- “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” – the best-selling fiction title in the first half of summer.
- Top 10 best-selling books in the first 6 months.
- “Romantasy“, a trending literary genre for English books, fueled by TikTok.
- “Mona’s Eyes“, “The Castle in My Town“, and “The Housekeeper is Watching You” – holiday reads recommended by Libris booksellers.
“The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” (John Boyne), “The Book Thief” (Markus Zusak), and “The Reader in the Cave” (Rui Zink) are the most ordered fiction books in the first half of this summer, according to an analysis by Libris.ro, a leading online bookstore in Romania. The average order placed on Libris in the first half of the summer is similar to the annual average, around 127 lei. The average shopping cart contains 4 books, with most orders coming from Bucharest, Cluj, Iași, Prahova, Timiș, followed by Brașov, Constanța, Argeș, Sibiu, and Suceava counties.
Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Marc Levy, F. M. Dostoevsky, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Geronimo Stilton are the best-selling foreign authors of the first half of the year, while Ioana Pârvulescu, Niculina Gheorghiță, Leon Dănăilă, Dan-Silviu Boerescu, and Dorin Bujdei are the Romanian authors with the most books sold on Libris in the first six months of 2024.
English books continue to grow in popularity, with the category recording a 30% increase compared to the same period last year. Volumes that are part of popular series on TikTok dominate the top English volumes sold by Libris. Additionally, although internationally volumes that fall under the hybrid literary genre romantasy have long been on the list of best-selling books, in Romania they are making their presence felt this year, with 5 of the top 10 books fitting into this category.
These are particularly aimed at young readers, aged 18-25, who can enjoy both the magic and mystery of fantastic worlds and the complexity and intensity of love stories.
Three other titles in the top-selling English volumes are love stories that are part of series enjoying huge visibility on social media, especially on TikTok.
Top 10 fiction volumes in 2024 on Libris.ro
1.As Long as the Lemons Bloom – Zoulfa Katouh
2.The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas – John Boyne
3.The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
4.See You in August – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
5.Fury – Alex Michaelides
6.Cain’s Jawbone – Edward Powys Mathers
7.The Reader in the Cave – Rui Zink
8.The Wind Knows My Name – Isabel Allende
9.Three Apples Fell from the Sky – Narine Abgarian
10.The Island of Missing Trees – Elif Shafak
Top 10 best-selling Personal Development books
1.Mindreader – David J. Lieberman
2.The Ties That Bind Us – Rebecca Shankland, Christophe Andre
3.The Courage to Be Disliked – Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga
4.Attached – Amir Levine, Rachel S.F. Heller
5.Words Can Change Your Brain – Andrew Newberg, Mark Robert Waldman
6.The Art of Manipulation – Kevin Dutton
7.Atomic Habits – James Clear
8.The 5 Love Languages. 6th Edition – Gary Chapman
9.When the Body Says No – Gabor Mate
10.How to Talk to Anyone – Leil Lowndesn
Top 10 best-selling Children’s books
1.101 Bedtime Stories
2.The Calendar in Stories – Adriana Monica Gheorghiu, Iulian Bogaciev
3.99 Stories with Big Letters for Kids and Grandparents
4.Darwin. The Beagle Expedition – Jeremie Royer, Fabien Grolleau
5.Therapeutic Stories for Children – Cristina-Angela Tohănean, Mirela Țigănaș
6.500 Incredible and Wacky Facts
7.101 Animal Stories
8.500 Amazing and Funny Facts
9.Let’s Learn Chess – Milorad Kovacevic, Goran Milisavljevic
10.The Treehouse with 52 Floors – Andy Griffiths, Terry Denton
Top 10 best-selling English volumes
1.Concise 48 Laws of Power – Robert Greene
2.Twisted Lies. Twisted #4 – Ana Huang
3.Powerless. The Powerless Trilogy #1 – Lauren Roberts
4.A Court of Thorns and Roses. A Court of Thorns and Roses #1 – Sarah J. Maas
5.A Curse for True Love. Once Upon A Broken Heart #3 – Stephanie Garber
6.King of Sloth. Kings of Sin #4 – Ana Huang
7.House of Flame and Shadow. Crescent City #3 – Sarah J. Maas
8.Icebreaker. Maple Hills #1 – Hannah Grace
9.The Assassin’s Blade. Throne of Glass #0.1-0.5 – Sarah J. Maas
10.Matilda. Special Edition – Roald Dahl
Summer reads: Titles recommended by Libris booksellers
When it comes to holiday reading, Romanians primarily choose fiction books, but also business or personal development books, according to Libris.ro data.
Based on reader preferences and consumption behaviour, Libris booksellers recommend a selection of ideal summer vacation reads. Whether readers prefer psychological thrillers, love stories, or fiction novels, these titles are meant to turn any vacation into a relaxing literary experience. Among the Libris booksellers’ recommendations are: “Mona’s Eyes” by Thomas Schlesser, “The Castle in My Town” by Ioana Bâldea Constantinescu, “The Housekeeper is Watching You” by Freida Mcfadden, “Strangers” by Taichi Yamada, “Do You Like It Darker” by Stephen King, “The Goose Book” by Yiyun Li, “The Lost Bookshop of Paris” by Daisy Wood, “Bridgerton: Romancing MR Bridgerton“, “When the Moon Hatched. Moonfall #1” by Sarah A. Parker, and “How to Solve Your Own Murder” by Kristen Perrin.
Additionally, for readers who want to use their summer vacation to develop their skills and competencies, Libris booksellers recommend a series of business and personal development books, namely “Your Story Makes Sense” by Raluca Anton, “Supercommunicators” by Charles Duhigg, “Overwhelming Emotions” by Mollie West Duffy and Liz Fosslien, “Psych. The Story of the Human Mind” by Paul Bloom, “The Expectation Effect. A New Way of Thinking” by David Robson, “The Creative Act: A Way of Life” by Rick Rubin, “Endless Mission” by David Goggins, “Ganbatte. The Japanese Art of Overcoming Difficulties” by Nobuo Suzuki, “Unreasonable” by Andreea Roșca, and “Flip Thinking” by Berthold Gunster.
“Summer vacation is, for many, the perfect time to read – and this includes children. Reading remains the main method of relaxation on the beach or a recreational activity, so every summer we ensure that the holiday bag is not without captivating reads. People are eager to read not only fiction books but also personal development, psychology, biographies, or parenting books. Libris top lists reflect these preferences, showing that readers are looking for titles that not only offer the pleasure of reading but also the opportunity to learn something new or develop their professional skills,” says Laura Țeposu, CEO Libris.ro.