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Books I Recommend That Were Made Into Movies or Shows
15
items Some of my favorite books that were made into movies (and what I thought)
Sections
5
Adaptations that lived up to the hype
Book was better (and it wasn't close)
Historical fiction + Royal drama
Fantasy worlds worth the commitment
Emotional damage
Adaptations that lived up to the hype
The rare adaptations that actually captured the magic of the book — or at least made me obsessed with both separately.
I LOVE LOVE LOVED the newest movie adaptation. Honestly, I struggled to fully appreciate the book when I was younger, but rereading it as an adult completely changed my perspective. There’s so much warmth, emotion, and realism in the relationships on...
Little Women
Okay YES this is very much a smutty hockey romance 😅 which honestly is not usually my genre at all… but this was SO GOOD. The chemistry, tension, and emotional connection between the characters completely pulled me in. The adaptation/show version wa...
Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid, Paperback
One of my favorite space movie adaptations ever — and somehow the book is even better. The humor, science, pacing, and problem-solving are all incredible, and Mark Watney’s narration absolutely carries the story. The movie did a GREAT job adapting it...
The Martian by Andy Weir, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®
This is one of my all-time favorite historical fiction books, and I thought the adaptation was incredibly well done too. Jodie Comer can genuinely do no wrong. The show captures so much of the emotional tension and political uncertainty from the book...
The White Princess by Philippa Gregory
Book was better (and it wasn't close)
I already loved the movies (even the chaotic later ones 😅), but the BOOK is genuinely terrifying. So much more intense, suspenseful, and science-heavy than the adaptation. Michael Crichton somehow makes dinosaurs feel scientifically believable while...
Jurassic Park: Crichton, Michael
I loved the movie, but when I read the book… there’s honestly no comparison. I still enjoy them separately, but the novel is on a completely different level emotionally and atmospherically. The writing is immersive, heartbreaking, beautiful, and incr...
Memoirs of a Geisha: A Novel by Golden
The movie did NOT come close to capturing what this book made me feel. This story is devastating, uncomfortable, heartbreaking, and deeply emotional in a way the adaptation never fully translated for me. It’s one of those books that lingers with you ...
The Lovely Bones: Alice Sebold - Books
2
Historical fiction + Royal drama
The movie did not do this book justice… and to truly tap into what makes this book so wonderful and dark at times (especially with Mary wondering what her sister was thinking/doing and what lengths she would go to. The movie barely scratches the surf...
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
LOVED the book and LOVED the show — honestly as separate experiences. There are definitely differences, and it’s important to remember these are historical fiction interpretations, not documentaries 😅 but both are SO entertaining. Political scheming...
The White Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels)
Fantasy worlds worth the commitment
I absolutely flew through this book. Even after watching the HBO series years ago, I was shocked by how immersive and readable it was. The political tension, character development, and world-building are SO much richer in the book, and it made me app...
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) - Barnes & Noble
I flew through the first book in a week, but this one somehow became my emotional support travel companion for the last TWO YEARS 😅 It came with me on flights, road trips, vacations… and I’d still barely make progress every time I picked it up. Not ...
A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) - Barnes & Noble
This is honestly its own category entirely 😅 The movie adaptation isn’t really adapting the book directly (since it’s based on the musical), and all three versions feel VERY different from each other. I absolutely love the musical and have seen it m...
Wicked: Life and Times of the Wicked Witch
Emotional damage
One of my favorite books of all time. The movie leaves SO much out, but I still genuinely enjoy both separately. The book is just on another level emotionally — you spend so much more time with the characters and really feel the emotional consequence...
The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
I honestly love the book and movie separately. Hilary Swank was fantastic in the adaptation, and for that era of emotional romance movies, I actually think the adaptation was really well done. But obviously… the book is much richer emotionally and gi...
PS, I Love You: Ahern, Cecelia: 9780786890934
This story is WEIRD and deeply uncomfortable in a way that makes you unable to look away 😅 You genuinely have no idea what’s going to happen next while reading or watching it. The adaptation is honestly kind of fascinating because the source materia...
Running with Scissors: A Memoir by Burroughs