Weekly Ranking: Fiction Bestsellers, 3rd Week of February, 2018

The problem with doing a weekly ranking of bestselling fiction is that the rankings don’t change much from week to week.  The 1^st week in February looked a lot like the last week of January.  Then the 2nd week of February had some changes, but that was Valentine’s Day week, and blogging wasn’t my highest priority (blogging is a hobby, not a business).  Last week, however, brought a bunch of changes, to the hardcover fiction bestsellers.

Below are the best-selling hardcover fiction novels for the third week of February 2018, according to the New York Times:

1.  The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

If you’re going to have your fictional characters start their lives over, Alaska seems to be the place to do it.

2.  An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Don’t be scared off by that giant O on the cover.  It’s not the author’s fault that Oprah Winfrey chose this novel for her Oprah’s Book Club.

3.  The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

It’s supposed to be the next Gone Girl, but some people don’t even think Gone Girl was the next Gone Girl.

4.  Still Me by Jojo Moyes

If the book cover looks really familiar, it’s not you; it’s the book cover.

5.  Look For Me by Lisa Gardner

The first chapter has a really gruesome murder in it (but that murder also seems really far-fetched and illogical, even for a fictional gruesome murder).  I think this book might appeal to readers who like really far-fetched gruesome murders.

6.  Night Moves by Jonathan Kellerman

I’m old enough to see this book and automatically start humming a Bob Seger tune.  And it’s been years since I’ve even thought about Bob Seger.

7.  Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

This has been a bestseller for 22 weeks, and I still haven’t figured out what book is about.  It’s not the book; it’s me.

8.  Origin by Dan Brown

Who cares about historical accuracy?  Dan Brown has a new fictional conspiracy, and Tom Hanks needs a new movie role.

9.  Dark in Death by J.D. Robb

Eve Dallas is a great fictional name.  When in doubt, give your character a city or state for a last name.

10.  Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Cheesy title.  Cheesy cover.  It’s been on the bestseller’s list for 22 weeks.  22 weeks on the bestseller’s list overrides the cheese factor.

*****

This is not a bad selection for a bestseller list.  There’s no John Grisham, James Patterson, or Stephen King.  There’s a decent mix of literary fiction, murder mysteries, thrillers, and something that I’m not even sure what it is.

What do you think?  Do you miss having the John Grisham/James Patterson/Stephen King novel on the list? How long can Little Fires Everywhere and Before We Were Yours stay on the bestseller list?  What city makes the best last name?