Novelicious - The Female Fiction and Chick Lit Blog

The Hunger Games Movie Tie-In Book Edition Cover Revealed

By Amanda Keats

Movie tie-in editions normally have the film's stars on the front of the book - especially when it comes to young adult hits like the Twilight Saga - to draw film fans into reading the book.

It's fascinating then to see that the new movie tie-in edition of The Hunger Games, released by Scholastic books, has no faces on it at all. Instead, the focus is of the mockingjay pin - which fans of the book will know symbolises an awful lot in the story. Though Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth are perhaps not yet as massive as the likes of the Twilight trio, I doubt their faces will be left off the movie tie-in edition for book 2 Catching Fire. This film is sure to make stars of them all.

Either way, I think the book looks gorgeous!

What do you think?

If you are keen to read the book before the film is released 23rd March, The Hunger Games is available to order at Amazon now.

Literary Adaptations to Look Forward To in 2012

BY AMANDA KEATS

In 2011 the cinema audiences saw the release of many book to film adaptations including Jane Eyre, One Day, I Don't Know How She Does It and We Need to Talk About Kevin. And the adaptation phenomenon doesn't look to be slowing down any time soon. 2012 has a great mixture of adaptations to look forward to, from fairytales to horror, from classics to modern hits.

 One of the most hotly anticipated adaptations is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The book is set in a dystopian future where teenager Katniss Everdeen from District 12 has volunteered in place of her 12-year old sister Prim to compete in the annual Hunger Games – a game which can have only one winner, after all the other 23 participants are dead. The book is one of the select few young adult books that has crossed over into the adult world with massive success and if the trailer is anything to go by looks to be a massive hit, with action and emotion to pull in the viewers.

The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss alongside Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson and Stanley Tucci.

The Hunger Games Trailer 

 

Nicholas Sparks fans will be delighted to hear that after the success of The Notebook and Dear John, another of his gorgeous and often slightly dark romantic books is going to be hitting the big screen this year. The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks sees Marine Logan Thibault go in search of the woman in a photo he believes has kept him alive while at war. It's a passionate love story about two people on a journey to find peace but with the brilliant Sparks twists and turns along the way.

The film stars Zac Efron as Logan Thibault alongside Taylor Schilling and Blythe Danner.

The Lucky One Trailer 

 

For those looking for something a little scarier, the popular Woman in Black by Susan Hill - which has already been adapted into a hit West End show – has now been made into a film, starring Daniel Radcliffe as Arthur Kipps. The story is about a young lawyer who goes to a house in the middle of nowhere to settle the estate but finds the place is haunted by its former inhabitant and she isn't ready for him to leave. The mere sight of THAT rocking chair in the trailer sends chills up my spine.

Woman in Black Trailer 

 

If you're looking for something a bit more light-hearted then fairytales are incredibly popular this year with not one but two fairytales being turned into not two but three films. Jack and the Beanstalk has become “Jack the Giant Killer” with Nicholas Hoult starring as Jack. The film also stars Ewan McGregor, Ian McShane and Bill Nighy.

If Jack isn't your cup of tea though, there are two adaptations of Snow White to choose from. Firstly, there is the more comedic look at the classic tale in Mirror Mirror: The Untold Adventures of Snow White which sees Julia Roberts as the evil Queen and Lily Collins as Snow White.

If you like your fairytales a little darker though then check out Snow White and the Huntsman which stars Charlize Theron as the Queen, Kristen Stewart as Snow White and Chris Hemsworth as the huntsman who doesn't just spare the life of Snow White but teaches her how to fight.

Jack the Giant Killer Trailer 

Mirror Mirror Trailer

Snow White and the Huntsman 

 The Hunger Games may be a newly popular franchise with great cinematic potential but there was one Young Adult book series in recent years that claimed the hearts of millions of lovestruck teens the world over. 2012 will bring The Twilight Saga, written by Stephenie Meyer, to a close with The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part Two at the end of the year. Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and co return to finally face down the Volturi and start the most modern of modern family lives.

 
Other adaptations in 2012 include The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy which stars Keira Knightley and Jude Law and the prequel to The Lord of the Rings - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, written originally by JRR Tolkien and starring Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins.

My Favourite Scene by Cesca Martin Aged 29 1/2

I was reminded the other day of my favourite scene in a book.   A Jane Austen classic, ‘Sense and Sensibility’ is full of wonderful characters and – extra bonus – they come in the form of girls!  Edward and Colonel Brandon are both very noble and nice, ya dee ya dah, but the focus is on the girls and you are always gunning for the understated Elinor (or “Sense”).  The scene I am of course thinking of is the scene when Elinor discovers Edward has not married another woman. “Elinor could sit it no longer. She almost ran out of the room, and as soon as the door was closed, burst into tears of joy, which at first she thought would never cease.” The scene is so powerful because Elinor has been so reserved, so proper.  She has kept her emotions firmly to herself throughout the book but the reader is well aware of the passion raging.  This relief, this outburst, allows us all to relish her joy on hearing Edward  is free. This scene was made famous by Emma Thompson who managed to convey all the emotion perfectly on the big screen.  The scene will have any grown woman snorting through her nose with tears and general ugliness.  If you don’t cry you surely have an impenetrable heart of stone?  It is the only explanation.

Another scene that stuck with me was in a recent book I’ve read ‘The Novel in the Viola’.  Here the main character, an Austrian working as an English housemaid in the Second World War, is furiously raging at the ocean.  As she rants and shouts English swear words at the ocean, “COCKLES”, she is interrupted by the good-looking hero of the novel with the wonderful line, “Is this a private game?”

And another scene that has always stuck with me is the scene in ‘The Lovely Bones’ when Susie meets all the other victims of Mr Harvey.  So simple, so heart-breaking.

So what is it that makes a fantastic scene?  Do you have any favourites that have remained with you long after you’ve closed the book? 

Pics From The I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT Movie

This books seems to be a favourite with many of the authors we interview here on Novelicious. It's certainly a favourite of mine. Here is a website that has a gazillion pics from the set of the movie of the novel. Christina Hendricks is a goddess.

Thanks to Chick Lit Club for the heads up on this

Movie of THE UNDOMESTIC GODDESS by Sophie Kinsella Gets a Director

Let us forget about the frankly odd movie version of Shopaholic, and focus on this newer, more exciting news as Sophie Kinsella's fabulous 'The Undomestic Goddess' nabs itself a director.

 

MTV.COM says...

"Andy Flickman will be directing the project. The director behind kid-friendly projects like "The Game Plan" and "Race to Witch Mountain" as well as the Amanda Bynes 2006 hit "She's The Man" just recently wrapped the Disney film "You Again," which stars Kristen Bell ,Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis and Kristen Chenowith.

His return to more adult flicks bodes well for the adaptation. "The Undomestic Goddess" tells the story of a 29-year-old lawyer, who makes a big mistake on the verge of accomplishing the Holy Grail of her law career and ends up working as a house-keeper in the London countryside as a way to escape her problems. When she finds out the slow country life isn't so bad — and she starts enjoying the attention of the estate's gardener — her city life catches up to her and the two worlds collide. The story clearly leans more towards romantic comedy than family-friendly filmmaking.

Aline Brosh McKenna, the mastermind behind the "The Devil Wears Prada" film adaptation, has written the script for the film. Spyglass is producing the project along with Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal's Tribeca Prods.

Jane told THR she felt Andy Fickman "had a great take on the material." She added, "Actors love him, we love him. What more could you ask for when casting a romantic comedy?" No word yet on when the casting process will start."

So... Who would you like to play the roles of Samantha,Nathaniel, et al??

For Samantha I'm thinking maybe Rachel McAdams (from The Time Traveler's Wife) or perhaps Gemma Arterton (from St Trinians). For Nathaniel I always imagined Dermot OLeary but he can barely present - let alone act- so I'm having a little trouble coming up with an idea for Nathaniel!

 I suppose it all depends on whether they're going to go with U.S or British actors...

What are your thoughts?

MORE ABOUT THE UNDOMESTIC GODDESS

  

  

New Bridget Jones Film!

 Bridget Jones's Diary is often noted as the first Chick Lit book, and the films were fantastic. So I was v. chuffed to find out that a new film is in the pipeline, based on further columns by Helen Fielding.

There are lots of rumours going around about the story line. Some of them I like (Bridget having a baby - scope for lots of comedy) and some I don't like so much (Bridget getting together with Daniel Cleaver - Noooo!)

Apparently it's still in the very early stages of planning, but Renee Zellweger will be reprising her role, and I for one cannot wait to see it!