8 Books to Read If You Like "Gilmore Girls"

It's been a long time since I did a post like this one, but the "Gilmore Girls" revival is simultaneously hurdling toward us (how is it almost September already???) and taking forever to get here (but OMG it could not get here any slower).

I thought this would be the perfect time to go through every book shelved on my Goodreads account. And there were lots.

I did a post last year like this, except it was books to read if you like "Doctor Who." A lot of us book nerds love Netflix almost as much as we love libraries. Reading is awesome. TV shows are awesome. There are so many ways to figure out which book to read next if you like a certain one. You can talk to your book blogger friends, consult Goodreads, find other books that author has written, etc. And Netflix and Amazon and Hulu and every streaming site out there is just all too willing to recommend other shows to you until you're drowning in the amount of episodes you have yet to watch. And obviously you're going to watch twelve today, because the dishes can wait. But resources to figure out which book to read if you like a certain TV show? Not many.

Let's fix that.

The cool thing is this works both ways. If you like "Gilmore Girls," now you have a whole bunch of new books to read that are similar to it to pass the time until November. If you don't watch "Gilmore Girls," but like the books listed, now you have a new show to watch!

Oh, Sam--I mean Dean. You have much to learn.

 

1. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

(I use any excuse I can get to mention this book.) But in all seriousness, this book's simplicity matches that of "Gilmore Girls." And the dialogue! Rainbow Rowell is a master at dialogue. Her level of wit and the naturalness of her characters when they're speaking are what I hope to achieve in my own writing. And for those of you who watch "Gilmore Girls," you know that feeling you get when you hear the theme song or see the DVDs? That's how you feel after reading Eleanor & Park; all fuzzy and warm, and you immediately want to read it again.

2. Coffee at Luke's: An Unauthorized Gilmore Girls Gabfest by Jennifer Crusie (and also many authors)

Maybe I should've started with this one, since it's the most obvious. An entire book of essays dedicated to studying the show, the characters, and everything in between? Yes, please. Some of the essays are fantastic, others are a little more bleh, but you're sure to find something in there that you enjoy. That's the beauty of anthologies.


3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Besides the fact that this is most definitely a book that's been on Rory's gargantuan reading list at some point in her life (and was probably a reread), there are other factors that make this the perfect read for a "Gilmore Girls" fan. Like the snark, the small town with lots of different characters to add flavor to the story, and the family dynamics. Some of my favorite scenes with Scout involve her interacting with extended family members.

4. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

BECAUSE RAINBOW ROWELL.

Okay, but in all seriousness, I could see her writing authentic "Gilmore Girls" fan-fiction, because so many aspects of the show are in her books. This one especially, seeing as it's an introverted writer finding her way around college life. Rory Gilmore, anybody?

5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

More family dynamics! A female driven story! Daughters who love their mothers! Something that's cool about this book is that there are four girls who are all very different, so women aren't portrayed all in the same way. "Gilmore Girls" does that, too. Sookie is very different from Lorelai who is different from Lane who is different from Rory who is different from Emily who is different from Miss Patty. I could go on.

6. Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Oh, the wit. The banter and bubbling romance between Jessie and her anonymous correspondent is reminiscent of Rory and any one of her love interests. From the cover to the plenty of white space within the pages of the book due to the frequent exchange of e-mails that happens in the story, it's sparse in the best way possible, and I think "Gilmore Girls" is like that, too. Plus, this book is addictive. I read it while I was sick with the flu, and when I wasn't napping, I was devouring this. Much like anyone would binge-watch "Gilmore Girls."

Basically the whole book.

7. The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet by Stephanie Morrill

More introverted writer girls! And a shy one, to boot. Simple story, very character driven, just like "Gilmore Girls." For people who like Fangirl, too, you'll like this one. And vice versa.

8. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This is another fantastic female-driven story in a town where everyone seems to be connected in one way or another. It's hysterical and sometimes sad or frustrating. And the food! Can Minny just come over sometime and cook for me? Please?

Because one can never have too many pie gifs when it comes to this book.

Are you as freakishly excited for the "Gilmore Girls" revival as I am? What books remind you of the show? Leave a comment!