Hit of the Lits – FRA Top 40
Every month we run a poll on site asking you for your favourite reads for the previous month, a kind of bookish top of the pops. We received almost 300 replies last month and almost 100 different book titles were mentioned. As always, according to your votes we’ve whittled that down to a Top 40 Hit of the Lits, and we have that here for you now!
October’s list is a fascinating mix of books with a lot of new titles mentioned; it seems that a lot of you tailor your reads to fit with the seasons and the month of Halloween has had you all looking for a literary scare. I’ll shut up now and leave you to enjoy the full Top 40, including all the ‘movers and shakers’ from last month, here’s the Hit of the Lits, top 40 for October.
1
Harry Potter – J.K Rowling
Witches and wizards and ghouls Oh my! What better Halloween read than the tale of a young wizard’s battle against evil. The script for The Cursed Child was at number 4 last onth so we’re saying this has moved up 3 places to top spot.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone US
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone UK
2
Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children – Ransom Riggs
Up eight places this month it seems that the film must have been a huge hit bringing new readers into the fild (including me) and tempting others of you back into a re-read of this trilogy.
Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children US
Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children UK
3
Outlander Series – Diana Gabaldon
This series of books is always there or thereabouts when it comes to our Top 40, it seems someone somewhere is always reading one of the Diana’s much loved books.
4
Small Great Things – Jodi Picoult
Whenever Jodi releases a new title we can guarantee her appearance in our chart and this is no different. A new entry for a new release.
5
A Man Called Ove – Fredrik Backman
This wonderful book should be compulsory reading for everybody and with yet another month in our charts it seems many of you agree with me. A small drop of thrree places this month.
6
Smoke and Mirrors – Neil Gaiman
A new entry for Neil this month with his book of short stories about an elderly woman, the holy grail, a newly married couple, and a stray cat
7
Gerald’s Game – Stephen King
The news that Stephen King’s horrific tale of a woman left in an impossibly vulnerable situation has prompted you to either grab a copy or perhaps dust off the one you have sitting on your shelves. A new entry this month.
8
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
Another new entry at number eight with Douglas Adams’ brilliantly ridiculous sci fi trilogy in five parts; just remember the answer is 42.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy US
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy UK
9
Dracula – Bram Stoker
Another new entry at nine and I can picture you all sitting there in the dark, your book lit up by a candle, the windows flung wide open, and a crucifix around your throat just in case.
10
Heart Shaped Box – Joe Hill
Joe takes up his father’s mantle and then some with this terrifying new entry into our top forty. When you collect the macabre don’t be surprised when one of your collectables isn’t happy with their lot.
11. The Name of the Wind – Patrick Rothfus (New)
12. The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt (New)
13. Odd and the Frost Giants – Neil Gaiman (New)
14. Lamentation – CJ Sanson (New)
15. Enders Game – Orson Scott Card (New)
16. The Road – Cormac McCarthy (New)
The Phantom of the Opera – Gaston Leroux (New)
18. Fool’s Assassin series – Robin Hob (New)
19. Meat – Joseph D’Lacey (New)
20. Doctor Sleep – Stephen King (New)
21. The Idiot – Fyodor Dostoevsky (New)
22. Twilight – Stephanie Meyer (New)
23. The Heart Goes Last – Margaret Atwood (New)
24. Those Who Wish Me Dead – Michael Koryta (New)
25. Lafayette In The Somewhat United States – Sarah Vowell (New)
26. Brooklyn – Colm Toibin (New)
27. Waiting – Ha Jin (New)
28. Frankenstein – Mary Shelley (New)
29. The Day The World Came to Town – Jim DeFede (New)
30. The Illustrated Man – Ray Bradbury (New)
31. Zero G – William Shatner (New)
32. Dark Matter – Blake Crouch (-15)
33. Playing With Fire – Tess Gerritsen (New)
34. Lilac Girls – Martha Hall Kelly (-20)
35. Christmas at Lilac Cottage – Holly Martin (New)
36. The Silmarillion – J.R.R Tolkien (New)
37. Sharp Objects – Gillian Flynn (New)
38. Watership Down – Richard Adams (New)
39. Howl’s Moving Castle – Diana Wynne Jones (New)
40. Beautiful You – Chuck Palahniuk (New)
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