Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr

Actual teenage listener Neve (who is the child of listener Toni from Australia!) writes in to recommend the new iteration of Netflix's Heart Break High, which sounds like an Aussie version of Degrassi!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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe dip back into dystopian territory with The 5th Wave, Rick Yancey's 2013 novel and J Blakeson's 2016 film adaptation.This one is unique because it's aliens, though we are still dealing with a Chosen One narrative and a potential love quad.Plus: changing (sometimes inefficiently) perspectives, a film that moves too fast but is too long, putting film critics on blast, and whether we'll check out entries 2-3 in Yancey's trilogy.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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe kick off our summer programming with a long requested title: Skins.Every other week we're watching two episodes of Series 1, starting with "Tony" (episode 1) and "Cassie" (episode 2) and already we're into the thick of bad parents, hedonistic behaviour, and major empathy for Hannah Murray's Cassie, who is struggling with disordered eating.Plus: handlebar moustaches, disgusting food fight parties, and a mid-career Nicholas Hoult!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@gmail.com Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Victoria requested positive depictions of neurodivergence last week, Miriam reached out with a list of recommendations:Autism Titles> A Kind Of Spark - Elle McNicoll> Geek Girl - Holly Smale> Even If We Break - Marieke Nijkamp: Marieke Nijkamp> On The Edge of Gone - Corinne Duyvis> Metal Fish, Falling Snow - Cath Moore> The Winter Knight - Jes BattisADHD Titles> Fresh - Margot Wood> Cemetery Boys - Aiden Thomas> Kat And Meg Conquer The World - Anna Priemaza> The Colours of the Sea (Dutch Only) - Miriam Bruijstens 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@gmail.com Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe kick off "the kids aren't alright" summer with Megan Abbott's 2012 novel Dare Me and its 2019 TV adaptation. C/W: implied sexual assault and disordered eating.We're talking sociopathic girls, awful parents, and red hold blooded cheerleading in a pair of texts that may just feature the most unlikeable protagonists we've ever covered.Plus: backstories galore, celebrating Willa Fitzgerald and Marlo Kelly, endless musical montages and ponderous voice over, and the dark side of female friendships.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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a brief lament about Sia's misguided directorial debut Music, Brenna and Joe tackle a question from listener Victoria about positive depictions of neurodivergence. Brenna defers to former guest Jes Battis' piece in the Los Angeles Book of Review "Imperfect Rhetorics: Neurodiversity in YA Literature and Popular Culture" which focuses on three titles:> Rainbow Rowell. Carry On> Rachael Lucas. The State of Grace> Jen Wilde. Queens of GeekWanna 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@gmail.com Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe and Brenna return to Canadian YA to discuss writer/director Molly McGlynn's semi-autobiographical text, Fitting In (2023).The film has a great cast and explores a compelling story of non-normative female bodies. We have a few issues with the film's messaging, but overall the film is pretty enjoyable.Plus: praise for lead actor Maddie Ziegler, wishing better for Ki Griffin's Jax, a dilator montage, and plenty of running!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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe and Brenna dip a toe into romantic fantasy with Alice Hoffman's 2001 novel Aquamarine and Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum's 2006 film adaptation.The book is a cute, slight, fast read, which begs the question: how is the film 1hr 50 mins?! Answer: Add a villain, give her endless cronies, then stretch the action out over a whole summer!Plus: teen feminism, mermaid FX, himbo lifeguards, and the film's perplexing soundtrack decision.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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe respond to a question and a request from listener Tuck, who wants to know if we'll cover A Series of Unfortunate Events and recommends Otfried Preussler's hard to find (in English) book, Krabat: The Satanic Mill (1972).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@gmail.comTheme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe dip back into queer romance (and fan fiction!) with Book 1 of E.L. Massey's Breakaway series, Like Real People Do (2022).This is very cute and sweet...but where is the conflict?! Everyone is so perfect! Massey needs to let people suck!Plus: comparisons to Heartstopper, Red, White & Royal Blue and The Kissing Booth 2, predictions for where Books 2-4 will go, and why Kuzy and Hawk are our fave characters.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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe discuss John Green's last YA novel Turtles All The Way Down (2017) and its 2024 adaptation by Hannah Marks. C/W: self-harm.This is a tough read because of its visceral depiction of OCD, but we love the friendship between Aza and Daisy. Meanwhile, the long in-development film does a great job of visually capturing the intrusive thought spirals, though Brenna is unimpressed with a new character who steals Daisy's best bits.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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time on the show, Brenna and Joe check out a documentary...or rather a pair of documentaries: Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine's Boys State (2020) and Girls State (2024)These docs fill us with dismay for the future of US politics. But while Boys State has a dark nihilism to it, Girls State feels slight and surprisingly unaware; even its own subjects seem determined to break free of the narrative that the camp and the directors are trying to box them in to. It's quite odd.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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As promised/threatened, we're back with a review of Roku's The Spiderwick Chronicles S01.Join us as Joe walks Brenna through the highs (the focus on Jared's mental health) and lows (that theme song!) of the series' first eight episodes.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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna and Joe are back in fantasy territory with the first five books in Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black's The Spiderwick Chronicles, as well the 2008 adaptation from Daniel Waters.We're mixed on lead Freddie Highmore's success playing twins, though we both like Sarah Bolger's Mallory, the use of fencing and Brenna even likes the CGI!Plus: innocuous voice casting, the film's horrifying end, and a mini tangent about Hollywood nepotism and privilege.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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At listener Kaetlyn's urging, Brenna and Joe check out S01 of the Percy Jackson TV show on Disney+.It's a much better text than the film! With more time, the central trio gels better, the motivation of Percy's mom is more clearly defined, and the adventures aren't as rushed.Plus: our fave Gods, a "feminist" Medusa episode, a few rushed elements, and whether we'll watch S02.References: Selome Hailu. "How ‘Percy Jackson’ Updated the Book’s Medusa Storyline to Get Closer to the Original Myth: ‘She Was a Victim of Rape.’" VarietyWanna 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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mailbag returns after a brief hiatus, so we're showcasing listener recommendations from Clara, Charlotte, and Tea, Books and Chocolate, including:> Silverhorse by Lene Kaaberbøl> A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson> Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur by writers Brandon Montclare & Amy Reeder and artist Natacha Bustos> Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher LeeWanna 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@gmail.com Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just in time for its 25th anniversary , 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:> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram)> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)Have a mail bag question? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna 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 Dance Revolution?!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@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna 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 hkhspod@gmail.com  Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brenna 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:> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram)> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)Have a mail bag question? Email us at hkhspod@gmail.com Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.