The Article below was published in Vol. 136, Issue 8 of the Lake Forest College Stentor on April 30, 2021.
Lauren Gantt ’21
A&E Editor
We are so close to the end of the school year and what a school year it has been. Summer break is right around the corner and with it comes the opportunity to focus on reading for pleasure rather than reading for class, am I right?
Recently, I watched one of Netflix’s 2020 series, Julie and the Phantoms, and adored it. While it is technically a kid’s show, the heavy topics dealt within the show mixed with the humor and intriguing premise have landed it a spot on my guilty pleasure list. In fact, I’d say it’s currently my top comfort show when I need a break from the stresses of being a student.
So what is Julie and the Phantoms? It’s a show about three young members of a rock band from the ’90s who die and come back as ghosts living in a family’s garage. When the three of them perform music together with Julie, one of the family members, the ghosts become visible again, leading to the formation of the band Julie and the Phantoms.
The show obviously has fun moments and lots of music in it, but it also addressed themes such as grief, loss, trauma, anxiety, and family in sensitive and beautiful ways. There are only nine episodes, each at only 25 minutes long, so I got through it pretty quickly. I was left with only two questions. The first was, of course, when is season two coming out? Sadly, there’s not yet an answer to that. The second question was if there were any books I could read that gave me the same vibes as the show did.
So, without further ado, here are three books to read after finishing Julie and the Phantoms (or if you just want books about music in general!)
Up first, I have selected Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This gripping story follows the fictional rise of a famous 1970s rock band. From the formation of the band, their tour, and what caused them to inevitably break up, this book has been lauded by reviewers as a masterpiece and an intoxicating story set in the iconic age of rock ‘n’ roll.
Up next is On the Come Up by Angie Thomas. You may be familiar with Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, a story about a young black girl who is witness to her friend being shot and killed by police. In her sophomore novel, On the Come Up, we follow a young black girl named Bri. A young aspiring rapper, she wants to fill the shoes her father left behind and make it out of her neighborhood. It’s an inspiring story about chasing your dreams and fighting against the odds set against a critique of modern-day America.
Next up we have Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo. Perfect for K-pop fans, this contemporary follows a K-pop star and a tabloid reporter when they have an unexpected run-in at a hotel. This is a heartwarming and introspective story with plenty of funny moments mixed in.
So, which one will you be reading this summer?
