Looking for Something New to Read or Watch?

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NEW TO READ OR WATCH?

I don’t know about you guys, but one of the things that’s been hard in our family during the coronavirus quarantine is feeling like we’ve seen it all and read it all. Which isn’t really true, of course. It’s just been more challenging to find something new.

(Believe me, I know this is a first-world problem, but it is something we're facing.)

After you’ve gotten outside, done a puzzle, played a board game, or whatever it is you do to take a break, you might be looking for some new books or shows.

So what I thought I’d do for this week’s episode is share some of the things we’ve been watching and reading here in Casa de Kelly. As always, I’m sharing with the caveat that you do your due diligence before reading or watching with your teens – only you know your kids and what is advisable to watch or not. That’s something I talked about early on in Episode 5 if you want to check it out.

SOMETHING NEW TO READ MOST LIKELY

The first book I’m going to talk about is Most Likely, by Sarah Watson. On the surface it seems like the simple story of four best friends in high school, but here’s the great thing about it – we know that one of the girls is going to end up being president someday. We just don’t know which one it is. Watson does a great job of keeping you guessing until the end, where she finishes with an unexpected twist. It’s a fun read, and, you know, girl power.

TWEET CUTE

Another fun read is Tweet Cute, Emma Lord’s first novel. It’s a play on the You’ve Got Mail story, about two kids in the same elite New York high school whose parents own competing restaurants. It’s a fun update, with Twitter wars, dating apps, and texts replacing emails. Lord’s portrayal of family dynamics is spot-on, and it was definitely an “I laughed, I cried” experience for me.

HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD

I also read Sarah J. Maas’ latest, House of Earth and Blood. As always with her writing, I was immediately pulled into the world she built, which is set in a more modern world than her previous two series I’ve read, Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorn and Roses. But not to worry – it’s definitely still a fantasy, and her world-building is still amazing. I love her storytelling, but I do have to say that I’d hesitate to hand this book to a younger teen. While I love me a good romance, she definitely goes a step further and gets into the realm of erotica with some pretty explicit sex scenes.

MOMENT OF TRUTH

Okay, on to the next one. Kasie West’s Moment of Truth is a poignant story about Hadley, a high school swimming star who has grown up in the shadow of a sibling she never met – an older brother who died before she was born. As she tries to figure out the identity of the guy who wears a “Heath Hall” mask (a famous actor) who disrupts events, she’s also figuring out that she can’t keep working so hard to try to win her parents’ attention. It’s a great story on so many levels, from family dynamics to personal motivation, to facing your greatest fears. Kasie West knocked it out of the park again.

OF CURSES AND KISSES

The last book I’ll mention is by Sandhya Menon, who you might recognize as the author of There’s Something About Sweetie, a book I chose for last year’s summer book club, featured in Episode 53. I love everything she’s written, including her newest, Of Curses and Kisses. It’s a fairy tale retelling and set in a boarding school – two of my favorite types of YA put together. With this book she again does a great job highlighting family dynamics and expectations, weaving in a sweet romance as well. It’s a fun twist on Beauty and the Beast.

SOMETHING NEW TO STREAM

(Find Previews in the "Referenced in this Episode" Section Below)

Now, I’m going to talk about some things I’ve been streaming. Some of these I’ve discovered during the last couple of weeks, but others are ones I’ve watched in the past that I thought would be good suggestions. That’s assuming you haven’t found them already, but just in case, I’m throwing them in here.

A LETTER TO THE KING

First, there’s A Letter to the King, a Netflix series that my husband and I binged over two nights. (Ha, Knights – no pun intended!) It’s a King Arthur-esque story about a teen boy on a quest, and I really loved the diversity in the story. It was also just fun, if sometimes a bit campy.

LOCKE & KEY

Another Netflix series that we really enjoyed was Locke & Key. It’s a creepy story full of magic and mystery, based on a graphic novel series by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez. There’s definitely a lot of bad words, but with siblings that range from a much older teen to an elementary-aged younger brother, it’s something the whole family might enjoy.

LOST IN SPACE

Lost in Space is another one that’s good for whole-family viewing. This update on the 60s classic has tons of adventure and drama that keeps you on the edge of your seat – or at least binging “just one more episode.” There are 2 seasons already and we enjoyed both.

GILMORE GIRLS

A series that will always, always been on my list of favorites is Gilmore Girls. I faithfully watched every week when it first aired on tv, and I’ve watched the series all the way through a couple of times, once with my daughter – who, btw, also recommended it when I asked what she would suggest. I do have to throw in here, though, that while I LOVE the original series, the Netflix reboot was disappointing.

I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS

One of the more bizarre series we watched was I Am Not Okay With This. It’s one that I’m kind of on the fence about. There are definitely more mature themes in it, and as I’m not a huge horror fan, the ending was a bit too gory for my taste. But it’s something you might want to check out if any of your teens (like one of mine) is super into horror flicks.

LOST

I do want to throw in a series that our family really enjoyed binging together, and that’s Lost. I think it’s available on Hulu. We really enjoyed the great writing and all the twists and turns it took over the course of 6 seasons. Plus, with over 100 episodes, it will take a while to work through.

SHERLOCK

Sherlock, on Netflix, the one with Benedict Cumberbatch, is good and might appeal to teens who like science and a good mystery.

ON MY TO-BE- WATCHED LIST

A couple of shows I haven’t watched yet, but plan to, are All the Bright Places, which is based on a novel by Jennifer Niven, and On the Basis of Sex, the movie about Ruth Bader Ginsberg that my daughter has asked me to watch because she loved it so much. That one, I think you still have to pay for, on Amazon or Vudu.

ANIME RECOMMENDATIONS

And since I’ve shared a couple of her recommendations, I’ll throw in a couple of my son’s as well. If your teens are into anime or manga at all, they might enjoy Full Metal Alchemist (on Netflix) or Cowboy Bebop (on Hulu or you may have to search for it on other places.)

WHAT ABOUT YOU? SOMETHING NEW TO SHARE?

Alright, I hope that’s enough to get you guys started! I’d also LOVE to get your recommendations. DM me on Facebook or Instagram and let me know what you’re reading and watching that you and your teens love.

Check out the show notes here for links to references made during the episode.