5 books to read now before they get turned into movies.

 "The book was better." 

Whenever people say this phrase to me after we've watched a movie together, it fills me with deep rage for multiple reasons.

Firstly, I think it's a smug and uncreative way to describe a film and secondly, I'm jealous that I couldn't say the same thing. 

I always want to be the person who reads the book before watching the film and yet I never am. In fact, I'm the exact opposite. It's only after a movie gains a lot of hype that I endeavour to get my eyes across the book it was based on. The issue is, that because I'm always so late, I don't have anyone to talk to about it.

I want to have discussions about the actors and if they matched the characters I had in my mind, I want to see if the set designs accurately depict my imagination and I want to be able to say "the book was better" at least once. 

So I have made it a goal of mine to be across #booknews, in particular popular books that have sold adaption rights to studio production companies (I'm looking at you, Reese Witherspoon). 

The minute I find out that a popular book could potentially be turned into a movie or series, I make sure I read it. 

I now have a decent list of some of my favourite books that I can't wait to see become movies or series. 

Here are the five I'm most excited for:

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet.

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I read The Vanishing Half in seven days. It's one of the most gripping and emotional stories I have ever read. It's a novel that's set in the US between the 1950s and 1990s. The story follows identical twins Desiree and Stella and the vast differences between them as they choose to live completely separate lives. 

In 2021, author Brit Bennet shared on Instagram that HBO in partnership with Issa Rae's Hoorae production company is working on a drama series based on the novel. 

Dune by Frank Herbert.

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We have been given a second chance so we now must use it wisely. Frank Herbert's dystopian science-fiction series Dune has recently captured a new wave of audience (myself included) after the huge success of the first motion picture starring Timothée Chamalet. Unfortunately, I wasn't part of the "I read the book first" crowd but my time to shine is nearly here. 

Dune: Part 2 will be out in cinemas next month so make sure the novel is at the top of your priority list. Part 2 is based on the second half of the first novel (and warning you now, it's a very big novel). I'm close to halfway through reading it and the storyline has made the first film much easier to understand. My mission is to finish the book before the next film hits cinemas — wish me luck!    

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld.

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This post was immediately shared in my girls' group chat. Everyone I know who has read Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld has loved it. It's made me fall in love with romance novels and the amount of times I've gasped and giggled throughout this book is slightly embarrassing (only slightly). 

We are all very excited that it has been announced that New Line Cinema is teaming up with Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine production company because let's be honest, the book is in safe hands. 

I highly recommend you read this so you can gasp and giggle with us as we wait in anticipation to see who will play the leads. My prediction (and hopeful wish) is Ayo Edebiri and Paul Mescal — fingers crossed! 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

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This book is so descriptive I thought it was based on a true story. So I become very upset whenever I remember that it's fiction. Evelyn Hugo is a famous Hollywood actress who has been silent about her personal life until she employs a young journalist and unloads all her juicy secrets for a book. 

It's a brilliant mix of romance, mystery and humour and touches on ideas of identity and belonging. Netflix has announced that the adaptation of the novel will be coming to their streaming platform — huge!

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors.

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This romance novel shook me to my core. At first, I thought that author Coco Mellors found my journal and pulled the story straight out of my life. After discussing this book with my friends I soon realised that we have all been a Cleo who has dated a Frank. 

The story jumps between the inner monologue of a couple with a large age gap as they try to contort themselves to fit into each other's lives. It's beautiful and tragic and funny and upsetting and I immediately started reading it again when I reached the acknowledgements section. Luckily for us, Mellors announced that Warner Bros. will be developing it into a series.

If you want more culture opinions and recommendations by Emily Vernem, you can follow her on Instagram @emilyvernem. 

Feature Image: Booktopia