103 Great Books Becoming Movies or TV Series in 2024

Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

I watched the entire series TV adaptation in about a day and was having a serious hangover. That was quickly resolved by reading the next few books in the series. The best part? Reading them out of order or reading about my favorite characters doesn’t really give anything away. These books are the perfect getaway from reality.

If you loved Bridgerton, check out our post of books just like it!

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Alex Stearn is the sole survivor of a horrible homicide. While recovering in the hospital, she is offered a chance to attend Yale on a full scholarship.

She finds the Secret Societies of Yale, each practicing a unique type of magic. There are so many things about this urban fantasy book that I love. It is filled with magic, unlike anything you have ever read before. It has fantasy, secret societies, magic, and mystery. I could not put it down.

This book about secret societies is definitely at the top of my list and it is perfect for fans of dark academia. If you are a huge fan of Leigh Bardugo, this is her first adult book and we could not help compiling a list of books just like it. We can’t wait to see the movie adaptation.

The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

This is one of the best books that I have read in a really long time. It is so smart and so well written- the complexity of the plot line is mind-boggling and kept me absolutely entranced until the very last page.    

Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered every day at 11:00 PM. In order to escape Blackheath, Aiden Bishop must solve her murder. He will wake up every day for 8 days inhabiting a different host body. 

Everything is explained and in hindsight is so clear but, will keep you guessing throughout the entire book. This is a locked room mystery but with a twist, and a delightful one at that. The Netflix TV adaptation should be great.

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

I have so many thoughts about Exit West by Mohsin Hamid but, I am not sure how to express them all. I am not even sure that I can express them coherently.  This is an amazingly written literary fiction, magical realism  

This is not a long book but it doesn’t need to be to make a profound statement about the world that we live in. Part love story, part melancholy of a war-torn world, and part magical realism, this story will carry the reader through a rainbow of emotions before the end.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Fall 2021 YA Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

I have not read many books where the central characters are American Indian. This book takes place on the Michigan side of Sault Ste. Marie where Daunis is going to have a fresh start in college when she witnesses a murder. She suddenly finds herself working as a CI for the FBI as they investigate a lethal form of meth slowly killing her people. Her knowledge of science as well as the Ojibwe traditional medicines makes her the perfect person to help. 

While this is characterized as YA thriller, it has the depth and soul to appeal to any audience. I can see why this book has already been optioned to be a Netflix TV adaptation. I really did not know very much about the Ojibwe culture before reading this book and the little bits about traditions and spirituality were fascinating. Each tidbit added more depth to the story and I could not put it down. I will read anything that Ms. Boulley writes! Thank you Macmillan Audio for my ALC of this book. The narration was wonderful and added to the story.

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

Will and Fern spent one amazing, adventure-filled day together in their early 20s with a promise to meet up again one year later. When Fern shows up and Will doesn’t, she is heartbroken.

Now, nine years later, Fern has inherited the lakeside resort that she never wanted to run, her ex-boyfriend is the resort manager, and she needs help. When Will shows up at the resort with an offer to help get things back in order, she doesn’t know if she can get over her old feelings and trust him again.

I absolutely loved this lake book. Set between Muskoka and Toronto, it reminded me of my childhood and teenage years! This is an absolute must-read romance novel! You can also find this book in our list of Hotel Novels to Indulge in on Vacation, and of course on our Ultimate Beach Reads 2023! If you are looking for books for summer, this one is for you.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

For the record, I read this book BEFORE Oprah picked it! We spent a semester learning about this family saga during my Senior Year. Each person was assigned a symbol to report on throughout the book each week.

Mine was goldfish -part of the symbolism of amnesia and the duality between amnesia and nostalgia. Yep. I still remember the lesson. Maybe is was the teaching that contributed but, this remains one of my favorite books ever. This is a perfect example of a literary fiction book that is also a magical realism book. I can’t wait to see the movie adaptation.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi 

May 2020 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

I really enjoyed this historical fiction set in 1950s India. I know little about the artistry and meaning behind henna prior to reading and I learned a great deal about henna, herbal remedies, and Indian culture while reading this book.⁣ Henna is an incredible art form and we were so excited to include this fantastic novel about art on our list.

Because of the descriptive writing, I could picture everything so vividly. The plot, and the class structure in India in particular, would make an excellent book club discussion.⁣

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I knew I had to read this YA mystery series after it was compared to one of my favorite middle-grade mystery books, The Westing Game.

In this story, Avery, a poor orphan is told she’s just inherited a billionaire’s fortune. His family is determined to get to the money, but Avery has bigger fish to fry – the riddles and puzzles the deceased Tobias Hawthorne left behind for her to solve. As she teams up with unlikely allies, she’s forced to figure out who is a friend or foe.

I flew through this story and can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the trilogy! This is my favorite of the upcoming Amazon Prime book adaptations.

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore

I absolutely loved this story about Oona who at the stroke of midnight on her 19th birthday, finds herself in her 51-year-old body. She is greeted by a stranger who is waiting for her in her home and tells her that every year, she will jump to another point in her life- she will live her life out of order. ⁣

This is an emotional, well-written story that will not only keep you quickly turning pages but also make you think about the small things in life that we take for granted. ⁣

This book was a must for our list of feel-good books, but you can also find it on our New Year’s Eve books post and our best time travel book lists as well.

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows

I listened to the audible version of this young adult historical fiction book and I was hysterical. It is a twist on the historical tale of Lady Jane Grey the 9 Days Queen.

Instead of Catholics and Protestants, this book gave us people who could transform into animals and those who could not. It was ridiculous but funny and the authors cleverly wove in historical details and sayings attributing them to the characters. Since this is the first in a series, I’m hoping they all become Amazon Prime book adaptations.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Ok, so I adored To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, but this YA romance felt much more juvenile. The love triangle, the antics, it was all just a little too young for my tastes.

Set when Belly turns 15, at the beach house she visits every summer with her mom, her brother, and her mother’s best friend’s family, this coming-of-age is geared towards 15-year-olds for sure.

I read it for the reading challenge, and while I didn’t love it for me, I’ll be interested to see how it gets adapted though! This sweet pick is perfect for a list of books like People We Meet on Vacation and it recently became an Amazon adaptation.

Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by Jo Piazza

This political fiction book struck the perfect balance between lighthearted and serious. I was fascinated by the titular character’s quest to be the first female senator in PA. 

The dynamics at play when running for office drew me in, but I stayed for her marriage and her struggles to be everything to everyone. I loved the references to places I was familiar with making this a must-read for any local and a perfect pick for a list of contemporary fiction books and books about women in politics! And because the elections are in November, we knew this is a perfect book for fall.

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

I am so happy that I chose this book for the January Reading Challenge. It grabbed me from the first page.

Olga is a successful wedding planner for the elite in New York City who has been unsuccessful in finding love. Her brother, Pedro is a congressman who is hiding secrets. Both of them are running from their past and distancing themselves from their mother who has become a political militant.

As Hurricane season comes, the aftermath to their lives is more than they could have anticipated and caused them to face their deepest secrets and fears. This was my pick for the January reading challenge prompt to read a book being adapted to the screen and I highly recommend it as a book for book clubs.

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

What a ride! Jean Hanff Korelitz’s thriller is quite something. It’s one I just adored even if I did figure the big twist out early on. It’s the journey with this book.

Jacob is a formerly successful writer who is struggling to write his next great novel. His student Evan dies without having published his own incredible story, so Jacob decides to write it himself to great critical acclaim.

But then someone starts threatening to expose him for the theft of the story, launching him into the truth behind the tale he wrote about. This is the perfect story for our list of books about thieves!

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter

Kirsten and I seem to be in te minority with our feelings about this book which is why it is on our list.  It is an amazing story about one family’s survival during the Holocaust.

While we did not love the writing and the way the story was laid out, we cannot deny that this family has an amazing story.

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

June 2020 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Real talk. I’ve just read THE thriller of Summer 2020 and it’s soooooo good.⁣ A murder at a wedding. On an isolated island. In the middle of a power outage.⁣ Yaaaaaaaaas. ⁣This is an unputdownable thriller that is perfect for a list of books like People We Meet on Vacation.

The murder sets the scene and then we get the story in flashbacks without knowing who is murdered until the end. ⁣I’ve become very picky about thrillers recently and this one is hands down my favorite of the year so far.⁣ It also made our Best of 2020 list! If locked room mysteries are your thing, this is perfect for you as well.

Can you guess who is the killer in this pick from our list of the best British mystery books? I can’t wait to see this added to the list of Hulu book adaptations.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This book has a cult-like following for a reason. The first book in the series is a loose fairy tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in the world of Prythian. Magical creatures, humans, and fae are all prominent in the book.

This is a fast-paced, addicting, fantasy romance series. A love triangle develops by the end of the story and book two is jaw-dropping! This is on its way to becoming a classic from the list of enemies-to-lovers books. You will want to binge this series in one week. We could not leave this epic romance off a list of the best romance novels of all time.

While this book is technically a YA fantasy series, the books become very steamy and we definitely see this as one of the best fantasy books for adults on the list. We are so excited this is going to be one of the Hulu book adaptations.

If you loved ACOTAR, check out this list of books just like it. And with a Hulu book adaption in the works, you might want to head over to our guide on all of Sarah J. Maas’s books.

Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld

Oh, Hillary. Who would you have become without Bill? Have you found yourself pondering this before?

Then look no further than Sittenfeld’s contemporary fiction story of what would have happened to Hillary had she ditched Bill when he was unfaithful before their marriage.

It had me longing to know what course our country would be on had the events of this political novel been true. We can’t wait to see this book adaptation.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

June 2021 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick

Nina Riva is having her annual summer party which is famous for its epic scale and exclusivity. But this year, the party will end with devastation.

Nina and her siblings are famous children of one of the biggest rock stars of all time and they each have their secrets. Perfect for a list of books about music, right?

I have loved the last two books by Taylor Jenkins Reid so much that I often recommend them to friends for their universal appeal. I had high hopes for this family saga but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

I enjoyed the book but I felt that it was a little drawn out at times. Still, I loved Nina’s character and her ability to surf puts her on our list of books about women in sports!

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

I kept hearing about this book and when I saw it in paperback at the Amazon bookstore in NYC, I could not resist.  I didn’t put it down until I was done.  It was such a different look at the idea of magic, I loved it. 

Ceony has graduated from Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined and is disappointed when she is assigned to be bonded to paper. Once magicians bond with one magic, it is the only magic they can ever practice. When Ceony encounters a dark magician, she must use every piece of magic she knows to save her mentor.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

No list of boat books would be complete without Jules Verne! A wildly imaginative tale of sea exploration whose whimsical details kept me turning the page. This classic by Jules Verne is about Captain Nemo and his underwater vessel, The Nautilus.

As Captain Nemo seeks scientific knowledge of the seas, he uncovers massive sea monsters, the land of Atlantis, and other thrilling adventures. Disney is currently planning a movie adaptation of this book.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

I don’t think there is a boy (or girl) out there who has read this middle grade fantasy series and not loved it. It is the only series that can compare to Harry Potter in terms of how much my son LOVES it.  

This first Percy Jackson book is about our beloved Percy, who discovers he is a demi-god and must recover Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt. He travels into the underworld to locate the lightning bolt and, at the same time, try to save his mother.

His amazing adventures with Annabeth and Grover along the way create the foundation for all the books that follow in this amazing and epic series. Disney has this book becoming a tv show in 2024. If you love Percy Jackson books, you should check out our 18 Exciting Books like Percy Jackson for Fans to Enjoy or our Epic Guide to Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson Books in Order.

Maybe Next Time by Cesca Major

November 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

When Reese selected this story for her book club, she announced she’d be making a movie adaption of it as well.

It’s all about Emma, a working mother of two who is reliving the day her husband dies on a Groundhog Day-like loop. She tries in vain to right her life and focus again on what is most important to her.

I liked this time loop book, but it wasn’t my favorite Reese book club pick. I’m curious to see how this turns out when it gets adapted.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

April 2022 GMA Book Club Pick

I don’t even know where to begin with this unique contemporary fiction story. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 50s when women were expected to know their place in society — their place being the kitchen and the home.

Elizabeth struggles to be taken seriously in her field and as a single mother, in this amazing book. So when an offer to host a cooking show for women is put in her path, she reluctantly takes it.

She uses her no-nonsense attitude and chemistry principles to teach the women in America to not only cook but to follow their dreams outside of the home.

Zott is a quirky character like Eleanor Oliphant with a charming daughter and a dog whose inner monologue is as quirky as hers. An absolutely wonderful book about motherhood! You can also find this book on our list of Books Like The Love Hypothesis as well.

Are you looking for the perfect book for your next book club? Check out our Lessons in Chemistry Book Club Guide. If you love this book and are looking for more, we also have 15 Books Like Lessons in Chemistry.

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

This horror definitely lives up to its title of Goodreads Choice Best Horror Novel. Somehow Grady Hendrix brings humor into his horrors that makes you simultaneously want to turn the page and slam the book shut.

Lynette is one of a group of final girls in a support group with 5 other girls for over a decade. They are trying to live their lives after being the only survivor of a massacre. When someone starts killing these girls one by one, can they survive again?

The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo

Lombardo’s debut is a tremendous contemporary fiction book about the complicated dynamics and hidden secrets of the Sorenson parents and their 4 daughters.

The coming-of-age story is told alternately in the present day when Jonah reunites with the daughter that gave him up 15 years prior, and the past touches on moments in the Sorenson family history that are coming back to haunt them.

Each character is deliciously flawed in a way that makes you feel like you’ve known them for years. I love that at the heart of the story, the book is about the many forms of love and how to live well. I cannot believe that Claire Lombardo is not a 50 or 60-year-old woman with children of her own. 

This is one family saga book you must read! It’s perfect for our list of books about sisters!

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

June 2020 GMA Book Club Pick

I adored Bennett’s debut book The Mothers so I was nervous to read her sophomore novel. Sometimes the next novel doesn’t live up to the first, but The Vanishing Half absolutely does with this wonderful and thought-provoking book.

The premise of this book set in the 70s is so unique. Two black sisters are so pale they can pass for white. One embraces her black heritage and her hometown, the other disappears into white suburbia.

When they meet up again 20 years later through their own daughters, the result is a stunning portrayal of the ties that tether us to our families. This is one of the must-read books about sisters and family drama books! It is also an amazing book for book clubs because there is so much to discuss.

Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1) by Charlaine Harris

I watched this show before I knew that it was an adult fantasy book series and then I obviously had to read these vampire books as well. Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress at a bar in her small town in Louisiana. She is quiet and keeps to herself except for the fact that she can read people’s minds.

When Bill Compton comes into the bar one night, Sookie cannot hear anything he is thinking and she is quickly infatuated. The feeling is mutual. But when murders start taking place and the two suspects are Bill and Sookie’s womanizing brother, Sookie starts to question her choices. There is nothing PG about this steamy urban fantasy romance series.

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

I was enthralled by the heroics of the team. The sheer force of will and strength it takes to get in that boat and win. I thought I would be bored by the minutia of rowing, but I wasn’t.

The mechanical part of it, the precision, just made me appreciate the skill of rowing even more. The Olympic games gave me such a heightened sense of American pride. I was rooting for the team and cheering them on the whole time. If you are looking for non-fiction books for beginners, this is one of the nonfiction books that read like fiction.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

Everyone knows the Wicked Witch of the West but not everyone knows how she became that way. She wasn’t always bad. This is the story of a girl that would grow up to become one of the most hated villains in history.

I think of Professor Snape from Harry Potter in the same way. If you love witches and root for the bad guy, this is the book like Harry Potter for you. Like the broadway play, the movie adaptation of this will be a must-see.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

This story is quite the classic and it revolves around all things candy! With its creeptastic vibes, it’s also wonderful for Halloween.

Charlie is thrilled when he gets a golden ticket to see inside Willy Wonka’s amazing chocolate factory, but this is no ordinary candy factory. The machines and recipes behind the walls of the factory are what dreams are made of. This is a wonderful read-aloud book.

A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey

Reese’s Bookclub YA pick for November 2020

This is an adorable YA romance that had my tea-loving heart at the title but, the story was sweet and had me turning the pages. But fair warning, you will be hungry while reading this book about tea.

Lila is leaving Miami to spend the summer in England with her mom’s best friend as a way to help Lila’s mental health. With the unexpected break-up with her boyfriend, her best friend leaving after graduation and the death of her beloved Abuela, Lila’s life is not where she thought it would be.

Slowly, with new friends and a new city, Lila starts to see a different side of life, and maybe change is ok. This is a sweet pick from our list of bakery romance novels.

The Husbands by Chandler Baker

Ladies, get your book clubs geared up for Chandler Baker’s newest novel. It’s part mystery, part social commentary, but it’s the latter that packs a punch in this contemporary fiction.

Baker examines the mental load that women carry as wives and mothers, particularly working women, and how it differs from what society expects of men.

Murder in the desirable Dynasty Ranch neighborhood has lawyer and prospective buyer, Nora, looking into what happened. With all the Stepford-style husbands she is meeting, she’s starting to wonder what kind of place Dynasty Ranch is after all. This is a perfect book for book clubs, it is such a thought-provoking book. You will have such a great discussion about this book about motherhood.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

March 2023 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

This is a remarkable story of two sisters who live in France. As historical fiction goes, this one set the standard for me. It is one of my all-time favorite books. It details how they survive the Second World War under Nazi Occupation. The sisters are separated by time and have completely different experiences in the war. 

This book is one of the books that should be read in a lifetime. It is a total tear-jerker and one of those books about WWII and books set in France that are basically essential reading! If you are looking for the best book club books, this is one of them.

The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal

This historical fiction novel about art is part mystery, part love story, and part thriller. MacNeal’s debut takes place in Victorian England during the time of The Great Exhibition.

Iris dreams of learning to paint like a true artist, while she tolls away with her twin sister in a doll shop. Silas is a curiosity collector who can’t seem to get Iris out of his head after their chance meeting, and Albie is the rag-a-muffin street urchin I wanted to take home.

Their stories weave together in a slow burn until the blood-pumping, heart-racing conclusion. This stalker book made our list of the best books of 2019.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

This historical fiction hotel novel is set in Moscow between 1918 through the 1950s, Count Alexander Rostov has narrowly escaped execution and has been sentenced to house arrest within his hotel, the Metropol for the rest of his life.

The Count is confined to the attic room. The book is beautifully written and I grew to love the Count. Once a part of the spoiled elite, he becomes friends with the staff and the inhabitants. This is a beautiful book becoming a tv show soon.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

I have been on some weird dystopian kick recently – which is funny because I had to be forced to read the Hunger Games. Now I can’t seem to stop! I’m sure I’ll switch gears this summer but right now I’m loving this young adult fantasy novel.

In this world, those with red blood are common and those with silver blood are elite with superhuman abilities. In the war against Silvers and Reds, Mare Barrow is special and so is this book. The ending was a total shock! I couldn’t put it down.

This epic series was a must for books like ACOTAR and Books like The Hunger Games. If you are looking for young adult romance fantasy books, this definitely needs to be on your list.

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

June 2021 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

The latest Reese’s Book Club pick was quite a unique read. It was billed as a romance but that doesn’t do this novel justice.

Yes there are some steamy scenes, but it also deals with childhood trauma, drug addiction, racial issues, and single motherhood.

It was much heavier than I expected and had I been more in the mood for such a book, I think I would have rated it higher.

While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams

Who knew that Stacey Abrams could write a thriller while campaigning during an election year?

Well her debut thriller kept me on the edge of my seat. I had no idea I would find a legal thriller so engaging, but I really did enjoy this one.

I had no idea that when Supreme Court Justices get sick, they are still required to work.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Nella is the owner of a shop that used to be a renowned apothecary to treat women but, after her mother died and Nella faced unspeakable loss, her shop is now the bringer of death to men who have wronged the women in their lives.  

In the present day, Caroline is spending her 10th wedding anniversary alone in London after discovering her husband is a lying, cheater.  When she finds a vial while mud larking, she cannot resist the pull. What is the story behind this vial? This is such a great historical mystery book for book clubs!

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

What an amazing thriller. Alex Michaelides did it again! This secret society book was insane with twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat and my heart beating a little faster! 

Mariana is a therapist who is still grieving the loss of her husband when she gets a call from her niece, Zoe. Zoe’s best friend Tara is missing and Zoe is afraid something has happened to her. 

One by one, When women start dying at Cambridge and Mariana gets deeply involved as she tries to solve the mystery. This Addicting Dark Academia Book is perfect to read before this creepy thriller book becomes a tv show.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

Some YA historical fiction books are incredibly appealing to adult readers, and other YA stories fall flat.

Unfortunately, the latest Reese’s Book Club pick falls into the latter category for me. I was never able to fully get into the story of a lady’s maid turned advice columnist because the writing never drew me in.

I cared about what happened to Jo but I found myself bored throughout this Gilded Age book for teens.