rcaivano's review against another edition
Ashley is overweight, and every year on her birthday, her grandmother tries to bribe her to lose weight. First it was a shopping spree, then it was Disneyland, the a car. Ashley always refused it until it escalated to the one thing Ashley couldn't refuse - 4 years tuition to Harvard. Her grandmother wants her to have gastric bypass surgery. Ashely is happy the way she is and can't understand why she should change. But she is slowly changing her mind because Harvard has always been her dream.
lecrockett's review against another edition
2.0
Ashley Perkins is valedictorian at an advanced high school, has a wonderful, artistic boyfriend, supportive friends, and a killer resume for college applications. But her grandmother doesn't see that. All she sees is her granddaughter's weight, and how it could influence her admission into Harvard. When Ashley receives the tempting note from her grandmother on her birthday, she grapples with the price of her dreams and her priceless worth.
Before reading this, I was incredibly excited to see another kind of body book and was curious about its premise. While Dumplin' was very body positive, embracing all shapes and sizes and health, this one tackles another kind of issue: what if the protagonist does care what others think about their weight?
I was on board with Ashley's anxiety before her birthday, the tension and build-up and pacing that would become Turning Point 1 in the novel. She's passionate and determined and hard-working, destined for greatness. But after receiving the note (and everyone getting all up in her business with their opinions on what she should do with her own body and future), her ultimate decision in Turning Point 2 seemed a bit lackluster. I'm not sure the Ashley at the beginning of the book would've gone in the direction Ashley at the end of the book did, but is that the character growth? I don't know. Nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do with your life, especially when you're a teenager, but Ashley's reasons for going to Harvard pre- and post-note almost seem unimportant. Surely someone with her resume could also apply for scholarships, right?
I guess I'm just unsure about the delivery of the ending. It could be inspirational; it could be a cop-out. I'm on the fence about it.
What was completely unexpected was how integral her friends' lives (and their own journeys they tackled) were in the book. Jolene, transgender, and Laura, a free-spirit artist, have a lot on their plates. I was interested in each of them, but to the same degree and intensity I was interested in Ashley. So whose story am I supposed to invest most of my time in? Is this book about finding your own direction in life, regardless of what people say? If so, I think it was halfway to meeting that goal. I really wanted to read about Ashley. Save Jolene's powerful story and Laura's interesting one for other books to let all these voices ring properly.
Again, I'm unsure. There are good things in here, and moments of greatness (like that quote! YES!), but I think too much was attempted for one book. Body perception and health is quite the issue, and Ashley was a strong character. I wanted more.
Before reading this, I was incredibly excited to see another kind of body book and was curious about its premise. While Dumplin' was very body positive, embracing all shapes and sizes and health, this one tackles another kind of issue: what if the protagonist does care what others think about their weight?
I am the sum of my parts. Everything I've ever done and everything I've ever achieved and everything I have ever been. Fat and smart and afraid and fierce and angry and brave all together right here, and every piece of the puzzle fits the way it's supposed to and I can't pretend anymore.
I was on board with Ashley's anxiety before her birthday, the tension and build-up and pacing that would become Turning Point 1 in the novel. She's passionate and determined and hard-working, destined for greatness. But after receiving the note (and everyone getting all up in her business with their opinions on what she should do with her own body and future), her ultimate decision in Turning Point 2 seemed a bit lackluster. I'm not sure the Ashley at the beginning of the book would've gone in the direction Ashley at the end of the book did, but is that the character growth? I don't know. Nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do with your life, especially when you're a teenager, but Ashley's reasons for going to Harvard pre- and post-note almost seem unimportant. Surely someone with her resume could also apply for scholarships, right?
I guess I'm just unsure about the delivery of the ending. It could be inspirational; it could be a cop-out. I'm on the fence about it.
What was completely unexpected was how integral her friends' lives (and their own journeys they tackled) were in the book. Jolene, transgender, and Laura, a free-spirit artist, have a lot on their plates. I was interested in each of them, but to the same degree and intensity I was interested in Ashley. So whose story am I supposed to invest most of my time in? Is this book about finding your own direction in life, regardless of what people say? If so, I think it was halfway to meeting that goal. I really wanted to read about Ashley. Save Jolene's powerful story and Laura's interesting one for other books to let all these voices ring properly.
Again, I'm unsure. There are good things in here, and moments of greatness (like that quote! YES!), but I think too much was attempted for one book. Body perception and health is quite the issue, and Ashley was a strong character. I wanted more.
wrenlee's review against another edition
3.0
I got this as an eARC for a book tour,
What are you supposed to say about a book like this? Congratulations? Huzzah? I'm not sure.
I loved Laura and Jolene. They were the perfect cheer squad for Ashley. They were helpful and kind. They cared. They cared in different ways, though. Laura tried to be the fun one who was defiant and fought back. Jolene was more laid back, but she tried to support Ashley in every way. If I had friends like Laura and Jolene, I'd be set for life.
I have to admit that I liked Ashley's decision in the end. She realized that she didn't need anything to love herself. She didn't need to be thin. She was thriving anyways. She'd change the world anyways.
There wasn't an explanation, though. She just bolted. She didn't explain. There wasn't a why. There was only the effect. No cause.
I was highly confused for a majority of the plot. The story was jumping from thing to thing. Laura. The boyfriend Hector. Jolene. It was as if everyone else decided to make their lives sucky at the same time as Ashley's decision. Poor Ashley had to keep up with all that. That made it a confusing jumble of different stories and different lives. It was confusing.
The romance was oddly lacking. Which seemed odd. Normally, you are overcompensating. Why do you like him? He's nice? He's cute? What else? Does his music make you all fluffy inside? Does his smile light up your world? I need some fluff here! Something to make sense.
What are you supposed to say about a book like this? Congratulations? Huzzah? I'm not sure.
I loved Laura and Jolene. They were the perfect cheer squad for Ashley. They were helpful and kind. They cared. They cared in different ways, though. Laura tried to be the fun one who was defiant and fought back. Jolene was more laid back, but she tried to support Ashley in every way. If I had friends like Laura and Jolene, I'd be set for life.
I have to admit that I liked Ashley's decision in the end. She realized that she didn't need anything to love herself. She didn't need to be thin. She was thriving anyways. She'd change the world anyways.
There wasn't an explanation, though. She just bolted. She didn't explain. There wasn't a why. There was only the effect. No cause.
I was highly confused for a majority of the plot. The story was jumping from thing to thing. Laura. The boyfriend Hector. Jolene. It was as if everyone else decided to make their lives sucky at the same time as Ashley's decision. Poor Ashley had to keep up with all that. That made it a confusing jumble of different stories and different lives. It was confusing.
The romance was oddly lacking. Which seemed odd. Normally, you are overcompensating. Why do you like him? He's nice? He's cute? What else? Does his music make you all fluffy inside? Does his smile light up your world? I need some fluff here! Something to make sense.
dresselaersdaphne's review against another edition
4.0
I was so disappointed by the ending. Really? An open ending? I didn 't struggle through this book to be left with an open ending
islandgeekgirl's review against another edition
3.0
Every birthday Ashley Perkins gets a present from her grandmother that she doesn't want. It's a card that always contains a the promise of something good - new clothes, a car, shopping in Paris - under the condition that she loses weight. Ashley's never really had a problem with the way she looks and has never believed, unlike her grandmother, that her weight will hold her back in life. But this time, this birthday, just might end up being the one time Ashley can't say no. Four years of tuition at Harvard for weight loss surgery.
I was both excited and nervous going into this book. I knew my enjoyment of it would depend on how much I could connect with the main character and how the issue of body image was handled. The premise had me on Ashley's side before I even opened the book because her grandmother sounded horrible.
Most of the time I liked Ashley. She had her moments where she would say or do something that would make me cringe but overall, she seemed like a nice, smart young woman who cared about her friends and knew what she wanted from life. She seemed to know the type of person she wanted to be and was confident in the way she looked so it made sense that her grandmother's so-called presents were never tempting until the tuition. It wasn't just weight loss surgery for tuition. It was surgery for the life she'd been working so hard for and dreamed of for years.
I really liked the the main focus of relationships was on the friendship between Ashley and her two best friends. There was some romance and flirting happening but it was more in the background as the three girls dealt with issues like Ashley's grandmother, Jolene's parents, what to do after graduation. It was nice to see so much focus on their friendship.
I really enjoyed the first third of the book. It was a great way to introduce Ashley's issues with her grandmother, explain her drive to succeed at school, get into Harvard, set up her home life. The middle of the book I found lost focus a bit and maybe tried to do too much. Instead of it being Ashley's story, it felt like the book was trying to cram in stories for all the characters. While I appreciate and like growth in other characters besides the main, it felt like too much was going on. The last third of the book was better, it got back to being more about Ashley's story, but it also felt a little crammed, trying to solve a lot of problems in too few pages.
Overall, the book tried to have a good, positive message but it got weighed down by trying to do too much and really only scratching the surface on the main issue.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was both excited and nervous going into this book. I knew my enjoyment of it would depend on how much I could connect with the main character and how the issue of body image was handled. The premise had me on Ashley's side before I even opened the book because her grandmother sounded horrible.
Most of the time I liked Ashley. She had her moments where she would say or do something that would make me cringe but overall, she seemed like a nice, smart young woman who cared about her friends and knew what she wanted from life. She seemed to know the type of person she wanted to be and was confident in the way she looked so it made sense that her grandmother's so-called presents were never tempting until the tuition. It wasn't just weight loss surgery for tuition. It was surgery for the life she'd been working so hard for and dreamed of for years.
I really liked the the main focus of relationships was on the friendship between Ashley and her two best friends. There was some romance and flirting happening but it was more in the background as the three girls dealt with issues like Ashley's grandmother, Jolene's parents, what to do after graduation. It was nice to see so much focus on their friendship.
I really enjoyed the first third of the book. It was a great way to introduce Ashley's issues with her grandmother, explain her drive to succeed at school, get into Harvard, set up her home life. The middle of the book I found lost focus a bit and maybe tried to do too much. Instead of it being Ashley's story, it felt like the book was trying to cram in stories for all the characters. While I appreciate and like growth in other characters besides the main, it felt like too much was going on. The last third of the book was better, it got back to being more about Ashley's story, but it also felt a little crammed, trying to solve a lot of problems in too few pages.
Overall, the book tried to have a good, positive message but it got weighed down by trying to do too much and really only scratching the surface on the main issue.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
tjlcody's review against another edition
2.0
Wasn't crazy about it.
The plot was kind of lackluster as it was, but also, like... It's not quite what was promised? The book's premise was "Girl's grandmother bribes her to get weight-loss surgery"- which leads one to believe that the book will focus on said girl and her weight/weight-loss.
But really, it doesn't? Not that much? More like "Girl's life happens around her and her friends and they get into shenanigans and oh btw her grandmother's bribing her to get weight-loss surgery."
If we were promised a little and got so much more, that'd be one thing. But instead we got "here's the plot" and then "well no actually the plot is something else entirely and it's not wildly engaging".
The plot was kind of lackluster as it was, but also, like... It's not quite what was promised? The book's premise was "Girl's grandmother bribes her to get weight-loss surgery"- which leads one to believe that the book will focus on said girl and her weight/weight-loss.
But really, it doesn't? Not that much? More like "Girl's life happens around her and her friends and they get into shenanigans and oh btw her grandmother's bribing her to get weight-loss surgery."
If we were promised a little and got so much more, that'd be one thing. But instead we got "here's the plot" and then "well no actually the plot is something else entirely and it's not wildly engaging".
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
A poorly written -- I'd even say dangerous disingenuous -- look at a girl whose story hinges on her grandmother's offer to pay for 4 years of college in exchange for her getting "weight loss surgery."
The girl is 17, "tall," and "size 18, sometimes 20." There's never any discussion of diets, of dietitians, of being the right weight for her height and body shape. There's nothing alternative to grandma's offer except not doing it. There's nothing to Ashley as a character at all, except for this.
Full review here: http://stackedbooks.org/2015/10/skip-this-book-future-perfect-by-jen-larsen.html
The girl is 17, "tall," and "size 18, sometimes 20." There's never any discussion of diets, of dietitians, of being the right weight for her height and body shape. There's nothing alternative to grandma's offer except not doing it. There's nothing to Ashley as a character at all, except for this.
Full review here: http://stackedbooks.org/2015/10/skip-this-book-future-perfect-by-jen-larsen.html
bemyvalntyne's review against another edition
5.0
I've wanted to read this book since I first found out about it. Now that I've read Future Perfect, I am glad I did. This is an amazing book that deals with very relevant topics, and I've found myself relating to the main protagonist throughout the story. Overall, this book is rated 5/5 stars for me.
suzagilly's review against another edition
Tried to will myself to finish this book, but can't. 40% into the book and it started feeling like a chore reading this. Great idea of the book, not executed well.