Written by Tasya
We’ve mentioned before that books and TV shows go hand-in-hand and when noses aren’t buried in books, you’ll find people such as myself often binge watching TV shows! Just like how books are told in chapters, television shows are told in episodes and the wait for the next season? It’s just as excruciating as the wait for the next book in a series! But quite often TV is useful for getting out of a reading slump and some say, a season a day keeps the slump away!
In case you don’t feel like reading, or want more of a certain book, we’ve paired some books with television shows for you to binge!
Check out pairings below and tell us if you will be giving any of the shows or books a go!
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake >>> Supernatural
Saving people, hunting things, the family business? Both the show and the book contain these elements! Anna Dressed in Blood is about Cas Lowood, a hunter that kills ghost with his father’s antique knife and travels the country with his mother and cat on a mission to avenge his father’s death. Supernatural is one of my all-time favourite shows and follows two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, who are looking for their father during the first season while also hunting things that go bump in the night. As the show progressed (they are currently in season 12), what started as simple mission turned into a saving-the-world mission. As you can see, the book and earlier seasons of Supernatural have similar themes, and even when I first read the book you fall in love immediately because of the familiarity of the story. But that doesn’t mean they are exactly the same because the execution and how the stories progress are very different and that’s what makes them so interesting to read and watch.
Noteworthy by Riley Redgate >> Sungkyukwan Scandal
Despite this being a K-drama and many of you may not watch them because of how cliché they are, but this one is definitely worth giving it a go! Noteworthy is the story of Jordan Sun, a girl who cross-dresses to infiltrate an all-boy a cappella group to reach her dreams of performing. Although cross-dressing is not a central theme in most western television shows, it is quite often featured in Korean dramas as a central plot. One of them is Sungkyukwan Scandal also sees a girl infiltrate a prestigious male scholar academy in the Joseon era.
Heist Society by Ally Carter >>> White Collar
Do you enjoy stories about con artist, heist, and thievery in general? Then you’ll enjoy Heist Society and White Collar! Heist Society follows Katerina Bishop who is tired of her involvement in her family business of stealing and makes the decision to live a normal life by enrolling in a prestigious boarding school. But when five paintings are stolen and her father is the prime suspect, she is forced back into the business to help clear her father’s name. White Collar sees Neal Caffrey (played by Matt Bomer), a renowned con artist, forger and thief, captured by the FBI. As part of his work-release program, he aids the FBI by helping catch dangerous white-collar criminals. Both of these main characters are facing the struggle to clear their names and gain back their freedom in an unconventional way with some unusual allies.
This is Our Story by Ashley Elston >>> Riverdale
Rich boys!! Small town!! Murder!! These are three main elements that will make people who enjoyed Riverdale also enjoy This is Our Story. Riverdale needs little explanation as it is one of the most hyped-up television shows of 2017 and sees the Archie comics come to life. Just like how Archie and his group of friends get mixed up in a murder, This is Our Story sees a popular boy from a powerful family murdered with a girl getting mixed up in the drama that unfolds after his death.
A Mad Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller >>> Downton Abbey
Set in the Edwardian era, both incorporate the issues of social hierarchy, etiquette, woman fighting for their dreams, and of course, romance. A Mad Wicked Folly focuses more on its main character, Victoria Darling, which gives it more of an up-close and personal feeling.
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin >>> Legion
Legion is not as dark as Mara Dyer trilogy, but they definitely have their similarities. The main character can be classed as an “unreliable narrator” since they don’t really know whether things are real or not. In both the book and the show, the characters also have super powers, and at some point, they live together in a kind of rehab situation. Both are totally fun and interesting to follow, especially the Mara Dyer trilogy since it is an intriguing mystery and the plot really messes with your head!
