With the Oscars around the corner on February 24, one can’t help but get excited for a night of Hollywood glamour. Without a host, this year’s Oscars are sure to be one to remember, no matter how it goes.

If you love film, then it stands to reason that you may love other forms of storytelling. These amazing films all remind us of the incredible stories behind some of our SparkPress titles—so if you loved the nominee, why not give the book a shot?

If you loved Roma, read The Restless Hungarian* by Tom Weidlinger

Both of these stories are about surviving hardship. In Roma, a family falls apart, a riot breaks out, and a child is stillborn. In The Restless Hungarian, Paul survives the Holocaust, only to lose his family to war, mental illness, and suicide. These tales show both the atrocities humans can inflict, but also the multitudes we contain.

If you loved The Favourite, read Peccadillo at the Palace* by Kari Bovée

A historical fiction story where a spunky young woman goes to London to see the Queen and ends up using her skills with a firearm. Not sure which we’re talking about? That’s because it’s true of both. In the sequel to last year’s Girl With a Gun, Annie Oakley is invited to Queen Victoria’s Jubilee celebration. But wherever Annie goes, mysterious deaths are sure to follow, and only she, along with a rag-tag team, can solve them.

If you loved Vice, read Mission Afghanistan by Elie Paul Cohen

Vice is the story of Dick Cheney, the man who served as Vice President under George W. Bush. He took over such responsibilities as foreign relations and military, changing the course of history, getting the US involved in conflicts in the Middle East. Mission Afghanistan is the story of a liaison emergency doctor in one of these conflicts.

If you loved Black Panther, read Resistant by Rachael Sparks

Like T’Challa, Rory ends up being a sort of “chosen one” due to circumstances outside her control. While T’Challa inherited superhero abilities, Rory was injected with a cocktail of experimental vaccinations, giving her resistance to the plague that has killed so many. A government agency has caught on that her blood may hold the key. She must escape and find a cure before they use her to control who lives and who dies.

If you loved A Star is Born, read The Frontman by Ron Bahar

If you love stories about music, the music business, and the culture surrounding musicians, it’s no surprise A Star is Born captured your attention. The Frontmanmay also be a great pick for you. Follow Ron Bahar as he pursues his dream of rock ‘n’ roll and subsequently becomes entangled in a world of sex and drugs. 

If you loved BlacKkKlansman, read Trouble the Water byJacqueline Friedland

These two stories take place during some of the most tumultuous times in African American history. BlacKkKlansman takes place when the KKK was running rampant, and is the story of two police officers who go undercover to take them down. Trouble the Water takes place during the Underground Railroad, and follows two citizens who help slaves escape up North.

If you loved Mary Poppins Returns, read the Wendy Darling series by Colleen Oakes

Both Mary Poppins and Peter Pan are classic stories with endless adaptation opportunities. While Mary Poppins Returns adapts the less-known sequel, the Wendy Darling series takes the original story, gives it a dark twist, and tells the story from a different perspective. The trilogy follows Wendy as she journeys to Neverland and finds her heart torn between not just two places, but two loves.

*Not out yet, but available for preorder now