Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr
335 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 days ago - ★★★★ - 47 ratingsA weekly podcast about young adult literature, their film and television adaptations and everything in between.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Episodes
Never Been Kissed (1999)
April 09, 2024 07:05 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBJust in time for its 25th anniversary <gulp>, Brenna and Joe check out Raja Gosnell's Never Been Kissed (1999). While Joe thinks this take on As You Like It is totally rufus, Brenna thinks he's blinded by nostalgia, particularly about the student/teacher romance. Plus: a charismatic David Arquette, Drew Barrymore's lisp, physical pratfalls, and - oh yeah - is this film even YA?! Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:...
The Kissing Booth 2 (2020)
April 02, 2024 07:05 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MBBrenna and Joe return to the world of Wattpad to check out Beth Reekles' 2020 sequel, The Kissing Booth 2: Going The Distance, as well as its Netflix adaptation. The book is better written, but where is the conflict? There's nothing here! The film is much better thanks to a committed performance by Joey King (and her wig), as well as the addition of Taylor Zakhar Perez. Plus: questioning the book's interest in Elle & Noah as a couple, egregious montages, fun closing credits, and Dance Dan...
Mailbag 31: Adult Julie Murphy and Girls in STEM
March 29, 2024 07:05 - 7 minutes - 7.16 MBBrenna and Joe answer emails from Tea, Books & Chocolate (about Julie Murphy's adult fiction novel Merry Little Meet Cute) and Alex (looking for recommendations of YA featuring girls in STEM). Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky) Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected] Theme music: Ben F...
Wild Pork and Watercress (1986) / Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
March 26, 2024 07:05 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBBrenna and Joe close out a month of New Zealand programming with a look at Barry Crump's 1986 novel Wild Pork and Watercress, as well as Taika Waititi's long-in-development adaptation from 2016. We're talking about how prolific Crump is, Waititi's humour, and the depiction of Māori youth across several texts. Plus: montages, survivalism, tanks, and justice for Aunt Bella! Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Bren...
Flight of the Albatross (1989)
March 19, 2024 07:05 - 41 minutes - 37.9 MBNew Zealand month enters its third week as Brenna and Joe tackle Deborah Savage's 1989 book Flight of the Albatross. Despite being very readable, we're got some issues with the white saviour storyline and the use of Maori characters to further the protagonist's journey. Plus: Sarah's obsession with weight, bad mom Pauline, the German (!) film adaptation we can't screen, and bizarre 80s book covers. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use th...
Whale Rider
March 12, 2024 07:05 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBNew Zealand month continues as we tackle our first Māori text with Witi Ihimaera's 1987 novel and Niki Caro's 2002 film adaptation. The book is short but beautiful, particularly the unusual "framing" device from a whale's perspective that provides an underlying religious element. The film plays more like a standard coming-of-age tale made for a broad (read: white) audience. It's still good, but the intention is surprisingly different considering the many 1-to-1 adaptation choices that were...
Mailbag 30: Dutch Margaret Mahy
March 08, 2024 08:05 - 4 minutes - 4.39 MBListener Miriam writes in with her reflections on Margaret Mahy's The Catalogue of the Universe, its Dutch language title and book cover, and why it appealed to her as a slightly pretentious teen. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky) Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected] Theme music: B...
The Catalogue of the Universe (1985)
March 05, 2024 08:05 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBNew Zealand month begins with a classic text: Margaret Mahy's The Catalogue of the Universe (1985). Brenna and Joe discuss the literary prose, the need (even in the 80s) to use romance to sell YA, and the divisive reader reactions to our dual protagonists. Plus: great families, a wild finale, and an overview of Mahy's prolific career...which weirdly never made a splash in North America. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #H...
Mailbag 29: YA Isn't Just For Young Adults (Shocker)
March 01, 2024 08:05 - 7 minutes - 6.73 MBGuest Alex Heeney trolls Brenna and Joe with an article from The Millions entitled "YA Isn't Just For Young Adults". Naturally we have thoughts, including how 2018 this argument is, Book Tok, Threads, and what we call "fighting with air." Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky) Have a mail bag question? Email...
One of Us is Lying
February 27, 2024 08:05 - 47 minutes - 43.9 MBBrenna and Joe venture to California to discuss Karen M. McManus' 2017 book One of Us is Lying and S01 of Erica Saleh's 2021 TV series. We're discussing the characters we latched onto in each version, as well as the changes made in the adaptation and how that would change the next book/season. Plus: thoughts on the "twist" and "villain" reveal, the beautiful 25 year olds on the show, and its sheer Canadianess. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSP...
Dark Rise (2021)
February 20, 2024 08:05 - 37 minutes - 35 MBFollowing recommendations from listeners Emma and Line, we're finally checking out C.S. Pacat's Dark Rise (2021). The magical fantasy text features a multiplicity of Chosen One protagonists, as well as tons of twists and turns. Could it have used a firmer hand in the editing and an abbreviated first part? Sure, but there's plenty to like here. Plus: abusive queer sexuality, (non)binary roles, and Brenna's surprising favourite character. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, I...
Mailbag 28: Toxic Fandom
February 16, 2024 08:05 - 11 minutes - 11.1 MBUsing Twilight as a launchpad, listener Victoria prompts Brenna and Joe to consider the differences between good and toxic fandom, using examples from Star Wars, RuPaul's Drag Race and Formula 1 (that's right!) Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky) Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected] T...
Orion and the Dark
February 13, 2024 08:05 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBWe're skewing extremely young with our latest pick: Emma Yarlett's 2014 picture book Orion and the Dark, and Sean Charmatz's 2024 animated adaptation. The book is fun and cute, perfect for young ones who have anxiety or fears. The film is from a screenplay by Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich and Adaptation) so it has A LOT going on, including new characters, a focus on generational storytelling, and time loops. It's more of an exercise than an adaptation, which doesn't always make it s...
Wonka (2023)
February 06, 2024 08:05 - 32 minutes - 31.2 MBYou've never had a Wonka movie like this before! Well...unless you've seen writer/director Paul King's Paddington films, which have a lot of shared DNA, including a silly role for Hugh Grant (delightfully slumming it). We're not surprised at the incredible success of the film, which is anchored by Timothée Chalamet and a deep bench of character actors. And though the film doesn't quite hang together and features some odd choices (fat suits?!), this secret musical is still a crowd-pleaser. ...
Mailbag 27: Twilight Book Club
February 02, 2024 08:05 - 5 minutes - 4.91 MBNow that we're recording regularly again, Brenna and Joe are back with new Mailbag episodes. To kick off 2024, Tea, Books and Chocolates writes in to tell us about a mom & daughter book club experience reading Twilight. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky) Have a mail bag question? Email us at hkhspod@gmai...
The Twilight Saga: New Moon feat. Jenny Nulf
January 30, 2024 08:05 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBIt's Stephenie Meyer time as we, along with returning guest Jenny Nulf, tackle the second title in The Twilight Saga: New Moon. Our main take-away? This is a deeply boring book and while Chris Weitz's film isn't more interesting, at least the actors, particularly Michael Sheen, bring some fun/camp to the proceedings. Plus: Bella's misread of Romeo & Juliet, pop parties in Salt Lake City, why no one can possibly be #TeamJacob and why Edward deserves to die. Wanna connect with the show? Fol...
The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
January 23, 2024 08:05 - 33 minutes - 31.2 MBThe second half of our "17" double bill concludes with Kelly Fremon Craig's The Edge of Seventeen (2016) which finds Hailee Steinfeld playing a frustrating/unlikable social outcast. C/W: Attempted sexual assault Plus: Why it's important to read the film from Nadine's perspective, the film's cringe-y but authentic scenarios, Joe mispronouncing Kyra Sedgwick's name, and Brenna spotting a Dawson's Creek alum. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or...
Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of the Universe
January 16, 2024 08:05 - 50 minutes - 47.3 MBIt's finally time for Brenna and Joe to discover Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Sáenz's award-winning 2012 novel and Aitch Alberto's 2022 film adaptation. We're *huge* fans of the book, which has 2(!) sets of great parents and a beautiful, heartwarming queer friendship/romance. The film is solid, but it's missing nearly all of the parents' backstory and makes the queerness something more violent and scary. Basically what we're saying is: READ THE B...
17 Again (2009)
January 09, 2024 08:05 - 29 minutes - 28.3 MBBrenna wanted to remember Matthew Perry, so we're revisiting Burr Steers' 17 Again (2009) starring Perry and Zac Efron. While some of this hasn't aged well, this time travel/body swap has a lot of heart and Efron's comedic chops are solid. While Joe could do with less Thomas Lennon, the sweet romance between Efron and Leslie Mann generates a lot of goodwill. Plus: slaps, incest jokes, tired geeks, and losing your house in divorce court. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, ...
Loveboat Taipei / Love in Taipei
January 02, 2024 08:05 - 44 minutes - 41 MBBrenna and Joe kick off 2024 with Abigail Hing Wen's fantastic 2020 book Loveboat Taipei ...and Arvin Chen's extremely generic 2023 film adaptation, Love in Taipei. The book is rich, readable and filled with complicated characters which only makes the film, bland even by YA rom-com standards, even more of a disappointment. Plus: class critiques, challenging female friendships, sexual mistakes, street food and our surprise that - despite its standalone story - the book is actually the first...
Mailbag 26: Brenna's Top 5 YA Scandals
December 22, 2023 08:05 - 25 minutes - 22.8 MBBrenna and Joe squeeze in one final Mailbag for the year. At the request of listener Tea, Books and Chocolate, we're talking about the juiciest of YA scandals from recent years, including John Green leaving Tumblr, Maggie Stiefvater vs Halsey, Sarah Dessen's Twitter mob, Lauren M Davis vs Marvellous Michael Anson (unfolding *right* now) and Kathleen Hale stalking a Goodreads reviewer. Happy holidays everyone! Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPo...
My True Love Gave To Me (2014)
December 19, 2023 08:05 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBBrenna and Joe celebrate the holiday season with a look at the Stephanie Perkins-edited collection of seasonal stories. We chat about the stories we liked the best ("It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown", "Krampuslauf", "Midnights", "The Girl Who Broke The Dreamer" and "Welcome to Christmas, CA") with special lumps of coal for a few less successful entries ("Polaris is Where You'll Find Me", "What The Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth?" and "Star of Bethelem"). It's a mixed bag! Wanna con...
Mailbag 25: Dark Rise Recommendation
December 15, 2023 08:05 - 2 minutes - 2.18 MBHere's a short and sweet Mailbag from Tasmanian listener Emily, with a recommendation for a future read: Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky) Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected] Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...
Willy Wonka / Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
December 12, 2023 08:05 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBWe've got a golden ticket! To coincide with the release of new film Wonka, Brenna and Joe dip into Roald Dahl's problematic 1964 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as Mel Stuart's 1971 adaptation and Tim Burton's 2005 "more faithful" take. There's *lots* to discuss: colonialism, racism, slavery, "the deserving poor," mixed moral messages, Anna Wintour hair, Michael Jackson and practical FX. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the...
The Shamer's Daughter
December 05, 2023 08:05 - 47 minutes - 44.7 MBThanks to listener Charlotte, we're checking out The Shamer's Daughter, book one in Lene Kaaberbøl's The Shamer Chronicles, as well its 2015 film adaptation by Kenneth Kainz. This medieval fantasy novel has a fantastic protagonist, strong female friendships, and complex moral stakes. The film is less memorable: it is a little too grey and happy to forego politics for explosions, but it does keep the book's dark ending. Plus: why Brenna won't forgive the puritans who complain about the boo...
Mailbag 24: Bat Mitzvah
December 04, 2023 18:29 - 2 minutes - 2.72 MBAfter our episode on You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah, listener Tea, Books & Chocolate wrote in to share her experiences, including expensive gifts and a Mitzvah project that involved a protest rally with grandma! Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky) Have a mail bag question? Email us at hkhspod@gm...
You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah
November 28, 2023 08:05 - 52 minutes - 51.7 MBBrenna and Joe are working on our Mitzvahs as we discuss Fiona Rosenbloom's 2005 book You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah and its 2023 Netflix adaptation by Sammi Cohen. While both texts are relatively slight, we found these quite enjoyable. The book's conflict is a little manufactured and the Judaism lessons can be a little after school special, but we're big fans of Stacy's relationship with younger brother Arthur. The film, meanwhile, features the whole Sandler clan, but Sunny and ...
Mailbag 23: Alanna Recommendation / Imogen Consolation
November 24, 2023 08:05 - 5 minutes - 5.42 MBWe're responding to mail from listeners Aimee, who has an Alanna-inspired contemporary recommendation, and Victoria, who is drawing on lessons from Imogen, Obviously and There's Someone Inside Your House to confront toxicity in her personal life. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky) Have a mail bag questio...
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)
November 21, 2023 08:05 - 40 minutes - 38.3 MBBrenna and Joe return to Panem for The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, directed by franchise regular Francis Lawrence. While Joe struggles with the transition from Part 2 to 3, Brenna is unconvinced by lead actor Tom Blyth or the romance between Snow and Lucy Gray. We do, however, have plenty of praise for Viola Davis, Hunter Schafer and Jason Schwartzman, as well as the costume design and the politics of the dystopia. Perhaps it simply needed to be a (mini)serie...
Mockingjay Part 2 feat. Alex Heeney
November 14, 2023 08:05 - 1 hour - 70.6 MBWe're wrapping up Mockingjay which means our resident The Hunger Games expert Alex Heeney of Seventh Row is back! We're closing out the back half of Suzanne Collins' book (Chapter 13 -> End) and Francis Lawrence's Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) with a discussion about PTSD, the Capitol as arena, and the heteronormative baby-centric ending. Plus: settling the Peeta vs Gale debate once and for all, the ugly visual palette of the film and Katniss as soldier. Wanna connect with the show? Follow u...
Mailbag 22: Cursive
November 10, 2023 08:05 - 6 minutes - 6.31 MBBrenna and Joe gush over new listener Chantal's cool grandmother (reader of Harlequin romance novels), then sidestep into a conversation about cursive writing as a lost art form and how it can connect us. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky) Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected] Theme ...
Reservation Dogs S03
November 07, 2023 08:05 - 46 minutes - 44.2 MBBrenna and Joe bid a sad farewell to S03 of Reservation Dogs. We spend a lot of time discussing the use of elders, the unique portrayal of the effects of residential schools, cycles, and where our fave characters wind up. Plus: stunt casting Elora's dad and Graham Greene, the spin-off we want, and that exquisite finale. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemy...
There's Someone Inside Your House
October 31, 2023 07:05 - 50 minutes - 47.1 MBBrenna and Joe wrap up another Spooky Season with Stephanie Perkins' 2017 slasher novel There's Someone Inside Your House and Patrick Brice's 2021 Netflix adaptation. The book is fast-paced, although it loses its message and winds up being a little forgettable, while the film starts off strong, then nosedives. Plus: gory murder descriptions, a case *against* colour-blind casting in the film, and which set pieces we like the best/least. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, In...
Goosebumps feat. Paul Farrell
October 24, 2023 07:05 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MBWe're still on the gateway horror track with a look at three R.L. Stine texts and Rob Letterman's 2015 film adaptation, starring Jack Black (again!) Guiding the discussion with encyclopedic knowledge is Goosebumps super fan Paul Farrell, who advised Brenna and Joe to read The Ghost Next Door, The Blob That Ate Everyone, and Night of the Living Dummy 2 to prepare. Plus: terrible families, brightly coloured cover art, the new Disney+ show, and Stine's approach to hooking young readers. Wann...
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
October 17, 2023 07:05 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBSpooky Season continues as Brenna and Joe tackle Alvin Schwartz's collection of folklore urban legends, as well as André Øvredal's 2019 adaptation. We heap praise on the illustrations by Stephen Gammell and acknowledge Schwartz's campfire tales as gateway horror. The film doesn't work as well: the Vietnam backstory is undercooked, villain Tommy is dispatched too early and the monsters aren't persuasive to Brenna. Plus: Joe's fave sequence, the ableism/abuse in the Bellows storyline, and ...
Love and Monsters (2021)
October 10, 2023 07:05 - 37 minutes - 35.3 MBSpooky Month continues, but we're moving away from scares into drippy monsters! Thankfully Michael Matthews's Love and Monsters features plenty of comedy and heart, courtesy of star Dylan O'Brien's voice over and a script from Matthew Robinson and Brian Duffield (the latter wrote previous episode Spontaenous). We're big fans of the best good boy, Dog, the way the film handles Joel's relationship with Aimee, and the Oscar-nominated realism of the CGI. Wanna connect with the show? Follow ...
Mailbag 21: Alanna Apology & Political Dystopias
October 06, 2023 23:34 - 7 minutes - 6.77 MBMailbag returns with an Alanna apology to Earl, a political dystopia discussion for Tea, Books & Chocolate and a thank you to Eric, who appreciates Brenna's musical taste. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky) Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected] Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the L...
The House with a Clock in Its Walls feat. Dede Crimmins
October 03, 2023 07:05 - 45 minutes - 41.8 MBSpooky Season begins with a look at John Bellairs' 1973 franchise starter The House with a Clock in Its Walls, as well as Eli Roth's 2018 adaptation. Joining us for the ride is film critic Dede Crimmins, who brings a unique POV because she saw the film first. The book is *very* 70s and features surprisingly little character development, despite oozing atmosphere (that car chase!). The film is far more male-centric, but fleshes out its characters and set pieces while (obviously) giving sta...
Queens Bees & Wannabes / Mean Girls
September 26, 2023 07:05 - 52 minutes - 51.1 MBOn Tuesdays we wear pink! After many years of missing Oct 3, Brenna and Joe *finally* cover Mark Waters 2004's film Mean Girls and its source material, Rosalind Wiseman's parenting guide, Queen Bees & Wannabes. We've got some pretty major problems with Wiseman's 400 page tome, which relies heavily on gender binaries, barely addresses queer or racialized teens, and seems to hate girlhood? Thankfully the film is highly enjoyable. Despite being very white and featuring very 2000s language, th...
First Daughter (2004)
September 19, 2023 07:05 - 34 minutes - 30.9 MBJoey is off to College in this film from director Forest Whitaker (!) from a story by Jerry O'Connell (!!) Alas that's what's most interesting about this frankly boring movie that fails to create a character for Katie Holmes' Sam. The romance isn't interesting and the narrative seems stuck on repeat, plus there's some weird sexual chemistry between the President and First Daughter. Thankfully we'll always have "My Date with the President's Daughter" and that banging theme song! Wanna con...
A Sister (2017) / Falcon Lake (2022)
September 12, 2023 07:05 - 44 minutes - 39.8 MBBrenna and Joe kick off Book Six with Bastien Vivès' 2017 comic Une Soeur/A Sister and Charlotte LeBon's film, Falcon Lake (2022). C/W: Vivès is under investigation for child pornography. We're fascinated by the similarities and differences in these texts, which both focus on a sexual awakening, but change the location and feature wildly different endings, which dramatically alters readings of the text as an autobiography. Plus: sex in comics, swingers and incest, and the ethereal beauty o...
Allegiant
September 05, 2023 07:05 - 52 minutes - 46.7 MBIt's the end of Book Five, so we're closing the door on Veronica Roth's Divergent series with a look at her 2013 book Allegiant and director Robert Schwentke's 2016 film adaptation. We actually find good things in the beginning and end of the book, though the draggy middle section about eugenics (!) is...not great. Then we're onto the film, which adapts roughly 75% of the book, features horrible FX and a terrible Miles Teller performance, and should be thrown into the dustbin of history. W...
Mailbag 20: More on Alanna
September 01, 2023 07:05 - 5 minutes - 5.3 MBWe missed listener Victoria's contributions to Book Club, so we're revisiting Alanna: The First Adventure to talk about a few extra scenes. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky) or @mittenstrings (Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Alanna: The First Adventure (1983)
August 29, 2023 07:05 - 39 minutes - 37.4 MBIt's our last Book Club for the year! Brenna and Joe are joined by listeners Emma, Charlotte and Tea, Books & Chocolate to discuss Tamora Pierce's Alanna: The First Adventure (1983). While folks warned us the book hasn't aged super well (colonialism, white saviour, gender essentialism, etc), overall we *really* liked this and can understand the nostalgia of a fantasy series with a female protagonist in the 80s. After all, Alanna is a great heroine and this is solid middle-grade fiction. Up...
Mailbag 19: More on Red, White & Royal Blue
August 28, 2023 13:06 - 17 minutes - 17.3 MBWe have follow-up work from our Red, White & Royal Blue episode, including an apology (courtesy of Miriam) about Casey McQuiston's pronouns, and three points about characters and politics (courtesy of Tea, Books & Chocolate). Then we fold in one additional thought about Charlie & Ben in Heartstopper S02 (courtesy of Jeremy). Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky) or @mittenstrings (Ins...
Mailbag 18: Ben & Heartstopper S02
August 25, 2023 07:05 - 5 minutes - 4.92 MBBrenna and (moreso) Joe discuss listener Andrew's response about Joe feeling bad for Ben in Heartstopper S02. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky) or @mittenstrings (Instagram) > Joe: @bstolemyremote Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Red, White & Royal Blue
August 22, 2023 07:05 - 54 minutes - 50.4 MBBrenna and Joe are late to Casey McQuiston's phenom Red, White & Royal Blue which has just been adapted to film by Matthew López for Amazon. We're fans of this fun, flirty read which tackles a few substantive topics in a low-key fashion. The film...isn't working for us unfortunately. Despite stars Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine's best efforts, there's no romantic electricity here. Throw in cheap production values and a undercooked queer-revenge villain and the film is sadly und...
Imogen, Obviously (2022)
August 15, 2023 07:05 - 37 minutes - 34.9 MBWe couldn't help but discuss Becky Albertalli's new book Imogen, Obviously which feels like a semi-autobiographical account of the author's own experiences coming out as bisexual. Yes there's fluffy, bubblegum romance, but Albertalli is doing something far more complicated with the book's "villain" Gretchen and her dangerous gatekeeping of queer identities. It's really fascinating! Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgr...
Heartstopper S02 (2023)
August 08, 2023 07:05 - 43 minutes - 37.9 MBWho's ready for Paris?! Brenna and Joe return to the world of Alice Oseman's Heartstopper for S02 of the Netflix series, which loosely corresponds to Volumes 3 & 4 of the comic. There's hickey drama, more queer teachers and even more diversity in the LGBTQIA umbrella. But while we're loving more Tao and Elle, Joe is frustrated by how quickly Isaac's "coming out" is handled and he finds the Ben subplot lacking. Thankfully the soundtrack and the kissing remains on point! Wanna connect with t...
Piglettes (2015)
August 01, 2023 07:05 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBThanks to listener Laura's recommendation, Brenna and Joe check out Clémentine Beauvais' delightful Piglettes (2015) about three fat girls who bike to Paris. There's nothing lost in translation because the witty wordplay shines through in this fun, breezy, feminist book. While Brenna has issues with how Mireille treats the other girls and Joe desires cathartic punishment, we're both appreciative that the girls don't change who they are and the only "lesson" learned is the value of friendshi...