The number of TV shows available to us in the age of the Streaming Wars is limitless. It can be difficult to sort through the abundance of content and decide which shows to watch.

Fortunately, the book-to-show pipeline has never been more consistent. We’ve compiled a list of ten of the best books that have been adapted into films for you to add to your reading list – and then your streaming queue. 

We’ve chosen ten great books whose small-screen adaptations will keep you just as enthralled as their originals.

  1. A Novel Called Normal People 

Normal People, Sally Rooney’s 2018 novel, tells the story of Connell and Marianne, two young people who are polar opposites in their small Irish town but are drawn together.

,a novel called Normal people ,The Handmaid's tale ,my brilliant friend a novel ,a song of ice and fire series ,big less lies ,high fidelity ,a novel little fire everywhere ,sharp objects ,notes from a loyal women ,best books turned into Tv series ,best books ,tv seriesThe novel follows Connell and Marianne as they spend their years at Trinity College, oscillating between coming together and pursuing other people, fueled by their magnetic attraction and their own personal demons. 

In 2018, Rooney’s novel was adapted into a Hulu series.

  1. The Handmaid’s Tale 

Season after season of the dystopian series has captivated audiences since it debuted on Hulu in 2017. It transports us to a not-too-distant (and not-too-unbelievable) future in which fertile women are forced to bear children. While the show has won several awards, its literary source is also well-regarded.,a novel called Normal people ,The Handmaid's tale ,my brilliant friend a novel ,a song of ice and fire series ,big less lies ,high fidelity ,a novel little fire everywhere ,sharp objects ,notes from a loyal women ,best books turned into Tv series ,best books ,tv series

Even if you’ve already finished the show, Margaret Atwood’s companion novels The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments are worth reading.

  1. My Brilliant Friend: A Novel 

Since its release in 2011, Elena Ferrante’s My Beautiful Friend has sold millions of copies in 40 different countries. The story is set in 1950s Naples, where childhood friends Elena and Lila grow up poor in a rough neighborhood.,a novel called Normal people ,The Handmaid's tale ,my brilliant friend a novel ,a song of ice and fire series ,big less lies ,high fidelity ,a novel little fire everywhere ,sharp objects ,notes from a loyal women ,best books turned into Tv series ,best books ,tv series

These are the days when young girls are not expected to continue their education beyond elementary school. When Elena’s father agrees to pay for her continued education, the paths of the friends are bound to diverge. The novel was adapted into an HBO limited series, which depicted the emotional complexities of female friendship beautifully.

  1. A Song of Ice and Fire Series 

Have you already re-watched Game of Thrones five times, not counting quarantine binges? Read the books to relive the TV masterpiece in a new way. ,a novel called Normal people ,The Handmaid's tale ,my brilliant friend a novel ,a song of ice and fire series ,big less lies ,high fidelity ,a novel little fire everywhere ,sharp objects ,notes from a loyal women ,best books turned into Tv series ,best books ,tv series

George R. R. Martin’s iconic A Song of Fire and Ice series, which he claims is a seven-book sequence, currently has five books. Martin has been working on book six for over a decade, so read at a leisurely pace.

  1. Shrill: Notes From a Loud Woman 

Lindy West’s memoir takes readers on a journey of transformation from a painfully shy child bent on invisibility to the polar opposite: a woman unafraid of the provocative, at ease with a little uproar. ,a novel called Normal people ,The Handmaid's tale ,my brilliant friend a novel ,a song of ice and fire series ,big less lies ,high fidelity ,a novel little fire everywhere ,sharp objects ,notes from a loyal women ,best books turned into Tv series ,best books ,tv series

West’s essays, whether about internet trolls, feminism, or her own body, are both hilarious and self-aware. Aidy Bryant, who created and starred in the Hulu adaptation, captures the same authenticity that makes West’s writing so appealing.

  1. Made for Love: A Novel 

Things get weird in the best way in Alissa Nutting’s Made For Love. The story follows Hazel as she moves into a senior citizen trailer park with her father and his sex doll as roommates. Why? Her husband, the CEO of a conglomerate, wanted to wirelessly connect her to him using the first-ever brain chips. The options were limited. ,a novel called Normal people ,The Handmaid's tale ,my brilliant friend a novel ,a song of ice and fire series ,big less lies ,high fidelity ,a novel little fire everywhere ,sharp objects ,notes from a loyal women ,best books turned into Tv series ,best books ,tv series

While Hazel’s circumstances are unusual, to say the least, the novel itself is a sharp examination of marriage and monogamy. This year, HBO released the small screen adaptation, and the dark comedy has been renewed for a second season.

  1. Big Little Lies 

One of the most popular TV adaptations in recent years has been Liane Moriarty’s best-selling novel. It balances humor – even if you’re laughing at the characters rather than with them at times – with the seriousness of abusive relationships, all while revealing the lives of three very different but equally compelling women.,a novel called Normal people ,The Handmaid's tale ,my brilliant friend a novel ,a song of ice and fire series ,big less lies ,high fidelity ,a novel little fire everywhere ,sharp objects ,notes from a loyal women ,best books turned into Tv series ,best books ,tv series

The two-season HBO show, starring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon in a murder mystery, was equally binge-worthy as the novel.

  1. High Fidelity 

Rob, like most people, wonders where his romantic relationships have gone wrong. Unlike most people, Rob decides to track down his top five ex-wives, contact them, and re-evaluate the old relationships. It’s no surprise he’s having an existential crisis. ,a novel called Normal people ,The Handmaid's tale ,my brilliant friend a novel ,a song of ice and fire series ,big less lies ,high fidelity ,a novel little fire everywhere ,sharp objects ,notes from a loyal women ,best books turned into Tv series ,best books ,tv series

While the book was adapted into a film in 2000, it was also reimagined as a Hulu show in 2020, with some modern updates. In the Hulu version, Rob is played by Zoe Kravitz rather than a man. The show is, of course, set in Brooklyn.

Also read: Top 10 Insightful Books Based On Queer Literature

  1. A Novel, Little Fires Everywhere 

Elena Richardson lives in a suburban neighborhood where everything, including her life, is meticulously planned. Nothing can go wrong with her firm grip on the reins of her life. Right? Not exactly. ,a novel called Normal people ,The Handmaid's tale ,my brilliant friend a novel ,a song of ice and fire series ,big less lies ,high fidelity ,a novel little fire everywhere ,sharp objects ,notes from a loyal women ,best books turned into Tv series ,best books ,tv series

Celeste Ng’s novel demonstrates how obsessions with the past – and secrets – can disrupt even the most valued of orders. The novel by Celeste Ng was adapted into a Hulu miniseries starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington.

  1. Sharp Objects 

Camille is a reporter tasked with covering the murder of two pre-teen girls from her hometown. That would be difficult for anyone, but Camille finds it especially difficult.

,a novel called Normal people ,The Handmaid's tale ,my brilliant friend a novel ,a song of ice and fire series ,big less lies ,high fidelity ,a novel little fire everywhere ,sharp objects ,notes from a loyal women ,best books turned into Tv series ,best books ,tv seriesShe’s just gotten out of a psych ward and has plenty of her own demons that are eager to resurface. Camille realizes as she becomes more invested in her story, that the murder isn’t the only mystery she’s attempting to solve. Camille is played by Amy Adams in the Emmy-nominated HBO miniseries.

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