If you love reading and watching some good movies and television, here are some books that you need to read before the screen adaptations are released.
Books and movies are two of the most popular methods of entertainment, and when they come together, they can be so good. Throughout the history of entertainment, there are a lot of books that have been adapted for television or the big screen.
Sometimes, the adaptations are spot on, or even better than the books, but other times, the books still win. However, some new books are set to be turned into films or television shows, with some expected to be released this year.
As someone who loves both books and movies and is intrigued with the process of turning a novel into a script, I thought I'd share some books you should definitely read before watching their adaptations when released.
Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Richard Osman's debut novel, Thursday Murder Club, is being adapted for the big screen by Netflix and Amblin (founded by Steven Spielberg). The script has been written by Chris Columbus, who has also directed the filming of the movie.
The novel follows a group of friends in a retirement home, who come together to become sleuths when solving murders for fun suddenly turns real. Osman's debut series was a hit and the filming for the Thursday Murder Club movie has actually already wrapped.
The cast includes some big industry names, with the four protagonists being portrayed by Celia Imrie, Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley. It is expected to be released later this year.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
In the last few years, Freida McFadden's name has popped up again and again in the world of thrillers. Her novels are fast-paced and compelling, and it's no wonder that her book, The Housemaid, was picked up by Lionsgate in 2023 to become a movie.
The Housemaid movie adaptation will be directed by Paul Feig and the release date for the dark thriller is set to be Christmas Day, 2025. The cast has also been announced with the four key characters, Millie, Nina, Andrew and Enzo, being confirmed to be played by Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, and Michele Morrone, respectively.
As someone who has read this book, I can't wait to see how this thriller is portrayed on screen and with such a good cast too.
I Will Find You by Harlan Coben
I read I Will Find You by Harlan Coben back in January and I loved it; it was my first book by Coben and I'm so glad I read it, especially since I found out this is one of the books Netflix are planning to adapt.
Lots of Coben's works have been adapted already, for example Missing You and Fool Me Once. And I Will Find You is on that list too. There's not a lot of information about the adaptation of this book, but it has been confirmed.
If you want to know more about what I Will Find You is about, click here to read my review of the novel.
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
Lisa Jewell is a prominent name in the world of thriller novels, but I haven't got around to reading her work yet. However, everyone I know who has read her books loves them.
And None of This Is True is being adapted into a feature-length film by Netflix with Eleanor Burgess writing the script. Jewell, herself, will be an executive producer on the film.
The book follows two women, who are birthday twins, as their relationship takes a sinister turn. No confirmation of the cast or release date has been announced, but Jewell has shared her dream actress to play one of the main characters as Ruth Wilson.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of my favourite novels of all time and I am so excited that it is becoming a Netflix movie. The adaptation of this book follows Amazon Prime Video's adaptation of Daisy Jones and The Six.
This novel follows a 1950s movie star, Evelyn Hugo, as she gives a tell-all interview at the age of 79 to a junior journalist, Monique Grant. But as Monique writes Evelyn's biography, there are secrets revealed.
The director for the movie has changed from Leslye Headland to Maggie Betts. No cast has been announced for the movie, but there are rumours as to who could play the main character of Evelyn Hugo and who could play Celia St. James, with Selena Gomez and Jessica Chastain's names cropping up.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
I recently bought Fourth Wing because I had seen lots of people raving about Rebecca Yarros' writing and I felt a bit left out. However, I still haven't got around to reading it.
But I will definitely read it, and so should you before the TV series adaptation comes out on Prime Video. The series is still in the early stages of production, with no cast or release date announced.
But we do know that it is being produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Michael B. Jordan's company, Outlier Society. The showrunner is set to be Moira Walley-Beckett, who worked on Breaking Bad and Anne with an E.
So, if you love a fantasy story with great characters, dragons, war and action, then give the Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros.
People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry
People We Meet On Vacation is a novel by Emily Henry that follows Poppy and Alex, two unlikely friends, who live in different cities but go on holiday together every summer. Except, their friendship is put to the test and they start to question their relationship.
The novel has been picked up by Sony Pictures and Netflix and is the first of Henry's books to be adapted, but it will certainly not be the last. The cast of this movie has been released with Tom Blyth (recently in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) and Emily Bader (recently in My Lady Jane) playing the protagonists.
Brett Haley is directing with Yulin Kuang (screenwriter and romance author) set to adapt the book into a screenplay. There is no confirmed release date yet, but it is set to premiere later this year.
Happy Place by Emily Henry
As I said above, Henry has more than one book being adapted; in fact, all her novels are set to be turned into either movies or TV shows.
And Happy Place has been confirmed as a TV show on Netflix. This novel is one of my favourite novels and I can't wait to see the adaptation.
According to reports, Jennifer Lopez's production company, Nuyorican Productions, is set to adapt the novel. No one has been cast yet, but Henry has shared her openness for fans to share their ideal cast for the protagonists, Harriet and Wyn.
There was speculation that the adaptation of Happy Place would be YA, but Henry confirmed that all the actors will be in their late 20s to early 30s, representing the characters.
Off-Campus Series by Elle Kennedy
This recommendation is more for the young/new adults interested in romance. The Off-Campus series by Elle Kennedy is one of my favourite sports romance book series because it spans five books, with four in a spin-off series, and the characters, the plots, the relationships are all great.
The series will be a television show on Amazon Prime Video, with the showrunner of The Flight Attendant, Louisa Levy, running the adaptation.
From what we know, the first season will be based on book one, The Deal. This indicates that there could be four seasons of the TV show, one following each book. The fifth book is a conclusion novel that wraps up loose ends and ties everything together.
There is no release date confirmed as of yet, but Kennedy has shared open casting calls for the female main character of The Deal on her social media.
Twisted Love by Ana Huang
Again, this is a romance series, so perhaps not for everyone, but having read this series myself, I know that it is so good and I only hope the adaptation will do it justice. I shared a guide to the entire Twisted series earlier this year when it was announced that the series would be adapted.
Netflix has picked up the adaptation of Twisted Love, book one, in a seven-figure deal. There isn't a cast confirmed but there has been lots of speculation and fan casts (mine included) on social media.
I don't believe there is news about the director, producer, scriptwriter, etc., at this time, but because it's a four-book series, it might be worth reading all the books ahead of the adaptation.
If you like watching book adaptations, then I hope these recommendations give you some inspiration for your TBR and movie/TV watchlist.
Until next time...
The romance ones are my favourites! 😀 And I’d better get reading because I haven’t read many of these yet despite the recommendations and I’d want to read it without being influenced by the TV/movie adaptation. The Thursday Murder Club and Happy Place are on my list!