Five Books to Read if You Love These Shows
Five Books to Read if You Love These Shows. From Juicy Mother-Daughter Relationships to Psychological Thrillers, Here are Our Top Must Reads for the Summer.
I know I have been guilty of finishing several series this past year alternating between the living room couch and the basement couch — including my one hundredth run through of Friends — but now that we have come out of hibernation, why not ditch the screen and try other activities that are just as binge-worthy. Check out these five books to read if you love these TV Shows -for your next brunch club, or virtual meet up!
Binged: Friends
Image via Mahrous Houses on Unsplash.
Themes: Chicklit: close-knit friendships, women’s experiences
Dive into: Girls in White Dresses – Jennifer Close (294 pages)
Brookie preview: Meet Isabella, Mary, and Lauren who — together— share relationship fiascos, career changes and family pressures with witty banter and hilarious mishaps. The novel leads us through multiple bridal showers and wedding parties the trio attends, while each questions her own choices and life path.
Why You’ll Love It: I got a heavy Monica-Rachel-Phoebe vibe from this one. Mary has a crush on her boss — hello Rachel. Lauren is a waitress who has a goldfish named Willard — Rachel and Phoebe vibes. Isabella is set up on a blind date — cue Monica pre ‘Mondler’ — guaranteed to provide a sense of comfort similar to Friends.
Honourable mention: The Interestings– Meg Wolitzer (468 pages)
Binged: Netflix – YOU
Image via IMDB
Themes: Psychological thriller: dangerous male stalker tendencies
Dive into: Every Vow You Break – Peter Swanson (308 pages)
Brookie preview: Meet Abigail Baskin, a newlywed who is about to embark on her honeymoon with her millionaire husband Bruce Lamb, when a man she had a one-night stand with shows up insisting they have something special. Abigail is thrown for a loop then strange things begin to happen.
Why You’ll Love It: ‘John Doe’ resembles similar stalker tendencies as Joe from You. We don’t know much about Joe, except his fascination with each woman he meets and the destructive, strange things that follow. The novel alludes to a similar theme.
Honourable mention: The Secrets You Keep– Kate White (368 pages)
Binged: Amazon- Upload
Image via IMDB
Themes: Scifi: scientific discoveries, AI, memory
Dive into: Recursion – Blake Crouch (329 pages)
Brookie preview: Meet Barry Sutton, a NYC cop investigating a new phenomenon in his town called “false memory syndrome” when he meets a neuroscientist named Helena Smith, who has passionately worked on technology that can preserve our memory. The two come together to beat a force that is challenging their minds and world as they know it.
Why You’ll Love it: If you’re really into neuroscience and the world of AI this one’s for you! Time, identity, and memory are major themes in Upload. Being able to preserve your memories forever mirrors the idea portrayed in Upload of the ‘afterlife’ – a life that can be beautifully preserved with the help of AI.
Honourable mention: Ready Player 1– Ernest Cline (374 pages)
Binged: Amazon- Panic
Image via Amazon Prime
Themes: Thriller: dangerous games with clues and consequences
Dive into: Truth or Dare Jacqueline Green (389 pages)
Brookie preview: Meet Tenley, Caitlin, and Sydney, three teenagers about to head off to college who participate in a deadly game of truth or dare. All seems thrilling until they start receiving mysterious dares threatening to expose secrets if they don’t play along.
Why You’ll Love It: Tenley and Caitlin are similar to Heather and Natalie in Panic in that they want to be popular while also proving that there’s more to them than you think. The book’s setting of Echo Bay, a small town haunted by its past, resembles the small town of Carp, Texas in Panic. Both involve risky games that threaten to destroy each player.
Honourable mention: Rabbits– Terry Miles (448 pages)
Binged: Netflix – Ginny & Georgia
Image via IMDB
Themes: Dramedy: mother/daughter dynamics, strong female leads
Dive into: Little Fires Everywhere – Celeste Ng (368 pages)
Brookie preview: Meet Mia Warren and her teenage daughter Pearle who move to a quaint ‘picture perfect’ Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Mia doesn’t like to follow the status quo and holds a mysterious past, unbeknownst to her daughter. When suspicion arises, Pearle tries to uncover her mother’s secrets, threatening to tear apart this small community.
Why You’ll Love It: Mia Warren screams Georgia – with her mysterious past and ‘I do- what-I-want’ persona, coupled with her oblivious teenage daughter, resembles the dynamic we see between Georgia and her teenage daughter, Ginny. They too, move to a new ‘picture perfect’ suburb and try to befriend the neighbours before the craziness ensues.
Honourable mention: How to Party with an Infant– Kaui Hart Hemmings (227 pages)
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Jennifer loves being outdoors and is a self-proclaimed foodie. In her spare time, you can find her doing yoga, hiking a long trail, reading, or trying out a new recipe – with a recent fascination for jam making. Jennifer is a cat mom to two amazing boys and lives with her fiancé in a small, beautiful community. She also works full time in the marketing industry.
Favourite Book: So hard to choose, but my recent favourite is The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons
Favourite Brunch dish: Crepes preferably with bananas, strawberries, maple syrup and cinnamon sugar
