30 Books Adapted Into Movies and TV Shows in 2021

Imagine this. You've just finished reading a fantastic book or books, but it has just ended. Now you're left with that empty feeling in the pit of your stomach, knowing that you won't ever know what else is new in your favorite character's life. You won't ever know if the two just remain friends or confess their love for each other. You won't ever know what quests they can embark on together and the inside jokes that come along the journey. 

Unfortunately, there's no fanfiction online either that you can read. So all you can do is that you can reread the book over and over again, trying to match it up with the excitement you felt the first time when you read it. But what if we tell you that you can watch your favorite characters instead and have them play out the scenarios you've always imagined up in your head? 

Well, the wait is over! We present some of the books adapted to become movies/tv series in 2021. 


1. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

It is a classic children's book illustrated by Beatrix Potter about a mischievous and disobedient Peter Rabbit as he gets chased into the garden of Mr. McGregor. The Runaway is the sequel of the first book endearing children series adapted into a movie on June 18, 2021. The film is fun for both adults and kids as it's entire action-packed. 

You can find the book here. 

2. Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

The third and the final installment of the widely loved To all the boys series about Lara Jean got released on February 12, 2021, on Netflix. In this one, Lara will have to leave for college, and the movie finally untangles the love life of Lara Jean and the many love triangles around it. So, fans of Noah Centineo, grab the popcorn! 

You can find the book here. 

3. Cherry by Nico Walker

Cherry is the story of how addiction can lead to crimes and how much that costs people's life. It was written by Nico Walker in his prison time, and he explains the significance of the title cherry as slang for when a person enters the combat zone. The movie was released on February 26, 2021, in theatres. 

You can find the book here. 

4. French Exit by Patrick deWitt

French Exit was a novel and a screenplay written by Patrick deWitt, a comedy about a widow who moves to Paris to spend the rest of her time looking after her son and their inheritance together. The movie got released on February 12, 2021, in theatres. 

You can find the book here. 

5. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Fans of historical fiction should definitely read this book before getting into the movie! This one is a World War 2 story about two girls during the time of German occupation. The film got released on December 22, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

6. The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

Jojo Moyes is known for heart-warming romances, and this is just another one of them. This one is about a secret affair and how it got discovered at the hands of a journalist forty years later. Jojo Moyes leaves both the journalist and the audience consumed with the story, wanting to know how it all ends. The movie got released on July 23, 2021 (Netflix). 

You can find the book here. 

7. The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith

In the recent movie of everyone's favorite, 101 Dalmations, the white-and-black haired villain, Cruella De Ville, gets to speak her tale. It shows how a young, rebellious but poor girl obsessed with fashion became the villain all dogs (and humans) have come to hate. The movie got released on May 28, 2021, in theatres and Disney Hotstar. 

You can find the book here. 

8. Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Graham

This one is for all the mystery and thriller lovers out there! The story is about a con man on the lookout for his new targets, but what will happen when he meets his match? It was released on December 3, 2021, in the theatres. 

You can find the book here. 

9. Arséne Lupin, Gentleman-Thief by Maurice LeBlanc

This is one of Netflix's hits this year! This one is about a man who skillfully learns to indulge himself in thievery after reading LeBlanc's novels. The primary role is played by Omar Sy, and the show was released on January 8, 2021, on Netflix. 

You can find the book here. 

10. The Dig by John Preston

The Dig is another one of Netflix's. If you like stories about World War 2, mysteries, and archaeological stuff, then you'll definitely be 'digging' this one up. See what we did there? You can enjoy this fantastic movie on Netflix, which got released on January 15, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

11. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

Firefly Lane is a binge-watch series on Netflix about two girls, Tully and Kate, who meet as teenagers in the 70's. Both the book and the movie share explicitly about the fleeting time, friendships, and bonds, as well as both of their pasts and their life as adults. The series was released on February 1. 

You can find the book here. 

12. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

Eleanor Catton wrote a six-episode adaptation of her book set during New Zealand's gold rush in the 1860s. Anna Wetherell (Eve Hewson) and Emery Staines (Himesh Patel) fall in love on their journey from England to New Zealand by ship, but they have soon ripped apart from all the plot twists in the story. The series was released on February 14, 2021, on Starz. 

You can find the book here. 

13. Nomadland by Jessica Bruder

You will find this movie on Hulu. Nomadland is inspired by Jessica Bruder's nonfiction book about the rise of American seniors who travel from job to job in RVs. This movie was released on February 16, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

14. Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

Another potential lover for all you thriller-mystery aficionados is this book Behind Her Eyes that has now been turned into a show on Netflix. The story revolves around a single mother, Louise, who is driven into this vicious web by a couple and is looking desperately for an escape. Avoid spoilers at all costs for this one! This one got released on February 17, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

15. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

If you are a big-time reader and have been around in the literary community, you must already know about the Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. On the other hand, if you are a fan of heists and quests, you'll surely enjoy this TV show which got released on April 23, 2021, on Netflix. 

You can find the book here. 

16. All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage

This book has been adapted into a new movie called Things Heard & Seen and is another psychological thriller with Amanda Seyfried as the main character who is an artist in Manhattan on their way to relocate to the Hudson Valley. After moving, she discovers the many secrets of her marriage and her old house that she had no idea about. The movie got released on April 29, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

17. Without Remorse by Tom Clancy

The story in this book revolves around a man from the Navy Seal called John Clark whose whole life takes a turn when his wife gets killed by a drug lord, and he gets caught up in a much bigger conspiracy. It is available on Amazon Prime and was released on April 30, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

18. Monster by Walter Dean Myers

This book won the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, and other accolades! Monster is a classic children's book about a teenager incarcerated for a murder charge. The movie adaptation was released on May 7, 2021, on Netflix. 

You can find the book here. 

19. There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

Finding You is the movie adaptation of a book that steers all romance lovers to the Irish love nook that is this book. The story follows a violinist who meets a famous movie star on vacation and falls in love. However, things take a turn when the holiday ends, and she must decide what she wants. It was released on May 13, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

20. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

This book has turned into an award-winning show about an alternate history of an underground railway that transported fugitive slaves northward in the 19th century. Best binge read-and-watch for all history lovers! The movie was released on May 14, 2021, on Prime Video. 

You can find the book here. 

21. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

The Woman in the Window is a top-rated book, and you would know it by now if you are an active participant in the bookstagram community. In this movie adaptation, Amy Adams plays a woman confined to her New York apartment who stumbles upon something strange from her neighbor's windows. This story will grip you, and you can find it on Netflix. It was released on May 14, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

22. Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta

Those who wish me dead is a movie adaptation starring Angelina Jolie. The story revolves around a teenager who witnesses a crime and is given a false identity to save himself. However, the perpetrators of the crime are on the loose and looking for the key witness. You will find this thriller on HBO Max. It was released in theatres on May 14, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

23. Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love by Matthew Logelin

This book is a memoir of Matthew, whose wife dies giving birth to their new baby. It has recently been turned into a tear-jerking movie called Fatherhood, directed by the man himself. The film was released on Netflix on June 18, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

24. Panic by Lauren Oliver

This is a very enthralling series on Prime Video, a must-binge-watch for sure! It is about a game that every senior year students play where they challenge each other into doing something life-threatening in return for getting money. For Dodge and Heather, the potential for $67,000 is worth risking their lives in the game's most dangerous iteration yet. 

You can find the book here. 

25. Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith

This one is a dark, erotic thriller. Deepwater has been adopted into a movie revolving around an unhappy couple where one of the wife's lovers turns up dead, and the husband intimates that he is the one who killed him. The movie was released on August 13, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

26. The Reincarnationist Papers by D. Eric Maikranz

The new movie of this book adaptation has been renamed Infinite. It sets the scene about a secret society, Cognomina, where its members can remember their past life and use it for societal changes. If such an idea interests you, you should definitely read this book and watch the movie. It was released on September 24, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

27. Dune by Frank Herbert

This is another one of those books you would know of if you are an active member of any social media literary community. Dune is a sci-fi novel based on a far-future on a distant planet, where Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) plans to take his family's business empire to the next level. The movie was out on October 1, 2021, and Timothee Chalamet fans should better not miss it! 

You can find the book here. 

28. The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat in Medieval France by Eric Jager

If you like history, duels, best friends to enemies, and revenge-based conflicts, then you should not miss this one up. It is one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2021, which got released on October 15, 2021. 

You can find the book here. 

29. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

Fans of fantasy book series need no introduction for this one. The Wheel of Time has fifteen books with one prequel. This fantasy series includes dragons, magical elements, and five characters who are on the quest to defeat the dark one with the help of Aes Sedai. The first book in the form of a series was released on Amazon Prime on November 19, 2021.

You can find the book here. 

30. The House of Gucci by Sara Gay Forden 

A fashion brand that is well known by millions, but not everyone knows the murderous history of this fashion family. The book is impressive, and so is the movie, the saga of three generations mingled with jealousy, ego, and greediness, but they all do it with style. It is released in cinemas on November 26, 2021. 

You can find the book here.