Spring Reading List: 60 Books to Read Before They're Movies

By Shannon Vestal Robson

Updated on 6/14/2015 at 6:00 PM

Book adaptations are always in production in Hollywood (there are 40 coming out in 2015 alone), and we like to stay on top of the hot novels that are being added to the list. This season, there are lots of YA books destined for the big screen, along with sequels like Fifty Shades Darker, Insurgent, and Mockingjay, which will be at the movies soon. Check out our list of timely books to read before they're at your local theater!

The Circle by Dave Eggers

The Circle by Dave Eggers

  • What it's about: A young woman takes a job at a Google-like tech company, where she quickly climbs the corporate ladder.
  • Who's starring: Tom Hanks is attached to produce and star in the movie, with James Ponsoldt directing.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

  • What it's about: Two awkward high schoolers, Greg and Earl, befriend a terminally ill girl, Rachel.
  • Who's starring: Olivia Cooke is playing Rachel, with Thomas Mann as Greg and RJ Cyler as Earl. Connie Britton and Nick Offerman also star as Greg's parents.
  • Watch the trailer for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.
Z For Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien

Z For Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien

  • What it's about: This postapocalyptic tale follows the last woman on Earth as she encounters two of the last men.
  • Who's starring: Margot Robbie is starring opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine.
Fifty Shades Darker by E L James

Fifty Shades Darker by E L James

  • What it's about: In this Fifty Shades of Grey sequel, Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele's relationship deepens as he lets her in a little more.
  • Who's starring: Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson will reprise their roles as Christian and Ana.
Nerve by Jeanne Ryan

Nerve by Jeanne Ryan

  • What it's about: In this YA novel, a high-school senior gets caught up in a creepy online game of truth or dare.
  • Who's starring: Emma Roberts and Dave Franco will star.
The November Criminals by Sam Munson

The November Criminals by Sam Munson

  • What it's about: A misbehaving high-school senior investigates the death of his classmate.
  • Who's starring: Ansel Elgort and Chloë Grace Moretz will star. Catherine Keener also has a supporting role.
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

  • What it's about: A journalist examines extreme runners to figure out how the Tarahumara Indians were able to run for miles — and often barefoot — without injury.
  • Who's starring: Matthew McConaughey is set to star.
The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson

The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson

  • What it's about: The nonfiction book focuses on the diagnoses and behaviors of actual psychopaths.
  • Who's starring: Scarlett Johansson has signed on to star in the adaptation, which is being described as a psychological thriller.
Goat by Brad Land

Goat by Brad Land

  • What it's about: The memoir of a young man, Brad Land, who joined a fraternity at college in an already fragile emotional state, only to be hazed and tormented.
  • Who's starring: Ben Schnetzer will play Brad, with Nick Jonas as his brother.
The Queen of Katwe by Tim Crothers

The Queen of Katwe by Tim Crothers

  • What it's about: It's the true tale of Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan teen from poverty who becomes one of the world's best chess players.
  • Who's starring: David Oyelowo will star as the man who mentors Phiona, and Lupita Nyong'o will play her mother.
It's What I Do by Lynsey Addario

It's What I Do by Lynsey Addario

  • What it's about: War photographer Lynsey Addario recounts her exploits in wartime and battle-ridden places like Afghanistan.
  • Who's starring: Jennifer Lawrence will play Lynsey, and Steven Spielberg will direct.
The Lost City of Z by David Grann

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

  • What it's about: In this true tale, Grann tells the story of how British explorer Percy Fawcett got lost searching for an ancient, fabled civilization in the Amazon in 1925.
  • Who's starring: Charlie Hunnam will play Fawcett, and Robert Pattinson and Sienna Miller will costar in the film, which will be directed by James Gray.
Carrie Pilby by Caren Lissner

Carrie Pilby by Caren Lissner

  • What it's about: This coming-of-age YA novel follows prodigy Carrie, who has graduated from college early and doesn't know how to fit in.
  • Who's starring: Hailee Steinfeld will play Carrie.
The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud

The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud

  • What it's about: The dramedy follows three Brown University graduates in an examination of their lives after 9/11.
  • Who's starring: Jeff Bridges will play Thwaite, and Lake Bell will direct the adaptation.
The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin

The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin

  • What it's about: Two strangers on a charter plane crash in the wilderness and have to depend on each other to survive.
  • Who's starring: Charlie Hunnam and Rosamund Pike are starring opposite each other.
Looking For Alaska by John Green

Looking For Alaska by John Green

  • What it's about: A cerebral teen falls for a girl, the titular Alaska, in the first novel from The Fault in Our Stars author John Green.
  • Who's starring: There's no cast yet, but the screenplay will be adapted by the same team who did The Fault in Our Stars.
The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes

The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes

  • What it's about: It's the true story of Billy Milligan, the first defendant in the US law system to use multiple personality disorder as a defense.
  • Who's starring: Leonardo DiCaprio will produce and possibly star as Milligan in the adaptation, which will be titled The Crowded Room.
The Wrong Stuff by Bill Lee

The Wrong Stuff by Bill Lee

  • What it's about: It's the memoir of hot-headed Major League pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee.
  • Who's starring: Josh Duhamel is playing Lee, and Ernie Hudson will star as a fellow player.
The Taliban Shuffle by Kim Barker

The Taliban Shuffle by Kim Barker

  • What it's about: Journalist Kim Barker records her memoir of being a journalist in Afghanistan and Pakistan in the early 2000s.
  • Who's starring: Tina Fey will star in and produce the adaptation, titled Fun House. Margot Robbie and Nicholas Braun will costar.
High Rise by JG Ballard

High Rise by JG Ballard

  • What it's about: A luxury high-rise building becomes a center for violence and chaos.
  • Who's starring: Tom Hiddleston will star alongside Sienna Miller and Elisabeth Moss.
How to Be Single by Liz Tuccillo

How to Be Single by Liz Tuccillo

  • What it's about: Manhattanite Julie travels the world to study the dating habits of other women, and back in New York, her single friends navigate their love lives.
  • Who's starring: Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Dan Stevens, Leslie Mann, Lily Collins, and Alison Brie will star.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

  • What it's about: The relationship of two young Nigerians is tested by long distance and immigration issues when she moves to America.
  • Who's starring: Lupita Nyong'o will play the female lead opposite David Oyelowo, while Brad Pitt is producing.
The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith

The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith

  • What it's about: A young female department-store clerk becomes obsessed with another woman in the store in this 1950s drama.
  • Who's starring: In the renamed Carol, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara play the leads, with Carrie Brownstein in a supporting role.
Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

  • What it's about: A young girl from Ireland starts a new life in New York in the 1950s. She falls in love with an American but feels torn between him and her family back home.
  • Who's starring: Saoirse Ronan is playing the lead opposite The Place Beyond the Pines's Emory Cohen.
The Driftless Area by Tom Drury

The Driftless Area by Tom Drury

  • What it's about: Pierre, a young bartender, experiences ups and downs in rural Iowa before falling for a mysterious woman named Stella.
  • Who's starring: Zooey Deschanel is playing Stella, and Anton Yelchin will play Pierre. Aubrey Plaza also has a role.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

  • What it's about: In the third Hunger Games book, Katniss fights against the corrupt Capitol from within District 13.
  • Who's starring: Jennifer Lawrence and other franchise cast members will reprise their roles in the adaptation, the second half of which is coming in November. See the whole cast here.
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

  • What it's about: In this 1996 true story, a group of climbers embark on a journey to the top of the tallest mountain, and not all of them survive.
  • Who's starring: In the film adaptation titled Everest, Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, John Hawkes, and Sam Worthington star as the hikers.
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

  • What it's about: Leo Demidov, a former policeman, gets tangled up in tracking a cruel killer of women and children in Soviet-era Russia, which is based on a true story.
  • Who's starring: Tom Hardy is playing Demidov, Noomi Rapace plays his wife, and Gary Oldman also stars.
  • Watch the trailer for Child 44.
True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa by Michael Finkel

True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa by Michael Finkel

  • What it's about: Based on a true story, a former New York Times writer recounts his bizarre downfall. As he is about to be fired for fabricating details on a big story, Finkel learns that an arrested mass murderer named Christian Longo posed as Finkel while he was on the run.
  • Who's starring: Jonah Hill and James Franco are starring in True Story.
  • Watch the trailer for True Story.
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

  • What it's about: A young boy deals with bullying and his mother's illness by inventing a fantasy world filled with monsters and other creatures.
  • Who's starring: Felicity Jones will play Mum, with Liam Neeson and Sigourney Weaver costarring.
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

  • What it's about: Spanning decades, the book kicks off in 1962 on the Italian coast, following the ups and downs of a love affair that ends in Hollywood years later.
  • Who's starring: Imogen Poots will play Dee Moray, and Todd Field will direct the film adaptation.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

  • What it's about: After her mom, Bernadette, disappears, 15-year-old Bee dives into emails, documents, and secret correspondences to find her.
  • Who's starring: Richard Linklater is set to direct the film, and though there's no cast yet, we have a few ideas. Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber — the writers behind (500) Days of Summer — are set to write the screenplay.
The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson

The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson

  • What it's about: Two siblings from a family of performance artists have to learn to live in the real world.
  • Who's starring: Jason Bateman and Nicole Kidman are playing the siblings, with Bateman directing.
The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

  • What it's about: Two young soldiers are taken under the wing of an experienced sergeant in Iraq.
  • Who's starring: Benedict Cumberbatch is playing the sergeant, with Tye Sheridan and Will Poulter as the soldiers.
The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero by William Kalush and Larry Sloman

The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero by William Kalush and Larry Sloman

  • What it's about: The biography of the iconic magician explores his life and career.
  • Who's starring: Johnny Depp will play Houdini.
American Pastoral by Philip Roth

American Pastoral by Philip Roth

  • What it's about: The life of Seymour "Swede" Levov is chronicled beginning in 1960s New Jersey and following him for decades.
  • Who's starring: Ewan McGregor will direct the film and play Seymour.
The Secret in Their Eyes by Eduardo Sacheri

The Secret in Their Eyes by Eduardo Sacheri

  • What it's about: An MI-5 agent trying to solve a murder works for the FBI and uncovers a terrifying new truth.
  • Who's starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor will play the MI-5 agent opposite Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts.
Silence by Shusaku Endo

Silence by Shusaku Endo

  • What it's about: Set in 17th-century Japan, the book follows the story of Jesuits who are trying to bring Christianity into Japan.
  • Who's starring: Andrew Garfield is playing Father Rodrigues in the film, which is being directed by Martin Scorsese. Adam Driver also has a supporting role.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

  • What it's about: It's a twisted spin on Jane Austen's classic novel that puts heroine Elizabeth Bennet in the middle of protecting her family and town from the undead.
  • Who's starring: Lily James will play Elizabeth Bennet; see who else is starring.
Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

  • What it's about: In this YA novel, a teenager named Jacob explores the ruins of a strange house on an island near Wales.
  • Who's starring: Eva Green will play the title character, with Asa Butterfield, Kim Dickens, Allison Janney, and Samuel L. Jackson costarring. Tim Burton is directing.
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

  • What it's about: This thriller from the author of Gone Girl tells the story of Libby Day, whose mother and sisters were murdered at the family's farmhouse when she was only 7. Her testimony sent her older brother, Ben, to prison for life, and 25 years later, Libby decides to meet with the Kill Club, a group of crime enthusiasts who investigate the case and force her to rethink what really happened.
  • Who's starring: The Dark Places cast includes Charlize Theron — also a producer — as Libby Day, plus Nicholas Hoult, Christina Hendricks, and Chloë Grace Moretz.
  • Watch the trailer for Dark Places.
The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff

The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff

  • What it's about: The story of real-life artist Einar Wegener, who was one of the first people to have transgender surgery.
  • Who's starring: Eddie Redmayne will star opposite Alicia Vikander and Amber Heard, while Tom Hooper will direct.
Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

  • What it's about: In Roth's follow-up to Divergent, Tris and Four leave the crumbling Dauntless and seek help to get to the bottom of what's going on in their dystopian society.
  • Who's starring: Shailene Woodley is playing Tris, and Theo James is playing Tobias. See the whole Insurgent cast here.
  • Watch the trailer for Insurgent.
The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

  • What it's about: A confirmed bachelor falls for the girl next door in this 2007 novel from the romance master.
  • Who's starring: Benjamin Walker, Teresa Palmer, and Tom Welling will star.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

  • What it's about: Mary Shelley's classic story follows Victor Frankenstein as he discovers the secret of life and puts together a body using corpses. Horrified by the monster he's created, Frankenstein flees until the monster returns to him.
  • Who's starring: Daniel Radcliffe will play Igor, the hunchback assistant to Victor Frankenstein (James McAvoy), in this adaptation, titled Victor Frankenstein.
The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman

The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman

  • What it's about: A lighthouse keeper and his wife discover a baby and a dead body near their home off the coast of Australia after WWI.
  • Who's starring: Michael Fassbender will star alongside Alicia Vikander as his wife.
The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge by Michael Punke

The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge by Michael Punke

  • What it's about: After a 19th-century fur trapper gets mauled by a bear and then left for dead by thieves, he embarks on a journey for revenge.
  • Who's starring: Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy will costar in the adaptation, which is being directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu.
The Martian by Andy Weir

The Martian by Andy Weir

  • What it's about: Astronaut Mark Watney gets stranded on Mars and must survive alone while NASA tries to rescue him in this sci-fi novel.
  • Who's starring: Matt Damon will play Mark Watney, while Jessica Chastain and Kristen Wiig will costar. Ridley Scott is directing.
Black Mass by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill

Black Mass by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill

  • What it's about: The true-crime novel follows the infamous mobster Whitey Bulger, the head of the Irish mob in the '70s, and his relationship with childhood friend John Connolly, who grew up to work for the FBI.
  • Who's starring: Johnny Depp will play Bulger, with Joel Edgerton as Connolly. Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, and Juno Temple are also in the supporting cast.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

  • What it's about: The second installment of the Maze Runner series continues as the Gladers and Thomas have escaped the maze but find themselves in their next test.
  • Who's starring: Dylan O'Brien will play Thomas again, along with much of the original cast; see who else is starring.
Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns by John Green

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

  • What it's about: In this love story, young Louisa forms a bond with Will, the paralyzed man she is employed to help.
  • Who's starring: Emilia Clarke is playing Louisa opposite Sam Claflin.
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

  • What it's about: A young woman named Bathsheba Everdene has to deal with the difficult, sometimes tragic consequences of being in relationships with three different suitors at the same time.
  • Who's starring: Carey Mulligan, Tom Sturridge, and Matthias Schoenaerts will star in the film adaptation.
  • Watch the trailer for Far From the Madding Crowd.
The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

  • What it's about: The love stories of two couples — an elderly one and a young one — are intertwined in a North Carolina setting.
  • Who's starring: Scott Eastwood and Britt Robertson are playing the younger couple.
  • Watch the trailer for The Longest Ride.
In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

  • What it's about: The book tells the story of the Essex, a ship that was sunk by a whale in 1819, leaving the crew at sea for more than 90 days.
  • Who's starring: Ron Howard is adapting the book for the big screen, and the film will star Chris Hemsworth as first mate Owen Chase, Cillian Murphy as second mate Matthew Joy, and Benjamin Walker as Captain Pollard.
  • Watch the trailer for In the Heart of the Sea.
Inferno by Dan Brown

Inferno by Dan Brown

  • What it's about: The Da Vinci Code series continues with Robert Langdon's latest adventure as he tries to stop another international scheme by following clues in Dante's The Divine Comedy.
  • Who's starring: Tom Hanks will reprise his role as Langdon, and Felicity Jones will costar as Sienna Brooks. Ben Foster will play the villain.
Room by Emma Donoghue

Room by Emma Donoghue

  • What it's about: A 5-year-old boy grows up in a small shed, which becomes the only world he knows because his mother hides the truth — they're being held captive.
  • Who's starring: Brie Larson is starring as Ma, the mother; see who else is starring.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

  • What it's about: 14-year-old Meg Murry's father goes missing after working on a government project, setting off Meg's fantastical journey through space and time.
  • Who's starring: Frozen's Jennifer Lee will direct the as-yet-uncast movie, which Disney will produce.
The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen

The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen

  • What it's about: This sci-fi thriller follows a young boy after he suffers a near-fatal fall on his ninth birthday.
  • Who's starring: Aaron Paul is playing Peter, and Jamie Dornan is playing Dr. Pascal.
Serena by Ron Rash

Serena by Ron Rash

  • What it's about: Newlyweds George and Serena move from Boston to North Carolina in 1929 to start a timber business. The pair is ruthless in building their empire, and when Serena finds out that she can't have children, she sets out to kill George's illegitimate son.
  • Who's starring: Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper team up again, now as George and Serena Pemberton.
  • Watch the trailer for Serena.