Book adaptations have always been a great point of discussion. Whether you can’t believe how they changed the story or aged up the character or completely dropped a subplot--it is still a treat to see some of our favorite reads on the screen. And while movie adaptations can be events, this last year has been abundant in streaming series options.
Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon have all been major players in creating buzz-worthy and binge-worthy creations based on a book you can find at your local library. So if you are a read-it-before-you-see-it-style person, follow the links to place the books on hold at your local branch.
This list is by no means exhaustive. Keep watching and I’ll post more in the future with looks at comics adaptations and movies as well.
Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu) Book by Celeste Ng
Starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere follows the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and an enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives. The story explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger in believing that following the rules can avert disaster.
Normal People (Hulu) Book by Sally Rooney
Normal People is an exquisite, modern love story about how one person can unexpectedly change another person's life and about how complicated intimacy can be. It follows Marianne and Connell over several years—both from a small west of Ireland town, but from very different backgrounds—as they embark on an on-again/off-again romance that starts at school and continues through college, testing their relationship as they explore different versions of themselves.
The Witcher (Netflix) Series by Andrzej Sapkowski
Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster-hunter for hire, journeys toward his destiny in a turbulent world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.
The Last Kingdom (Netflix) Series by Bernard Cornwell
As Alfred the Great defends his kingdom from Norse invaders, Uhtred -- born a Saxon but raised by Vikings -- seeks to claim his ancestral birthright.
You (Netflix) Series by Caroline Kepnes
A dangerously charming, intensely obsessive young man goes to extreme measures to insert himself into the lives of those he is transfixed by.
Sweet Magnolias (Netflix) Series by Sherryl Woods
Lifelong friends Maddie, Helen and Dana Sue lift each other up as they juggle relationships, family and careers in the small, Southern town of Serenity.
Virgin River (Netflix) Series by Robyn Carr
Searching for a fresh start, a nurse practitioner moves from LA to a remote northern California town and is surprised by what -- and who -- she finds.
Defending Jacob (Apple+) Book by William Landay
A family’s lives are irreparably disrupted when the son is accused of murdering a fellow classmate in this dramatic legal thriller. Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, and Jaeden Martell star.
Dash and Lily (Netflix) Book by David Lethithan and Rachel Cohn
Opposites attract at Christmas as cynical Dash and sunny Lily trade messages and dares in a red notebook they pass back and forth around New York City.