Absolutely wonderful look into the trans experience within a theatre program in high school! So charming and exciting to watch Dean come out of his shell!

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Trigger warnings: transphobia, dead naming, forced outing, mention of suicide & dysmorphia

I would like to emphasise that I am not an own voices reviewer and I definitely recommending reading the thoughts of those that are.

I really loved this book and the discussion of Dean, a trans boy wanting to come out to his family and friends. One thing I absolutely adored in this book was the found family between Dean and his friend Ronnie. Their friendship made my heart swoon and it was such an incredible example of being an amazing, supportive friend.

Ray Stoeve's writing style was so fast paced and so lovely to read. I was never bored and ended up flying through the story all whilst taking in every aspect. I will definitely be picking up more from them in the future!

One aspect that I didn't like, was the introduction and finalisation of the book. As a whole I thought the story ended very satisfyingly, however the ending seemed fairly rushed for no reason. In terms of the beginning, so many characters were being introduced in a very short span of time and it made it a little difficult to remember exactly who everybody was.

However, this book was a very informative read and was so important for myself and many others to learn and hear what trans people go though. I will be reading own voices reviews in order to see how the rep was for them.

- I am not an own voices reviewer -

Thank you to Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids for sending me an eArc of this book to review.

Between Perfect and Real is about Dean who knows he is trans but everyone in his high school believe he is a lesbian. So when he gets cast as Romeo in his school play he is unsure on how to play the role, as himself or the way people expect him too.

TW/ Transphobia, Dysphoria, deadnaming (name not mentioned), being outted, mention of sucide (not graphic)

What I Enjoyed//
- I really enjoyed this book and I thought it was written really well.
- I loved the relationships Dean created as his chosen family, especially Ronnie. I thought he was a great character.
- I loved the character arc of Dean from where he started to where he ended up
- It was not only a really fun and enjoyable read but for me, not being own voices, thought it was very educational and I learnt a lot and it allowed a deeper insight into the trans community and what they have to face day to day. Maybe some of the things could have been incorporated into the story better but as I didn't know too much, I found this a great book to learn more.

What I Didn't Love//
- I thought the ending was very abrupt. I wanted just a little more
- It took me about the first 30 pages to wrap my head around all the characters. Dean has a lot of friends and there are a lot of side characters involved in this book from the get go.

Overall I throughly enjoyed this book and think it will be a great resource for younger readers.

This book is going to be so important for so many people. We follow Dean in high school when he discovers and realizes he is a trans guy. Dean has a girlfriend and several close friends who all think Dean is a lesbian. Dean has been cast as Romeo in the school's play and begins attending a transgender/non-binary support group. Reading a trans support group is going to be so influential and necessary for the queer community - representation is important and trans coming out stories will help so many youth feel seen and understood!

This book just felt really authentic. You could tell that Stoeve really cared about Dean and about presenting LGBTQ+ teens in a thoughtful, realistic way, and that they probably put a lot of themself into this story.. It was definitely clear that this was a debut novel - some plot-lines felt rushed, some character traits and relationships felt like they needed more depth and exploration, but overall I enjoyed the book.

Positive trans rep is important, and Ray Stoeve's #ownvoices BETWEEN PERFECT AND REAL does an excellent job of showcasing a diverse cast of characters in a natural, REAL way. Dean is such a relatable character anyone from any background can see themselves in and root for. BETWEEN PERFECT AND REAL tackles the trouble of a "double coming out" (Dean initially came out to his parents as a cis lesbian, but later realized he was trans) and though that's not something I've ever dealt with personally, I felt his pain deeply.

Ray Stoeve is a wonderful writer and I can't wait to see what they come up with next.

Such a precious story!
Lots of representation and lines/quotes I loved. The amount of times I wanted to give Dean a hug is ridiculous. I loved following his journey.
My only negative is that it felt a little rushed.

Overall a quick and important read, I’d highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and were realistic, I could see them as a real people and not just characters written on a page. I loved the use of Romeo and Juliet and how it allowed Dean to explore his identity, especially how Stoeve highlighted that R&J is not just a tragic love story but a play about finding yourself and making the right choices for you despite the consequences.

I really appreciated the inclusion of the support group that Dean attends, I find it really interesting to read multiple perspectives on topics such as gender and sexuality. It was interesting to read the different family dynamics and the different reactions that people had to characters such as Dean, Jade, Nina and Ronnie, due to their sexuality, identity or race.

This book was really enlightening and I really enjoyed reading it. It was a really quick read however this did not diminish it's impact.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I am confident that it will mean a whole lot to many young trans readers.

Dean definitely experiences transphobia at many points in the story, but the message of the book itself is full of trans positivity. One of Dean’s closest friends, Ronnie, is a really great ally and a few of his scenes with Dean were super heartwarming and made me smile so much. The trans support group Dean goes to was also one of my favourite aspects of the book - it was really nice to see the author include a variety of other trans characters in addition to the MC, and I loved the sort of found family dynamic that ends up forming between Dean and some of the people he meets there. The use of Dean’s school play as a way for him to explore gender was also really cool to read about, and probably an experience that some readers might resonate with.

I think I would’ve preferred the book to end a bit less abruptly, but that really is more of a personal preference than anything. Apart from that though, the writing was pretty good and I became invested in the story super quickly.

Overall I would definitely recommend this book & I’m really hyped for it to come out in April!

An honest and beautiful look at a trans high schooler and the love and compassion surrounding them. The characters were totally believable, and I appreciated that, in many ways, the story does the classic YAL thing of showing the life of teenagers engaged in real-world activities (in this case drama) where they learn to be true to themselves and their various identities. This story also shows the heroics of teachers who care deeply for students beyond the curriculum, and the power of friendship. What is most important, is this story featuring an LGBTQ protagonist doesn’t have a flat character where they only have one aspect of their identity. The characters are complex and grow throughout the story.

Thank you to netgalley and ABRAMS Kids for the e-arc.

This has such a consumable writing style, it was so easy to turn the page and be invested in this snapshot of Dean's life.

I enjoyed how this novel handled the nuance of these characters, from Dean himself to his friends, girlfriend, and side characters. Dean navigates his coming out with a lot of ups and downs. And starts to figure himself out in the midst of both supportive, unsupportive, and confused people. Paralleling this journey alongside his role as Romeo was well done.

I enjoyed that the main coded "popular girl" wasn't another mean girl, but someone with depth and kindness.

I enjoyed Dean's friendships, and how the author developed his relationship with his girlfriend throughout. I also enjoyed that Dean sought out other trans voices, and trans people, and that he wasn't the only trans character in this novel.

This novel had a lot of important conversations and I could see how this could potentially resonate and help trans kids/teenagers on a similar journey to Dean (though I can't speak to this personally).

A moving and marvelous novel of a (closeted) trans boy cast as Romeo in the school play. The novel also features a wonderful supporting cast of (mostly queer) friends.

I really liked the LGBTQ inclusion in “Between Perfect and Real” because of Dean, a transgender character. I thought it was really fascinating how he interacted with his peers and grew to accept his identity, especially with the help of his role as Romeo in the play. The only thing I disliked was that the book was slow-paced for me, so I would have preferred for the story to unfold faster. Nonetheless, I definitely recommend this book!

Between Perfect and Real is the story of Dean Foster, who knows he's trans, but who isn't sure how to explain it to the people in his life. He thought he would wait until college to come out, but when the opportunity arises to play Romeo in his school musical, he realizes he wants everyone to know the real him, he wants them to use his pronouns, he wants to be him, truthfully and openly.

I really enjoyed this story and how it was focused on Dean and his story more than a romance or anything else. I loved his friendship with Ronnie and how powerful and incredible that relationship was, how much it meant to Dean and how easily and readily Ronnie accepted him and how he immediately began using the correct pronouns. I was more disappointed with Zoe and how she reacted, how she wasn't honest about what she thought about being with Dean as a boy.

The idea of coming out through theater is so wonderful to me (and I've recently read like three different books with this theme, so it's very much on my mind), and I just really love how theater can be this place where you can be whoever you want, how anyone can play any kind of character. This was a really powerful, amazing story, and I loved Dean to no end <3

Love, love, loved it.

So many YA books have unrealistic dialogue and just seen like the characters are actually adults but in high school. Not in this book at all. Everything about this book rings true and really feels like it is written about teens and for teens.

Reminiscent of Alex Gino's 'George' but for a slightly older audience, this book takes you through Dean's journey of realizing he is trans and coming out to his friends, family, and school. It is emotional, sad, and hopeful all at the same time. This should be in every school library.

This book is gorgeous. Dean is one of my favorite protagonists in a long time, and his relationship with his friends was delightful and surprising at times, heartbreaking at others, and it all felt very, very true to my experience growing up as a trans teenager with mostly cisgender friends.
My favorite moments had to do with Dean's complicated experiences as he came out. Before this, I don't think I've ever read a book that felt like an accurate depiction of what it's like to realize your gender, and can I just tell you? I felt like breaking down and crying reading it. Not just because of how hard Stoeve hits the nail on the head when it comes to dysphoria, anxieties around passing, hearing your correct pronouns, etc and etc--but because of how seen I felt for the first time ever. There are a few other books that I feel reflect my experiences as a trans person post-coming out, but never any that really dive into the pre-transition and early-transition feelings, which are confusing and heavy and weird and amazing and necessary. Stoeve really got at the heart of change and growth in this.
This isn't even touching on how, in every other aspect, this book is still gorgeous--the prose is clear and succinct and flowing, and the characters feel effortlessly real, and the pacing is smooth and somehow subtle.
Do yourself a favor and read this book!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Between Perfect and Real was an extraordinarily moving novel that I’m sure will stay with me long after finishing it. It is without a doubt the kind of book we need more of.

Heartbreaking, honest and hopeful, Between Perfect and Real tells the story of Dean, a seventeen year old trans boy living in Seattle. The book starts with Dean being cast as Romeo in his school’s production of Romeo and Juliet, and then follows him as he comes to terms with his own identity, comes out and more. I came to love Dean as a character, along with his friends – Ronnie and Jade especially – and I loved the element of found, or chosen, family that was prominent in this book.

Not gonna lie, I struggled immensely when deciding whether or not to give this book four or five stars. Despite everything good about this book, I felt it had two minor shortcomings. In my opinion, the ending felt ever so slightly rushed, and the romance between Dean and Zoe felt slightly underdeveloped, even though it seemed like it was intended to be one of the more major parts of the plot. Along with this, I felt that the side characters weren’t all as well developed as they could’ve been, which was a shame as there were many interesting characters alongside Dean.

All that being said, I’m sure this book will resonate with and mean a lot to many readers, and I for one enjoyed it immensely.

Content warnings: transphobia, homophobia, mentions of deadnaming (name not on page), unsafe binding with duct tape, misgendering, forced outing, suicide (mentioned).

When I heard that Between Perfect and Real by Ray Stoeve was a YA contemporary novel revolving around a trans guy coming out with the help of Romeo and Juliet, I was immediately sold. Overall, I think the novel delivers on its premise and will be so, so important for younger trans guys who are grappling with their identity.

Dean’s journey of grappling with his identity, his process of coming out, the struggles he faces in his relationships as he comes out, and the bullying he experiences are (in some cases unfortunately) real in a way that resonates with me as a trans reader. There is a lot of homophobia, transphobia, and bullying in this story that can be difficult to read at times, particularly as a queer trans person, but it’s an illuminating light on the types of challenges young trans kids can face. As a side note, while there is a focus on medical/physical transition in this novel and I’m a firm believer that medical transition isn’t necessary to define or validate your transness if you don’t want it for yourself, I think it’s incredibly important for those discussions to be had openly and frankly as they are in this novel. The more that gender affirming medical care is normalized, the more I hope that trans youth will be able to access it without the prejudice and obstacles they currently face.

One of my other favourite parts of this novel was the use of fiction (in this case, theater) as a vehicle for identity and gender exploration. Dean’s journey of claiming Romeo as his own with the support of some of his close friend was really heartwarming to read. Predictably, I loved the found family Dean ends up making for himself in the course of the novel, as it serves as a reminder that no matter who you are, you are valid and worthy of love and support. Characters are also allowed to make mistakes as they learn how to navigate coming out, both their own and that of someone they know, and I really appreciate that space being given.

I did have a few critiques. The ending of the novel felt incredibly rushed and unresolved, though I do tend to feel that way about a lot of YA endings so take it with a grain of salt. The romantic subplot felt underdeveloped to me, especially since I got the impression it was supposed to be a bigger source of conflict. I also wish the play itself had been more of a focus given the pitch. And, outside of Dean, many of the side characters felt a bit underdeveloped as well and I would have liked to see more of them.

In the end, Between Perfect and Real centered a believable and necessary journey of coming out as trans that reinforces the idea your personal identity can change and it’s no less valid if and when it does. Despite a few stumbling blocks in this debut, this will be such an important novel for many and I’m so glad it exists in the world.

Thank you to Amulet Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book is a book everyone needs to read. One of the biggest things I loved about this book was the diversity. Not only just with gender and sexualities but also with race. Between Perfect and Real is about a Trans boy named Dean who has officially come to the realization that he is in fact trans. This book tackles a lot of issues that trans people face with coming out. There are so many moments in this book that I kept thinking, ‘This is exactly how it felt.’
Now that you know a bit more about the book let’s talk about the characters. The characters were one element that was done very well in this book. I already stated how good the diversity is within the book. Each character has an intricate story that we get little snippets of that to help us to fall even more in love with them. No character within this story is perfect and that is amazing because in real life you aren’t going to just walk up on a group of perfect people. I mean if you do you should probably run in the other direction because something is up. I felt so close to these characters by the end of the book. It was amazing watching them change from the beginning to the end which they did.
Onto the plot. I have to admit at first I thought it moved a bit slowly, but that slowness did help us to get to know Dean’s everyday life, how his family was, how his friends were, what he did at school, how his school was. Therefore although the beginning is a bit slow it is worth sticking with because of how the book picks up. There are ups and downs through the story after the beginning and you’re always there on the edge of your seat thinking with Dean, hoping. Contemporary stories don’t usually get me this invested in characters but all the challenges Dean faced just kept me right there with him the whole time which I never really feel when reading other contemporaries.
This book is different from other books I’ve read with trans characters for many reasons. One of those is that I read a lot of fantasy where when we have a trans character we don’t usually focus much on their gender which isn’t bad, it just doesn’t really teach people much. You can tell just from the description that this book is about Dean’s gender, but it’s not just that. It shows you things and threats that trans people face for simply existing. If you’re part of the LGBTQIA+ community I can almost promise you that you will find yourself relating to at least one of the characters.
Between Perfect and Real is a must-read but especially for cis people and I say this because it gives a look into what it’s like being trans that people need to see. It shows all the fears and the dangers that we face simply for being ourselves and the author, they really help you to not only see but feel that as you read about Dean.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

All of Dean’s friends think he is a lesbian, but he knows the truth: he is a trans guy. When he is cast as Romeo in the school play, he feels pressure to come out...but what will his girlfriend say? This was a great YA read that will be so important to so many.