Shuffling of the Shelves – February Part 2 2023
By Hannah Moore, Lucy Shardlow and Melissa Tran
The end of February sees the release of many anticipated books and also sees the end of the long winter days! With spring sunshine on its way, let’s see what books are in the charts during the change in seasons.
WHSmith
We have taken a look at the As Seen on Screen trending charts over on WHSmith. It comes as no surprise to see Daisy Jones &the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid hitting the top spot ahead of the release of the new series on Amazon Prime. From the moment that Daisy walked onto the stage at the Whisky barefoot, everybody knew she would be a sensation! This New York Times bestseller tells the story of the band's legendary rise and irrevocable fall. Full of ambition, passion and heartbreak, you will not want this book to end. Next, we have the thriller that everyone’s been talking about: You by Caroline Kepnes. With the fourth series recently hitting our screens, the obsession continues to grow. When Guinevere Beck strides into the bookstore where Joe works, he is instantly smitten. But there is way more to Joe than Beck would ever realise. As their relationship becomes both obsessive and chilling, a whirlwind of deadly consequences begins to unravel.
Waterstones Charts
At number one in the Waterstones Fiction chart this week is Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors. A highly anticipated romance release, Mellors’ debut novel follows the characters of Cleo and Frank in a relationship spurred on by spontaneous decisions. Released 2 February, Cleopatra and Frankenstein has been awarded the Waterstones Fiction Book of the Month for February 2023. Number two this week is Blue Water by Leonora Nattrass, a continuation of the Laurence Jago series. This is a detective murder mystery novel set on a mail ship that will definitely have you hooked. Further down in the Waterstones Fiction chart is Elektra by Jennifer Saint. Following the previous success of her novel Ariadne, Saint is back with another historical retelling that is classic, moving and compelling.
Amazon Charts
Over on the Amazon Most Sold charts this week, Jojo Moyes stands at the number one spot with her latest release Someone Else’s Shoes. This is a story of mix-ups, mess-ups and making the most of those second chances. Sam and Nisha are two women who should never have crossed paths. But after a bag mix-up at the gym, their lives become intertwined, even as they both begin to spiral out of control. This is the perfect read for fans of Rachel Joyce and Lucy Diamond. Moving up in the charts to number nine is The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page. Most people collect stamps or treasures: Janice collects stories. Stories that reach out to her, ones that can really make a difference, ones that should never be shared. Everyone has a story to tell, but can Janice ever unlock her own? Readers are absolutely loving Sally Page, with one review stating that this is an “unputdownable book full of delightful characters.”
Social Media
Romance novels are all over BookTok this month. Several accounts are talking about the Twisted Games series by Ana Huang. This romance series follows a princess and her forbidden relationship with her bodyguard. This is a very steamy novel and is perfect for fans of Fifty Shades of Grey with a possessive anti-hero and explicit sexual scenes. Another TikTok sensation that has been all over our feeds this month is A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime by Monica Murphy. This is another of Murphy’s novels that is set in Lancaster Prep and follows model student Wren Beaumont as she falls for bad boy Crew Lancaster. This is your typical enemies to lovers romance and is the perfect Valentine’s read!
Author of the Month
February has been an exciting month for new publications and we wish we could celebrate each one of them. Yet it was Emily Koch’s latest release What July Knew that has got us all talking. When ten-year-old July is set a summer project to write about a family member who she knows very little about, she is automatically drawn to the life of her mother. July only knows eighteen things about her mother and she is determined to find out more. As she spends her summer amongst all the secrets and whispers, will July be able to uncover the truth? This is an emotional tale about family, love and loss. Emily Koch’s writing is both compelling and addictive to read, with so many incredible twists and turns that will leave you on the edge of your seat. This is a psychological thriller that we guarantee you will not be able to put down.