Welcome back to Subject Spotlight, your go-to source for quarterly data-driven insights into the performance of particular subjects in the Canadian book market.
Previously, we looked at the sales and library circulation for the Fiction / Historical BISAC subject. In this instalment, we shine the spotlight on Fiction / LGBTQ+ titles.
According to our latest print study, Turning Pages: Print Book Use in Canada 2023, 9% of Canadian readers read books that were by or about LGBTQIA+ people. How did Fiction / LGBTQ+ titles perform during the fourth quarter of 2024? We find out with the help of our SalesData and LibraryData services.
Buying Fiction / LGBTQ+
Compared to 2023, the overall sales of Fiction / LGBTQ+ titles were up 34% over the entire fourth quarter. Looking at the graph below, sales of Fiction / LGBTQ+ increased by 17% from October to December 2024 and by 61% in the same period in 2023.
These are the BISAC subcategories with the highest year-over-year increase in sales:
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Gay — up 72%
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Lesbian — up 37%
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / General — up 7%
From October to December 2024, the most purchased Fiction / LGBTQ+ subcategories were:
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Gay — 55% of all Fiction / LGBTQ+ sales
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / General — 23% of all Fiction / LGBTQ+ sales
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Lesbian — 16% of all Fiction / LGBTQ+ sales
Borrowing Fiction / LGBTQ+
From October to December 2024, library loans and renewals of Fiction / LGBTQ+ titles were up 23% and 34% respectively from 2023.
Year-over-year, loans increased by 34% in October, 8% in November, and 29% in December. Overall, loans decreased by 21% in the fourth quarter of 2023 and by 24% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Year-over-year, renewals increased by 37% in October, 15% in November, and 55% in December. Overall, renewals decreased by 35% in the fourth quarter of 2023 and by 27% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Which Fiction / LGBTQ+ BISAC subcategories were the most popular in Canadian public libraries? From October to December 2024, these subcategories saw the greatest increases in library circulation compared to 2023:
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / General — loans up 47% and renewals up 95%
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Gay — loans up 40% and renewals up 28%
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Transgender — loans up 10% and renewals up 38%
During the fourth quarter of 2024, the most circulated Fiction / LGBTQ+ subcategories were:
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Gay — 33% of all Fiction / LGBTQ+ loans and 31% of all Fiction / LGBTQ+ renewals
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / Lesbian — 30% of all Fiction / LGBTQ+ loans and 30% of all Fiction / LGBTQ+ renewals
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Fiction / LGBTQ+ / General — 28% of all Fiction / LGBTQ+ loans and 26% of all Fiction / LGBTQ+ renewals
Reading Fiction / LGBTQ+
Here are the top selling and top borrowed Fiction / LGBTQ+ titles from the fourth quarter of 2024.
Top borrowed
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Come and Get It by Kiley Reid
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The Huntress by Kate Quinn
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The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths
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The Guncle by Steven Rowley
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What I Know about You by Eric Chacour 🍁
Top selling
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What I Know About You by Eric Chacour 🍁
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KinnPorsche Vol. 1 by Daemi, illustrated by Avaritia
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The Huntress by Kate Quinn
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The Cure for Drowning by Loghan Paylor 🍁
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Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
Until next time!
Stay tuned for future instalments of this series or sign up to our eNews for more digestible data on the Canadian book market.
