A’s review

Gillian Flynn is one of my favorite authors, and Sharp Objects is her most twisted book. The book first came out in 2006, but the more recent TV show is just as twisted as the book and has a great cast. The show is directed by the same guy who directed Big Little Lies, so the cinematography alone is worth a watch. Gillian Flynn’s other books are worth reading as well, and not just Gone Girl. Check out Dark Places.

E’s review

I may be one of the only people that read the book before the show came out, but these books are actually really good! They have time travel, war, and romance all in the Scottish highlands—what more could you ask for? I’ll confess I’ve only read the first three, but they are THICK. Read these books just so you can watch Sam Heughan bring Jamie to life.

Our review

Ugh, this book. Normal People was one of the best books we read in 2019, and we were both so excited when it was announced as a tv show! While we definitely loved the book more than the show, it is worth a watch for Connell’s chain alone. Added bonus: Sally Rooney’s newest book, Beautiful World, Where Are You, is coming out in September 2021.

A‘s review

Liane Moriarty churns out hit after hit, and Big Little Lies is one of her best. The book is almost as good as the show- as beautiful as all the Big Sur shots are, I wish the show had been filmed in the book’s location in Australia. Fingers crossed they roll out a Season 3 soon!

E’s review

I was obsessed with Looking for Alaska in middle school, so I was thrilled when Hulu made it into a series about a decade later! This is my favorite of John Green’s books (unpopular opinion?). It’s set at a boarding school in Missouri and follows newcomer Pudge as he makes friends and begins a flirtation with the aloof and troubled Alaska.

Our review

The Handmaid’s Tale is one of our favorite books, and the tv show is no different. This book is a classic, and Margaret Atwood’s sequel, The Testaments, is also very worth a read. The tv show is one of few tv shows that lives up to the book, and I’ve seen rumors that they are currently filming season 4!

A’s review

Ugh, this book. Normal People was one of the best books we read in 2019, and we were both so excited when it was announced as a tv show! While we definitely loved the book more than the show, it is worth a watch for Connell’s chain alone. Added bonus: Sally Rooney’s newest book, Beautiful World, Where Are You, is coming out in September 2021.

E’s review

So I think not many people know that this mega-popular series from our teenage years was based on a 1991 (!) book. I actually read these books sometime in the early 2000s, but didn’t get into the show until college. I actually think the show is probably better than the book, but either way, the Stefan-Damon-Elena love triangle is truly iconic.

Our review

We’ve all watched the show, and after the lackluster Season 8 finale, we needed some more GoT. If you too are craving more Game of Thrones content, the books are just as good! A is slowly but surely making her way through the series, and fingers crossed George R.R. Martin keeps on publishing those books (we need an alternate ending!) 

A’s review

I already wrote about my love for Sweetbitter in our favorite books about New York City, but the show is good, and the restaurant and New York scenes are a welcome distraction in the era of COVID-19. Amazon Prime unfortunately cancelled the show, but there are two seasons available to stream. 

E’s review

Friday Night Lights, but for hockey, Beartown is one of my all time favorite books, but I somehow just found out that it was adapted into a five episode mini series on HBO Max! The book is definitely still better, but be sure to check out the show for gorgeous shots of Sweden. Here’s hoping they do a season two for Us Against You!

One of our favorite reads in 2020, we were thrilled when we found out that HBO is turning this into a limited series. If you haven’t read it yet, run don’t walk to catch up before the show comes out!

Another Liane Moriarty treasure—we actually haven’t read this one yet, but adding it to the list! The book covers nine strangers who meet at a health resort, all dealing with individual issues of their own. It’s directed by David Kelley and will be on Hulu. The all-star cast includes Liane Moriarty’s favorite Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Luke Evans, Regina Hall and Michael Shannon.

This book is about a travelling theater group living in the aftermath of a deadly global pandemic, so honestly we’re probably going to have to wait to watch this until we’re actually allowed out of the house. This book is great, but we hope the show comes out when Covid is firmly in the review mirror. The show will be on HBO Max!

Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad is incredible. Set in an alternate version of history where the 19th century Underground Railroad was a literal railroad, the story follows a young woman fleeing slavery and her journey to freedom. Barry Jenkins, the director of Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk, is adapting the show for Amazon Prime.

This is coming to Netflix at the end of April. E loved Six of Crows, but didn’t love Shadow and Bone, so curious how a mashup of these two series will go, but you know I’ll be watching!