There is nothing like a warm cup of hot chocolate and a good book, just like there is nothing like a bucket of popcorn drowned in melted butter and a riveting film. 

Although most people enjoy movies much more than books nowadays, those who love books find delight in seeing their favorite characters come to life on the big screen. That is, if the movie is accurate.

Let’s face it, movie adaptations of novels tend to suck. I have seen few and far between that I could applaud and even then, the book is probably still my favorite, but that is besides the point. 

Since I do not want to get irritated at the fact that the movie didn’t live up to my high expectations, I employ my ultimate strategy to maximize entertainment; always watch the movie before reading the book.

Stay with me, this has logic and reasoning to it, I promise. 

Watching movie adaptations can be fun when you have obsessed over and studied every last bit of the book that your brain is practically a research lab for the story, but the disappointments aren’t. I would much rather watch the movie with no expectations for it (because I never watch trailers) and then be ecstatic reading the book which is, nine times out of ten, better.

I mean, why set yourself up for disappointment?  Plus, when you watch the film beforehand and free of pre-existing notions of what it ought to be, you might actually enjoy it. This is why this method maximizes enjoyment, the sucky movie can still be salvaged!

With this strategy, you can enjoy both the movie and the book, ultimately winning at life! Well… not life exactly, but you get the point. It feels great in the end. Also, you can have fun roasting the movie as you read the book and realize how much of an improvement it is from that hackneyed version in the film.

So, the next time you pick up a popular read, think about it. Consider the heartache you could be saving yourself from, and watch the movie first.