Perfect - Ellen Hopkins

After several months and as decisions for school approach, the lives of these teens are beginning to change. Cara, after breaking up with her boyfriend Sean, questions her life-long goal to attend Stamford and always live up to her parents high expectations. She meets Dani, a girl she met while skiing, who teaches Cara that she should do what is best for her own needs. Cara begins to question her sexuality as she finds herself falling in love with Dani, and fears what her parents and everyone else might say or do. Sean, who was deeply in love with Cara, can only think of ways to get her back; he too begins to question Stamford for school. His use of steroids has causes him to become more aggressive, emotionally unstable, and a threat to the people around him. Sean's emotions and perspective is skewed,  but he reminds himself that he needs to become a professional baseball player, even if it means risking his health. Kendra, whose goal is modeling, is beginning to get involved with steroids as well. She uses them to gain muscle and lose weight. However, when she was about to have plastic surgery done on her nose, the doctor noticed that Kendra was too thin, and it would be dangerous to carry on with the operation. The doctor told Kendra's parents about their daughter's problems with anorexia and now she is kept under close watch. The new eating schedule that has been set up for her is driving her to do the steroids in order to remain thin, Kendra is in denial of how unhealthy she has become. Andre, who always kept his love for dance a secret, is on the verge of telling the world of his passion. His instructor has encouraged him to sign up for a national competition that would be broadcasted on national television. The opportunity would be incredible, but Andre's fear of his parents holds him back. Each of these young adults has a passion and a goal, but their life is going in the other direction because of what is expected of them. Because of this pressure, their lives are beginning to spin out of control, and will soon have negative and permanent effects on their lives.

Beatrice de Vaulx

Perfect - Ellen Hopkins

Ellen Hopkins has a unique writing style in which she uses poems to tell her story. The book Perfect is set in Nevada in the United States, approximately year 2011. The story follows four teenagers who are all preparing to leave for University soon and living a very pressured life. Cara lives with her demanding parents who never show her any affection and do not commend her for her outstanding performance in school. Her twin brother was recently checked into an institution for attempting suicide, but nobody had seen the signs before the incident and were all devastated at his attempt. Ellen Hopkins also tells the story of Cara's boyfriend, Sean, who is trying to become a professional baseball player and get into Stamford on a sports scholarship. His father and mother died at different stages in his childhood, and it is Sean's goal to become a ball player just like his father who was a coach. However, he begins to take steroids and these take control over his body and actions, jeopardizing his relationship with Cara. The third teenager is Kendra who is a pageant star and whose ambition is to become a runway model. Her lack of confidence in her academics has left her insecure and totally focused on her looks instead. This leads to an eating disorder, plastic surgery, use of painkillers, and denial. Her life became even more jolted after Cara's twin, Connor, attempted to kill himself because that was her boyfriend at the time. The fact that Kendra never saw the signs haunts her, and only makes her problems worse. The final main character in Ellen Hopkin's novel, is Andre, who is dating Kendra's younger sister. Andre's passion is dance, but his father does not support this as his career. He must attend his dance classes in secret and face peer pressure. His girlfriend, Jenna, is white and her father is a racist; Andre, who is black, is humiliated and insulted when first meeting Jenna's family. However, Jenna stands up for him and they both stick together.
Each of these kids are pressured by their parents to be flawless and they are all fighting to get into Stamford University. Their main battle is to separate what they want from their parents' desires and find happiness.

The Art of War, Touching The Rock and The Heart of the Matter

Lately I have picked up 3 books which I have just started reading; Touching the Rock, The Heart of The Matter and The Art of Way (Niccolo Machiavelli).
I have had the need to indulge in books, and just letting myself out of my own body for once. Reading has appealed to me more than ever lately, so anything that I feel inspiring or interesting I grab.
I have started the Art of War, the Niccolo Machiavelli one, and find it very hooking, I really find this book absorbing!
I was going to pick up the book, Blindness by Jose Saramago, however the library did not hold the book. So I was recommended Touching the Rock  about a man turning blind, and his vision of his world that surrounds him, his wife, his kids and most of all god.
The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene, is one I found would be a good investment of my time, as I find the author tremendously talented!