To Be Perfectly Honest
by Jess Vallance
Interest age: 13 to 16
Reading age: 10+
Published by Hot Key Books, 2019
About this book
Fed up with family and friends keeping secrets, Gracie decides she’s had enough of lies and takes a pledge of total honesty for 50 days, whatever the circumstances.
At first, she sees only positive outcomes; her uncle seems genuinely relieved that he no longer has to seek out bizarre bee-related gifts for her, and admitting at a job interview that she’s only in it for the money doesn’t stop her being hired. But will her new girlfriend be impressed when she is totally honest about their fledgling relationship? And can she repair the damage done by some painfully truthful remarks about a fellow student?
A realistic depiction of the tightrope most of us walk between absolute honesty and telling a few white lies to save face or spare other people’s feelings. The scrapes Gracie gets herself into are both familiar and very funny, making this an ideal book for teens and young adults looking for a lighthearted, yet worthwhile, read.
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