I know this is a matter of opinion, but in my mind when a book is turned into a film adaptation, there’s a good chance that the book is worth reading. Not always, but sometimes. A movie might give you a great overview of the storyline, but it can miss some key character development and detail that only the book, coupled with your imagination can bring about.

While movies based on books can be a bit of a letdown, I hold onto hope that in the near future we will walk away from more of these films pleasantly surprised, and not angry at how they glossed over my favorite characters (I’m still not over what the Harry Potter movies did to Ginny Weasley).

For now, here are four best-selling fiction novels that plan to make their way onto the “big screen.” I invite you to pick up a copy of one of these titles now so that you can pretentiously tell your friends the minute the movie is over why you thought the book was so much better. You have my permission to be “that” person.


The Nightingale

I am a sucker for a good story set during World War II — and what’s more, this one is based on real events! The plot centers around Vianne and Isabelle, two wildly different women who resist the Nazi-occupation of France through a series of daring, dangerous, and selfless acts. A little Wikipedia birdie told me that Dakota and Elle Fanning are slated to play these two French sisters, and honestly I’m here for that.

Where the Crawdads Sing

This read has so many elements of a great soap opera – forbidden love, an unsolved murder, a protagonist you can empathize with. This is Delia Owens’ debut novel, and it’s obvious she poured her heart and soul into it. The way she describes every single marsh land and swamp setting in such intricate detail made me believe for a second that maybe going off the grid and embracing nature might not actually be as horrifying as I imagine. They are planning to release the film version in June 2022, so get a head start on this one now!


Woman in the Window

What would you be if you could never leave your house? Follow along as Anna Fox, an agoraphobic child psychologist, witnesses something that she can never unsee. Amy Adams stars in this Netflix original movie version that came out earlier this year. I rarely blaze through books but this one left me on so many cliff-hangers that I couldn’t put it down.

Little Women

When Greta Gerwig’s re-make of Little Women came out in 2019, I received a lot of mixed reviews about it. Gerwig chose to tell the story out of order, which was hard for some people who had never read the book or seen the 1994 film version (the teen heartthrob version of Christian Bale in this one is everything).

All I can say is that if you have never read this beloved classic, you should try. If it’s been so long since you read it that you no longer remember it, dust off the cover and open it up again. The four March sisters and each of their unique, coming of age experiences is truly a celebration of all things female and it deserves a place on all our bookshelves.