Pushing Perfect

Book excerpt: A girl’s quest for perfection results in dangerous consequences in this smart, suspenseful YA novel by the author of Playlist for the Dead. Fans of We Were Liars and The Secret History will devour this layered, ensemble-cast novel in which “twists and turns abound” (SLJ). How far would you go to be perfect? Kara has the perfect life. At least, that’s what she wants everyone to believe. The truth is, she works hard to maintain that illusion. But when a moment of doubt leads Kara to do something risky—and illegal—someone sees. Before she knows it, she’s drawn into an unlikely group of classmates, all bound together by secrets of their own. Secrets that are being used against them. Soon Kara is forced to confront how far she’s willing to go to be perfect—and if that’s something she really wants to be. “Reminiscent of the novels of Joan Lowery Nixon and Lois Duncan, this mystery set in a modern-day well-to-do suburb in California will keep readers turning the pages.” —School Library Journal “Full of well-developed, diverse supporting characters. For teens who enjoy mysteries in the form of timely, realistic fiction.” —Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) “Readers will be kept guessing.” —Kirkus Reviews