My Reaction in a Nutshell: 
 OMFG this book is so good. 
 The Long Version: 
 The opening paragraph: 
 "Imagine four years. 
 Four years, two suicides, one death, one rape, two pregnancies (one abortion), three overdoses, countless drunken antics, pantsing, spilled food, theft, fights, broken bones, turf wars--everyday a turf war--six months until graduation and no one gets a medal when they get out. But everything you do here counts. 
 High school. 
 Cracked Up to Be is probably my favorite Courtney Summers's book (I've also read Some Girls Are and All the Rage). This book, in typical Summers' fashion, depicts a girl who falls from grace. 
 Parker had it all: looks, grades, popularity. And then something happened. Parker starts getting drunk in school, failing her classes, isolating herself from her friends. 
 "I elbow my way through a mass of people to get to my locker because there's something immensely satisfying about the toughest part of my arm connecting with the softest part of everyone else." 
 Parker is the type of girl you usually hate in a book: she is mean, self-absorbed, and doesn't give two-shits about anyone else. But somehow that made me love her even more. 
 I loved this book. It was insanely fast-paced and I devoured it in one sitting. I really like Summers' writing style and her narrative flow. This book (similarly to All the Rage) is told interweaving the events of what happened at Chris' party junior year and present day. Throughout the course of the book, readers get to see more and more of what happened that night until the story comes full circle. This book constantly kept me guessing. 
 This book is an important one about anxiety, depression, OCD, friendship, support, and guilt. Even though Parker spends most of the book trying to push people away, her parents, guidance counselor, and former friends (and sort of enemy) won't give up on her. They put up with her lashing out and try and get her out of her depression. 
 Parker was someone I actually could relate to. Her anxiety and perfectionism are two things that I also have to deal with. And as horrible as it might sound, I don't know if I would act any different from her if I was placed in her position. I would like to think that I would, but I just don't know. 
 One of the reasons why I love this book so much is because of its ending. It really makes a person wonder what they would do, how they would react if placed in a similar situation. 
 I love how this book has romance, but it doesn't overwhelm the plot. Yes, it's there and important, but this isn't a romance book. There isn't pretty courting and fluffy hand holding. It's awkward and cruel and not pretty. (view spoiler)[Plus Jake wasn't the main person to help Parker heal emotionally. Chris and Becky (and even Evan) all played a large part in her healing. She isn't fully "healed" by the end, but she is able to admit her mistake. And it wasn't Jake who convinced her or guided her. It was her friends in general. (hide spoiler)] 
 I love how this book portrays mental illness. There really is no good way for me to say how well Summers portrayed this without giving MAJOR spoilers, so I'll refrain. But there is no romanticizing of mental illness (but also no shaming of it either). (view spoiler)[I liked how Parker slowly comes to notice her own OCD. From the perfectionism she had in kindergarten to color inside the lines to her very, very detailed lists to her snapping when nervous. It is a slow progression. In addition, Parker slowly comes to terms with her depression and goes from complete opposition to therapy in the beginning to consenting to it by the end (hide spoiler)] 
 I love how guilt is portrayed. MAJOR SPOILERS are hidden under the "spoilers" tab. Read at your own risk (tw: r). (view spoiler)[Chris feels guilty because the party was held at his house. Becky feels guilty because she didn't try to talk Jessie out of running away. Evan feels guilty because he cheated on Jessie which made her want to leave. Parker feels guilty because she saw Jessie get raped and dragged away and she didn't tell anyone. All of them were drunk. All of them bare some guilt in Jessie's disappearance (and eventual murder). Whether or not that guilt is justified is up to you. Each of them feels like Jessie's death is their fault. And each tries to cope with it. But it's only through each other that they can begin to heal and move on. (hide spoiler)] 
 I love how this book broke gender stereotypes: Yeah, this is a big spoiler so be warned (view spoiler)[ when Jake and Parker sneak away at the dance and go to the science lab, the two start making out and removing each other's clothes until Jake stops. He says "no." Granted Parker says something along the lines of "shouldn't guys want to have sex" (I can't find/remember the exact quote) but Jake decides that he isn't comfortable with what is about to happen. They stop, leave, and go back to the dance. I've never read a book where the guy asks to stop. (hide spoiler)] 
 I love how this book portrays friendship. Chris and Parker used to date. (view spoiler)[yeah Chris did that super shady thing where he wanted to kiss Parker and would let her copy his homework in return which totally wasn't cool or right and pissed me off (hide spoiler)] But he is still there for Parker as a support system. He invites her to hangout with Jake and Becky on multiple occasions and truly cares for her as a friend. Even Becky who Parker never liked is there for her. (view spoiler)[Chris and Jake help Parker when she watches her dog die. Chris and Jake help her when she gets drunk at school again. Chris and Jake help her have an incentive to go to the dance. Becky helps her by noticing Parker being uncomfortable with Evan and making up an excuse to get her away. (hide spoiler)] 
 There are so many reasons why I loved this book (and very few reasons why I didn't (view spoiler)[that being Chris saying that he'll let Parker copy his homework if she has sex with him, and the girl-on-girl hate (hide spoiler)]). I honestly don't know why Courtney Summers books aren't more widely read. Everyone should pick up at least one of her books. I just have two more to read before I've read them all! 
 ***TRIGGER WARNINGS: R, suicide attempt(s), OCD, anxiety, depression, missing person, mentions of blackmail, mentions of sex for favors,