Summer is the perfect time to catch up. To read that book you never got the chance to read during the year, catch that movie you had wanted to see for a while, flick on the TV to watch your favorite series on a rainy summer afternoon. What were the favorites from summer 2021? Let’s see what HMHS students said!

BOOKS

– Ella Fuller: “I’m trying to get back into classics, so I read Emma and Pride and Prejudice.”

– Sophia LaPointe: “My favorite was definitely The 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo!”

– Lili Ali: “I loved the Selection series and the Summer I Turned Pretty series!”

TV

– Outer Banks Season 2

– Never Have I Ever

– All American

MOVIES

– Black Widow

– In the Heights

– A Quiet Place Part 2

Personally, here were my favorites from the past couple of months…

BOOKS

1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: I had been wanting to read it for a while, and I finally got the chance this summer. I finished the fifth one in the series earlier in the year, and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. To be honest, it was a disappointing (and sad) ending. I don’t want to give too much away to anyone who hasn’t read it. The movie did not live up to my expectations, however…they cut too much out! Despite the disappointment, I still absolutely loved reading about the characters and their adventures. Something about the series gives me so much serotonin. Plus, the suspense was intense! I can’t wait to read the seventh.

2. The Queen’s Gambit: This book was one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. Walter Tevis tells the story of a young girl in the 1960s, living in an orphanage, who learns to play chess with the janitor. But she isn’t just some mediocre player; she’s a genius. A child prodigy. The janitor realizes what potential she has and helps her improve. Once she is adopted, her chess career takes off. Tevis details her experience as a female chess player in her state, country, and all around the world. The tribulations, anxiety, wins, and losses. The aspect of the book that I found to be most unique was how often Tevis described her chess games play-by-play. I learned just how complex and strategic the game really is! It’s definitely a book that requires patience, and some might call it boring, but I absolutely adored it. It’s a must-read!

TV

New Girl: This summer, I needed a new show, something light. I had heard about New Girl, but I wasn’t sure about starting it. What could be so interesting about Zooey Deschanel moving into an LA loft with four 30-year old men? But, when I finally decided to watch an episode, I fell in LOVE. The characters are so bluntly honest and funny. It’s not a heavy show, so you don’t need to be in a certain mood to watch it. The show is hilarious and I’m always laughing out loud. I find myself quoting the characters all the time because it’s that relatable. I’m currently on the 5th season (out of seven), and I think anyone who has seen it can attest to the fact that it is a genius show. To whoever has not seen it, I definitely recommend it.

MOVIES

Inception: My dad had been wanting to watch this movie with me for a while, and I never got around to it. Taking those couple of hours to watch it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It was INCREDIBLE. “Wow” is all I can say. Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance in this wildly complicated, twisted story of a man who can enter other people’s dreams to extract top-secret information. When someone hires him to plant an idea in someone’s subconscious, it seems impossible. Or is it? Full of twists and turns, I never knew what to expect next, and I had to continuously figure out if what was going on was real or a dream, which kept it interesting and engaging. Definitely confusing at points, so make sure you’re watching with someone who’s seen it before, but I 100% recommend it! 

What were some new films released this summer?

1. Black Widow
2. Free Guy
3. Luca
4. A Quiet Place Part II
5. Shang-Chi