Check Out This Week's Recommendations! (19/08/201)

Simon Snow: Carry On (Book)

In Carry On, the Chosen One (Simon Snow) must defeat the evil Humdrum that wants to destroy the magical world in the United Kingdom. Except Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen. He either can't even make his wand work or sets something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face. It is very similar to the Harry Potter books, with the added bonus that both main characters are exploring their sexuality.

The plot is great, because it’s everything you love about Harry Potter with a fun twist. Also the romance isn’t the whole plot so you’ll have a nice time reading it if you like fantasy but aren’t particularly interested in the romance part. And, if you like the book, good news, because there are two more novels in the saga for you to keep track of Simon and Baz's amazing relationship and their adventures.

Red White and Royal Blue (Book)

This book follows First Son of the United States, Alex Claremont-Diaz, and his journey with his sexuality and love. Alex, his sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter form the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. One day, photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding get leaked and threaten American/British relations. So now, they have to stage a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. And oh surprise...

While the president tries to get re-elected Alex, starts a secret relationship with Henry that could ruin everything they’ve been working on.

This book is incredibly wholesome and it shows you how hard it can be to just be yourself in the public eye. It looks like a normal gay book, but it’s so much more than that. Besides, it is incredibly fast paced so you’ll finish it in no time. Both characters are lovable idiots so you just can’t help falling in love with them and their story.

Interstellar (Movie)

This movie is set when Earth becomes uninhabitable in the future and a farmer and ex-NASA pilot, Joseph Cooper, has to pilot a spacecraft, along with a team of researchers, to find a new planet for humans. Professor Brand, a brilliant NASA physicist, is working on plans to transport Earth's population via a wormhole. But first, Brand must send Cooper and his team through the wormhole and across the galaxy to find out which of three planets could be mankind's new home.

It's an emotional sci fi drama that mixes emotions with science. It also has an emotional father-daughter relationship that is portrayed in such a memorable way it’ll stick with you. And it’s also incredible from the script to the cinematography, the editing and the acting. And the visual effects look so real you can feel them

David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (Movie)

Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of the planet and documenting the living world in all its variety and wonder. But during his lifetime, Attenborough has also seen first-hand the monumental scale of humanity's impact on nature. And this movie tells us all about this.

This film is amazing because David Attenborough is a natural historian who traveled to a lot of places in the world and was able to see for himself the human impact on nature. The film explores places like the palm oil plantations in Indonesia and the Chernobyl Power Plant in Russia, showing what plants and animals suffer and also how strong they are, resisting the damage we do to them. It is moving and alarming and it provides reliable and shocking facts.

Code Geass (Series)

This series is set after The Holy Empire of Britannia conquered the country known as Japan and now call it Area 11. Its residents lost their rights to self-govern and are now called Elevens. The Empire uses powerfully destructive robotic weapons called Knightmares to ensure control, but someone is about to stand up against it. Lelouch, the black prince uses the power of the Geass to build a world based on his ideals. Suzaku Kururugi, the white knight, aspires to justice and strives to live an honest and fair life.

This series has very interesting and complex characters who are opposites but complement each other perfectly. It also discusses complex morality, because one is a morally grey character who’s willing to do questionable things to get his goal, while the other one is very black and white and is a very good person. It also has an Interesting fast paced plot, big plot twists that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

A Love So Beautiful (Korean Series)

This series follows a teenager's relationship with her neighbour that transforms as they grow into adulthood. The series is a story of a love not returned for a long time. She is a student of Chun Ji High School and has a crush on her fellow student and neighbour and she repeatedly confesses her love to him, who appears distant, but is in fact awkward when it comes to expressing feelings.

It has all the K drama tropes so if you’re into this you’ll definitely like this one. It is full of cute moments that will leave you grinning like an idiot. If you love wholesome corny (at times cringy but still cute) Korean content please give this a try, you won’t regret it. And the cast is just ...amazing.

Bibliography

Amazon (2014) Interstellar. [Photograph] Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Interstellar-Jessica-Chastain/dp/B01MF78RLG

Catholic News Service (2021, October 7) ‘David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet,’ streaming, Netflix. [Photograph] The Central Minnesota Catholic Magazine. https://thecentralminnesotacatholic.org/david-attenborough-a-life-on-our-planet-streaming-netflix/

IMDb (2006) Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. [Photograph] IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0994314/?ref_=tt_mv_close

McQuiston, C. (2019) Red, White & Royal Blue: A Novel. [Photograph] Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Red-White-Royal-Blue-Novel/dp/1250316774

Rowell, R. (2015) Carry On: A Novel (Simon Snow Trilogy, 1) [Photograph] Amazon. https://www.amazon.in/Carry-Novel-Rainbow-Rowell/dp/1250049555

Serizawa, B. (2020, December) Kim Yo Han y So Ju Yeon se embarcan en un romance conmovedor en los carteles del remake del C-Drama “A Love So Beautiful” [Photograph] JDD Series. https://juegodedragones.xyz/kim-yo-han-y-so-ju-yeon-se-embarcan-en-un-romance-conmovedor-en-los-carteles-del-remake-del-c-drama-a-love-so-beautiful/