Book Trends 2016

Book Trends 2016

Based on the Amazon best sellers for 2015, it was definitely a year where kindle ebooks got a boost from Hollywood. Out of the top ten titles, four are books that were turned into movies or are in the process of being made into movies. So far, 2016 has also been an exciting year where new releases are concerned.

The Girl on the Train

Topping the list is The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. This debut novel from the journalist turned author wowed critics and readers with its tale of a woman named Rachel, who sees something shocking on her daily train commute. The book is compared by many to Gone Girl and is being turned into a psychological thriller film to be released late in 2016.

Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian

The number two spot belongs to Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian. The book is part of the Fifty Shades of Grey Series by author E. L. James and is a retelling of the erotic love story from the perspective of the male protagonist. The film adaptation of the original book was released in 2015 and starred Dakota Johnson, along with Jamie Dornan in the lead roles.

The Martian: A Novel

The Martian: A Novel by Andy Weir takes the number four spot despite being released back in 2011. Its renewed popularity is thanks to the science fiction film from director Ridley Scott based on the book and starring Matt Damon. The book offers a gripping tale of astronaut Mark Watney, who is left for dead on Mars by the rest of his crew. With dwindling supplies and no way to tell anyone he is still alive Mark must use science to overcome the challenges thrown at him. The film was showered with industry awards and nominations and prompted many fans to grab the book as well.

American Sniper

Taking its spot at number nine is American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. The book is based on the life of Chris Kyle, a U.S. Navy Seal, and was turned into a blockbuster movie by Clint Eastwood. The film was a major success and received six nominations at the 87th Academy Awards. It was also the highest-grossing film of 2014 in the US, which no doubt renewed interest in the book.

Big Little Lies

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, which is at number eight on the Amazon Best Sellers of 2015 list won't be heading to the big screen, but it is being turned into a major HBO series with Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman in the starring roles. The book examines the lives of three women, all of them very different, but with children attending the same preschool. With plenty of secrets, conflicts and betrayals it is no wonder that readers were not able to put this book down. It is also one of the most borrowed books in U.S libraries.

The Nightingale

The often overlooked plight of women during war proved to be a popular topic with readers and two books featuring this theme made it to top ten lists. One of the books that made it to multiple bestseller lists is The Nightingale by author Kristin Hannah. Its tale is set in 1939 France, where two sisters deal with the horrors that the war brings to their country. Vianna and her daughter must live with a German captain after he requisitions her home while her sister, Isabelle, joins the Resistance.

All the Light We Cannot See

Readers also enjoyed All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel by Anthony Doerr. While it has a World War II setting the focus is more on the lives of its two protagonists. The tale stars a blind 14-year old French girl and a brilliant German orphan, who despite the differences in the lives end up crossing paths.

Memory Man

Murder mysteries and thrillers are always popular, so it is no surprise to see quite a few make it on to the bestseller lists. From David Baldacci, we have Memory Man, a tale of a man who must solve his own family's murder. It stars Amos Decker, a professional athlete who becomes a detective after an accident on the field left him with the strange ability of never being able to forget anything.

Find Her

Also captivating readers is Find Her, part of the Detective D. D. Warren series by Lisa Gardner. It is the story of Flora Dane, a kidnapping victim who spent more than a year with her captor before her release. Now she has disappeared again, but is she a victim or vigilante this time. The tough homicide detective, DD, is already a hit with readers and this latest book further cements her reputation.

Pretty Girls

Featuring disappearance along with murder is Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. After the disappearance of their teenage sister more than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia stop speaking to each other and go on to live completely different lives. When Claire's husband is killed it forces the two women to work together to figure out is going on and how it is connected to the disappearance of their sister.