Review: Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

Title: Cracked Up to Be
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub. Date: December 23, 2008
Length: 214 Pages
Summary (from goodreads):

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

My Thoughts: Courtney Summers is an awesome writer. I've read every book by her and have loved each one in its own, individual way. However, I should admit that the first time I read Cracked Up to Be, I was smitten; however, the second time I was a bit disappointed- probably because I remembered it as this perfectly amazing, emotional read, and it just wasn't quite there. Yes, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it, I just felt the need to mention that I was somewhat disappointed with the novel.

So. I really liked Chris and Jake, the two main guy characters in the book. I loved Summers' writing, her story; there wasn't really anything that I didn't like, I just found the book to be missing something, something that kept it from being down-right amazing.

As I've said before, Courtney Summers is an awesomespice author who takes her characters and makes them come to life, an author who's books you must read.

Review: Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

Title: Fall For Anything

Author: Courtney Summers

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub. Date: December 21, 2010

Length: 230 pages

Summary (from goodreads):

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

My Thoughts:  I had pretty high expectations for Fall For Anything...and I was not disappointed at all! It is easily one of my favorite books; I could read it over and over again without getting bored. I love the cover. It is just striking.

Courtney Summers is probably my favorite author out there. She's been known as the 'Queen of Mean' for writing up compelling mean girls, but that's not what made me love Fall For Anything. No, in this story Eddie is not popular, she hasn't dated the most popular guy in school, and has never bullied. She is vulnerable and broken. 

"My hands are dying." The first sentence of the novel, the four words that stay with me through the whole book. Eddie has not felt alive since her father's suicide. She's a mess, and she wants answers. They even seem close enough to touch when she meets her father's student, Culler Evans. He understands Eddie and her obsession; but is he everything Eddie thinks he is?

 I love all the relationships in Fall for Anything. For example, Eddie's complicated friendship with Milo (and the confusion with Missy) had me completely curious with what would happen next. I also loved the relationships between Eddie and her mother, and Eddie with her father. I even found myself interested in the hate relationship between her and Beth. The characters and their actions felt so real, it made me love the novel even more.
Furthermore, I have to mention how beautiful Summers' writing is. With Fall for Anything, and all her other books, just the way the story is written makes me want to devour it. They are written in such a way that takes fictional feelings and makes them pulse through me. Fall for Anything is a book that takes a master to create. Courtney Summers is that master.

Rating:

5 Moons

Waiting On Wednesday: Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that features upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Fall For Anything

by Courtney Summers

Published by St. Matin's Griffin

Length: 224 pages

Release: December 21, 2010
From the author of Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are comes a gripping story about one girl’s search for clues into the mysterious death of her father. 

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Cullen seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

I absolutely loved Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers, and ohmygoodness, I think this one may just be better than that. All I can say is... Wow. And only 2 more weeks! 

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Title: Some Girl Are

Author: Courtney Summers

Publisher: St. Matin's Press

Pub. Date: January 2010

Pages: 256

Summary (from bn.com):

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around. Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but this book was almost too vicious for me. I know that Courtney Summers is the 'Queen Of Mean', but this story just didn't have that spark that makes it special. Some things the girls did just didn't make sense; I didn't understand why they did it. However, there's a girl at my school who is exactly like the ones portrayed in Some Girl Are, so I understand why the characters were made the way they were; I just expected some explanation to why they did those things. There wasn't, but it didn't ruin the book for me. Some Girls Are told the classic, mean-popular-girl-turns-into-loser-girl story, but was written beautifully and had perfect descriptions.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, to most people, but not to everyone.

♥SarahLydia

(Book Trailer) Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

 I am absolutely in love with the cover of Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers (coming out December 21); and the trailer is AMAZING. Seriously, you have to watch it, its the best book trailer ever.

♥SarahLydia