10 LGBTQ+ Books That Should Become TV Shows Or Movies
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We love these books!
Washington Square Press / Ecco / Quill Tree Books
Hollywood loves turning successful and/or compelling novels into movies and TV shows. In recent years, Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper collection of graphic novels became a hit Netflix series. We’ve also seen Michael Ausiello’s Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies memoir become a lovely and heartbreaking rom-com starring Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge. Prime Video also made a movie based on Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue book.
Given the huge appeal of these books that were turned into live-action projects, we couldn’t help ourselves but suggest other novels that we definitely think have everything it takes to become great movies or TV shows!
Scroll through to check out the LGBTQ+ novels we’d love to see as movies or TV shows.
The Song of Achilles (by Madeline Miller)
Ecco
Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles is a queer re-telling of The Iliad. It tells the ancient Greek story of Patroclus, an awkward royal prince who meets the legendary Achilles. Over the course of the book, Patroclus and Achilles grow up together... but you’ll have to read the book to know the rest!
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (by Taylor Jenkins Reid)
Washington Square Press
It’s hard to talk and recommend The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid without spoiling some of the most exciting parts in the whole book… so you’re gonna have to trust us on this one. This is a must-read LGBTQ+ book that would make an absolutely fabulous film or TV series.
They Both Die At the End (by Adam Silvera)
Quill Tree Books
Adam Silvera’s They Both Die At the End is literally destined to become a TV show or movie in the near future. The novel even has a sequel already, titled The First to Die at the End, and a threequel is on the way. This saga between Mateo, Rufus, and the Death-Cast would make for a great live-action treatment.
Bath Haus (by P. J. Vernon)
Anchor
Bath Haus is an erotic thriller about Oliver Park – a recovering addict whose life is finally back on track. Alas, Oliver falls into the trap of visiting a gay bathhouse and crossing a line he can’t recover from. This incredibly tense novel was written by P. J. Vernon.
Just By Looking At Him (by Ryan O’Connell)
Atria Books
You may know Ryan O’Connell from his Netflix series Special or appearance on the Peacock reboot of Queer As Folk. In the Just By Looking At Him novel, O’Connell writes the story of Elliott, a TV writer with a doting boyfriend that is hiding a lot of secrets from his public life.
Yes, Daddy (by Jonathan Parks-Ramage)
Harper
Jonah Keller moves to New York City to become a playwright, but reality hits him pretty quickly that things aren’t that easy. His plan? To charm his way into becoming romantically entangled to a wealthy and successful writer, Richard Shriver. Without giving away too many spoilers, let’s just say that this dark and gut-wrenching novel by Jonathan Parks-Ramage is not lighthearted or for the faint of heart.
What If It’s Us (by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera)
HarperTeen
What If It’s Us was co-written by Adam Silvera (They Both Die At the End) and Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which inspired the film Love, Simon). This very funny book centers on Arthur and Ben, who could not be two more different characters when we first meet them.
The Girls I’ve Been (by Nora O’Malley)
G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
In The Girl I’ve Been, readers get to know the many lives and faces of Nora O’Malley. This novel, written by Tess Sharpe, is a sharp and entertaining story about lovable queer people who make mistakes and aren’t exactly perfect.
Boyfriend Material (by Alexis Hall)
Sourcebooks Casablanca
A lot of people loved the live-action film adaptation of Red, White & Royal Blue, and Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material has a very similar energy and theme as it tells the story of Luc O’Donnell and Oliver Blackwood becoming fake boyfriends.
Just As You Are (by Camille Kellogg)
The Dial Press
Written by Camille Kellogg, Just As You Are is a juicy sapphic novel about Liz Baker – a writer who works for a queer publication in New York City. The story then becomes about Liz first hating (and then not resisting) Daria Fitzgerald.
