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meredithmc's review against another edition
4.0
Another great middle grade novel from Nicole Melleby. I enjoyed this one a lot. Melleby makes her characters feel real and honest in a delightful way. Brie's story isn't perfect and not everything turns out in the way she expects it, which I think will really resonate with young readers. As someone who went to Catholic school for 12 years, I appreciated the school setting, even if it meant I had a hymn about Mary stuck in my head for the rest of the day. I'm looking forward to what the author does next!
catieohjoy's review against another edition
4.0
Brie Hutchens loves soap operas—the drama, the actresses, and the connection with her sometimes-distant mom. With the help of soap operas (in the form of some photos of Kelly Monaco and a moving scene between Bianca and her mother Erica from All My Children), Brie is also beginning to come to terms with her sexuality. Her devoted Catholic mom and boy-obsessed best friend, Parker, ask her which boys she likes at every turn. Brie is pretty sure she likes girls instead, but that doesn't mean she's ready to say it out loud. There's a lot going on in this novel: Brie's dream is to be an actress (ideally on soaps), and she hopes the first step will be to attend the local arts high school. Brie's family is struggling financially, leaving Brie's educational future a bit up in the air. Her dad is working as a custodian at her school (to lower the cost of her tuition), and in spite of herself Brie is embarrassed to have him around. Her older brother's a bit annoying, Parker can't decide which boy she likes the most, and her mom's part time job cuts into their shared soap-watching time. To top it all off, Brie's questions about her sexuality begin to seep out—first through the feelings she's beginning to develop for Kennedy (the best student in her eighth grade class), and then into a Google Doc in which she catalogues the LGBTQ soap opera scenes she finds on YouTube. But as Brie's mom tells her, the internet isn't private. This novel is by turns funny and so-heartfelt-it-hurts—masterfully balanced by Nicole Melleby, and told in a charming, authentic young voice. Great exploration of shifting family and friendship dynamics, too!
readwithchey's review against another edition
5.0
ARC PROVIDED IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
It seemed that no matter how hard she tried, Brie couldn't escape her feelings nor the mess they'd put her in. Not really.
In the Role of Brie Hutchens... follows 8th grader Brie Hutchens as she tries to maneuver through her final year at her smaller, Catholic school. It should be smooth going except for a few key problems; she lied to her mom about a major event, her dad is now working at her school, her grades suck, and oh yeah, she thinks she has a crush on the class' teacher's pet; another girl named Kennedy. Nope. Not the normal school year.
I'm actually kind of struggling to find the right words for how much I enjoyed this book. It had some witty banter, I loved the soap opera elements throughout, I really loved Brie as a main character, and I especially loved the way the author weaves this coming of age story into a near rom-com with some family dynamics interlaced. It was really spectacular. Don't worry! I'll break it down further!
Brie felt disconnected from her faith and disconnected from her mom, and was that all because she was gay?
The Writing: This book nearly flies off the page in it's ability to completely wrap you in the story. The characters are both flawed and personable, and there was never a moment where I felt disconnected from them, even the side characters like Parker or Kennedy. I basically read this book in two days because it flies by; I was so involved and engaged with the story it was nearly impossible for me to put down and all too easy for me to just binge completely. I was laughing, I was crying, I was cheering, and I was cringing. This book really gave me the full range of emotions.
The Characters: I think Brie was a phenomenal main character. She was really easy to relate to, even as I was a 23 year-old reader. She was flawed but not in a heavy way, just in the way that she was still in middle school and trying to navigate that space of being her own person and staying the same Brie with her family. I think we can all relate to that struggle, but for Brie it was a little harder. It was so amazing to be able to follow her relationship with each member of her family and see how that advances as the book moves on. I know Brie is the "shining star" of this novel, so to speak, but each character in this poignant story plays a vital part and is just as equally fun to interact with.
The Plot: This book moves really quickly but it doesn't lack dimension or depth. It has all those typical school setting events like classroom chatter, sports events, the play, and even ends with the school dance. It's all fun and still meaningful, and while the book is on the shorter side with less than 300 pages, you don't feel like it was rushed or like you missed anything. There were a lot of deeper moments like when Brie talks with her teachers or when she and Parker have a fight, but these deep moments are given proper attention and depth, and I appreciated that the author gave us those as well as the funny and lighthearted times. It was a great balance.
I could really relate to Brie and her family. My mother and I used to watch soap operas together in the early 2000's (when I was too young to really remember all the details) and then when I was in middle and high school we would watch paranormal shows like Ghost Hunters together, and that would be our quality time, our thing. Of course, as I got older and went off to college we lost that and it started to feel like we weren't as close anymore without that common thread. I also had a sibling I was kind of disconnected from (do sisters ever get along, really?). The only real difference between my family and Brie's was that I didn't have the added stress of having to come out amid an overtly religious family.
All I can say is that I adored this book and I think it'd be a perfect read for Pride month, if not every month. It's a middle grade with heart and sass and fun and family and really helps to highlight how important this genre is, especially when it comes to children who need to see themselves personified in the pages of a book. I cannot recommend this one enough.
It seemed that no matter how hard she tried, Brie couldn't escape her feelings nor the mess they'd put her in. Not really.
In the Role of Brie Hutchens... follows 8th grader Brie Hutchens as she tries to maneuver through her final year at her smaller, Catholic school. It should be smooth going except for a few key problems; she lied to her mom about a major event, her dad is now working at her school, her grades suck, and oh yeah, she thinks she has a crush on the class' teacher's pet; another girl named Kennedy. Nope. Not the normal school year.
I'm actually kind of struggling to find the right words for how much I enjoyed this book. It had some witty banter, I loved the soap opera elements throughout, I really loved Brie as a main character, and I especially loved the way the author weaves this coming of age story into a near rom-com with some family dynamics interlaced. It was really spectacular. Don't worry! I'll break it down further!
Brie felt disconnected from her faith and disconnected from her mom, and was that all because she was gay?
The Writing: This book nearly flies off the page in it's ability to completely wrap you in the story. The characters are both flawed and personable, and there was never a moment where I felt disconnected from them, even the side characters like Parker or Kennedy. I basically read this book in two days because it flies by; I was so involved and engaged with the story it was nearly impossible for me to put down and all too easy for me to just binge completely. I was laughing, I was crying, I was cheering, and I was cringing. This book really gave me the full range of emotions.
The Characters: I think Brie was a phenomenal main character. She was really easy to relate to, even as I was a 23 year-old reader. She was flawed but not in a heavy way, just in the way that she was still in middle school and trying to navigate that space of being her own person and staying the same Brie with her family. I think we can all relate to that struggle, but for Brie it was a little harder. It was so amazing to be able to follow her relationship with each member of her family and see how that advances as the book moves on. I know Brie is the "shining star" of this novel, so to speak, but each character in this poignant story plays a vital part and is just as equally fun to interact with.
The Plot: This book moves really quickly but it doesn't lack dimension or depth. It has all those typical school setting events like classroom chatter, sports events, the play, and even ends with the school dance. It's all fun and still meaningful, and while the book is on the shorter side with less than 300 pages, you don't feel like it was rushed or like you missed anything. There were a lot of deeper moments like when Brie talks with her teachers or when she and Parker have a fight, but these deep moments are given proper attention and depth, and I appreciated that the author gave us those as well as the funny and lighthearted times. It was a great balance.
I could really relate to Brie and her family. My mother and I used to watch soap operas together in the early 2000's (when I was too young to really remember all the details) and then when I was in middle and high school we would watch paranormal shows like Ghost Hunters together, and that would be our quality time, our thing. Of course, as I got older and went off to college we lost that and it started to feel like we weren't as close anymore without that common thread. I also had a sibling I was kind of disconnected from (do sisters ever get along, really?). The only real difference between my family and Brie's was that I didn't have the added stress of having to come out amid an overtly religious family.
All I can say is that I adored this book and I think it'd be a perfect read for Pride month, if not every month. It's a middle grade with heart and sass and fun and family and really helps to highlight how important this genre is, especially when it comes to children who need to see themselves personified in the pages of a book. I cannot recommend this one enough.
lberestecki's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
abigailbat's review against another edition
Loved this book. Brie is a great character who leaps off the page with her obsession with soap operas and the drama in her own life. It's an interesting exploration of coming out in a religious family and exploring what religion means to you, something that kids Brie's age are certainly doing more than in typically depicted in middle grade and teen books.
adventurebybook's review against another edition
5.0
I received an ARC of this touching and important book. I truly loved this coming of age story that addresses so many issues that teens are facing from their perspective. The writing is honest and true and heartfelt. The characters face some of the hardest challenges that children have to face today. I highly recommend this one!
burgundyshoes's review against another edition
4.0
this was wonderful and heartbreaking in a certain sense, and one that hit a little too close to home at times. having a book like this growing up would've been eye opening for little me, so i'm grateful it exists.
confidentialkitty's review against another edition
3.0
A middle grade novel about coming out and religion. This is perfect for any teenager struggling with coming to terms with their sexuality. Main character, Brie Hutchens, goes to a catholic middle school. She has issues at home and feels that her mom isn't proud of her. One day she comes across certain pictures of her favorite actor. Her mom happens to walk in at the same time. To distract her mom, she quickly thinks of a lie and tells her she will be crowning Mary. She ends up turning to Kennedy, a popular smart girl, to help her. Eventually, she realizes that she has a crush on Kennedy. This book deals with sexuality, religion, and growing up. I personally loved it and found it to be a nice quick read (I finished it in one day). I recommend this to any preteen or teen who are currently trying to figure themself out! I hope this book can help people or just entertain them the way it did me.
emmaf1989's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
readtoramble's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you to the publisher and the author for letting me take part in this tour, and thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book is a great LGBT middle grade in which we follow Brie Hutchens, a 13-year-old young girl who goes to a private Catholic school in America with her friends. Throughout this book, Brie starts to question her faith, she doesn't understand why her mother loves Mary so much and thinks that if she doesn't love Mary like her mum does, her mum won't love her. She also has to come to terms with questions about her identity and sexuality, and also struggling with school work and trying to get into her dream art school. I don't usually read books with religious topics, I'm not religious myself and struggle to understand how some peoples' attitudes or behaviours are kind of justified by the fact that they are religious, however, this book was not like that at all, it really surprised me and I really appreciated this different stance.
I loved the characters! Brie is just such a great character, she is really struggling and trying to come to terms with herself, and one day, her mum catches her doing something and to detract from it, Brie blurts out that she is going to be "crowning Mary", a really big event for the school. When she realises that she might not be able to get away with the lie, she has to try to get her grades up and write a winning essay to be chosen as the special person who gets to crown Mary and read their essay at the May Crowning.
Another really important part of this book is the passion that Brie has for soap operas and wanting to go to art school to act. I loved this part of the plot, I studied drama/theatre from the age of 11 to 18 and loved it so much, this book had a lot of nostalgia for me, especially when Brie was on stage acting and when she did her audition. I think that this subplot is such an important one because it's thanks to her watching soap operas that she realises that she isn't like other people at her school and she doesn't have crushes on boys like her best friend Parker does. I really loved how Parker was such a great friend throughout, at one point they seem to be a bit distant but when Parker and Brie have a conversation about why Brie is feeling down, Parker is so supportive and just brilliant!
Brie's parents were sort of hit and miss for me. I loved her dad so much, he is the "good guy" in the family, he is always there to help her and is trying to work as hard as he can so she can do whatever she wants and make her dreams come true. Her mum however, annoyed me. I don't know if it was because of her love of Mary and her strong identification with religion, but I got so annoyed at her a few times because of her behaviour with Brie. I really couldn't handle her after she basically told her daughter she couldn't look at her, but I suppose that the author did a great job of representing what it can be like in conservative and religious families when one of the children come out to their parents.
Overall, this book was very well executed, the writing style flowed, the characters were great, especially Brie, and I loved how over the course of the book, Brie learned who she was and how to accept herself, while pursuing her dreams and trying to come to terms with her mum's love of Mary, trying to understand it and not let her mum down. I loved this book, it has great LGBT and religious rep, I gave it 4 stars and I recommend to everyone. I love middle grade books because I find them so much more complex and inclusive than books for other audiences and this was not an exception, it was great and I urge readers of any age to pick it up!
This book is a great LGBT middle grade in which we follow Brie Hutchens, a 13-year-old young girl who goes to a private Catholic school in America with her friends. Throughout this book, Brie starts to question her faith, she doesn't understand why her mother loves Mary so much and thinks that if she doesn't love Mary like her mum does, her mum won't love her. She also has to come to terms with questions about her identity and sexuality, and also struggling with school work and trying to get into her dream art school. I don't usually read books with religious topics, I'm not religious myself and struggle to understand how some peoples' attitudes or behaviours are kind of justified by the fact that they are religious, however, this book was not like that at all, it really surprised me and I really appreciated this different stance.
I loved the characters! Brie is just such a great character, she is really struggling and trying to come to terms with herself, and one day, her mum catches her doing something and to detract from it, Brie blurts out that she is going to be "crowning Mary", a really big event for the school. When she realises that she might not be able to get away with the lie, she has to try to get her grades up and write a winning essay to be chosen as the special person who gets to crown Mary and read their essay at the May Crowning.
Another really important part of this book is the passion that Brie has for soap operas and wanting to go to art school to act. I loved this part of the plot, I studied drama/theatre from the age of 11 to 18 and loved it so much, this book had a lot of nostalgia for me, especially when Brie was on stage acting and when she did her audition. I think that this subplot is such an important one because it's thanks to her watching soap operas that she realises that she isn't like other people at her school and she doesn't have crushes on boys like her best friend Parker does. I really loved how Parker was such a great friend throughout, at one point they seem to be a bit distant but when Parker and Brie have a conversation about why Brie is feeling down, Parker is so supportive and just brilliant!
Brie's parents were sort of hit and miss for me. I loved her dad so much, he is the "good guy" in the family, he is always there to help her and is trying to work as hard as he can so she can do whatever she wants and make her dreams come true. Her mum however, annoyed me. I don't know if it was because of her love of Mary and her strong identification with religion, but I got so annoyed at her a few times because of her behaviour with Brie. I really couldn't handle her after she basically told her daughter she couldn't look at her, but I suppose that the author did a great job of representing what it can be like in conservative and religious families when one of the children come out to their parents.
Overall, this book was very well executed, the writing style flowed, the characters were great, especially Brie, and I loved how over the course of the book, Brie learned who she was and how to accept herself, while pursuing her dreams and trying to come to terms with her mum's love of Mary, trying to understand it and not let her mum down. I loved this book, it has great LGBT and religious rep, I gave it 4 stars and I recommend to everyone. I love middle grade books because I find them so much more complex and inclusive than books for other audiences and this was not an exception, it was great and I urge readers of any age to pick it up!