books to TV | Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Books that Should be Adapted into Netflix Shows/Movies.

Two of the types of watching I like to do on Netflix are (1) scifi/fantasy series and (2) light and fluffy romantic movies. Yes, these are really completely different, but each takes me away from the day-to-day and lets me become immersed in other worlds or other people’s lives. And who doesn’t need that right now?

My top ten picks:

First, to be made into one or more seasons of a series:

1. The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black: The story of mortals being raised in Faerie and rising to power by their wits could be so excellent as a series! I’d love to see the scenery, the magical elements, and the characters themselves.

2. The Finishing School series by Gail Carriger: Can you imagine how awesome this would be as an ongoing series? Maybe one season per book? The characters, the costumes, the dirigibles — I need this in my life!

3. InCryptids by Seanan McGuire: I think this could have a little bit of a Grimm or Supernatural vibe, but a little more light-hearted. A big extended family of cryptozoologists dealing with scary enemies and all sorts of entertaining otherworldly beings. All this, plus ballroom dancing!

4. Wanderers by Chuck Wendig: Well, now probably isn’t the best time for a series about a pandemic wiping out humanity — but I loved this book, and could see the story working as a 10-part series.

5. The Beauty (graphic novels) by Jeremy Haun: Again, a story about a virus maybe isn’t a great choice — but it would be very cool to see this story about beauty being a sexually transmitted disease brought to life. It’s weird and dark, but I think it could work!

6. Old Man’s War by John Scalzi: The concept is so fantastic, and don’t we need another great space battle saga in our lives?

Next, a bunch of sweet books that would make great rom-com movies:

7. Well Met by Jen DeLuca: Romance at the Ren Faire! And since there are two more books on the way, if the first movie was a success, there’s material for more.

8. The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary: The basic concept of two people sharing an apartment but never meeting is just so cute. I’d love to see it on my screen. I bet it would be hilarious to watch.

9. The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan: Any of the three books in this loosely connected series would be great, but this one is my favorite. Between selling books out of a van, finding true love in the Highlands, and dealing with a strange but endearing family, I think it could be a hit! And like with Well Met, there are more books, so more related plots to spin off!

And finally, a book that I think would make a terrifying movie:

10. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: The clothes! The setting! The creepy house and the weird people there! It’s just begging to be made into a film.

**Updated to add: Wishes do come true! Hulu is developing Mexican Gothic as a series! Woo hoo! Read about it, here.**

What’s on your TTT list this week? Please share your links!

Save

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is a Page to Screen Freebie — meaning we come up with our own topic related to book adaptations. And here we go — ten TV adaptations that I’ve loved.

1) Outlander: Big surprise, right? I love the books, but I’m finding that I’m really loving the TV version too, even when it veers away from the plot and character details in the books. Great cast, gorgeous costumes and sets, overall excellent production! Four season in, this show is going strong.

2) A Discovery of Witches: Granted, this show hasn’t even finished its first season yet (in the US), but it’s really growing on me. Once again, great cast and gorgeous settings help a lot, but also the plotting and dialogue are really well conveyed in the TV version. I didn’t expect to like this as much as I do!

3) The Expanse: I’ve loved the books in the series (up to #3, which is as far as I’ve gotten), and think the TV adaptation is fantastic. So happy that’s it been picked up by Amazon for another season!

4) iZombie: Did you know that this CW series was based on a comic series? To be honest, I didn’t love the first book, but the TV version is great. I’m just sad that the current season will be the last.

5) The Walking Dead: I started watching the show before I read the books, but now I’m completely up to date on both. Call me crazy, but I’m still enjoying the show, despite a LOT of major bumps in the road lately. I’m hooked — too late to give it up now.

6) Big Little Lies: I think the HBO series was a great adaptation, and can’t wait to see what they do with it in the 2nd season, now that they’ll be off-book.

7) The Magicians: I hate to say it, but as much as I liked the books, I think I like the TV show even more. Despite the plot often being mind-boggling and impossible to follow, I just love the cast. and will watch them in whatever crazy situation comes their way. Bonus points for the random musical episodes.

8) Pride and Prejudice (BBC version): Well, of course! This is an oldie, but it sure stands the test of time. I feel the need to pull out my DVD set and rewatch every couple of years.

9) Game of Thrones: I hesitate to include this one, not that it’s not spectacular, but because my feelings about this final season are really conflicted, and I’m so worried about how the storylines will wrap up in the very last episode — this coming Sunday!