Books into movies

From Page to Screen: Fall 2024

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Adaptations of your favorite books and spooky stories are hitting the streaming services this fall! Fall releases include new takes on beloved spooky stories such as Rosemary’s Baby and Salem’s Lot. Looking for more of a non-fiction feel? This fall’s adaptations will take you from life on Navajo land to the battlefield of World War II.

If you want to compare and contrast or just love a good spoiler, pick up the book to read before you start watching! Click on the book title to request a print copy of the book, or check out Libby or Hoopla for eBook or eAudiobook offerings.

Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin

Rosemary Woodhouse and her struggling actor husband Guy move into the Bramford, an old New York City apartment building with an ominous reputation and mostly elderly residents. Neighbors Roman and Minnie Castavet soon come nosing around to welcome the Woodhouses to the building, and despite Rosemary’s reservations about their eccentricity and the weird noises that she keeps hearing, her husband takes a special shine to them. Shortly after Guy lands a plum Broadway role, Rosemary becomes pregnant, and the Castavets start taking a special interest in her welfare. As the sickened Rosemary becomes increasingly isolated, she begins to suspect that the Castavets’ circle is not what it seems . . .

Streaming on Paramount +.

The Lives of Lee Miller by Antony Penrose

Starting in 1927 in New York, this volume chronicles Lee Miller as she is discovered as a model by Condé Nast, hits the cover of Vogue, and is immortalized by Edward Steichen, George Hoyningen-Huene, Horst P. Horst, and other acclaimed photographers. From there, readers follow Miller to Paris where she, along with Man Ray, invented the solarization technique of photography, and where she developed into a brilliant Surrealist photographer. Finally, this account covers the later chapters of her life, when she became a war correspondent during World WarII, traveling with the Allied armies to cover the siege of Saint-Malo and the liberation of Paris, which lead to her photographs of the Dachau concentration camp that shocked the world.

Coming to theaters.

Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation by Michael Powell

Deep in the heart of northern Arizona, in a small and isolated patch of the vast 17.5-million-acre Navajo reservation, sits Chinle High School. Here, basketball is passion, passed from grandparent to parent to child. Rez Ball is a sport for winters where dark and cold descend fast and there is little else to do but roam mesa tops, work, and wonder what the future holds. The town has 4,500 residents and the high school arena seats 7,000. Fans drive thirty, fifty, even eighty miles to see the fast-paced and highly competitive matchups that are more than just games to players and fans.

Streaming on Netflix.

Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

When two young boys venture into the woods, and only one returns alive, Mears begins to realize that something sinister is at work. In fact, his hometown is under siege from forces of darkness far beyond his imagination. And only he, with a small group of allies, can hope to contain the evil that is growing within the borders of this small New England town.

Streaming on Max.

Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Years before Dorothy and her dog crash-land, another little girl makes her presence known in Oz. This girl, Elphaba, is born with emerald-green skin–no easy burden in a land as mean and poor as Oz, where superstition and magic are not strong enough to explain or overcome the natural disasters of flood and famine. Still, Elphaba is smart, and by the time she enters Shiz University, she becomes a member of a charmed circle of Oz’s most promising young citizens.

Coming to theaters.

The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth

The Jackal. A tall, blond Englishman with opaque, gray eyes. A killer at the top of his profession. A man unknown to any secret service in the world. An assassin with a contract to kill the world’s most heavily guarded man. One man with a rifle who can change the course of history. One man whose mission is so secretive not even his employers know his name. And as the minutes count down to the final act of execution, it seems that there is no power on earth that can stop the Jackal.

Coming to Peacock.

-Happy reading!

Melinda

From Page to Screen: Spring 2024

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This spring’s book to film adaptations are hitting the streaming services all season long! These limited run series take your favorite blockbuster books and turn them into six or seven episode arcs, building out the world of beloved characters from Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley to Liane Moriarty’s family of tennis pros.

If you want to compare and contrast or just love a good spoiler, pick up the book to read before you start watching! Click on the book title to request a print copy of the book, or check out Libby or Hoopla for eBook or eAudiobook offerings.

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

If your mother was missing, would you tell the police? Even if the most obvious suspect was your father?This is the dilemma facing the four grown Delaney siblings. The Delaneys are fixtures in their community. The parents, Stan and Joy, are the envy of all of their friends. They’re killers on the tennis court, and off it their chemistry is palpable. But after fifty years of marriage, they’ve finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. So why are Stan and Joy so miserable?

Streaming on Peacock.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

“Are you happy with your life?” Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the kidnapper knocks him unconscious. Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. Before a man he’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.” In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college professor but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Coming to AppleTV+ on May 8.

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter

It is the spring of 1939 and three generations of the Kurc family are doing their best to live normal lives, even as the shadow of war grows closer. The talk around the family Seder table is of new babies and budding romance, not of the increasing hardships threatening Jews in their hometown of Radom, Poland. But soon the horrors overtaking Europe will become inescapable and the Kurcs will be flung to the far corners of the world, each desperately trying to navigate his or her own path to safety.

Streaming on Hulu.

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

The Sympathizer is a sweeping epic of love and betrayal. The narrator, a communist double agent, is a “man of two minds,” a half-French, half-Vietnamese army captain who arranges to come to America after the Fall of Saigon, and while building a new life with other Vietnamese refugees in Los Angeles is secretly reporting back to his communist superiors in Vietnam. 

Streaming on Max.

Under the Bridge by Rebecca Godfrey

In this “tour de force of crime reportage”, acclaimed author Rebecca Godfrey takes us into the hidden world of the seven teenage girls–and boy–accused of a savage murder. As she follows the investigation and trials, Godfrey reveals the startling truth about the unlikely killers. 

Streaming on Hulu.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

In April 1942, Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, is forcibly transported to the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. When his captors discover that he speaks several languages, he is put to work as a Tätowierer (the German word for tattooist), tasked with permanently marking his fellow prisoners. Imprisoned for over two and a half years, Lale witnesses horrific atrocities and barbarism–but also incredible acts of bravery and compassion. 

Coming to Peacock on May 2.

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

Newly arrived in the heady world of Manhattan, Ripley meets a wealthy industrialist who hires him to bring his playboy son, Dickie Greenleaf, back from gallivanting in Italy. Soon Ripley’s fascination with Dickie’s debonair lifestyle turns obsessive as he finds himself enraged by Dickie’s ambivalent affections for Marge, a charming American dilettante, and Ripley begins a deadly game.

Streaming on Netflix.

-Happy reading!

Melinda

From Page to Screen: Award Season

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Photo by Engin Akyurt: https://www.pexels.com/photo/standing-man-figurine-2098604/

And the Oscar goes too…the books behind the movies. Award season kicked off with the Golden Globes on January 7, with book to film adaptations well represented among the nominees and winners! The Oscars take place on March 10, so there’s plenty of time to pick up a book before the awards ceremony. Here’s what books are buzzing this awards season.

Oppenheimer, nominated for thirteen Academy Awards and based on

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

J. Robert Oppenheimer is one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, a physicist who led the effort to build the atomic bomb for his country in a time of war, and who later found himself confronting the moral consequences of scientific progress.

Request the book here.

Killers of the Flower Moon, nominated for ten Academy Awards and based on

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

Presents a true account of the early twentieth-century murders of dozens of wealthy Osage and law-enforcement officials, citing the contributions and missteps of a fledgling FBI that eventually uncovered one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history. 

Request the book here.

Poor Things, nominated for eleven Academy Awards and based on

Poor Things by Alasdair Gray

Supposedly the product of the fiendish scientist Godwin Baxter, Bella was resurrected for the sole purpose of fulfilling the whims of her benefactor.

Request the book here.

American Fiction, nominated for five Academy Awards and based on 

Erasure by Percival Everett

Thelonius “Monk” Ellison is an erudite, accomplished but seldom-read author who insists on writing obscure literary papers rather than the so-called “ghetto prose” that would make him a commercial success.

Request the book here.

Nyad, nominated for two Academy Awards and based on

Find a Way: The Inspiring Story of One Woman’s Pursuit of a Lifelong Dream by Diana Nyad

On September 2, 2013, at the age of 64, Diana Nyad emerged onto the shores of Key West after completing a 110 mile, 53 hour, record-breaking swim through shark-infested waters from Cuba to Florida

Request the book here.

The Color Purple, nominated for an Academy Award and based on

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance, and silence.

Request the book here.

The Zone of Interest, nominated for five Academy Awards and based on

The Zone of Interest by Martin Amis

A fictionalized look at the Holocaust told from the human perspective of four different characters: Paul Doll, commandant of a concentration camp; his wife, Hannah Doll, who is far more aware of what is going on around her than her husband realizes; Angelus ‘Golo’ Thomsen, the privileged nephew of Hitler’s personal secretary who falls for Hannah; and Szmul, a Jewish prisoner who works at the camp and witnesses all of the atrocities that happen around him.  

Request the book here.

Enjoy these blockbuster reads!

-Melinda

From Page to Screen: Winter 2024

MelindaLeave a comment

2024 is sure to bring another round of book to film adaptations, and we’re kicking off the year with a few flicks guaranteed to be blockbusters. Some of the films were set to open in Fall 2023 but were delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Whether you’re a member of “The Book Was Better” club or enjoy the film version, there is something for everyone. If you want to compare and contrast or just love a good spoiler, pick up the book to read before you start watching!

January

Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben

Former special ops pilot Maya, home from the war, sees an unthinkable image captured by her nanny cam while she is at work: her two-year-old daughter playing with Maya’s husband, Joe, To find the answer, Maya must finally come to terms with deep secrets and deceit in her own past before she can face the unbelievable truth about her husband, and herself.  

Coming to Netflix on January 1.

The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee

Three very different American women livie in the same small expat community in Hong Kong. Mercy, a young Korean American and recent Columbia graduate, is adrift, undone by a terrible incident in her recent past. Hilary, a wealthy housewife, is haunted by her struggle to have a child, something she believes could save her foundering marriage. Meanwhile, Margaret, once a happily married mother of three, questions her maternal identity in the wake of a shattering loss. Their lives collide in ways that have irreversible consequences for them all.  

Coming to Amazon Prime on January 26.

February

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most. Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true. Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head.

Coming to theaters on February 9.

March

Dune by Frank Herbert

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of Paul Atreides–who would become known as Muad’Dib–and of a great family’s ambition to bring to fruition mankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.

Dune Part Two is coming to theaters on March 1.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

Dying isn’t any fun…but at least it’s a living. Mickey7 is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous-even suicidal-the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact.

Coming to theaters on March 29.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

From Page to Screen: Fall Releases

MelindaLeave a comment

Although the first day of fall isn’t until September 23, streaming services and theaters are beginning to roll out their fall releases. This season you’ll find the best-selling, buzzworthy book Lessons in Chemistry, the continuation of the epic Hunger Games series, and Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See hitting the silver screen. Whether you’re a member of “The Book Was Better” club or enjoy the film version, there is something for everyone. If you want to compare and contrast or just love a good spoiler, pick up the book to read before you start watching!

September

The Changeling by Victor Lavalle

When Apollo Kagwa’s father disappeared, he left his son a box of books and strange recurring dreams. Now Apollo is a father himself–and as he and his wife, Emma, settle into their new lives as parents, exhaustion and anxiety start to take their toll. Apollo’s old dreams return and Emma begins acting odd. At first Emma seems to be exhibiting signs of postpartum depression. But before Apollo can do anything to help, Emma commits a horrific act and vanishes.

Coming to Apple TV+ on September 8.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and microaggressions, she’s thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, and Nella is left in the dust.

Coming to Hulu on September 13.

October

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with–of all things–her mind. True chemistry results. 

Coming to Apple TV+ on October 13.

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe. Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. As the death toll rose, the newly created FBI took up the case, and the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. 

Coming to theaters on October 20.

November

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

 It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute. 

Coming to theaters on November 17.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris, and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

Coming to Netflix November 2.

December

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

Amanda and Clay head out to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a vacation: a quiet reprieve from life in New York City, quality time with their teenage son and daughter, and a taste of the good life in the luxurious home they’ve rented for the week. But a late-night knock on the door breaks the spell. Ruth and G. H. are an older couple–it’s their house, and they’ve arrived in a panic. They bring the news that a sudden blackout has swept the city. But in this rural area–with the TV and internet now down, and no cell phone service–it’s hard to know what to believe.

Coming to Netflix on December 8.

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

It was an unlikely quest from the start. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew team was never expected to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by defeating the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler.

Coming to theaters on December 25.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Honoring Cormac McCarthy

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Cormac McCarthy passed away on June 13, 2023, at 89 years old. He is known for changing the landscape of American literature, eschewing conventional usage of punctuation, and having a generally bleak outlook on American life. He won numerous awards for his works, including the Pulitzer Prize for his novel, The Road; the National Book Award for All the Pretty Horses; and the film adaptation of his novel No Country for Old Men won four Academy Awards. McCarthy wrote twelve novels, multiple short stories, a few screenplays (some never published), and a couple plays.  

Maybe you haven’t read any of McCarthy’s work, maybe you’re interested in one of his works you haven’t read, or you’re ready to watch a film adaptation; whichever you choose, we’ve got the materials to help you honor him. 

The Orchard Keeper 1965 

“A young boy, an old man, and the outlaw who has unknowingly killed the boy’s father, all try to resist the changes brought about during the period between the wars.” 

Blood Meridian 1985 

“Based on incidents that took place in the southwestern United States and Mexico around 1850, this novel chronicles the crimes of a band of desperados, with a particular focus on one, “the kid,” a boy of fourteen.” 

All the Pretty Horses 1992 

“Cut off from the life of ranching he has come to love by his grandfather’s death, John Grady Cole flees to Mexico, where he and his two companions embark on a rugged and cruelly idyllic adventure.” 

No Country for Old Men 2005 

“Stumbling upon a bloody massacre, a cache of heroin, and more than $2 million in cash during a hunting trip, Llewelyn Moss removes the money, a decision that draws him and his young wife into the middle of a violent confrontation.” 

No Country for Old Men 

This film adaptation was released in 2007, directed by the Coen Brothers. It stars Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem, who won the Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won four. 

The Road 2006 

“Apocalypse grips the earth; wildlife has disappeared; and starvation prevails. Amidst this bleak backdrop, a man and his young son slowly make their way toward the coast. Avoiding roves of marauding cannibals and fighting off starvation, they gain hope and stamina in knowing they are some of the remaining few virtuous people.” 

The Road 

Viggo Mortensen, Robert Duvall, and Charlize Theron star in this 2009 film adaptation. While it wasn’t nominated for any Academy Awards, it did win a couple film critics awards: Best Cinematography and Best Actor for Viggo Mortensen.  

The Passenger 2022 

“In 1980 Pass Christian, Mississippi, salvage diver Bobby Western, after a plane crash, discovers the pilot’s flight bag, the plane’s black box and the tenth passenger are missing, submerging him in a conspiracy beyond his understanding as he is shadowed in body and spirit by the past and present.” 

Stella Maris 2022 

“1972, Black River Falls, Wisconsin: Alicia Western, twenty years old, with forty thousand dollars in a plastic bag, admits herself to the hospital. A doctoral candidate in mathematics at the University of Chicago, Alicia has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and she does not want to talk about her brother, Bobby. Instead, she contemplates the nature of madness; she surveys the intersection of physics and philosophy; and she introduces her cohorts, her chimeras, the hallucinations that only she can see. Told entirely through the transcripts of Alicia’s psychiatric sessions, Stella Maris is a philosophical inquiry that questions our notions of God, truth, and existence.” 

-Linnea 

Bookish Oscar Nominations

MelindaLeave a comment

Photo by RODNAE Productions: https://www.pexels.com/photo/an-actor-holding-his-award-7005636/

And the Oscar goes too…the books behind the movies. It’s officially Oscar season! As we all know, books make great movies- and the Academy Awards agree. Several book-to-movie adaptations received Oscar nominations this year. The Oscars take place on March 12, so there’s plenty of time to pick up a book before the awards ceremony.

All Quiet on the Western Front

Based on All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. Request the book.

The testament of Paul Baumer, who enlists with his classmates in the German army of World War I, illuminates the savagery and futility of war.

Nominated for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, International Feature Film, Production Design, Visual Effects, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score, and Sound.

Women Talking

Based on Women Talking by Miriam Toews. Request the book.

After learning the men in the community have been drugging and attacking women, eight Mennonite women meet in secret to decide whether they should escape.

Nominated for Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay

Request the movie.

The Whale

Based on the play by Samuel D. Hunter. Request the play.

A six hundred pound recluse hides away in his apartment eating himself to death. 

Nominated for Lead Actor, Supporting Actress, and Makeup and Hairstyling.

Request the movie.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Based on the Black Panther comic series. Request the book.

The Black Panther is not just a super hero; as King T’Challa, he is also the monarch of the hidden African nation of Wakanda.

Nominated for Supporting Actress, Costume Design, Original Song, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Visual Effects.

Request the movie.

Blonde

Based on Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates. Request the book.

A fictional recreation of the life of Marilyn Monroe recounts the tale of her rise to stardom, as seen from Marilyn’s perspective.

Nominated for Lead Actress.

The Quiet Girl

Based on Foster by Claire Keegan. Request the book.

An Irish child taken by her father to live with relatives on a farm finds the love and affection she never knew before and begins to thrive.

Nominated for International Feature Film.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Based on Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico. Request the book.

The irrepressible Mrs. Harris finds adventures that take her from her humble London roots to the heights of glamour in Paris

Nominated for Costume Design.

Request the movie.

Other literary nods are included in animated and short film categories, including Guillermo del Toro’s Pinnochio, Puss in Boots, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, and My Year of Dicks (based on Notes to Boys).

Speaking of awards, stop by the library to enter our Oscar winners contest. Select your predictions for Oscar winners for a chance to win a movie theater gift card.

Enjoy these blockbuster reads!

-Melinda

From Page to Screen: Holiday Films

MelindaLeave a comment

It’s officially time to cozy up with a fluffy blanket and steaming mug to watch your favorite holiday movie. Whether you’re sipping cocoa, tea, or traditional wassail, chances are you have a favorite festive flick that you watch on a yearly basis. Are you a member of the Griswold family? Or do you like hanging out with Buddy the Elf? Perhaps you’d rather spend time with Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB gun.

Before you start your holiday movie marathon, experience one of your favorite holiday stories in a new way! Pick up one of the books that served as the inspiration behind the movies of the season.

In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd

In God We Trust disproves the adage “You can never go back.” Bending the ear of Flick, his childhood-buddy-turned-bartender, Shepherd recalls passionately his genuine Red Ryder BB gun, confesses adolescent failure in the arms of Junie Jo Prewitt, and relives a story of man against fish that not even Hemingway could rival. From pop art to the World’s Fair, Shepherd’s subjects speak with a universal irony and are deeply and unabashedly grounded in American Midwestern life, together rendering a wonderfully nostalgic impression of a more innocent era when life was good, fun was clean, and station wagons roamed the earth.

This book is the inspiration behind the movie A Christmas Story.

The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern

Unable at first to find a publisher for his evocative tale about a man named George Pratt who ponders suicide until he receives an opportunity to see what the world would be like without him, Stern ultimately published the story in a small pamphlet and sent it out as his 1943 Christmas card. One of those 200 cards found its way into the hands of Frank Capra, who shared it with Jimmy Stewart, and the film that resulted became the holiday tradition we cherish today.

This book is the inspiration behind the movie It’s A Wonderful Life.

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

Imagine a year without Christmas. No crowded malls, no corny office parties, no fruitcakes, no unwanted presents. That’s just what Luther and Nora Krank have in mind when they decide that, just this once, they’ll skip the holiday altogether. Theirs will be the only house on Hemlock Street without a rooftop Frosty, they won’t be hosting their annual Christmas Eve bash, they aren’t even going to have a tree. They won’t need one, because come December 25 they’re setting sail on a Caribbean cruise. But as this weary couple is about to discover, skipping Christmas brings enormous consequences–and isn’t half as easy as they’d imagined.

This book is the inspiration behind the movie Christmas with the Kranks.

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

Disillusioned journalist Tom Langdon must get from Washington to Los Angeles in time for Christmas. Forced to travel by train, he begins a journey of rude awakenings, thrilling adventures, and holiday magic. He has no idea that the locomotives pulling him across America will actually take him into the rugged terrain of his own heart, as he rediscovers people’s essential goodness and someone very special he believed he had lost.

This book is the inspiration behind the movie The Christmas Train.

A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid

When Todd McCray hears that a local animal shelter is seeking temporary homes for its dogs during the days leading to Christmas, he knows exactly what he wants for the holidays. His father objects, but Todd’s persistence quickly wins out. Soon the McCrays are the short-term foster family for a lovable pooch the young man names Christmas.

This book is the inspiration behind the movie A Dog Named Christmas.

Happy holidays!

-Melinda

From Page to Screen: Fall Releases

MelindaLeave a comment

The storylines of this season’s blockbusters may seem vaguely familiar. Hollywood is drawing inspiration from the book world once again with a slew of streaming shows and movies based on books. From war epics to vampires, fall into the plot of a great book before you see it on the big screen. Here are a few highlights from this season’s upcoming releases.

September

Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates

The legend of Marilyn Monroe–aka Norma Jeane Baker–comes provocatively alive in this powerful tale of Hollywood myth and heartbreaking reality. Marilyn Monroe lives–reborn to tell her untold history; her story of a star created to shine brightest in the Hollywood firmament before her fall to earth. Blonde is a dazzling fictional portrait of the intricate inner life of the idolized and desired movie star as only the inimitable Joyce Carol Oates could paint it.

Coming to Netflix on September 28.

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

Abby and Gretchen have been BFFs since fifth grade, when they bonded over a shared love of E.T., roller-skating parties, and scratch-and-sniff stickers. But when they arrive at high school, things change. Gretchen begins to act…different.

And as the strange coincidences and bizarre occurrences begin to pile up, Abby realizes there is only one possible explanation- Her best friend Gretchen, her favorite person in the world, has a demon living inside her. And Abby is not going to let anyone or anything come between her and her best friend.

Coming to Amazon Prime Video on September 30.

October

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

It is autumn 1981 when inconceivable horror comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenager is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at long last–revenge for the bullying he endures at school, day after day.

But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door–a girl who has never seen a Rubik’s Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night.

Coming to Showtime on October 7.

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

I am young, I am twenty years old; yet I know nothing of life but despair, death, fear, and fatuous superficiality cast over an abyss of sorrow. . . . This is the testament of Paul Bäumer, who enlists with his classmates in the German army during World War I.

Through years of vivid horror, Paul holds fast to a single vow: to fight against the principle of hate that meaninglessly pits young men of the same generation but different uniforms against one another . . .  if only he can come out of the war alive.

Coming to Netflix on October 28.

November

My Policeman by Bethan Roberts

It is in 1950’s Brighton that Marion first catches sight of Tom. He teaches her to swim, gently guiding her through the water in the shadow of the city’s famous pier and Marion is smitten–determined her love alone will be enough for them both.

A few years later near the Brighton Museum, Patrick meets Tom. Patrick is besotted, and opens Tom’s eyes to a glamorous, sophisticated new world of art, travel, and beauty. Tom is their policeman, and in this age it is safer for him to marry Marion and meet Patrick in secret. The two lovers must share him, until one of them breaks and three lives are destroyed.
 Coming to Amazon Prime Video on November 4.

She Said by Jodi Kantor & Megan Twohey

For many years, reporters had tried to get to the truth about Harvey Weinstein’s treatment of women. Rumors of wrongdoing had long circulated. But in 2017, when Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey began their investigation into the prominent Hollywood producer for the New York Times, his name was still synonymous with power.

During months of confidential interviews with top actresses, former Weinstein employees, and other sources, many disturbing and long-buried allegations were unearthed, and a web of onerous secret payouts and nondisclosure agreements was revealed.

Coming to theaters on November 18.

-Melinda

Hallmark Reads

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If the sight of snowflakes last weekend had you reaching for a mug of hot chocolate, a cozy blanket, and your favorite Christmas pajamas, this list is for you. Charming titles from Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, Jenny Hale, and more have inspired Hallmark Christmas movies for years. Whether you subscribe to the belief that the book is always better than the movie or you’re just looking for festive reads to celebrate the season, here are ten Hallmark reads to enjoy.

Let It Snow by Nancy Thayer: New movie alert! Let It Snow was published last year, and Hallmark’s movie version Nantucket Noel is premiering this month. Catch it on the Hallmark Channel on November 19, 20, and 24. Christina Antonioni is preparing for the holidays at her Nantucket toy shop, decorating and unpacking last-minute holiday shipments, when her landlord suddenly raises her rent. At first, Christina doubts whether she can continue business on the wharf, but after becoming close to her landlord’s granddaughter and son, she starts to believe it may be the best Christmas season yet.

The Christmas Contest by Scarlet Wilson: New movie alert! Published earlier this year, The Christmas Contest will make its movie debut on the Hallmark Channel on November 28. Ben Winters and Lara Cottridge are obsessed with Christmas. When the strangers hear that a Vermont radio station is hosting a Christmas contest with a $10,000 prize for the winner’s charity of choice, they quickly enter the competition and become finalists. Will battling it out in the stiff competition ruin the spirit of Christmas? Or will Ben and Lara realize they have more in common aside from a love of Christmas?  

Mrs. Miracle Christmas by Debbie Macomber: New movie alert! Mrs. Miracle Christmas, published in 2019, is the fourth book in Debbie Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle series. Catch the 2021 movie on the Hallmark Channel on November 20. Laurel McCullough could use some good news. She and her husband, Zach, have given up on having a baby after too many heart-wrenching experiences. Laurel’s grandmother, Helen, can no longer take care of herself and Laurel and Zach decide to move in to help her when plans for home healthcare fall through. Just as they’re about to lose faith, Mrs. Miracle arrives at their door and gives them the best Christmas gift.     

Sleigh Bell Sweethearts by Teri Wilson: Zoey Hathaway’s biggest dream is to become a pilot. When she inherits a struggling reindeer farm, complete with three dozen unruly reindeer and one dangerously attractive ranch hand named Alec, her carefully crafted plans seem to fly out the window. If Zoey wants to succeed, she’ll have to put her trust in Alec and accept his help, but it’s not just her farm that’s at stake; so is her heart. Sleigh Bell Sweethearts was published in 2013 and the Hallmark movie entitled Northern Lights of Christmas was released in 2018. You can catch the movie on the Hallmark Channel on November 24. 

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses by Jenny Hale: Single mother Abbey Fuller put her dreams of being an interior designer on hold to raise her son. When her son starts to get a little older, Abbey jumps at the chance to take a small job decorating Nick Sinclair’s mansion for Christmas. Nick has plenty of money for the project, but absolutely no holiday spirit. Can Abbey make her dream of being an interior designer come true? Can she help Nick finally enjoy some Christmas magic? Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses was published in 2018 and premiered as a Hallmark Christmas movie in 2019.

The Jingle Bell Bride by Scarlet Wilson: New York wedding planner Jessica Christie becomes stranded in a remote Alaskan town when she goes on a quest to find the rare Jingle Bell Flower for a celebrity bride. Jessica is desperate to return home in time for the wedding, but will her Christmas wish change after meeting local botanist Matt Holden? Jingle Bell Bride was published in 2017 and premiered as a Hallmark movie last year. The movie will air again this year on the Hallmark Channel on Friday, November 26.  

The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans: Kimberly Rossi’s life is a bit of a mess. Two failed engagements, a divorce, and numerous other heartbreaks have left her alone and with no prospects. Despite her many romantic hiccups, Kimberly dreams of becoming a published romance author and signs up for a romance writing workshop shortly before Christmas. Once at the retreat, Kimberly meets fellow writer Zeke who helps her step out of her comfort zone, both in her life and in her writing. This 2015 novel is the inspiration behind Hallmark’s 2017 movie.

Marry Me at Christmas by Susan Mallery: Bridal boutique owner Maddie Krug is excited to plan a Christmas wedding until she realizes that she’ll be working closely with the gorgeous brother of the bride, action movie star Johnny Blake. How can small-town girl Maddie keep from falling for him when wedding planning involves candlelit dinners, snowy strolls, and mistletoe around every corner? Marry Me at Christmas was published in 2016 and the Hallmark movie premiered the following year.      

The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts: Ambrose, a pesky orange cat, is in danger of losing his ninth and final life. He tells the universe he’ll do anything, absolutely anything, to survive and have a quiet, comfortable final life. True to his word, Ambrose plays matchmaker for the man who rescued him and a woman at the local animal shelter. The Nine Lives of Christmas was released as a book and Hallmark movie in 2014. You can catch the movie this month on the Hallmark Channel on November 25.  

Christmas Joy by Nancy Naigle: Market researcher Joy Holbrook is all work and no play when she gets an urgent call to return home to help her recovering aunt. Joy agrees to take a leave of absence from work and temporarily run her family’s farm, but she didn’t know she’d need to work with Ben Andrews, her former crush, in order to decorate for the annual Christmas Home Tour competition. Will the town’s festivities open Joy’s heart to love, home, and family? Christmas Joy was published in 2016, and the Hallmark movie was released in 2018.  

For a complete schedule of this year’s Hallmark Christmas movies, visit the Hallmark Channel. Be sure to visit the Library to discover more festive reads for the season.