8 Books To Read Before They Hit The Screen

The small brown box from Lionsgate Studios that landed on my doorstep last fall felt so light, I was certain it was stuffed with only a card and paper confetti that would inevitably fall to my kitchen floor. Call it a cheap thrill of working in entertainment media — each week brings the promise of promotional (and unsolicited) stuff that holds little personal value. But upon cutting through the duct tape and opening the cardboard flaps, my low expectations drastically shifted into a pleasant surprise. Finally! Something I truly wanted. Dare I say needed.

A paperback copy of The Housemaid.

I tore through Freida McFadden’s sudsy bestselling thriller in a week. Not that I was taking an imminent test on it; I was simply determined to get to the last page before the movie saw the light of day in December. So you better believe I went into that packed Housemaid screening fully aware of all the crazy plot twists. And yet, I still lapped up every darn minute — and still marveled at the production design of the doomed mansion and still winced when Amanda Seyfried literally tore her hair out. I walked out totally satisfied, as I had enjoyed the full 360-degree consumer experience.

Mind you, book adaptations are not exactly a novel concept. Hollywood executives know that these printed works already come with a built-in audience that can’t wait to see their favorite characters, both fiction and non-fiction, come to life. But in the past year alone, it seems like every single pop culture phenomenon, including The Housemaid, was rooted in paper. The Hunting Wives. All Her Fault. Wuthering Heights. Project Hail Mary. A certain low-budget Canadian-based series about two gay hockey players known as Heated Rivalry. And in a refreshing change from the usual “the book was better than the movie!” discourse, these screen versions delivered on the source material’s compelling stories.

That brings us to the latest round of adaptations. These eight hot reads run the gamut of genres, from a Greek classic to an epic romance to a juicy crime thriller. Take them to the beach (or the park or the front porch) now; and enjoy the shows coming soon to a screen near you.

Lucky

AARP

The Book: Marissa Stapley’s 2021 novel

The Adaptation: Lucky, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Timothy Olyphant and Annette Bening

Premieres: July 15 on Apple TV

Why It’s a Must: The white-knuckler of a crime thriller — and gripping coming-of-age story! — first garnered buzz as a Reese’s Book Club pick in December 2021. Now Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine production company is giving it the limited series treatment. Lucky Anderson is a successful grifter raised by her con artist father. But her titular luck runs out following a botched multi-million-dollar heist. On the lam from the FBI, a female mob boss and her husband, Lucky must use her wits to survive. Taylor-Joy, who grew up in Argentina and London, will once again use her American accent to play the lead.

The Five-Star Weekend

AARP

The Book: Elin Hilderbrand’s 2023 novel

The Adaptation: The Five-Star Weekend, starring Jennifer Garner, Gemma Chan, D’Arcy Carden, Regina Hall and Chloe Sevigny

Premieres: July 16 on Peacock

Why It’s a Must: If you can’t make it to Nantucket this summer, at least live vicariously through these fierce female characters. Hollis Shaw is a famed cook/food blogger left devastated by the sudden death of her husband. To help cope with the loss, she decides to invite girlfriends from each important stage of her life to her house on the picturesque Massachusetts island for a relaxing weekend. Theoretically, anyway! This book consists of relatable looks at adulthood and self-discovery plus a sprinkling of juicy secrets. The limited series will drop all eight episodes at once, with Garner taking the lead.