Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr

Perhaps the second time is the charm? After a *not great* experience  with Yoon's first book Everything, Everything (see previous episode), Brenna and Joe tackle her most recent text, which balances a timely discussion and racism, immigration and deportation with a falling-in-love-in-one-day perfect date. Brenna is much more in favour of the book, especially Natasha's Jamaican background and Yoon's playful side-story telling. Joe is less enthused with Daniel's Korean storyline, which he argues feels too familiar, as well as the narrative confines of the single day premise. What we can both agree upon is that the film, particularly Tracy Oliver's screenplay, fundamentally misunderstands the book. Despite Russo-Young (previous episode Before I Fall)'s gorgeous lensing of New York, the film proves to be a misfire due to a lack of chemistry between leads Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton, its issues with colourism casting and the fumbling of the book's key Karaoke scene.Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on

In addition to checking out the New YA film, which apparently has no idea how universities work, Brenna forgets our most covered actress Theresa Palmer, but did read a German poem (all 14 stanzas).In other news, we address some more reader mail, address our plans to include an Indigenous Land Acknowledgement (coming in two weeks) and review some homework:Brenna: The new Apple TV Ghostwriter and Marieke Nijkamp's This Is Where It EndsJoe: Angie Thomas' On The Come UpWanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer to say or a minisode topic? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and on the screen! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you a Claudia, a Kristy, a Mary Anne, a Stacey, or a Dawn? Brenna certainly has her dream answer (and her reality) as we nostalgically revisit one of the most enduring YA series of the 90s. As a novice to the series, Brenna walks Joe through the format of each book, why these characters played such a significant role in her life and why Logan is so dreadful!Questions for discussion include whether the Netflix revival should have wrapped after 8 episodes instead of 10 and why Alicia Silverstone is such an asset as Kristy's mom. Plus: which episodes/plot lines made us cry? Why the series is libel to be called "woke" and why that's not a bad thing and the unexpected queerness of the text.Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer to say or a minisode topic? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and on the screen!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Thanks to Covid, the typically hopping summer book release schedule has shifted to September, but we've still come up with some great picks to occupy your time.After some feedback on racial stereotypes in Never Have I Ever, we tackle Indigenous and lesbian book recommendations:Indigenous:Rhymes for Young Ghouls (dir: Jeff Barnaby, 2013)#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women, Edited by Lisa Charleyboy & Mary Beth LeatherdaleHonourable mentions: A Girl Called Echo // The Marrow Thieves // Surviving the CityLesbian:You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah JohnsonThe Henna Wars by Abida JaigirdarHonourable mentions:  Dark & Deepest Red // Hot Dog GirlThen it's time for the main event, our anticipated July/August 2020 books.Brenna:The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert (July 7)Loveless by Alice Oseman (July 9 - UK/Canada)Six Angry Girls by Adrienne Kisner (August 18)Reminders: Faith by Julie Murphy (July 7) // Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson (Sept 15)Joe:Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron (July 7)Now That

In a freewheeling discussion that can't help but address J.K. Rowling's recent transphobic comments, we also tackle the need for critical fandom, as well as Chamber of Secrets’ fat phobia and obsession with blood purity. Also on the table: Why Gilderoy Lockhart is an obvious villain in the Rowling tradition and speculation about his real reason for joining Hogwart’s as the Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher.Plus: how to define Easter Eggs (they're not synonymous with retconning!), how magic resembles close readings and  and why we should appreciate the film's set design - and Jason Isaacs - more.Here is a brief (incomplete list) of trans and non-binary authors to support:Ronnie Mandias: RuneboundSara Codair: The Evanstar ChroniclesEverett Maroon: The Unintentional Time TravelerApril Daniels: DreadnoughtAiden Thomas: Cemetery BoysKai Cheng Thom: Fierce FemmesIvan Coyote: Rebent SinnerMason Deaver: I Wish You All The BestFox Benwell: Kaleidoscope Song; and finallyThe Gayly Prophet PodcastAnd search #BlackTra

Brenna and Joe - with special returning guest star Terry Mesnard (of Gayly Dreadful) - check out the first season of Disney+...er...Hulu's Love, Victor. We're primarily discussing the first five episodes (with helpful hints from Brenna, who watched the whole series) which follows new transfer student Victor (cutie Michael Cimino) who immediately falls into a love triangle with uber-popular Mia (Rachel Hilson) and  publicly-out barista Benji (George Sear).Oh if only the series were just about them! Alas, there's another half dozen characters, each of whom has their own storyline and arc, including Victor's parents (James Martinez and Ana Ortiz) and Mia's dad (Mekhi Phifer)!  This is a series that's doing plenty of good things, but it's also overstuffed, surprisingly tame considering Disney+'s weirdly conservative decision to move it to Hulu and sadly averse to featuring predominantly queer musicians.In short: we have THOUGHTS!Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstole

Oh for the love of Judi Dench, what is going on here?! Brenna and Joe tackle the character-lite, action-heavy world of villainous child genius Artemis Fowl as he kidnaps, blackmails and holds for ransom the Fairies. It's a tale as old as time...but one we struggle to connect to.Of course, our *shrug* for the book pales in comparison to the WOOF of the film, which may just be one of the worst films we've covered on the Pod!Which brings us to a complicated discussion (involving our first bad review, no less!) as we work through the need to distinguish "hating" books we dislike and "critically" addressing them.  Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer to say or a minisode topic? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and on the screen! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

At the behest of critics (and a few listeners), we dive into Never Have I Ever, which has a great lead performance by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as a grief-stricken teen who directs her energy into becoming popular and having sex.We discuss the cultural comedy, the show's nuanced treatment of female agency, and debate the mother/daughter relationship. We also have some strong thoughts about what's not working, including the best friends playing stock caricatures and that voice over by famed tennis star, John McEnroe.In homework: Joe checks out "Spanish Gossip Girl" series Elite (also on Netflix) and Brenna reads through listener emails, including a call for resources for a UK Librarian.Links: We Need Diverse BooksAmerican Indians in Children's LiteratureThe Festival of Literary Diversity (The Fold)Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer to say or a minisode topic? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and on the screen! See aca

We're so ready to discuss the most flattering pair of shared jeans you've ever owned! After a few weeks in the arena, a gentle realist YA is just what we need, so let's dive into the shared adventures of Lena, Tibby, Carmen and Bee.Up for discussion: Joe's flip flop appreciation for two stories in the book and the other two in the film, the antiquated ableism of the book, frustration at the sex of the director, and the amazing ferocity of America Ferrera in the film. Plus: a surprising discussion of the book's ties to 9/11 and a plagiarism scandal that ties back to Gossip Girl!Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer to say or a minisode topic? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and on the screen! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For a second week in row, Brenna and Joe dive into The Hunger Games, but this time we're venturing back to its 10th iteration, when Coriolanus Snow was but a mere 18 years ago. Little did he know he was about to create literally Every.Single.Component that defines the Games 64 years later!We joke because we're tired. Reading this 528 page tome in 6 days is not recommended, as Collins' capacity for world-building is overwhelmed by poor editing, sheer repetition, as well as a continued reliance on children's death and the misguided belief that anyone wants a backstory for this main character (who P.S. has no arc!) It's not all bad, though, so grab a bowl of cabbage soup, prepare a song and settle in with us for a mix of spoiler-free and spoilers. Spoiler-Free Review: 00:00 - 18:22Spoiler Filled Review: 18:22 - 40:56Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer to say or a minisode topic? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and o

Prepare your fire retardant costumes and choose your allies carefully because we are headed back into the dystopian wilds of The Hunger Games. For our second episode on a podcast namesake, we break out the big topics:Why is the love triangle so exhausting?Logistical questions about the need to return to the arenaPeeta (once again) getting short shriftIs the book ableist or is it a critique of ableism?The curious incident of Katniss' disappearing pregnancyJoe repeatedly saying monkeys instead of baboons; andOur interest/apprehension about the forthcoming prequelWanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer to say or a minisode topic? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and on the screen! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

While Joe refuses to read a Victorian-era play, he's more than happy to watch film adaptations of them! This week we're checking out a plethora of YA tropes: the collaboration between suitors in an impersonation ruse, a "tricky kiss" and an epistolary romance. On one side of the ring is Sierra Burgess Is A Loser, one of our few remaining Noah Centineo joints, which gets as many things right as it does wrong (pour one out for the disinterest in female friendships!). On the other is the queer, POC frontedThe Half Of It, which is a warm, delightful film. Aside from a slightly frustrating climax, this is an absolute gem and features one of the best friendships we've ever seen on the show.In homework: Brenna has finished Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (mentioned in the May/June forecast) and "similar to The Virgin Suicides" Long Live The Tribe of Fatherless Girls by Tier Kiera Madden. Joe, meanwhile, advocates for the fantasy escapism of House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig.Wanna connect with the sh

No one is more surprised than us to discover that the escapism we need and want could be found in the tale of three teenage girls from different backgrounds who meet at Shoplifters Anonymous. But here we are!Brenna and Joe find the novel, filled with as many innovations as it has YA tropes, is an absolute delight. Alas the TV show, which has been unnecessarily stretched out to two (!) ten episode seasons, has lost sight of what makes the book so special. Despite great performances by its three female leads, all of the romantic relationships are icky and/or problematic and the narrative takes a hard left turn around episode 5 or 6 that loses us.At least we have the book!Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer to say or a minisode topic? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and on the screen! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's time for another YA Forecast as we run down our top picks for May & June 2020. First up we discuss homework: Brenna lauds Tiffany D Jackson's fall release, Grown, as well as Nic Sheff's Tweak, while Joe  praises Liz Lawson's The Lucky Ones.Then it's time for our interview with former The Hunger Games guest, Alex Heeney. She stops by to discuss Seventh Row's new ePub, The 2019 Canadian Cinema Yearbook, which includes several prominent coming of age films.Finally, it's time to forecast for May & June. Here are a few stand-out picks:Brenna:Clap When You Land by Elizabeth AcevedoBreath Like Water by Anna ZarjabStay Gold by Tobly McSmithJoe:The Mermaid, The Witch & The Sea by Maggie Toduka-Hall Wonderland by Juno DawsonI Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit FrickHonourable Mention:  Selah & The Spades (Amazon Prime)Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer to say or a minisode topic? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page

Grab your magical item and prepare for a road trip across America because Brenna and Joe are embarking on a quest fit for a (Demi) God as we dive into Rick Riordan's 2005 YA franchise starter, Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, as well as Chris Columbus' 2010 adaptation of the same name.We discuss how the genesis of Riordan's epic is both empowering and also far too long. The author himself is similarly thorny: Brenna praises him for the advocacy work his Disney imprint is doing, but we find his entitled comments about the film and the looming shadow of Harry Potter off-putting. As for the film, we have questions: has screenwriter Craig Titley (or Columbus for that matter) ever actually met a black person? Why does the film think its audience is so dumb? And why does the final result feel like a such a bland, boring C-grade effort to kick-start a franchise?Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer to say or a minisod

Now we're talking! After a provocative minisode, listeners reached out to share their thoughts and stories on Sex in YA.  Clearly it's a topic that resonated because we got a wide variety of fascinating insights!In homework: Brenna highlights Julie Murphy's Faith: Taking Flight (due in July) while Joe circles back to Catherine Linka's What I Want You To See , which he mentioned in the Feb YA Forecast.Finally, we dive into the beautiful artistry of Eliza Hittman's third feature film, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, which is essential viewing - provided you're in the right frame of mind. Viewer advisory: this isn't an easy, casual watch, so be kind to yourselves!Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer to say or a minisode topic? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and on the screen! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

DUFFs unite!Brenna and Joe are diving back into YA written by teenagers and it's another rocky property as we struggle with Kody Keplinger's 2011 book, The DUFF, as well as its 2015 film adaptation by feature novices Ari Sandel (director) and Josh A. Cagan (screenwriter).Part of the problem? That title! Despite the book's best attempts to reduce the stigma of the term, Brenna can't overcome the cruelty and judgment of the moniker. While the book at least attempts to explore challenging topics (shame is handled well; alcoholism less so), at least it's more interesting than the film. Joe and Brenna can't help but wonder if Cagan simply watched other (better) YA films and read the back of the book before sitting down to write the screenplay, because the film is uninspired!  Thankfully we have Mae Whitman and Robbie Amell, who may just have the best chemistry of ANY couple we've seen thus far. That's right, we said what we said!Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolem

Under threat of duress, Joe manages to wrangle Brenna into recording a minisode and, given the current state of the world, what better subject to tackle than S-E-X in young adult literature.Prompted by Joe's polarizing reactions to  books that are graphic (Lev AC Rosen's Jack Of Hearts), pre-occupied (Camryn Garrett's Full Disclosure) or tepid "fade to black" fantasy (Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue), we tackle the shift from provocative, even risque sexuality in the 70s to the response to AIDS in the 80s and 90s, with a brief bit of blame on the chastity of franchise trend-setters Harry Potter and Twilight. For reference:Chambers, Aiden. The Toll Bridge. 1992Skurnick, Lizzie. "In Y.A., Where Has All the Good Sex Gone?" The New York Times.Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave a book that prompted your sexuality maturity as a teen? Send us your story at hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and on the screen! See acast.com/privacy for p

Brenna and Joe are joined by Terry Mesnard to discuss Charles Forsman's stark and nihilistic 2017 comic I Am Not Okay With This and Jonathan Entwistle's 2020 Netflix adaptation, starring Sophia Lillis.Up for discussion: Forsman's depiction of young women, why the bleak ending is unearned and one thing the comic actually does well (if we're being charitable). This is in stark contrast with the series, which avoids Netflix bloat, casts talented actors and expands on characterizations to humanize the drama into something compelling and watchable. There are still quibbles with the end (and possibly The Breakfast Club-inspired episode), but overall, we're pretty enthusiastic about the series.Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteTerry: @gaylydreadful / @ScarredPodcastHave something longer (or a minisode suggestion)? Send an email to hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and on the screen. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Brenna and Joe check out a new Netflix YA series, The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia, using its under-the-radar status to pose some questions about Netflix's changing priorities and the relevancy of its algorithms. Broad discussion: how Netflix Originals have altered the streamer's original  niche programming angle (the "made for Brenna" channel), why everyone winds up watching Love Is Blind, and how little (read: diverse) shows get buried.Narrow discussion: with special help with listener Max, Brenna and Joe discuss Ashley Garcia's appeal, its connection to a burgeoning movement of smart Latina girls and why a hot young actor like Jencarlos Canela was cast to play Uncle Victor.Reference: Castillo, Monica. "TV has a new kind of heroine: The Latina genius. Here’s why it matters." LA Times, Feb 26, 2020.Wanna connect with the show? Use #HKHSPod on Twitter:Brenna: @brennacgrayJoe: @bstolemyremoteHave something longer or a minisode topic? Send  us an email: hkhspod@gmail.com. See you on the page and on the s