How many times have you seen a movie or a TV series based on a book and wanted to read it, but it was not the same experience? Personally, it ruins the book for me if I have already seen the movie, so I always try to read it first. Are you like me and agree that the book is always better than the movie, or have at least once stayed up all night to finish a book before going to the cinema? Then let me present you the books you should read before they are made into movies or TV shows.
The Ballad of the Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Yes! You read it right! Suzanne Collins’ prequel to the Hunger Games series, The Ballad of The Songbirds and Snakes, is getting a movie adaptation in 2023!
I have to warn you that this book will be about President Coriolanus Snow. The book takes us back to the 10th Hunger Games, reaping when Coriolanus has to become the mentor of the girl from District 12. Whatever Coriolanus does affects this young girl and vice versa. Will he follow the rules of the game? We have to find the answer to this question. Judging by the previous adaptations of the Hunger Games series, we have a lot to look forward to for this one.
Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor.
Suzanne Collins
Remember to raise three fingers and whistle in the cinema! See you all on the 17th of November!
Selection by Kiera Cass
Let’s be honest: how many of you, including myself, are fans of the Bachelor TV show?! Well, get ready for your guilty pleasure to be uncovered.
Selection is a dystopian fantasy romance trilogy. The Royal family stands higher than ever in a world where society is divided into castes. When the royals are in an age of marriage, the kingdom holds Selection. Girls of appropriate age from all over the kingdom are selected and compete for the prince’s favor. They are sent to the King’s castle to compete for Prince Maxon Schreave’s hand to marry and become the next queen of Illea.
America Singer is one of the 35 selected. She gets drowned in the castle and the competition. She is the only one who doesn’t want to be there and has no interest in marriage. As a result, easily making friends with the prince, she volunteers to help him select the right girl.
About the rest of their fate, you can read in the books!
The TV series was in development on Netflix in 2020, but in May 2023, Netflix broke the news that they had wrapped production. However, Netflix still holds the rights to the series, so they should continue the show sooner or later. These bestselling books are a perfect getaway make sure to read them before we are hopefully blessed with a TV series (fingers crossed).
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Let’s add some fae and magic to the list with the amazing Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas. I have never met a person who did not like the books.
A Court of Thorns and Roses series about 19-year-old huntress Feyre, who kills a fae warrior in the form of a wolf and then has to pay for the consequences with her life. She ends up in the Fae-inhabited part of the continent and has to fight for survival and protect her heart.
The TV series will be as good as the books. Why do we think that? The author herself wrote the script for Hulu and Game of Thrones, proving that practice was very successful. There has yet to be a lot of news about the series or the release date. So far, all we know is that it is still in production.
I have incredibly high hopes for this one. Make sure to read the books before the TV series comes out! You will want to know what’s coming up and be in THE CLUB.
Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
If you like The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare and its movie and TV series adaptations, you will most certainly like this one, too.
A 16-year-old Nora attracts the attention of the school bad boy Patch. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure whom to trust. Soon she finds who he is and at the same time, unravels the mystery of her own identity. She gets dragged into the war between the fallen angels and the immortals.
The production began at the end of 2021, and in December 2022, Paramount+ confirmed the upcoming movie. However, the exact release date is still unclear.
Make sure to read the book before the movie comes out, especially as Monet Clayton writes the screenplay, and it will be fun comparing it to the book.
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Your blood – Red or Silver– defines your place in the world. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite with god-like powers.
Mare Barrow is a Red who works in the Silver Palace and soon finds out the truth about herself. She is said to be the lost Silver Princess and has a deadly power that threatens to destroy the world’s harmony. She starts a silent battle against Silver and herself. Who will win and who will lose?! The answer you can find on the pages of this four-book series.
The most amazing part of the upcoming TV series is that Victoria Aveyard has a screenwriting background, and it is as if the series was written to be adapted into the show. The first book was published in 2015, and Universal bought the rights the same year. However, in 2021, the production was moved to Peacock, and at the beginning of this year, we got the news from the author that the work was still in the script.
The books are very well written, and you will dive into this world headfirst. Unfortunately, work on the project was stopped in Summer 2023 when the Writer’s Guild and SAG-AFTRA went on strike.
Let’s hope the work will continue soon, and we will have this amazing series turned into a movie. Meanwhile, take your time reading the four books and four side novels to complete the story.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
This amazing YA fantasy book series is set in West Africa.
The magic has suddenly disappeared, and the King has ordered the killing of all the magic yielders, including the mother of the main character, Zelie Adebola.
On her quest for revenge, Zelie meets the King’s daughter, Princess Amari, who runs away from her father. Two girls decide to help each other and embark on a quest to restore the magic. Meanwhile, they are trying to outwit and outrun the crown prince who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
With two books already published and the third book coming on September 22, 2023, Paramount’s first movie is in the production stage, according to the latest news by the author herself.
Make sure to read the books before the movie airs, especially as the new and final book in the series is coming in 1 month. It is the perfect time.
The movie adaptation will be as magical as the books, and we will experience this adventure to defeat the monarchy to the fullest.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Another young adult Fantasy series to be produced for the screens is the From Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
We already discussed this book series in our previous post, where we took a deep dive into From Blood and Ash Series. Just in case, here is a short description as well:
Poppy is a chosen one, The Maiden, soon to Ascend. However, the Ascension differs from what everybody thought it to be. Her life gets turned upside down when one of her guards gets killed, and the new guard, Hawke, fills in the place. Poppy will have to discover the truth about everything she believed up to that point and find the truth about the world she lives in and her role in it.
The adaptation of the series is yet at the start. All we know is that Amazon Studios is working on it. I recommend you read the series, especially with the new fifth book a few weeks ago.
The book is full of love, mysteries, magic, magical creatures, and our favorite Enemies To Lovers trope!
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Slowly moving onto the Roman Empire mixed with Arabic lore here. This four-book series is set with that exact feel. The book is set in a world where the warrior race, the Martials, have conquered the Scholars, peaceful residents, and since then, the latter has seen only suffering in slavery and torture. The main character, Laia, was one of the Scholars until the Martials captured her brother. She made a deal with the Resistance to enter the empire’s strongest martial academy as a slave and spy for them. In return, they promised to save her brother.
From there, the real battle for survival begins as Laia faces different trials and fights for her survival while trying not to fall in love with the enemy.
Judging by the Hunger Games or Divergent series adaptation, these books have proved very successful on the big screen. However, we do not have any updates regarding the development. We only know that Paramount Pictures bought the rights, and the rest is yet to be announced.
Until we have more updates regarding the movie, this is a perfect classic young adult fantasy book to read if you missed one.
Percy Jackson and The Olympians by Rick Riordan
Let’s not forget about Ancient Greece as well. Well, more specifically, the Greek Gods.
You might be wondering, aren’t the movies for this one out already?!
Yes, they are, but whoever has read the books knows how far from the original plot those two movies went.
Well, this series is getting a second chance!!! We are getting a whole TV series from Disney+.
To those who have not read the books nor watched the movies, Percy Jackson is a 12-year-old boy who finds out he is the son of Poseidon, the god of the seas. He is forced to move to the camp Half-Blood with the other demigods of different Greek gods. But big evil is stirring, and Percy must fight along with his best friends Annabeth and Groover to restore peace and harmony on Earth and Mount Olympus. You can find more detailed review here.
The books are something magical. Make sure to read this series in 2023. I could not put them down. They are worth reading, especially with such a huge TV series adaptation coming soon.
The filming ended in February 2023, so we will finally get our hands on this amazing world of the Greek Gods in early 2024.
Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
“An interesting mash up of fairy tales and science fiction . . . a cross between Cinderella, Terminator, and Star Wars.”―Entertainment Weekly on the Lunar Chronicles
“Prince Charming among the cyborgs.” ―The Wall Street Journal on the Lunar Chronicles
I decided to leave this one for the last as it will not be just a normal movie. We will get an animated adaptation of this series by the amazing Marissa Meyer.
Four books, Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter, are modern retellings of the classic fairytales.
Cinder, from Cinderella, tells us a story about cyborg teenager Cinder, who has to deal with her wicked stepmother in the futuristic world destroyed by the Pandemic. As a result, she finds love and discovers secrets about herself.
Along her adventure, she allies with spaceship pilot Scarlet, an imprisoned computer hacker, Cress, and the Lunar princess, Winter. Together, they must fight against the evil Lunar Queen Levana and save the world.
Locksmith Animation bought the rights for the animation movie, and Marissa Meyer herself is working closely with them on the production. I cannot wait to see this amazing book-to-movie adaptation.
Concise list for a quick summary:
- The Ballad of the Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
- Selection by Kiera Cass
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
- Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
- Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
- Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
- From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
- An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
- Percy Jackson and The Olympians by Rick Riordan
- Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
