Title: The Perfectionists
Author: Sara Shepard
Publisher: HarperTeen
Acquired Via: Around the World ARC Tours
Release Date: October 7, 2014
In Beacon Heights, Washington, five high school seniors know that you don't have to be good to be perfect.
Musical genius Mackenzie is desperate to get into Juilliard, even if it means playing a duet with her best friend's boyfriend. Beautiful Ava isn't above using her assets to get an A. Athletic Caitlin is one goal away from a soccer scholarship—if she can call a time-out on her relationship drama. Popular Julie has it all—literally, thanks to her hoarder mom—and will do anything to keep her family's secret. And former It Girl Parker is experimenting with her wild side.
The five girls think they have nothing in common, until they discover they all hate the same person: rich, entitled Nolan, who's done terrible things to each of them. They come up with the perfect murder—a hypothetical murder, of course. It's all wishful thinking . . . until they wake up one morning to find that their wish came true. Nolan was killed—in exactly the way they planned. The thing is, they didn't do it. So who did?
Suddenly the girls are the prime suspects in the murder. And they need to find the real killer before their perfect lives are ended—for good.
My Review
Look at that cover.
Wow.
The Perfectionists has a beautiful cover, doesn't it? I absolutely love the use of green on that shade of blue, and the addition of the purpleish flower is just gorgeous. And it matches all of covers for Pretty Little Liars! Let's just focus on the cover.
I'm being evasive, aren't I?
I've only read one book by Sara Shepard before reading The Perfectionists, which was The Heiresses, which I liked very much. Because of that and the fact that Shepard is such a popular YA author, I figured that The Perfectionists would be just as good, but in a different way. That, sadly, isn't the case. It used the exact same formula as the other book, but it wasn't nearly as good. In fact, I lost interest quite quickly.
I knew what I was getting into. There was going to be drama and a mystery surrounding the death of Nolan Hotchkiss. I could totally see why the girls were planning his death. (Not that I agreed with them, but we know that teenagers tend to lack perspective.) Even when I started it, I enjoyed getting to know the girls and the build-up of tension surrounding his death. Things just started falling flat.
I didn't have anything pulling me through The Perfectionists or investing me in the story. By about 100 pages in, I didn't care who did it or why. When things were starting to be revealed, I wasn't surprised because I had already checked out. I don't think the story was bad, I just think it was too much like what I've already read by Shepard.
If you are a fan of Shepard and like YA mysteries like Pretty Little Liars, The Perfectionists is probably for you. I'll just know to steer clear next time. In spite of everything, I still love the cover and would happily hang it on my wall.
Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Fishpond
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received an advance copy of the book briefly for reviewing purposes through Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review. The book was likely provided to the tour by the publisher or author, which has in no way affected the outcome of my review. All opinions expressed are rambling, honest, and completely my own.
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You are going to put words in my box?! *squeezes you* Now I shall stalk YOUR blog!