Please continue supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. The Black Lives Matter cardd is constantly being updated with new information, petitions, and resources.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
This weeks theme is:
August 18: Books that Should be Adapted into Netflix Shows/Movies
Since the Shadow and Bone, Shades of Magic, and When Dimple Met Rishi adaptations are in the works (Shades of Magic hasn’t had any updates in a while, so I’m not sure where it’s at currently) I’m not going to cover those.
Instead I’ll be focusing on other books that don’t have any confirmed adaptations, but that I’d love to see as TV shows.
The Arsonist
Give me a full 13-episode Netflix TV series about The Arsonist. It’s a mystery novel, set in dual timelines between 1989 and present day and it would work SO WELL as a TV show.
The characters would come alive on screen and the plot twists would be perfect cliffhangers for the end of each episode. I can see it so clearly in my mind. Netflix, just hire me, I’ll produce it (with my 0 film credentials).
Wicked Fox
You just KNOW that Wicked Fox would work perfectly as a K-drama. Kat Cho literally said that parts of the book are inspired by K-drama style plotting and tropes. I’m also currently reading the sequel and I can definitely see it as season 2.
Invictus
This would work so well as a sci-fi TV series. I could definitely see it as a Firefly-type series, but with Rome-inspired architecture instead of space-western vibes.
Criminal Intentions
I’m currently reading the second book in this series and let me tell you these books would work so well as a CSI-type show. For one, the narrative and formatting of the book is already set up like a TV series with ‘episodes’, but on top of that, the action and slow reveal of the murderer would be excellent for TV.
The two main characters are also queer and I just want more queer detective shows to be quite honest.
Slay
Listen, you know that Slay would absolutely slap as a TV show. The video game scenes could be so good in CGI and we need more TV shows with Black main characters and majority-BIPOC casts, so I would love to see this adapted.
The Song of Achilles
At risk of it ending with me howling, I’d love to see The Song of Achilles adapted for TV. It’s a very visual , cinematic novel, so I think it could work really well as a historical series, if given a big enough budget. I’d definitely be a puddle of emotions at the end though.
The Poppy War
How epic would this be as a series? I’m getting excited just thinking about it because the battle scenes and shaman ability scenes would be incredible with the right effects and music. Give me a 24-part series of The Poppy War please, Netflix. And the same for The Dragon Republic and The Burning God.
An Ember in the Ashes
I don’t know if AEITA has ever been optioned for TV, but I’m manifesting it right now. I want this to happen. I’ve only read the first book so far, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and I high-key want to see the whole series adapted as a fantasy TV show.
The House in the Cerulean Sea
Me: *calls up Netflix*
Netflix: Hel-
Me: Adapt The House in the Cerulean Sea into a four-part, Good Omens-style fantasy TV show. Thanks, bye now.
Me: *hangs up*
Sadie
This is an unusual one to end on for me, because I was actually pretty disappointed with Sadie. I found that the hype overshadowed the actual story for me and I ended up rating it two stars.
But. I think it would make a fantastic thriller/crime show and I’d love to see what Netflix could do with it.
Those are my ten picks for book-to-TV adaptations. I’d have chosen a whole other set of books if you’d asked me about book-to-film adaptations, so maybe I’ll write a separate post on that.
Which books would you love to see as TV shows? Do you agree or disagree with any of my choices?
coffeeinonehandbookintheother.wordpress.com 
Great list! I would love to see an adaptation of The Song of Achilles (as long as it was done well, of course) but I would 100% be a weeping mess by the end of it. I haven’t read Wicked Fox but it sounds like it would be such a fun K-Drama!
Aww thank you Jess! Yes, it would have to be really well produced to do the book justice! Wicked Fox is soooo good and the sequel is out today, too!
Love your picks! Invictus would be cool.
Aww thank you! Haha yes, I can totally see it as an action-packed sci-fi TV show, blended with Roman architecture!
Oooh, Sadie would be a very cool show, with like, the intro of each episodes being the podcast parts of it!
Yeah, I feel like it could be very tense and atmospheric!
Ohh I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy Sadie; it’s one of my favourite books! But I can also see it as a really great Netflix show. I never considered Song of Achilles as an adaptation but I can see how it would work well as a TV show or movie! Great suggestions!
Yeah, it was a shame about Sadie because I really wanted to love it but it just didn’t grab me. Yes! I just feel like The Song of Achilles could be so well adapted! Thanks Vee 😀
You have some heavy hitters on this list that I’d love to see adapted (i.e. Sadie, Ember, & Achilles). Plus you’ve got a lot that are still on my TBR, but now sound even more exciting!!
Feel free to see which books made my cut here: https://bit.ly/3aBAPxC
Aww thank you! I tried to go for books that I could really visualise as TV shows! 😀
I feel the same about Sadie. I thought it was overhyped. I really liked the audiobook. I thought it was so well done but the story was okay. I feel I could see it being made into a cool tv show. I also picked a book I wasn’t a huge fan of which was Rules For Vanishing. I think it could also be well done visually.
Yeah, the audiobook for Sadie was amazing, but the story just didn’t grab me, unfortunately! But I still think it could work really well as a TV show if they adapted the plot a little 😛 Oh nice!
If I could have one adaptation it would be the Song of Achilles, but I’m also so protective of the book they’d have to get the casting right haha.
i cannot wait to read The Poppy War, it’s coming in the mail!!
I would die if I get to see Laia and Elias on screen omg ❤