cracked up to be

Author: Courtney Summers (214pg)

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Favorite Character: Parker-She's the main character with a major attitude; living proof that even the "it" girl has problems.

Summary: When "Perfect" Parker Fadley starts drinking at school and failing her classes, all of St. Peter's High goes on alert. How has the cheerleading captain, girlfriend of the most popular guy in school, consummate teacher's pet, and future valedictorian fallen so far from grace?

Parker doesn't want to talk about it. She'd just like to be left alone, to disappear, to be ignored. But her parents have placed her on suicide watch and her counselors are demanding the truth. Worse, there's a nice guy falling in love with her and he's making her feel things again when she'd really rather not be feeling anything at all.

Nobody would have guessed she'd turn out like this. But nobody knows the truth.

Something terrible has happened, and it just might be her fault.

Review: I was really excited to read this! The storyline was interesting and didn't slow down too much. Scenes were described wonderfully in order to set the mood and fit the plot. Some parts were a bit repetitive when flashing back to Parker's memories and I thought them to be a little unnecessary. Parker's dilemma and thoughts are described well and it lets you in on Parker's motives and mind. The "nice guy" she meets is really awesome. He isn't exactly perfect, but instead he's human and relatable to! Yey!

I think the author is a bit mistaken or she may have wanted to increase the gravity of the situation, but there was a lot more cussing than you would hear in a typical high school-much less in a Catholic one. Overall, it was an awesome book on a very serious subject. Parker feels guilt for something she didn't do which she thinks that as the perfectionist she was she should have done. What makes this book amazing is that some people do face those issues and they need help to organize themselves and accept that life happens. Not everyone is perfect, but anyone can be a good friend.

Rating: 4/5

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