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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
*Thank you very much HarperCollins International for providing me an eARC in exchange of an honest book review.
The story started with this line:
This line, this specific line, really made me feel so excited to dive in this book. I immediately wanted to flip its pages and figure out what she was talking about. Because that was so intriguing, right? Well, it turned out that that was just all because of a zit. Yes. Kara Winter, the so-called “Perfect Kara” is now imperfect because of a zit. And that’s where everything started.
The story is written on Kara Winter’s point of view. Pushing Perfect is a story of different relationships such as friendship, parents-daughter relationship, student-teacher relationship and more, but most importantly, it is also a story which shows how trust and honesty are really important.
The story was all about friendship drama that suddenly turned into a quest for a mysterious blackmailer.
The very first chapter really got me so disappointed. The main character is a negative thinker plus the way she handle things is so bad. And not also Kara, but her so-called best friends from middle grade and parents are also the problem. Because of them, the story had turned into a tangle of misunderstandings which really made my head hurt.
Kara is definitely one of the most annoying main characters I’ve ever seen. Kara had a hard time dealing with all these pressures that her parents, her friends and her own self are giving her. Kara Winter definitely made me want to roll my eyes and face palm almost every freaking time. She is so insecure and all that matters to her is what people will say, given that her friends and schoolmates knows her for being the “Perfect Kara”. She worries too much, like too much. The only thing – I think – is good about her is she is so smart and a very good and obedient daughter.
It’s just a good thing that new characters arrived who I really liked. They aren’t as smart or as practical or as logical as Kara but at least they’re not limiting their selves and they aren’t as negative thinker as her.
What appeals to me in this story was the sudden touch of mystery. I loved that from a “middle grade besties separated on highschool” drama it turned out to be a mystery. It isn’t actually that hard to figure out but the journey they had will make you doubt if the puzzle was really that easy or not. The journey they took while figuring things out and putting the pieces together were actually the very source of entertainment in this book. I am actually glad that Pushing Perfect didn’t turned out to be like what I had truly expected because I really thought at the very start that I’ll not enjoy this given that I really don’t like most of the characters. If it wasn’t for the touch of mystery, I think the highest rating I could give for this book is 2 out of 5.
Aside from the mystery, I also liked the pacing. That was so smooth.
The end was a bit rushed and definitely not that satisfying but I can say that it’s already OKAY. Despite of the lack of details about the end of their quest, we still saw that Kara finally learned her lessons. And that’s what’s the most important. Kara learned. She learned a lot about trust and being honest, which I am really glad to happen, because if it did not, I don’t know what will I feel about this book anymore. So the ending is okay because of the lessons learned.
Overall, there’s nothing much to expect in this book except for the mystery side. The main character is too negative to the point that you’ll be just exhausted and irritated. Her negative thinking was just driven by her desire to maintain her image of "perfect Kara" at that's so annoying. Though there are still a lot of lessons learned in this book, which is definitely a great thing. And the mystery is a good thing Pushing Perfect has. Some clues will lead you to wrong conclusions so be ware.
The title really made sense because Kara was always pushed to be perfect by herself and by her parents without them noticing. Pushing Perfect is a story that will show that pushing for perfection isn’t good because there’s no thing such as perfect. All you have to do is to push yourself for the right direction.
All this pushing for perfection is damaging, you know.
The story started with this line:
During the summer between eighth and ninth grade, I turned into a monster.
This line, this specific line, really made me feel so excited to dive in this book. I immediately wanted to flip its pages and figure out what she was talking about. Because that was so intriguing, right? Well, it turned out that that was just all because of a zit. Yes. Kara Winter, the so-called “Perfect Kara” is now imperfect because of a zit. And that’s where everything started.
The story is written on Kara Winter’s point of view. Pushing Perfect is a story of different relationships such as friendship, parents-daughter relationship, student-teacher relationship and more, but most importantly, it is also a story which shows how trust and honesty are really important.
The story was all about friendship drama that suddenly turned into a quest for a mysterious blackmailer.
The very first chapter really got me so disappointed. The main character is a negative thinker plus the way she handle things is so bad. And not also Kara, but her so-called best friends from middle grade and parents are also the problem. Because of them, the story had turned into a tangle of misunderstandings which really made my head hurt.
I was just happy not to look like myself, now that looking like myself had become so scary.
Kara is definitely one of the most annoying main characters I’ve ever seen. Kara had a hard time dealing with all these pressures that her parents, her friends and her own self are giving her. Kara Winter definitely made me want to roll my eyes and face palm almost every freaking time. She is so insecure and all that matters to her is what people will say, given that her friends and schoolmates knows her for being the “Perfect Kara”. She worries too much, like too much. The only thing – I think – is good about her is she is so smart and a very good and obedient daughter.
“God, you’re more dramatic than I am,” Justin said. “You’re being ridiculous. Your life won’t be over. Your current plan might get disrupted a little, that’s all. A little disruption never killed anyone.”
It’s just a good thing that new characters arrived who I really liked. They aren’t as smart or as practical or as logical as Kara but at least they’re not limiting their selves and they aren’t as negative thinker as her.
What appeals to me in this story was the sudden touch of mystery. I loved that from a “middle grade besties separated on highschool” drama it turned out to be a mystery. It isn’t actually that hard to figure out but the journey they had will make you doubt if the puzzle was really that easy or not. The journey they took while figuring things out and putting the pieces together were actually the very source of entertainment in this book. I am actually glad that Pushing Perfect didn’t turned out to be like what I had truly expected because I really thought at the very start that I’ll not enjoy this given that I really don’t like most of the characters. If it wasn’t for the touch of mystery, I think the highest rating I could give for this book is 2 out of 5.
Aside from the mystery, I also liked the pacing. That was so smooth.
The end was a bit rushed and definitely not that satisfying but I can say that it’s already OKAY. Despite of the lack of details about the end of their quest, we still saw that Kara finally learned her lessons. And that’s what’s the most important. Kara learned. She learned a lot about trust and being honest, which I am really glad to happen, because if it did not, I don’t know what will I feel about this book anymore. So the ending is okay because of the lessons learned.
Overall, there’s nothing much to expect in this book except for the mystery side. The main character is too negative to the point that you’ll be just exhausted and irritated. Her negative thinking was just driven by her desire to maintain her image of "perfect Kara" at that's so annoying. Though there are still a lot of lessons learned in this book, which is definitely a great thing. And the mystery is a good thing Pushing Perfect has. Some clues will lead you to wrong conclusions so be ware.
The title really made sense because Kara was always pushed to be perfect by herself and by her parents without them noticing. Pushing Perfect is a story that will show that pushing for perfection isn’t good because there’s no thing such as perfect. All you have to do is to push yourself for the right direction.
RATING: 2.5 stars
I was hooked in the overall storyline of this mystery thriller YA novel but at some point, the sudden explode of all the sub-plots made it wearisome to comprehend; don’t get me wrong, I still finished this book but the ending worsened the general rating for the book.
I don’t want to sound like I really *HATE* Pushing Perfect by Michelle Falkoff for I am not a fan of spreading animosity and I think, at the beginning, I kind of liked the premise of this novel so let me clarify my stand and explain at what part did this book fail.
First of all, this book is a story about a senior high school teen named Kara who studies at Marbella High. Being a top achiever since her elementary days and having the pressure from her successful, Stanford alumni parents, Kara often tend to exert too much effort in all that she does which lead to episodes of anxiety and depression. But with the upcoming SATs that will determine whether she’ll make it to an Ivy League school or not, Kara tried her best to sooth and calm her mind to avoid another panic attack which she already experienced during one of the practice SATs in Marbella. With all these happenings, Kara met a new friend in the name of Alex Nguyen, a Vietnamese, techie teen who admits being addicted to online poker after her gambler uncle taught her some skills, who stepped up to be her confidante and study buddy. During one of their review session, Alex mentioned a way to help Kara steady her mind during the SAT and that is through an illicit drug named Novalert. Desperate to ace her final chance on the SAT, Kara veered from the perfect course and wildly accepted Alex’s help and tried Novalert. But with this decision comes a series of unanticipated consequences that will surely bring her down to hell if it’s not addressed as soon as possible. With the help of the unexpected friends she met along the way, Kara will find a way to escape the dark maze she led herself into. The catch it, will she make it out alive or will her secrets be spilled to the rest of the world and unravel how imperfect ‘Perfect Kara’ is?
What I liked about this novel is how it focused on the premise of teen/student mental health and how toxic perfectionist environments can be. I kind of relate to her character since there were instances in my life when I felt so ‘pressured’ of what other people will say to me if I made this or that decision. Which is kind of a good avenue to venture (though it’s risky as well since we know how sensitive this topic can be) if handled carefully.
Another thing I liked about this book is the pacing. It was set in a ‘not-too-fast-that-it-will-make-you-forget-some-details-but-not-too-dull-that-you-almost-DNF’ pace; I mean, it was in a good pace that is great enough to make you want to flip another page and finish another chapter before turning the nightlamp.
Let’s go the the DARK SIDE… first, there’s a lot of sub-plots that were not justified enough throughout the book like the Kara-Becca-Isabel’s triangle friendship, the Blocked Sender’s insane history, Alex-Justin backstory. This is one of those book that could have been so GOOD but it went downhill because there was a lot of information to take in when it can actually focus in fewer important highlights, in the first place.
Last thing that I kind of did not like with this novel, which is the most influential factor in my book rating, is the ending. I have read a good mystery novel this year like Hidden Pieces by Paula Stokes and its realistic ending made a huge impact in my reading journey but this book’s ending is totally unacceptable. At first, I thought that there will be some major twist in the last five chapters after the blackmailed squad decided to finally meet the Blocked sender but nothing good happened for the narrative focused on the idealistic anecdotes of the characters. What I mean with this is that a whole lot of mess was made within this novel but not a single person will clean up the chaos? That is just unfair. Ciao.
I was hooked in the overall storyline of this mystery thriller YA novel but at some point, the sudden explode of all the sub-plots made it wearisome to comprehend; don’t get me wrong, I still finished this book but the ending worsened the general rating for the book.
I don’t want to sound like I really *HATE* Pushing Perfect by Michelle Falkoff for I am not a fan of spreading animosity and I think, at the beginning, I kind of liked the premise of this novel so let me clarify my stand and explain at what part did this book fail.
First of all, this book is a story about a senior high school teen named Kara who studies at Marbella High. Being a top achiever since her elementary days and having the pressure from her successful, Stanford alumni parents, Kara often tend to exert too much effort in all that she does which lead to episodes of anxiety and depression. But with the upcoming SATs that will determine whether she’ll make it to an Ivy League school or not, Kara tried her best to sooth and calm her mind to avoid another panic attack which she already experienced during one of the practice SATs in Marbella. With all these happenings, Kara met a new friend in the name of Alex Nguyen, a Vietnamese, techie teen who admits being addicted to online poker after her gambler uncle taught her some skills, who stepped up to be her confidante and study buddy. During one of their review session, Alex mentioned a way to help Kara steady her mind during the SAT and that is through an illicit drug named Novalert. Desperate to ace her final chance on the SAT, Kara veered from the perfect course and wildly accepted Alex’s help and tried Novalert. But with this decision comes a series of unanticipated consequences that will surely bring her down to hell if it’s not addressed as soon as possible. With the help of the unexpected friends she met along the way, Kara will find a way to escape the dark maze she led herself into. The catch it, will she make it out alive or will her secrets be spilled to the rest of the world and unravel how imperfect ‘Perfect Kara’ is?
What I liked about this novel is how it focused on the premise of teen/student mental health and how toxic perfectionist environments can be. I kind of relate to her character since there were instances in my life when I felt so ‘pressured’ of what other people will say to me if I made this or that decision. Which is kind of a good avenue to venture (though it’s risky as well since we know how sensitive this topic can be) if handled carefully.
Another thing I liked about this book is the pacing. It was set in a ‘not-too-fast-that-it-will-make-you-forget-some-details-but-not-too-dull-that-you-almost-DNF’ pace; I mean, it was in a good pace that is great enough to make you want to flip another page and finish another chapter before turning the nightlamp.
Let’s go the the DARK SIDE… first, there’s a lot of sub-plots that were not justified enough throughout the book like the Kara-Becca-Isabel’s triangle friendship, the Blocked Sender’s insane history, Alex-Justin backstory. This is one of those book that could have been so GOOD but it went downhill because there was a lot of information to take in when it can actually focus in fewer important highlights, in the first place.
Last thing that I kind of did not like with this novel, which is the most influential factor in my book rating, is the ending. I have read a good mystery novel this year like Hidden Pieces by Paula Stokes and its realistic ending made a huge impact in my reading journey but this book’s ending is totally unacceptable. At first, I thought that there will be some major twist in the last five chapters after the blackmailed squad decided to finally meet the Blocked sender but nothing good happened for the narrative focused on the idealistic anecdotes of the characters. What I mean with this is that a whole lot of mess was made within this novel but not a single person will clean up the chaos? That is just unfair. Ciao.
This book certainly had its fair share of clichés, but it had a number of moments that I was pleasantly surprised by. I began this book thinking I knew exactly what was going to happen, but I guess I didn’t read the description close enough, because I was completely surprised when this group of people in Kara’s similar situation came out of the woodwork and embarked on their revenge plot. I actually really enjoyed it! It was a fun, easy read.
[bc:Pushing Perfect|28459896|Pushing Perfect|Michelle Falkoff|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1459273232s/28459896.jpg|48596096]
I had the same problem I had with Michelle Falkoff's other book 'Playlist for the Dead'. The premise sounded really cool and had a lot of potential, but the execution wasn't my favourite. It definitely was a quick read, but I feel like it wasn't substantial enough. It kept being one-dimensional. The love story wasn't a huge part of the story, but it was insta-love. Very much so. There wasn't any chemistry either. I didn't expect Blocked Sender to be the person it was, though. It surprised me. But I also didn't like how the person was described as a villain. I get that this wasn't the way to go about it, but they weren't a bad person. There just wasn't a lot in this for me. I did like that the main character had a skin problem and that was dealt with a lot. The main character was very insecure about it and always went out with make-up caked on her face. I did think that was realistic, but since I don't have a skin problem and when I have a huge pimple, I honestly couldn't care less, I find it very hard to relate to this insecurity.
I had the same problem I had with Michelle Falkoff's other book 'Playlist for the Dead'. The premise sounded really cool and had a lot of potential, but the execution wasn't my favourite. It definitely was a quick read, but I feel like it wasn't substantial enough. It kept being one-dimensional. The love story wasn't a huge part of the story, but it was insta-love. Very much so. There wasn't any chemistry either. I didn't expect Blocked Sender to be the person it was, though. It surprised me. But I also didn't like how the person was described as a villain. I get that this wasn't the way to go about it, but they weren't a bad person. There just wasn't a lot in this for me. I did like that the main character had a skin problem and that was dealt with a lot. The main character was very insecure about it and always went out with make-up caked on her face. I did think that was realistic, but since I don't have a skin problem and when I have a huge pimple, I honestly couldn't care less, I find it very hard to relate to this insecurity.
Kara has been gently teased about her life for basically ever. Dubbed "Perfect Kara," everything about her is...well, you can guess.
Until her junior year of high school. Her face breaks out, which leads to her quitting swimming, which leads to her getting a whole new group of friends (don't ask) but the bigger problem is that she gets panic attacks now...which started during the PSAT.
And THAT leads to her making a dumb decision which leads to her getting blackmailed.
This book is insanely fun. I kept trying to guess who was blackmailing Kara (and if multiple people were in on it). I couldn't stop reading. :)
This is a crazy fun few hours. I think you'll enjoy it too.
Until her junior year of high school. Her face breaks out, which leads to her quitting swimming, which leads to her getting a whole new group of friends (don't ask) but the bigger problem is that she gets panic attacks now...which started during the PSAT.
And THAT leads to her making a dumb decision which leads to her getting blackmailed.
This book is insanely fun. I kept trying to guess who was blackmailing Kara (and if multiple people were in on it). I couldn't stop reading. :)
This is a crazy fun few hours. I think you'll enjoy it too.
Pushing Perfect was such a good read, which kind of surprised me as I read Playlists for the Dead and wasn’t exactly in awe, but this one really had me gripped from beginning to end. I love novels about blackmail and this one was right up my street – along with Kara, I had no idea who was the one blackmailing them and the way it all came together was kind of perfect; I was completely baffled by who the blackmailer was – I had an inkling, but I was still stunned, because it was just so insane!
Kara was a great narrator, although it made me sad that she let her skin condition ruin so much of her life! I mean, tons of teens get spots, and I understand this was more than just a few spots, but it still seemed quite an extreme reaction that she did SCAM before she went anywhere, ever, and I’m starting to think she even slept in her make-up. She ruined her friendships, she stopped swimming and the Kara we meet after all of that, is very much a sad shell of who she used to be. So to see her become friends with Alex was great, because it helped her loneliness, and we got to see her come out of her shell again, although it led to all sorts of other problems!
I liked the idea of the drug and I liked how it all unravelled, although I still have one question – who took that first ever picture of Kara, hmmm? That was actually never answered and I am still super curious who it was. But the rest of it? Seeing Kara, Alex and Raj all scramble to wonder what to do, and while people might say why didn’t they tell their parents or the police, you could tell that they all had something to lose and weren’t willing to lose it, which I get. Also: you make stupid decisions when someone backs you into a corner, so I could understand some of their poorer decisions.
I really, really enjoyed Pushing Perfect. Michelle is a cracking writer, and she kept me hooked from start to finish, this is definitely a must-read, with a fantastic, never-see-coming ending.
Kara was a great narrator, although it made me sad that she let her skin condition ruin so much of her life! I mean, tons of teens get spots, and I understand this was more than just a few spots, but it still seemed quite an extreme reaction that she did SCAM before she went anywhere, ever, and I’m starting to think she even slept in her make-up. She ruined her friendships, she stopped swimming and the Kara we meet after all of that, is very much a sad shell of who she used to be. So to see her become friends with Alex was great, because it helped her loneliness, and we got to see her come out of her shell again, although it led to all sorts of other problems!
I liked the idea of the drug and I liked how it all unravelled, although I still have one question – who took that first ever picture of Kara, hmmm? That was actually never answered and I am still super curious who it was. But the rest of it? Seeing Kara, Alex and Raj all scramble to wonder what to do, and while people might say why didn’t they tell their parents or the police, you could tell that they all had something to lose and weren’t willing to lose it, which I get. Also: you make stupid decisions when someone backs you into a corner, so I could understand some of their poorer decisions.
I really, really enjoyed Pushing Perfect. Michelle is a cracking writer, and she kept me hooked from start to finish, this is definitely a must-read, with a fantastic, never-see-coming ending.