Nicholas Sparks has another No. 1 best seller

Here’s a look at what’s new on USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books list…

Sparks flies: By now, landing at No. 1 on USA TODAY’s list must seem old hat for Nicholas Sparks. The new See Me is the novelist’s fifth novel in a row to make its debut in the top spot. (The full list will publish on Thursday.)

     See Me, Sparks’ first book in two years, follows the No. 1 success of The Longest Ride (2013), The Best of Me (2011), Safe Haven (2010) and The Last Song (2009). (See Me is his 18th book to land in USA TODAY's top 5.)

The new dramatic romance, set again in North Carolina, is the story of Colin Hancock, who’s trying to straighten out his life, and Maria Sanchez, a lawyer with troubles of her own.

On his web site, Sparks says that his latest characters “are among my favorites that I have ever created.” He also tells fans:

“See Me in some ways is similar to The Guardian and Safe Haven, in that the novel evolves from a simple love story to a story with thriller-like elements. However, unlike the previous novels, See Me has more twists and turns; part of the fun of the novel is in trying to figure out what’s happening, and who the antagonist actually is.”

Of course Sparks is equally well known for the hit movies spun off from his best sellers. According to publisher Grand Central, he has not yet sold the film rights for See Me. But an adaptation of The Choice, based on his 2007 novel (another No. 1 USA TODAY best seller), is due in theaters in February. After that, fans should prepare to bring tissues to the movie version of The Guardian, which is in the early stages of production.

We're only 'Humans': In the era of selfies, there’s still room for photographers – especially for a guy named Brandon Stanton, the street photographer behind the wildly popular blog Humans of New York.  Stanton is back on the list with a book version of the blog, Humans of New York: Stories, which lands at No. 6. It's a sequel to his surprise 2013 hit, Humans of New York, which landed at No. 5.

Stanton is more of a “confessional” photographer than a professional photographer. He prowls the city to find interesting characters of all ages, strangers who tell him intimate (and often funny) details of their lives. He posts both the photos and the stories on his blog. His new book offers 100 photos and stories never seen before.

Stanton was interviewed by Robin Roberts for segments on Good Morning America and Nightline that aired on Oct. 12, the day before his book went on sale.