Books
There are three summer to-do lists I make every year: a summer bucket list of all the seasonal activities I want to do before fall rolls around, a summer reading list filled with books I want to dive into over the next three months, and a summer watch list, with two or three series I'm desperate to see that I just haven't made the time to watch. The longer days always make me feel like I have so much more time to get things done, so I am way more likely to make it through a stack of books and series of television between June and September than any other time of year. If you're like me, you might be making up your lists of must-reads and must-watches right now. Well, I've got a few suggestions for you.
Below are some of the hottest TV premieres of the summer, paired with a book that has similar themes, characters, or plots that you'll want to read in tandem. Whether they are set in similar worlds, have characters who would totally be BFF's IRL, or just explore all the same themes, these are the books you need to add to your summer reading list, ASAP. Whether you read them after the first episode or the 50th is totally up to you.
If You're Watching 'Queer Eye' You Need To Read 'Less' by Andrew Sean Greer
We all know that Queer Eye is a makeover show, and Less is decidely not about a makeover show. But at its core, Queer Eye is about so much more than reality TV. The show, in my opinion, is about love first and foremost: love for ourselves, love for the people in our lives, and love for our fellow man. It's about the journey, not the destination. And the same goes for Less, in which Arthur Less finds himself on a journey of self-discovery, and oh yes, love.
If You're Watching 'The Bold Type' You Need To Read 'Playing With Matches' by Hannah Orenstein
Although The Bold Type is all about the magazine industry and Playing With Matches is all about matchmaking, they have so much in common. Both stories are about young women in their tumultuous post-college years — and all the romantic drama, professional mishaps, and rock-solid friendships that define that period. If you're watching The Bold Type, you obviously enjoy some drama, some #relatable career moments, and lots of girl power — so get Playing With Matches in your life ASAP.
Hannah Orenstein is an editor at Elite Daily, a Bustle Digital Group property.
If You're Watching 'Nailed It' You Need To Read 'The Art Of French Kissing' by Brianna R. Shrum
Nailed It is all about hilarious cooking disasters, while the characters in The Art of French Kissing are just a tad bit more accomplished on the culinary side of things. But if you love cooking competitions, some serious drama both in and out of the kitchen, and rooting for the underdog, this is the perfect pairing for you. And who knows, maybe you'll finally be inspired to try that tricky recipe you've been putting off.
If You're Watching 'Younger' You Need To Read 'Marriage Vacation' by Pauline Turner Brooks
This one is kind of a no-brainer, but if you love Younger you really need to read Marriage Vacation. You'll already recognize the title from watching the show, of course — it's the book written by Charles's ex-husband Pauline, which is edited by our heroine Liza — but now you'll finally get to read it all IRL. Not only is all of the romantic drama perfectly beach-read worthy, but you know you're just dying to read what exactly it is that goes down on the super saucy, much-talked about page 58. Here's your chance!
If You're Watching 'Glow' You Need To Read 'Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History and Rise of Women's Wrestling' by Pat Laprade and Dan Murphy
Obviously this one is a bit on the nose, but if you've ever wondered about the history behind the '80s female wrestling obsession that is at the center of Glow, you need to read Sisterhood of the Squared Circle. The book delves into the real-life stories of the trailblazing women who shaped female wrestling since it first emerged in the late 1800s. Featuring more than 100 wrestler profiles, this book promises to give you all the details on the backstage politics, real-life grudges, and incredible personalities that created the business.
If You're Watching 'Sharp Objects' You Need To Read 'The Favorite Sister' by Jessica Knoll
I'm assuming you've already read Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects since you're so stoked to watch the HBO adaptation, but that doesn't mean there still isn't a thrilling book out there you can pair with your couch time. Jessica Knoll's The Favorite Sister is a great option focus on women's dark pasts and even darker presents and both books feature characters who are aren't always on the right side of things.
If You're Watching 'Pose' You Need To Read 'The Belles' by Dhonielle Clayton
OK, so Pose is set is the drama-filled days of the 1980's in New York City, and The Belles is set in a fantasy world. But there is so much interesting overlap to explore between the two stories. They are both set in decadent worlds filled with high-fashion excess, over-the-top parties, and unimaginable glamour. But both worlds also use the veneer of pretty dresses and luxury to hide a sinister underbelly that threatens to explode, exposing secrets and changing the way the various characters see their world forever.
If You're Watching 'Teachers' You Need To Read 'Class Mom' by Laurie Gelman
Classroom hijinks and hilarity ensue in both TV Land's Teachers and Class Mom, so you're pretty much guaranteed to enjoy them in tandem. And even though one follows teachers and the other follows a put-upon PTA mom, but both actually make important points about women's roles both in and out of the workplace, and the expectations we place on women when it comes to fostering the futures of the next generation — whether bearing them or teaching them. Even if you do neither, these satires are super laugh-worthy.
If You're Watching 'Making It' You Need To Read 'The Curse Of The Boyfriend Sweater' by Alanna Okun
Parks and Rec's Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman are again joining forces for Making It, a six-episode competition series that will showcase handmade projects and champion crafting and crafters. There is no better book to read alongside the show than The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater, which does much the same through a series of essays about knitting, heartbreak, and finding your place in the world.
Click here to buy The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater.
