Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Top Five: In Demand Romance

I haven't done one of these round-up posts in forever, and for that I apologize. Every Monday when I roll into the office, I get to look forward to a spreadsheet that lays out the "in demand" titles amongst our library patrons. Those books with large waiting lists. I got out of the habit of doing my Top Five feature because frankly? It was like the same five books for the last several months. The Reader, The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle, White Tiger, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, blah blah blah. For the love of God people - discover some other books will ya! I'm getting bored! Now that most of the demand for these is settling down to the dull roar, I thought I'd relaunch my Top Five segment by talking about the Top 5 Most Requested Romance Titles for the Week of May 11.


Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward - I had mentioned in a previous post that the request list for this was pretty stagnant. Well that changed the minute the book was actually released, because my holds queue jumped up to the next level. Not quite as off the charts as I was originally expecting (seems like plenty of readers are still willing to buy their own copies), but very respectable.






Vision In White by Nora Roberts - Yes it's trade paperback, but the discount retailers are selling this at an extremely reasonable price (I think I saw $9 and change at Costco) so I wasn't sure how high library demand would be for this title. Also, it's Roberts' first straight-up contemporary romance title in a long while - so I thought that might drive retail sales more so than library lending. Not quite as off the charts as her J.D. Robb series, but still a very nice holds list, plus my first go-around of ordering this title was pretty significant, so that's been keeping the list down to a manageable level.



Black Hills by Nora Roberts - A romantic suspense title that's not due out until July, but I already (naturally, it's Nora) have it on order. People are already staking out their spot on the waiting list.









Crouching Vampire, Hidden Fang by Katie MacAlister - Yes, it's true. Good librarians do purchase titles for the library that they would rather be skinned alive than read. Case in point? This book. I'm burnt out on paranormals anyway, but even when I wasn't? Yeah, I don't "do" Funny Ha Ha Paranormals. To be fair? I don't "do" most Funny Ha Ha novels. Just ain't my thing. But, we have some libraries where they can't keep books like this on the shelf. That's how popular they are. So I ordered this latest from MacAlister, and now we have a waiting list.



Malice by Lisa Jackson - All of Jackson's titles circulate well for us, but it's the hard covers that get the most mileage. I explain this with the reasoning that while there are readers who will buy her in paperback, maybe they just haven't made that jump to laying down hard cover prices for her books yet. Or it could just be the simple fact that this particular book has been getting some PR attention and new readers have been intrigued enough to add their names to the waiting list.

12 comments:

Kati said...

To be fair? I don't "do" most Funny Ha Ha novels. God me either! If it has a cartoon on it, I can pretty much guarantee that I'll be passing on it. Same with *ANY* kind of pun in the title. Ugh.

I always find the Top 5 list interesting, Wendy. Thanks for posting it.

Liz said...

I love lists like this! I find them very interesting. I nearly got the "Vision in White" book off our library's "Hot Reads" shelf (first come/first served; you only get them for a week and the fine is a quarter a day) but someone snagged it about 4 minutes before I got there, apparently. I'm re-reading an old Nora right now. As for the paranormal books, I'm glad to see you order things like that, even if you yourself don't read them. My daughter just finished one she LOVED: Forbidden: The Temptation. She said it had sexy vampires and "kick-butt heroines," in her words. (I'm ignoring her comments about the sizzling sex... Some things moms don't want to know! Plus, she is old enough...)

Tracy said...

Oh I love funny novels! But I'm a dork, so there ya go. :)

While I hate the title of the new MacAlister book I bought it. This is the next in the series but a continuation of the previous book that was almost heartbreaking. Literally made my heart hurt and definitely didn't end in an HEA. I might have bought it just to get that HEA. I NEED it! lol

azteclady said...

I don't "do" Funny Ha Ha Paranormals. To be fair? I don't "do" most Funny Ha Ha novels.Boy, oh boy, I hear you!

And yet--as always--there are authors and books that work. Whatcha gonna do?

nath said...

I love these posts of yours Wendy! Always interesting to see what's in demand :)

Amanda said...

I bought Vision in white this past weekend and OMG I am loving it!

Why oh Why don't ai have a cool librian like you?! None of mine here ever stock anything good!

Wendy said...

I've never been able to get into Funny Ha Ha paranormals. Paranormals have never been a favorite for me anyway - which is why I suspect when I do read them I need them to be "dark" in order for them to keep my attention.

As for other Funny Ha Ha books? I can only think of two authors. Laura Levine, who writes mysteries and Janet Evanovich. And to be fair? I listen to Evanovich on audio. I'm not sure I would have stuck with that series as long as I have if I "read" them.

Amanda: It's all about perspective. I stock the good stuff, but my budget doesn't allow me to buy endless copies. People still have to wait :(

Alie said...

I love these lists :) Just added a couple to my library holds list.

Liza said...

I put Vision in White on the hold list at the library 2 weeks before the release and I was still number 75.

Wendy said...

Alie: I know. A lot of Bat Cave readers seem to like this feature, which is why I'm happy to revitalize it. I was just so sick of seeing the same five books over and over and over again.....

Liza: I just checked. Our holds list is at a respectable 42 for the moment - and I just ordered more copies this week. Where I'm at, I suspect many readers will pick it up at Costco - where the $16 trade paperback is selling around around $9. A bargain price for diehard Nora readers.

Debora said...

Hey, SuperLibrarian, what are the top five in mystery and fantasy? I'm an equal opportunity genre reader!

The Divine Nora's latest is winging its way to me from Amazon...I don't mind a bit of the ha ha in paranormals, but not a steady diet of them...sometimes you need a bit of ha ha when you've read a zillion goom and dooms...

Debora

Wendy said...

Hey Debora! No worries. I think my next Top 5 will be mystery/suspense. I just used romance to kick-start this feature again and get my butt in gear!