Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott. (Grades 7-10.)Vitamins had ruined my life.
So begins Kate Brown's story. Life isn't easy for anyone when you're a sophomore in high school, but Kate might have more than her fair share of angst. Her dad's quit his job to follow his dream of opening up a vitamin kiosk in the mall. Her best friend Anna lost a ton of weight over the summer and is now ignoring Kate and hanging out with the popular girls they used to make fun of. And Will, resident hottie, can't help but make jibes at her every day in biology class. Although sharp-tongued Kate holds her own, she harbors a secret crush on him which makes it heartbreaking to know that he thinks so little of her.
What's a girl to do? Kate's answer is to freeze everybody out and keep herself from caring about anyone. After all, people only let you down. Or do they?
What I love, love, loved about this book is what I've loved about all of Elizabeth Scott's books. Her characters are so real that sometimes I wanted to shake them. They don't have easy, uncomplicated problems. Even when things are going well, they're messy and sloppy, just like a real relationship or a real family dynamic.
I'd hand this to fans of Sarah Dessen and Carolyn Mackler. And you'll certainly want to check out Scott's Bloom (I haven't read Stealing Heaven yet, but it's definitely on my list!). Read more reviews at Teenreads.com, bookshelves of doom, Becky's Book Reviews, Teen Book Review, and Bildungsroman. And check out interviews at Cynsations, Bildungsroman, and Becky's Book Reviews. (Doesn't that picture just make you want to be Elizabeth's friend?) You'll also want to check out Elizabeth Scott's website: elizabethwrites.com.