Skip to main content

Netflix and Read 2.0

September 28, 2023

A while ago I suggested a few items that you could check out from NPL and then watch on Netflix. This is what I said then. Now I’m back with some more suggestions for you in case you want to Netflix and Read 2.0.

In the last installment, I mentioned the hugely popular series Bridgerton, based on the books by Julia Quinn. Now that we’ve gotten two seasons under our belts - with a third on the way - Shondaland is expanding. Ms. Rimes worked with Julia Quinn on this spinoff of their blockbuster. In the Bridgerton world, the character of the queen, aka Queen Charlotte, became a star in her own right. Now we get to see how she came to be queen. In the book, we only see Charlotte’s backstory. In the Netflix show, we also see the current Charlotte’s attempts at matchmaking for her many children. I think I liked the book better, no shock there, but I did enjoy the differences in the Netflix series. Both are worth your time, especially as we wait for the next season of Bridgerton to drop. 

Based on the popular YA book by Beth Reekles, this Netflix movie was equally popular when it was released in 2018. I feel like I might have watched this movie before reading the book. WHAT!?!? I know. It’s fine. I remember liking it, but I’m not sure I finished the movie. So this time I did things in the right order. First I listened to the audio book and then I watched the whole movie. And now all is well in the world. The Kissing Booth is your basic high school romcom. Think Mean Girls meets Never Been Kissed. Elle is best friends with Lee, but also has a crush on his older brother, Noah. High school hijinks ensue. The book and movie are pretty close together - nothing to get too stressed out about. The book was a little spicier than I was expecting, but still enjoyable overall. This also becomes a trilogy, so don’t miss out on Going the Distance and One Last Time. Practice up those puckers and let’s do this!

I have been a fan of Mr. Connelly’s for quite a while. I’ve read all of his series, but I have to say that The Lincoln Lawyer is my favorite. I enjoyed the 2011 film starring Matthew McConaughey (alright alright alright) as main character Mickey Haller. So when I saw that Netflix was gonna reboot this series, I was so in. I’ve only watched the first season, and I must admit that I don’t love their choice of actor to play Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo). That said, I enjoyed everything else about this show. I’m so glad a new season was just released. If you like this series, you can also go back and read his Harry Bosch books. Those were also made into a series called Bosch on Amazon Prime. They are a little darker than The Lincoln Lawyer books, but still captivating. Having all these episodes to watch helps to pass the time between the next books. Stay tuned - the next Lincoln Lawyer book - Resurrection Walk - is due to be released this November. Which gives you plenty of time to get caught up! 

This is a cookbook. I know you’re thinking, “Wait, you can’t make a series out of a cookbook!” But Netflix did. In 2018, Netflix made a four episode series based on the Samin’s 2017 cookbook. Each episode focuses on one of the four elements that Samin says are crucial in cooking. The cookbook itself is also beautiful. It was illustrated by Wendy MacNaughton and is worth checking out just to look at the pictures, if nothing else. It remains one of my favorite cookbooks to this day. The first half of the book is more like a textbook, explaining why each element is important. Then the back half is filled with delicious recipes. My favorite is the buttermilk chicken. I haven’t perfected it yet, but my husband enjoys my practicing. Check this one out today and get your bake on.

So thanks for Netflix and Reading with me. Again. I’ll keep an eye out and let you know about any other good finds so that you can read and watch or watch and read to your heart’s desire. 

Happy NPLing and Netflixing...

:) Amanda

Panda cub avatar

Amanda

Amanda is a classically-trained pianist who loves to read. Like any good librarian, she also has two cats named after Italian cities. Amanda spends her free time sitting in Nashville traffic, baking, and running the Interlibrary Loan office at the Nashville Public Library.