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What to Read While You Wait for Summer Movie Season
We’ve slogged through the winter and come out of it relatively intact, which can only mean one thing: summer blockbuster season is almost upon us! All the franchise movies and sequels and big-budget blow-em-ups you could want are coming soon to a theater near you. But I understand that doesn’t help you RIGHT NOW. How can you possibly wait any longer for the Avengers sequel, you ask? Not to worry: here’s what to read in the meantime, based on your most-anticipated movies of the summer.
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The movie: Avengers: Age of Ultron
Recommended read: I am Number Four, by Pittacus Lore
Superpowers? Check. Secret identities? Check. Aliens? Check, check. I Am Number Four follows an alien from a distant planet, come to Earth to escape an invasion with nine other aliens and their caretakers. The 10 have scattered across Earth, hiding out as ordinary teenagers and keeping those pesky supernatural abilities secret. But when Numbers One, Two, and Three end up dead, Number Four knows he’s next. Epic fight scenes + quick pacing + a classic good versus evil showdown = the superhero story of your dreams.
The movie: Pitch Perfect 2
Recommended read: The Disenchantments, by Nina LaCour
In a story of music and art and friendship, Colby and Bev must come to terms with growing up and growing apart while finding themselves. The duo have longstanding plan to traipse off to Europe for a year-long trip, but on the eve of their band’s tour, Bev tells Colby the Europe trip is off. Betrayal and tension abound, while Colby deals with his disappointment against a backdrop of sort-of epic bad music and on-the-road adventure.
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The movie: Tomorrowland
Recommended read: A Thousand Pieces of You, by Claudia Gray
If you’re looking for a science-heavy trek through alternate universes and space-time, A Thousand Pieces of You should hold you over till Tomorrowland hits theaters. After Marquerite Caine’s physicist father is murdered, she chases his killer (his handsome assistant, Paul) through other dimensions. When alternate versions of Paul begin entangling themselves with her, she begins to question his guilt, and discovers the real truth behind her father’s death might be more sinister.
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The movie: Fantastic Four
Recommended read: The Young Elites, by Marie Lu
The Young Elites includes all the fantasy, acquired superpowers, and drama of Fantastic Four, with the added bonus of being available right this second. After a blood fever devastates society, survivors known as the Young Elites develop powerful gifts, making them targets to a king who wants to destroy them and the secret Dagger society that wants to protect them. A story of survival, The Young Elites should satisfy your needs for morally questionable superheroes with a penchant for getting into trouble.
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The movie: Paper Towns
Recommended read: Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, by Holly Black (Editor) and Cecil Casellucci (Editor)
The obvious recommendation is Paper Towns, by John Green. But let’s be real, I assume you’ve already read that. So instead, you should take this opportunity to discover other, equally nerderiffic authors. Geektastic is a short story collection that hits all the right notes of friendship, coming of age, and embracing your inner geek. It features stories from Holly Black (The Darkest Part of the Forest), Garth Nix (Sabriel), Libba Bray (Beauty Queens), Sara Zarr (Roomies), and so many, many more. It even includes a John Green short story, so you can get your Green fix while you’re at it.
The movie: Pan
Recommended read: The Queen of Hearts, by Colleen Oakes
We’ve already rounded up a magnificent list of Peter Pan retellings for you to sink your teeth into while you wait for the latest Pan-inspired film. But if you’re looking for classic retellings more generally, the Queen of Hearts Saga is bound to please. It follows the story of Dinah, Princess of Wonderland and heir to the throne, before she turns into the villain we all know today. While patiently awaiting the crown, Dinah is forced to learn some hard truths about her father’s plans after a bloody chain of events suggest there’s something seriously wrong with Wonderland.