BookTok has become one of the biggest forces in Hollywood, turning bestselling novels into movies and TV shows with built-in global fanbases. But not every adaptation lives up to the hype.
Here are the best and worst BookTok movie and TV adaptations ranked — from It Ends With Us and Where the Crawdads Sing to Red, White & Royal Blue and After — and why some succeeded while others failed.
What are the best BookTok movie adaptations?
The best BookTok adaptations include The Housemaid, We Were Liars, Where the Crawdads Sing, and Red, White & Royal Blue. While some projects captured the tone and emotion of their source novels, others, like The Kissing Booth and After struggled to translate BookTok popularity into strong on-screen storytelling.
Best and Worst BookTok Adaptations Ranked
Domestic Drama
Best: The Housemaid
When it comes to claustrophobic domestic thrillers, The Housemaid stands out as a rare case where the adaptation understands the assignment. Based on Freida McFadden’s bestselling novel, the film leans hard into the slow dread of a woman taking a job that feels wrong from the moment she walks in. The plot follows Millie, a woman with secrets of her own who becomes entangled in the disturbing dynamics of a wealthy household. The adaptation preserved the book’s tension and pacing rather than sanding it down for comfort, allowing the twists to land with proper impact. It knows exactly when to withhold information and when to let things spiral.
Worst: It Ends With Us
It Ends With Us, on the other hand, struggled under the weight of its own popularity. Adapted from Colleen Hoover’s hugely beloved novel, the film follows Lily Bloom as she navigates a romance complicated by trauma and cycles of abuse. While the book resonated deeply with readers, many felt the adaptation flattened its emotional nuance. The film softened key moments and rushed character development, turning a story meant to provoke uncomfortable conversations into something closer to a glossy melodrama. The fact that it was marketed as a flowery romance also didn’t sit well with many fans, who accused it of minimizing the source material’s domestic violence angle.
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Best and Worst BookTok Adaptations Ranked
Rich People Behaving Badly
Best: We Were Liars
Few BookTok adaptations nailed privilege-soaked dysfunction as effectively as We Were Liars. Adapted as a television series from E. Lockhart’s novel, it centers on a wealthy family whose summer rituals on a private island conceal long-buried secrets. The show embraces the book’s hazy, fractured storytelling, letting memory gaps and emotional unreliability drive the narrative. Reviewers praised its restraint, particularly its refusal to explain everything too soon, trusting viewers to sit with discomfort and confusion.
Worst: Nine Perfect Strangers
It had all the ingredients for success and still managed to overstay its welcome. Based on Liane Moriarty’s novel, the Hulu series follows nine affluent guests attending a wellness retreat that quickly veers into psychological manipulation. A big chunk of the flaw is the decision to expand the storyline without deepening it, stretching intrigue across episodes that often felt padded. While the performances drew some praise, the adaptation was frequently criticized for losing the book’s satirical bite and replacing it with indulgent pacing.
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BookTok Mystery & Crime Adaptations
Female Centric Murder Mystery
Best: Where the Crawdads Sing
It remains one of the more divisive BookTok adaptations, yet it ultimately lands on the winning side. Based on Delia Owens’ novel, the film tells the story of Kya, a young woman raised in isolation in the marshlands who becomes entangled in a murder investigation. Critics were mixed on the execution, but many agreed that the adaptation captured the book’s atmosphere and emotional core. Its commitment to place, loneliness, and quiet resilience helped ground the mystery rather than overwhelm it.
Worst: The Woman in the Window
By contrast, The Woman in the Window became something of a cautionary tale. Adapted from A.J. Finn’s psychological thriller, the film follows an agoraphobic woman who believes she has witnessed a murder. The film was widely panned for its tonal confusion and narrative clutter. What worked on the page as an unreliable perspective felt muddled on screen, and the film’s attempts at twists landed with more confusion than suspense.
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BookTok Romance Adaptations
Enemies to Lovers
Best: Red, White, & Royal Blue
Few adaptations delighted fans quite like Red, White, & Royal Blue. Based on Casey McQuiston’s novel, the film follows the romance between the son of the U.S. president and a British prince who begin as rivals. It was roundly praised for preserving the book’s charm and emotional sincerity, allowing the romance to unfold without cynicism. It understands that earnestness is the point, not a flaw, and lets the characters be vulnerable without apology.
Worst: The Hating Game
Adapted from Sally Thorne’s novel, the film struggled to translate its appeal to the screen. It centers on workplace rivals Lucy and Josh, whose antagonism masks attraction. Among the film’s cardinal sins are the forced chemistry between the leads and the rushed tension. The sharp internal monologue that defined the book did not survive the transition, leaving a romance that felt more obligatory than inevitable.
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BookTok Teen Romance Adaptations
High School Romance
Best: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
The Netflix movies remain the gold standard for BookTok adjacent teen adaptations. Based on Jenny Han’s novel, the film follows Lara Jean as her secret love letters are accidentally sent out. In the fallout, Lara Jean strikes a contract relationship with school athlete Peter Kavinsky – which gradually grows into something real. With its warmth, self-awareness, and respect for teenage emotion, the films won over every romance lover in existence. It treats young love as meaningful rather than trivial, which is exactly why it worked.
Worst: The Kissing Booth
The Kissing Booth, based on Beth Reekles’ novel, took the opposite approach. The film follows a high school girl who falls in love with her best friend’s brother, leading to a series of angst and secret romance hijinks. The films, though popular, were widely panned for its reliance on outdated tropes and lack of emotional depth. What felt playful on the page came across as shallow on screen, with little interest in character growth despite having three installments.
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BookTok Crime Series Adaptations
Small Town Murder Mystery
Best: His & Hers
The Netflix series delivered a sharp and efficient adaptation of Alice Feeney’s novel. The story centers on a journalist-police investigator couple whose marital woe is unraveling further when they begin covering a local murder case. The adaptation maintained the book’s dual perspective tension and avoided unnecessary embellishment. Its confidence lies in letting secrets surface gradually rather than forcing shock.
Worst: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
The British series adaptation of Holly Jackson’s hit novel struggled with tone. The show follows an intrepid high school student investigating a closed murder case in her town. While the book balances youthful curiosity with real stakes, the adaptation leaned too heavily into slickness, undercutting the seriousness of the mystery.
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BookTok Young Adult Adaptations
Angsty Teenage Romance
Best: Maxton Hall
Adapted from Mona Kasten’s novel, the Amazon Prime show embraces melodrama without embarrassment. Set at an elite boarding school, it follows the forbidden romance between a scholarship student and the school’s wealthy playboy. Two people from vastly different worlds collide as an illicit secret is threatening to get out, made complicated when class conflict and desire are thrown in the mix. Ever so unabashedly soapy, the show understands its audience and leans into heightened emotion with confidence, making it far more engaging than it has any right to be.
Worst: After
Adapted from Anna Todd’s novel, the After film series remains one of the most criticized BookTok adaptations. It consistently got bashed for its repetitive storytelling and thin characterization. What worked as serialized angst on the page became exhausting on screen, with little evolution beyond recycled conflict.
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Why are BookTok books being turned into movies?
Studios are adapting BookTok hits because they come with massive built-in audiences and proven demand, making them lower-risk investments for film and streaming platforms.
What is the most successful BookTok movie?
Where the Crawdads Sing and Red, White & Royal Blue are among the most commercially successful and widely discussed BookTok adaptations.
Which BookTok adaptations failed?
Projects like After, The Kissing Booth, and The Woman in the Window were criticized for weak storytelling despite strong online popularity.
