By Ely Christie
I don’t know about you, but I think television and books go really well together. Maybe not always book adaptions (because we all know they can sometimes be a disappointment), although the trailers for Anne and The Handmaid’s Tale may be a glimmer of hope for the growing world of book-to-screen adaptions.
If you fancy skipping your next Netflix binge, we’ve paired a few television shows with some YA books so you can still enjoy your favourite themes but read all about it instead!
Let us know if you’ll be reading one of these books in the comments below!
Agent Carter >>> Code Name Verity/Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
Agent Carter is one of my all-time favourite shows and Rose Under Fire is one of my all-time favourite books. These two go hand-in-hand as this duology written by Elizabeth Wein is about female spies and pilots in World War II, so naturally there’s a connection between these books and Agent Carter. Not to mention, the characters are as badass as Peggy and they have just as much heart to them.
Downton Abbey >>> The Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray
This one may be a little bit of a stretch as The Gemma Doyle trilogy is more Downton Abbey meets Merlin perhaps. It has all the historical, scandalous and intriguing elements of Downton Abbey, but with a touch of magic and witches. The first book, A Great and Terrible Beauty is set in a London boarding school for Victoria ladies. It’s a fun series, but it also explores and features some serious topics, great female friendships and some incredible world-building and magic. The main character Gemma could be considered as a cross between Mary and Sybil and not to mention, the author Libba Bray is incredibly talented so it’s worth checking out.
Game of Thrones >>> Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
Although I personally am not much of a fan of Game of Thrones, the Falling Kingdoms series is fantastic read for those who are. Like Game of Thrones, there are quite a few characters that the story follows and they are all very intriguing in their own ways, just like how the characters greatly differ in the television series. Being a fantasy series, the world is complex and rich, which always makes for fascinating read.
Sherlock >>> Every Breath
Every Breath is an Australian YA trilogy by Ellie Marney which tells the story of Rachel Watts and her best friend, James Mycroft. You may have notices it’s loosely based around Sherlock Holmes, but the modern Melbourne setting sets it apart from the rest. James is very reminiscent of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock—absolutely brilliant, but slightly less knowledgeable when it comes to people and communicating. Rachel is not a sidekick to Mycroft at any point, and she has a bigger purpose than merely making him look smart since she’s brilliant in her own way, and I think many readers can appreciate that.
