Top 5 Book Series With Their Own Film/TV Counterparts To Read/Watch During Quarantine

Top 5 Book Series With Their Own Film/TV Counterparts

To Read/Watch During Quarantine

By: Mariam Vaid

1) Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

• Now, first on this list should be an extremely familiar title. I don’t know about all of you, but I practically grew up on the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. And I know, the debate on books vs movies/TV shows always ends up with the book winning, but honestly in the case of Harry Potter, I’m torn between the two. If you don’t already know, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone follows the life of an 11-year-old orphan, who has come to know he was the son of two wizards, and has just been invited to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If you’re a fan of fantasy, drama, magic, and mystery, this series is the perfect one for you.

2) City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

• City of Bones is the first in the six-part Mortal Instruments series surrounding Clary Fray, a 15-year-old who is overnight thrown into the world of Shadowhunters, a secret group of individuals born out of a combination of angel and human blood, bred to protect the human race from the supernatural (werewolves, warlocks, fae, vampires). Also be on the lookout for the T.V. series under the name “Shadowhunters,” but not so much the movie, “City of Bones” (the characters look nothing like what is presented in the novels and the acting is sub-par at best).

3) Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

• Next on the list is a bit of a 180 from the books I previously discussed. Me Before You is about Louisa Clark, a recently unemployed 26-year old who has been hired as a second caregiver for Will Traynor, who as a result of a motorcycle accident has been left quadraplegic. The movie starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Clafin, made me cry, but the novel made me cry even harder, so if you’re in need of pouring out all of your emotions, Me Before You should be at the top of your reading list.

4) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

• The Fault in Our Stars is an amazing novel about a young teenage girl who has been diagnosed with lung cancer and attends a cancer support group. At this support group, 16-year-old Hazel meets Augustus Waters, who has had osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, but has recently been given the all clear. Together, Hazel and Augustus embark on a journey full of emotions, including love, sadness and romance, while searching for the author of their favourite book. If you enjoy young adult books with witty humour and heartbreaking events, this book is perfect for you.

5) Fallen by Lauren Kate

• So I figured that in addition to recommending books for all of you to read, I should also include a book/movie I strongly disliked. Fallen by Lauren Oliver revolves around a young girl named Luce who is sent to Sword & Cross Reform School in Savannah, Georgia, after she is accused of murdering a boy by starting a fire. At the reform school, she meets Daniel, a handsome boy whom she feels inexplicably drawn to, and believes she has met before. Spoiler Alert: He’s a member of the Fallen (a cast-away angel, sent to the human world for not choosing a side between Lucifer and God). Confusing, I know. Luce was probably the most bland and two-dimensional main character I’ve ever read about, and Daniel had that annoying/bad-boy characterization I couldn’t find myself to enjoy (and it's one of my favorite tropes). And if you hated the book, don’t even try watching the movie (trust me, it’s about a million times worse).