It’s been longer than I’d planned since I uploaded my previous installment of books in pairs, but I’m finally back with another one. It wasn’t from a lack of motivation on my part, I’ve just been very busy lately. As a matter of fact, I’ve been loving working on this series of posts, as it allows me to think outside my usual box, and talk about books that I don’t usually mention a lot. In part 3, I’m trying something a little different, and pairing a popular tv-show to a book that in some shape or form is similar. I originally had 10 pairs on this list, but decided to remove 2, as I didn’t feel I could properly link those together without spoiling certain plot points. Despite it only being minor ones, I wanted to keep this completely spoiler free. Alternatively, I threw in a little ninth “bonus entry” at the end.
If you like this, you might love this: TV and series edition
1. If you liked: Stranger Things you might like: The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman
In my review for The Devouring Gray I described it as “Stranger Things in booksform” and I still stand by that description. Both stories take place in a small town in which mysterious events take place and both rely a group of teenagers with extraordinary powers to save the day. The Gray and The Upside-down have many things in common, as do the general atmosphere of both stories. If you like either of these, I think you have a good chance of enjoying the other.
2. If you liked: Dexter you might like: I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells
Although Dexter is based on a book series itself, I wouldn’t personally recommend those together, as they are so different in tone and set up. If you’re still looking for a book about a likable serial killer, I recommend I’m Not A Serial Killer. The main character really reminds me of Dexter (especially in his later teens), and if you like one I think you might like the other as well.
3. If you liked: Gray’s Anatomy you might like: The House of God by Samuel Shem
As a medical student and intern I’m quite picky of the many medical dramas that are out there. In the end, my favorites are the first 5 seasons of House MD (for more on that, see my “bonusentry”), followed by season 1 of Gray’s Anatomy. If you enjoyed Gray’s Anatomy for the portrayal of the perils of a medical intern in an American hospital, you might be interested in The House of God by Samuel Shem. It’s basically a modern classic by now, and for good reason. It’s quite cynical and, like Gray’s Anatomy, a little exaggerated, but ultimately contains a lot of painfully funny truths.
4. If you liked: Firefly you might like: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
If you are still hangover and bitter over the cancelation of Firefly, you may be interested in some hair of the dog in the shape of a book. Both Firefly and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy feature a combination of Sci-fi, space-travel, humor and that found-family trope that we all love. If that combo sounds good to you, these are the book and show for you.
5. If you liked: Supernatural you might like: American Gods by Neil Gaiman
If you are looking for something that combines our modern world with beings and Gods from mythology and legend, you might already have come across Supernatural on Netflix. Although I personally didn’t love the show, I do have a bookish counterpart that I did love. American Gods by Neil Gaiman also features a main character who has to deal with figures from mythology entering our modern day world, and shares the “road trip element” with the show. Shadow handles his encounters very differently from Dean and Sam, yet the overall feel, bizarre nature and occasional dry humor are things both have in common. Of course American Gods has its own tv-show out as well, which I haven’t seen myself yet, but I’ve heard great things about. If you’ve seen it: let me know if it’s as good as the book.
6. If you liked: The X-files you might like: The Anomaly by Michael Rutger
In my review of The Anomaly I mention how this is “X-files meets Indiana Jones”. Basically both of those are my guilty pleasures, and so is this book now. The Anomaly doesn’t feature a sassy detective duo, but a group of a different kind of investigators, whom banter is just as enjoyable. Both are thrillers, both have a supernatural element, and both will be spoiled if you know too much going into them. Just pick them up for yourself, and see what you think.
7. If you liked: Black Mirror you might like: Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Both have the word “black” in the title, but that isn’t where the similarities stop. Both are a collection of sci-fi/horror/thriller short stories, that offer so much social critique of our modern world that they elevate above the average of the genre. Both are often bizarre, but will keep you thinking for a while to come.
8. If you liked: Gilmore Girls you might like: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Last on this list are a book and series I’ve never read myself, but have heard so much about, and somehow keep linking to each other in my mind. I think it’s the elements of college and fan-culture in a way, that link them for me, as well as the fact that almost all of my friends who like one, also enjoy the other. I’d love to hear your opinion on this one, as I can’t be sure on this one.
Bonus Entry:
If you liked House MD you might like: Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
This is a bonus-entry, because I couldn’t in good conscious recommend books/series from completely different series together. Yet I can’t help but feel like House MD and Sherlock Holmes have a lot in common. I don’t know if this is true, but I have the theory that the show and main character are actually loosely inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective.
- Gregory House is a brilliant, but… let’s say “eccentric” doctor. Sherlock Holmes is a detective with a similar personality.
- House has a best friend named Wilson, who is a little too sweet for his own good. Holmes has a friend named Watson who is the same way.
- House has an addiction to Vicodin, an opioid prescription drug. Holmes has a heroin-addiction. Both love puzzles and solving mysteries that nobody else can figure out, and both will go to great length to do so. Do I need to go on?
They may not be the best pairing on this list, but I loved both of them, and I hope you will to.
All books mentioned are linked to their Goodreads page for your convenience.Let me know if you got any recommendations, either for series or books out of this.
