Perfect You

I never thought that I would love this book as much as I do. The reason that I started reading this book was because I wanted an easy read. Something light. And I did get what I want and more.

I love every character in this book except for Anna-Kate's popular ex-best friend.

Kate, is a character that I just get. Someone so easy for me to connect with. She is someone who doesn't realise her own self worth. She pushes away Will because she doesn't think he is really into her. She believes that her and Anna can be best friend again even though Anna treats her like dirt. Her family is falling apart and she feels like she has no-one to turn too.

Will is such a swoon-worthy. He made the novel funnier with his wit and charm, and the most interesting parts were when Kate's own cleverness popped out while she bantered with Will. Even on paper, they have so much chemistry you'd think the book would be sizzling right now. I also loved Kate's grandmother and Todd.

This novel is so good. So very, very good. Elizabeth Scott is a master at characters. Both Bloom and Perfect You have weight and substance. Yes, romance is involved in both. But life is always more complicated, more complex than just that. Her writing is for the heart, the mind, and the soul. Life. Love. Friendship. Family. School. Life isn't always beautiful. It isn't always fair. Its full of beginnings and endings. Some times you have to go with the flow.

If I'm honest, I have no idea why I read this book. I'm not a fan of the cover at all, since it seems kind of boring and pointless and too brown to me, but I've read some other of Elizabeth Scott's books, and I think she's starting to become one of my favorite authors.



A lot of Perfect You takes place in the mall where Kate works to help out her dad after he quit his job. For some reason that I still don't understand, Kate's dad thought selling "Perfect You" vitamins was his dream. And while I think this was creative, I didn't understand his motives. Kate's dad does a lot of smiling and faking in this book, and I never really understood why.

I also didn't understand Kate's grandmother. While Kate's family sinks farther and farther into debt because her father won't step up and get a real job, Kate's grandma comes for a visit. All she seems to care about is appearances and money, but that wasn't my problem with her. My problem was that one moment she was talking about her shopping trip, and the next she was scolding Kate for the self-pitying she was doing and giving some odd piece of advice. The transition between Vain Woman and Real Grandma didn't seem natural to me.

Anna, Kate's ex-best friend, was probably the worst part of this book. Kate lets Anna walk all over her and then pretend she doesn't exist whenever her other friends are around, just because she wants to be popular. Sure, in the end, Kate realizes this, but through almost all of the book, Kate is pretty pathetic whenever it comes to Anna.

However, those are the only bad things I can seem to find about the book. Kate's relationship with Will involves a lot of making out, sure, and at times it didn't seem like it could be a real relationship, but Will wasn't some perfect guy, and he provided for some comic relief. :D Also, I actually knew what the characters looked like. Really knew. Because unlike most of the YA contemp. fiction I've been reading lately, Scott actually described what the characters looked like.

Overall: This is one of my new favorite books.

Reader reviewed by Nian

When things were perfect, Anna was still Kates best friend, her
parents were happily married, her brother was living at college, and
her father had a real job. But then, things take a bad turn. Anna has
suddenly transformed into a social butterfly and is no longer talking
to her. Her father quits his job to sell Perfect You vitamins that
nobody wants. Her Grandma is back in town due to financial crisis in
the family. And finally, Kate has an incredible time kissing Will, whom
she cant stop insulting and whom shes sure is using her.


My first Elizabeth Scott book, and well, I like it, but it needs
quite some work before I can be satisfied with the novel. I mean, its
kind of unique. Nobody elses father sells Perfect You vitamins, and
Kates father is an interesting portrayal of another type of fathers.
Usually, you get the normal but overly obsessive and protective dad,
but now, you have someone that kind of plays a bigger role in the story
and his characteristics a bit different. You kind of have to hate him
because of how childish he is that he gives up his family just to sell
non-likable vitamins. Its not something you expect to happen in a
book. I mean, 99% of the time, the parent realizes his/her mistake,
grows up, learns a lesson, and becomes a better person. Here, youre
kind of blasted with a reality hit that not everyone realizes their
mistakes or wants to change themselves. People are selfish, and its a
freaky thought, but its true. This book has amazingly captured that
essence of realness thats made me think a lot about fathers, mothers
and family relationships.


Apart from that, you kind of get the other basic characters.
Theres always the best friend (Anna), the unattainable crush (Will),
the annoying brother (Todd), and sometimes, the even more
annoying-but-somehow-wise figure (the grandmother). Anna is the fat
best friend with a newly improved self-esteem after a summer abroad.
When school starts, she ignores Kate completely, and Kate is left
wondering what she did that turned Anna away.



I actually really hate how Kate turns into someone else when she
talks about Anna or talking to her. Those parts of the story completely
revolted me. I could not get pass how Kate was so willing to overlook
everything Anna had done (or hadnt done, in this case) every single
time. As soon as Kate was ready to forget that Anna and her would never
be real friends again, Anna suddenly makes an appearance, says a sweet
word or two, and Kates all for it again. Yes, I realize thats the
authors point, trying to emphasize that to certain people, it doesnt
take much for that glimmer of hope to appear and disappear again, but
its so pathetic having to read those bits over and over again. And
really, each encounter sounds so much alike that Ive wondered whether
the author has copied and pasted, then changed a few key words and the
setting around! She always tries to end the chapter, or the last
paragraph, with some kind of insightful comment, but its more
repetitive and annoying than ever. I mean, after the first three times
mentioning how they werent friends because of this/that, or why Anna
seemed to not like her anymore, its pointless to remind the reader
that again. Also pointless is how much Dads forced smiling is
repeated. Every time Kate mentions her father, she has to say that he
was smiling that fake smile of his, getting wider and wider by the
minute as he unsuccessfully tried to tell people he was happy, not
pissed off. And I do mean every single time. I get that its important!
But I hate it when people tend to over-repeat things. I mean, at that
point, the authors really trying to test my patience because I
wouldnt be able to stand reading the rest of it.


But of course, I did finish it. But it was more for Will than for
anyone else, because I simply didnt care about the main character, the
father, and everyone else. (Although I kind of did like the Grandmother
and the purple boots.) Will made the novel funnier with his wit and
charm, and the most interesting parts were when Kates own cleverness
popped out while she bantered with Will. Even on paper, they have so
much chemistry youd think the book would be sizzling right now.


I give it nice effort for trying to be creative, and I do like how
everything turned out, except for Kate still pinning for Annas
friendship (why?!), and although Im not so pleased with the entire
work, I still have her 1st novel in possession. Maybe Ill like her
debut better than this.

Reader reviewed by Harmony

This was the first Elizabeth Scott novel I read and even after reading a few more, it remains to be my favorite.

When you start it, chances are it will seem like any other teen novel. But once you get past the first chapter or so, it becomes one of the most realistic books out there. I was blown away by the characterization. Kates grandma is my current favorite grandma in teen novels and her parents were slightly abusurd but realistic. Her brother also made me giggle on a few occassions.

Then we have the main three Kate, Will, and Kates ex-friend Anna. I dont want to give too much away but lets say that I could easily relate to what Kate was dealing with, with Anna and I really wanted to slap Anna. Oh, and I have the biggest crush on Will possible.

The romance that developed was sweet and heartbreaking and perfect at the same time. Will was so sweet (hence, my crush) but not so perfect that he didnt act like a normal guy. I could completely see myself acting the same way as Kate did too.

Overall, this book is just one of those books that Im shoving in all my friends faces and going READ THIS. I absolutely adore it and I recommend it to absolutely everyone. Perfect summer read with substance!

Reader reviewed by mearley

Kate is a character many teenage girls will relate to.  Her best friend has found a new clique to hang out with, her parents are fighting, her brother is annoying, and the boy she likes is confusing.  Kate's father, going through a mid-life crisis, quits his job to sell vitamins at the mall.  Kate is forced to work with him and endure the scorn and pity of her classmates who pass by the vitamin booth.  To make things more confusing, Will, the hottest boy in school, won't leave Kate alone.  Elizabeth Scott captures the confusing high school culture without being too angsty.

Reprinted here with author's permission.

Reader reviewed by megannx3

The man character is Kate. Her best friend became popular and dumped her. Kate only had her as a friend and now she is all lonely. Her dad is having a mid-life crisis, and dumps his well paying job to set up a cart in the mall. Kate meets this popular gorgeous guy named Will while working there, and they hook up a time or 2.
I really enjoyed reading this story.
This author also wrote the book Bloom.

Reader reviewed by cosmicdustbella

Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast. Her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend has become popular, and acts like Kate's invisible.

And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, who Kate pretends she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him. And when Will starts acting interested, Kate hates herself for wanting him even though she knows she's just his latest conquest.

Kate figures the only way things will ever stop hurting is if she keeps to herself and stops caring about anyone or anything. What she doesn't realize is that while life may not always be perfect, good things can happen--but only if she lets them.

Elizabeth Scott's Second novel was every bit as good as her first. Dealing with the average teen, the author explors the romantic, family, and friendship relationships of the average teen. Her characters are believable and easy to relate with. The book is both serious and funny at the same time, with witty lines from the characters and a story line that will have you reading well into the night to find out how it ends.

Reader reviewed by designsbymikayla

Just recently I read Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott. This narrative tells the story of Kate Brown as her life is both destroyed and rescued. Her life, for the most part, is great and everything is in order, but in six months, everything changes. This is due to the fact that 1.)Kate's best friend, Anna, has left her for the popular crowd after losing a ton of weight and now has forgotten Kate exists, and 2.)her, child at heart, father has quit his corporate job to sell vitamins at the mall. And to add even more frustration, Will, a classmate of Kate's who she pretends to despise but really loves, seems to be interested in her. However, her knowledge that he is only interested in her at the current moment and that after one date, he will move on, keeps her from allowing him to sweep her up. As the storyline progresses, Kate tunnels into herself, seeing it better to be by herself and rely only on herself rather than be dependent upon the people of her world that seems to be collapsing. When her father buys vitamins and health products in bulk and sells very little, the family goes into debt and while Kate works at her father's cart in the mall, her parents marriage cracks under the pressure and her mother must call for help. This results in Kate's maternal grandmother moving in with them and Kate's older brother gets a job, as compared to his previous life of dates and relaxation. Meanwhile, Kate finds that unattainable Will also works in the mall and soon become involved in an emotionless, make-out relationship. Kate longs for there to be more, but when Will tries to progress into a real relationship, Kate assumes he is only after one thing, a hook up. Kate finally caves under pressure/confusion and realizes that Will is truly interested, for the long term, in the same way she is. As they explore their relationship, her parents are forced in further debt due to the father's refusal to get a better job and they sell their house. Tension builds and the parents get a divorce and Kate's brother moves out when Kate, her mother, and her grandmother move into an apartment. Her father remains disconnected and she and her brother seem more connected due to their experience. The story ends with the developing relationship between Will and Kate and she realizes that life changes and that is what it is all about.

In my opinion, the characters in this book are very believable and realistic. As a teenager, many things change, most often, without regard to you or your opinion. It is very realistic to see how losing a friend, a father changing jobs, and a new personal interest could effect a teenage girl so significantly. However, the main idea/concept/lesson that must be learned is that change is part of life and without it we would be trapped in a world of indifference. As Christina Baldwin once said, "Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the pheonix."

Reader reviewed by Vanessa

Summary: Kate Brown's life is spiraling out of control. First, her dad quit his job to sell Perfect You vitamins and now she has to work at the mall. Her best friend Anna, became popular and now acts like Kate doesn't exist to hang out with her new friends. Kate's brother is 23 and his job is crashing the couch. And, even though Kate will not admit it, she can't stop thinking about Will. Will, who is so cute, but also has hooked up with almost everyone in their school. Kate thinks Will is just messing with her mind. Kate's life is nothing like it was the year before and she wishes she could go back in time to when everything was alright. However, she can't. Kate keeps expecting the worse out of life, and guess what? That's what she's getting... unless she changes it.
My Review (spoiler-free): Heartwarming, lamentable, and a good read. The beginning was amazing. The ending was amazing... like utterly amazing. Part of the middle wasn't 100% amazing. This book is about friendships: I felt really sad every time Kate tried to talk to Anna and she'd notice that Anna was trying not to be seen with her. It must hurt very much to be losing a friend, especially a best friend that you've been talking to since grade school. This book is about love: I loved Will and Kate's way of flirting... Kate tries to act like she doesn't care when in her mind she's dying to kiss him. I wish they got more scenes together in the book, though. This book is about families too: Kate's mom and dad really made everything so much more unbelievable and dramatic in Kate's life (wow, Kate's dad is embarrassing). I loved Todd's character, he's so lazy and laid-back but has good advice. Grandma seems like the most immature of all the characters but still I think she holds the fort down. I do recommend this book, despite this, I still liked Bloom better.
My Thoughts (read this if you've read the book, it contains spoilers): I can't believe parts of this book. First, I was so mad at Anna most of the book. How does she like being popular when Sam is cheating on her and Diane and Tara are annoying? It made me think how great it is to not be popular. Kate is really strong. She went through a lot in the book. The ending... wow I felt aghast. I can't believe Kate's mom and dad separated, it was just such a shocker and made this book much less light. I really liked her dad in the beginning, but he did choose Perfect You over them... what's up with that? The only thing that came out of good in this book is Will and Kate. I loved their chemistry and how Will was going through some of the same things Kate was. I wish there could've been more of them in the book. They got 20,000 make-out sessions and only one real talk. I thought it would've been a more love-book, instead of a family and friend-drama + the boy stuff. But it was still a good read. Can't wait to read Stealing Heaven!

Reposted at whatvanessareads.wordpress.com

Reader reviewed by Bookluver-Carol

Kate Brown's life has completely changed. Her best friend lost a few pounds and became popular and is not talking to Kate anymore. Her dad quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall. Talk about embarrassing. Then there's Will who's so out her league and is starting to fall for her. What's a girl to do? So Kate in order to live her messed up life stops caring about everything.

Perfect You was an awesome book. I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves YA books.It's very realistic. It smart, funny, and will keep you reading it til' you're finished with it. It's one of my favorite books. The story is really good and you become entranced with the characters. It's a must read.Elizabeth Scott is an amazing author.