Over the past few months, #BookTok has taken over the internet. With genres ranging from romance to thriller, #BookTok accommodates people with all sorts of interests. Videos posted under the #BookTok usually consist of common literary tropes, book recommendations, and book reviews and have received up to 25 million views. Some of the top authors on #BookTok include Elle Kennedy, Colleen Hoover, and other romance writers. 

Out of all the genres on #BookTok, romance seems to be the most popular. Romance novels such as It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover and The Deal by Elle Kennedy initiated the emergence of #BookTok. Novels that take place in a college setting are usually the ones that gain the most popularity on #BookTok. However, #BookTok also praises classic novels like Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald. 

Junior Julienne Granadino stated that “The Deal is one of my favorite books. I heard about it first from a TikTok and I read all the books in the Off-Campus series after reading that book”. 

As mentioned before, Colleen Hoover is one of the biggest authors on #BookTok. It Ends With U, Ugly Love, All Your Perfects, and Maybe Someday are all romance novels written by Colleen Hoover that have grown popular on #BookTok. Contrary to most of the popular books on #BookTok, most of her books are about mature adult relationships and mention triggering topics, so please be sure to consider that before you read any of her books. The Off-Campus Series, which takes place in a college setting on the east coast and follows the adventures of a group of friends, written by Elle Kennedy has also become a well-known #BookTok name.

Other popular books on #BookTok include They Both Die at The End by Adam Silvera, which follows Mateo and Rufus, who discover that they only have one day left to live. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is an adaptation of Homer’s Iliad as told from the perspective of Patroclus, who follows Achilles into war, not knowing that the next few years will test everything they know and keep close to their heart. 

Additionally, there is no lack of thriller and mystery books on #BookTok. One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus is one of the most popular mystery books on #BookTok, and follows 4 high school students who go into detention together, but only come out with 3. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn explores the silent killers of marriage when the wife of the main character goes missing. We Were Liars is a dramatic book with an unexpected ending that has left most of the readers, including me, with a dropped jaw.  

Not only did #BookTok revive the enthusiasm towards reading, but it also created a large community of young readers from all around the world on TikTok. #BookTok reintroduced a form of entertainment that most of us have forgotten about or left in our childhood. Overall, #BookTok brought back the joy of reading in many young adults.

Photographic courtesy of PIXEL.COM