Review: How To Be A Perfect Girl by Mary Williams

Title: How To Be A Perfect Girl
Author: Mary Williams
Link: Goodreads 

Valentina Hunter's parents think they've just hit the jackpot; when her mother invents a product that makes her family millionaires overnight, they buy a new house and new cars, and enroll their daughter in the ultra-exclusive Palm Lake private school. The school comes with an excellent resume; more Palm Lake graduates go on to the Ivy League than any other private school in the area, ninety percent of them start college with at least a year’s worth of Advanced Placement credits, and they earn more perfect ACT scores per capita than the students at any other high school. Valentina’s mother and father are ecstatic, but Val doesn’t share the sentiment; she would rather go to the local public school with all her middle school friends. Events only increase her desire, as Valentina quickly finds herself embroiled in bitter social battles and hostile vendettas, leaving her to question whether she’ll even be able to survive the first month.

I got a copy from the author for an honest review.

1/5 stars! 
*sigh* Ok. It's time to finally review this book.

Let me start by saying I thought this was going to be a fun, light-hearted read, and I had no idea that I was going to read such a roller-coaster type of book. I know, I know, I should've guessed from the blurb, but come on! "Bitter social battles?" I thought it would be a funny clique thing. After all, she's only a high school freshman.

I have no complaints against the author's story-telling ability. It was really easy to read and understand everything that was going on. However, the story she chose to tell is beyond me.

The set up was good, but then things started taking a turn for the worse.

Warning: The Love Triangle is strong with this one.

I hated the main character. She was unbelievably rude and her "best friend" was a jerk. All the "love interests" were jerks as well. I was unimpressed with all of them.

Valentina, is a perfect example of  "Little Miss Perfect" in my Why I Hate Love Triangles blog post. You  can go read it if you want to understand a bit more of what I mean.

Ofcourse, the cursing didn't help raise my opinion of this book. The only good character was Carrie. This book would've been much better if she had been the main character. She is practically the only character that was likeable. She isn't as pretty or popular as the main character, but she's nice, smart, and sweet! :) Heck, even Avery, (the antagonist) would've made a better main character.

I was really interested to know how the author was going to fix the mess in the end, and I was really disappointed with the cliffhanger I got instead of a proper ending. Is this supposed to be a series? Can we switch the main character to somebody else?

Again, there was nothing wrong with the author's ability to write, it was the story she chose to write that I disliked. That's just my honest opinion.

*If you don't want spoilers, I highly suggest you stop reading at this point.*

For all those who stuck around, here's a few more details on why I didn't like this book.

1. Oh, Valentina? Everyone loves her!

Random guy selling food
Pizza guy
Her boyfriend's brother
Random jerks

The scary part is that I'm not even exaggerating.

2. Oh, did you know that Valentina is perfect?




"You don't have a big nose, by the way, it's just about perfect." - Keenan (her boyfriend)

"You're just about perfect." - Random man from food place (I'm not even kidding!!!!!)

"But I don't think she has a long nose," Davis' cheeks flushed. "It's just about perfect." -Davis (random nerd)

"I think you're the perfect age for me, Val. Perfect height too, and perfect name. Come to think of it, you're just about perfect." -Ethan (random jerk)

"No, you're perfect." -Keenan (her boyfriend)

3. This quote basically sums up my thoughts.

"Your wannabe boyfriend is here."
"Who?" Keenan asked interestedly; it was better than Val's question, which one?

 Yes, Valentina. Which one? That is an excellent question.

4. Major issue: Valentina's love interest is not her boyfriend. Wait for it.... It's her boyfriend's brother, Porter (who also has a girlfriend) Way to keep it in the family, Valentina! lol!

This is how he treats her

"Val, don't you get it?  I don't care about you- no one here does. Why don't you just go play with your retarded Gentry friends and leave us alone?"

"Mean? I'm not being mean, I'm just being honest. The only reason I ever gave you a second look is because you threw yourself at me- 'Do you think I'm attractive, Porter?" he mocked.


How irresistable!!!!

5. That awkward moment when you try to get your girlfriend to see that you're not a cheater, so you take the girl she thinks you're cheating on her with out for lunch to talk, but *gasp* that only makes it worse!

"I was trying to fix things, and now they're worse than before."- Porter 

6. You know you hate a main character when your favorite part of the book is when the antagonist gets her revenge.

"Your life is over- and if you disagree, that's just because you haven't realized it yet."- Avery (the antagonist)

Yay!

7. Another major issue: What's so bad about being a virgin at 14/15? Maybe I'm old-fashioned...

"You, trying to pretend you have more experience than you do. If anything. I bet you're a virgin," Jessie smirked.

PS. Jessie is also one of the jerks who likes Valentina! Go figure! 

8. That awkward moment when you're only a high school freshman and you're contemplating playing strip-poker.

"We wouldn't even make you go pass your underwear, and we'll count your dress as three clothing items."

Something about being called a prude, even by a boy she'd only just met, irked Val. "Fine, we'll play."

It just wasn't my type of book, read at your own risk!