Best Sellers as Barometers

There are several table displays in my local bookstore that I will consistently head for when I walk in: the trade paperbacks, the 2-for-3 tables and the themed tables that relate to my particular interests. I play a little game with myself, checking over the tables to see which books I already have and which ones are by authors I enjoy.

I do the same thing with best seller lists. I took a look at last week's Wall Street Journal fiction bestseller lists and found the following:

Number one was Sophie Kinsella's REMEMBER ME? As I mentioned previously, I picked this up the day it came out and I plan to read it soon. Some say Chick Lit as a genre is dead - I say it's evolved and only the fittest have survived, including Ms. Kinsella.

OUTLAW DEMON WAILS by Kim Harrison was number four. I am rereading the whole series before I read this one, much to the chagrin of those friends of mine who already devoured it and are desperate to talk about it. Currently on the third in the series and expect to get to this one in a few days.

The queens of romance favorites are next: #5 is J.D. Robb's STRANGERS IN DEATH, #6 Danielle Steel's HONOR THYSELF. Has there been a best seller list without one of these ladies on it?

The third installment of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, ECLIPSE, comes in at number 11. This is not a series I have read yet, but I have found the cover art to be very intriguing and it has been added to my wish list.

The rest of the fiction list has several other popular authors on it including Stephen King, James Patterson, Ken Follett, Robert B. Parker and Jack Higgins.

I love best seller lists. I get to see if the authors I enjoy are getting the success I think they deserve. And I get to see if there are books that somehow escaped my attention that I should give a second look to - like Ms. Meyer's.

Nicole

P.S. Stay tuned, as we will have guest bloggers over the next several weeks. Dianne Castell will be the first author, so come back Wednesday to see what she has to say.