Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

Cracked Up to Be

by Courtney Summers

The high price of perfection is one 'Perfect' Parker Fadley always believed she was willing to pay, until the devastating events at a party during junior year fractures the lives of her family and friends. A terrible thing has happened and only Parker knows it's her fault. If being a perfect daughter, student, friend and girlfriend couldn't keep her from making an unforgivable mistake, Parker hopes becoming a perfect mess will at least keep her loved ones from discovering the truth - until the arrival of a curious new student and the unexpected return of an old enemy threaten her tenuous grip on control. Parker will do anything to keep her secret from surfacing . . . but this time the cost might be more than she can afford.

The book featuring the unforgettable character that started it all, now with a new foreword from the author.

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

5 of 5 stars

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Parker was practically perfect in every way. Straight As, top of her class, cheer captain, and dating the most popular boy in school - she appeared to have it all. But, that was before the party, before what happened.

I put this book on my TBR, because I was so impressed with Sadie, and vowed to read Summers' backlist. Not only did I like this book, I LOVED this book.

Summers wrote a foreword about how Parker was this unlikable character, but I didn't find her unlikable. Yes, she did many things I did not like, but it was easy to see that this was a young woman having some sort of crisis. She was intentionally alienating any and all people, who cared for her, and she was sabotaging herself, left and right. The whole time I kept wondering WHY? Why was she pushing people away? Why did she break up with a boy, who obviously still loved her? Why wouldn't she let herself enjoy anything? Why was she setting fire to her life?

Well, that answer was slowly revealed to me, and it was heartbreaking. I knew she was dealing with an immense amount of guilt about what transpired, because I did get to spend time in her head. That time was well used by Summers, because it was one of the main reasons why I didn't hate Parker. Those glimpses into her thoughts showed me that she still wanted to live and succeed, and she still cared about things, even if her outward actions didn't reflect those desires. I also saw flashes of her good nature and humor, and though brief, they made me care for her.

I also ached for Parker. Her pain was palpable, and it was easy to see through the mask of indifference she wore. But, she was fortunate to be surrounded by some people, who didn't give up on her. The most surprising of her supporters was her ex-boyfriend, Chris, who she had abruptly broken up with. She pushed him away, time and time again, and he kept coming back for more. Even when she sent another girl to fill the void she left in his life, he still was there for her. I found their relationship odd, but comforting.

I lost myself in Parker's problems, and was fully invested in her working through them. This book was emotional, but had many beautiful and even lighthearted moments, and I was glad that it ended on a hopeful note. I enjoyed these characters so much, and would love a follow up with them. It would be a treat to see how things worked out for Parker, but until then, I can rest easy with the ending Summers gave her.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 4 February, 2020: Finished reading
  • 4 February, 2020: Reviewed