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.

Review will be published 28 Feb 2019 at the link below.

I was never a super-dedicated student, but I had friends who were. (I’m looking at you Kim and Val). Ariel is super dedicated. He has his life scheduled to the moment: quizzes, extra projects, orchestra, volunteer work, planning to become Valedictorian and contemplating his answers for his interview with Harvard.

Ariel is out (he’s bisexual) to his loving Jewish family…but he hasn’t got time for dating or having a relationship! There’s no place left for having fun.

Then the unthinkable happens and Ariel fails a Calculus quiz. After a panic fueled visit to the guidance counselor, he asks family friend and classmate, Amir to tutor him. He’s known Amir most of his life but they’ve never hung out; it’s just one of those things.

It only takes a couple of study sessions for Ariel to realize there’s a spark between them. The problem is that Ariel’s life is already full and things are starting to fray at the edges. He gets a C on an English paper, lets down his best friend then forgets to go to his new boyfriend’s art show. When his little sister Rachel ends up in the emergency room because of stress, things truly begin to unravel.

The short of it is that there isn’t enough of Ariel to go around. While he does his best to hide it, he’s ashamed, frantic and spiraling out of control.

This story is a reminder that there are much more important things in our lives than schools and grades. We all have to fight our way through things to measure what’s of value to us.

Is it family? Friends? Music? Playing soccer with your little sister?

This is a book about finding your way back to the things that are truly important, the things that make us who we are.

I have so much to say about this wonderful book.

To summarize, this book follows a high school senior named Ariel as he deals with the overall stress of his senior year. Trying to become valedictorian and get into Harvard, while still maintaining his position as first chair violin in his school’s orchestra along with many other social and academic responsibilities ends up creating the most unmanageable workload ever seen by man.

This book is absolutely magnificent, and it resonated with me so strongly as I read it. It’s all about Ariel trying to achieve perfection in every area of his life. He’s taking a full course load of ridiculously difficult classes, he’s supposed to play a solo in his school band, and he’s also joining his friend in her non-school band. He volunteers, he has synagogue and other religious holidays, and of course, there’s supposed to be some time in there to fit in friends and romance.

Just to start with, I really loved how three dimensional Ariel was. All of his relationships and interactions were fleshed out and unique. You got to see his relationship with his parents, sister, and friends. Ariel’s bi, and we get to see the evolution of a romance that was also complex and unhurried. I especially loved how religion was such a huge part of Ariel’s identity, and how his Judaism interplayed with the other facets of his life.

I read this book in the middle of the semester, in the middle of a busy week. I normally don’t do that because school is so stressful, but this book was really captivating. And I’m glad I read it in the middle of a school week. Because in the week I read it 2 things happened.

One, I saw myself in someone. I’m a ridiculous overachiever myself, and it calmed me to see that trying to do everything at once isn’t something that is exclusive to me, which is something I sometimes feel.

Two, it helped me accomplish more that week, but in a non-stressful way. Usually, I try to do everything all at once, with the only acceptable outcome being perfection. But since I saw how that is literally not possible through Ariel’s actions, I tried taking things one goal at a time, trying not to stress too much over the time it was taking, or the weight it had on my grade.

There were many other things I appreciated about this book, the cute romance, the religious aspects, the familial relationships, the friendships, but this book was a masterpiece because it showed the interplay of all those things with school. It showed how anxious Ariel became, and how he worked himself until he bled (literally) to be the best.

Ariel is so afraid to ask for help the entire book. He’s in competition with the other candidate for valedictorian and refuses to think of a friendship with her because of what it might mean for his Harvard application if he let friendship get in the way of his GPA. This book did a wonderful job of showing me that I’m not alone in an area that often feels very isolating. I really want everyone to read it and love it, because this book just spoke to me on an emotional level.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Ariel Stone has always had one goal, getting into Harvard. Now in his senior year of high school, he has done everything possible to get in: on track to become valedictorian, taking as many AP classes as possible, first chair violin in the school's orchestra, and volunteering at an animal shelter. However, a 50% on his first Calculus quiz of the year puts his dream in jeopardy. At first, Ariel thinks he can just skip sleep to put more hours in studying. When it is clear that won't be enough, Ariel admits he needs a tutor. Amir got a perfect score on that quiz, so Ariel reluctantly asks Amir to tutor him. Their families have always been friends, but Ariel and Amir have never gotten to know each other well. Now, though, Ariel can't help but notice how good Amir looks. Ariel admits to himself that he likes Amir, but he's not sure if he can fit a relationship into his already packed schedule.

While I never put the pressure on myself to be the absolute best a everything or get into an Ivy League school, I can relate to the unrealistic pressure Ariel puts on himself in this book. I had to take deep breaths a few times and remind myself the stress was fictional, not something I needed to go through personally. LOL I loved how close Ariel is to his family, including his little sister. My favorite part of this book was definitely Amir. Good at calculus and a Harry Potter nerd, too! My only complaint is that I wish the book was longer. I would have been happy to continue reading about the rest of their senior year, which was hopefully less stressful.

We often think that high schoolers, especially those from affluent families, have nothing to complain about. What's a little pressure compared to violence, starvation, and bigotry after all? And American teens are very lucky. They're also under huge amounts of pressure. When you take more classes than you can truly be expected to handle. When you can't every enjoy learning something. When you can't trust your friends because everyone is running an angle. It's ridiculous, the expectations we put on young people to achieve yet we never equip them to be adults. And that's what this book explores, the pressure applied even be the best intentioned adults.

It’s been a long time since I last did a blog tour and I’m so happy to be back at it again for one of my most anticipated YA releases of the year! I’ve followed Laura on Twitter for a while and I’ve been looking forward to this book since I first read the synopsis. And that cover only made me want to read it more!

Now, I might be years out of high school, but I related to Ariel so much. I mean, everything in high school being a breeze until you hit your senior year and suddenly you’re dying? My exact experience. We didn’t have AP classes (we did dual credit instead) and I waited until college to cry over calculus, but my goodness. Ariel’s experience with calculus was basically the same as my experience with college-level physics. And the whole thing about shutting yourself off from your friends so that they can’t see how much you’re struggling? ME. I was always the friend who had everything together academically, so it took a lot for me to admit that I just was not understanding that class. Again, this is me relating so much to a fictional teenager.

If I, a 28-year-old woman, can relate to this book, clearly teenagers within its target demographic will too. It’s just so well done, from the writing to the diversity to the teenagers who actually speak and act like teenagers. I’m so impressed and I can’t wait to read more from Silverman.

Academic stress and mental health problems have been my two greatest nemeses for as long as I can remember, and they both impact one another so much, it's easy to crack under the pressure. I did crack. I dropped out of university twice due to academic pressure and untreated mental health issues, and it's something that still eats at me today — the feeling of failure, like I'm not going to amount to anything because I ruined this opportunity. This book addresses all of that!

Truly, this is such an important read for students. It's heavy at times, with Ariel clearly suffering from severe anxiety, but the message is one that needs to be shared. Academic stress is intense and Silverman does a great job at creating a relatable protagonist suffering from this. The relationships are fun, and the representation is wonderful.

Bisexual (he SAYS this!) Jewish protagonist!! Read this book!!

You Asked for Perfect exactly delivered what I expected and even more than that. This book took my heart. It was so adorable and cute. And not only there is a mushy romance, but it also talks about a very important issue which the young generation is facing – the high school stress and academic pressure.

* Amazingly relatable
The academics can really stress out students, especially if they are rigorous ones. Ariel is a senior in high school and he is trying to excel and do everything he can to get into Harvard. This, of course, results in a stressful life for him. He was even ashamed to admit to his parents and friends that he failed in his Calculus test and that he is stressing out. This whole Ariel situation was really relatable.

* Adorable M/M romance
The M/M relationship is in this book is so cute and adorable. Ariel is a bisexual Jewish boy who is always busy with his academics and trying to excel in it to go to Harvard. He never paid much attention to Amir, who was his neighbour. When Ariel fails in a Calculus quiz he asks Amir to tutor him and then he notices how crushworthy he is. The best thing is that the romance is low-profile. They weren’t kissing after every single page.

* All the diversity and cultural representation
This book has it all in terms of diversity and the representation is at its best. Almost every character in the book is a diverse character.
- Ariel is Jewish
- Amir, the love interest of Ariel, is Arabian and Muslim
- Sook, Ariel’s best friend, is Korean and sapphic
- Malka, a common friend of Ariel and Sook, is also Jewish
- Pari Shah, Ariel’s friend and competitor, is Muslim
- Ariel is bisexual, Amir and Sook are homosexual

Ahh, so much diversity and representation, right? I don’t know much about Jewish culture but knowing about so many Jewish things made me so happy. All the synagogue talks were interesting. And all the Jewish FOOD? It made me so hungry. There were matzo ball soups and various other dishes, which I probably can’t pronounce 😀

* Wonderful characters and relationships
This book definitely has one of the best set of characters. I loved every single character. Ariel is just a stressed-out boy who would instantly make you feel for him. Amir is such an adorable one. He is softest and so well fitted with Ariel. I loved the relationship between Ariel and his little sister, Rachel. That definitely made me want a brother that I never had. He was so careful about his little sister and always made time for her.

Sook was Ariel’s best friend. She asks Ariel to help her with her band with Malka and Ariel agrees to it. Sook’s and Ariel’s relationship was friendship goals. Ariel considered Pari as his competition. They both were constantly competing with each other for the first position as a Valedictorian. Though she tried to be a good friend to Ariel, he was never at ease with her. But soon he realises that Pari too is living with the same stress as he is.

Ariel’s and Amir’s families were so amazing. There are only a handful of YA books in which we have awesome families and this one is definitely one of them. Ariel’s parents were so supportive of him when he came out in front of them years ago. When Ariel and Amir declare about their relationship, the reaction they gave were so adorable.

* All the HP references
Okay, so this book is full of HP references. Amir is a Potterhead and he used so many lines from HP. I haven’t read the complete HP series so obviously, I missed on many references. But if you are into HP then you are definitely going to enjoy all those references.

FINAL THOUGHTS
This is a book which would definitely make you happy and you shouldn’t miss this. With wonderful characters, diverse representation, adorable romance and relatable plot, this book is a complete package and will surely make you fall in love with it. I would definitely recommend this to every YA contemporary lover.

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.

I 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. **spoiler** I would've loved to see a continuation of Ariel's story where we follow his journey in choosing which college to attend. It would have given the story a final closure, but I can also understand why the author kept it open-ended.

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.

I’m not a huge fan of contemporary fiction and I especially don’t like romance, but if you’re uncomfortable reading a book with Jewish LGBTQ+ representation then you should probably skip this book; I, however, think it’s great that the publishing industry is investing more in diversity (not enough, but at least a little bit more).

I think my main issue with contemporary books is that there never really seems to much of a plot for me to get invested in and that most of it is just day-to-day fluff. That’s not to say that contemporary books don’t offer a good distraction from the “real” world, but for me personally, it’s not enough of a distraction. An average life that most of us already lead kind of pales in comparison to the adventures in sci-fi and fantasy. Why study for tests when you can slay dragons?

When I think back to being in high school, I definitely was not as devoted to studying as the main character, Ariel. I don’t know if it was because of the school that I went to or if it was just the fact that most of my classes felt boring to me, but I just was not obsessed with my grades. I was fine with my 3.55 GPA and only 2 AP classes and even then I didn’t understand why people burnt themselves out over school. But then again, I didn’t have my sights set on the Ivy Leagues either.

I’m 25 years old and I still do not get it. The pressure that we put on teenagers to have their lives planned out and be perfect seems like an immense waste of time — putting aside the fact that perfection isn’t real, how we can expect that from hormonal teens who don’t fully understand what it’ll mean to be “full time” adults? Also, are good high schools really that competitive? I never thought I went to a good high school, but I didn’t think it was that bad. 

But I digress.

In regards to writing style, Silverman does a great job in making sure the reader feels that overwhelmed feeling that Ariel feels. There were times where I actually felt anxious, but that’s probably because Ariel’s anxiety about getting into Harvard is pretty on par with my anxiety about getting into the graduate program that I applied to. However, the main problem that Ariel faces can literally be fixed by talking to the people he cares about, which is one of those tropes that I find frustrating.

There was a paragraph that I felt I related to because of the fact that it was something I saw a lot of in college (and still see a lot of on social media).

"There was a time when we were all in this together. As freshman, there was only one AP class we could take. I remember we felt like the cool kids — important because we had extra work. There were, like, a hundred of us taking the class, and on weekends a dozen of us would meet up at Whole Foods. We’d make a big deal of it, pushing tables together and spreading out all our textbooks and papers, but then we’d mess around talking and eating all afternoon.

But the more AP classes I took, the smaller that peer group became, and the less time I had to pretend to study because there was so much actual work to get done."

In fairly recent years, there seems to have become a glorification of the image of the over-worked individual, as if never having time for self-care and for the people around you is something to be proud of. People even “humble brag” about it (I’m sure we all know someone like that). Not only is this detrimental to an individual’s mental health, but it’s also a pretty toxic attitude to be around and I think YOU ASKED FOR PERFECT handles this issue pretty well. 

Personally, I found Ariel to be annoying, even though he does redeem himself in the end. I understand the pressure of getting into school, but there were so many times that I wanted to shake him and say “Seriously? You can afford to go to any college you want but you think not getting into HARVARD is the worst possible thing? Even though you have no idea what you want to major in or what careers you’re interested in? Also, do you need to be valedictorian?” 

Overall, I did actually like this book. There are things that I didn’t like about it (as I’ve mentioned above) but I don’t think that my personal preferences really dictate whether or not a book is actually good. I know that there are kids out there that are like Ariel. This is certainly the right book for the over exhausted teenager who puts too much pressure on themselves and I could see this being put on English reading lists. In fact, it should probably be gifted to every kids entering high school and maybe revisited before starting their junior year. There’s more to life than perfection, which is unattainable anyway.

I grew up in a predominately Jewish neighborhood—I bet my high school was around 75% Jewish. I went to tons of bar/bat mitzvahs in the 7th grade and even caught on to some Jewish prayers over the years. I find that its quite rare to see a YA book that gives such an inside look into Judaism.

As the YA book community evolves and grows, readers are being exposed to different cultures and backgrounds. Like any religion, there are tons of rituals that go into the Jewish faith and this book showed the rituals by discussing the different holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, including different prayers, and how vital a relationship with your rabbi can be. It also highlighted the importance of family by showing how special Shabbat is to Ariel’s family. No matter what was going on in their life, the family came together every Friday for Shabbat dinner. Most importantly, this book didn’t feel preachy in any way. This wasn’t a book about Judaism, it was just a significant part of the character’s life and person.

Another thing that I loved was that there was no discussion about a character’s sexuality. There was a little glimpse into Ariel’s coming out experience, but queerness wasn’t the central focus of the book. We are slowly getting to a point where LGBTQ+ characters and relationships are just the norm and don’t have to be the focal point.

While I really really loved this book, there were times where the plot got a little redundant. It was such a quick read and moved so fast that sometimes I was longing for the chance to sit in a scene a little longer. Give the reader more insight to our characters. I feel like it just scratched the surface.

I think his was a great follow-up to her debut, Girl Out of Water, and I can’t wait to read what ever she comes out with next.

I was sent an e-arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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.

It’s been a handful of years now since I finished high school. I wasn’t an exceptional student, but I still remember most of it – the struggle to fit in, competing among with your classmates, balancing acads with extra curriculars, the pressure of maintaining high grades and a high weighted average to get into a good university. High school was tough and I was only happy, probably too happy, when I finally walked off with my diploma.

I guess, that’s what I was expecting from You Asked for Perfect when I started reading it: tackle high school life – the good, the bad and everything in between. And that was exactly what I got! A very likable set of diverse characters, an adorable M/M romance and a whole load of Harry Potter references, there’s just so much to love in this book.

Where was this book when I was in high school myself?

You Asked for Perfect was a refreshing yet still realistic take on academic anxiety and how the demand and struggle for perfection negatively affects young people. Laura Silverman explored this topic with much care and sensitivity while keeping the story fun and quirky.

Ariel was such a relatable character. Anyone, doesn’t matter how young or not young you are, will surely see a little of themselves in him (as well as the rest of the characters.) Ariel was smart, talented and funny; self-conscious and highly critical of himself. Reading his story took me back to the past and brought forth into memory a younger version of myself and of coffee-fueled late nights studying for an exam, cramming my head with information.

That I reminisced about high school, a part of my academic life that I’d much rather forget, was a testament to how well and effective Silverman crafted her characters. She brought to life colorful characters, characters that you can imagine living their own stories separate from Ariel’s. Rasha, Malka, Sook, Amir and (my namesake) Rachel – I was invested in what will happen to them and how well they will fare. It was just so much easier to care about a character when you feel like you know them, and that can only happen if they were fully fleshed out.

The romance part of this book was also another thing I loved. Ariel and Amir were ultra cute! These two totally had me shipping them together from the very first time they appeared on the same page. And it was so adorable, how they got together. But while Amir plays an important part in Ariel’s life, their relationship played out on the sidelines – a critical subplot there to support the main story – and I appreciate that Silverman remained true to the focus of her story.

There’s much, much more to love about You Asked for Perfect. Diversity and representation, for one, with all the mains and secondary characters coming from different cultural backgrounds and sexual orientations (Ariel, Amir, Rasha, Malka and Isaac are all Jewish, Pari is Muslim, and Sook is Korean. Ariel is bisexual, Amir gay and Sook, a lesbian) and I’m a 100% down for it. I also love all of parts involving the parents in this book. Supportive and still very human, very flawed parents – it’s something that I wouldn’t mind reading more in the future.

Overall, You Asked for Perfect is an honest and lighthearted YA contemporary. With a diverse cast of characters, adorable romance and a plot most would be able to relate to, this book is an awesome read. I definitely recommend it to anyone, but most especially to contemporary lovers.

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.

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!

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.

Where do I even start with this book? How do I even begin to accurately explain to you how much this story struck me right in the heart? As readers, we talk about representation in books all the time. I know that I'm always looking for little pieces of myself in the stories that I read. In this case, Laura Silverman hit the overachiever/stress level through the roof nail directly on the head, and this book didn't just speak to me, it yelled at me. I won't even lie, this will be a super biased review. It's only fair of me to tell you that right off the bat. I loved Ariel, because I understood Ariel. I used to be Ariel. So this book wasn't just another amazing story that I smiled, sighed and sobbed through. This was personal, and I loved every single minute of it.

It's always refreshing to see realistic characters in stories, especially stories about high school. From the moment I met Ariel, and started to really feel the pressure that he was under, I immediately formed a bond with him. Silverman doesn't just explain the type of stress that Ariel subjects himself to. Oh, no. Ariel's feelings, especially his immense need to succeed, are palpable in this book. The chapters where things started to get really heavy, and the supposedly perfect tower that our main character had built for himself began to wobble, I could literally feel the pressure pushing down on my shoulders. This book can, admittedly, be a stressful read at times. If you've ever been in Ariel's shoes, like I have, you might feel slightly uncomfortable in certain chapters. That's the beauty of this story though. It completely immerses you and, before you know it, you're so involved that the pages just fly by.

Now, lest you think that this book is all stressful doom and gloom, I can assure you that there is plenty of levity here too. It's been a long time since I read a sweeter romance than this one, and I have no complaints at all. In fact, you should know that I audibly sighed more than once while reading this. A good sigh, mind you. The contented kind, that happens because what is written on the page is just too perfect and pure for any words to describe. Tears happened during this story too, both sweet ones and sad ones. Much like real life, the events in this story are a nice mix of good and bad. A beautiful balancing act, that never really feels weighted one way or the other. When Amir and Ariel were together, life was good. Things were sweet, and I was a happy reader. When they were apart? Well, you get the picture. Just trust me when I say that you'll be just as invested in their relationship as I was. Oh, and I could gush for ages about all the other relationships that are present in this book. Somehow this book feels too short, and yet manages to fit discussions on familial relationships, and friendships. There's even a look at the way that religion can help a young person really connect to others and themselves.

If I tried to fairly explain to you everything that is wrapped up in You Asked For Perfect, this review would be so long that you wouldn't read it. So, I'll tidy things up and just tell you that it's essential that you read this book. I don't hand out five star reviews lightly. A book has to really strike a chord with me. Laura Silverman's gorgeously written story did exactly that. This should be required reading for students in high school, especially those who are like Ariel and forget about the balance that we all need in life. Read this. Put it in the hands of others. It's absolutely worth your time.

This book sets off all the YA cliche's .

An awesome read with a refreshing romance.

Ariel stone is a bi who is under a lpt of pressure to get into harvard. When he fails BC calc , everything goes downhill .

This book has almost everything but not too much. Supportive parents , soft romance , real lifr pressure , poc , lgbtq rep and everything ❤.

I recommend this highly

Review and blog tour can be found on *Milky Way of Books*

This book is an honor to every child and teenager who HAS to manage STRESS and meet their parents' expectations! I connected with Ariel instantly because he was ME IN HIGH SCHOOL! When tests were a menace, few teachers were supportive enough of our university and college choices and I also had the blessing to have the most supportive family ever.

The details on the Jewish rituals and gatherings were a rare sight (I don't think I've read anything similar in another book?) and I enjoyed Ariel's family, despite that even his little sister became a victim to stress and no one noticed.

The book is amazing, it moves at a steady pace and it's a great example of knowing that you have to do what to love in order to succeed.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Rep: bisexual Jewish MC; gay Pakistani Muslim MC; plus size lesbian Korean SC; Muslim SC; anxiety

CW: drug use (pot); underage drinking, both as part of religious practices and not.

Where is the line between what we ask of ourselves and what is enough, what others ask of us and what we can give? These are questions that blur for Ariel in Laura Silverman's You Asked for Perfect. 

There's so much going on in high school, none more so for Ariel than getting into a good school, the right school, and it's of the utmost importance to get the best grades, be the best person, so that Harvard will choose him. Because if he isn't selected, what else is there?

I was not the kind of student that Ariel and his contemporaries were, but I do remember school being difficult for me. Reading this book reminded me of the pressure that, nonetheless, was still there. Remembering that was its own kind of horror because it could be all encompassing. 

You Asked For Perfect is told from the first person perspective of Ariel. Multiple times throughout, he mentions how he's concerned that any show of weakness and a fellow student, Pari, a girl whose grades, violin skills, etc., are all comparable to his, will take everything from him: first chair, valedictorian, everything. He does say, though, that she's also a good friend. It's was heart wrenching to imagine the setting in which these kids could be both good friends & sworn enemies. The toxicity that academia leached into their lives was frightening.

As the story unfolded, levels of Ariel's image of perfection unfolded, how he came to this stage in his life where there was such a precarious balance of GPA points and extracurriculars. School (his teachers, fellow students) was one thing, which I'll touch on later, but there are also something about his family. Even if it was an unintentional act by his parents, there is a scene that I think may have imprinted on him:

<blockquote>Some Friday nights we have matzo ball soup with dinner because my parents are superhuman, working hard all week and still providing home-cooked meals.</blockquote>

It was great to see Ariel's family come together, having a meal and talking about their day, sharing highlights and bloopers and so on. However, the point here is that Ariel sees his parents having these high powered jobs and still having the "perfect" homelife with home cooked meals. That image of perfection makes it seem, to him, like it is easy to have it all which I'm sure it's not. As lovely a family picture as that is, it speaks to an ideal that Ariel may have in his head, standards that he feels he needs to meet.

There are a lot of angles coming to Ariel: family, school, self, all of which converge to create pressure and anxiety. These end up coming together to show how one thought can spiral into an almost anxiety attack. This quite felt particularly familiar to me and highlighted the intensity of Ariel's situation:

<blockquote>The calculus test is Friday. If I fail, it will literally be impossible to get an A in the class. If I don’t get an A in the class, I won’t have a perfect record. If I don’t have a perfect record, I’ll be a less appealing applicant for Harvard. If I’m a less appealing applicant for Harvard, I won’t get in. If I don’t get in—</blockquote>

This continues to escalate in demonstrations from two educational figures in Ariel's life, a guidance counselor (Hayes) and a calculus teacher (Eller):

<blockquote>Ms. Hayes lowers her voice. “Look, I’m not supposed to share this, but I know Pari Shah is also applying early action to Harvard. If they only accept one student from here like last year, well, it’s tight competition . You can’t slip up.”</blockquote>



<blockquote>“Wait here, Ariel.” I shift on my feet, feeling the eyes of my classmates. Mr. Eller pulls out a red pen, and I take a sharp breath. Is he torturing me on purpose ? Grading mine right here?</blockquote>

Ms. Hayes and Mr. Eller add to the hyper intense level of pressure that not only Ariel, but even the reader might be feeling at this point. Ms. Hayes: why, WHY would she say this to a student? There's wanting your student to do well and then there's imparting a piece of information that could cause real harm, especially if he's already on the edge. And Mr. Eller, singling a student out who he knows is stressed out about a grade to stand at the front of the class and grading his important quiz. These two moments really stood out at straws that piled up on Ariel's back in anticipation of the climax.

Ariel, of course, is not the only one susceptible to pressure or potential anxiety spirals. His friend, Sook, is a member of a band called the Dizzy Daisies. 

<blockquote>“If I don’t pursue my dream now, I’ll lose it. I’ll go off to Dartmouth, and I’ll study and get a real job and pay bills and get married, and I’ll never prioritize my music again. I know I’m only in high school, but it’s like I’m already running out of time.”</blockquote>

Her parents, Dartmouth legacies if I remember correctly, want her to attend school while she wants to pursue a musical career. This passage highlighted a truly terrifying thought that felt incredibly true, like there could be no new possibilities once you're an adult. The future is a frightening thing, plus the assumption that you're supposed to have everything figured out for that future by the time you graduate (a ridiculously broad thought to have - could be fine for some but certainly not all).

Speaking of the future, Ariel's present and the future of his sister, Rachel, is haunting similar in many instances: 

<blockquote>When the food is ready, I call Rachel to the table. “Can we eat in here?” Rachel asks. “I want to keep working.”</blockquote>


Ariel knows what his habits are doing to him, what the studying is forcing him to sacrifice, but doesn't see the same habits forming in Rachel, that she's becoming just like him if not worse. I'm not saying that it is his responsibility to care for her, or for his contemporaries who would understand better than anyone what he's going through (Pari, for example, being on his level and what not), but it was incredibly sad to notice throughout the book the hints that Rachel was developing similar patterns that would lead her into a way of life very much like Ariel's.

I loved picking this book up because while it was rough seeing Ariel go through such intense, trying times, You Asked For Perfect was also an intensely enjoyable book. There were key moments that felt truly special, like when he was with his family, especially bonding with his little sister Rachel volunteering at the local animal shelter, or when he was spending time with his friends Sook and Masha, discussing their band the Dizzy Daisies.

The stress of studying, of trying to be perfect, of trying to be better and better and better until there's nothing left to attain and even then trying to be better still...all of it ached. It's such a relatable topic and being seen like that was one thing, but also having the balm of the interpersonal relationships was a perfect complement to the harshness that faced not just Ariel, but Pari and Isaac and every student that sees themselves in the students of Etta Fields High School.

<blockquote>At Etta Fields High School, becoming valedictorian is more complicated than perfect grades. We have weighted GPAs. We earn extra points for AP courses, a 5.0 instead of a 4.0 for an A . So the path to the top depends not only on the grades but also on signing up for the right classes.</blockquote>

There are some things I would have liked to see more of, such as time with Amir, his side of the story and such. I can admit, though, that considering this was Ariel's story and how insular his world became because of the pressure that was upon him why this might have been a choice made from the author's perspective.

DNF at 20%. Really tried to get into this book but I found it really boring and didn't like Ariel. Thank you for the review opportunity though!