You Asked for Perfect

by Laura Silverman

"Wise‚ romantic‚ and painfully relatable."—Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
From acclaimed author Laura Silverman comes a timely novel about a bisexual teen's struggle when academic success and romantic happiness pull him in opposite directions, perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Tamara Ireland Stone.
Ariel Stone has spent his life cultivating the perfect college résumé: first chair violinist, dedicated volunteer, active synagogue congregant, and expected valedictorian. He barely has time to think about a social life, let alone a relationship…until a failed calculus quiz puts his future on the line, forcing Ariel to enlist his classmate, Amir, as a tutor.
As the two spend more time together, Ariel discovers he may not like calculus, but he does like Amir. When he's with Amir, the crushing academic pressure fades away on, and a fuller and brighter world comes into focus. But college deadlines are still looming. And adding a new relationship to his long list of commitments may just push Ariel past his limit.
In a time where academic pressure on stressed teens couldn't be higher, You Asked for Perfect is a story full of empathy, honesty and heart for anyone who has ever questioned the price of perfection.
The perfect present for readers who want:Books featuring anxiety for teensQueer romanceGay young adult fictionJewish representationPraise for You Asked for Perfect:
An ALA Rainbow List Pick
2019 Books All Georgians Should Read List
2020 Georgia Author of the Year Awards Nominee
Chicago Public Library's Best Fiction for Older Readers List
"Who can resist a heartfelt romance?"—Booklist
"Silverman's novel hit me straight in the heart… It was powerful enough to make me want to be a better—yet still imperfect—person."—Bill Konigsberg, author of The Music of What Happens
"A coming-of-age novel that will charm readers with its relatable and diverse characters, quirky storyline, and interweaving of faith, queerness, and the everyday lives of seniors navigating the pressures of college applications, grades, and relationships. Heartwarming and engaging."—Kirkus

• ISBN10: 1492658278
• ISBN13: 9781492658276
• Publish Date: 5 April 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Sourcebooks Fire
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 288
• Language: English

Reviews

[Liz (Bent Bookworm)]

~*Follow all my reviews on my blog, The Bent Bookworm!*~

You Asked for Perfect absolutely gutted me. Shattered my heart. All the feels.

I was not expecting this. In fact, I put off reading this book for a LONG time, because I was so much less excited about it than about Girl Out of Water, Laura Silverman’s first book (which is, um, apparently one of those books I meant to write a review for and never got around to…oops). However, since I’m trying to be a good little reviewer – and also, hello, academic stress, I can relate – I picked it up last week.

Ariel Stone is the classic, driven, overachiever student. Except he’s Jewish and bisexual. Also, he’s waaaaaaay stressed out, and despite the 10+ year age difference I can so relate.

I used to like studying. That burst of satisfaction when new material clicks. The competitive gratification of finishing a test first, knowing you got everything right.

YES! So true! But then there is the pressure we type-A people like to put on ourselves…and the expectations of our family/teachers/friends…and next thing you know, studying is about as fun as plucking your leg hair out with tweezers.

If I stay any longer, he’ll see what’s happening. He’ll see I don’t understand. I’m not smart enough. I’m an imposter. If I’m going to lose everything I’ve worked for, at least I don’t have to do it in front of an audience.

I really just wanted to wrap Ariel up in a big hug. Like, this kid put so much stress on himself, and he cares so much about his family – and, oh, let’s not forget Amir, because Amir is cool on his own and he and Ariel together is just adorable. Oh, and his FAMILY! Actually, both of their families…why did I not have relationships like this as a teenager? They are supportive – academically and emotionally. The sibling banter is fun and believable. I liked that the story included Ariel’s little sister Rachel, and showed just HOW YOUNG the academic pressure can and does start. It broke my heart, not just Rachel, but Ariel, and Isaac (another young savant that is a secondary character but also struggling).

“If it’s not important to you, why do you tell everyone I’m applying there? It’s all you guys talk about. Like it’s the only worthwhile thing about me.” My voice begins to shake. “If I don’t get in, that’s it. I’ll be Ariel, the one who didn’t get into Harvard. I’ll let everyone down. I’ll let you guys down. And I might not get in. I really might not, because I’m not perfect. They asked for perfect, and I’m not.”

Ariel really grows so much through this story, even though it takes place over only a few weeks. He realizes a lot of his pressure is internal, and he realizes that sometimes…people are more important than academics. Basically he came to the realization that I wish I had, years and years ago. Realizing that sometimes, a couple of extra points on a test aren’t worth missing quality time with family and friends. Oh, and he also got a cute boyfriend out of it, which is always a plus. 😉

5/5 stars. Go buy it, go read it, go hug it.

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[theyaobsessed]

High school no matter what generation you ascribe to is a pressure cooker. The expectations of our parents, our friends and our teachers is a lot to contend with at times especially if like Ariel you are a high achieving student.

His dream is to gain admittance to Harvard and he has spent much of his high school career working toward that. most if not all of his courses are AP and with such a high GPA he is gunning for valedictorian. He is no stranger to all-nighters and working super hard to reach his goals so when he starts struggling in calculus he finds himself in unfamiliar territory. This is where we meet Amir who along with being a fellow high achiever is an excellent photographer who challenges Amir and also confuses him.

I myself was not a AP level student so my pressure to achieve when I was in high school was not this high. I can relate however in the struggle and the realization that with time eventually the world after high school is more then tests and college and achievements.

I think that Laura did an excellent job showcasing that pressure in a character like Ariel. I warmed up to him pretty quickly and was rooting for him throughout his struggles hoping he would find true happiness whether it was getting into Harvard or maybe dating Amir. I am not going to tell you if those things happened though because then what would be the point of reading it yourself? I do suggest you pick up this book because I know you will enjoy it just as much as I did and be rooting for Ariel too.

[readingwithwrin]

NetGalley, Publisher, FFBC tours for the free e-arc

Ariel is a senior in high school whose main goal for the past four years has been to get into Harvard. He has taken as many classes as possible, dropped a sport he loved and pushed himself harder to get the best grades and to be the best academically. He’s mostly accomplished that and why he knows he’s almost reached his dream he also knows that this last year of school means more than the others combined. He has to keep his grades up and pack in as many AP classes as possible in order to make class valedictorian and make his application for Harvard standout.

As the school year starts though things start going wrong, and Ariel has to make some tough choices. This is when we get to meet Amir and see their friendship grow. Amir is without a doubt one of my favorite characters in this book. He is so sure of what he wants to do with his life, and has worked hard to do that, but isn’t stressing himself out like Ariel is to reach that accomplishment. All of us need someone like Amir in our lives and I’m so glad Ariel had him.

Ariel also has good friendships with two other people that are both in a band and hope to make it big. These friendships we really see get tested throughout the time we have with Ariel, and they felt very realistic in my opinion as well.

Ariel also has an amazing family unit. His parent our loving and fairly involved in both Ariel’s life and his younger sisters life. They are also big in their Jewish Community and that plays a big part in all of their lives. The talks we get with them around the family table were so nice to see. We also got to know Ariel’s little sister who is also really great and I loved their interactions together.

Overall I really loved this story. It not only touches on the pressure that many high school students feel, and how that pressure is starting to be placed on kids younger and younger each year. While this book does go fairly in-depth with Ariel’s schedule and AP classes it was never boring. In fact, at times a found myself being just as anxious as he was because of how stressed out he was. His relationship with Amir was so sweet and I loved how things weren’t always perfect, it was realistic and I can’t say enough good things about it. I also really loved how their families interacted with each other and were close and actually enjoyed spending time together. I feel like that’s something we don’t see a lot in books and I really hope it becomes a new trend because I am so here for it!

I cannot say enough good things about this book. Please read it and enjoy it!

[Sam@WLABB]

Ariel's life seemed perfect. He was valedictorian of his graduating class, scored a 1600 on his SAT, was first chair violin for his school orchestra, and appeared a shoe-in for admission to Harvard. However, things were not quite what they seemed, and Ariel's perfect veneer began to crack under the pressure of his senior year.

I love that Silverman took on this topic. I worked in a high school for over a decade, and I encountered many students, who like Ariel, were striving to be the best and to achieve perfection. The weight and the stress can take its toll on many, and that was what happened in You Asked For Perfect.

Something that immediately stood out to me was how spectacularly Silverman brought us into Ariel's chaotic world. One of the first notes I jotted down while reading this book, was how exhausted I felt after living one day with him. The pace, the planning, and the amount of things on his to-do list, all of it was overwhelming. Ariel unraveled slowly at first, but once he began to spin out, I was swept away in his whirlwind of emotions.

But Silverman didn't only explore the pressure Ariel was feeling and creating for himself, she also look at Pari, Isaac, Amir, Rachel, Malka, and Sook's stressors. Some of their stress came from similar sources, some were really different, but it was the ways they dealt with the pressure, which I found interesting.

Something I loved about this book was the connection Ariel had to his family. Maybe they didn't notice his downward spiral right away, but I would call his parent very present, and he shared the sweetest bond with his little sister. As busy as Ariel's parents were with their careers, they made time to sit down for Shabbot dinner each week and to attend temple together. They would also take time out to share what happened during the week via their "highlights and bloopers" game.

Can I just say, I loved the incorporation of Ariel's Jewish faith in this story. We spent serval Friday nights with the Stones, as well as the high holidays, and it was nice to see him in his community. I also thought it was wonderful that he found comfort in his faith.

Ariel grew quite a bit over this period of time. When his grip was slipping, Ariel let quite a few important people down. He let his emotions get the best of him, but when he stepped back, he saw and acknowledged the error of his ways. He also did some great things to atone for his mistakes, and it takes a pretty big person to do these things. I was proud of him, and the tough choices he made.

This would not be a typical review of mine, if I did not mention the romance. Let it be known, that I was a fan of this pairing. I actually thought it was fabulous the way the relationship sprouted so organically, and took root so well. Amir was very good for Ariel. I thought he balanced him out well, and pushed him to see things from a different perspective. It was cute, that they had a bit a history too, with their sisters' friendship and the closeness their families shared with one another.

Overall: An authentic look at the pressures teens face in the quest for that college acceptance, which incorporated family, faith, friendship, and romance.

Full review to follow.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[layawaydragon]

You Asked For Perfect is Laura Silverman's sophomore publishing about gay, Jewish & anxious Ariel who's on the verge of losing all the work he's done to get into Harvard. He's buried under AP course work, with a lesbian rock star in the making best friend and a little sister just starting to feel the academic pressure. Life is in a holding pattern until one less than perfect grade sends Ariel spiraling into an aloof cutie tutor.

About you asked for perfect:

IMHOyou asked for perfect:

You Asked For Perfect by Laura Silverman is wildly different from her debut, Girl Out of Water.  Both SO good and the only similarities are being YA contemporary & including anxiety problems. I'm so impressed with her range and can't wait to see what comes next.

The Goods -

• Ariel's pronounced AR-iel, like ARRR! pirate not the Little Mermaid.


• Ariel's little sister & their relationship is adorable. I love seeing positive brother/sister relationships.


• Couple uses 'dork' and 'nerd' as affectionate teasing pet names.


• Great, living, and involved parents all around


• Love how it's about the assumed, presumed, and societal pressure rather than direct stress from parental figures like stereotypical 'Asian dad/tiger mom' scenarios


• Anxiety attacks are no joke. Ariel's are enough to bring tears to my eyes. I had to take a break after the 'I'm such a fuck up failure ruining everything' one. Really makes me appreciate how I've tamed mine in the last two years.


• Volunteering at a doggie shelter 3


• I just learned a couple of months ago on Twitter that security is common for Jewish synagogues. Seeing it brought to life on the page really brings home the reality of the situation.


• There's this moment that Ariel could've skated by doing the easy thing and I was worried the story would turn predictable. But there wasn't even a hesitation before doing the right thing. It's the moment that took You Asked For Perfect from good to great for me.


• Well-fitting and -meaning open ending. This isn't a simple solution to be had and I'm just happy with the happy for now aspect. Sweet, reassuring, but not sugar coated.

Let Me Explain -

Yes, there was a point where I got tired of his shit. But it struck the right balance with Ariel's unreasonable response to reasonable concerns. Not too much that I was driven away and not too little that it was pointless.

While there are reality check moments regarding class and financial privilege, it's essential a bunch of rich kids. Decidedly, NOT spoiled stupid brats. They acknowledge their luck and position. I'm just saying, be careful about reading it if you're going through a hard time. At different points in my teens, this book would've been a balm or salt in a wound for both reason.

I am ecstatic kids will seen themselves  in You Asked For Perfect, but I also really hope it'll get teachers and parents to clue in to these issues and make changes.

Top 3 Quotes:

I'm not smart enough. I'm an impostor. If I'm going to lose everything I've worked for, at least I don't have to do it in front of an audience. -Ariel

 

No one told me that I'd have to know every answer to every test and also be a "unique" individual" following my life's calling at seventeen. - Ariel

 

Look, I know getting into an Ivy is the first priority for you guys, but some of us have to get into school and also be able to afford tuition. Great isn't always enough for scholarships. - Isaac

 



Personally, I'm a follower of Laura's on Twitter. That's actually how I found her before her debut. I highly recommend adding her to your feed! And don't forget to check out her first book, Girl Out of Water!

 

Giveaway:

Prize: Win a copy of YOU ASKED FOR PERFECT by Laura Silverman (INT)

Disclaimer:  INT as long as Bookdepository ships to the country of the winner.

Start Date: 11th February 2019

End Date: 24th February 2019

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Tour Schedule:

This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon