From ‘Virgin River’ to ‘Daisy Jones,’ These Book-Inspired Dramas Are Perfect for Fall Nights
Book lovers, rejoice! These beloved novels-turned-TV shows are the cozy fall binge you need
There’s something cozy and comforting about curling up with a good book while the rain falls outside—a feeling that only deepens when those beloved stories find their way to television. Many of our favorite dramas and nostalgic series began not on a set, but on the page.
Recently, some of those successful novels-turned-series have been snagging titles like number one in the world and earning multiple seasons, such as The Summer I Turned Pretty and We Were Liars. But with the end of summer and fall creeping up, you might want to enjoy a cozy fall TV show that you remember reading. From Friday Night Lights to Little Fires Everywhere, check out these dramas you’ll want to binge this season.
‘Pretty Little Liars’: the page-turner that sparked a hit series
Before the liars were keeping secrets on your screen, they were avoiding the truth in the book series of the same name, written by Sara Shepard. Pretty Little Liars follows four tight-knit friends who have to deal with the mysterious disappearance and death of their friend and group leader, Alison DiLaurentis. But when a stalker threatens to reveal all of their secrets, they get tied up in a web of lies.
All of the books were released between 2006 and 2014, usually with two being published per year. Although the books were the inspiration for a seven-season series, as well as multiple spinoffs, the plot of the shows diverges a bit from the novels.
With a total of 16 books in the main series, the order to read the books is: Pretty Little Liars, Flawless, Perfect, Unbelievable, Wicked, Killer, Heartless, Wanted, Twisted, Ruthless, Stunning, Burned, Crushed, Deadly, Toxic and Vicious.
If you enjoyed the book series and are looking for a mysterious, cozy TV show, check out Pretty Little Liars.
‘Friday Night Lights’: how a true story became a beloved TV classic
Friday Night Lights, the series, was a warm, family-friendly show that showcased the realities of high school football in Texas, a cultural phenomenon, and its effects on the lives of kids and their families. But before the show began airing in 2006 for five seasons, Friday Night Lights was a novel.
Based on the novel, Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team and a Dream was written by Buzz Bissinger and published in 1990. The book was a work of non-fiction, following the 1988 Permian High School Panthers football team as they worked their way towards a state championship.
Although it was 16 years before the book was adapted into a TV series, there was a movie that came first in 2004. But if you want to watch an extended version of both the book and the movie, check out the ultra-popular Friday Night Lights, the series, and enjoy 76 episodes of football, family and friendship.
‘Virgin River’: the 21-book series that became Netflix’s coziest show
In 2019, the Virgin River books, by Robyn Carr, became a successful Netflix Original series. Starring Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson, Virgin River follows nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe as she moves to an idyllic small town for a fresh start.
But before it was a Netflix hit, Virgin River was a 21-book series—including a few anthologies—published between 2007 and 2022. The order of the Virgin River novels is as follows: Virgin River, Shelter Mountain, Whispering Rock, A Virgin River Christmas, Second Chance Pass, Temptation Ridge, Paradise Valley, Under the Christmas Tree, Forbidden Falls, Angel’s Peak, Moonlight Road, Midnight Confessions, Promise Canyon, Wild Man Creek, Harvest Moon, Bring Me Home for Christmas, Hidden Summit, Redwood Bend, Sunrise Point, My Kind of Christmas and Return to Virgin River.
If you’re looking for small-town charm and you enjoyed the Robyn Carr novels, check out the Netflix series Virgin River and binge it before the anticipated seventh season comes out!
‘Daisy Jones and the Six’: the book that rocked the streaming world
Daisy Jones and the Six was a massive success when it was released on Prime Video in 2023, but before you could witness the songs from the band, it was a novel. Written by Taylor Jenkins Reid in 2019, the story follows a fictional 1970s band, loosely based on Fleetwood Mac, as they rise to superstardom, eventually breaking up. The story is told through individual interviews with the band members years after their split, as they rehash what led to their demise.
Before the show, the novel of the same name was a huge success, becoming a New York Times bestseller and gaining a massive following during the COVID-19 pandemic with the rise of BookTok.
If you’re looking for a cozy watch for this fall season, check out Daisy Jones and the Six on Prime Video and see your favorite songs and band members brought to life.
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