Review: Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

Ttile: Stealing Parker
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release date: October 1st 2012
Pages: 245
Genre: Contemporary YA; romance
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Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.
Now Parker wants a new life.
So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?
But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars 


I'm having a hard time coming up with a way to start this review - the only words I can think of right now are "LOVE" and "squee!" because that's just how I felt about Stealing Parker! I loved Catching Jordan, and this is another fun but poignant read from Miranda Kenneally!


At first, I wasn't sure what to make of Parker - she's not the type of character I'd usually connect with. But somehow, I grew to love her. Sure, she makes some bad decisions, which can be frustrating for the reader, but she has a good heart, and I could relate to her on a different kind of level. Her character growth is tremendous, but it's presented in a very honest and realistic way. She provides some variety from the MCs I normally read about in contemporary YA, that's for sure.


One of my favorite aspects of Stealing Parker is the way the secondary characters are presented. Their portrayal is very... balanced, I guess you could say; none of them are black-or-white, good-or-evil type of characters. There's a story to each one of them, making you understand where they're coming from, even when you don't approve of their actions. I loved each of their stories, but especially Drew's and Will's. Speaking of, the boys are yummy. Seriosly, Miranda Kenneally knows how to write some swoonworthy love interests! I loved all of them, and I would have been fine with whichever of their stories should be told. I'm very happy with the direction Miranda Kenneally ended up taking things, though.


I even loved the religious aspect! I don't tend to like when authors sneak religion into their stories, but I really like the way it's handled in Stealing Parker. It's subtle and honest, and feels like a very natural part of the way the story unfolds.


The only tiny thing I did not like is that brother's and one of the love interest's names are so similar, Ryan and Brian. That caused for some, umm, interesting misunderstandings on my part...


But none of that is what Stealing Parker is about, for me. What it comes down to really is the "LOVE" and the "squee!", it's how this book made me feel. Miranda Kenneally's writing makes me ridiculously happy; it makes me want to laugh and dance and scream "I LOVE BOOKS!" at the top of my lungs. And who doesn't like a book that can make you crazy/happy like that?