2014 is a bumper year for some our best-loved books being adapted for the screen. These are the ones that we strongly suggest you read before they get the Hollywood treatment - for better or worse...
That Part Was True by Deborah McKinlay BBC FILMS, (makers of Philomena, Saving Mr Banks and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) has just announced that it has bought film rights for this literary success. Recently published in the US and due to publish in the UK next month, make sure you sit down with this poignant long distance love tale and choose the lead characters before they are chosen for you.
Wild by Cheryl Strayed One of the stand-out female authors of last year, this is an absolutely riveting tale of one woman's journey to overcome a broken marriage and who, in the process, finds herself. Cheryl embarks on the Pacific Coast Trail alone, having barely hiked a day in her life - a vast trail that runs between Mexico and Canada. Picking up this heavy role is Reese Witherspoon who bought the rights to star in and produce the film.
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
Considering Hornby's past successes (About a Boy, High Fidelity) it's no big surprise to see this on the silver screen. An enjoyable, quick read. Four strangers meet at the top of an unassuming tower block to end their lives... needless to say the end is just the beginning of this story as they enter each other's lives and grow to becomes a surrogate family to one another - and we're along for the ride.
Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier Currently being filmed as a mini-series for the BBC starring Jessica Brown Findlay (Cybil) of Downton Abbey fame. Noted as a mix of Jane Eyre and Wurthering Heights, Jamaica Inn takes you on a desperate trip to Cornwall where Mary Yellan attempts to find her Aunt Patience at the last request of her late mother. But she has more to cope with than expected and Patience is not at all the woman she remembers - watch for a dark twist to the plot as Mary desperately attempts to resurrect the woman she once knew.
The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan Working Title and Focus Features have just scooped up the rights to this stunning historical novel and have Anne Hathaway lined up to star and produce the film. An ocean liner headed for New York city explodes and Grace escapes death by boarding a lifeboat with many other survivors - but there isn't room for everyone and some must go so the others can live. This is a three-week journey that examines the depths people will go to survive.
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn From the writer of Gone Girl, this story holds you captive from the very first page as it examines the life of Libby Day and the events that took the life of both her mother and two sisters. Look for Charlize Theron on the big screen in September 2014 and make sure you pick up a copy before it's too late.
The Fault in our Stars by John Green This is not a warm and fuzzy read but it certainly adds a little perspective. A tale of first love and how life doesn’t always work out the way we hoped. The film is out in the UK in June so grab a copy of this book beforehand as it’s a captivating read.
Here are 10 books you need to look out for in 2014... Erin Woodward is the founder of the Girly Book Club.
