This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 Stealing Parker is a complicated book - and that's putting things lightly. But it is because of those complications that the novel can explore a variety of themes, and the characters can experience a lot growth and self discovery. 
 Parker's life has been a bit of a mess ever since her Mom came out of the closet. It's not that Parker is against homosexuality. She's pretty sure her best friend is gay. What affects her more is the way the rest of her community began to treat her after they found out about her Mom. Girls who were once her friends began to tease her, members of her congregation shun her family, and her and her father and brother are left to deal with it alone. I can't even imagine how difficult their situation would have been. I never felt any ill will towards Parker's mother - she needed to be honest about herself - but you also really feel for Parker. Most YA books (that I've read) which feature LGBTQ parents, generally show a positive relationships between parent and child. It was interesting to see how Parker struggles with the fallout of her Mom's sexual orientation and the reactions of a small town community. 
 On the heterosexual side of things, I also really appreciated how honest this story was when it came to Parker's relationships. She got herself into some really unhealthy situations. I think it's safe to say she was definitely taken advantage of at certain points but I also think it's safe to say she made a lot of poor, reckless choices. But that wasn't it for Parker. She also has some really healthy well adjusted relationships and I think that was more realistic. Parker wasn't a bad person, she wasn't a broken person. She was just a girl trying to figure things out. And that led her down both positive and negative paths. I think we've all be there. 
 I could go on and on exploring the complexities of all of Parker's relationships but I think that would be redundant. Let's just say that Stealing Parker is an excellent and thoughtful contemporary read about exploring your own values, needs and limits. This was my first Miranda Kenneally book but it won't be my last. 
 Recommendation: Stealing Parker is a gripping, authentic story. A must read for YA contemporary fans and those interested in books with realistic parent-child relationships.