Sadly I had to DNF this book because it got too scary for me! I did really enjoy the writing style and suspense though out everything that I read!

The premise of this book intrigued me, and I was excited to give it a read! For me, the first part of the book was a bit slow, and it took me a moment to get into the story, but as the book continued, I found myself sucked in and unable to put it down. The story had a good setting, and the twists were carried out in ways that kept me guessing.

This was a really weird one. Although I was really into it, it wasn’t actually thrilling. Like it told this weird ass story in such a laid back way. And it confused the hell out of me. When i explain this to my YA librarians I have no idea what I’m going to say lol It was a thriller, but not till like half of it was gone? Idk lol

I think the reason it was so weird was because of the characters. The main character was so prim and proper and a parent’s girlie. And her friend and her brother were both asshats. I’m not gonna lie, I thought everyone in this book was terrible. Literally none of them should have been by themselves because they were all childish af.

The plot was ok, but it was like an episode of Criminal Minds. I will say it took forever for something to happen. I was getting bored with them sitting in their basement. And I was disappointed that the ghost really had nothing to do with anything lol But when things finally got started, I gotta say, that shit was weird lol It did get predictable. If you’ve read enough thrillers or you watch Criminal Minds, one event will happen and you will know exactly whodunit.

I don’t want to say anything else about this so I don’t cause any spoilers, but Lordt. Just know that I liked it but I also hated it? I went through so many emotions reading this. But I was never scared, which was unfortunate. The writing style and the characters were terrible, but this wasn’t all bad. Definitely worth a read if you can ignore some of these things.


Real Rating 3.5

I enjoyed this book, especially as someone who loves Halloween but doesn’t like scary horror. The author gave enough clues to piece together good guesses and also wove in the personal character growth that went along well with the story. There were a couple points where the pacing was a little difficult - the kiss with the love interest and the beginning - but otherwise the plot moved well. I enjoyed the mini chapters that followed the disappearance of the last girl who got kidnapped. Gave me goosebumps!

Definitely a great thriller with tons of suspense and build up. I love the little romance thrown in there. It very relatable to a lot of people, it was pretty face paced. This was a great YA horror/thriller. Choices weren’t the greatest at time but that’s what makes the story interesting for us. Plus i love this cover!

Wow, great book Ms. Banghart. Definitely some thriller, mystery, suspense, vibes mixed in with a little romance. Definitely had some twists in there, and good thing I read this one during the day. Do not recommend reading on a stormy night, as it will definitely give you the willies. Jessa has always been the perfect girl. She never did anything wrong. When Jessa decides a sleepover is a good idea when mom is away, it ended up not being the perfect idea. An ex-best friend with an abusive boyfriend, some friends, and a creepy neighbor down the street, make up the mix. The storm topped off the night, as well as a little haunting from a murdered girl. Thanks to Ms. Banghart, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this book. I will be buying a copy for our classroom library.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Always the perfect girl and abiding by the rules, Jessa is finally allowed to have a sleepover when her parents aren't home.

But when extra guests arrive, and a storm knocks the power out, strange things begin to happen in the neighborhood.

Quite a few twists and turns that made for a fun read.

Perfect Girl starts off more like a YA romance novel rather than the promised thriller, making the first third of the book quite slow and unengaging. While the pacing picks up significantly in the later chapters, particularly around the 80% mark, much of the middle section drags. The book does benefit from a quick, easy-to-read writing style, but the numerous flashback chapters feel unnecessary and don't add meaningful value to the main storyline. Overall, the book fails to deliver on its thriller premise until very late in the story, making it a somewhat disappointing read for those expecting suspense from the beginning.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I was so surprised by every chapter and was always wondering what would happen next. This was my first book by the author and I’ll definitely be reading more.

Solid 3.5 star book. It had the creepy factor that everyone wants during spooky season coupled with an unhinged mother and son duo. It was scary, relatable, and it definitely had that true crime feel. Honestly, reading the book kind of felt like an episode of criminal minds, without Spencer of course. But really, it was a quick & easy read. I did enjoy it from beginning to end.

Moral of the story, don’t take rides from strangers! Oh, and it’s okay to also color outside the lines! Perfection is not attainable & clearly not very fun.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Perfect Girl is your standard YA thriller. It was a fun, keep your attention popcorn thriller. Love the sleepover setting with friendship tensions while fighting for survival. The pacing was good, there were some good scary moments and the twists while predictable was engaging.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I liked this book! It was fun and good vibes. Some twists I didn’t see coming! I would definitely read another book if theirs!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 11/19/24!

To me, this book reads like a retro slasher film (in a good way!). I will say that, as an older reader, I wasn’t entirely invested in the characters and their motivations as they are teenagers; however, I was able to appreciate the author’s ability to recreate the teenage thought process in a way that seemed realistic. This is unique to me, however, and others who more commonly read YA may not have this disconnect with the characters. Despite this, I think the twist in this book was a good one, and not one that I saw coming. I also enjoyed how the author wove two different storylines together to make one cohesive plot. If YA is your chosen genre, I would recommend giving this one a read!

Rating: 3 stars

I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

Perfect Girl was a simple read that I enjoyed. It’s a young adult thriller about teenagers spending the night together when the power goes out and chaos reigns. I enjoyed it because it wasn’t too difficult to read.

I also enjoyed the before-and-after chapters. These chapters were interesting because they gave me, as a reader, insight into aspects of the story that I didn’t expect to read. I also enjoyed the setting of the story in Perfect Girl because it felt like just the right atmosphere for the story to take place in. This story's thriller and spooky aspects were great, too, because I felt like I was reading the perfect book for a night in.

However, there are several things about this book I didn’t quite enjoy too. For one, I felt like the main character in Perfect Girl Jessa was too boring. When I first started reading this book, I wanted to get to know her and her friends but as the story went on, I found myself more interested in learning more about her friends than I did her. It was like she was too much of a goody-two-shoes to the point where her choices in the story were a detriment to her and her friends. A lot of the story, I found myself more frustrated with her character than anything because of how stressed she was about the simplest of things.

Speaking of characters, I felt like the characters in this book were one-dimensional. There was also very little character development in Perfect Girl because the only time Jessa does something outside of her normal behavior is close to the end of the book when she and her friends are in immediate danger. For most of the book though, I felt like I knew what was going on before Jessa even though I wasn’t the one anything was happening to. I don’t know if it was because there were moments in the story where events started becoming too predictable that I already knew what was going to happen. Either way though, finding out who was behind everything Jessa and her friends experienced in this book wasn’t too much of a surprise to me because I had a feeling pretty early on. Luckily, it didn’t take away from me enjoying this book as it allowed me to see how the characters responsible caused the events that happened in this book.

As a whole, Perfect Girl is an enjoyable read. I recommend this book to anyone looking to read a young adult thriller story that you can get through really quickly as this book was very easy to finish reading. Perfect Girl was published on November 19, 2024 for those interested in checking out this book.

Perfect Girl by Tracy Banghart is a gripping young adult novel that dives into the complexities of high school life, family expectations, and self-discovery. The protagonist, Ella, is seen as the "perfect girl" by those around her—straight-A student, talented musician, and seemingly flawless daughter. However, beneath her polished exterior, she struggles with the pressure to meet the unrealistic standards set by her family and society.

Banghart’s writing is accessible and engaging, with a fast-paced narrative that captures the emotional highs and lows of teenage life. Themes of identity, independence, and mental health are woven throughout the story, offering readers an authentic portrayal of the challenges of growing up. The novel also explores the impact of toxic relationships and the importance of finding one's voice.

While the story's core message about self-acceptance and resilience is empowering, some readers may find the plot points slightly predictable. However, Banghart’s ability to create relatable characters and a thought-provoking narrative makes Perfect Girl a worthwhile read for fans of contemporary young adult fiction.

Perfect girl is a great example of a story that translates better to film than as a novel. It's still an entertaining read, but it's a bit too predictable at times and without the campy elements that a movie would provide, the writing isn't strong enough to fully capture the readers interest. With that in mind, the main character is endearing enough that the ending is still satisfying, even if you already see it coming.

3.5⭐️

Jessa has always been the perfect girl: always polite, always responsible, and always follows the rules. That's how she convinces her parents to let her have a sleepover when they are out of town, mostly because she's afraid of their creepy old house. Things started out well, but between her brother and his best friend coming home, a round game of truth or dare, and a storm that kills the power the night takes a turn. As members of the party start to go missing, Jessa soon learns that you can't always trust your neighbors.

I was surprised at how one the edge of my seat this kept me. The evening taking part in the middle of a storm in a supposed haunted house in the middle of nowhere made it that much creepy. Having grown up someplace where the cell signal isn't always great, this would have been my worst nightmare. The neighbor also gave me Norman Bates meets that one episode of Criminal Minds that I can't describe without spoiling things and that was fascinating.

I did struggle with how naive Jessa was about things. Having been the "perfect" child, she was so trusting that everyone else was going to do the right thing and that felt wildly unrealistic. There were also some times where I questioned everyone priorities throughout this whole drama. Like, why are you more focused on kissing Ryan in the woods than finding your missing friends? Those are more just character flaws than anything. I did also find the back and forth timeline to be a bit confusing at times.

Thanks Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing this ARC to me!

This is a gripping and suspenseful read that will captivate fans of dark, fast-paced mysteries and young adult thrillers who enjoy stories about self-discovery, rebellion, and the complexities of societal expectations.

For fans of classic slasher films and stories, this book follows a group of friends who must survive the night filled with storms, unexpected guests, and things definitely not going to plan. "Perfect Girl" Jessa must push aside her people-pleasing tendencies to keep herself and her friends alive in this sleepover-gone-wrong story. I thought this was a fun book with some dark twists and some sweet moments to soften it up.

A fast-paced thriller that constantly had me guessing. Perfect vibes for the fall season and Halloween time. Jessa was a relatable character to those of us that maybe didn't want to push the boundaries too much in high school, but always wondered what would happen if we did. While the overall plot seemed a bit farfetched, sometimes the best stories are the ones that could happen but seem too absurd to be real. Perfect for the YA reader that maybe enjoyed Pretty Little Liars. Overall, a little bit of escapism that had me double checking the locks on my doors that night.