The Hate You Give – HBO
The Hate You Give is adapted from the book of the same name by Angie Thomas. The book synopsis is below, and if you haven’t read it, I might have to ask where you have been and what have you been doing?
Book Blurb
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
The Kissing Booth – Netflix
I have to be honest and admit that I didn’t read this book. Being a judgmental reader, the book cover just didn’t interest me. But the movie poster and the trailer from Netflix, made me watch the movie, which was too cute for words.
Book Blurb
Meet Rochelle Evans: pretty, popular–and never been kissed. Meet Noah Flynn: badass, volatile–and a total player. And also Elle’s best friend’s older brother…
When Elle decides to run a kissing booth for the school’s Spring Carnival, she locks lips with Noah and her life is turned upside down. Her head says to keep away, but her heart wants to draw closer–this romance seems far from fairy tale and headed for heartbreak.
But will Elle get her happily ever after?
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – Netflix
Read the books, watched both of the movies, and can recommend them in a heartbeat. They are fun to read and watch, but beware, you will absolutely remember what it feels like to be in high school.
*Bonus* The sequel is available on Netflix as well, so feel free to binge immediately.
Book Blurb
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed.
But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Josh.
As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.
Five Feet Apart – Showtime
I can’t vouch for this book or movie, because I just can’t bring myself to watch it until I need a really good cry. Given that I’m currently quarantined with my young children, crying has come easily lately; however, with stellar reviews on Goodreads and a devoted fan base, I had to include this one on my list. Hopefully, one day I can enjoy this for myself.
Book Blurb
In this moving story two teens fall in love with just one minor complication—they can’t get within five feet of each other without risking their lives.
Can you love someone you can never touch?
Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.
The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.
Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.
What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?
Love, Simon – Cinemax/Amazon
Talk about all of the feels. Based on the hit YA book called Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, this movie is full of heart wrenching moments that are perfectly offset by hilarity. You will laugh, cry, and hopefully think a lot while watching or reading this story.
Book Blurb
Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.
With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.
Happy Watching!!!
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