Do you have stacks of unread books, and still don’t know what to read? Can BookTok actually help you choose?
In an age when people love to say that our attention span has decreased because of social media, reading has become a popular hobby, especially among Gen Z. The first place where I started to see people my age talking about books was TikTok. Where both books and social media intertwine, we have what they call BookTok, the bookish side of TikTok.
TikTok has had a big impact on reading. The #booktok has over 171.8 billion views and book sales all over the US have increased.In a 2022 article, Forbes stated that there was a 9% augmentation in the US print book market compared to 2020.
Not only has BookTok bumped up sales, but it has also persuaded people to read certain books. And I wasn’t the only one that was influenced to read a book that TikTok recommended to me. A survey made by casino.org about TikTok users, found that 48% of Americans, and 53% of Canadians, are reading more because of this app. And 65% of these users from both countries have read a book based on a BookTok recommendation.
Over the summer I was in a reading slump and decided that I wanted to diversify my reading. Predominantly, my tastes are classics, but I was in the mood for something different and maybe more contemporary/modern. I grabbed my phone and I submerged myself into the deep end of the BookTok waters. Survival was not a given, but here we are and these are my thoughts and experiences with BookTok.
A Court of Thorns and Roses By Sarah J. Maas
Because BookTok has a never-ending amount of book recommendations, I was conflicted on which one to read first, because the premise of so many sounded so intriguing. The first books I read were the A Court of Thorns and Rosesseries (ACOTAR). This fantasy series by Sarah J. Maas has taken BookTok by storm. Even if you don’t read books, you probably have seen a video about it on your feed. I was not prepared to be mentally consumed by faes (no, not the Tinker Bell type). I read the five books in the series so far in twelve days and had so much fun reading them. I found the last one aggravating for more than half of it, but I digress. Sarah J. Maas created an interesting and captivating world and story. Although some aspects of the magic system made no sense to me, I see myself rereading them in the future.
Fourth Wing By Rebecca Yarros
Afterwards, I read Fourth Wing, a young adult fantasy novel. The BookTok community had described it as ACOTAR adjacent, so I was eager to read Rebecca Yarros’ dragon based story. The first few chapters were slow, but once the dragons entered the chat I was hooked. It was my first five star read of the year, and I highly recommend it. Trust me, it’s worth the hype.
Tender is the Flesh By Agustina Bazterrica
Tender is the Flesh is a science fiction dystopian novel where humans no longer have pets, nor do they eat animals. In this society, cannibalism recently got legalized. This book was a trip. I constantly think of the ending and get freaked out, and by my standards, that is an amazing book.
We Were Liars By E. Lockhart
This young adult psychological thriller wrecked me. There was a dysfunctional family, lies, an accident, and a distortion in the story. While you read you pick up the pieces to what really happened on this family’s private island.
Some of the other books I read were: Daughter of the Pirate King, Icebreaker, Yellowface, and Ugly Love.
My BookTok summer came to an end, but I will remember it fondly. I read many books based on what my TikTok For You page recommended to me and I would do it again. Overall, it was a fun experience to change from my usual classics and jump into genres I don’t usually read, like fantasy and young adult.I will certainly keep an eye on what’s trending, because each book I read has a community already on the app. So I could enjoy inside jokes and references from the fans aside from being thoroughly amused by the stories.
Hoping on hate trains and judging without experiencing the work from the authors is arbitrary and quite unfair. It is inevitable that a book you pick up from BookTok might not be good. However, that doesn’t mean that all the recommendations are bad. It all depends on your reading tastes and moods. Sometimes you don’t want to take yourself that seriously with a classic and want to relax and escape to a fantasy world or a cozy romance novel and that’s okay. Opinions can differ and we can agree to disagree, but we need to be respectful about what people read and not undermine their taste.
Nonetheless, if you haven’t tried any of these trendy TikTok books, I encourage you to do so. You might enjoy a few or even find a new favorite. Happy reading!