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You Asked for Perfect
Senior Ariel Stone is the perfect college applicant: first chair violin, dedicated community volunteer, and expected valedictorian. He works hard - really hard - to make his life look effortless. A failed Calculus quiz is not part of that plan. Not when he’s number one. Not when his peers can smell weakness like a freshman’s body spray.
Figuring a few all-nighters will preserve his class rank, Ariel throws himself into studying. His friends will understand if he skips a few plans, and he can sleep when he graduates. Except Ariel’s grade continues to slide. Reluctantly, he gets a tutor. Amir and Ariel have never gotten along, but Amir excels in Calculus, and Ariel is out of options.
Ariel may not like Calc, but he might like Amir. Except adding a new relationship to his long list of commitments may just push him past his limit.
Figuring a few all-nighters will preserve his class rank, Ariel throws himself into studying. His friends will understand if he skips a few plans, and he can sleep when he graduates. Except Ariel’s grade continues to slide. Reluctantly, he gets a tutor. Amir and Ariel have never gotten along, but Amir excels in Calculus, and Ariel is out of options.
Ariel may not like Calc, but he might like Amir. Except adding a new relationship to his long list of commitments may just push him past his limit.
267 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2019
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June 28, 2019
It was really, really, weird reading a book about the stress of applying to college your senior year only a month after getting into college... my senior year.
You Asked For Perfect follows Ariel, a bisexual Jewish boy trying to become class valedictorian and later get into Harvard. BUT: his best friend Sook wants him in her band, he has fierce competition from fellow amazing student Pari, a failed quiz grade has other plans for him, and to top it all off, his math tutor Amir is just really crushworthy.
This book did feel a little too slice-of-life for my personal tastes. The character arc is absolutely there, but it takes place over the course of a month, and it's honestly a fairly simple story in actual plot concept: boy can't be perfect, boy fails to be perfect and beats himself up over it, boy realizes he doesn't have to be perfect. What makes this stand out is the subject material, but I definitely wanted... a little bit more.
I think the reason this will work for so many people is because it's just so entirely relatable. And if you'll forgive me, I had a lot of thoughts about academic pressure and high school.
Ariel, the lead, is — I swear to god — so similar to many of my friends it kills me. But that's not to say I don't understand the academic pressure, because I completely do and I've been there in a lot of these situations. I've never been the friend who doesn't show up, but I've absolutely been the friend who doesn't make the effort, and who thinks too much about getting everything done.
And I've also been the inferiority.
I'm a really good student — I don't want to downplay that — but I've genuinely never been at valedictorian level grades. I go to an intense private school where being a good student makes you just sort of average and by those standards I'm not good at science and just okay at math, and reading this was so strange because a part of me almost felt jealous; not of the stress, because I've had that level of stress, but of the fact that valedictorian was a payoff in sight. And there is no part of me that wants to go to Harvard, and I'm actually ecstatic about the school that I'm going to, I think it would have been my favorite school whether it was an Ivy or not, and I am so glad that it wanted me in all of my humanities-student glory (I am, truly, a very good writer). But there's a part of me that was almost angry reading this book, that everyone is working so so hard and perfect is just what we expect from our students now.
It's not just Ariel's parents, who are fine, or his teachers, who are putting pressure on him but not malicious. It's the pressure we all put on ourselves.
And I know me ranting about this does absolutely nothing to solve the actual problem. But I think it might be worth considering, to the high school students that follow me — you don't have to go to Harvard to be the smartest person in any room. And it is amazing to ace classes, I completely understand just how important it feels, but no amount of acing your classes will make you the most interesting person in any room. And this sounds dumb, because you've heard it, but you really, really can get into college without being the valedictorian, and you really, really don't need to be at Harvard, or even be Harvard material, to be an incredibly brilliant, interesting person.
Can I tell you a secret? I never would have gotten into Harvard. And you know what, I could have tried, maybe. I could have dropped this blog and stopped reading and stopped doing the school shows and stopped talking to my friends and stuck with Mock Trial and done math homework in my English classes and gritted my teeth through that godawful biology class just to get an A. But instead, I took my SAT one time and wrote my common app on this blog and my essay on the legacy of being a very-out and super-friendly lesbian at the school, and I'm going to the right school for me. So maybe the real secret is that we all need to work on drawing our self-worth from school.
And maybe get a cute significant other, spend some time with our siblings, talk to our Rabbis, go to all our friend's band performances, and get some sleep.
release date: 5 March 2019
✨Arc received from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
💜Buddyread with the wonderful Kaylin!
Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
"I think of all my classmates, bent over textbooks, shoulders strained under heavy backpacks, eyes hooded from lack of sleep. We’re all in it together, whether we want to be or not."
You Asked For Perfect follows Ariel, a bisexual Jewish boy trying to become class valedictorian and later get into Harvard. BUT: his best friend Sook wants him in her band, he has fierce competition from fellow amazing student Pari, a failed quiz grade has other plans for him, and to top it all off, his math tutor Amir is just really crushworthy.
This book did feel a little too slice-of-life for my personal tastes. The character arc is absolutely there, but it takes place over the course of a month, and it's honestly a fairly simple story in actual plot concept: boy can't be perfect, boy fails to be perfect and beats himself up over it, boy realizes he doesn't have to be perfect. What makes this stand out is the subject material, but I definitely wanted... a little bit more.
I think the reason this will work for so many people is because it's just so entirely relatable. And if you'll forgive me, I had a lot of thoughts about academic pressure and high school.
Ariel, the lead, is — I swear to god — so similar to many of my friends it kills me. But that's not to say I don't understand the academic pressure, because I completely do and I've been there in a lot of these situations. I've never been the friend who doesn't show up, but I've absolutely been the friend who doesn't make the effort, and who thinks too much about getting everything done.
And I've also been the inferiority.
I'm a really good student — I don't want to downplay that — but I've genuinely never been at valedictorian level grades. I go to an intense private school where being a good student makes you just sort of average and by those standards I'm not good at science and just okay at math, and reading this was so strange because a part of me almost felt jealous; not of the stress, because I've had that level of stress, but of the fact that valedictorian was a payoff in sight. And there is no part of me that wants to go to Harvard, and I'm actually ecstatic about the school that I'm going to, I think it would have been my favorite school whether it was an Ivy or not, and I am so glad that it wanted me in all of my humanities-student glory (I am, truly, a very good writer). But there's a part of me that was almost angry reading this book, that everyone is working so so hard and perfect is just what we expect from our students now.
It's not just Ariel's parents, who are fine, or his teachers, who are putting pressure on him but not malicious. It's the pressure we all put on ourselves.
And I know me ranting about this does absolutely nothing to solve the actual problem. But I think it might be worth considering, to the high school students that follow me — you don't have to go to Harvard to be the smartest person in any room. And it is amazing to ace classes, I completely understand just how important it feels, but no amount of acing your classes will make you the most interesting person in any room. And this sounds dumb, because you've heard it, but you really, really can get into college without being the valedictorian, and you really, really don't need to be at Harvard, or even be Harvard material, to be an incredibly brilliant, interesting person.
Can I tell you a secret? I never would have gotten into Harvard. And you know what, I could have tried, maybe. I could have dropped this blog and stopped reading and stopped doing the school shows and stopped talking to my friends and stuck with Mock Trial and done math homework in my English classes and gritted my teeth through that godawful biology class just to get an A. But instead, I took my SAT one time and wrote my common app on this blog and my essay on the legacy of being a very-out and super-friendly lesbian at the school, and I'm going to the right school for me. So maybe the real secret is that we all need to work on drawing our self-worth from school.
And maybe get a cute significant other, spend some time with our siblings, talk to our Rabbis, go to all our friend's band performances, and get some sleep.
release date: 5 March 2019
✨Arc received from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
💜Buddyread with the wonderful Kaylin!
Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
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April 3, 2021
I’ve been so busy racing to the finish line, I haven’t thought much about what happens when I cross it.
You Asked for Perfect is . . . not perfect at all. But it doesn't aim for it to be it either.
We follow Ariel, our protagonist, who is a bisexual teenager in his senior year of high school. He feels ready for his upcoming Harvard interview, is expected to be valedictorian, remains as first chair violin, and is continuing to dedicate some of his time to the community, but things come in his way unexpectedly: a failed calculus quiz, his competitive classmate, his best friend wanting him to help her with her band and music, and having to get tutored for math from his friend, Amir, who he thought would never be someone he would crush on.
It felt off reading a book about the stress of the final year of high school and college applications, what is expected, and what is wanted after finishing high school senior year. Reading about how Ariel coped with his struggles but maintained his academic success actually gave me anxiety, making me feel queasy like I was the one who was not enough. High school stress is so real, and Laura Silverman shows it in this novel. Ariel is a teenager struggling with the pressure he feels about all this, but not just that. Silverman added more concepts to this, like the struggle of committing to a relationship, helping out your friends, and understanding that you are not the only one who is dealing with hunched shoulders and textbooks owning you.
I think of all my classmates, bent over textbooks, shoulders strained under heavy backpacks, eyes hooded from lack of sleep. We’re all in it together, whether we want to be or not.
In all honesty, Ariel reminded me of one of my closest friends who was valedictorian of my school this year. My school, being small as it is with only 18 seniors who graduated this year, expected a lot from us. As the first graduating class, we were the guinea pigs, experimented on and tried on. Reading about Ariel was like I was looking at my friend in the eye, listening to her speak about how she will cut a bitch if she does not become valedictorian and a sad smile would appear on her face over the fact that her 4.3 GPA dropped by one point.
I'm not gonna lie: I'm not as smart as people believe I am. Graduating high school was a surprise for me. Ariel is, without a doubt, the male version of my friend. She would always ask what grade we would get on our assignments, and when she got a low grade, she would be like Ariel at times, lying or being unsure of telling us because she felt like she would be seen as weak and get judged. I love her, but seeing how upset she got over her GPA dropping one point would make me uneasy and upset at times, as I would have to accept my low GPA and not be able to do anything about it.
High school teachers, smart students, and top colleges make it seem like good grades, dedicated hours of community service, and difficult classes are what define you. You Asked for Perfect takes place within a month, and we see Ariel struggle as he tries to continue being successful, but his character arc was not developed until the end. If I'm being honest, he never developed, he just had a sudden realization of how selfish he was actually being and how he was only caring about himself for so long. You Asked for Perfect also reminded me a little about myself and how I wanted to be like Ariel--someone who would become a top student, have top-scoring grades, apply to Ivy League's, volunteer at any and every place I could, and remain like a happy person. But, like Ariel, that wasn't possible. Ariel was so aware of the fact that pressuring himself like he was would not make him happy, not get him anywhere, and would make him lose what he gained for so much.
The biggest takeaway from this is that the book is so relatable. Readers can see themselves through Ariel's eyes and understand how big the struggle is. But, like Ariel, we need to see that sometimes, going to Harvard or any other Ivy League is not what defines us and is not what will get us anywhere. If you think about it, it's not always about the schools or the grades, it's about the mind you use and what part of yourself you put into it. There are so many things taught at school that leaves you wondering Do I belong here? even though it was the place you dreamed of attending.
Like Ariel, I had an epiphany. Stressing myself into being accepted to my dream school (University of Southern California) was not worth it. Sure, I would be attending a school in SoCal, witnessing the beauty of sunsets and the beautiful sound of the pouring rain. Sure, I would help my parents move to the city they have had curiosity about. Sure, I would be attending a prestigious and expensive school, but would I be happy? The answer is unknown. Now, as I think about it all, going back to my years of high school, I see how much I would struggle at USC, the academic pressure it puts on its student, and it would add to my anxiety, panic attacks, and seizures.
Feeling like you're a constant failure academically is not the best feeling, but it does not matter if you wish to attend a community college, public college, or private college, because what matters is what you put into all of it and who you decide to become after. It is up to you to decide your future and see what you make out of every educational pathway you have walked through.
How do you know if a goal is worth it until you get it? We work hard for a lot of stuff. Should we not put in effort because the reward might not be what we thought?
I'd also like to mention that there is more than just "academic pressure representation" in this. Ariel, the main character, is Jewish and bisexual. The love interest, Amir, is, I believe, Muslim and gay. Both characters, especially Ariel, are a big part of their religion and community. Silverman is Jewish herself, so the representation of Judaism is really set in the novel, from the descriptions of the food to the prayers and celebrations, it was so nice reading about a religion I'm actually quite unfamiliar with. If I wasn't vegan, I'd want to try out the recipe Laura included at the end of the book of her nana's matzo ball soup.
Reading about the anxiety Ariel had while his year was ending was the only thing I found myself sympathizing with. Other than that, I couldn't relate in any way. Maybe like Ariel, we need to start focusing on others as well and not only us. Maybe we need to take some time off and say fuck it to all the work we're getting in order to actually enjoy life.
September 13, 2019
4.5 stars.
Before I talk about the many reasons I loved this book, can we discuss that Laura Silverman shares her grandmother's matzo ball soup recipe at the end? I cannot wait to make it because matzo ball soup is one of my favorite things IN THE WORLD.
Okay, I'm done.
"When I signed up for classes freshman year, no one told me that straight As, volunteer hours, and time in the arts aren't enough. No one told me I'd have to know every answer to every test and also be a 'unique individual' following my life's calling at seventeen."
Ariel Stone is a senior in high school. He's expected to be the valedictorian of his class—although that's a very hard-fought battle with his friend and rival, Pari—he's first-chair violinist, a volunteer at an animal shelter, a model congregant at his temple (despite looking at his phone when the services drone on a bit), a loving son and brother, and a devoted best friend. He's planning to apply to Harvard and he knows he can't let down his guard one iota senior year or they may reject him.
"I used to get good grades with minimal effort. And I bought into the hype, thought I was awesome. But then the AP classes stacked up. And as the work pressed down on me, I saw through my own bullshit. No one just gets As in all their classes. It's a lie we were telling each other and ourselves."
For some reason, the pressure is starting to get to Ariel and his carefully built plans are starting to crack, little by little. He's studying as hard as he always has, giving everything to all of his classes, yet he's struggling more and more and he doesn't know why. When he fails a calculus quiz, which could jeopardize his chance of being valedictorian (not to mention getting into Harvard), he enlists Amir, a fellow student and family friend, to tutor him.
Ariel discovers that he really doesn't like calculus, but he enjoys spending time with Amir. They are attracted to each other and have real chemistry together, but Ariel can't imagine adding the pressures of a relationship to everything else he's struggling with. However, he wants to be with Amir, so he adds it to his ever-growing list of commitments and obligations. It will all work its way out, right?
You Asked for Perfect is a tremendously accurate depiction of the pressures facing young adults today, pressures that they sometimes put on themselves. At times reading the book made me a little tense because I felt such empathy for Ariel and his friends as they struggled with their challenges. Silverman did such a great job capturing those emotions, the desperate need to be successful in everything, to be a good son and brother and boyfriend and friend on top of it all, that you can't help but lose your grip.
This book moved me. I really cared about these characters and honestly, would love to see what happened to them after the story ended. Silverman imbues this book with so much heart and emotion, and I couldn't get enough of it—I devoured the book in just a few hours. There were so many places where she could have gone for melodrama and she didn't, and that is really the mark of a talented and assured storyteller. I also loved the way that there was so much diversity among the characters yet Silverman didn't make a big deal out of it.
While I wasn't near valedictorian in my high school class and Harvard wasn't an option for me, I still identified with many of the emotions and situations Ariel dealt with. You Asked for Perfect made me think and it made me feel, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Before I talk about the many reasons I loved this book, can we discuss that Laura Silverman shares her grandmother's matzo ball soup recipe at the end? I cannot wait to make it because matzo ball soup is one of my favorite things IN THE WORLD.
Okay, I'm done.
"When I signed up for classes freshman year, no one told me that straight As, volunteer hours, and time in the arts aren't enough. No one told me I'd have to know every answer to every test and also be a 'unique individual' following my life's calling at seventeen."
Ariel Stone is a senior in high school. He's expected to be the valedictorian of his class—although that's a very hard-fought battle with his friend and rival, Pari—he's first-chair violinist, a volunteer at an animal shelter, a model congregant at his temple (despite looking at his phone when the services drone on a bit), a loving son and brother, and a devoted best friend. He's planning to apply to Harvard and he knows he can't let down his guard one iota senior year or they may reject him.
"I used to get good grades with minimal effort. And I bought into the hype, thought I was awesome. But then the AP classes stacked up. And as the work pressed down on me, I saw through my own bullshit. No one just gets As in all their classes. It's a lie we were telling each other and ourselves."
For some reason, the pressure is starting to get to Ariel and his carefully built plans are starting to crack, little by little. He's studying as hard as he always has, giving everything to all of his classes, yet he's struggling more and more and he doesn't know why. When he fails a calculus quiz, which could jeopardize his chance of being valedictorian (not to mention getting into Harvard), he enlists Amir, a fellow student and family friend, to tutor him.
Ariel discovers that he really doesn't like calculus, but he enjoys spending time with Amir. They are attracted to each other and have real chemistry together, but Ariel can't imagine adding the pressures of a relationship to everything else he's struggling with. However, he wants to be with Amir, so he adds it to his ever-growing list of commitments and obligations. It will all work its way out, right?
You Asked for Perfect is a tremendously accurate depiction of the pressures facing young adults today, pressures that they sometimes put on themselves. At times reading the book made me a little tense because I felt such empathy for Ariel and his friends as they struggled with their challenges. Silverman did such a great job capturing those emotions, the desperate need to be successful in everything, to be a good son and brother and boyfriend and friend on top of it all, that you can't help but lose your grip.
This book moved me. I really cared about these characters and honestly, would love to see what happened to them after the story ended. Silverman imbues this book with so much heart and emotion, and I couldn't get enough of it—I devoured the book in just a few hours. There were so many places where she could have gone for melodrama and she didn't, and that is really the mark of a talented and assured storyteller. I also loved the way that there was so much diversity among the characters yet Silverman didn't make a big deal out of it.
While I wasn't near valedictorian in my high school class and Harvard wasn't an option for me, I still identified with many of the emotions and situations Ariel dealt with. You Asked for Perfect made me think and it made me feel, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
December 3, 2018
no, i asked to feel something
and sadly with this book i didn't feel much. what is it with me reading about guys with mental illness and no character development... i'm just a glutton for punishment.
this book was about ariel who is in his senior year of high school. he's criminally over invested in school and being the perfect student, that he isn't able to really be GOOD at any of it. his relationships with friends, boyfriend, family go up and down throughout the story has he tries to grapple with his uncertain reality.
the issue was that nothing seemed real at all to me except for the feeling of anxiety while reading this. i wanted so badly to sympathize with ariel. i know how hard it can be with the pressure of college and parental expectations. and just personal pressure we put on ourselves. but i just didn't find ariel to be a sympathetic character. too often he was lying to people or forgetting about things even though he seemed to write himself reminders? that might seem nitpicky but it was little things like that, to me, that made him hard to understand. his actions weren't always congruous with his characterization.
the real kicker was his epiphany that he has in the middle of his harvard interview. i won't say anything other than his actions were EXTREMELY unbelievable and out of character.
and more than anything, it makes me sad that this will be pedaled as some sort of lgbtq+ contemporary... when the romance was nonexistent. you can't become boyfriends because someone tutored you once, you kissed once, and have a mutual love of harry potter. or maybe you can, i guess it's been a while since i was a teen.
all of that being said, i do think a lot of people will appreciate the author's choice of subject matter. this is definitely an issue that kids face. and also the jewish representation was absolutely fantastic. i genuinely can't think of a modern story where there is a jewish protagonist with a culture presence throughout the story. very cool.
overall i'm not upset that i read this but i was wishing for... more.
and sadly with this book i didn't feel much. what is it with me reading about guys with mental illness and no character development... i'm just a glutton for punishment.
this book was about ariel who is in his senior year of high school. he's criminally over invested in school and being the perfect student, that he isn't able to really be GOOD at any of it. his relationships with friends, boyfriend, family go up and down throughout the story has he tries to grapple with his uncertain reality.
the issue was that nothing seemed real at all to me except for the feeling of anxiety while reading this. i wanted so badly to sympathize with ariel. i know how hard it can be with the pressure of college and parental expectations. and just personal pressure we put on ourselves. but i just didn't find ariel to be a sympathetic character. too often he was lying to people or forgetting about things even though he seemed to write himself reminders? that might seem nitpicky but it was little things like that, to me, that made him hard to understand. his actions weren't always congruous with his characterization.
the real kicker was his epiphany that he has in the middle of his harvard interview. i won't say anything other than his actions were EXTREMELY unbelievable and out of character.
and more than anything, it makes me sad that this will be pedaled as some sort of lgbtq+ contemporary... when the romance was nonexistent. you can't become boyfriends because someone tutored you once, you kissed once, and have a mutual love of harry potter. or maybe you can, i guess it's been a while since i was a teen.
all of that being said, i do think a lot of people will appreciate the author's choice of subject matter. this is definitely an issue that kids face. and also the jewish representation was absolutely fantastic. i genuinely can't think of a modern story where there is a jewish protagonist with a culture presence throughout the story. very cool.
overall i'm not upset that i read this but i was wishing for... more.
Read
January 7, 2022From the very second I first laid my eyes on this book, I knew right away that it’s one I absolutely have to do everything in my power to read as soon as possible. Not only is its cover the exact right amount of artistic and emotive; in hindsight, it also perfectly captures the main characters’ inner turmoil, and all the little details that surround the character on the cover depict this book’s aesthetic so well.
May 15, 2019
This review and other non-spoilery reviews can be found @The Book Prescription
“I’ve been so busy racing to the finish line, I haven’t thought much about what happens when I cross it.”
🌟 Have you ever read an average book at the perfect time and you liked it very much for that?
That was me and this book. I read it during my last finals in med-school. I am not kidding you, I was like: Why isn’t there a book about the education system and all this stress we’re going through. The NEXT DAY I find this while browsing through Goodreads and I knew I had to read it immediately!
🌟 What is this book about?
Ariel is like the golden boy, he is the class valedictorian, he can play violin, he is fit, he is nice, he is bisexual and he is just too perfect. Until one day, he fails a calculus quiz and all his dreams and plans start to be threatened! Enter Amir, a Muslim gay boy who is an expert in Calculus. I think you know where this going…
🌟 I will focus on the message of this book as I think it is the best thing in this book! This is not only about Ariel and Amir, this is about a whole educational system and thousands of stressed out young students. there is a quote that expresses the pressure we put on students here:
“They make us think the grade is more important than the learning, and that’s messed up.”
🌟 Ariel was very relatable to me, I am not a violin player, I am not as good as many things he is. But I get it, I was Valedictorian in high school and it used to stress me out very much, I tried to balance things more in University. I can say that I succeeded to a certain extent. I will never stop being a perfectionist, because that’s integrated in me, but I will stop being effed up by it!
🌟 The writing was acceptable for me, It was not special but I think that works better for this story. I was annoyed by some repetitions as “Spearmint & Basil”.
I think some things were unrealistic and taken to the extreme. Examples: Ariel wants to go to the school without his shirt at the beginning of the story because he forgot to put it on??
The Muslim Parents accepting their gay son this easily… I wish things were like that but I have never seen such a thing. The parents don’t want their kid to go into medicine while he wants to do so (It is like the total opposite of that!).
And one last thing is the ending, which I have a love/hate relation with. I love it because it was smart and that’s the point of the story, I hate it because I wanted to know more!!
🌟 Summary and Prescription: You Asked for Perfect is an important story to every student out there. The story is fast paced and short which makes it an easy read. I was not convinced by some parts but the message was still too important for me to dislike this!
Image result for bookdepository
“I’ve been so busy racing to the finish line, I haven’t thought much about what happens when I cross it.”
🌟 Have you ever read an average book at the perfect time and you liked it very much for that?
That was me and this book. I read it during my last finals in med-school. I am not kidding you, I was like: Why isn’t there a book about the education system and all this stress we’re going through. The NEXT DAY I find this while browsing through Goodreads and I knew I had to read it immediately!
🌟 What is this book about?
Ariel is like the golden boy, he is the class valedictorian, he can play violin, he is fit, he is nice, he is bisexual and he is just too perfect. Until one day, he fails a calculus quiz and all his dreams and plans start to be threatened! Enter Amir, a Muslim gay boy who is an expert in Calculus. I think you know where this going…
🌟 I will focus on the message of this book as I think it is the best thing in this book! This is not only about Ariel and Amir, this is about a whole educational system and thousands of stressed out young students. there is a quote that expresses the pressure we put on students here:
“They make us think the grade is more important than the learning, and that’s messed up.”
🌟 Ariel was very relatable to me, I am not a violin player, I am not as good as many things he is. But I get it, I was Valedictorian in high school and it used to stress me out very much, I tried to balance things more in University. I can say that I succeeded to a certain extent. I will never stop being a perfectionist, because that’s integrated in me, but I will stop being effed up by it!
🌟 The writing was acceptable for me, It was not special but I think that works better for this story. I was annoyed by some repetitions as “Spearmint & Basil”.
I think some things were unrealistic and taken to the extreme. Examples: Ariel wants to go to the school without his shirt at the beginning of the story because he forgot to put it on??
The Muslim Parents accepting their gay son this easily… I wish things were like that but I have never seen such a thing. The parents don’t want their kid to go into medicine while he wants to do so (It is like the total opposite of that!).
And one last thing is the ending, which I have a love/hate relation with. I love it because it was smart and that’s the point of the story, I hate it because I wanted to know more!!
🌟 Summary and Prescription: You Asked for Perfect is an important story to every student out there. The story is fast paced and short which makes it an easy read. I was not convinced by some parts but the message was still too important for me to dislike this!
Image result for bookdepository
April 13, 2019
me after looking at the cover: wow, amazing
me after looking at the synopsis: wow, amazing
me after reading this book: wow, amazing
I know you’ll be hearing this from every single review ever, but god this book was so freaking relatable. I constantly and always feel the pressure of academics and school and college; the difference is that I’m not succeeding as much as he is. *sighs in failure*
This made me feel so, so much anxiety about school that I honestly had to put it down for a couple of weeks before I could start it again. But I just felt that anxiety rep, I just could totally FEEL “comparing yourself to others,” especially since uhhhh… my older sister graduated from an Ivy League college.
(oh my god writing this review makes me feel like a failure I feel so stressed right now.)
I, personally, feel like I’m the Mess-Up of my family (at least, sibling-wise) because my older sister is In The City and works at a Cool Business Company and my younger sister consistently gets really high grades and I just… don’t????? So this book, wherein Ariel feels like he’s the only failure in the family, felt so so personal to me in that aspect specifically.
But also, uhhhhh Ariel literally runs around a mile every single morning so if HE feels like a failure for failing a tiny tiny Calculus quiz then WHO THE HELL AM I. LET’S BE FREAKING REAL. THIS MADE ME FEEL SO INSECURE OH MY GOD. And I don’t even go to an intense private or magnet school?????????????
But besides that… this is also about how one thing can snowball into another until you’ll have a million things stressing you out and how you can just feel like you don’t have the energy for certain things and you can just!!!! Feel like you’re isolated from everyone else!!!! And how you can look at other people and feel like they’re just breezing through life and school and you’re the only one that’s struggling with classes!!!!
I just… really, really, really hate the American education system. I hate the constant “oh, the Ivy Leagues or the top ten colleges are the only good schools” idea that’s constantly, constantly spread. I hate the idea that you’re not a success if you go to a community college or a public college and I’m not going to lie, but this is definitely perpetuated a ton in my church and other communities. There are so many great, amazing colleges that aren’t Ivy Leagues, and I definitely need to practice this idea myself and unlearn these harmful ideas.
Anyways, I know this review is mainly about me discussing the academic pressure, but I want to take a moment to note the amazing representation in this book??
✦ Ariel, the main character, is Jewish (and now I WANT TO HAVE MATZO BALL SOUP SO BAD.)
✦ Amir, the love interest, is Arabian and Muslim
✦ Sook, the best friend, is brown (I’m not 100% sure of her race) and also Sapphic!!!
✦ Malka, the other best friend, is also Jewish!!
I absolutely loved reading about Ariel’s experiences in the synagogue; I loved his soothing talk with his rabbi and how much she genuinely care about him, and all in all, this was very wholesome (minus the intense stress). Also, the interfaith romance was actually adorable!!! Except… why is everything about Harry Potter. They mention Harry Potter ten separate times in this book????
Overall, you need to read this book. We need more books discussing the intense societal pressure to go to a top college! Please.
Content and trigger warnings for a traffic almost-incident, anxiety, and a mental breakdown.
me after looking at the synopsis: wow, amazing
me after reading this book: wow, amazing
I know you’ll be hearing this from every single review ever, but god this book was so freaking relatable. I constantly and always feel the pressure of academics and school and college; the difference is that I’m not succeeding as much as he is. *sighs in failure*
This made me feel so, so much anxiety about school that I honestly had to put it down for a couple of weeks before I could start it again. But I just felt that anxiety rep, I just could totally FEEL “comparing yourself to others,” especially since uhhhh… my older sister graduated from an Ivy League college.
(oh my god writing this review makes me feel like a failure I feel so stressed right now.)
I, personally, feel like I’m the Mess-Up of my family (at least, sibling-wise) because my older sister is In The City and works at a Cool Business Company and my younger sister consistently gets really high grades and I just… don’t????? So this book, wherein Ariel feels like he’s the only failure in the family, felt so so personal to me in that aspect specifically.
The rest of my family doesn’t have real failures. They have blunders, gaffes. I’m the only one messing up important things.
But also, uhhhhh Ariel literally runs around a mile every single morning so if HE feels like a failure for failing a tiny tiny Calculus quiz then WHO THE HELL AM I. LET’S BE FREAKING REAL. THIS MADE ME FEEL SO INSECURE OH MY GOD. And I don’t even go to an intense private or magnet school?????????????
But besides that… this is also about how one thing can snowball into another until you’ll have a million things stressing you out and how you can just feel like you don’t have the energy for certain things and you can just!!!! Feel like you’re isolated from everyone else!!!! And how you can look at other people and feel like they’re just breezing through life and school and you’re the only one that’s struggling with classes!!!!
“I’m sorry.” I tug my backpack strap. “I’m sorry about the other day. I was a jerk. This school pressure, it’s been a lot for me. I know you’re not as affected by it…”
“Ariel. What? I’m as affected as you.”
“You are?:
“Of course, I am! I’m a person, Ariel.” She shakes her head.
I just… really, really, really hate the American education system. I hate the constant “oh, the Ivy Leagues or the top ten colleges are the only good schools” idea that’s constantly, constantly spread. I hate the idea that you’re not a success if you go to a community college or a public college and I’m not going to lie, but this is definitely perpetuated a ton in my church and other communities. There are so many great, amazing colleges that aren’t Ivy Leagues, and I definitely need to practice this idea myself and unlearn these harmful ideas.
“…But I shouldn’t have to rethink my entire future because AP classes force us to rush through the material.” He sighs. “They make us think the grade is more important than the learning, and that’s messed up. We’re all overwhelmed. You’re not alone.”
Anyways, I know this review is mainly about me discussing the academic pressure, but I want to take a moment to note the amazing representation in this book??
✦ Ariel, the main character, is Jewish (and now I WANT TO HAVE MATZO BALL SOUP SO BAD.)
✦ Amir, the love interest, is Arabian and Muslim
✦ Sook, the best friend, is brown (I’m not 100% sure of her race) and also Sapphic!!!
✦ Malka, the other best friend, is also Jewish!!
I absolutely loved reading about Ariel’s experiences in the synagogue; I loved his soothing talk with his rabbi and how much she genuinely care about him, and all in all, this was very wholesome (minus the intense stress). Also, the interfaith romance was actually adorable!!! Except… why is everything about Harry Potter. They mention Harry Potter ten separate times in this book????
Overall, you need to read this book. We need more books discussing the intense societal pressure to go to a top college! Please.
Content and trigger warnings for a traffic almost-incident, anxiety, and a mental breakdown.
February 2, 2019
Y'ALL SHOULD BE EXCITED ABOUT THIS HERE GEM. 💎
💘 It's so fucking relatable. I was (still am?) Ariel, and I empathized so hard with his academic and time-related struggles.
💘 This book wins at diversity. The characters are of different races, religions, and sexualities.
💘 AMIR IS THE SOFTEST LOVE INTEREST EVER CAN I HAVE HIM?
💘 The friend- and family- relationships went through so much development and I reveled in it all.
💘 There's a loooot of Harry Potter references if you're into that. 😉
Full review to come closer to the release date!
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BLOG | TWITTER | BOOKSTAGRAM | PINTEREST
💘 It's so fucking relatable. I was (still am?) Ariel, and I empathized so hard with his academic and time-related struggles.
💘 This book wins at diversity. The characters are of different races, religions, and sexualities.
💘 AMIR IS THE SOFTEST LOVE INTEREST EVER CAN I HAVE HIM?
💘 The friend- and family- relationships went through so much development and I reveled in it all.
💘 There's a loooot of Harry Potter references if you're into that. 😉
Full review to come closer to the release date!
---
BLOG | TWITTER | BOOKSTAGRAM | PINTEREST
December 24, 2018
a book that deals with academic pressure perfectly? a book that made me feel like being Jewish is totally normal? a book with a bisexual main character who falls for a Muslim boy? a book that shows that loving spending time with your family is completely acceptable? yeah, this book (4.75)
November 19, 2019
3 Stars
It’s been 84 years since I read this so take this mini-review with a grain of salt
Pros:
- A book that actually addresses the crazy pressure high-school kids are under and the big-decisions we ask them to make
-Own-voices, Jewish representation!
-The romance is cute and they are nerdssss
- There’s a great dynamic between MC and his best friend. Friends who grow up together but there's not that stereotypical drama and instead they just feel like family.
Cons:
- Like…. This could have been a short story. Everything is really ground and feels super realistic to the overachieving high-school experience. But you get the point by the end of the first chapter.
- Also the characters are cute and their world feels really grounded, but nothing about them really drew me in. I felt for Ariel’s struggles… but probably more because they are so relatable, than because I was invested in him as a character.
In Conclusion:
It a startlingly accurate depiction of high school. It’s cute, has super important representation and overall enjoyable -- but there’s not a ton to sink your teeth into.
But if you read this and enjoy it, I strongly recommend Girl Out of Water which is an entirely different book, but one I really enjoyed.
“How do you know if a goal is worth it until you get it? We work hard for a lot of stuff. Should we not put in effort because the reward might not be what we thought?”
It’s been 84 years since I read this so take this mini-review with a grain of salt
Pros:
- A book that actually addresses the crazy pressure high-school kids are under and the big-decisions we ask them to make
-Own-voices, Jewish representation!
-The romance is cute and they are nerdssss
- There’s a great dynamic between MC and his best friend. Friends who grow up together but there's not that stereotypical drama and instead they just feel like family.
Cons:
- Like…. This could have been a short story. Everything is really ground and feels super realistic to the overachieving high-school experience. But you get the point by the end of the first chapter.
- Also the characters are cute and their world feels really grounded, but nothing about them really drew me in. I felt for Ariel’s struggles… but probably more because they are so relatable, than because I was invested in him as a character.
In Conclusion:
It a startlingly accurate depiction of high school. It’s cute, has super important representation and overall enjoyable -- but there’s not a ton to sink your teeth into.
But if you read this and enjoy it, I strongly recommend Girl Out of Water which is an entirely different book, but one I really enjoyed.
February 28, 2019
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
4.25/5 stars
I loved this book so much. The story it tells is one that I think many students can relate to. This book deals with the pressure people feel to always do a good job in school and to always be the best. Ariel, the main character, is trying to juggle his life and the huge amount of workload the school is putting on him. Having lots of extracurricular activities and being in AP classes seem to be the only ways to get a place in the best college possible. That's not what education and school should demand from students and young people in general. School should be a place where people go to learn with their peers, not one where they stress themselves. I think it's unfair and absurd how schools and also colleges during the application process demand so much from their students. I was really stressed for poor Ariel and I was so happy when everything turned out okay in the end.
I really enjoyed the relationship he had with his family and other loved ones. I cannot recommend this book enough, go read it!
4.25/5 stars
I loved this book so much. The story it tells is one that I think many students can relate to. This book deals with the pressure people feel to always do a good job in school and to always be the best. Ariel, the main character, is trying to juggle his life and the huge amount of workload the school is putting on him. Having lots of extracurricular activities and being in AP classes seem to be the only ways to get a place in the best college possible. That's not what education and school should demand from students and young people in general. School should be a place where people go to learn with their peers, not one where they stress themselves. I think it's unfair and absurd how schools and also colleges during the application process demand so much from their students. I was really stressed for poor Ariel and I was so happy when everything turned out okay in the end.
I really enjoyed the relationship he had with his family and other loved ones. I cannot recommend this book enough, go read it!
March 10, 2019
*I received a copy from the publisher in exchange of an honest review*
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
Original review posted on my blog : Word Wonders
Hello this is my love letter so Laura Silverman’s books and how their softness never disappoints. Way back when, I read Girl out of Water and absolutely fell in love with it and the author’s writing, and knew that no matter what she writes next I will gobble and love and I WAS RIGHT, You Asked for Perfect did not disappoint. This book made my heart so full and was just so real and true that I couldn’t help but love it as much as her debut, if not a little bit more.
The writing is absolutely immersive, I found myself invested in Ariel (the MC)’s ambitions, struggles and doubts from very early on, so much so that I found myself getting anxious for him. But whether that’s do to the writing or to me relating to his state of mind is up for debate. Probably a bit of both if we’re being honest. The author’s writing style is also extremely accessible but no less beautiful, the way she strings words together has a way to pull at your heart strings while simultaneously wrapping you in a gentle hug. And I think that’s the best thing about it, because no matter how much the MC struggles (spoiler: it’s a lot), You Asked for Perfect explores it in such a gentle way without ever taking away from it. Also, the characters are total softies.
This is a very character driven story just like I adore them. Ariel, the main character is set to be his school valedictorian, attend Harvard, and excel in everything he does. That’s until his grades start slipping up, he puts too much on his plate with school, family, friends, etc… and starts losing control of everything. And the way that Academic pressure and stress was explored was just so realistic and genuine that I couldn’t help but set parallels between Ariel’s life and mine, even though you know…I’m a grandma in medical school and not a high school student. But from what I’ve seen from teenagers, they could relate to Ariel’s experiences on a visceral level too, especially those of them that are more Academic oriented.
I also liked how by the end of the book, the takeaway is that most people struggle in one way or another, everyone’s just good at hiding it so we think we’re alone when, in fact, we definitely aren’t. From the outside looking in, most people look like they have it all together and that they’re doing more, achieving more, succeeding more when in fact, they might be putting a huge amount of pressure on themselves as well and thinking the exact same thing about you. The main message of the books is also that you don’t have to do it on your own, it’s okay to ask for help when life gets overwhelming and I appreciated that about it.
Ariel is a cinnamon roll that must be protected AT ALL COST! He’s a bisexual Jewish boy who’s super tight-knit with his family and loves and cares about them deeply. I also loved how attached to his religion he is and how invested in the Jewish community his family is. He cares too much about his Academics but for the completely wrong reasons and he’s just so lost and overwhelmed for most of the book that I just wanted to sit him down, make him some hot chocolate and tell him everything will be okay. I loved how close he was with his family, especially with his little sister, Rachel, who’s as much of a stress ball as he is when she’s only ten. She’s super witty and bright and their relationship was just so cute.
Amir was the light of my life in this book, I absolutely adored him. He’s a Muslim Pakistani gay boy who’s so comfortable in who he is and what he wants, you can just feel it through the pages. He’s sweet, effortlessly confident but never cocky. One thing I’m 1000% grateful for is the fact that he wants to be a doctor because HE ACTUALLY LOVES IT, he’s so passionate about it and I think that’s pretty cool since it’s the first time I see this in a book, most of them have characters who are pressure into that career path and absolutely resent it so it was refreshing. This also subverted the trope of Muslim parents pushing their kinds into more “money making” careers, because his actually want him to major in photography because he’s so good at it.
Their romance is the CUTEST THING EVER!!!! It’s so nerdy and cute with lots of Harry Potter references, and they’re just *clutches heart* so good to each other, they’re definitely not perfect but do their best and care SO MUCH about each other, also that thing Ariel did at the end…*dies of cute*. The conversation between them flows so naturally and they just make sense together, the banter and ease between them is so endearing and precious!!! That being said I really wanted to see a bit more of them.
This book warmed my heart so much while still tackling the important topic of academic pressure that’s put on kids in an honest way, which not enough books do even though a lot of people struggle with it.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
Original review posted on my blog : Word Wonders
Hello this is my love letter so Laura Silverman’s books and how their softness never disappoints. Way back when, I read Girl out of Water and absolutely fell in love with it and the author’s writing, and knew that no matter what she writes next I will gobble and love and I WAS RIGHT, You Asked for Perfect did not disappoint. This book made my heart so full and was just so real and true that I couldn’t help but love it as much as her debut, if not a little bit more.
The writing is absolutely immersive, I found myself invested in Ariel (the MC)’s ambitions, struggles and doubts from very early on, so much so that I found myself getting anxious for him. But whether that’s do to the writing or to me relating to his state of mind is up for debate. Probably a bit of both if we’re being honest. The author’s writing style is also extremely accessible but no less beautiful, the way she strings words together has a way to pull at your heart strings while simultaneously wrapping you in a gentle hug. And I think that’s the best thing about it, because no matter how much the MC struggles (spoiler: it’s a lot), You Asked for Perfect explores it in such a gentle way without ever taking away from it. Also, the characters are total softies.
This is a very character driven story just like I adore them. Ariel, the main character is set to be his school valedictorian, attend Harvard, and excel in everything he does. That’s until his grades start slipping up, he puts too much on his plate with school, family, friends, etc… and starts losing control of everything. And the way that Academic pressure and stress was explored was just so realistic and genuine that I couldn’t help but set parallels between Ariel’s life and mine, even though you know…I’m a grandma in medical school and not a high school student. But from what I’ve seen from teenagers, they could relate to Ariel’s experiences on a visceral level too, especially those of them that are more Academic oriented.
I also liked how by the end of the book, the takeaway is that most people struggle in one way or another, everyone’s just good at hiding it so we think we’re alone when, in fact, we definitely aren’t. From the outside looking in, most people look like they have it all together and that they’re doing more, achieving more, succeeding more when in fact, they might be putting a huge amount of pressure on themselves as well and thinking the exact same thing about you. The main message of the books is also that you don’t have to do it on your own, it’s okay to ask for help when life gets overwhelming and I appreciated that about it.
Ariel is a cinnamon roll that must be protected AT ALL COST! He’s a bisexual Jewish boy who’s super tight-knit with his family and loves and cares about them deeply. I also loved how attached to his religion he is and how invested in the Jewish community his family is. He cares too much about his Academics but for the completely wrong reasons and he’s just so lost and overwhelmed for most of the book that I just wanted to sit him down, make him some hot chocolate and tell him everything will be okay. I loved how close he was with his family, especially with his little sister, Rachel, who’s as much of a stress ball as he is when she’s only ten. She’s super witty and bright and their relationship was just so cute.
Amir was the light of my life in this book, I absolutely adored him. He’s a Muslim Pakistani gay boy who’s so comfortable in who he is and what he wants, you can just feel it through the pages. He’s sweet, effortlessly confident but never cocky. One thing I’m 1000% grateful for is the fact that he wants to be a doctor because HE ACTUALLY LOVES IT, he’s so passionate about it and I think that’s pretty cool since it’s the first time I see this in a book, most of them have characters who are pressure into that career path and absolutely resent it so it was refreshing. This also subverted the trope of Muslim parents pushing their kinds into more “money making” careers, because his actually want him to major in photography because he’s so good at it.
Their romance is the CUTEST THING EVER!!!! It’s so nerdy and cute with lots of Harry Potter references, and they’re just *clutches heart* so good to each other, they’re definitely not perfect but do their best and care SO MUCH about each other, also that thing Ariel did at the end…*dies of cute*. The conversation between them flows so naturally and they just make sense together, the banter and ease between them is so endearing and precious!!! That being said I really wanted to see a bit more of them.
This book warmed my heart so much while still tackling the important topic of academic pressure that’s put on kids in an honest way, which not enough books do even though a lot of people struggle with it.
June 4, 2021
rep: bi Jewish mc, gay Muslim li, Korean American lesbian side character, Indian American side character
listen, my own high school experience didn't stress me out as badly as this book did. i'm Exhausted™. i need like a week long nap now.
also, ariel is a disaster bi and i love him with my whole heart
listen, my own high school experience didn't stress me out as badly as this book did. i'm Exhausted™. i need like a week long nap now.
also, ariel is a disaster bi and i love him with my whole heart
Shelved as 'dnf'
April 7, 2019This isn't a "this book is bad" dnf, this is more of a "oh hey I'm being reminded of how bad I did academically in high school and am getting actual anxiety". Tried pushing through but I can't handle books that really focus on that kind of stuff.
February 22, 2019
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
After thoroughly enjoying Laura Silverman’s debut, Girl Out of Water, and after chatting with her at a couple book events here in Atlanta, I knew I would pick up anything she published next. And, friends, I’m happy to report that You Asked for Perfect did not disappoint!
In You Asked for Perfect, we follow high school senior Ariel Stone, the golden boy at the top of his class who’s beginning to crack under the pressure of impending college applications and the pressure to perform perfectly. Ariel is forced to find a tutor after his Calculus grade begins to slip, and to his surprise, he finds himself falling for his new tutor and former rival, Amir.
While I recommend You Asked for Perfect wholeheartedly, I can’t really say that I enjoyed the experience of reading it. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this stressed while reading a YA book; Laura Silverman captured all of the very worst– but also VERY REAL– parts of high school, in my eyes. I think academic pressure is a concept so many readers, particularly those of us in the book community, will relate to, and this book captures the ways in which that pressure can come from external sources (even well-meaning adults in teenagers’ lives) as well as internal ones. So while “enjoy” isn’t a word I can use for how I felt while reading YAFP, I can say that I appreciated it and related intensely to the characters.
Ariel’s group of friends felt a lot like my group of friends in high school. They’re all intensely dedicated overachievers, and all of them are desperately trying to hide the cracks in their facades in an effort to be the best, the most perfect, the one who has it all figured out. They’re often so caught up in their own inner turmoil that they aren’t able to be good friends to one another– which, damn, if that isn’t a MOOD for all *~nerdy kids~* in high school (at least, it was for me and my friends). Ariel was almost less worried about the fact that he was struggling in his classes, and more concerned about any of his peers finding out he was struggling (WOW; me). Overall, I think Laura Silverman nailed these parts of the high school experience that are often glossed over in YA books. I mean, I don’t think this is a universal experience for everyone, but it definitely rang true for me.
The romance was really sweet, too. I love reading romances where it feels very much like the beginning of a relationship between two characters, not the entire story, and the romance between Ariel and Amir very much had that vibe. It was two people getting to know each other (and doing some kissing along the way), with the promise of more further down the road. As for representation, Ariel IDs as bi and Amir IDs as gay. I will say, though, I’m getting very tired of books with bi protagonists containing so little nuance regarding gender. There’s lots of discussion about boys and girls, men and women, and no acknowledgement of any other genders. It’s not that this portrayal of bisexuality is necessarily wrong, but rather that it only feels like part of the story. (This is just me speaking as a Tired Bisexual™️.) That aside, I loved Ariel and Amir’s bonding over their shared love of things like Harry Potter. Their relationship instantly brought me back to the days of those first flutters of attraction to people in high school.
I also loved how close Ariel was to his family! So often in YA, we have fairly absent parents, but that was not the case here. And I loved how close Ariel was to his younger sister, even though she was significantly younger than him, because my older brothers and I are super close even with 15+ years between us. Ariel and his family are also Jewish, which is #ownvoices rep. I am not Jewish myself, but I always love seeing protagonists with strong religious practices outside of Christianity, because we can always use more of that in YA. Religion is a large part of Ariel’s life and identity, like it is for so many teenagers.
Also, I’d be remiss not to mention that You Asked for Perfect is set in a suburb of Atlanta, which I always love seeing in YA, since that is exactly where I grew up! At one point, Amir mentions the superiority of Publix sugar cookies, and I have never felt so much love for a character.
Overall, while this reading experience was extremely anxiety-inducing, I think that You Asked for Perfect is a book both teenagers and adults will relate intensely to. I can’t wait for Ariel’s story to be out in the world, because I think it fills a needed void in YA contemporary, with some excellent representation to boot!
After thoroughly enjoying Laura Silverman’s debut, Girl Out of Water, and after chatting with her at a couple book events here in Atlanta, I knew I would pick up anything she published next. And, friends, I’m happy to report that You Asked for Perfect did not disappoint!
In You Asked for Perfect, we follow high school senior Ariel Stone, the golden boy at the top of his class who’s beginning to crack under the pressure of impending college applications and the pressure to perform perfectly. Ariel is forced to find a tutor after his Calculus grade begins to slip, and to his surprise, he finds himself falling for his new tutor and former rival, Amir.
While I recommend You Asked for Perfect wholeheartedly, I can’t really say that I enjoyed the experience of reading it. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this stressed while reading a YA book; Laura Silverman captured all of the very worst– but also VERY REAL– parts of high school, in my eyes. I think academic pressure is a concept so many readers, particularly those of us in the book community, will relate to, and this book captures the ways in which that pressure can come from external sources (even well-meaning adults in teenagers’ lives) as well as internal ones. So while “enjoy” isn’t a word I can use for how I felt while reading YAFP, I can say that I appreciated it and related intensely to the characters.
Ariel’s group of friends felt a lot like my group of friends in high school. They’re all intensely dedicated overachievers, and all of them are desperately trying to hide the cracks in their facades in an effort to be the best, the most perfect, the one who has it all figured out. They’re often so caught up in their own inner turmoil that they aren’t able to be good friends to one another– which, damn, if that isn’t a MOOD for all *~nerdy kids~* in high school (at least, it was for me and my friends). Ariel was almost less worried about the fact that he was struggling in his classes, and more concerned about any of his peers finding out he was struggling (WOW; me). Overall, I think Laura Silverman nailed these parts of the high school experience that are often glossed over in YA books. I mean, I don’t think this is a universal experience for everyone, but it definitely rang true for me.
The romance was really sweet, too. I love reading romances where it feels very much like the beginning of a relationship between two characters, not the entire story, and the romance between Ariel and Amir very much had that vibe. It was two people getting to know each other (and doing some kissing along the way), with the promise of more further down the road. As for representation, Ariel IDs as bi and Amir IDs as gay. I will say, though, I’m getting very tired of books with bi protagonists containing so little nuance regarding gender. There’s lots of discussion about boys and girls, men and women, and no acknowledgement of any other genders. It’s not that this portrayal of bisexuality is necessarily wrong, but rather that it only feels like part of the story. (This is just me speaking as a Tired Bisexual™️.) That aside, I loved Ariel and Amir’s bonding over their shared love of things like Harry Potter. Their relationship instantly brought me back to the days of those first flutters of attraction to people in high school.
I also loved how close Ariel was to his family! So often in YA, we have fairly absent parents, but that was not the case here. And I loved how close Ariel was to his younger sister, even though she was significantly younger than him, because my older brothers and I are super close even with 15+ years between us. Ariel and his family are also Jewish, which is #ownvoices rep. I am not Jewish myself, but I always love seeing protagonists with strong religious practices outside of Christianity, because we can always use more of that in YA. Religion is a large part of Ariel’s life and identity, like it is for so many teenagers.
Also, I’d be remiss not to mention that You Asked for Perfect is set in a suburb of Atlanta, which I always love seeing in YA, since that is exactly where I grew up! At one point, Amir mentions the superiority of Publix sugar cookies, and I have never felt so much love for a character.
Overall, while this reading experience was extremely anxiety-inducing, I think that You Asked for Perfect is a book both teenagers and adults will relate intensely to. I can’t wait for Ariel’s story to be out in the world, because I think it fills a needed void in YA contemporary, with some excellent representation to boot!
April 1, 2019
Wow, This book is the real deal, guys. A story that gives you all the feelings, a romance that warms the heart and characters you can connect with and relate to, How can I not love it with all my heart and soul. I only wish it was longer so I can immerse myself in it more and feel more and because I genuinely think the content of the book deserved more space to flourish and to have the emotional punch it could give has it been explored more.
The story revolves around Ariel Stone, a high school boy who is dealing with a lot of pressure from himself and everyone around him and the more he nears his graduation, the more intense his life become. So we kind of witness as the story progress how he becomes more and more pressured to be the perfect student who gets to go to the perfect university and we see how his life starts to unravel and gets out of control
I read so many books that take place in high school but this one was so different and so powerful, I can see a lot of people connecting with the story on a deep emotional level and seeing themselves in Ariel journey. I know that I did and it hit really close to home, the pressure to be the perfect student, to have the perfect grades and to not disappoint anyone who thinks you’re capable of great things and that affects our lives and our relationships is depicted very well.
I really loved how the book deals with the theme and how emotional and relevant it was. I loved the writing style and how it was translating the struggle of the characters with honesty that’s painful to read. I cried more than once while reading this book and that doesn’t happen a lot with YA contemporary books and me but this book did really hit a nerve and it left a mark in me.
I also loved the romance and how cute and heartwarming and pure it was, I think it brought another side of Ariel that made me feel that I know him more. Also the side characters are all great, flawed at times but you understand them because of what they’re going through and the progress they make.
All in all, I really recommend this book especially for fans of Adam Silvera books and for those who like their books emotional and maybe even a little bit painful.
The story revolves around Ariel Stone, a high school boy who is dealing with a lot of pressure from himself and everyone around him and the more he nears his graduation, the more intense his life become. So we kind of witness as the story progress how he becomes more and more pressured to be the perfect student who gets to go to the perfect university and we see how his life starts to unravel and gets out of control
I think of all my classmates, bent over textbooks, shoulders strained under heavy backpacks, eyes hooded from lack of sleep. We’re all in it together, whether we want to be or not
I read so many books that take place in high school but this one was so different and so powerful, I can see a lot of people connecting with the story on a deep emotional level and seeing themselves in Ariel journey. I know that I did and it hit really close to home, the pressure to be the perfect student, to have the perfect grades and to not disappoint anyone who thinks you’re capable of great things and that affects our lives and our relationships is depicted very well.
I really loved how the book deals with the theme and how emotional and relevant it was. I loved the writing style and how it was translating the struggle of the characters with honesty that’s painful to read. I cried more than once while reading this book and that doesn’t happen a lot with YA contemporary books and me but this book did really hit a nerve and it left a mark in me.
I also loved the romance and how cute and heartwarming and pure it was, I think it brought another side of Ariel that made me feel that I know him more. Also the side characters are all great, flawed at times but you understand them because of what they’re going through and the progress they make.
All in all, I really recommend this book especially for fans of Adam Silvera books and for those who like their books emotional and maybe even a little bit painful.
September 3, 2020
FULL REVIEW: https://readbytiffany.wordpress.com/2...
Even though we’re only in the second month of 2019, You Asked For Perfect has already made my list of favorite books of the year. I honestly don’t think this review could’ve come at a better timing for me too because I recently just finished what I anticipate to have been the hardest academic week of my semester. I had multiple exams and essays due, and I was constantly studying during my free time. You Asked For Perfect follows Ariel Stone, a high school senior who constantly pushes himself to be the best, all-around college applicant. ✏ Throughout the story, we follow his growth, understanding, and eventually acceptance of his success and capabilities.
Honestly, don’t even know where to start with my review because this book is just too relatable for words. It sounds crazy to say, but I’ve never identified so much with a character—Ariel Stone is me. His thoughts, worries, and stress surrounding academics and grades constantly roar in my own mind, and his journey as a high school student applying for college felt like a throwback to my senior year. 💫 His development throughout the story is phenomenal, and I was consistently rooting for him throughout all his struggles.
Even though I grew up in a fairly stereotypical Asian household, my mother was never a “tiger mom.” She always stated that all my ambitions were my own which is why I connected so strongly with Ariel’s academic-related anxieties and fear of failure. When you place so much weight on academics, you can’t help but have a mental spiral of thoughts. “If I don’t do well on this exam, I won’t get an A in this class. If I don’t get an A in this class, I won’t have a 4.0 GPA. If I don’t have a 4.0 GPA, I won’t get into the best college. If I don’t get into the best college, I can’t get the best job then I’ll be homeless(!!)” Granted, when we think this way, we know we’re being overly dramatic. We know that five years down the line, we’ll be okay, but in the moment, we can’t help but freak out. 😱
I thought Laura Silverman did a wonderful job illustrating the internal thought processes that Ariel had surrounding his worries, and in a funny (and somewhat ironic) way, it was really calming to see the similarities it had with myself. Little things such as calculating what how many points you can afford to lose on a quiz to how a single assignment impacts your total grade and whether it affects your ability to end with an A in the class made the book all the more meaningful to me. 💯
Not only that, this book is filled with amazing diversity and representation. Ariel is Jewish, and I loved how his faith was weaved into the story. From simple food descriptions (someone please introduce me to Matzo ball soup) to talking with the Rabbi, it was amazing to see the incorporation of religious culture and tradition into a character’s everyday life. Ariel’s love interest, Amir, is Arabian and Muslim, and he is soooo soft. I loved their interactions together, and their romance is filled with Harry Potter references. ⚡Ariel’s family was also so wonderful, and I loved that they simply existed in this book.
Four years ago, I was preparing for the ACT and powering through my junior year of high school to present myself as the perfect college applicant. Fast forward 6 months, I would have finished researching the plethora of colleges and started writing my essays. 🎓 Like Ariel, I was Ivy Bound. I knew what I wanted and was determined to get it, but eventually, when the results are in and your choices are laid out in front of you, you have to ask yourself—what do I really want? If you would have told junior year Tiffany that she would get into an Ivy League school but say no, she would’ve thought you were crazy.
Overall, You Asked For Perfect was an incredibly soft yet relatable read. If you haven’t added it to your TBR yet, you seriously need to add it right now. This is the book high school Tiffany would have needed so I’m glad that I’m finally reading it now. 🌟
-----
*heavy breathing* super thankful to have been approved for an ARC and even more excited to start reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Blog | Instagram | Tumblr | Twitter | Bloglovin
Even though we’re only in the second month of 2019, You Asked For Perfect has already made my list of favorite books of the year. I honestly don’t think this review could’ve come at a better timing for me too because I recently just finished what I anticipate to have been the hardest academic week of my semester. I had multiple exams and essays due, and I was constantly studying during my free time. You Asked For Perfect follows Ariel Stone, a high school senior who constantly pushes himself to be the best, all-around college applicant. ✏ Throughout the story, we follow his growth, understanding, and eventually acceptance of his success and capabilities.
Honestly, don’t even know where to start with my review because this book is just too relatable for words. It sounds crazy to say, but I’ve never identified so much with a character—Ariel Stone is me. His thoughts, worries, and stress surrounding academics and grades constantly roar in my own mind, and his journey as a high school student applying for college felt like a throwback to my senior year. 💫 His development throughout the story is phenomenal, and I was consistently rooting for him throughout all his struggles.
Even though I grew up in a fairly stereotypical Asian household, my mother was never a “tiger mom.” She always stated that all my ambitions were my own which is why I connected so strongly with Ariel’s academic-related anxieties and fear of failure. When you place so much weight on academics, you can’t help but have a mental spiral of thoughts. “If I don’t do well on this exam, I won’t get an A in this class. If I don’t get an A in this class, I won’t have a 4.0 GPA. If I don’t have a 4.0 GPA, I won’t get into the best college. If I don’t get into the best college, I can’t get the best job then I’ll be homeless(!!)” Granted, when we think this way, we know we’re being overly dramatic. We know that five years down the line, we’ll be okay, but in the moment, we can’t help but freak out. 😱
I thought Laura Silverman did a wonderful job illustrating the internal thought processes that Ariel had surrounding his worries, and in a funny (and somewhat ironic) way, it was really calming to see the similarities it had with myself. Little things such as calculating what how many points you can afford to lose on a quiz to how a single assignment impacts your total grade and whether it affects your ability to end with an A in the class made the book all the more meaningful to me. 💯
Not only that, this book is filled with amazing diversity and representation. Ariel is Jewish, and I loved how his faith was weaved into the story. From simple food descriptions (someone please introduce me to Matzo ball soup) to talking with the Rabbi, it was amazing to see the incorporation of religious culture and tradition into a character’s everyday life. Ariel’s love interest, Amir, is Arabian and Muslim, and he is soooo soft. I loved their interactions together, and their romance is filled with Harry Potter references. ⚡Ariel’s family was also so wonderful, and I loved that they simply existed in this book.
Four years ago, I was preparing for the ACT and powering through my junior year of high school to present myself as the perfect college applicant. Fast forward 6 months, I would have finished researching the plethora of colleges and started writing my essays. 🎓 Like Ariel, I was Ivy Bound. I knew what I wanted and was determined to get it, but eventually, when the results are in and your choices are laid out in front of you, you have to ask yourself—what do I really want? If you would have told junior year Tiffany that she would get into an Ivy League school but say no, she would’ve thought you were crazy.
Overall, You Asked For Perfect was an incredibly soft yet relatable read. If you haven’t added it to your TBR yet, you seriously need to add it right now. This is the book high school Tiffany would have needed so I’m glad that I’m finally reading it now. 🌟
-----
*heavy breathing* super thankful to have been approved for an ARC and even more excited to start reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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July 20, 2020
Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
hey so who gave Laura Silverman the right to write about all of our lives???
You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman is a young-adult contemporary novel that follows the story of Ariel Stone, our Jewish, bisexual protagonist, who feels immense pressure to be the best because the best is what will give him access to the future he wants. While trying to balance the unimaginable workload he has taken upon himself, Ariel is also trying to be there for his best friends Sook and Malka and participate in their band, balance his friendly, yet competitive relationship with his friend Pari, and deal with his feelings for his new calculus tutor, Amir, the Pakistani Muslim love interest.
You Asked for Perfect is one of the most immersive reads I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Silverman's writing of this novel executed the story perfectly, to the point where I read this entire novel in about two hours. I honestly cannot pinpoint exactly what method she used to capture the reader in such a way, but what I can say is that it worked, and once you start reading this novel, you will not be able to stop.
Silverman writes a story that deals with a major problem in our society that we do not discuss often enough: the pressures of school. Ariel's character is more than a character - he is the friends and enemies and acquaintances I have seen throughout my years of school, he is a version of me from when I have striven to achieve unreasonable goals. Ariel is the perfect representation of the effects on school pressure on so many teens nowadays.
And I think that that is the true power of this novel: how absolutely and unbelievably relatable it is. Ariel is such a well-fleshed-out and thought-out character that he truly is three-dimensional. He has flaws and strengths, and he has personality quirks and traits that were so enjoyable to read out. But the center of this novel, beyond Ariel's story, is commentary on the flaws within our school system. The flawed system that leads children to put themselves in danger from the amount of stress they are battling, from the pressure that comes their parents, teachers, society, and worst of all, themselves.
As someone who has gone to high pressure, academically rigorous private schools all my life, I could see Ariel in every peer I've encountered thus far, including myself. The desire to be perfect, to be the best, and the fear of failure - that is the reality for teens today.
But Silverman balances out the stress of school with Ariel and Amir's beautiful romance. From the first chapter, I could tell that this was the perfect romance. Ariel and Amir are two high school boys who fell together in a way so beautiful that words cannot even begin to describe how wonderful it was seeing their relationship flourish.
Their chemistry seeped through the pages, their budding love for one another was almost tangible. Whereas perfection may very well be overrated, this romance teetered on the brink of it.
You Asked for Perfect is, in its own way, a perfect novel about a teenage boy falling in love, a teenage boy balancing unimaginable pressures, a teenage boy discovering himself.
You Asked for Perfect is, well, pretty damn-near perfect itself.
hey so who gave Laura Silverman the right to write about all of our lives???
You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman is a young-adult contemporary novel that follows the story of Ariel Stone, our Jewish, bisexual protagonist, who feels immense pressure to be the best because the best is what will give him access to the future he wants. While trying to balance the unimaginable workload he has taken upon himself, Ariel is also trying to be there for his best friends Sook and Malka and participate in their band, balance his friendly, yet competitive relationship with his friend Pari, and deal with his feelings for his new calculus tutor, Amir, the Pakistani Muslim love interest.
You Asked for Perfect is one of the most immersive reads I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Silverman's writing of this novel executed the story perfectly, to the point where I read this entire novel in about two hours. I honestly cannot pinpoint exactly what method she used to capture the reader in such a way, but what I can say is that it worked, and once you start reading this novel, you will not be able to stop.
Silverman writes a story that deals with a major problem in our society that we do not discuss often enough: the pressures of school. Ariel's character is more than a character - he is the friends and enemies and acquaintances I have seen throughout my years of school, he is a version of me from when I have striven to achieve unreasonable goals. Ariel is the perfect representation of the effects on school pressure on so many teens nowadays.
Something breaks within me.
It shouldn't be like this. It shouldn't be this hard.
And I think that that is the true power of this novel: how absolutely and unbelievably relatable it is. Ariel is such a well-fleshed-out and thought-out character that he truly is three-dimensional. He has flaws and strengths, and he has personality quirks and traits that were so enjoyable to read out. But the center of this novel, beyond Ariel's story, is commentary on the flaws within our school system. The flawed system that leads children to put themselves in danger from the amount of stress they are battling, from the pressure that comes their parents, teachers, society, and worst of all, themselves.
As someone who has gone to high pressure, academically rigorous private schools all my life, I could see Ariel in every peer I've encountered thus far, including myself. The desire to be perfect, to be the best, and the fear of failure - that is the reality for teens today.
But Silverman balances out the stress of school with Ariel and Amir's beautiful romance. From the first chapter, I could tell that this was the perfect romance. Ariel and Amir are two high school boys who fell together in a way so beautiful that words cannot even begin to describe how wonderful it was seeing their relationship flourish.
"Hey, don't knock it. What's so bad about seeing magic everywhere?"
"You're right," I agree, leaning against him again, my body at total ease. "Nothing wrong with a little magic."
Their chemistry seeped through the pages, their budding love for one another was almost tangible. Whereas perfection may very well be overrated, this romance teetered on the brink of it.
You Asked for Perfect is, in its own way, a perfect novel about a teenage boy falling in love, a teenage boy balancing unimaginable pressures, a teenage boy discovering himself.
You Asked for Perfect is, well, pretty damn-near perfect itself.
February 9, 2019
“I’ve been so busy racing to the finish line, I haven’t thought much about what happens when I cross it.”
You Asked For Perfect is an impactful story about stress, anxiety, and self care. It’s easily one of my favorite books I’ve read so far this year. It captivated me with such raw emotion and honesty that I fell head over heels in love.
I basically loved everything about the story . I thought Ariel was so relatable, because I was the same studious AP/Honors student nerd. He goes through such a realistic and emotional journey as he struggles to live up to the expectations and all the anxiety that goes with applying to colleges. I really loved the strong supportive family and community that was around Ariel. It was great to see the quiet and caring family moments with his parents and sister, and also the encouraging and supportive moments with his friends or rabbi. And while it’s not the biggest plotline in the story (I’d say this is truly a story of personal growth and health/self care rather than a romance) Ariel and Amir had one of the most enjoyable and swoony romances I’ve read about recently. I loved them together so much and I was so overjoyed everytime they shared a scene.
You Asked For Perfect is such a relatable story that will mean so much to so many people who deal with anxiety, stress, or fears of inadequacies. It’s comforting to know you’re not alone in your fears and seeing a whole community champion around Ariel, it just feels so loving and caring. What an amazing story that is one of my favorites I’ve read so far this year.
I received a copy of the book from Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.
March 23, 2019
4 stars
This book was so cathartic, especially because I just got out of applying and waiting for my college decisions in December! (I got into my first choice mid-December, so I’ve been cruising through senior year ever since!)
I intentionally waited till after decisions came out to read this because I was scared of jinxing things (so scared oh my), and reading this after really let me release some of those feelings I’ve been having about STRESS AND STRESS AND STRESS AND COLLEGE.
Yeah. Fun times.
You Asked for Perfect was wonderful in the way that it let me release all of my stressed feelings about applying to college, being a good student, getting into college, looking like an ideal student so I hopefully get accepted, etc. Ariel’s senior year was so relatable for me, and I think a lot of teens will see themselves in his overwhelming stress (says a lot about high school, tbh).
That was definitely the highlight of the book–not a lot of novels really emphasize just how stressful school is, and seeing You Asked for Perfect do this was really nice and meaningful. Like, yes, I understand that stress doesn’t really work with a lot of perfect YA narratives, but frankly, a real high school experience is 90% populated by stress for a lot of teens (not all, though).
Take every single kid in an Ivy or Ivy-like school or who applied to those schoos–this book would probably resonate really strongly with them (and therefore me) because it’s a really accurate representation of this experience.
Beyond that, I think the romance between Ariel and Amir was so so cute, and I also really enjoyed all the Jewish rep in it! (See, my aforementioned friend’s #OwnVoices review of this element.)
It was relatively short (300ish pages) and the buildup of this book was so intense as everything in Ariel’s life just seemed to be going downhill fast. I think Silverman did a great job of handling the ending and all of these explosive feelings.
Plus, I loved how this explored not only the stress of school, but Ariel’s relationships with his friends and family and how he was constantly overcommitting. Silverman wrapped all of these ideas up very nicely throughout the book, and I enjoyed it a lot!
I guess where the star fell off was just that there were a few discrepancies and places where things didn’t make sense (i.e. his interview has been scheduled for so long, and that’s really abnormal) and also I wish that we had gotten a little more of just Ariel himself in a non-slipping environment, if that makes sense? Like, more at the beginning of what it was like just juggling his life, before the crash and burn ensued.
I also really wished that we got to see a little bit about the privilege that is associated with the college applications process, but unfortunately we didn’t get to read a lot of that in this book.
Overall, I definitely really enjoyed You Asked for Perfect and would recommend it wholeheartedly to juniors and seniors especially as they stress about school! And also everyone else, because you’ll still enjoy Ariel’s story.
buddy read with Vic!!!!
Thank you so much to Megan Manzano for sending me an ARC!
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This book was so cathartic, especially because I just got out of applying and waiting for my college decisions in December! (I got into my first choice mid-December, so I’ve been cruising through senior year ever since!)
I intentionally waited till after decisions came out to read this because I was scared of jinxing things (so scared oh my), and reading this after really let me release some of those feelings I’ve been having about STRESS AND STRESS AND STRESS AND COLLEGE.
Yeah. Fun times.
You Asked for Perfect was wonderful in the way that it let me release all of my stressed feelings about applying to college, being a good student, getting into college, looking like an ideal student so I hopefully get accepted, etc. Ariel’s senior year was so relatable for me, and I think a lot of teens will see themselves in his overwhelming stress (says a lot about high school, tbh).
That was definitely the highlight of the book–not a lot of novels really emphasize just how stressful school is, and seeing You Asked for Perfect do this was really nice and meaningful. Like, yes, I understand that stress doesn’t really work with a lot of perfect YA narratives, but frankly, a real high school experience is 90% populated by stress for a lot of teens (not all, though).
Take every single kid in an Ivy or Ivy-like school or who applied to those schoos–this book would probably resonate really strongly with them (and therefore me) because it’s a really accurate representation of this experience.
Beyond that, I think the romance between Ariel and Amir was so so cute, and I also really enjoyed all the Jewish rep in it! (See, my aforementioned friend’s #OwnVoices review of this element.)
It was relatively short (300ish pages) and the buildup of this book was so intense as everything in Ariel’s life just seemed to be going downhill fast. I think Silverman did a great job of handling the ending and all of these explosive feelings.
Plus, I loved how this explored not only the stress of school, but Ariel’s relationships with his friends and family and how he was constantly overcommitting. Silverman wrapped all of these ideas up very nicely throughout the book, and I enjoyed it a lot!
I guess where the star fell off was just that there were a few discrepancies and places where things didn’t make sense (i.e. his interview has been scheduled for so long, and that’s really abnormal) and also I wish that we had gotten a little more of just Ariel himself in a non-slipping environment, if that makes sense? Like, more at the beginning of what it was like just juggling his life, before the crash and burn ensued.
I also really wished that we got to see a little bit about the privilege that is associated with the college applications process, but unfortunately we didn’t get to read a lot of that in this book.
Overall, I definitely really enjoyed You Asked for Perfect and would recommend it wholeheartedly to juniors and seniors especially as they stress about school! And also everyone else, because you’ll still enjoy Ariel’s story.
buddy read with Vic!!!!
Thank you so much to Megan Manzano for sending me an ARC!
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March 12, 2019
"You know Ariel, you're not the only one stressed about school. I struggle in AP Chem and AP Bio, and I want to be a doctor. I should be passing those courses with flying colors. But I shouldn't have to rethink my future because AP classes force us to rush through the material. "
4 Stars. You Asked for Perfect , at least for me, was simultaneously a cathartic and pleasant reading experience. The book manages to craft a perfect portrait of what it's like to be a teen in an education system that is constantly bearing down on you and asking for perfection at an age when you're supposed to be figuring yourself out. The portrayal of the anxiety and academic stress that comes with trying to act like you have all of your shit together at age seventeen is truly the best part of this book. Besides the thematic work, I think the second strongest element of the book was the romance between Ariel and Amir.
There's something so beautiful about seeing an author tackle a topic like academic pressure. It's a topic I rarely see covered, and I applaud Laura Silverman for creating such an accurate portrayal of what it's like. Teens today (myself included) are forced to stretch themselves to their limits in order to be what many colleges would consider "stand-out:" on top of rigorous AP classes (which some students in my school take seven of), the expected norm now is for a student to have volunteer hours, honor society membership, extracurriculars like debate or yearbook, be part of sports, and more all to be put on an application for college. This is all on top of being young and growing into who you are and figuring out what the fuck you want to do with your life when you're too young to be an adult but too old to be a child. Lastly, all of this is expected to be done with a smile. Frankly, teenage life is insane. Ariel, while not the most unique narrator, is the perfect lens to view this from: he's neurotic, stressed, and anxiety-ridden because of everything listed above. The thematic work here deserves a star alone.
I, personally, am decidedly not like Ariel. While I definitely have a "must be perfect" mindset, my high school experience has taught me that there is more to life than a perfect transcript and a 1600 on the SAT. When it comes down to it, I'm a thoroughly "average-smart" student which honestly even sounds stupid to me: I am thoroughly a humanities person and have an immense distaste for science and to a lesser extent, math. I took the SAT twice, have an amazing group of friends, and have hobbies outside of being the smart boy who takes four AP Classes. Regardless, the whole need to present yourself as perfect and never, ever mess up because it'll cause a catatonic descent from one failed test to two failed tests to failing a subject to never getting into a "good" college to being unemployed and homeless hit me so hard .
As for the romance, yeah I love Ariel and Amir together. There's just something about how cute they are together that makes my heart squeeze. Their development is a bit rushed, their relationship a bit underdeveloped, but do I still actively ship them? Hell yes. Dynamically, they are well-suited for one another and act as each other's calm place. Also, All in all, yet another addition to my favorite couples that I've encountered in fiction.
Now for my gripes: Personally, Ariel's voice (and Silverman's writing) read relatively... generically? Ariel did feel real and 3D, but that's more due to the thematic work built into his character arc then him being a person with a unique voice. I will say though that the bisexuality rep and ownvoices Jewish rep seem to be well-written, with nothing glaringly problematic (I am not a member of either group, so I'd say look for more ownvoices reviews for any specifics). This wasn't really helped by Silverman's prose, which while not dry, just lacked the extra punch that I like seeing in my prose now. It was clean, plain, and was serviceable but nothing special. The plot also seems to wander, reading very slice-of-life, despite the fact that this book is very fast-paced.
Overall, I'd recommend this. It's a solid YA contemporary about a topic that needs to be covered more in writing.
4 Stars. You Asked for Perfect , at least for me, was simultaneously a cathartic and pleasant reading experience. The book manages to craft a perfect portrait of what it's like to be a teen in an education system that is constantly bearing down on you and asking for perfection at an age when you're supposed to be figuring yourself out. The portrayal of the anxiety and academic stress that comes with trying to act like you have all of your shit together at age seventeen is truly the best part of this book. Besides the thematic work, I think the second strongest element of the book was the romance between Ariel and Amir.
There's something so beautiful about seeing an author tackle a topic like academic pressure. It's a topic I rarely see covered, and I applaud Laura Silverman for creating such an accurate portrayal of what it's like. Teens today (myself included) are forced to stretch themselves to their limits in order to be what many colleges would consider "stand-out:" on top of rigorous AP classes (which some students in my school take seven of), the expected norm now is for a student to have volunteer hours, honor society membership, extracurriculars like debate or yearbook, be part of sports, and more all to be put on an application for college. This is all on top of being young and growing into who you are and figuring out what the fuck you want to do with your life when you're too young to be an adult but too old to be a child. Lastly, all of this is expected to be done with a smile. Frankly, teenage life is insane. Ariel, while not the most unique narrator, is the perfect lens to view this from: he's neurotic, stressed, and anxiety-ridden because of everything listed above. The thematic work here deserves a star alone.
I, personally, am decidedly not like Ariel. While I definitely have a "must be perfect" mindset, my high school experience has taught me that there is more to life than a perfect transcript and a 1600 on the SAT. When it comes down to it, I'm a thoroughly "average-smart" student which honestly even sounds stupid to me: I am thoroughly a humanities person and have an immense distaste for science and to a lesser extent, math. I took the SAT twice, have an amazing group of friends, and have hobbies outside of being the smart boy who takes four AP Classes. Regardless, the whole need to present yourself as perfect and never, ever mess up because it'll cause a catatonic descent from one failed test to two failed tests to failing a subject to never getting into a "good" college to being unemployed and homeless hit me so hard .
As for the romance, yeah I love Ariel and Amir together. There's just something about how cute they are together that makes my heart squeeze. Their development is a bit rushed, their relationship a bit underdeveloped, but do I still actively ship them? Hell yes. Dynamically, they are well-suited for one another and act as each other's calm place. Also, All in all, yet another addition to my favorite couples that I've encountered in fiction.
Now for my gripes: Personally, Ariel's voice (and Silverman's writing) read relatively... generically? Ariel did feel real and 3D, but that's more due to the thematic work built into his character arc then him being a person with a unique voice. I will say though that the bisexuality rep and ownvoices Jewish rep seem to be well-written, with nothing glaringly problematic (I am not a member of either group, so I'd say look for more ownvoices reviews for any specifics). This wasn't really helped by Silverman's prose, which while not dry, just lacked the extra punch that I like seeing in my prose now. It was clean, plain, and was serviceable but nothing special. The plot also seems to wander, reading very slice-of-life, despite the fact that this book is very fast-paced.
Overall, I'd recommend this. It's a solid YA contemporary about a topic that needs to be covered more in writing.
April 4, 2019
I started reading this hoping for a light-hearted m/m romance and ended up agonising over the slipping grades and lack of time along with Ariel. Oof! So much for a laid back read. The powerful language will suck you into the story within no time and my tension was so apparent that my poor kindle must have reached a breaking point, thanks to the strenuous handgrip.
Romance plays just a subplot here, so I won't advise you to take this for a cute little love story. But this is a must read for all those who are in high school or even college because this is something most of today's generation goes through. It took me back to the days I struggled to get an admission in my favourite college which eventually led to the same realisation that Ariel comes to at the end. You are not defined by your grades or by the name of the institution you studies and until and unless you make peace with this fact, you will remain unhappy in spite of your hard won achievements.
So make time for things that you love, other credentials will follow you. Such a phenomenal read and I am sure this story is going to stay with me.
Romance plays just a subplot here, so I won't advise you to take this for a cute little love story. But this is a must read for all those who are in high school or even college because this is something most of today's generation goes through. It took me back to the days I struggled to get an admission in my favourite college which eventually led to the same realisation that Ariel comes to at the end. You are not defined by your grades or by the name of the institution you studies and until and unless you make peace with this fact, you will remain unhappy in spite of your hard won achievements.
So make time for things that you love, other credentials will follow you. Such a phenomenal read and I am sure this story is going to stay with me.
May 1, 2019
New favorite book alert. Everything was relatable and I loved these characters so much and that adorable romance and I teared up and I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT OKAY.
Read my review of You Asked For Perfect on the blog.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for the e-ARC of this book. This did not, in any way, influenced my thoughts and rating.
My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bloglovin'
Read my review of You Asked For Perfect on the blog.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for the e-ARC of this book. This did not, in any way, influenced my thoughts and rating.
My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bloglovin'
May 3, 2019
this book was pretty good. very enjoyable, a quick read, and painfully relatable (as the cover says). unfortunately, it fell flat in the beginning and parts in the middle. there was a lot of telling and not enough showing. and while it was a cute read, i just had a hard time feeling anything. i wanted it to be more. i wanted to see ariel falling for amir, and not just "oh he likes him now even though they've known each other like their whole lives okay then" we're just supposed to go along with it. idk i just feel like it could've been more and gone deeper. i did like how it ended, though it felt kind of rushed. and all the representation was a breath of fresh air.
January 27, 2019
This review comes from the perspective of an overachieving teen Jew. So, as you might expect, I was very excited to have a chance at reading a book that I can see myself so clearly in. For this opportunity, I have to thank the wonderful Vicky Who Reads who provided me the ARC of this lovely novel.
Overall vibes: very spot on. I love contemporary novels, but they universally tend to vastly underestimate the work load of high schoolers. It was refreshing to have a book where we saw the characters do actual teen things, like homework and orchestra practice, instead of attending an inexplicable number of parties and making weeknight plans on every other page. In a Jewier sense (yeah that’s a word now), I also really enjoyed the casual cultural elements that felt authentic rather than a lame attempt at diversity. Silverman nailed the temple social scene, wholesome rabbi energy, and reinvigorated my longing for a local JCC. I’m personally not religious enough to have experienced the fear of a parent yelling your full Hebrew name for *drama*, but I fully resonated with the vibes of that and thought it was super cool. I also completely felt the reverence for challah and matzoh ball soup. I could’ve read a whole book of these characters just coming up with new metaphors to encapsulate their love for Jewish foods. Lastly, I really really love the choice to have a pretty religious bisexual protagonist. It shows that the two descriptors don’t need to be mutually exclusive, or even in any sort of conflict. One thing I really love about being a Jew is how we in general have been very accepting as a community, and I deeply enjoyed having that reflected in this novel.
Some nitpicking that made it not quite 5 stars: despite everything this book got right, there were a few details that bugged me. Now, to the general reader these may not matter at all. But, as someone who is in the midst of the college application process as a stressed out Jew, I was hyperaware of stuff that didn’t quite live up to reality. First of all, while the accurate emotions of college applications were definitely present, technicalities of the process weren’t always perfect. I know it’s small, but I was consistently bothered when Ariel brought up his Harvard interview and how it was scheduled and ready to go Before he even applied. Alumni interviews are never offered until after an application is sent in. On a related note, the essay is one of the most essential parts of the process, so the idea that Ariel could not have started it and then decide to be like “oh yeah I’ll just do it and send it off next week” was also a bit off putting. But again, I think these little details only bothered me because I am literally in the midst of the exact same process as him. If that is not you, then you probably won’t notice or care. Also, for some reason I didn’t love the transliterations of some prayers that were put in. I’m all for showing off the Jew-ness of characters super proudly, but it was something about seeing these words in a non religious book not subject to the care of a Siddur or something that worried me. Now, for context, I practice reformed Judaism so I do not worry about this as much as some people might. But it has always been my understanding and habit not to include G-d’s name in full because the pages may not be treated properly or get thrown away....which is not good. I don’t know the exact rule on this but I was a bit uncomfy at these parts.
So overall, while I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to people who like slice-of-life-y contemporary novels, there are a few issues I found with accuracy and presentation that it might be best to be aware about going into it. Obviously though, given the four star review, the flaws of this book do not detract from its ability to tell a compelling, sweet story that captures the essence of a teen experience not seen too much in young adult fiction.
Overall vibes: very spot on. I love contemporary novels, but they universally tend to vastly underestimate the work load of high schoolers. It was refreshing to have a book where we saw the characters do actual teen things, like homework and orchestra practice, instead of attending an inexplicable number of parties and making weeknight plans on every other page. In a Jewier sense (yeah that’s a word now), I also really enjoyed the casual cultural elements that felt authentic rather than a lame attempt at diversity. Silverman nailed the temple social scene, wholesome rabbi energy, and reinvigorated my longing for a local JCC. I’m personally not religious enough to have experienced the fear of a parent yelling your full Hebrew name for *drama*, but I fully resonated with the vibes of that and thought it was super cool. I also completely felt the reverence for challah and matzoh ball soup. I could’ve read a whole book of these characters just coming up with new metaphors to encapsulate their love for Jewish foods. Lastly, I really really love the choice to have a pretty religious bisexual protagonist. It shows that the two descriptors don’t need to be mutually exclusive, or even in any sort of conflict. One thing I really love about being a Jew is how we in general have been very accepting as a community, and I deeply enjoyed having that reflected in this novel.
Some nitpicking that made it not quite 5 stars: despite everything this book got right, there were a few details that bugged me. Now, to the general reader these may not matter at all. But, as someone who is in the midst of the college application process as a stressed out Jew, I was hyperaware of stuff that didn’t quite live up to reality. First of all, while the accurate emotions of college applications were definitely present, technicalities of the process weren’t always perfect. I know it’s small, but I was consistently bothered when Ariel brought up his Harvard interview and how it was scheduled and ready to go Before he even applied. Alumni interviews are never offered until after an application is sent in. On a related note, the essay is one of the most essential parts of the process, so the idea that Ariel could not have started it and then decide to be like “oh yeah I’ll just do it and send it off next week” was also a bit off putting. But again, I think these little details only bothered me because I am literally in the midst of the exact same process as him. If that is not you, then you probably won’t notice or care. Also, for some reason I didn’t love the transliterations of some prayers that were put in. I’m all for showing off the Jew-ness of characters super proudly, but it was something about seeing these words in a non religious book not subject to the care of a Siddur or something that worried me. Now, for context, I practice reformed Judaism so I do not worry about this as much as some people might. But it has always been my understanding and habit not to include G-d’s name in full because the pages may not be treated properly or get thrown away....which is not good. I don’t know the exact rule on this but I was a bit uncomfy at these parts.
So overall, while I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to people who like slice-of-life-y contemporary novels, there are a few issues I found with accuracy and presentation that it might be best to be aware about going into it. Obviously though, given the four star review, the flaws of this book do not detract from its ability to tell a compelling, sweet story that captures the essence of a teen experience not seen too much in young adult fiction.
March 14, 2019
It’s mostly a 3.5.
I have been excited to read this book for a long time because it seemed so adorable and the kind of YA book I would enjoy. And this was definitely what I was hoping for.
The story is completely told through Ariel’s POV, so we see everything thats going on in his head and that’s not comfortable at all. He is constantly struggling with keeping up his grades and extracurriculars in preparation for his Harvard application and just doesn’t have enough time in the day for managing everything. But he also doesn’t want to admit his problems to anyone and that just exacerbates all his issues. I will not say I related to Ariel completely but I understood him very well. His character is a lived in experience for many young students these days and we get a very realistic picture of the stress and pressures and expectations that are put on young people and how it affects them physically and mentally.
There is a whole host of characters in the book who are all wonderful and supportive and diverse and I loved them all. The romantic dynamic that develops between Ariel and Amir may come across as sudden, but I kind of enjoyed how realistic it felt as a teenage romance. It has all the elements of sweetness and wonder and joy of young love and I think it was written very well. I’m also very glad that it’s just written as two young boys deciding to date and there are no declarations of eternal love. Despite this romance in the book, I think it is definitely more about family. YA books feature a lot of absent/problematic parents, so it was very refreshing to read about completely present and supportive parents and siblings. Ariel’s relationship with his mom dad and his sister Rachel is so healthy and amazing. Their dinner time conversations felt authentic, their religion/faith is depicted as an important part of their life but something that’s also personal and not something that they use to preach. I obviously can’t comment on the Jewish representation but it’s ownvoices for the author, so I think it’s really authentic for her own experiences. Amir’s family is Muslim and Pakistani and it was great to see both these families be very supportive of their kids’ sexualities. I also loved the whole friend group - Sook, Malka, Pari, Issac, Rasha - everyone has their own issues and is dealing with them in their own ways but no one really understands what the others are going through because they don’t feel comfortable sharing their problems.
This is my first read by the author and I really enjoyed her writing. The book has a very diverse cast which feels very realistic and not tokenism at all. I also liked that it’s quite a positive representation and these kids have families and friends who are supportive and don’t discriminate at all because of their religion or sexuality or anything else. The author also does a great job of showing us the consequences of our very competitive education system and how it adversely affects the kids. There is obviously no easy solution for this but the book really stresses on the importance of being open about issues and having a support system to be able to cope. Religion is also depicted as something positive that brings peace of mind and maybe provides perspective for young kids when dealing with such life changing issues like college and future - I thought this was very refreshing and so rare in YA.
If you like YA with great diverse family and friend dynamics and an adorable couple, you should definitely check this out. It also has some great representation of the anxiety that young students face in these hyper competitive times, and I think everyone who has been in these shoes before or is going through high school or college right now will find something relatable in this story.
I have been excited to read this book for a long time because it seemed so adorable and the kind of YA book I would enjoy. And this was definitely what I was hoping for.
The story is completely told through Ariel’s POV, so we see everything thats going on in his head and that’s not comfortable at all. He is constantly struggling with keeping up his grades and extracurriculars in preparation for his Harvard application and just doesn’t have enough time in the day for managing everything. But he also doesn’t want to admit his problems to anyone and that just exacerbates all his issues. I will not say I related to Ariel completely but I understood him very well. His character is a lived in experience for many young students these days and we get a very realistic picture of the stress and pressures and expectations that are put on young people and how it affects them physically and mentally.
There is a whole host of characters in the book who are all wonderful and supportive and diverse and I loved them all. The romantic dynamic that develops between Ariel and Amir may come across as sudden, but I kind of enjoyed how realistic it felt as a teenage romance. It has all the elements of sweetness and wonder and joy of young love and I think it was written very well. I’m also very glad that it’s just written as two young boys deciding to date and there are no declarations of eternal love. Despite this romance in the book, I think it is definitely more about family. YA books feature a lot of absent/problematic parents, so it was very refreshing to read about completely present and supportive parents and siblings. Ariel’s relationship with his mom dad and his sister Rachel is so healthy and amazing. Their dinner time conversations felt authentic, their religion/faith is depicted as an important part of their life but something that’s also personal and not something that they use to preach. I obviously can’t comment on the Jewish representation but it’s ownvoices for the author, so I think it’s really authentic for her own experiences. Amir’s family is Muslim and Pakistani and it was great to see both these families be very supportive of their kids’ sexualities. I also loved the whole friend group - Sook, Malka, Pari, Issac, Rasha - everyone has their own issues and is dealing with them in their own ways but no one really understands what the others are going through because they don’t feel comfortable sharing their problems.
This is my first read by the author and I really enjoyed her writing. The book has a very diverse cast which feels very realistic and not tokenism at all. I also liked that it’s quite a positive representation and these kids have families and friends who are supportive and don’t discriminate at all because of their religion or sexuality or anything else. The author also does a great job of showing us the consequences of our very competitive education system and how it adversely affects the kids. There is obviously no easy solution for this but the book really stresses on the importance of being open about issues and having a support system to be able to cope. Religion is also depicted as something positive that brings peace of mind and maybe provides perspective for young kids when dealing with such life changing issues like college and future - I thought this was very refreshing and so rare in YA.
If you like YA with great diverse family and friend dynamics and an adorable couple, you should definitely check this out. It also has some great representation of the anxiety that young students face in these hyper competitive times, and I think everyone who has been in these shoes before or is going through high school or college right now will find something relatable in this story.
March 10, 2019
You Asked for Perfect is a (beautiful) book for the stressed, overachieving kids at school who haven't slept in a week and would cry if they got less than perfect grades. And since I'm one of those crazy kids, this book really got to my heart.
Apart from the main character being a bisexual disaster and having breakdowns over one failed test, the book has the cutest relationships: soft boyfriends, supportive families and strong friendships that melted my heart. AND it's got Jewish rep, literally everyone is Jewish.
So, go read You Asked for Perfect, 100% recommended♡
Apart from the main character being a bisexual disaster and having breakdowns over one failed test, the book has the cutest relationships: soft boyfriends, supportive families and strong friendships that melted my heart. AND it's got Jewish rep, literally everyone is Jewish.
So, go read You Asked for Perfect, 100% recommended♡
February 24, 2020
You Asked For Perfect is fantastic and I cannot recommend this book enough to everyone who ever put pressure on themselves to succeed and be the best and put all their eggs into succeeding in school.
- Follows Ariel, a bi Jewish teen who puts a lot of pressure on himself to be the valedictorian, to maintain his perfect grade, and to get into Harvard. When he fails his Calculus test, he seeks tutoring help from Amir, his gay Pakistani classmate.
- Though this book has a romance, this isn't a book about love. Rather, this is a book about the immense pressure that teens put on themselves and the price of "overachieving".
- I'm glad this book exists - this is a story that understands the pressure, understands being pulled in every direction and struggling to keep yourself together. I'm glad this book exists for teens and students out there.
- This isn't necessarily a story with a novel and surprising storyline. In fact, I think this book works so well because we know how the story will follow. And it's tough! But I think this book asks really important and astute questions, and I was satisfied with the conclusion.
- A few of the relationships were a little lacking, but I think it worked nonetheless. Silverman does such an incredible job at conveying the depth of relationships in a simple way that doesn't require much development. Regardless, I was more interested in Ariel's emotional growth and journey.
Trigger/content warning:
- Follows Ariel, a bi Jewish teen who puts a lot of pressure on himself to be the valedictorian, to maintain his perfect grade, and to get into Harvard. When he fails his Calculus test, he seeks tutoring help from Amir, his gay Pakistani classmate.
- Though this book has a romance, this isn't a book about love. Rather, this is a book about the immense pressure that teens put on themselves and the price of "overachieving".
- I'm glad this book exists - this is a story that understands the pressure, understands being pulled in every direction and struggling to keep yourself together. I'm glad this book exists for teens and students out there.
- This isn't necessarily a story with a novel and surprising storyline. In fact, I think this book works so well because we know how the story will follow. And it's tough! But I think this book asks really important and astute questions, and I was satisfied with the conclusion.
- A few of the relationships were a little lacking, but I think it worked nonetheless. Silverman does such an incredible job at conveying the depth of relationships in a simple way that doesn't require much development. Regardless, I was more interested in Ariel's emotional growth and journey.
Trigger/content warning:
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January 9, 20193.75 STARS. How disturbing this book was to read as a parent of two teen boys, I felt it The book did a fantastic job of portraying the stress that kids can be under due to college admissions. Being smart getting straight A’s isn’t going to cut it anymore, you need to be a standout, special. Although it was forever ago I remember how hard high school was to navigate without all of this on top of it, I couldn’t imagine being a teenager today. This hit home, I I see the stress my boys deal with, on top of the competitive nature of schools today. Very interesting
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