A peek inside a book maniac’s brain: which comes first, watching a movie or reading a book?

I am not fond of watching movies, primarily because they cost much. Well, books cost higher- but at least you have to keep them in your shelf. Unlike the movies that after an hour or two, you need to get out of the cinema.

Yet, what pulls me to cinemas most of the time are book adaptations. Most of the time, I’d get out of the cinema frustrated, but then there are time that I’d be awed by the effects and forgot that the screen play totally deviated out of the story line.

Sometimes, I would be faced with two options: would I watch the movie first? Or read the book?

If I read a book first

• Helps my already-over-active imagination, I get to choose whose face I wanted for the hero/heroine of the story
• I’m sure I’d get frustrated after watching the movie, so I better not and just wait for it to be released on DVD or HBO
• There would be no more suspense in watching the film, I get to know what will happen, and what’s suppose to happen that didn’t happen
• Reading a book will allow you to know the whole ‘real’ story, and not just the shortened and commercialized version of it.

If I watch a movie first

• Could already place ‘faces’ to the characters
• Cut me the suspense of ‘what-is-going-to-happen-after’
• It would spare me the expense of buying the book if I didn’t like the plot (?) or it would intrigue me to pick up the book and read it

Some of the books I read first before watching:

• All Harry Potter Movies except the Sorcerer’s Stone - the only HP movie I liked is the last one, I don't know if it is an emotional choice since it would be the last HP movie.
• He’s Just Not That Into You - this is one of my super favorite books, the movie is okay.
• Eat, Pray, Love
• One Day
• Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – and I would watch the new English Adaptation.
• Confessions of a Shopaholic
• The Da Vinci Code
• Twilight (well, just like the movie, it is not THAT GOOD)

Some of the movies I watched first before reading their book version:

• Time Traveler’s Wife
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
• Blind Side
• Lovely Bones
• My Sister’s Keeper
• Dear John – (Note to all Nicholas Sparks’ fans: READ RATHER THAN WATCH MOVIES)
• A Walk to Remember
• Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief
• I am Number Four

I’m not really biased, I already admitted I am a bookworm since then. If friends were to ask whether to read or watch a movie first, I would tell them to watch it first if they really have the plans of watching because reading the book would just make them feel bad after watching, right? They would feel cheated with their money because they really were not satisfied with the film. But if they’re not that decided yet, I would have them read it first.