We started off the year with a mix of hope and eye-rolls. Let’s be real, 2025 was rough, and while we’d love to say 2026 is looking brighter, the jury’s still out.
The world’s still spinning wildly, but we’re clinging to our books and keeping things fun over here at Fully-Booked: Literary Podcast.
In our first episode of the year, we decided to dive into the differences between book-to-film and book-to-TV adaptations, especially now that streaming services have turned the whole game upside down. But first, as always, we kicked things off with our reading updates.
Note
The following is an editorialized transcript of our weekly literary podcast. If you would like to listen to the podcast, click the play button above orlisten on your favorite platform with the links below.
What’s On Our Nightstands Right Now
Shirin shared that she’s turning a new reading leaf in 2026, trying to actually read the books she’s hoarded. She just finished a novel by Sasha Preston and is now diving into The One by John Marrs, a sci-fi thriller that’s already throwing twists her way.
The book revolves around a company that uses DNA to match people with their soulmates, no matter the logistics, age, gender, or location. Of course, nothing is ever that simple. We’ve got everything from matches turning up dead to serial killers matched with detectives. The chaos is delicious. And yes, it was adapted into a TV show in 2021, though it didn’t get the warmest reception. We’re curious to compare the two once the book’s done.
On Meaghan’s end, she’s cozying up with an advance copy of How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jesse Silva. It’s got cottagecore vibes and is basically the coziest kind of enemies-to-lovers story.
The plot? A halfling named Pansy inherits a cottage and discovers a goblin named Ren already living there. Both think they have rightful ownership and basically try to make life hell for each other, adorably, of course. Underneath the pranks and passive-aggressive tension, there’s social commentary about prejudice and, yep, a blooming romance.
It’s cute, it’s warm, and it’s exactly what we need in the middle of a brutal Canadian winter.
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Book Adaptations: The Good, the Bad, and the Baffling
Once we got through our reads, we dove into the meat of the episode: book adaptations. This year is already bursting with them, films, series, and limited runs, and it has got us thinking. What works better: movies or TV shows?
Back in the day, book adaptations pretty much always meant movies. Think The Shawshank Redemption, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, The Help, The Princess Bride, The Green Mile, Lord of the Rings. These were huge productions, with even bigger marketing pushes. There was something kind of magical about that era of adaptations.
But then, somewhere in the mid-2000s, it was like the industry hit a wall. A bunch of adaptations started to flop, and suddenly studios were like, “Yeah, no thanks.” Maybe they realized that readers are picky, like, really picky, and trying to please us all just wasn’t worth the investment.
Cue the rise of streaming services, which were like, “You know what? We can do this differently.” With longer storytelling formats and more room to breathe, TV became the new go-to for adapting books, especially big or complex ones.
Suddenly, we could explore character arcs in-depth, spend time with side characters, and really build out the world. It opened up a whole new way of storytelling.
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TV’s Glow-Up and Movie Nostalgia
We talked about how streaming services picked up where studios dropped off. HBO led the charge with Game of Thrones, sure, but even networks like The CW jumped in with shows like Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, and The 100. These weren’t necessarily faithful to the books, but they still built devoted audiences. TV had become a place for adaptations to thrive, even if they veered wildly off course by season four (we’re looking at you, PLL).
We also shouted out limited series as a happy middle ground. One book, 8–10 episodes, and done. Normal People, Little Fires Everywhere, both incredible examples of how you can honor the source material without dragging it out. When it’s done well, it just works.
That said, some single books still shine as movies. The Housemaid didn’t need eight episodes. It was perfectly wrapped up in one movie, no fuss. And on the flip side, there are massive book series, like Shadow and Bone, that benefit from being turned into multi-season shows. We loved how Netflix combined the duology and trilogy into a cohesive show. Not easy to pull off, but when it works, it’s magic.
Fantasy adaptations, though? That’s still a tough nut to crack. It’s hard to serve both new viewers and die-hard fans. One group needs exposition, the other just wants deep character moments. Finding that balance is like trying to ride a dragon blindfolded.
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When It Works and When It Just… Doesn’t
Let’s be honest: not all adaptations stick the landing. Some totally fall apart under the pressure (Series of Unfortunate Events, we’re talking to you). Others manage to stay true to the books and still win over general audiences. Lord of the Rings is the gold standard there. Peter Jackson nailed it.
But it’s not just about accuracy, it’s about interpretation. The Green Mile and The Princess Bride both took liberties, but we love them anyway. And with newer releases like Emerald Fennell’s upcoming Wuthering Heights, we’re already seeing controversy just from the trailer. People want page-for-page adaptations, but filmmakers are artists too. They bring their own take, their own lens. That’s the whole point.
We talked about Frankenstein, too, and how literary purists sometimes miss that the film isn’t just about replication, it’s about storytelling. And storytelling changes depending on the medium. You can’t always make something written 100 years ago hit the same way today without some tweaks.
The big question is: what does the future look like? Streaming isn’t going anywhere, but we’re also seeing a surprising return to big theatrical releases.
Titles like The Housemaid, Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, and Sunrise on the Reaping (yes, another Hunger Games world story) are getting full releases. And Greta Gerwig’s taking on The Chronicles of Narnia, starting with The Magician’s Nephew. That’s going to be massive.
Where Do We Stand on Movies vs. Shows?
In the end, we asked each other the big question: Do you prefer movies or TV shows when it comes to adaptations?
Shirin leans toward the TV. She loves spending time with characters, getting to see more than what a two-hour movie can offer. For her, TV lets the story breathe in a way movies just can’t match.
Meaghan… well, she’s on the fence. She sees the value in both. TV gives you that expanded world, sure, but some stories are perfect in movie format. Sometimes a series goes totally off-track (again, Pretty Little Liars) and you wish they’d stopped at one season. For her, it really comes down to the quality of the adaptation, not the format.
So yeah, we don’t have a definitive answer. Just a lot of opinions and a lot of excitement for what’s coming in 2026.
What’s Coming Up Next
We wrapped the episode by teasing next week’s discussion: People We Meet on Vacation. It’s Emily Henry’s first adaptation, premiering on Netflix, and we’re hyped. She’s got more in the pipeline, and how this one lands could shape what gets greenlit next. So fingers crossed it’s good.
Until then, visit fullybooked.ca for our reviews, updates, and general bookish ramblings. Meaghan promised a review of How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days soon, because it’s just that sweet and charming.
So, as always, keep on reading, friends.
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