Hit of the Lits – FRA Top 40
Every month we ask you guys on our social media channels what reads you’ve loved over the past month, and from these replies we create our Top 40 chart, like the Top of the Pops but for books. It gives you a chance to see what others in the group are reading and get some recommendations, and thanks to all who joined in this month, giving us our top 40.
There’s a lot of old favourites in the chart this month, and here they are including all the movers and shakers, the Hit of the Lits Top 40!
1
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
With sales up and a television series on the way we’re hardly surprised to find the dystopian tale where women lose all rights at the top spot of our chart. A new entry this month to the chart.
2
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
It seems that not a month goes by in our Hit of the Lits where The Book Thief isn’t in the top 10. This month it’s in second place, up four places from February.
3
A Man Called Ove – Fredrick Backman
Another book that has barely been out of our charts for more than a year now is A Man Called Ove. The tale of grumpy old Ove is down two places and took the top spot last month.
4
Big Little Lies –Liane Moriarty
With the series finale just aired, many of you are catching up on this brilliant mystery before you binge watch the entire adaptation in one sitting (We know you too well!). Up 22 places from number 26 in the charts last month is Liane Moriarty’s brilliantly woven mystery.
5
Caraval – Stephanie Garber
Caraval is a magical tale, perfect for those who loved the Night Circus and is proving to be one of the big YA releases of the year, a new entry in our charts this month.
6
The Help – Kathryn Stockett
The Help is a new entry into the charts this month, a favourite of mine it tells the story of ‘the help’, the African-American women who kept house for rich white ladies in the Deep South of America.
7
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street – Natasha Pulley
This was one of Rosie’s picks this month for our admin reads and it’s a new entry here too, loved by many of you and zooming into the top ten this month, said to be an impressive debut full of steampunk magic.
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street US
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street UK
8
Nineteen Minutes – Jodi Picoult
Another new entry this week is Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. The story of a school shooting is as ever relevant, heart-wrenching and brilliant, full of the usual depth and touching realism found in Picoult’s works.
9
Lincoln At the Bardo – George Sanders
This historical fiction imagines the reaction of Abraham Lincoln upon losing his eleven year old son, an unusual book it’s been highly praised since its release and is a new entry in our chart this month.
10
The Shack – W.M Paul Young
The Shack is a modern classic by far, exploring life’s toughest questions, and it’s a new entry in our chart this month. Full of sadness and joy, it’s a brilliant read and comes highly recommended!
11. I Know this Much is True – Wally Lamb (new)
12. Two Brothers – Ben Elton (new)
13. Night School – Lee Childs (new)
14. Silk Roads – Peter Frankopan (new)
15. To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee (new)
16. The Girl with All the Gifts – M. R Carey (new)
17. Court of Thorn and Roses – Sarah J Maas (new)
18. Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn (new)
19. The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt (new)
20. IT – Stephen King (new)
21. Small Great Things – Jodi Picoult (-2)
22. Dorothy Must Die – Danielle Paige (new)
23. Meat – Joseph D’Lacey (new)
24. All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr (-)
25. Bird Box – Josh Malerman (-17)
26. The Cursed Child – J.K Rowling (new)
27. The Little Paris Bookshop – Nina George (-10)
28. Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank (new)
29. Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golding (new)
30. A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens (new)
31. The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett (new)
32. The Book Thieves – Anders Rydell (new)
33. Norse Mythology – Neil Gaiman (-21)
34. Mischling – Affinity Konar (new)
35. In Farley Field – Rhys Bowen (new)
36. Bridget Jones Diary – Helen Fielding (new)
37. The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold (new)
38. The Lake House – Kate Morton (new)
39. The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern (-6)
40. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane – Lisa See (new)
Word of the Day – Epochal
For Reading Addicts Book of the Year 2024
Word of the Day – Preponderate
