Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

Parker Fadley used to be perfect: Captain of the cheerleading squad, perfect boyfriend, and great grades. But that was back before last year when something so awful, so unspeakable happened, that she withdrew from everything and everyone around here. Now all people see is a deeply sarcastic, obstinate girl. But they don't know why—they don't realize that Parker is the way she is now because everything that happened is all her fault.

There is something about Parker Fadley that makes her impossible to resist. Despite her indifferent, caustic attitude about things both insignificant and significant, you can't help being drawn to her, her pain, and her secret. The novel is stuffed with sarcastic wit that will have you laughing one minute, and catch you off guard the next. Summers slowly unravels the mystery of the cause of Parker's pain through skillfully placed flashbacks throughout the novel, while at the same time forcing her to confront her feelings slowly, through her parents, the boy she likes, her ex boyfriend, and even her dog, in a realistic and affecting manner. Cracked Up to Be is just as unassuming and as straightforward as its protagonist, and refuses to sugarcoat anything, making this book a breath of fresh air for many teens. Courtney Summers is an author to watch.

Cover Comments: I do like this cover--the dark green really stands out, and I like how the model is positioned. I know a lot of you guys out there really hate the headless cover trend (I don't mind it), but it's fitting for this book. I also love the font used--so cool!