I've never read an Ellen Hopkins book before, quite honestly mostly because I imagined a novel in verse to be overly poetic, overly flowery, and overly descriptive. 
 Clearly I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up PERFECT. 
 First things first -- PERFECT is actually the companion novel to IMPULSE, a fact that I did not realize when I chose this novel as my first encounter with Ellen Hopkins. Now, quite honestly, PERFECT worked perfectly well as a stand-alone novel; however, I definitely think a reader would benefit far more from actually reading IMPULSE first, mostly because the two novels seem to happen simultaneously and have a cross-over of characters. And, if you plan on actually reading IMPULSE at some point, and want to be surprised about the outcomes of certain trouble characters, definitely don't start with PERFECT -- it will give everything away. 
 Now, beginning (as always) with plot. PERFECT is, most notably, an exploration of the impacts of societal pressure on four teens, each struggling against outside standards of perfection that none can ever seem to meet. Cara, a straight-A student on track for acceptance into Stanford, explores her sexuality in ways that she fears would disappoint her family and friends. Kendra, an aspiring runway model, fears she may be obsessed with thoughts of plastic surgery and self-starvation in her quest towards the perfect body. Sean, a high-school athlete seeking a college scholarship for his sports accomplishment, abuses steroids to maintain optimal performance. And Andre, groomed to be the next corporate mogul, secretly takes dance lessons and hides his artistic aspirations from both his parents and his new girlfriend. 
 PERFECT alternates perspectives from each of the four teens, cycling between short, emotional verses that outline the inner turmoil of each teen to longer, narrative stanzas that focus primarily on the plot of the novel. Far from being overly flowery or overly descriptive, Hopkins' writing style beautifully presents a story without focusing on the heavy, unnecessary details that often overtake this type of work. Each page somehow feels meaningful, but the reader is able to zip through the pages fairly quickly without feeling bogged down or bored in the least. 
 As a twenty-something reader, I found PERFECT to be an exciting alteration from the YA fiction I've encountered lately, although I would be hesitant to recommend this to younger teen readers due to the sexual themes and weighty topics explored in the work. I definitely can't wait to go back and check out not only IMPULSE but also the other books in Hopkins' line of work (including her latest, the adult novel "TRIANGLES"). 
 If I were to ever write a novel myself, I'd really want it to be something like this one. And, don't forget to check out the author's note at the end of the story -- especially if you're a teenager yourself.