We’re all entering our ‘reading is sexy’ era, so I’m not going to tell you to watch these movies instead of reading the books. No, I’m telling you to do both. Fill your work calendar with fake meetings, reject all social plans involving real pants, and read these books before watching their movie adaptations. Yeah, I think I just solved the world’s problems right there. I’ve rounded up the best book-to-movie adaptations for a rotting sesh, with YA classics, recent blockbusters, and Anne Hathaway’s best films. Thank me later, and it’s not my fault if you get fired.
“The Hunger Games” By Suzanne Collins
Obviously, I’m going to mention The Hunger Games on this list. The world may have moved on and started lusting after Cornelius Snow, but I’m still in the arena, watching my boy Peeta use cake-decorating skills to look like a rock. This might just be one of the most famous book-to-movie adaptations, namely because people actually debate whether the books or films are better.
In case you missed the “I volunteer as tribute!” era, it’s a dystopian future where each district has to provide participants for a deadly tournament each year. Katniss volunteers to replace her sister and has to fight for her life while pretending to be in love with her fellow District 12 tribute, Peeta. This is the film that made Jennifer Lawrence a household name.
“Dune” By Frank Herbert
While the films may be a little more recent, the book actually came out in 1965! It’s a Boomer! But let’s talk about the movie starring Lil Timmy himself, also known to a select few as Timothée Chalamet.
Dune is about a noble family that gets control of a dangerous planet known as Arrakis, but they’re quickly betrayed as force clash to control Melange, a resource more precious than Lululemon leggings. Expect lots of staring contests with Zendaya, dry mouth-inducing desert shots, and a shocking Anya Taylor-Joy cameo in the second installment. For the books, expect a lot of words and some classic 1960s sci-fi. It’s one for the book bucket list.
“Gone Girl” By Gillian Flynn
Amy Dunne introduced the world to ‘gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss’ in the book turned successful movie. It’s one of Gillian Flynn’s finest, and the book includes large sections of Amy’s diary to further draw you into this twisted tale. Okay, so what is Gone Girl about?
When Nick Dunne’s wife mysteriously disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary, the media focus quickly shifts to him as he struggles to convince the public of his innocence. David Fincher, Rosamund Pike, and Ben Affleck (he’s good in it, I swear!) might just be the Holy Trinity of revenge films.
“The Virgin Suicides” By Jeffrey Eugenides
If you weren’t obsessed with this book or film adaptation as a teenager, you likely came from a stable family, had plenty of friends, and never bothered with Tumblr. You can’t put the words virgin and suicide in a title and not expect adolescent girls to go wild for it. Then Sofia Coppola directs the movie adaptation and cast Kirsten Dunst as horny Lux Lisbon? Give the girlies a chance in life!!!
The Virgin Suicides revolves around a conservative family and the suicide pact of their five daughters. But what makes it so incredible is that it’s told by the neighborhood boys who are obsessed with them and try to make sense of the events years later. Umm, hardcore trigger warnings, as the name suggests.
“Little Women” By Louisa May Alcott
It’s another story about sisters, but less bleak, thankfully, despite being set in the late 1800s (yikes). This was the book for teenage girls who dreamed of having a ladder against their bookcase and a cat called Mr. Darcy. Little Women is a coming-of-age story about the four March girls as they follow different paths. The 2019 adaptation has a stellar cast, including Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, and Lil Timmy! Oh, and it was directed by Greta Gerwig, who gave us the pink abundance of Barbie last year. Watch it and pat yourself on the back for being an intellectual girlie. Are you a woman in STEM or something?
“The Color Purple” By Alice Walker
Whether you read this book in high school or not, it’s time to pick it up and dive in. The Color Purple is a novel about resilience, liberation, and the power of self-discovery. It follows Celie, a young African-American woman who is raped by her father and bears two of his children. She is then married off to a man who turns out to be abusive and leads a heavy life. But along the way, her friendships with other women bring out the best in her and them.
It was first adapted into a film in 1985, which starred Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg, and then again last year into a musical film. The latest adaptation was directed by Steven Spielberg and starred Halle Bailey, H.E.R., Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, and more talented people we didn’t know could sing!
“Pride and Prejudice” By Jane Austen
YOU HAVE BEWITCHED ME, BODY AND SOUL!! The finger tremble!! The bust of Mr. Darcy!! Like many women, I have a personal relationship with this film. It has gotten me through many hungover sessions, depressed episodes, and sick days. I wouldn’t say I’m an Elizabeth Bennett, strong-willed and sensible. I think I’m Mr. Darcy, arrogant, awkward, and hoping people get what I’m thinking without having to speak. If you love the film as much as I do, definitely try the book! You’ll also look so classy reading it in public!!! She’s a real reader!!
In case you don’t know this iconic story, Pride and Prejudice is the original enemies-to-lovers with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Fitzwiliam Darcy, set in the late 1700s. It walked so Bridgerton could trot.
“The Devil Wears Prada” By Lauren Weisberger
YES, IT’S A BOOK TOO! A WHOLE SERIES OF BOOKS! Andy wants to be a journalist and gets a job as the assistant to the most famous magazine editor, Miranda Priestly. There, she competes with the other assistant, Emily, and tries to fit in with her fashionable colleagues. She runs herself ragged, following Miranda’s insane tasks. It is AMAZING. While the film stars Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Emily Blunt, and Meryl Streep, the three-book series is also fun — the final installment is called When Life Gives You Lululemons. How fun!! Find out if The Devil Wears Prada book also has such a frustrating ending; why did she have to throw the phone away? Why did she leave an amazing job?
“Crazy Rich Asians” By Kevin Kwan
Honestly, I was worried that the Golden Age of Romcoms had passed until Crazy Rich Asians came out in 2018. It takes us to the glitzy world of rich families in Singapore. Rachel is a professor dating Nick, who discovers that he belongs to one of the richest families in Singapore. She travels with him to meet his family and struggles to fit into his lifestyle there. It’s big, bright, funny, and sweeter than a Subway chocolate chip cookie. Read the book as you tan by the pool, and watch the film as you nurse a wicked sunburn.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” By David Grann
Another recent book-to-movie adaptation! This one is a little different, as the Oscar-winning film was adapted from a nonfiction book by the name Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. It’s by an American journalist and explores the Osage murders, inspiring the Leo and Lily film version. A harrowing tale of murders in the Osage Nation fueled by oil and greed — and one love that turns to betrayal.
“Twilight” By Stephanie Meyer
She’s just a girl; he’s just a vampire. Can I make it any more obvious? Bella’s average, mundane life as a teenager is forever changed when she falls for Edward Cullen, a vampire with skin that sparkles in sunlight and a taste for human blood. Yummy. If this sounds like exactly your type, you’re in luck, as you’ve got four books and five movies waiting for you. But don’t expect any smut, as the author is Mormon, so you’ll need to head to the wild world of Twilight fanfiction for that dream.
“The End We Start From” By Megan Hunter
Every queer girlie remembers that photo of Jodie Comer on her Instagram. It may have even been a sexual awakening for many of them. So, any film starring our fave psychopath is a must-watch, and this time, it’s a post-apocalyptic film about a new mother. As London is destroyed by catastrophic floods, Woman and her husband R (yep, it’s one of those films without names) must protect their newborn baby and find sanctuary. The End We Start From might just give you tips to survive our own impending doom. Read the book, watch the film, and check out her Instagram!!
“Red, White & Royal Blue” By Casey McQuiston
Queer royal fanfiction? Sign me up!! Red, White & Royal Blue is adapted from a novel of the same name and follows Alex Claremont-Diaz, the first son of the United States, and young Prince Henry as they fall in love — HENRY, not HARRY! But it’s not easy, as they live such public lives and come from such different cultures – I mean, he says tomato, and I say ketchup. It’s fun and surprisingly sexy?? (Love that bisexual awareness.) Also, there’s a sequel in the works, with Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez returning to the love story.
“Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” By Judy Blume
I’m still waiting for a researcher to explore the link between loving Judy Blume’s books and needing therapy as an adult, as I know there’s something there. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret is one of the most beloved Judy Blume books, and it’s not hard to see why.
Eleven-year-old Margaret moves to a new town and starts going through teenage angst, wanting her period and her boobs to grow (I’m still waiting). It follows her relationship with her mom, played by Rachel McAdams in the film, and her grandma. Also, Hans Zimmer did the score, and that’s kind of iconic.
“The Silver Linings Playbook” By Matthew Quick
If you relate to Tiffany in The Silver Linings Playbook, you are not quirky; you are mentally ill. I say this with love as a fellow Tiff. Starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss!!), this film follows Pat as he is released from a mental institution and meets Tiffany, who suffers from depression. She offers to help him reunite with his wife if he becomes her dance partner for a competition. It’s sexy, fun, and has plenty of flanter.
“Bridget Jones’s Diary” By Helen Fielding
Mr. Darcy is back, and this time, he is Mark Darcy, one of the rivaling love interests of Bridget Jones. This is the Bible of romcoms. One day, it will be studied with the same reverence we give to Crime and Punishment or Anna Karenina. We love it so much we’ll excuse the blatant fatphobia running rampant in the film, just for our girl Bridget.
Bridget is us; we are Bridget. She’s a slacker looking to turn her life around and is forced to choose between stable, brooding Mark and spontaneous, cheeky Daniel. Yep, Renée Zellweger is in a love triangle with Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. This was when life peaked.
“One True Loves” By Taylor Jenkins Reid
If you loved Daisy Jones and the Six, make sure to try another Taylor Jenkins Reid book and movie adaptation: One True Loves. It’s a reminder that we don’t just have one soulmate in life and that love can bring out very different things in us.
Emma and Jesse are happily in love until Jesse disappears in a tragic helicopter crash on their first wedding anniversary. Four years later, Emma is engaged to her best friend when Jesse suddenly resurfaces. Emma finds herself torn between two great loves: her husband and her fiancee. My worst nightmare!!! (Aside from being in the elevator with someone I kind of know, calling for a doctor’s appointment, or accidentally committing tax fraud.)
“The Idea of You” By Robinne Lee
*cough* Inspired by Harry Styles!! In The Idea of You, Anne Hathaway strikes again as the 40-year-old single mom who starts a whirlwind romance with a 24-year-old boy band singer. Literally, give me her life and those legs in denim cutoffs. It’s got sex scenes, August Moon (aka One Direction), Coachella, and a serenade to rival Barbie and Ken.
“Love, Rosie” By Cecelia Ahern
Before Sam Claflin and Suki Waterhouse were in a band together, they were part of the neverending love triangle of Love, Rosie. Alex and Rosie have been friends since childhood but always had this slight romantic tension. Throughout their lives, they stay close, but fate and circumstance always seem to keep them apart. Friends-to-lovers and the reason I never trust the “she’s like a sister to me” friend. The book is written entirely in letters, notes, and emails and is called Where Rainbows End.
“One Day” By David Nicholls
The Netflix adaptation that made us feel sorry for a rich white boy and bawl our eyes out!! Don’t worry, I’m not cheating by including a series in the list, as there is also a film adaptation of the novel One Day. It features Anne Hathaway with a terrible British accent pretending to be an unattractive girl. Or you can read the book by David Nicholls for more friends pretending they’re not in love with each other, like how the person on the train is pretending not to notice our intense chemistry!!
“Emma” By Jane Austen
My Pride & Prejudice girlies, here is another period drama to cry at so you don’t have to confront your feelings about your real life. This time, we’ve got Anya Taylor-Joy as the titular Emma, a self-proclaimed matchmaker who meddles in everyone’s love lives. But through her missteps, she ends up finding her very own match… Johnny Flynn might not be a Mr. Darcy, but he is welcome to court me any day (or night!).
“The Notebook” By Nicholas Sparks
Need a cry? Need to be reminded good men exist? Need more fantasy footage of Ryan Gosling as you charge your vibrator? You’ll find all of this and more in The Notebook. It’s the ultimate “Uptown Girl” story; Noah and Allie are passionately in love but come from different worlds and families. Can they make it work?? Will it be too late?? While you read the book, just imagine Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams kissing in the rain, and it’ll be just as good!
“Call Me By Your Name” By André Aciman
The PR team for peaches had a field day with this film. Italian setting, two hot men (pre-cannibalism era), a coming-of-age queer love story, and a DILF, what more could you ask for? Well, if you read the book, you’ll get to enjoy the spicier sides to Elio and Oliver’s love story, as well as even more heartbreak! I cried so hard I gave myself a migraine — isn’t reading fun? But for real, this is the ultimate summer holiday book, and you can make yourself a fruity cocktail to watch the fruity film.
“Where the Crawdads Sing” By Delia Owens
Taylor Swift liked the book Where the Crawdads Sing so much that she wrote a song for the film adaptation, so let’s see what happens when you read it. It should take about six and a half hours, so you can play “Carolina” on repeat about eighty times during it.
Kya is abandoned by her family at a young age and left to fend for herself in the marshland around her humble home. As an outsider, she is disliked by the people of the town. Kya’s former lover is found dead, and she is being blamed for the death, but did she kill him?
“Ella Enchanted” By Gail Carson Levine
Everyone has one cause close to their heart, and mine is that the incredible film Ella Enchanted does not get the attention it so sorely deserves!! It might just be one of Anne Hathaway’s greatest achievements, and people are like, “Ella who?” Obviously, the book is just as amazing, if not better, and every fantasy-reading girlie needs to run out and buy it now!
At birth, Ella is given the “gift” of obedience by her Fairy Godmother, Lucinda. Life is awful for her when her cruel stepmother and stepsisters realize she will do anything they command. She runs away with the handsome Prince Charmont to try and break the spell. And yes, the film adaptation has a full song and dance of a Queen song. Run, don’t walk.
“The Talented Mr. Ripley” By Patricia Highsmith
Tom Ripley is a down-on-his-luck grifter hired by a wealthy man to track down his son and bring him back to the US. Instead, Tom becomes obsessed with Dickie’s lavish lifestyle and resorts to extreme measures to live it himself. Not only was it adapted into a film in 1999 with Jude Law, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchet, and Gwyneth Paltrow, but it’s now a Netflix series starring our beloved hot priest Andrew Scott! It’s an old-school book, too, so trick your next fake-intellectual situationship by having read it!
