The Snow Queen
by Hans Christian Andersen
Walt Disney Animation’s upcoming new movie Frozen isn’t specifically being sold as an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen‘s “The Snow Queen”, but to read the plot for the film it was clearly inspired by it if not adapted. At 92 pages long, why not give it a read either way?
The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I would be willing to bet many of you have already read F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s “The Great Gatsby“, but with Baz Luhrmann‘s upcoming adaptation just around the corner why not revisit with Nick, Jay, Daisy, Tom, Myrtle and George for another journey through the Roaring Twenties?
The Hobbit
by J.R.R. Tolkien
If you haven’t read the book yet why not sit down for a few hours and breeze right through. While it may take Warner Bros. and Peter Jackson two-and-a-half years and nine hours to tell the story of Bilbo Baggins in “The Hobbit”, it may only take you an afternoon to read it yourself.
Horns: A Novel
by Joe Hill
Joseph Hillstrom King (aka Joe Hill) is Stephen King’s son and his 2010 supernatural thriller “Horns” has been adapted for the screen with Daniel Radcliffe set to play the starring role, Ignatius Perrish.
Here’s the book synopsis:
Merrin Williams is dead, slaughtered under inexplicable circumstances, leaving her beloved boyfriend Ignatius Perrish as the only suspect. On the first anniversary of Merrin’s murder, Ig spends the night drunk and doing awful things. When he wakes the next morning he has a thunderous hangover… and horns growing from his temples. Ig possesses a terrible new power to go with his terrible new look–a macabre gift he intends to use to find the monster who killed his lover. Being good and praying for the best got him nowhere. Now it’s time for revenge…
The Host
by Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer is obviously best known for her “Twilight” novels, but with that franchise now at a close another studio has decided to take a stab at adapting her other novel, “The Host“, with Saoirse Ronan in the lead role. The synopsis goes like this:
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away.
Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. But Wanderer, the invading “soul” who occupies Melanie’s body, finds its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.
As Melanie fills Wanderer’s thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she’s never met. Soon Wanderer and Melanie-reluctant allies-set off to search for the man they both love.
Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.
Meyer will reportedly follow “The Host” up with a sequel titled “The Soul”, which does not yet have a release date. The Host hits theaters on March 29.
DIGITAL DEAL: “The Host” is almost $5 cheaper for the Kindle. Buy it here.
How I Live Now
by Meg Rosoff
Speaking of Saoirse Ronan, she will also star in How I Live Now based on the novel by Meg Rosoff alongside George MacKay, Harley Bird and Natasha Jonas and the young star of The Impossible, Tom Holland under the direction of Kevin Macdonald (State of Play, The Last King of Scotland).
Here’s the book synopsis:
Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy.
As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.
Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, Book 2)
by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games was a massive hit in early 2012 and you know The Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be just as big, if not bigger. I have read all three of the Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins and I would say “Catching Fire” is my least favorite with “Mockingjay” being the best. This one was a bit too similar to the first book for my taste, but if you haven’t read them they actually are entertaining books.
Here’s the book synopsis:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.
DIGITAL DEAL: “Catching Fire” is almost $4 cheaper for the Kindle and free for Amazon Prime members. Buy it here.
Jack Ryan
by Tom Clancy
To my knowledge there is no specific book to point you toward to prepare for Jack Ryan. It’s my understanding this film, which features Chris Pine in the title role, is a prequel of sorts to Clancy’s novels so the link below simply points you to Clancy’s page at Amazon where you can sort through the pile to see what piques your interest.
