Read All About It! Book Trends of the Decade

A book open next to two piles of books, on top of a desk within a library.

When we discuss book trends we typically think about predictions based on what’s currently popular among readers. What are audiences going to enjoy? Which genres are going to be bestsellers?

However, we’ve decided to take a different approach in this blog and review the book trends of the past decade, taking into account what genres have been thriving and which books audiences are enjoying.

From technological advances to genres regaining popularity, here’s our top book trends of the decade.

The rise of audiobooks and ebooks

Did you know that the first full length novel was recorded as an audiobook in the 1930s? Whilst audiobooks have technically been around for the past century, they’ve risen in popularity throughout the last decade with the introduction of apps such as Audible.

We’ve also witnessed the rise of ebooks, with Amazon leading the charge back in 2007 with their e-reader, Kindle. The introduction of Kindles and other e-readers has made reading books more accessible and enjoyable for readers, embedding a built-in dictionary and search functionality.

Classical rewrites

We all have some classics in our book collection. Maybe Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen? Or, perhaps Great Expectations by Charles Dickens? Well, one popular book trend of the decade has been classical rewrites. They’re not a new concept as classical rewrites have existed as early as the nineties, but their popularity has been gaining speed recently.

The majority of classical rewrites normally focus on either a character or set of characters, telling a story from their perspective, or take the original story concept and modernise it.

The more recent classical rewrites have included Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride & Prejudice, and Prince of Shadows – a story based on the Romeo & Juliet character, Benvolio Montague.

A young adult sitting on a sofa and reading a book in their living room.

Young adult dystopian novels

Dystopian novels give readers the opportunity to think and reflect about the modern world, or what life could be like in a post-apocalyptic scenario. The Hunger Games and Divergent series dominated the early decade, appealing to both young adult and adult readers due to their vibrant characters and engaging storylines.

Their popularity only increased when the novels were adapted for the big screen, each franchise winning multiple awards.

Mythology

Ancient Greek mythology still remains relevant in today’s society. Whether it’s the Trojan war, Greek gods or theories about Hercules’ origins, these stories continue to be popular with all ages.

What better way to relive the most heroic and fantastical mythology stories than a retelling. One popular retelling that has won critical acclaim, and you’ve probably seen showcased at your local Waterstones, is The Song of Achilles. Although the novel is focused on the Trojan war, the heart of the book is around the beautiful love story between Patroclus and Achilles.

Fantasy and sci-fi

Following the success of TV and movie adaptations such as the Game of Thrones series and Dune, fantasy and sci-fi books are receiving renewed interest from readers. BookTok content creators that focus on a particular series, for example Game of Thrones, delve deep into storylines and characters, inspiring new readers to explore these novels.

Due to this success, more authors have published books within these genres and received critical praise.

A man sat at his desk with a hot drink, writing his memoir.

Memoirs and autobiographies

Memoirs and autobiographies have increased in popularity in the last decade, particularly those with a focus on mental health and personal struggles. Readers are keen to understand the “person” behind the celebrity and public figure, reading an honest account of a person’s life and how they’ve overcome challenges. The most notable releases in the last couple of years have come from celebrities such as Britney Spears and Matthew Perry, both memoirs receiving critical acclaim.

Another core focus is real-life people, particularly as they provide a more relatable story for readers. A perfect example of a real-life memoir that received success is one written by a Great Ormond Street nurse. The memoir sold 100,000 books in a few weeks due to the heartfelt first-person account of their life.

Diversity and representation

The last decade saw a significant push for diversity and representation in novels. One such movement challenging the norms and pushing for change is We Need Diverse Books, founded by marginalised authors. The movement strives to diversify the publishing industry and make bookshelves more equitable in order to promote literacy, build empathy, and reduce bias.

Mindfulness and self-help books

As mental health becomes more of a focus and less of a stigma, readers are finding help and support through mindfulness and self-help books. Popular non-fiction books of the last decade focusing on mindfulness and self-help include The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson and The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking.