Not long after TikTok’s global launch in 2017 did it start to gain major traction online, and by 2019 every teenager had it downloaded. Since then different communities have formed within TikTok based on mutual interests. There’s more communities than you can count but they include art, cosplay, mental health, beauty, etc.
TikTok has evolved into a platform that serves more of a purpose than just short comedic videos, people now go to it to find information too. And one of these communities, known as BookTok, is famous (or infamous) for its recommendations and discussions of books to readers.
What is BookTok?
BookTok, as previously explained, is another community on TikTok targeting readers. But the unique thing about BookTok is it tends to discuss and recommend the same titles, thus it has gained some notoriety for having some bad taste.
Yet, this is only one side to BookTok and that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any books worth looking into. That’s why I am here to tell you which BookTok recommendations are worth it, and which aren’t.
Not worth it
Unfortunately, this is some truth to BookTok recommendations being bad. Here are some books that I’ve been recommended and couldn’t see the hype for.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
A controversial first pick as positive reviews for this book on Goodreads are the majority. The concept is what makes this novel so interesting.
A woman who can never be remembered and the immortal being who cursed her falling in love over time? Uh, yeah! That’s totally awesome. But despite such an interesting concept there was a dissatisfying ending I couldn’t quite get over.
I won’t spoil it by going into details though. I could have stomached the ending, however, if the writing throughout hadn’t put me off. Poetic prose can be beautiful and enchanting, but in this case it was a bit too flowery.
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
Another book that I kept seeing all over my For You page until I finally put my foot down and told myself, “Alright, let’s see what all this noise is about.” I read through the entire series only to ask myself why I had.
Evangeline Fox is a charming protagonist and I didn’t necessarily hate the romance between her and Jacks, but the highs and lows of their relationship were altogether too dramatic.
It’s understandable in their situation that Evangeline would be wary to trust Jacks, and he to love again, but this conflict that’s prolonged three books causes strain on the reader. The plot wasn’t the most structured, either.
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
The moment my eyes laid on this book I knew I had to read it. A romcom that leans more heavily on the comedy side? A villainous love interest? All things to say yes to. But to my immense disappointment the logical fallacies of the characters and the plot were too much for me to ignore.
For a villain, he was really quite a caring person. And for all the evil things he did, it really felt more like a statement of how evil he was rather than something the character would actually do.
And what’s more, I just couldn’t figure out how for a secret stronghold, everybody could seem to find their way in and get a job within an office setting. There’s no reason a medieval setting should contain work that resembles a 9-5. And the comedy part was very exaggerated because I would have labeled it more a drama than a comedy.
Worth it
Finally, we’re arriving to what we all really want to know in terms of BookTok recommendations.
Up first:
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
I wasn’t sure where to place this book, because the first book in the series is really enjoyable despite its flaws. The second one was ok, until there was a fantastic ending, but the third one I could barely stand to read more. My true suggestion would be to read the first two books and end it there.
Now, to explain why I’ll have to give out big spoilers so readers beware. The mystery of the first book was a bit predictable, but not in a terribly boring way and you find yourself entertained anyway. Ravi Singh was an amazing character and he remained my favorite throughout.
The second was a little more subpar, but would still recommend reading to complete the story. The third I can recommend to no one. It is extremely distressing to see a main character who had been so passionate about justice and finding the truth become a murderer herself.
Perhaps if the fall of a hero is your kind of thing, then go for it, but in this case I felt it couldn’t be logically explained.
Pip’s PTSD was talked about extensively, but she had escaped from the man who’d kidnapped her, so why would she go back specifically to murder him? Distrust in the police from not believing her doesn’t seem that likely to me.
Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air) by Holly Black
Although more fantasy and political intrigue over romance, this is a series I would say is definitely worth it. For readers who enjoy the Enemy to Lovers trope, this is one book where it is done right.
Jude Duarte is unique as a main character for her cold, analytical, and slightly selfish personality, but her background more than justifies the way she is and what she has had to do to survive. Nonetheless, she is still a loveable character.
These books take a little bit to start going, but once you hit the climax you won’t be able to stop reading. And the back-and-forth between Jude and Cardan is a very entertaining read.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
With a very popular movie made by Studio Ghibli as well, both stories are a delight and I recommend wholeheartedly. Dianna Wynne Jones was a skilled writer and storyteller (check out her Chrestomanci series) and there is a reason Howl’s Moving Castle is her most famous book.
Howl even with his fickle nature is ever the heartthrob, and Sophie shines as the protagonist with her fierce yet kind disposition. The characters and the writing are whimsical and engaging, and the setting is new, unfamiliar, and fantastical. This is the kind of book you reread over and over again only to find something new each time.
What isn’t on BookTok that’s still worth it?
There are more books outside of than within the scope of BookTok recommendations, therefore it is very important to mention some gems that may have escaped your radar. Sorted by genre, here they are:
- The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (Tiffany Aching series) – Fantasy, Comedy
- The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (The Chronicles of Prydain) – Fantasy, Middle grade
- Eragon by Christopher Paolini (The Inheritance Cycle series) – Fantasy, dragons, a bit of romance
- The Ghost and The Goth by Stacey Kade – YA, Supernatural, Romance
- Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson – Contemporary, Romance
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