10 Must-Read Books That Inspired Your Favorite TV Shows

HBO's Big Little Lies quickly became a sensation, in part thanks to its incredible cast, which includes Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Zoë Kravitz, Laura Dern, and Shailene Woodley. The story follows a group of privileged women raising their children in Monterey, California, whose lives are turned upside down by the arrival of a single mom with a secret past. A third season of the show is on the way, making it the perfect time to revisit the gripping source material.

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British author and illustrator Alice Oseman brought the world of Heartstopper to life in her series of web comics and graphic novels, which form the basis of the Netflix adaptation of the same name. Heartstopper follows the blossoming romance between Nick and Charlie, two boys attending the same grammar school. Set in the world of teen angst, Heartstopper also explores important issues such as transphobia, homophobia, and racism while placing a gay love story firmly at its center.

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Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer star in Killing Eve, a television adaptation of the Villanelle novel series written by Luke Jennings. Starting with Codename Villanelle, the novels follow Eve, a British intelligence officer who is on the trail of Villanelle, a dangerous assassin. However, while hunting Villanelle and witnessing the killer's many devious acts, Eve develops an unexpected kinship with her prey. Fans of the book can follow up the story with sequels No Tomorrow and Die for Me.

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Netflix's serial killer series You instantly found a passionate fan base, thanks to Penn Badgley's portrayal of charming yet dangerous bookseller Joe Goldberg. Caroline Kepnes has written several novels about Joe's escapades, some of which formed the basis of the juicy TV show. But some of the sequels take Joe in a different direction, giving fans an alternate outlook on their cute but troubled murderer. And with audiobooks narrated by both Joe Goldberg himself and former Crazy Ex-Girlfriend star Santino Fontana, this is a series you simply won't want to miss.

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Gillian Flynn is responsible for some seriously memorable thrillers, including worldwide sensation Gone Girl, which boasted an acclaimed film starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. Sharp Objects follows damaged protagonist Camille, a journalist investigating some brutal murders that have taken place in her hometown.

Having escaped her overbearing family and its dark secrets, revisiting past traumas starts to affect Camille's present. Her mother's overriding adoration of half-sister Amma only creates more friction as Camille attempts to unravel a shocking mystery. Adapted into an HBO series starring Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, and Eliza Scanlen.

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The comic book series Watchmen was launched by DC Comics in the 1980s. The story takes place in an alternate timeline in which freelance superheroes are outlawed after being used by the government to win the Vietnam War. A group of vigilantes and retired superheroes still exist, and they emerge to investigate a murder and wrestle with modern politics.

The series was first adapted into a 2009 movie starring Malin Åkerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson. HBO's 2019 miniseries won 11 Emmys and acted as a sequel, focusing on Regina King's White Night fighting racist violence in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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As the brain behind HBO's uber-successful series, George R. R. Martin has become a lauded pop culture figure, with readers eagerly awaiting his books. Game of Thrones follows the Stark family, whose often brutal actions affect everything in Winterfell. With an icy winter brewing, and supernatural forces at play, fans are introduced to an epic battle for power, within a medieval-inspired realm. In this alternate universe, treachery runs riot, and no-one can be trusted, not even family.

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Netflix's Bridgerton quickly found a passionate audience on the streaming service, introducing the world to the romantic Regency Era tales told in Julia Quinn's books. The romantic series explores the love stories and lives of eligible suitors, all of whom feel the pressure to marry, but with most hoping for real romance.

The first book sees the duke Simon Basset pursue Daphne Bridgerton for all the wrong reasons, only to find a true connection. Subsequent installments widen the world of Bridgerton, introducing new characters, along with scandals and love matches alike.

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Adapted into a Netflix sitcom, which was renewed for a second season, Michelle Buteau's Survival of the Thickest is a memoir about growing up in New Jersey as part of a Caribbean Catholic family. In a series of essays, comedian Buteau tracks her incredible career, which saw her working in newsrooms and performing as the opening act for male strippers before she found mainstream success.

From meeting her husband to undergoing IVF, Buteau doesn't shy away from the difficult topics, which is what makes Netflix's adaptation so relatable.

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Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel takes place in a terrifying dystopia in which infertility is rife and a totalitarian government has taken control of the United States. Fertile women are forced to serve as handmaids, who are expected to bear the children of powerful men.

The true horror of The Handmaid's Tale lies in its overlap with current politics and the continual threat many women face when it comes to their independence and body autonomy. Adapted on multiple occasions, Hulu's TV series, which stars Elisabeth Moss, found global success, with the adaptation securing both Emmys and Golden Globes.

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