Let\u2019s start with the Queen of guilty pleasures: EL James\u2019 Fifty Shades of Grey<\/em>.<\/p>\n Fifty Shades of Grey <\/em>is a classic tale of boy meets girl, boy introduces girl to his sex dungeon, boy and girl commit some of the most perverse and unspeakable acts ever published in a book not hidden on the top shelf or under the counter.<\/p>\n Despite being filthier than someone running Tough Mudder in a white tuxedo and receiving less than complementary reviews, Fifty Shades of Grey <\/em>is one of the UK\u2019s bestselling books of all time. Some claim it is the UK\u2019s all time best seller<\/a>, but others dispute that claim<\/a>.<\/p>\n Either way, you wouldn\u2019t want to be caught reading Fifty Shades of Grey<\/em> on the bus. Unless you\u2019re into that kind of thing.<\/p>\n Grey <\/em>is basically 50 Shades of Grey<\/em> told through the eyes of everyone\u2019s favourite kinky billionaire, Christian Grey.<\/p>\n The plot is the same, the exchanges are the same and even some of the emails are the same; the only real difference is that the story is told by a man who may well be a psychopath.<\/p>\n Naturally, people saw through this obvious cash-in and… oh no, wait, it sold over 600,000 copies in 3 days and broke UK books sales records<\/a>.<\/p>\n For a short while in the 2000s, The Da Vinci Code <\/em>was a bona-fide cultural phenomenon. Dan Brown\u2019s conspiracy thriller, in which symbologist\/super detective Robert Langdon investigates shadowy forces hiding secrets about Jesus and Mary Magdalene, sold well over 5 million copies.<\/p>\n So why is it a guilty pleasure? Well, Dan Brown isn\u2019t considered a great writer. His writing style is frequently criticised for being clunky and simplistic (this parody sums it up<\/a>), while his books mush together fact and fiction into a confusing whole.<\/p>\n But no-one can deny that Dan Brown knows how to write a story. Even as you question the plausibility of Robert Langdon reciting facts about Renaissance paintings while legging it from an assassin, you still won\u2019t be able to stop turning the pages.<\/p>\n The Da Vinci Code <\/em>is the book equivalent of an action movie; it\u2019s not high art and it won\u2019t change your life, but you\u2019ll enjoy the ride no less. Probably.<\/p>\n Harry Potter, <\/em>a series of books beloved by critics and the public alike, a guilty pleasure? Never!<\/p>\n J.K. Rowling\u2019s series dominates the UK\u2019s all time best sellers lists, taking 7 of the top 10 spots. That could become 8 soon, with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child<\/em> (a script from a Potter <\/em>play), currently the fastest selling book of the decade<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Potter <\/em>books have sold over 500 million copies worldwide and are popular with adults and children. But let\u2019s be honest: they\u2019re written for kids. Yes, they get dark and yes, they explore some mature themes, but it\u2019s a book series about a wizard school.<\/p>\n Therefore, we\u2019re counting it as a guilty pleasure \u201d\u201c albeit a very good one that has made JK Rowling one of the richest people in the world.<\/p>\n If Twilight <\/em>was a person, it\u2019d sit in a corner listening to Hawthorne Heights <\/em>writing poetry comparing their crush to a rose in a rain stamping on their heart. Or something.<\/p>\n Stephanie Meyer\u2019s tale of a girl and her vampire boyfriend captures teenage emotion at its finest: the overblown reactions, the melodramatic dialogue, the constant brooding \u201d\u201c it\u2019s all here.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also one of the most successful books ever written, selling over 2 million copies in the UK thanks to a dedicated fan base and people desperate to find out what all the fuss is about. It also spawned a film series that made over $3 billion at the box office<\/a>. Not bad for a guilty pleasure!<\/p>\n Last year, two colouring books made it into the yearly bestsellers chart: The Mindfulness Colouring Book <\/em>and the Harry Potter Colouring Book<\/em>.<\/p>\n Colouring in has become a popular form of stress relief, with many turning to pretty colours and an intense focus on staying within the lines to alleviate their woes.<\/p>\n In fact, colouring in is so popular that there was briefly a global shortage of colouring pencils<\/a>. This is not a joke.<\/p>\n But hey, whatever helps. Maybe don\u2019t break out your colouring in book on the train, though.<\/p>\n What is your literary guilty pleasure? Let us know in the comments.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019re tired of hiding away your secret pleasures whenever friends come round, sell books<\/a> with musicMagpie! Just get an instant price, pop your items in a box and send them for FREE, then we\u2019ll pay you the same day <\/strong>they arrive.<\/p>\n
\nGrey<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nThe Da Vinci Code<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nHarry Potter<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nTwilight<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nColouring books<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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