Prompt 49: A book based on or turned into a TV show

[Ann]

What books are you reading in this category? What recommendations do you have?

[Leah]

Okay, question. The original prompt I saw said 'based on or turned into a tv show'. Is that still the general idea? As for what book I'll read, I'm thinking 'Dead Until Dark' by Charlaine Harris. It's the first in her series that inspired the show 'True Blood'. I've never seen the show, or read this author before. The books must be okay if they inspired a popular series lol.

[Lynn]

Leah wrote: "Okay, question. The original prompt I saw said 'based on or turned into a tv show'. Is that still the general idea?"

That's what I understood as well.

I was planning on reading House of Cards by Michael Dobbs. Not only was that turned into a tv show (2 actually), but the book was re-written after the sequels to be follow the plot of the tv show. So I think it counts for both parts of the original prompt.

[Nicole]

I have had Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay on my shelf since I first started watching Dexter, but I have yet to read it! This sounds like a good opportunity to dive in!

[Brooke]

I'm planning on reading "Orange is the New Black" by Piper Kerman. It was made into a TV series with the same title. I've been wanting to read this book since I dressed up as one of the characters from the show for Halloween with some friends. It's a memoir about the author's prison experience.

[Kerri]

I'm planning on reading The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line (Veronica Mars #1) by Rob Thomas, Jennifer Graham. I watched Veronica Mars in high school and loved it. Then the movie and loved that too. Now there is a book series and I couldn't be happier.

[Ann]

Leah wrote: "Okay, question. The original prompt I saw said 'based on or turned into a tv show'. Is that still the general idea? As for what book I'll read, I'm thinking 'Dead Until Dark' by Charlaine Harris. I..."

You are totally right, Leah! Thank you for pointing out my omission. I have updated both the "Challenge Checklist" and this discussion topic to reflect the correct prompt. Thanks again!!

[Amii]

About a Boy-Nick Hornby

[Anne]

I think I'll read the newest by Tess Gerritsen on which the Rizzoli and Iles series is based.

[Pandora]

I think for me it will be The leftovers by Tom Perrotta (I just have to finish the tv series first)

[Leanne]

I am looking at the second book in the series The 100 by Kass Morgan. I have read the first in the series but it only went to maybe the 4th episode of the TV show...so who knows how close they keep it going forward.

[Lauri]

I am going to read Little House on the Prairie, which was turned into a television series in the 1970s.

[Katie]

I'm going to read The 100 by Kass Morgan. I haven't watched any of the show because I've been saving it for after I've read the book.

[Nikki]

going to read Kathy Reich'sbook that bones is based from

[Heidi]

Nikki wrote: "going to read Kathy Reich'sbook that bones is based from"

I love that series. I hope you enjoy!

Before you read them you should know, they're completely different to the show. Off the top of my head, I think Brennan is the only character they have in common. I love them both though!

[Alycia]

Hmmm, would The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving work? More of a story really, than a book. But I love the TV series!!

[Sooz]

I'm reading 'Broadchurch' by Erin Kelly.

It was turned into a TV show in the UK starring David Tennant (10th Dr Who).

The TV series had rave reviews and did very well. I haven't seen it yet. I'd like to read the book first :)

[Julia]

I read "Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, #2)" by Diana Gabaldon, and can not wait to read the next one.

[Heidi]

Sooz wrote: "I'm reading 'Broadchurch' by Erin Kelly.

It was turned into a TV show in the UK starring David Tennant (10th Dr Who).

The TV series had rave reviews and did very well. I haven't seen it yet. I'd..."

You should definitely watch the show as soon as you get a chance. It's brilliant! And try to avoid spoilers.

(The book is actually based on the TV series, so I would worry too much about whether you read the book or watch the show)

[Krissy]

Darkly Dreaming Dexter

[Donna]

I read a Feast for Crows by George RR Martin

[Wendy]

I read Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman.

[Mooni]

I read "Pretty Little Liars". I finished it in about day and a half, and it was nice.

[Karen]

I'm going to read The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets

[Juanita]

I read The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta. I had already finished the HBO series and owned the book. My review is on my blog. http://www.imanobsessedreader.blogspo...

[Jane]

I will read On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony. It became the show Dead Like Me.

[Melanie]

I just finished Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. There is going to be a tv show on PBS airing in April. (Got this out of my tbr pile to read before the show airs). I like to read the books before the tv shows or movies come out so if I hear people discussing them it doesn't ruin the book for me :)

[Angie]

I just finished The Clockwise Man which is supposed to fall in between episodes of the 1st series of Doctor Who. It was OK- going to give other Doctor Who books a shot.

[Guylian]

"A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin. Started on January 2nd, read about half, interrupted for almost 2 months and several other books, picked it up again last week, finished. Now debating with myself if I should read part 3 of the saga next or something else.

[Kate]

I tead call the midwife. im also going to read Outlander

[Tribefan]

I read Florida Getaway (CSI: Miami #1) for this challenge... Just an okay read...

[Belinda]

I'm going to read Dead Until Dark since I already have it on hand. Picked it up at my local Goodwill for 50 cents :)

[Tatiana]

I read Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music. I found the chapters dealing with funding and financing and administrative stuff to be boring but the more personal ones were very interesting. I look forward to watching the show.

[Kerryann]

I've just finished clash of the Kings (a song of ice and ice #2 game of thrones) by George R.R. Martin

[Alexis]

I just finished Sir Percy Leads The Band, which is a novel in the Scarlet Pimpernel series. There was a 6 episode Scarlet Pimpernel mini series put out by the BBC with A&E in 1999. I don't know if this particular story was told in the series, but I'm counting this as a win for this prompt. The book was not nearly as good as the first book, The Scarlet Pimpernel, which is quite funny and very charming. SPLTB suffers from not having one of the main characters from the first book involved. It was still a fine read, but after loving the first book, I hoped this book would deliver more.

[Kate]

I just finished Outlander by Dianna Gabaldon

[Luella]

I ended up with a copy of DogTown: Tales of Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Redemption by Stefan Bechtel so I'm going with that.

[Nikki]

I read Supernatural: Bobby Singer's Guide to Hunting by David Reed for this challenge. It was a pretty good book that gave a deeper insight in to the Supernatural character Bobby.

[Ray]

Read "Hush Money" by Robert B Parker since his books are the basis for "Spencer for Hire". Also recommend "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris which was the basis for the show "Hannibal"

[AlegnaB †]

I read Mr. Monk in Outer Space. There are also books for Castle, Psych, and Murder, She Wrote.

I'm sure there have been a lot of other books published that were based on or turned into TV shows. I used to watch The Waltons (based on Spencer's Mountain) and Little House on the Prairie during the 70's. Jeremy Brett was awesome as Sherlock Holmes in the 80's TV series. When Calls the Heart is currently on Hallmark Channel.

Some book series that have been turned into TV series (would books from those series count?):

Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Agatha Christie's Miss Marple
Nancy Drew & The Hardy Boys
Cedar Cove

Some classic books have been turned into TV mini-series:

Anne of Green Gables
Pride and Prejudice and JA's other five major works
Jane Eyre
Many of Charles Dickens' books
Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South

[Kirsten]

I read Good Morning, Midnight by Reginald Hill, a book in the Dalziel & Pascoe series which was a British series starring Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan. Sadly, we have lost both Warren Clarke and Reginald Hill in recent years.

[Jazs]

I'm thinking maybe Orange Is The New Black for this prompt as well. I've already read all the Game of Thrones books and North and South and trying not to re-read for this 2015 challenge and chose from books I already have first as I do already own Orange Is The New Black.

Philippa Gregory's Cousin's War series would work really well for this since the first 3 (The White Queen, The Red Queen, The Kingmaker's Daughter) were adapted into The White Queen mini-series and I've already read them as well.

[Alycia]

We are big fans of the Castle tv show in this house, so I read the first Nikki Heat book, Heat Wave by "Richard Castle". Not great literature, but a fun and easy read!

[Jazs]

Just saw that The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman has been made into a two part miniseries for anyone interested in historical fiction.

One of my all time favorite books. <3

[Melody]

A friend of mine wanted me to read A Wonderlandiful World by Shannon Hale, based on the Ever After High franchise which includes a show. The book was okay. It was cute and gave deeper insight into the show's characters. It was definitely very well written for a children's book based off a doll franchise and animated series.

[Malgorzata]

I finally have a reason to read A Game of Thrones :)

[Tara]

I'm Reading the second got book but I don't know if I'll finish it, it's not really my taste and I didn't love the first one. I really want to like them! I have darkly dreaming dexter on my shelf too for years and haven't read it so I think I'll pick that up again.

[Christophe]

A bit disappointed by the fact that all the books here are books that were turned into TV shows. I'd like to find one that is based on a TV show instead. Suggestions?

[Melody]

Christophe wrote: "A bit disappointed by the fact that all the books here are books that were turned into TV shows. I'd like to find one that is based on a TV show instead. Suggestions?"

I don't know what kind of TV shows you like to watch, but here are a few books I know of that have been based off of TV shows:

The Promise is a graphic novel continuing the story of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Love Letters of Great Men was a fake book on Sex in the City that was later made real for fans.
Heat Wave is the book that Nathan Fillion's character on Castle has supposedly been writing.
I Am America and So Can You is a book by Stephen Colbert's alter-ego Stephen Colbert from The Colbert Report.
Or if you're less of a novel person, there are tons of critical texts about tv shows! A couple of my favorites are NASA/TREK by Constance Penley and In the Peanut Gallery with Mystery Science Theater 3000: Essays on Film, Fandom, Technology, and the Culture of Riffing.

[Jackie]

The Murder She Wrote tv show has had a number of books written based on either specific episodes or a melange of a few. If you are interested in finding books based on tv shows you might search for "novelizations" as a starting point.