Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

Published: December 23rd 2008

Pages: 214
Format: Paperback (New)
Stars: ★ ★ ★ ★


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 conselors 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 horrible has happened, and it just might be her fault.


This book was one of the books that are really hard to rate and review. I've heard really good things about Courtney Summers in other book reviews so I decided to pick up Cracked up To Be at Barnes and Noble. It was my first Summers book and I enjoyed it for the most part. However, I kind of hated the main character Parker. Now how can I enjoy a book but hate the main character at the same time? Honestly, I don't know. Like I said, this book I had really mixed feelings about but I still felt it deserved a decent rating. I guess mainly because I felt like you could NOT love Parker and that you weren't suppose to.

Anyway, I thought the plot was touching and I liked all of the other characters. Some parts were slow but still kept my attention for the two days it took me to read this book. So overall, I would recommend checking out this book if you are interested but I wouldn't expect anything amazing. I do plan on trying to read one of her other books later down the line though.