Monday, April 8, 2013

Review: Stealing Parker (Thousand Oaks #2) By: Miranda Kenneally



Title: Catching Jordan (Thousand Oaks #2)
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Published: October 1st, 2012
Goodreads Summary:

Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

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?

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My Thoughts:

I was so excited to read this one,   I haven't read Catching Jordan yet but, after reading this one I ordered it immediately. I am not a huge contemporary fan so, I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book but, I had seen so many great reviews of Kenneally's  books that I just had to see for myself and I have to say that I am a now a huge fan of her writing and she completely caught me off guard.

Parker  was just your average teenager, softball team star, popular, great friends, she had everything a girl could ask for. Until her mom's scandal, living in a small town word travels fast, and Parker loses everything in  her life that mattered, her friends,  softball, and she doesn't know where to begin again. After school begins again she decides to  become the baseball manager, a cute assistant coach has caught her eye and she has been using boys as a distraction for her problems. But, as Parker has to deal with the way her life as changed she may just find out kissing boys  and avoiding her peers are not going to solve all of her problems. Church used to be her place where she could go, spend time with her family and friends but now, because of her mom's scandal  people have turned against her and her family. Her faith and religion are something she doesn't know if she believes in anymore and she doesn't know  where to go from here.
Ok, so I do have to admit there was a lot of religion in this book, and I  am personally not a religious person so I was a little worried about this aspect. But, it didn't really bother me. Kenneally did a great job of not sounding preachy to the reader and it just felt like it was a part of  Parker's life, just like any other book I didn't believe in the same things the main character did but, the religion felt like a part of who she was and it definitely added depth to the book.

Parker was one of those main characters that you could just feel her growth throughout the book, by the end of the book I was so proud and happy for her and everything she went through and came out a better  person. I was honestly surprised at how much I liked her character, I tend to not enjoy contemporary reads because I don't normally feel the depth within the main characters, and  sometimes the books are just too shallow and romancey but, Parker's character definitely didn't feel like the average contemporary character to me.

Keneally has really crafted what I believe was the perfect YA contemporary read for someone like me.  I admit I tend to not like the contemps that are full of heavy and tough issues, but I don't enjoy too much shallowness either.  Stealing Parker  was the perfect mix of both,  their definitely was issues but, they didn't feel to take over the book and weigh me down with thoughts of them, there  was romance and fun but, it wasn't completely shallow and unbelievable.  She is most definitely my favorite contemporary author  and I can't wait to read the rest of the companions in her Thousand Oaks series.          

Want to learn more about Stealing Parker? Check out the links below!


8 comments:

  1. Parker's growth sounds fantastic to read about throughout these books, and I can't wait to start this series.

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  2. Totally agree with you -- I'm always looking for those contemporary books that have plenty of depth but aren't just all gloom and depression. She's one of my favorite YA authors!

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  3. So glad you loved this. Her books are really special. I like that she discusses religion in her books - like you said not preachy - in a realistic way.

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  4. I'm glad Parker was was a fantastic character and really compelling! I wasn't a giant fan of Catching Jordan, but Stealing Parker sounds even better so I'll need to read it soon! It's great that this one is the perfect balance of heavy and light :)

    Thanks for sharing, Kristin!

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  5. So glad you feel for a contemporary! It's my favorite genre although I don't really click with Kenneally's writing. That's what's so great about contemporary-so much variety!

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  6. Awesome review. I hear this is a great series.

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  7. I haven't read any of these books yet, but they've been on my list forever. Or at least since I decided I like contemporaries. :P And I've decided I also like contemporaries with a sports theme.

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  8. I have not read any of these but I admit that this one has a premise that interests me the most of all her books. From what you described, I think I'll really like Parker. Must read this soon! Great review. :)

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