Monthly Archives: June 2016

Becky Jack is just an ordinary 30-something year old Mormon housewife from Utah when the completely unexpected happens. She somehow manages to sell a screenplay and then chances to meet her Unattainable Crush of a movie star, Felix Callahan. They hit it off and soon become best friends. They even end up starring in a move together (screenplay written by Becky). But happily ever after does not immediately follow since life, after all, is not a movie. Becky’s husband battles cancer, there are kid troubles, extended family issues. And then there’s the pesky little question of whether or not it is possible for members of the opposite sex to be platonic best friends at all.

Beginning with the fantasy of meeting your famous crush, and actually becoming friends with him, The Actor and the Housewife seems light and fluffy on the surface. While it is not too deep to be an enjoyable escape, it does deal with some weighty issues. What is the line that should never be crossed by friends who are married to other people? How do you deal with rumors and innuendo? What do you do when the person you love the most gets cancer? How do you grieve and help your children grieve at the same time? When (and how) do you move on with your life? I really enjoyed reading it, even though sometimes it was quite an emotional rollercoaster. I highly recommend reading this book!

5 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2016: 65
Pages Read in 2016: 17,114
Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks (more book reviews!)

Rachael O’Brien is back at college for her junior year. She still doesn’t know who shot Billy Ray and Jack Ray has been sighted around her school making her a little nervous. Agent Cauldwell confuses her and Stone confuses her even more. She just wants to have a normal school year for once, but Schleck forcing her to do some more interning, roommate drama (Living with Sheila? Did she really think that was a good idea?), her crazy mother, and Nash continually turning up ensures that junior year is just as nuts as the previous two.

Johnny Cakes is the fifth in the Rachael O’Brien Chronicles. There are lots of twists and turns and surprises. Some questions are answered (like who shot Billy Ray), but others come up (like just who or what is Stone involved with). It wasn’t quite as good as some of the others in the series (it tended to drag at times), but I still recommend this book to Rachael O’Brien fans.

4 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2016: 61
Pages Read in 2016: 15,636
Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks (more book reviews!)

Parvana’s family opens a school for girls, but they are constantly threatened by men who believe girls should not be educated. The Taliban hides munitions on school property leading to the school being bombed by the Americans. Parvana is captured by American soldiers and repeatedly questioned and accused of being a terrorist, but refuses to speak or defend herself for fear of her words being twisted.

My Name Is Parvana is the fourth and final book of the Breadwinner series. It was the best one of all. It is told alternating in the present (in the American jail) and past memories (at the school). The book really showed how, in Afghanistan, it’s impossible to know who can be trusted and that things are just really complicated. The ending was absolutely perfect. I highly recommend this book and the whole series to adults and older children and teens alike. My almost 10-year-old son said the only bad thing about My Name Is Parvana was that it ended.

5 (out of 5) Stars

Books Read in 2016: 58
Pages Read in 2016: 14,448
Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks (more book reviews!)