Jessa Morgan is the Perfect Girl between her demeanor, life goal, and grades. She’s been privately having a bit of a crisis about it, but all of her fears are brought to the forefront when what should be a perfectly normal a sleepover is taken over by a storm and strangers.

There’s no comp titles in the summary, but I would compare this to a Criminal Minds episode from the victim’s point of view. I had a really fun time. I found Jessa’s internal anxieties that drive her deeply relatable, especially when I was her age. Banghart writes her voice very distinctly and while I was reading I felt like I was a teenage girl again with teenage girl problems.

Inconsistent characterization really ruined my enjoyment, most of which is because I feel like a lot of interesting character beats were set up that just fizzled into nothing. It feels like Banghart has too many characters to juggle so a lot of development gets dropped in exchange for plot. Jessa and her older brother Josh are set up as a golden child vs scapegoat and they have plenty of sibling arguments, but nothing ever comes of the way their parents pit them against one another. I found Tiny to be a frustratingly inconsistent character, to the detriment of her internal logic that left her feeling like more of a powderkeg than an actual person. Alexis is disappointingly out of focus and I think might be the only one who has literally zero development, though that’s hardly her fault since most of her page time is spent either unconscious or near it. Kellen gets a lot of development early on, but it ends up feeling like that’s just so she has a (plot permitting) reason to fade into the background for most of the second act. Of our main pack of teenagers, only Jessa and Ryan feel like actual people.

I still found this book an entertaining way to spend an afternoon. If you’re in the market for a blood-pounding YA thriller, I think Perfect Girl will scratch that itch for a lot of people.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for the eARC.

“I’d rather be a bitch than you’re perfect girl.”

Same. It’s actually so crazy to think of the pressure we get from our parents, or that is sometimes self inflicted, to be perfect all the time. I get it and can relate in a way but am also so glad that as the 4th and youngest in my family, my parents were like “you’re good right?” Any pressure throughout the years was definitely self inflicted on my part and luckily I learned to give myself grace for not being perfect.

Okay but this book definitely highlights one of my genuine fears of being abducted or attacked. And while this centers around high school kids, this is still a very real fear of mine that has me kinda always questioning who and what to trust, both in life and also in this book. I kept internally yelling at characters trying to get them to stop making dumb decisions while simultaneously believing that in a fight or flight situation I’d probably legit freeze and therefore be the first to die. And while thrillers don’t guarantee happy endings, I did have hope. I’ll leave it at that as I don’t know how to avoid another spoiler.

Thank you to the author for tossing in some 90s nostalgia. Buffy was one of my favorite movies growing up. This book was overall a quick and easy read that I found hard to put down. It touched on some tough but very real topics that not just high schoolers but people of any age may be able to relate to and it was nice to see Jessa’s character progression and how she was able to allow some mess into her life. I think maybe my one issue is that the characters went through this really traumatic situation together and there’s only the briefest mention of Jessa going to therapy but not a lot about how everyone was able to move on.

Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for this advanced copy!

A faced paced YA thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat till the very end.

I really enjoyed this book, while I thought it might be a little to YA for me at the start I was pleasantly surprised with the plot once it picked up. The characters all have their own personalities and the pace of the story was very good and keeps up with those of best selling thrillers I’ve read. I would highly recommend this book. I read it in less than two days!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the digital ARC copy all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book even though labelled as young adult fiction. This horror filled novel did not seem juvenile, in my opinion. The character profiles were well described and detailed and the plot is unique. The author has a fantastic imagination! Technically, I knew ahead of time that something spooky and thrilling would happen when teenagers are alone in the house and the power goes out in the midst of a powerful storm, not shocking! However, the storyline continued into unknown territory for me. I would never have guessed the events of the rest of the next 12 hours. Very well crafted with multiple side stories to make the plot even more suspenseful! Thanks to Net Galley and Feiwel and Friends for allowing me to review the ARC of Perfect Girl. It was a fun read!

#NetGalley #PerfectGirl #FeiwelandFriends

Perfect Girl is an engrossing page turner. It's Psycho meets Misery for the modern era. The characters were relatable and realistic and as a woman, the book made me question "When is it okay to put politeness aside for safety?"

At times, I felt that the main character, Jessa, was a little repetitive. However, she was still likable and I definitely still rooted for her. The cast of characters were diverse without their diversity being the focus of the book.

I would recommend this for any fan of YA Thrillers or just looking for a fun and quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book!

Perfect Girl by Tracy Banghart is a YA novel that chronicles one seriously bad night amongst a self labelled "perfect girl" and her friends, as a major storm disrupts the power at her house and leads to a conclusion where this supposedly perfect young woman must break all the rules she's always followed in order to save her friends.

I suppose that I'll start with the good - it was a very fast read. And it was nice to have a main character who needed glasses to function.

Now to the bad. There was so much that this book failed to deliver on. The pointless flashbacks that discussed a character with NO connection whatsoever to our main group. The over the top, hyper-extreme, helicopter mother who conveniently was a nurse and therefore able to administer a correct dosage of drugs to just knock our main characters out (never mind that the drugs she used in quick succession were similar to what killed Michael Jackson). The incel antagonist, who ticks off every stereotypical attribute that a basement dwelling, chronically online, neckbeard should have. The abusive boyfriend who threatens the group, but then never shows back up again, despite the dropped threats that he might. The contacts that the MC doesn't like to wear, another Chekov's gun that is mentioned, but never utilized.

But the MOST egregious fault that immediately took me out of the story is the inclusion of a supernatural element that conveniently saves the day for the main characters. Like, it was a cutesy element early in the book, that was treated as more of a joke than something rooted in reality. Only for said supernatural element to be RELATED to the antagonists, and having a grudge to settle with them which led to their ends, but also led to a lessened destruction of the house. From what was described on the page, NO ONE should have survived the final confrontation, but thanks to the supernatural, all the good guys were okay beyond minor scrapes and wounds (even the gunshot wound and subsequent removal of the bullet is treated as not that big a deal) and the bad guys were dead and wounded. The level of suspension of disbelief necessary to swallow this ending beggars belief, and ruined the entire story for me.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I really enjoyed this YA mystery/thriller. It was unputdownable and full of suspense! The author did a great job in keeping me engaged throughout the entire story. It kept me on my toes 90% of the time!

I really did not suspect a thing! I thought I was headed in the right direction trying to guess who the culprit was, but I got a pleasant surprise! My teen daughter would LOVE this novel! I know I did!

I will be reading more of this author. It is a 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read for me! I truly enjoyed every minute of it and can't wait to read more of her books! I usually read books before having my teens read them, just to make sure they are safe to read. This is one of them! I will be purchasing this book for my teen daughter who enjoys reading as much as I do. 😊

I want to thank Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group of the complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review.

To be published November 19, 2024.

Jessa Morgan has always been the perfect girl: nice, polite, a rule-follower. But one night during a sleepover as her house with some of her friends, a storm comes. The power goes out and scary things start to happen, and it only gets worse from there.

This was a good YA thriller mystery. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I recommend this book if you love a good YA thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start off by saying I really shouldn't have read this being home alone and in the middle of the night. I had the heebie-jeebies the entire time. Best believe my one potty break in between, I ran down the dark hall to my bathroom and back. 🤣🤷‍♀️

With that being said, I'm a wuss when it comes to suspenseful stuff that happens at night time. So maybe you won't have to run the marathon of your life down a dark hallway like I did out of sheer fear... but you might. This book was truly gripping, I started it at like 11pm and finished it before 4 am. Granted, I did regret reading it at those hours as it's now 4am, and I refuse to turn the light off or sleep. Either way, brilliantly written. There were so many suspenseful moments and so many twists. I truly enjoyed this one! Kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time (more like huddled in my bed with blankets, refusing to allow my foot to slip over the side of the bed, but same thing 🤷‍♀️). It was a great read, but I would suggest maybe reading it during the daytime promptly followed by a cute Pixar movie afterward so you can sleep restfully, lol

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions (and partially from fear) after fully reading this review. Don't judge me 🤣

I really enjoyed this YA thriller. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from the very beginning.

I enjoyed the plot. Jessa, the perfect girl. She does no wrong. It was great to see such character growth among all of the characters throughout the story! It was also great to read about girls that aren’t all terrible friends. Alexis and Kellan are very supportive of Jessa, which was refreshing.

I really enjoyed this unique thriller and recommend it to anyone who wants a fast paced read.

The use of language in this book was absolutely captivating. The characters were well distinguished and I found the actions and thoughts of the main character to be believable considering the situation she was in. This book is in my top five for the year and was definitely a 5 star read for me.

♡𝐞𝐀𝐫𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰♡
3.5 🌟
-
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 :
•middle school | young teen
•triller | suspense
-
Perfect Girl is an interesting mix of different characters, coming of age with a dash of triller and suspense, for the middle age | young teens readers. This was a quick, easy read 📚. Would be a good book to read around spooky season.
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 Nov.19
-
Thank you, Netgalley, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the (eArc)-eBook for my honest review.

"Perfect Girl delves into the dark and thrilling realm of YA fiction with a gripping narrative that keeps you on edge. Jessa, navigating complex family dynamics and societal pressures, finds herself embroiled in a night of unexpected terror during a fateful sleepover. The storyline deftly weaves together elements of suspense and teenage drama, touching on relevant issues like social media scrutiny and familial expectations. While the pacing is brisk and engaging, I wished for a deeper exploration of some themes. The relationships, particularly Jessa's evolving connection with her brother’s best friend, add layers of tension and intrigue. Overall, Perfect Girl is a perfect blend of suspense and coming-of-age themes, making it a compelling read for both YA fans and those dipping into the genre."

I will definitely be recommending this book to younger teens who are curious about horror once it comes out in the fall! I thought the characters were all going through very real problems that the teens can relate to (i.e. racism, pressure to be perfect, overbearing parents, complicated sibling relationships, unhealthy romantic relationships). I think the book was maybe a tad short to get into all of these issues equally and completely, but the pacing was very quick and engaging. I anticipate that my library will buy a copy or two in the fall. I loved the cover and the Psycho-ish relationship of the antagonists. I think the friend who has gone viral online due to her mother's social media is a really interesting character as that is something that can happen to children today, with or without their consent. Overall, this book was a very fun read and will be great for the summer/autumn!

I had no idea what to expect going in as when I got approved for this arc, but what I ended up getting was a fast-paced thriller with an enthralling plot. Imagine you catch an episode of Criminal Minds mixed with loose elements of 1960’s Psycho- that’s what it felt like while reading this. Yet let me make it clear, that even with its heavier themes, this VERY much reads as a YA.
Though despite the main premise of the story, this did include a sub-plot for romance between the main character and brother’s best friend that I absolutely loved! The scenes including them were done marvelously and added so much tension to the already adrenaline packed atmosphere.
That being said, I do find the grand reveal to be very predictable. And with some elements in the story, I wish certain aspects were explained in more depth with more questions as to “how” & “why” some things came to be.
All in all, I do recommend this book to anyone who has a love for suspenseful storytelling. Or maybe looking for a refresher in-between other series! I give it a 3.5, rounded to a 4!

3.5 rounded up for this fast, plot and character driven YA thriller. It’s easy to see this one as a movie. Jessa and her family live on the outskirts of town in what some consider a creepy house (hi Betty!). When her parents are out for the night, Jessa has a sleepover that gets derailed on many levels - a big storm, uninvited guests, and more. The atmosphere is perfect for a spooky season read. The best part was watching Jessa come into her own and find her voice. Her characterization as a “perfect” people pleaser that’s getting a little fed up with keeping everyone happy is spot on.

The teens acted like teens, not adults in their early twenties and it didn’t go too far over the top with the action. Reminded me of a stepped up version of the good old original Fear Street series. There is minimal language and overall I would say this works for upper middle grades as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

Perfect Girl is a fun read! For a YA thriller it has the excitement to keep you reading. It was good I think it’s just important to remember that is it YA when deciding to read it.

Wow, that was a decent read for a YA thriller. It was definitely a very fast read having done so in one sitting!

The opinions expressed are honest and my own but I am thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this title.

This is definitely a YA book beyond the teen characters. I could visualize it the entire way through like a teen suspense flick. I enjoyed that the teens acted like teens. While there were suspenseful and sick (psychologically) moments it didn’t go overboard and was kept fairly clean.

It was a great read to break up a bunch of romance that I’ve read recently. So if you are a YA loving adult, while this one is on the younger part of the genre spectrum it was very entertaining and brought me back to memories of high school.

If you like suspense thrillers, put this in your TBR for November 19, 2024. I wish it was published the month before as it would have made a great Halloween release.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Jessa is exactly the kind of girl that I was so I could really relate to that part of the story. I read this book in one sitting because I kept turning the pages with out regards to the late hour. It is a great mystery and a tale of friendship and siblings.