There is something about seeing a book you have devoured from front to back being transformed into a motion picture that incites the excitement akin to seeing your favourite artists perform live. The anticipation of whether it will live up to the real thing, the thrill of seeing the artist in the flesh, the satisfaction when your imagination begins to slowly merge with reality before your eyes. And it would appear this concept is far from lost on modern-day movie makers, with more and more adaptations being announced by the second — from toe-curling horrors by Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk to Daisy Edgar-Jones’ upcoming murder mystery, Where The Crawdad’s Sing. And, with the trailer for Sally Rooney’s best-selling novel Conversation With Friends taking audiences by storm today, it would appear the novel-to-movie trend is only gaining momentum from here.

Though bookworms and movie fans alike have been promised a summer of non-stop blockbuster releases, we know we are not alone in hoping some more spellbinding books are picked up and translated into scripts. So to see the books we need to be made into a film, and for our dream cast list to take on their characters, head below now…

At the height of summer in 2019, British author Candice Carty-Williams blessed us with the vibrant and painfully relatable Queenie — a 25-year-old British-Jamaican woman, whom we first meet at the crux of a breakup with her white boyfriend, Tom. Throughout the novel, the unlucky-in-love journalist goes through a series of unfortunate events, exposing the harsh realities of a systemically racist society along the way. Given how effortlessly informing the novel is surrounding racial stereotyping, sexual fetishisation and the imbalanced power dynamics of genders within the workplace, we cannot quite believe the story has gone three years without being picked up for a feature.

Nonetheless, should that day hopefully come, I can think of no one better to step into Queenie’s shoes than Lashana Lynch. Having already made a sizeable impact as 007 in James Bond: No Time To Die, Lashana is no stranger to taking on roles that are bound to set off ripples of loaded controversy. Given her facile wit, undeniable charm and unapologetic presence, she embodies the spirit of Queenie ten-fold.

Though elements of the supernatural are not always to every reader’s personal taste – myself included – it would be a severe disservice to yourself to forego reading V.E. Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. A poignant reflection of what living a “free” life really entails, Addie finds herself in a dark deal with the devil — exchanging her mortality for a lifetime where none can remember her. From its harrowing plot to its sinister characters, the book would make for one hell of a series — something I have been manifesting since lapping up its very last page.

Given Addie’s innocent yet daring persona, Sadie Sink instantly became my first casting preference. Fearless yet trusting, the Stranger Things actor fits every one of the protagonist’s characteristics — right down to her distinctive freckles. As for the devil, whom Addie attributes the name Luc, it has to be Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi, whose ability to charm and captivate is just as strong as his knack for digging into a dark and sinister side.

A novel that has had the entire population of BookTok in a chokehold, It Ends With Us is a flawless depiction of the realities of domestic violence. In a skilful narrative, Colleen Hoover allows her readers to become just as involved with the charm and allure of Ryle as her leading character Lily Bloom is. But, when an old flame named Atlas resurfaces, we unknowingly descend into a story of toxic love, violence and victim-blaming.

No stranger to playing characters blinded by love, Sydney Sweeney in her portrayal of Euphoria’s Cassie instantly fits the criteria of the loveable yet frustrating Lily Bloom. And, alongside her must be a man who is picture-perfect on the surface with a hidden habit of losing it — something which Sebastian Stan had plenty of practice with in his latest effort, Fresh. Finally, to play Atlas, it must be someone who can be bold yet shy, attractive yet allusive… Enter, Paul Mescal.

And finally, a story that every woman who has suffered at the hands of online dating needs to see — Dolly Alderton’s Ghosts. Relatable, funny, and deliciously sarcastic, Ghosts follows the life of food critic and book-writer, Nina. Surrounded by married friends who are either getting mortgages or pregnant, Nina continues to brave the world of dating in her mid-thirties, seemingly hitting the jackpot with the charismatic Max. Yet, as implied by the novel’s title, their dating experience doesn’t quite live up to her rose-tinted dreams — offering us reassurance that we are not alone in our dating woes.

Quickly becoming one of the most adored and relatable actors of our generation, Daisy Edgar-Jones fits Nina to a T. Having played her fair share of characters that are unfortunate with dating, Daisy is the perfect choice to take on a character with Nina’s calibre. And, as season two of Bridgerton has gone to great lengths to prove, Jonathan Bailey makes for a great suitor — making it even more perfect yet cruel to cast him as her love interest, Max.