Fifty Shades of Summer: Hot Reads for the Dog Days in Burnsville

What’s a day at the beach without a great summer read?

Patch checked in with local book providers Books MN, Burnsville and the Dakota County to find out what Burnsville residents have been reading over the past few sizzling summer months.

Whether you’re lounging by the lake or in your own backyard, check out these popular warm weather reads as you enjoy the final weeks of summer.

The Hunger Games Trilogy

This adventure series chronicles the life-threatening trials faced by a young woman in a futuristic dystopia.

The trilogy was originally written as a work of young adult fiction, but has become popular with readers of all ages since the first book was released as a feature film last spring.

“A lot of it has to do with the movies coming out,” said Books MN owner Chris Olson.

Olson cited the series as part of a larger trend of young adult books gaining widespread popularity with adult readers.

“It’s crossing that age group, where everybody can enjoy it,” said Olson.

The Hunger Games is certainly enjoying success locally. The books in the trilogy have been the three top-selling young adult titles at Barnes & Noble for several months.

At its peak, the waiting list at Burnhaven Library for the first book was approximately 400 people.

The Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy

Erotica went mainstream this summer when this titillating tale of a naïve young student who falls for an alluring and enigmatic businessman gained significant traction both nationally and locally.

The trilogy has monopolized Barnes & Noble's three top selling adult title slots all summer. The series box set is the store’s fourth adult top seller.

The waiting list at Burnhaven Library for the first volume of the series is currently 700 people.

The Books of John Sandford

The works of suspense author and Minnesota resident John Sandford were consistently referenced as being in high demand.

Sandford is known primarily as the author of the Prey series of thriller novels. The St. Paul area resident has been known to make Twin Cities references in his books, a draw for local readers.

Sandford’s novels are consistently ranked in Barnes & Noble’s top 20 sellers.

“People are very loyal to Minnesota,” said store merchandise manager Mark Brunsvold.