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Sad Perfect: A Novel

Not all picky eating is harmless. Not all eating disorders look the same.
Sixteen-year-old Pea knows there has always been something wrong with the way she eats--textures, smells, and even the sight of some foods are frightening. When she's finally diagnosed with a little-known eating disorder called Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), her "picky eating" starts to make sense. Pea has always felt alienated, anxious, and depressed, and with her diagnosis, she is hopeful that she'll get the treatment she needs to get better.
 

Thanks to therapy, her loving yet dysfunctional family, and the support of her sweet and caring new boyfriend, Ben, Pea finally feels like she's in control for the first time in her life. But when she decides to go off her antidepressants, things start to spiral out of control. It will take inner strength and the support from her loved ones to get the help she needs to begin to challenge her eating disorder.

Sad Perfect is the haunting debut novel from Stephanie Elliot.
A Margaret Ferguson
Book Praise for Sad Perfect:
"Elliot's novel helps to fill a gap within teen narratives about disordered eating." ―Kirkus Review
"A well-written page-turner whose sensitive topic is covered with finesse and grace. This novel would be a worthy addition to a high school library collection." ―School Library Journal
"Diversity in young adult books is finally on the rise, and Sad Perfect fits the bill. It takes an honest look at an eating disorder and mental health issues faced by some teens. Sad Perfect is recommended for libraries serving middle school age and up, where it will appeal to fans of realistic fiction about difficult topics." ―VOYA
"Written in the second-person, Sad Perfect is the spare, hauntingly told story of a teenage girl and the eating disorder that threatens to consume her. You'll be riveted by her story, and by Elliot's careful observations of social media, the healthcare system, and parental neglect. Girls, and boys, will be reading this elegant and sad book for years to come." ―Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times-bestselling author of Girl in Pieces
"A raw and visceral exploration of a unique eating disorder. Told in the second person, Sad Perfect is a masterfully crafted novel about the struggle for self-love and the healing power of self-acceptance." ―Shannon M. Parker, author of The Girl Who Fell