In The Role Of Brie Hutchens by Nicole Melleby

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (from Goodreads)

Introducing Brie Hutchens: soap opera super fan, aspiring actor, and so-so student at her small Catholic school. Brie has big plans for eighth grade. She’s going to be the star of the school play and convince her parents to let her go to the performing arts high school. But when Brie’s mom walks in on her accidentally looking at some possibly inappropriate photos of her favorite actress, Brie panics and blurts out that she’s been chosen to crown the Mary statue during her school’s May Crowning ceremony. Brie’s mom is distracted with pride—but Brie’s in big trouble: she has not been chosen. No one has. Worse, Brie has almost no chance to get the job, which always goes to a top student.

Desperate to make her lie become truth, Brie turns to Kennedy, the girl everyone expects to crown Mary. But sometimes just looking at Kennedy gives Brie butterflies. Juggling her confusing feelings with the rapidly approaching May Crowning, not to mention her hilarious non-star turn in the school play, Brie navigates truth and lies, expectations and identity, and how to—finally—make her mother really see her as she is.

my thoughts:

Love, love, loved Brie Hutchens! What a fabulous story about being true to yourself.

Brie is an eighth grader at a Catholic School.  She dreams of becoming an actress. Her goal is attend drama school next year.  She's also struggling with her feelings - trying to figure out what they mean and what they say about her.  She's noticed that whenever she looks at photos of her favorite actress, her stomach gets filled with butterflies. Brie is feeling so many things she doesn't know what to do. She does know that a kid got in trouble for looking up "gay" things on his phone at their Catholic school. What does this mean for her? What will happen to her if people find out she's gay? Will her mom still love her?

Talk about a wonderfully delightful book! I just LOVED getting to know Brie Hutchens. She was such a fun character to spend time with - her love of drama was such a treat to see; her journey in figuring out how to be who she really is, along with her relationships with her loved ones was so honest, raw, and real. This was truly a gem of a book.

I would happily recommend In The Role Of Brie Hutchens to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read!!





Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!