.

Chapter 11 (10%)

I'm really glad we're finally getting to know Celestine's grandfather. He impressed me in the fir..."

(view spoiler)[I honestly didn't remember the grandfather from the first book, but I really REALLY have been digging him in this one! He seems like exactly the sort of down-to-earth, awesome activist the world needs. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

TJ wrote: "Chapter 14 (13%)

I wonder who the mysterious owner of the CCU and CDU plants is. The V in the company's name Vigor is designed as a mathematical square root sign. Celestine has seen it before, but..."

(view spoiler)[

--I won't give any BIG spoilers because I'm farther into the read than you currently seem to be, but... I wasn't even trying to figure out where she'd seen the symbol before. Keep up the brain-waving!

--I'm curious about Lisa Life, myself. Seems like there have been a lot of unexplained disappearances...is Crevan behind ALL of them?! (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

TJ wrote: "Chapter 16 (17%)
Uh oh.

I wonder what really happened to Lizzie. I'm tending to believe Leonard -- that he really loves Lizzie and doesn't cared if she's a Flawed -- so why did Mona say the compl..."

(view spoiler)[ I noticed in the first book that sometimes Celestine gave us little "foreshadowing" warnings when something major was about to happen. I have a feeling, looking back on it from where I'm at in the read, that the Lizzie/Leonard thing might have been a foreshadowing to the confusion between Leonard and Mona's stories. (hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Elizabeth wrote: "Chapter 11 (10%) [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[
Elizabeth wrote: "I honestly didn't remember the grandfather from the first book, but I really REALLY have been digging him in this one! He seems like exactly the sort of down-to-earth, awesome activist the world needs."

I'm not sure Celestine's grandfather was even in the first book -- he may have been at the dinner party in the opening scene. But he was constantly referred to as a critic of the system -- and criticized for that by Celestine's mom and in Celestine's thought process.

I wrote this in my review of Flawed:

"Celestine’s Granddad, Cornelius, and her sister, Juniper, are presented as critics of the system – the free-thinkers."
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 19 (23%)
I remember!
(view spoiler)[
The video of her branding is in the snow globe in her room at home! We speculated during the buddy read of Flawed that the video must be in the snow globe. Why else would Tina have given her such a tasteless present before she disappeared?
(hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

TJ wrote: "Chapter 19 (23%)
I remember!

The video of her branding is in the snow globe in her room at home! We speculated during the buddy read of Flawed that the video must be in the snow globe. Why else wo..."

(view spoiler)[Bahahahaha right?! That's the current guess at least! (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

48%

(view spoiler)[

--And now the fun REALLY begins. Crevan's kidnapped Celestine and is apparently planning on removing the sixth brand--his big mistake--with skin grafts. Tina the guard has suddenly made a reappearance...only to help Celestine? To hinder her? I guess we'll find out.

But...the question remains, where has she been hiding all this time? And where are all the other "missing" people? (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

48%

(view spoiler)[

WAIT WAIT WAIT. Now Crevan's spinning the story to say CELESTINE gave HERSELF the sixth brand? First off...how the heckles could she have possibly managed that? It would be an awfully awkward angle, I'd think? Ugh. This just keeps getting messier. I mean, I understand he's panicking, but seeeeeriously. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

50%

(view spoiler)[Nevermind, we've officially found the rest of the missing. Or at least, I imagine as much, given Mr. Berry is one of them. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

69%

(view spoiler)[ "We are on our way to becoming almost cleansed of all Flaws, of irrational, immoral, unethical, and downright irresponsible decisions."

Except you're not, not really. Because EVERYONE, in the end, is Flawed--not all in the same way, but it's still there. It's part of being human. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

77%

(view spoiler)[ I have REALLY come to hate it when Celestine breaks out of the present tense.....to give us a taste of the future tense in a foreshadowing. It ALWAYS, ALWAYS, means something terrible's about to follow. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

86%

(view spoiler)[
OH. MY. PENGUINS. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

(view spoiler)[ I sweaaaaaaar, if she ends up with him, I will be UTTERLY and COMPLETELY disappointed in this ending lol. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

100%

(view spoiler)[ OKAY. That decides it. I need these books in hardcover copy. They belong on my shelves. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

(view spoiler)[ ALSO, can we just TALK ABOUT the choices the cover designer made for this series?! I mean seriously...these covers? Say SO MUCH about the story without really saying anything until you've read the books.

For Flawed, we see Celestine from the mouth down. She is sort of bland, an unknown from the beginning--until she steps up and sparks a revolution. In Perfect...she IS the revolution, so we see her from the neck up.

The colors also sort of play on this. She was perfect, "pure"...until she was found NOT to be.

It's just... GAAAAAAH. GAH! (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

(view spoiler)[ Obviously I have a lot of feelings about this series. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

Annnnd review can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[T.J.]

Elizabeth wrote: "48% [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[
Elizabeth wrote: "-And now the fun REALLY begins. Crevan's kidnapped Celestine and is apparently planning on removing the sixth brand--his big mistake--with skin grafts. Tina the guard has suddenly made a reappearance...only to help Celestine? To hinder her? I guess we'll find out.

But...the question remains, where has she been hiding all this time? And where are all the other "missing" people?"

I was surprised that Celestine didn't have a backup/escape plan for the very real possibility that her meeting with Bosco might not go as desired...

I'm glad Tina is okay. I hope she will help Celestine find the location of the snow globe.
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Elizabeth wrote: "50% [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[
Elizabeth wrote: "Nevermind, we've officially found the rest of the missing. Or at least, I imagine as much, given Mr. Berry is one of them."

Good thing they're all still alive, but... Bosco can't hold them drugged indefinitely...
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 44 (54%)
Really, really exciting!
(view spoiler)[
Yay! Juniper and their mom finally stepped up to the plate! I was looking at my comments in the buddy read for the first book, and I really expected Juniper to take action sooner. But wow! When she takes action, she really takes action! She is putting her freedom and her life in danger!

I also suspected that their mom was a closet dissident, just trying to keep her family safe. But she is really coming through.

And Carrick? No words. What a true friend. And Kate, Mona, and the others? Yay! Go team! Celestine is not alone!
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 54 (67%)
(view spoiler)[
I. ABSOLUTELY. REFUSE. TO. BELIEVE. that Celestine gave Judge Sanchez the only copies of her branding footage. Celestine is a person of logic after all -- and that would not be logical.
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Elizabeth wrote: "69% [spoilers removed]."

(view spoiler)[
'We are on our way to becoming almost cleansed of all Flaws, of irrational, immoral, unethical, and downright irresponsible decisions.'

Elizabeth wrote: "Except you're not, not really. Because EVERYONE, in the end, is Flawed--not all in the same way, but it's still there. It's part of being human."

Exactly! I liked Celestine's analysis -- We flawed can learn from the mistakes we've made, while the unflawed presumably haven't made any mistakes to learn from... Ergo the flawed are a whole lot smarter, having learned a whole lot more.
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Elizabeth wrote: "77% [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[
Elizabeth wrote: "I have REALLY come to hate it when Celestine breaks out of the present tense.....to give us a taste of the future tense in a foreshadowing. It ALWAYS, ALWAYS, means something terrible's about to follow."

I know! I always stop and say: "sh%t"! I remember during the buddy read for the first book I stopped at one point and asked: Do I really want to read on? Of course I want to... don't I? Yes! I have to read on!
(hide spoiler)]
I love love love Ahern's writing style! So suspenseful.

[T.J.]

Elizabeth wrote: "86%"
(view spoiler)[
Elizabeth wrote: "OH. MY. PENGUINS."

I had to look up what was at 86% -- when Celestine branded herself perfect. That was powerful.

"Branded Perfect forever. Perfect and Flawed on the same body. Now I'm balanced."

Powerful stuff.
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Elizabeth wrote: "[spoilers removed]"

Chapter 79 (95%) -- End (100%)
(view spoiler)[
Elizabeth wrote: "I sweaaaaaaar, if she ends up with him, I will be UTTERLY and COMPLETELY disappointed in this ending lol. "

I thought the same thing. I thought this was going to be setting it up for a third book...

At the same time, I totally understood Celestine's actions. Art had been shot. Whether or not she still had romantic feelings for Art, he still was her friend and had been such an important part of her life -- and he had just helped her escaped.

I was worried that Celestine would find it hard to leave Art in such a critical condition, but I was so relieved that she was able to.

I was hoping that Carrick would have no trouble understanding Celestine's actions and that he not feel betrayed or jealous -- which, from the ending, it seems that he didn't. So... yay!
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Elizabeth wrote: "100% [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[
Elizabeth wrote: "OKAY. That decides it. I need these books in hardcover copy. They belong on my shelves."

Oh ya! On mine too!
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Elizabeth wrote: "ALSO, can we just TALK ABOUT the choices the cover designer made for this series?! I mean seriously...these covers? Say SO MUCH about the story without really saying anything until you've read the books...."
(view spoiler)[
Elizabeth wrote: "For Flawed, we see Celestine from the mouth down. She is sort of bland, an unknown from the beginning--until she steps up and sparks a revolution. In Perfect...she IS the revolution, so we see her from the neck up.

The colors also sort of play on this. She was perfect, "pure"...until she was found NOT to be.

It's just... GAAAAAAH. GAH!

Totally agree! Powerfully symbolic.
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Finished

Perfect was a fantastic read! Everything I hope for in a book and more! Suspense, mystery, unexpected twists and turns, thought-provoking content, intelligent (and at time witty) dialogue, interesting/intriguing characters who experience character growth, and a splash of romance!

I wish I hadn't had to wait a year to read this second book -- the two books would have flowed so seamlessly together. It seems more like one complete book that a duology, and the first book didn't really have an ending. I wondered if the two parts were actually written as one and then separated for marketing purposes.

I should also mention the brilliant writing style. (view spoiler)[
Following Celestine's thought process is amazing as she grows and develops, learns from her mistakes, questions the world around her and everything she's been taught to believe is true, draws her own conclusions, overcomes betrayal, learns to trust.

The varied chapter lengths works really well to move the story along, sometimes long to reveal a more in-depth scene, sometime incredibly short to create a sense of urgency. (hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Additional Thoughts
(view spoiler)[
I have to mention that I had a big scare for a moment there at the end, and had to pause to decide whether to go on.

The scene at the fish gutting hall, the women with blood red color all over their clothes... I couldn't believe the book would go that dark, but it was entirely possible. It's happened in history, so is not as unthinkable as I would like to believe.

Along with Celestine, I feared the worst. Could this be some kind of "Endlösung" -- some diabolical plan to get rid of all the flawed once and for all? It certainly wouldn't serve the purpose of the Guild, but Bosco in an anger-crazed mania may have attempted to get rid of the potential rebels and avert an impending rebellion.

Thankfully, I didn't have to worry too long to be relieved of this notion -- and the march of the flawed in skimpy clothes was then not as shocking as it would have been otherwise...
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Here is my review of Perfect:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Abbie]

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

Reading from the 7th of May 2018

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

[Katrina]

Starting now!