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Exclusive Books: Top 10 Bestsellers of 2012

100-Best-Sellers-Revisited-03

Remember this? Fanatics celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2007. They celebrated every fanatical year of their first decade by going back in time, through the Top 10 books from each and every year.

They picked their favourites from the bestselling titles from 1998 to 2007 (We’ve extended this to include the last five years). In these lists Fanatics also included the VIBs (Very Important Books), the cult classics of books, as chosen by the Exclusive Books store managers.

What you see below is a combination of books that hit the top sales charts in 2012, and books that captured the imaginations of many, and remain top of mind.

Click here to view the full list of top 10’s for 15 years (1998 – 2012)

10. The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay by Suzanne Collins

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

9. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

This is the second book in the ground-breaking “Hunger Games” trilogy. After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta return to their district, hoping for a peaceful future. But their victory has caused rebellion to break out …and the Capitol has decided that someone must pay. As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the Capitol’s Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless they can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying. Then comes the cruelest twist: the contestants for the next Hunger Games are announced, and Katniss and Peeta are forced into the arena once more.

8. The Elephant Whisper by Lawrence Anothony & Graham Spence

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of ‘rogue’ elephants on his reserve at Thula Thula, his commonsense told him to refuse. But he was the herd’s last chance of survival – notorious escape artists, they would all be killed if Lawrence wouldn’t take them. He agreed, but before arrangements for the move could be completed the animals broke out again and the matriarch and her baby were shot. The remaining elephants were traumatised and very angry. As soon as they arrived at Thula Thula they started planning their escape…As Lawrence battled to create a bond with the elephants and save them from execution, he came to realise that they had a lot to teach him about love, loyalty and freedom. Set against the background of life on the reserve, with unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, this is a delightful book that will appeal to animal lovers everywhere.

 

7. The Last Rhinos by Lawrence Anthony

This is another extraordinary story of life on a South African game reserve from the authors of “The Elephant Whisperer”. Life on Lawrence Anthony’s game reserve, Thula Thula, is rarely dull, what with spitting cobras endangering his rangers and the unpredictable behaviour of his herd of elephants. But at least his orphaned rhino Heidi is calm around people, and a favourite of staff and guests alike. Until she is brutally slaughtered for her horn. Furious and heartsick, Lawrence heads off to track down the poachers, but also embarks on a bid to save the Congo’s last few northern white rhino from extinction. Diplomatic efforts are failing, so he takes action himself, flying into a warzone to negotiate with rebels. Will he survive his most dangerous adventure yet, and will Thula Thula survive the drought that threatens the region? Peopled with unforgettable characters, from the local witch doctor to eccentric conservationist Brendan and the elephants who have such an extraordinary bond with Lawrence, “The Last Rhinos” is a sometimes funny, sometimes moving, always gripping read.

6. Hunger Games: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins


Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won in defiance of the Capitol and its harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry — and now it wants revenge. Full of plot twists, this riveting sequel to the New York Times bestseller is guaranteed to keep young readers on the edge of their seats!

5. Eight Days in September by Frank Chikane


A riveting, behind-the-scenes account of the removal of Thabo Mbeki as President of South Africa, which examines the build-up to events, describes the details of those seven days in September 2008 and explores Mbeki’s legacy. “Seven days in September” refers to the seven-day period in September 2008 when Thabo Mbeki was removed from office as the President of South Africa. At the time, Frank Chikane was Secretary of Cabinet and Head (Director-General) of the Presidency and in that capacity he was responsible for managing the transition from Mbeki to Kgalema Motlanthe and then on to Jacob Zuma. He thus had a front row seat to the unfolding drama and was one of very few insiders to be party to the transition in such a unique way. In July 2010 Chikane published a series of articles with Independent Newspapers that came to be known as the “Chikane Files”. These form the basis of some of the content of this book (about a quarter of the book’s total contents), which Chikane says he feels compelled to tell from his perspective in an effort to provide an insider’s account of this key historical period.

4. Spud – Exit, Pursued by a Bear by John van de Ruit


After an unexpected and diabolical farewell breakfast conversation with his father, Spud Milton returns to boarding school for his 1993 Matric year, his last as a schoolboy. Armed with a prefects’ tie and a raging libido, Spud soon discovers that being a large(ish) fish in a small pond has its fair share of challenges. He finds himself embroiled in fighting for his own room, directing a house play where both lead actors refuse to learn their lines, and assisting in Vern Blackadder’s dramatic return from the dead with nothing more than a drip cord and a pair of oven gloves. Amidst mounting pressure in the classroom and on the cricket field, Spud prepares to face down the most feared and dreaded challenge of them all – finding a date for the Matric dance. In this hilarious final installment of the Spud series JOHN VAN DE RUIT brings to a close his savagely funny blow by blow account of the agonies of growing up. The embarrassments, the thrills, the defeats, and the sheer -absurdity of daily life are wittily recorded in Spud’s unique voice as he prepares to make his own exit, pursued by a bear.

3. Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James


2. Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James

1. Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James


Romantic, liberating and totally addictive, this is a novel that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you for ever. When literature student Anastasia Steele interviews successful entrepreneur Christian Grey, she finds him very attractive and deeply intimidating. Convinced that their meeting went badly, she tries to put him out of her mind – until he turns up at the store where she works part-time, and invites her out. Unworldly and innocent, Ana is shocked to find she wants this man. And, when he warns her to keep her distance, it only makes her want him more. But Grey is tormented by inner demons, and consumed by the need to control. As they embark on a passionate love affair, Ana discovers more about her own desires, as well as the dark secrets Grey keeps hidden away from public view…

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One Response to Exclusive Books: Top 10 Bestsellers of 2012

  1. Jennifer August 29th, 2013 at 8:30 am #

    Hi there,

    Was just wondering if Exclusive books S.A. has this book in store, titled, Twisted Edges, author: Jennifer King. Publisher: Custom Book Publications.
    Please let me know if you have this book.

    Thanks.
    Kind regards
    Jenny Penny

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