Suzanne H. reviewed on 9/18/2013 + 23 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

Cracked Up to Be, by Courtney Summers, is a book about a girl named Parker, who has dropped from the popular ranks among high school students to become a self-made outcast. Or at least, she wants to be. She works hard to keep people from liking her by pushing them away, drinking too much, and failing her classes. But why the change? Although it looks like a lightweight teen romance, Cracked Up to Be is anything but, dealing with serious subjects such as rape, kidnapping, drinking, and suicide. I found it to be an easy read, despite the heavy subjects, and one I was unable to put down until I finished. Summers deals with these difficult subjects well; the writing isn't stiff, stupid or preachy. The characters are developed well enough (for this type of book) and the dialog is realistic. The ending is realistic and satisfying, even though things are left up in the air a bit. I recommend this book only to older teens (or young adults) due to the heavy subject matter and strong language.

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