BOOKS

We get it: You're tired of rewatching your comfort show on Netflix but totally unable to give up that adorbs dynamic between your two fave characters. Naturally, it's time for a switch-up. Our solution? Try out these novels with similar themes as your fave series, especially if you just can't stray too far from the classics.

If you liked The Summer I Turned Pretty...

Read: We Were Liars

Everyone's fave summer show has a darker, more mysterious book twin. We Were Liars takes place on an island similar to Cousins and features a mesmerising cast of teen relatives called the Liars. The main character, Cadence, is on a quest to dig up the truth on her hazy accident from the previous summer. Meanwhile, the Liars, while reunited once again for the vacation months, watch their lives transform from lemonade-drenched opulence to heart-wrenching secretiveness. The Summer I Turned Pretty is totally binge-worthy while We Were Liars is a wild page-turner. 

If you liked Victorious...

Read Siren Queen

Tori Vega and the gang are *always* on the lookout for new acting gigs and ways to make their mark on the City of Angels. Siren Queen's main character Luli is just the same way, though her story is set in the early 1930s. While "movie magic" is simply a saying in our world, the Hollywood Luli knows takes it seriously. Films deals are drenched in rituals and dark, ancient witchcraft, and the glitz and glamor soon begin to unravel. Luli's determined to make it, even if it means transforming into a monster herself (think: the Victorious episode where Tori can't take off her monster makeup). Siren Queen will thrill any cinephile dreaming of Hollywood Arts.

If you liked The Crown...

Read Princess for Hire

The Crown is laden with drama and sacrifice, and while Princess for Hire does deal with similar topics, it's def less heavy than the royal recording. The book follows Desi after she's discovered by an agency that gives princesses a break from their duties. In turn, regular gals like Desi transform into their exact likeness, study up on their lives and replace them for a vacay. Sounds fab, right? Well, there's a lot more that comes with princess life than tiaras and balls (something Queen Elizabeth II knows a little bit about). If Lizzy is your idol, come along with Desi on her journey from peasant to princess—with just a dash of royal rouge. 

If you liked Outer Banks...

Read The Wicked Deep

Outer Banks is full of crazy romances, ancient mysteries and *tons* of dramatic twists and turns. The Wicked Deep is just that—and it also takes place near a beach. This book centers around Penny, a gal who does not believe in the town lore of the Swan Sisters. It is said that the fam was accused of witchcraft in the 1600s and sentenced to death. Each year, they take their revenge on the town by possessing three girls. Those three ghost-y ladies then take the lives of three boys, as an act of the Sisters' vengeance on the people who punished them. Creepy, right? Well, it still features some of the awesome love stories and cute friendships that make OBX so fab, so it's def worth a read. 

If you liked Gilmore Girls...

Read Truly Devious

Rory Gilmore is constantly entrenched in her studies and is super dedicated to all of her chosen activities—just like our main character Stevie in Truly Devious. Recently accepted to an academy *just* for kids with deep, obsessive interests, Stevie is taking her true crime game to the next level. Rather than reading up on cold cases, she soon becomes involved in (and the newest target) of real-life crime. For fans of the fall-ish, academic vibe of Gilmore Girls, you'll be enraptured by Stevie's story.

If you liked Daisy Jones and the Six...

Read The Final Revival of Opal and Nev

If you're still waiting on tix to the Aurora Tour, here's something to read before the announcement. Opal and Nev are a rock duo in the seventies (sound familiar?) leading lives full of betrayal, love, music and loss. However, Opal is no Daisy. She's a fierce fighter for what's right, speaks out in racial protests and faces hurdles as a Black woman in the music biz. It's total in a similar documentary-style format as Daisy Jones but with a uniquely crafted storyline that won't, the words of The Six, "let you down easy." 

What's your current read? Let us know @girlslifemag on Insta!

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by Julia Szymanski | 6/28/2023