Our Top Ten Bestsellers of 2016
#9 What could be a more appropriate Brilliant Books bestseller than this tale of a "literary apothecary," who heals broken hearts with just the right book? Every bookseller strives to do what this tale's protagonist can--for many of our customers, this love letter to the written word was just the story they needed this year!
#8 To say that Elena and Lila are friends does little to encompass the complexity of their relationship. Facing a life in the slums of Naples as Italy undergoes momentous changes, they rely on each other as each girl strives to build a future for herself. With its almost hyperreal writing style, the vibrant characters spring from the page and propelled this book into spot #8 on our bestseller list.
#7 This thrilling mystery novel from the bestselling author of The Woman in Cabin 10 doesn't need accolades and a movie deal for readers to know it's something special (though it has both). With a twisting plot and well-crafted characters, it's a mystery that stands out from the crowd.
#6 This deeply compelling memoir soared to the top of dozens of shortlists for best book of the year, including that of the New York Times. The book follows Macdonald's journey as she adopts and trains a goshawk in the wake of her father's death, facing the feral nature not only of the hawk, but of her own grief.
#5 With Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore only about 25 miles from Brilliant Books, its no surprise Kathy-Jo Wargin's beautifully illustrated children's classic is a perennial bestseller at Brilliant Books.
#4 With a series of unreliable (and unbalanced) narrators reminiscent of Gone Girl, Hawkins' The Girl on the Train was the must-read title this summer and fall, ahead of the release of the major motion picture in October.
#3 The title says it all. With photos of weird, wacky, and downright disturbing taxidermy from around the world, this was one of those "you've got to see it to believe it" sort of books that you only need a sense of humor to enjoy.
#2 Never has an unlikeable protagonist been so unaccountably likeable. This charming book, Fredrik Backman's first novel, has become an international sensation as the curmudgeonly Ove wins over readers around the world; the book was even made into a film in Backman's native Sweden.
#1 A NEW Harry Potter book? The excitement was almost tangible when the news first came out, and with all the fantastic guests at our midnight release party, it's no surprise that this latest addition to the wizarding world was our top seller for 2016.