Helpful Score: 1
Reviewed by Allison M. Rotonda for TeensReadToo.com
Ruthie has almost survived her freshman year of high school and all of the sudden she feels more lost and confused than ever. She's realized that she is desperately in love with her childhood best friend, Perry. To make things worse, a new girl has started school and Ruthie is convinced she is perfect, and convinced that Perry will think so, too. In desperation, she calls her aunt, who just so happens to be a relationship columnist, and begs her for her secrets to attract boys.
As Ruthie gets closer to her aunt and the story unfolds, it becomes clear that some things are not always what they seem and that even people who appear to have it all together often do not. Ruthie learns several important lessons about the value of family and the variety of relationships of all different types. Along the way, Ruthie also gains more self-confidence and maybe even a few helpful secrets to help her attract boys.
Although parts of the dialogue in this book feel a little forced and don't completely reflect teenage interaction, it is well-written and very enjoyable. Readers will likely appreciate the realistic and contemporary events that fill the story, including a humorous shopping trip that ends in gushing about Ipex bras from Victoria's Secret. Hogan is very effective about getting her messages across without seeming preachy or overbearing, which is refreshing. In the end, PERFECT GIRL comes together nicely, and readers will likely be satisfied even if it does not exactly reflect what they initially hoped for.
Ruthie has almost survived her freshman year of high school and all of the sudden she feels more lost and confused than ever. She's realized that she is desperately in love with her childhood best friend, Perry. To make things worse, a new girl has started school and Ruthie is convinced she is perfect, and convinced that Perry will think so, too. In desperation, she calls her aunt, who just so happens to be a relationship columnist, and begs her for her secrets to attract boys.
As Ruthie gets closer to her aunt and the story unfolds, it becomes clear that some things are not always what they seem and that even people who appear to have it all together often do not. Ruthie learns several important lessons about the value of family and the variety of relationships of all different types. Along the way, Ruthie also gains more self-confidence and maybe even a few helpful secrets to help her attract boys.
Although parts of the dialogue in this book feel a little forced and don't completely reflect teenage interaction, it is well-written and very enjoyable. Readers will likely appreciate the realistic and contemporary events that fill the story, including a humorous shopping trip that ends in gushing about Ipex bras from Victoria's Secret. Hogan is very effective about getting her messages across without seeming preachy or overbearing, which is refreshing. In the end, PERFECT GIRL comes together nicely, and readers will likely be satisfied even if it does not exactly reflect what they initially hoped for.
