Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr
A weekly podcast about young adult literature, their film and television adaptations and everything in between.
Episodes
Skins Series 3: Episode 8
It's time for a party in the woods and Brenna and Joe are becoming increasingly worried about Effy.Obviously the rock fight at episode's end will have some big ramifications, but the looming mental health crisis of pairing Effy and Cook has us terrified for the young girl.Plus: rural horror vibes; Brenna's burgeoning interest in Katie; and predictions for the penultimate episode.Wanna connect with
Trevor: The Musical (2022)
On the heels of the 1994 short, Brenna and Joe check out Trevor: The Musical, the Off Broadway adaptation that is a full blown musical! Written by Dan Collins and directed by Robin Abrams, the nearly two hour version of the story unfortunately doesn't add content so much as stretch it out. Still, there's some good to be found here, including the Diana Ross performance, and the staging. But what ab
Skins Series 3: Episode 7
Brenna and Joe finally reach the JJ episode of Skins series 3 and...we're divided.On one hand, the show finally gives JJ a diagnosis and allows him agency, but we find Skins' handling of mental health treatment so grim and one-sided.Plus: different readings on JJ's mom; disappointment about the handling of Emily; a completely different episode soundtrack; and JJ as a truth teller.Wanna connect wit
Trevor (1994)
Brenna has programmed us an Oscar-winning short Trevor (1994) that also led to the creation of The Trevor Project. Directed by Peggy Rajski and written by Celeste Lecesne, the ~18 minute short is clever and slightly surreal, though C/W for suicide attempt.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacgray> Joe: @bstolem
Skins Series 3: Episode 6
Brenna and Joe are in love with Naomi's episode, which feels like a series three high. Sure it's a struggle to watch her try to deny her feelings for Emily, but she's getting there!Plus: school elections; Katie being the worst; and Brenna's cheer for dressing down a pervy teacher.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @bren
TV: A Good Girl's Guide To Murder S02 (2026)
Brenna and Joe return to discuss the six episode S02 of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, which shifts the focus prominently to Max Hastings. This definitely changes the messaging of the book, though TV-only viewers likely won't notice.Plus: struggling to connect to Stanley Forbes; praising the casting of Max's cousin; and pondering what the third and final series will look like.Wanna connect with th
Skins Series 3: Episode 5
Prep your sexual euphemism because we're auditioning for Sexxbomb in the latest episode of Skins series 3.Episode 5 "Freddie" tells us as much about the title character as it does his love interest, but our patience with JJ is running thin.Plus: Cook's lack of verbal skills; debate about Freddie's father; and the moment that had us screaming "Oh Effy!"Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on
Book: Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020)
Pip is back for another mystery in Holly Jackson's Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020) AKA A Good Girl's Guide to Murder book two.There's plenty to admire about this entry, which finds Pip growing up and discovering the world isn't fair in a pretty devastating way.Plus: hating Ant & Lauren; admiring the dark ending; and Max Hasting's trial reminding us of real life Canadian scandals involving the Worl
Skins Series 3: Episode 4
Skins series 3 delivers another strong episode as we zero in on Pandora's birthday, which ends in the most typical Skins fashion ever.Plus: the heated exchange between Effy and Panda; another bad parental model; and what kind of adult crashes a party at a teenager's house?!Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacgray
Heartstopper Forever (2026)
Brenna and Joe return to wrap up the love affair between Nick and Charlie in the conclusion of Alice Oseman's Heartstopper. We're reading Volume 6 and watching the Netflix film, Heartstopper Forever (2026) directed by former gay porn director Wash Westmoreland.This is lovely...but we have a few issues, including a forced conflict, a too long break-up in the film, and the lack of time for supportin
Skins Series 3: Episode 3
This is the episode of Skins that Brenna needed! The arrival of Merveille Lukeba's Thomas upends the familiar narrative as teleplay writers Daniel Kaluuya & Bryan Elsley expertly integrate the teen from the Congo into the series' other narratives.Plus: Brenna's love of Pandora; Joe's desire for donuts; and a chilli pepper showdown for the agesWanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram
Mailbag 52: Sherlock Holmes Recommendation
Brenna and Joe respond to a Sherlock Holmes/Peter Pan crossover recommendation from teabooksandchocolate: The Adventures of Mary Darling by Pat Murphy.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacgray> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)Have a mail bag question? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com
Book Club: Last Night at the Telegraph Club (2021)
(Banned) Book Club is back in session with Malinda Lo's incredibly "study-able" text, Last Night at the Telegraph Club (2021).With input from listeners Daphne, Spencer, Miriam, and teabooksandchocolate, there's so much richness to pull from this queer historical book.Plus: where it's banned; being disappointed by Lily's dad and aunt; heating up over the sex scenes; and why the signposted focalizat
Skins Series 3: Episode 2
Brenna and Joe return for Skins S03E02 and...someone isn't feeling it."Cook" is too slight an episode and the archetypes and narratives are too familiar to series one.Plus: Praising Jack O'Connell (but hating the character); Pandora's bag of drugs; and guest star Mackenzie Crook in an unconventional role.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #H
Film: Enola Holmes (2020)
Joe and Brenna move on to Enola Holmes, the first film in the franchise, which was meant to go theatrical but debuted on Netflix due to the pandemic.Starring Millie Bobby Brown (who's clearly proving she can do more than Stranger Things), the film is plenty of fun, even if it is a bit too long.Plus: good Sherlock and bad Mycroft; aging up a love interest; and Helena Bonham Carter in a beefed up ro
Skins Series 3: Episode 1
Brenna and Joe kick off another summer of Skins, which a look at Series 3, episode 1 "Everybody"We're concerned that this is just a new cast with the same storylines, though Joe is a bit more optImistic. Plus: Effy's bad decisions; different career paths for the twins; and our immediate dislike of Cook.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKH
Book: Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess (2006)
Brenna and Joe dip a toe into Nancy Springer's mystery series with the first Enola Holmes Mystery: The Case of the Missing Marquess (2006)This Middle grade text is deft, but surprisingly deep, particularly the way Springer uses women's fashion as a central component of the narrative.Plus: sexist Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft; a bad mother; and the novel's subtle, but specific historical/political co
Mailbag 51: Happy 'You Can Live Forever' Ending
Listener Hannah writes in to offer a more optimistic/happy reading of the end of You Can Live Forever.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacgray> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)Have a mail bag question? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com Theme music: Rewind Kid "Rhythm Revolution"
Labyrinth (1986) feat. Jes Battis
Joe and Brenna are joined by returning guest Jes Battis to discuss Jim Henson's Labyrinth (1986) for its 40th anniversary.Jes literally wrote the book on the film, It's Only Forever: Labyrinth, which means this celebratory episode is filled with tons of insights into both the film and Jim Henson.Plus: 80s nostalgia; academia as goblin-world; our fave characters/puppets and songs; and, of course, t
Book: Girls Like Girls (2023)
Brenna and Joe check out singer/writer Hayley Kiyoko's queer romance novel Girls Like Girls (2023) in advance of the feature adaptation. C/W: Discussions of suicideIt's a great approximation of the fiery heat of young love, though we can't fully invest in the main couple (ugh Sonya!)Plus: father/daughter relationships; "wrong" partners; and our hopes for the film.Wanna connect with the show? Follo
Film: Out Of My Mind (2024)
Joe and Brenna return to discuss director Amber Sealey (the voice of The Princess Diaries audiobook?!) and writer Daniel Stiepleman's adaptation of Out Of My Mind (2024).Starring real life disabled actor Phoebe-Rae Taylor, this Peabody-winning film will definitely get the waterworks going, especially Luke Kirby (who gives Stanley Tucci a run for his money for Best Dad in YA).Plus: the visualizatio
Mailbag 50: Lord of the Flies Pig and Comic
Brenna and Joe catch up on emails from Tea, Books, and Chocolate and Charlotte about Lord of the Flies, including a disturbing read on Simon and the pig and the comic adaptation by Aimee de Jongh. Plus: Joe recommends the Amazon show The Wilds.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacgray> Joe: @bstolemyremote 
Book: Out of My Mind (2010)
Brenna and Joe check out Sharon Draper's Out Of My Mind (2010) about Melody, a non-verbal girl with Cerebral Palsy who wants to be able to communicate more than anything.Unlike so many other books about disability, however, this isn't a book about how Melody changes the world...and it's better for it!Plus: exceptional Middle Grade fiction; resisting the temptation of a fantasy ending; and garbage
Summer of 69 (2025)
Joe and Brenna boldly explore a YA topic they've never discussed before: the sex comedy! We're getting filthy and profane with Jillian Bell's directorial debut, Summer of 69 (2025) in which a teenager hires a stripper to teach her about sex.This is a ton of fun, which great performances, a sex (and sex worker) positive perspective, and a group of women doing it for themselves.Plus: a schwoopy hair
TV Show: Finding Her Edge (2026)
Brenna and Joe return to discuss the eight episode S01 adaptation of Finding Her Edge, co-created by Jeff Norton and Shelley Scarrow (disappointingly - she worked on Canadian faves like Wynona Earp and Being Erica).This is BAD on multiple levels (try to count Joe's innumerable rants), most egregiously in how little anyone seems to care. Plus: digging into that Rotten Tomatoes score; the show's mis
Book: Finding Her Edge (2022)
Brenna and Joe hit the ice with Jennifer Iacopelli's 2022 novel Finding Her Edge.It's the story of an ambitious 16 year old with Olympic dreams, and her gaslighting trash father and dismissive older sister. Oh...and a love triangle.It's fine! The novel is a bit too long & tropey and the romance is the least interesting part, but it's readable and the sports stuff is engaging. Spoiler alert: it
TV Show: Lord of the Flies (2026)
Lord of the Flies is back thanks to the new four episode limited series from Adolescence creators Mark Munden and Jack Thorne.After revisiting William Golding's original text, Brenna has a list of adaptation changes and how they affect the colonial, queer, and race readings.Plus: non-professional child actors; fish eyed lenses; the impact of B/W vs colour; and why this series isn't exactly enterta
Film: I Am Number Four (2011)
Brenna and Joe return to discuss D.J. Caruso's film adaptation, I Am Number Four (2011).Screenwriters Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (Smallville) and Marti Noxon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) make some smart decisions, though they also jettison a few key book ideas. Meanwhile star Alex Pettyfer makes for a petulant John Doe and he lacks romantic chemistry with co-star Diana Agron.Plus: decent CGI, mal
Mailbag 49: More Aging Out and Muppets
With Brenna back from her French vacation, we dig into the mailbag to address messages from Neera, Spencer and the creative team behind You Can Live Forever!Neera's recommendations:> Lady's Knight by Meagan Spooner & Amie Kaufman> Gwen and Art Are Not in Love and Not For the Faint of Heart by Lex CroucherWanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky
Book: I Am Number Four (2010)
Brenna and Joe kick off Book 8 with the first entry in The Lorien Legacy series: I Am Number Four (2010).Ostensibly written by "Pittacus Lore", this is actually from James Frey's Fiction Factory, which paid MFA students $250 to write YA books for the disgraced author.The book is basically Teen Superman as alien John Doe falls in love with human girl, alien species "the Mogs" try to murder him, and
Film: Tuck Everlasting (2002)
Brenna and Joe wrap up Book 7 with a look at the 2002 Disney adaptation of Tuck Everlasting, starring Alexis Bledel and Jonathan Jackson (and his schwoopy hair!)The big change in the film is the focus on Winnie and Jesse's love story, as well as an updated time period (and no jailbreak!)Plus: Joe's movie-ruining factoid; Ben Kingsley's villainous performance; and why being abducted on a horse isn'
Book: Tuck Everlasting (1975)
Brenna and Joe return to middle grade fiction with Natalie Babbitt's 1975 classic novel, Tuck Everlasting.It's a beautifully simple, but effective story with some age-appropriate moral lessons.Plus: Brenna's experience with the graphic novel; the jailbreak finale; and why immortality is such a drag.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod
Film: Along For The Ride (2022)
Brenna and Joe return to discuss the film adaptation of Along For The Ride, written and directed by Sofia Alvarez (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before).Shocking no one: the complicated relationship with the parents is downplayed in favour of the romance with Eli.But we're thankful that the friendship with the girls remains in place, and the parents still suuuuck (though Andie McDowell is barely pres
Book: Along For The Ride (2009)
Brenna and Joe return to the world of Sarah Dessen to discuss 2009's Along For The Ride.There are no surprises here: it's all predictable conventions and tropes...and we don't care *at all* thanks to Dessen's fantastic writing and characterizations.Plus: possibly the worst parents we've ever seen; internalized misogyny; and issues with the title and cover art.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us
Beans (2020)
Brenna and Joe check out Tracey Deer's Indigenous Canadian film, Beans (2020), which we've both been eager to check out for years.Pre-teen actor Kiawentiio gives an incredible performance as the title character in a film that mixes coming of age elements with historical re-enactments of the 1990 Oka Crisis, when settler colonialists tried to take over Indigenous land to build a golf course an
You Can Live Forever (2022)
Joe and Brenna venture into new territory to discuss writing/directing duo Sarah Watts and Mark Slutsky's queer Canadian Jehovah's Witness romance.Featuring stand-out performances by Anwen O'Driscoll and June Laporte, the 90s-set film is beautifully quiet and contemplative.Plus: debate about the effectiveness of the ending; a surprising best friend character; and questions about the "mom on t
The Muppet Show (2026)
Brenna and Joe return to the world of Jim Henson to discuss the one-off reboot of The Muppet Show (2026).We discuss why Sabrina Carpenter was an inspired first host, how kiddos handle the "scary" Beeker skit, why Kermit sounds a little different, and our hopes for more felt friends in the future.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:&g
Mailbag: Aging Out of YA
Former guest Alex Heeney writes in to gently read Brenna and Joe about recent comments that suggest they may be aging out of YA. At what point do you realize you're no longer the target audience and move onto New Adult literature?Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacgray> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) o
Percy Jackson and The Olympians S02 (2025)
Brenna and Joe wrap up our coverage of Percy Jackson with a look at Disney +'s Percy Jackson and the Olympians S02.It's an improvement on the film in every way, including the depth of characterization for the central trio, the great depiction of Tyson, and a fantastic episode featuring Circe.There are, however, still a few missteps, including Mr. D and Tantalus (UGH), occasional slavish to Rick Ri
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013)
Brenna and Joe return for week two of our discussion on Percy Jackson's second adventure, with a look at the 2013 film Sea of Monsters.Armed with a new director (Diary of a Wimpy Kid's Thor Freudenthal) and a mostly new adult cast, the film makes the odd decision to change a million little elements from the book.Plus: pitch perfect roles for Nathan Fillion and Stanley Tucci; Logan Lerman's snoozy
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters (2006)
Brenna and Joe kick off the first of three weeks on Percy Jackson and the Olympians with a look at Rick Riordan's second novel of the series: The Sea of Monsters.Up for discussion: new character Tyson (and what that means for Grover), Middle Grade writing structure, how the book renders Greek mythology accessible, and the very 2006 era inclusion of <gulp> Confederate soldiers.Wanna connect w
TV Show: My Lady Jane (2024)
Brenna and Joe close out revisionist history month with a look at the first (and only) season of Prime's My Lady Jane (2024).This New Adult text ages everyone up because it is *horny* (and quite hilarious).Plus: a male voice-over for a female-driven show; a messy metaphor, a reliance on needle drops, and our favourite beautiful gown.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @
Book: My Lady Jane (2016)
Brenna and Joe gallop through Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows's My Lady Jane (2016). Our final revisionist text concerns England's nine day queen, Jane Grey, but uses a fantasy metaphor to tackle the real life Prostestant vs Catholic battle.Plus: thoughts on the YA romance; Jane as a modern heroine; and how the three authors' voices blend together.Wanna connect with the show? Fo
Film: Rosaline (2022)
This week Joe and Brenna find ourselves in uncharted waters. Rosaline (2022) is most definitely NOT an adaptation of When You Were Mine (if anything, it's a contemporary take on Romeo and Juliet, the play).With that bizarre fact aside, Rosaline is extremely enjoyable. A fantastic cast, playful direction, and a screwball screenplay make this a breezy good time. Just don't call it an adaptation! Wan
Book: When You Were Mine (2010)
Brenna and Joe's revisionist theme continues with author Rebecca Serle's When You Were Mine (2012).This contemporary version of Romeo and Juliet is from Rose's perspective as she watches her childhood crush, Rob, stolen by her unhinged cousin Juliet. But the propulsive (and highly readable) book has us asking: do we even need the R&J connection?Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagr
Film: Catherine Called Birdy (2022)
Brenna and Joe turn their attention to writer/director Lena Dunham's 2022 adaptation of Catherine Called Birdy.Starring Bella Ramsey and Andrew Scott, there's some queer subversion embedded in the film. Plus: stunt casting Billie Piper, modernizing a classic (the music!) and a new YA BINGO board for a new year.Correction: Joe should have said David Bradley, *not* Doug Wanna connect with the show?
Book: Catherine, Called Birdy (1994)
Brenna and Joe get a head start on the new year with a slightly tweaked weekly format.This week we're talking about Karen Cushman's award-winning novel Catherine, Called Birdy (1994) about a headstrong 14 year old Lady in the Middle Ages who refuses to marry.Plus: the pros and cons of using diary entries as a narrative structure, eel pies, and plenty of women's issuesWanna connect with the show? F
Book Club: Whiteout (2022)
Our annual holiday episode is on the collaboratively written novel Whiteout (2022). Featuring an all-star line-up that includes Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon, Brenna, Joe and listener Tea, Books & Chocolate are left wondering: why is this so...slight?Plus: great representation, debating distinct voices, comparisons to Love, Act
Mailbag 47: 'I Wish You All The Best' Non-Binary Discussion & Heated Rivalry
Brenna and Joe respond to non-binary listener Kai's thoughtful feedback about the nuance we missed in our discussion of I Wish You All The Best, as well Tea, Books & Chocolate's request to cover Heated Rivalry, the new Canadian romance series about queer hockey playersWanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacgray&
Skam Season 1 (2015)
As promised, Brenna and Joe return to finish the remainder of S01 of Skam.Obviously we're appreciative of listeners' demands we do so because we *love* Noora and Sana.Plus: thoughts on Eva's S01 evolution, Vilde's pregnancy vs disordered eating storyline, the tease of Isak's queerness, and wanting more of girl ChrisWanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 feat. Jenny Nulf
It's time for another Twilight saga as guest Jenny Leigh joins Brenna and Joe to once again discuss a Stephenie Meyer text.This time it's a wedding, an island named after mom, furniture breaking sex, instant Mormon pregnancy and Bella's super gaunt face.That's right: it's Breaking Dawn: Part 1!Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:>
I Wish You All The Best
Thanks to a recommendation from listener Andrew, we're checking out non-binary author Mason Deaver's 2019 book I Wish You All The Best and transwoman Tommy Dorfman's 2024 film adaptation.This is an interesting pair: they're each doing things that the other isn't (for better *and* for worse), including a fantasy ending and a welcome focus on therapy in the book and acknowledging queerness more quic
Clown in a Cornfield
Brenna and Joe wrap up another scary season with a look at Adam Cesare's YA slasher Clown in a Cornfield (2020) and Eli Craig's 2025 film adaptation.Joe is a big fan of both texts: they each deftly balance comedy and horror, along with some surprising subversions, such as the killer reveal and the queer relationship between Cole and Rust.Brenna likes the comedy of the film, including the kills (!)
Mailbag 46: Skam Follow-Up & Dec Book Club Announcement
Oh my gosh, we get it: YOU LIKE SKAM!We have *never* gotten as much listener mail as we did for episodes 1-2 of Skam S01, so thank you to listeners Reuben, Earl, Charlotte, Anne, and Alex, who touch on everything from the release pattern of the show, other countries' entries, the meaning of the bus, fave characters we haven't met, and why we need to cover more.Plus: our December Book Club book has
Dark Harvest
Brenna and Joe kick off scary season with Norman Partridge's 2007 Stoker award winning novel Dark Harvest and David Slade's 2023 adaptation.The book isn't exactly YA (and intriguingly features a second person narrator), but it mostly works as a Vietnam war allegory.The film has elements of camp and great practical FX, though its incredibly grim ending doesn't entirely satisfy.Overall, though, this
Last Swim (2024)
Brenna and Joe unofficially wrap up summer with Sasha Nathani's feature directorial debut Last Swim (2024). The UK film is about Ziba (Deba Hakmat), a girl with an undisclosed terminal disease, who plots one perfect day with her friends.It's beautiful, intimate, has a great friend group and secretly does a great job of addressing class and race.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram a
Skam S01 (2015): Episodes 1 - 2
At the urging of past guest Alex Heeney, Joe and Brenna finally check out Skam, the "Norweigan Skins" that began airing in 2015.In the first two episodes, we under why the show translates to "Shame" as our main character Eva struggles with a terrible boyfriend, bad grades, and uncertain social popularity. Plus: two Chrises, absent parents, and a Degrassi-like production.Wanna connect with the show
Mailbag 45: Weeding The Library
Brenna and Joe respond to listener mail from Shaun (about Book Weeding), Andrew (about Harry Potter references in Felix Ever After), and Tea, Books & Chocolate (about a great Douglas Copeland quote).Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacgray> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)Have
A Good Girl's Guide To Murder
Brenna and Joe dig into the death of Andie Bell with a look at Holly Jackson's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (2019) and S01 of the BBC3/Netflix series.There's plenty to like in this well-constructed mystery, particularly Pip, her burgeoning romance with Ravi, and the many, MANY twists and red herrings.Plus: Brenna's rant about a bizarre editorial decision, making murder victims likeable in the ser
Book Club: Clap When You Land (2020)
Book Club is back in session for the last time this summer as Brenna and Joe dig into Elizabeth Acevedo's novel in verse, Clap When You Land (2020).We're joined by listeners Tea, Books & Chocolate, as well as Miriam, who contribute their thoughts on this beautiful (near) perfect book.Expect discussions on class, race, gender, and money; whether this is representative of a typical book in verse
Skins Series 2: Episodes 9 & 10
Brenna and Joe are back to wrap up Series two of Skins and...it's a lot of mixed emotions!On one hand, we think 2.10 "Final Goodbyes" is a pretty solid finish for these characters, while 2.09 "Cassie" left us with plenty of questions and concerns.Plus: a tearful eulogy, Brenna worrying about Cassie's end, and after a whole summer, we finally play YA BINGO with the show!Wanna connect with the show?
Dìdi (2024)
It's been a while since we've had a feel good coming of age dramaedy, so Joe has brought Brenna writer/director Sean Wang's Dìdi (2024).Obviously Brenna has big feels about mother Chungsing (Joan Chen), but there's plenty to applaud about Izaac Wang's performance as Chris and the depiction of 2008 Internet friendship.Plus: sibling rivalry, internalized racism, and talking animals.Wanna connect wit
Skins Series 2: Episodes 7 & 8
Brenna and Joe are barrelling towards the finale of Skins Series 02, but first we need to cross off the back-door pilot for Series 03 with 2.07 "Effie" and (finally!) a Jal-centric episode with 2.08.It's all moving very quickly - to such a degree that we wonder when the creative team knew they were swapping out the cast.Plus: Cassie's bisexuality, bad friend Michelle, Brenna's frustration with Ton
Freaky Friday
To coincide with the release of Freakier Friday, we're checking out all things Freaky Friday.Kicking off the discussion is Mary Rodgers' 1972 book, which weirdly doesn't feature the mom's experience in her daughter's body!Then it's onto the 1976 film starring Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris, which gives the latter much more to do than the former.Finally we tackle the 2003 remake starring Jamie Lee
Skins Series 2: Episodes 5 & 6
We've hit the halfway point of Skins series two with "Chris" and "Tony" and...Brenna is not impressed.Episode five focuses on the burgeoning relationship of Chris and Jal, which we don't entirely believe. Meanwhile Brenna has no time or patience for Tony's episode, which feels like the writers realizing they make a huge mistake giving Tony a traumatic brain injury. Wanna connect with the show? Fol
Book Club: Felix Ever After (2020)
Brenna and Joe are back to discuss Kacen Callender's Felix Ever After (2020), our Book Club pick for July. We have one response from listener Miriam on this incredibly rich text, which features a complicated, even occasionally frustrating protagonist that we ultimately come to love.Plus: the messy villains of the text, exploring trans identity beyond the binary, the plethora of Harry Potter refere
It's Not Summer Without You / The Summer I Turned Pretty S02
Brenna and Joe head back to Cousins for another swing at Jenny Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty series. First up: decent beach read It's Not Summer Without You (aka book 2), which works when it focuses on the loss of Susannah and is *fine* when it does the usual love triangle.The same cannot be said for the Amazon TV show, which pads the runtime and adds a frustrating new character played by Kyra
Skins Series 2: Episodes 3 & 4
We're back for another round of Skins Series 2, but Brenna has mixed feelings. It probably has something to do with the death of Peter Capaldi's character, as well as the fact that one of the two episodes is about Michelle.Plus: Cassie travel logistic questions, hook-ups galore, and continued proof that the only good Skins parent...is a dead one?Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram
Book Club Announcement: July 18 Reminder & August's Pick
A quick reminder that your responses to Kacen Callender's Felix Ever After is due Friday, July 18.And also: the announcement of our August 2025 selection, which is Elizabeth Acevedo's Clap When You Land (2020). If you wanna read along, the due date for responses is Friday, August 22.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @b
Forever
We're back for our third Judy Blume text with Forever! The 1975 book was written to candidly discuss a sexual relationship between teens and even if some aspects don't quite hold up, Brenna and Joe find its frankness refreshing.On the flip side, the Netflix series from 2025 falls somewhere between IP cash grab and spiritual adaptation. Creator Mara Brock Akil interprets the text through a celebrat
Mailbag 44: Corrections, Elaborations, and Recommendations
We're doing a mega mailbag round-up with bits and pieces from listeners Neera, Victoria, and Sophie.First up: an apology to Neera about Inkheart and an observation about 2000s YA and middle grade fiction.Then: More fall-out from Quiet on Set with regard to Drake Bell's sexual misconduct charges, as well as the Pride Month murder of Indigenous gay man Jonathan Joss.Finally, a few recommendations fr
Skins Series 2: Episodes 1 & 2
Class is back in session as Brenna and Joe kick off Skins Series 2 with a look at the first two episodes.From the bold decision about Tony's traumatic brain injury to the sidelining Cassie to Maxxie's dancing to...Sketch (?) it's a brand new summer of the kids are not alright!Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacg
Book Club: Just Listen (2006)
Book Club returns as Brenna and Joe discuss Sarah Dessen's 2006 novel Just Listen, along with responses from Miriam, Victoria, and Tea, Books & Chocolate. C/W: sexual assault and disordered eating.We *loved* this book, which feels fresh, accessible and side-steps glamorizing or wallowing in the trauma.Plus: girlhood, placelessness, glass house metaphors and radical honesty.Wanna connect with t
Uproar (2023)
Brenna and Joe check out coming of age film Uproar (2023), directed by Paul Middleditch and Hamish Bennett and written by Bennett and Sonia Whiteman.The 80s-set New Zealand movie follows Josh (Julian Dennison), a Maori boy who becomes politically engaged when his small town hosts a South African rugby club during Apartheid. It is an unintentionally timely text considering the recent wave of p
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between
It's easy, breezy time as Brenna and Joe check out our first Jennifer E. Smith text with Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between (2015) and Michael Lewen's 2022 Netflix adaptation.This feels like a classic first year HKHS combo: a beach-read book and an enjoyably slight romantic film, anchored by likeable leads. We're especially shocked at the negative reviews for the latter!Plus: our fave stops
Book Club Announcement: June 20 Reminder & July's Pick
A quick reminder that your responses to Sarah Dessen's Just Listen is due Friday, June 20.And also: the announcement of our July 2025 selection, which is Kacen Callender's Felix Ever After (2018). If you wanna read along, the due date for responses for July is Friday, July 18.Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacg
Inkheart
Thanks to listener requests, Brenna and Joe dig into the fantasy world of Cornelia Funke's Inkheart and its 2008 film adaptation starring Brendan Fraser.It's...not what we expected. In addition to less driving, Joe wanted more fantasy, while Brenna wanted more famous characters.Possible reasons this didn't connect for us: translation issues and the revelation that it may have been meant to be read
Book Club Announcement: Just Listen (June 2025)
At the request of Miriam, we're re-starting Book Club! Our first pick is Sarah Dessen's Just Listen (2006), which concerns rape and eating disorders (C/W). In order to proceed, we need your thoughts! Send us an email response at hkhspod@gmail.com before June 20th! Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacgray> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instag
Adolescence (2025)
Brenna and Joe tackle the buzzy four episode Netflix limited series Adolescence (2025).Created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham (with all episodes directed by Philip Barantini), the show has drawn raves for its single long take format and outstanding acting.But what's missing from the discussion? Does it earn the acclaim? And what should a potential S02 look like? Let's discus
Mailbag 43: Olympic & Lottery Winners
Brenna and Joe have a quick conversation about Miriam's email regarding the stark realities of Olympic winners, with a quick comparison to lottery winners. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:> Brenna: @brennacgray> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)Have a mail bag question? Email us at hkhspod@gmail
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