On Road To Cinema: 24 YA Books About to Become Movies

On The Road To Cinema: 24 YA Books About To Become Movies







It could be argued that it all started with the Hunger Games, or maybe so far back as to the Harry Potter saga, but it is undeniable that adapting young adult books and turning them into blockbusters has become a sweeping fad. And, honestly, who's complaining? Some of the best cinematic masterpieces were inspired by books or plays. The Godfather, Gone With the Wind, A Streetcar Named Desire all started out as books and were made into classic movies anyone not living under a rock has heard of. At one point, it seemed as if we were drowning in adaption after adaption, and then there's suddenly a noticeable lull in the young adult book-turned-movie factory. So what is in store? What's about to rock the movie screens? After loads of research, I've discovered the answer: a lot. I'm talking copious books on a rather impressively extensive list. I've picked some of my favorites.








The Definites:
There are some movies that are definitely making it to the big leagues of the cinematic arts. Some have trailers, casts, and producers and are strongly expected to premiere behind the red velvet curtains. Here are some the definites that are expected to show within the next couple of years.

Mockingjay Part 2
November 20, 2015
We all know that multiple movie reigns will be coming to an end in the coming years. The Hunger Games is releasing its final installment of the well-loved trilogy. The Mockingjay is a movie that will definitely give the audience a healthy dose of violence and war, but also some closure on the Peeta front. It works out evenly in the end in my opinion. After this final installment, The Hunger Games dynasty will have officially ended; it was a good run, it really was, but it's time for the younger ones to have their chance are stardom, don't you think?

Allegiant Part 1
March 18, 2016
Some series are just in the midst of their fame. Divergent and Insurgent were made, watched, and reasonably loved (Theo James, hello?!). Now it's time for the final book to make a debut on the wide screen. Allegiant is undoubtedly highly anticipated (and, in a similar manner of the production of Hunger Games, it will be two parts- goody), but that's not really the question on everyone's mind now is it? I'm just going to say it: can they really carry through with the end? 





The Scorch Trials
September 18, 2015
Dylan O'Brien was loved before the Maze Runner, but after? Forget about it. He became an instant teen pop idol, even more than he originally was. Those ignorant of O'Brien's movie star status were happily introduced to him through Dashner's action-packed dystopian thriller. And now, we can say hello to The Scorch Trials. 

Me, Earl, and The Dying Girl
June 12, 2015
This one is so close. Me, Earl, and The Dying Girl, a novel about Greg and his friend Earl and their serendipitous meeting with a girl diagnosed with cancer, is set to release in the near, near future. Like only a few days away kind of near. Readers will finally be able to see this weird, somewhat hilarious story in the shape of cinematic magic.

The 5th Wave
January 15, 2016
The 5th Wave was an instant success and the primary cause of emotional breakdowns around the world (including me). Film makers took notice of this literary phenomenon and decided to take action. Good choice, film makers. Chloë Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe, and Maria Bello were casted as the stars of this post-apocalyptic sci-fi adventure. 






A Monster Calls
October 14, 2016
A Monster Calls was an award winning novel about a little boy, his mother, and a monster. Published in the format of a chillingly dark, yet inquisitively creative, picture book, A Monster Calls was a reflection on guilt and death, youth and maturity. Patrick Ness wove enthralling language and invaluable lessons into a book film makers would've had to been blind to not notice. Liam Neeson, Sigourney Weaver, and Felicity Jones have already signed on for this movie.




Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
March 4, 2016
Mysterious, dark, chilling, weird, and peculiar are all words you could use to describe the popular novel Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. After finding a pile of strange and inexplicable photos, Ransom Riggs was inspired to tell the story of a group of talented orphans cared for by a caring bird. Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, and Samuel L. Jackson are already part of the cast for this movie.




Papertowns
July 24, 2015
The Fault in Our Stars was a huge success. It, to this day, continues to remain one of my favorite movies (and books) of all time. It did not come as a surprise to me when film makers started to pick up the film rights to John Green's other literary masterpieces, and good for them. God knows they have more than a large enough fan base for a blockbuster movie. Papertowns, while not one of my favorite book by John Green, will be on the very top of my list of movies to see this summer. Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne, and Halston Sage will be the stars of the latest John Green film.

The Not So Definites:
While some movies are absolutely going to make the big screens, there are others whose movie adaptions are mere rumors in the cinematic grapevine. The movie rights have been sold, but how are we to know that they'll actually make it? It's common knowledge that many attempts have failed just at the finish line in terms of the movie transformation. It is my sincerest hope that all of the following books make it to my local movie theater.



To All The Boys I've Loved Before
Info:
Optioned by Will Smith's Overbrook Entertainment
Annie Neal will write the script

The Night Circus
Info:
Rights were bought by Summit Entertainment and David Heyman

Moira Buffini will write the script







Eleanor and Park
Info:
DreamWorks Studios picked up the film rights
Carla Hacken will be a producer along with Matt Kennedy
Shooting for the film is set to start in 2015




Legend
Info:
Film rights were sold to CBS films
Wyckiff Godfrey and Marty Bowani will produce
Andrew Barter and Gabe Ferrato will be writing the script with Marie Lu






We Were Liars
Info:
Optioned by Imperative Entertainment
Screenplay will be written by E. Lockhart





Just One Day
Info:
Just One Day and Just One Year will be combined into one movie
Universal pictures is in charge of production
Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage will produce along with Gayle Forman and Lis Rowinski





The Diviners
Info:
Film rights were sold to Paramount Pictures 
Bray has been named to write the script
Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage will be producing





Looking for Alaska
Info:
The team for this movie will greatly resemble the ones behind Papertowns and The Fault in Our Stars. 
Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen will produce
Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber will be the screenwriters
Options secured by Paramount, even before The Fault in Our Stars




Graceling
Info:
Reliance Entertainment will partner with Kintop Pictures in filming
Deepak Nayar and Tabrez Noorani will produce
Piers Ashworth will be the screenwriter






Jellicoe Road
Info:
Directed by Kate Woods
Produced by Sue Taylor and Goalpost Pictures






Saving Francesca
Info:
Melina Marchetta is writing the script
Jo Werner will produce







Queen of Tearling
Info:
Emma Watson will be executive producer and star
Warner Bros. purchased film rights






Raven Boys
Info:
New Line Cinema bought the film rights
Akiva Goldsman is producing
Area Johnston and Dave Neustadter are overseeing






The Scorpio Races
Info:
Jack Thorne will be writing the screenplay
David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith are producing
Focus acquired film rights



Tiger's Curse
Info:
Shekhar Kapur will direct
Raphael Kryszek, Mary Parent, and Ineffable Pictures will produce
Julie Plec will be writing for the film
Paramount Pictures has screen rights






Uglies
Info:
20th Century Fox and John Davis have film rights

Monsters of Men Review

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Title: Monsters of Men

Author: Patrick Ness

Series: Chaos Walking #3

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: September 28, 2010

Genre: Science Fiction; Fantasy; Dystopia; Young Adult

Pages: 603

Format: Hardcover

goodreads

"War," says the Mayor. "At last." Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they're so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge - the electrifying finale to the award-winning "Chaos Walking" trilogy, Monsters of Men is a heart-stopping novel about power, survival, and the devastating realities of war.

Holy sugar, this series was good. Sure it left me winded and reeling like I had just taken a ride on the world’s worst roller coaster, but man, was this series good.

The battle-hunger, power-crazy, will-always-come-back-to-life-no-matter-what-you-do, megalomaniac mayor has finally gotten what he wanted: all-out war. Todd and Viola are alone, caught in the middle of three raging enemies willing to do anything to annihilate one another, and have to save the world...again. Not that they succeeded the first time, or the second, or the third, but now, they really have to save the world. With the help of some of Viola’s friends (which is a very limited amount of help at that), the duo just may pull it off. The bond of friendship that holds them together is unlike their world has ever seen, and it may be what saves their lives.

Two words: Action-packed. The last book may have left you with a feeling of indescribable emptiness and a hysterical need for closure, but by golly, this book fixes all your problems. Ness delivers more than promised in this last book of the Chaos Walking series. Where the war left off in The Answer, it is picked right back up in Monsters of Men. Todd–loyal, fantastic, sweet Todd–is set on one thing, and that is to keep Viola safe at all costs. His sentimental personality and the astonishing evolution he has faced throughout the series had me fall in love with him in the first book, but kept me unequivocally devoted in the second and third. He was definitely one of the best characters that I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

Viola, on the other hand, is–shall I say it?—bad-ass. Period. Exclamation point. She is tough, strong, and persistent; qualities, I am sure, are necessary in any kick-ass female character ever written. When you pair her with Todd, how could I not devour every word ever written about them?

Now, you may be wondering why, with all this praise, is this book not a full five stars? That is a good question, and there is a reason. I hate to say that I deducted two stars on behalf of the fact that the entire book was a prolonged battle. A battle, that I must mention, started in the previous book and didn't end until 400+ pages later in this book. Yes, there was an unnecessary element of violence in the book, in my opinion, and I hate it when the whole book’s persona is made up of blood and battles. But the good news? That was literally the only thing that I disliked in this book, and because of the awesome characters, their relationships, and the complex world around them, I got over it pretty quick.

This science-fiction, mind-blowing series will have you rethink your life and thoughts. All I can say is thank you, Patrick Ness, for taking me, the reader, on an incredible journey that I do not believe I will forget any time soon. You really are a rock star in my world.

The Ask and The Answer Review

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness

Title: The Ask and the Answer

Author: Patrick Ness

Series: Chaos Walking #2

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: September 8, 2009

Genre: Science Fiction; Futuristic; Dystopia; Fiction; Young Adult

Pages: 528

Format: Hardback

goodreads

Reaching the end of their tense and desperate flight in The Knife of Never Letting Go, Todd and Viola did not find healing and hope in Haven. They found instead their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss, waiting to welcome them to New Prentisstown. There they are forced into separate lives: Todd to prison, and Viola to a house of healing where her wounds are treated. Soon Viola is swept into the ruthless activities of the Answer, aimed at overthrowing the tyrannical government. Todd, meanwhile, faces impossible choices when forced to join the mayor’s oppressive new regime. In alternating narratives — Todd’s gritty and volatile; Viola’s calmer but equally stubborn — the two struggle to reconcile their own dubious actions with their deepest beliefs. Torn by confusion and compromise, suspicion and betrayal, can their trust in each other possibly survive?

Tom and Viola have been separated. On two different sides of the Mayor’s regime, they have no way of communicating with another or even knowing if the other is alive. As the Mayor patiently attempts to convince Tom to join him in building his empire, Viola is struggling to resist the powerful persuasion of The Answer, a rebel group that hopes to defeat Mayor Prentiss and his oppressive influence. While Tom and Viola both fight for the same ideals as the Answer, they cannot help but question the future that the Answer plans for Haven and its citizens. With the appearance of new enemies and a turbulent plot line, The Ask and the Answer will question everything that Viola and Tom have been fighting for. In a world where nothing is secret and morality and principles are a joke, Viola and Tom must single-handedly fight to save their world and destroy anyone that threatens its future.

Ness does many thing very well, but one thing that he definitely needs to work on are his conclusions. After I finish a book, I would like to move on with my life without breaking down and crying every five seconds because I have to wait a whole day to get its sequel, thank you. All I need is a little closure in life. Is that too much to ask? These endings are worse than the Hunger Games series. And that’s saying something.

I love the dynamic connection between Tom and Viola. I appreciate how honest their friendship is, and how much they care for one another. They provide a profound contrast against the horrible world that Ness has built around them. Despite all odds, their characters are strong and defiant.

This installment paves a very welcoming road to the third and final book of the Chaos Walking series. With a staggering number of wars to win and problems to solve that even the most capable of protagonists probably couldn’t even take on, I am excited to see how Ness ends his series. I am also hoping that this series actually does end, and I am not left with some mind-imploding cliff hanger. Fingers crossed! 

Monsters of Men

The Knife of Never Letting Go Review

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Title: The Knife of Never Letting Go

Author: Patrick Ness

Series: Chaos Walking #1

Publisher: Walker

Publication Date: May 5, 2008

Genre: Science Fiction; Futuristic; Dystopia; Fiction; Young Adult

Pages: 479

Format: Hardcover

goodreads

Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought? 

I used to wonder what it would be like to read minds. After reading this book, I’ve decided it wouldn’t be so great.

Todd is the last of the boys. He can read minds, just like everyone else in Prentisstown. Men, dogs, cows, everything. He has no say in what he hears, and he has no say in what other people hear. There are neither secrets nor privacy. Some men break under the constant pressure of the Noise, and some hide underneath alcohol and its effects. Some embrace the Noise, while others hone it like a weapon that needs to be finely sharpened. The Mayor is one of the people that believe the Noise is a gift that is yet to be used to its full potential. He believes the Noise enables the mind to be a vehicle of power and control. When Todd escapes the oppressive Mayor and his town, he runs into a girl and is shocked to discover he hears nothing. The girl has no Noise. The shocking discovery is the start of many more findings that will not only change Prentisstown, but Todd’s entire world as he knows it.

After reading his novel, A Monster Calls (review here), Patrick Ness became one of my idols. I absolutely adored his book, and I immediately wanted to read every book that he had ever written. When I learned about the existence of this series, it soon became number one on my to-read list.

This book is not only a narrative of this unusual story. It is the embodiment of the voice of a boy who struggles to understand not only his own thoughts but everyone else’s thoughts as well. While the Noise is a seriously awful thing, whenever I read about it, I can’t help but think about How the Grinch Stole Christmas. How does it go?

“And then! Oh, the noise! Oh the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise! That’s one thing he hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!”

Although I think the Grinch was talking about a different kind of Noise, and the Whos are infinitely happier than the citizens of Prentisstown, I still think that the message is the same. Noise = Bad.  

Ness creates a captivating story by using both the words themselves and how the words look on the page to tell his story. He uses different fonts, carefully placed punctuation, and even the white space on a page to create both art and a story. It is intriguing and mysterious and very hard to look away from.

Fair warning: You have to be a very strong person to resist the sequel. If you pick up the first book, in all likelihood, you’ll end up with reading the whole series, one after another.

Patrick Ness, once again, deserves five stars for his ingenuity, creativity, and expert skill at language. Reading more of his work is at the top of my list. 

The Ask and the Answer

A Monster Calls Review

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Title: A Monster Calls

Author: Patrick Ness

Story By: Siobhan Dowd

Illustrations By: Jim Kay

Series: None

Publisher: Walker Books

Publication Date: September 27, 2011

Genre: Supernatural; Contemporary; Young Adult

Pages: 215

Format: Hardcover

goodreads

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.

But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming...

This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.

It wants the truth.

“Your mind will believe comforting lies while also knowing the painful truths that make those lies necessary. And your mind will punish you for believing both.” 

Words to describe this book: Powerful; Haunting; Inspiring.

Phenomenal.

Inspired from an idea by Siobhan Dowd, Patrick Ness wrote A Monster Calls when Dowd died prematurely from cancer. Dowd was a Human Rights Campaigner for twenty years and wrote A Swift Pure Cry in 2006. Ness was previously known for his Chaos Walking trilogy.

Ness weaves a beautiful tale about death and life, truth and lies, and love and fear. Conor is haunted by a nightmare with a fearsome monster. When another monster comes walking, it is looking for the one thing Conor is sure never to give: the truth. This wonderfully woven tale about the effect of death on the living teaches us about how important our truths are. Laced with inspiring thoughts, memorable quotes, and extraordinary illustrations, this book is one worth reading over and over and over again.

“Stories are wild creatures, the monster said. When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?” 

I almost didn’t read this book. I am so glad that I did. While sadness and devastation are intermittently woven in the story, there is also hope and truth and love. As Conor was forced to confront his mysterious demons, I was enthralled cover to cover. The illustrations by Jim Kay were amazing and wondrous.  A Monster Calls is the type of book that will continue to haunt me three books from now.

It is hard to put a book as powerful as this one into words. So I’ll just say this: if you don’t read another book this year, read this one. You won’t be disappointed.

“You do not write your life with words...You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.”