Review: Almost Perfect- Brian Katcher

Where I got it: Bought it.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Cover Rating: 4 stars (It's provocative.)
Genre: Young adult
Publication Date: October 13, 2009
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 357

Logan's girlfriend of three years has cheated on him. He could barely even get on base with her and she went off and did it with some guy. Logan thought she was "the one" though, so he has been moping around. But when a new student (which never happens in Boyer's small high school) breezes into biology Logan gets a new optimistic feeling. The more Logan starts to talk to the new student, Sage, he realizes that there are many things that she is keeping from him. She won't tell him why she was home schooled or why she's not allowed to date. When Sage does unload her big secret, Logan gets angry and almost hits her. Can Logan overcome something this big? Is he up to the challenge of being Sage's boyfriend or even just her friend?

At first I was really annoyed at how quickly Logan cycled through emotions, how completely unstable he seemed. Then, I realized that he's a teenage boy, he has no idea how to handle the situation he's been thrust into and all he is is raw emotion. After that I started to enjoy the book much more, thinking "Hey, he's just reacting the way he knows how.". This was the first book I have read that dealt so immediately with gender issues, and in such a real unflinching voice. Sage was who she was and Logan wanted to understand. I loved the passion that was printed on every page. Be it anger or love or lust everything was heightened emotions as I imagine it must feel to be in a situation similar to theirs. There was also a great joke in this book, let me share.

"'Well, my church is doing some major renovations. Painting the whole building.'
'Since when do you go to church?" I asked. He ignored me.
'We didn't think we were going to have enough money, so we bought some cheap paint and watered it down. Didn't look the greatest, but it got the job done.'
'What the hell are you talking about?' Jack never got up before three p.m. on Sundays.
'Well, we spent all last Saturday painting the outside. Unfortunately, right when we were finished, this rain started. Washed everything away.'
'Oh, no,' said Sage, sounding genuinely concerned.
'The funny thing is, right when we were all running inside, I could swear I heard a voice from the clouds.'
I sighed 'Saying what, Jack?'
'Repaint! Repaint and thin no more!'"

Well, I enjoyed it at least, quite clever.This was a great book about being yourself and knowing that it's okay if you are confused about how you feel in certain situations. A book about how we don't always make the right decisions, but they are our decisions and they all come with consequences.

First Line:
"Everyone has that one line they swear they'll never cross, the one thing they say they'll never do."

Favorite Line:
"Well, more like gouging a piece of shrapnel out of my stomach, pouring a bottle of gin into the wound, lighting it on fire, and sewing my guts up with a dirty bootlace."