Perfect Girl
PERFECT FOR HALLOWEEN... AN EDGE-OF-YOUR-SEAT THRILLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF GRACE AND FURY
" A riveting thriller packed with so many chills and swoon-worthy moments, readers will be tearing through the pages." ―Natalie C. Parker, award winning author of the Seafire Series
"A chilling cat-and-mouse game." ―April Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Girl, Stolen and Stay Dead
Jessa has been raised to be the “perfect girl.” She is unfailingly polite, never rocks the boat, and always follows the rules—no matter what. Her friends love to give her a hard time for being such a goody two-shoes, but Jessa likes it this way. She knows what's expected of her, and she's happy to be the person her parents (and society) want.
When a freak storm takes out the power during a sleepover at Jessa’s creepy, old house, things go south before the pizza gets cold. Her friends are at each other’s throats, unexpected guests keep showing up (some more welcome than others), and it’s not just her brother serving up jump scares. A killer looking for the perfect girl has targeted Jessa, and she’ll have to reject everything she’s been taught if she wants to keep herself—and her friends—alive until sunrise.
Who knew perfection could be so dangerous?
“Banghart mischievously upends all the sleepover-and-pizza conventions to create a twisty tale of love and desire gone foul. A darkly jubilant, unbound, addictive read.” ―Derek Milman, author of A Darker Mischief and Swipe Right for Murder
"Deliciously smart, suspenseful, and chilling. Perfect Girl is almost too good." ―Anica Mrose Rissi, author of Nobody Knows But You
"Perfect for a stormy night!” Diana Rodriguez Wallach, author of Small Town Monsters and Hatchet Girls
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Community Reviews
This is the kind of story that starts off as a fun sleepover with mild jump scares and ends up, well… off the rails.
Let’s start with our main character, Jessa, who’s got that “perfect girl” vibe drilled into her by society and helicopter parenting. She’s unfailingly polite, always listens, and never rocks the boat—except, of course, when things inevitably go sideways, and she’s forced to get her hands a little dirty. Her friends? Pretty much every personality trope in the book (and not in a good way). There’s the snarky one, the skeptic, the drama queen—all standard fare, each more frustrating than the last as they start making questionable decisions one after another.
But hey, that’s nothing compared to the story’s grand finale. No spoilers, but let’s just say, things get extra supernatural. At first, this little paranormal bit shows up as a cute joke—a wink from the author like, "Haha, wouldn’t it be wild if that little thing actually did something useful?" But then it goes from quirky sidekick to a full-on deus ex machina, swooping in to save the day. The twist here? This supernatural bit somehow has ties to the antagonists, and, out of nowhere, it’s got a grudge to settle. Seriously? I mean, sure, fiction requires suspension of disbelief, but this ending felt like I’d suddenly switched to watching a Scooby Doo cartoon.
In the end, Perfect Girl had potential, but it ultimately felt like a mismatched jigsaw puzzle, with characters and plotlines forced to fit into a story that tried to be too many things at once. If you’re in the mood for a twisty thriller with some mild scares, maybe skip this one unless you’re okay with scratching your head in disbelief by the end.
Let’s start with our main character, Jessa, who’s got that “perfect girl” vibe drilled into her by society and helicopter parenting. She’s unfailingly polite, always listens, and never rocks the boat—except, of course, when things inevitably go sideways, and she’s forced to get her hands a little dirty. Her friends? Pretty much every personality trope in the book (and not in a good way). There’s the snarky one, the skeptic, the drama queen—all standard fare, each more frustrating than the last as they start making questionable decisions one after another.
But hey, that’s nothing compared to the story’s grand finale. No spoilers, but let’s just say, things get extra supernatural. At first, this little paranormal bit shows up as a cute joke—a wink from the author like, "Haha, wouldn’t it be wild if that little thing actually did something useful?" But then it goes from quirky sidekick to a full-on deus ex machina, swooping in to save the day. The twist here? This supernatural bit somehow has ties to the antagonists, and, out of nowhere, it’s got a grudge to settle. Seriously? I mean, sure, fiction requires suspension of disbelief, but this ending felt like I’d suddenly switched to watching a Scooby Doo cartoon.
In the end, Perfect Girl had potential, but it ultimately felt like a mismatched jigsaw puzzle, with characters and plotlines forced to fit into a story that tried to be too many things at once. If you’re in the mood for a twisty thriller with some mild scares, maybe skip this one unless you’re okay with scratching your head in disbelief by the end.
"The Perfect Girl" by Tracy Banghart is a gripping read that keeps you on the edge of your seat in the last few chapters. While I wouldn’t classify it as a horror story, it certainly contains thrilling elements that create a suspenseful atmosphere. The plot is well-structured, though I noticed a few issues that could improve clarity. The story is narrated by Jessa, an unreliable narrator, whose seemingly perfect life is put to the test. Throughout the story, you'll find yourself questioning her perspective. Overall, I enjoyed the unique narrative and found it to be a decent story. I would give it a solid 3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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