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Was reading something you enjoyed until school made it a requirement? Do you want to read more but lack the time or inspiration for what to read? Or, maybe, are you a bookworm looking for a community of people like you to talk about your latest read with? If so, TikTok — or rather, “Booktok” — may be the place for you. Considering the expansion of TikTok in the past year, within the pandemic, the idea of #BookTok has become popular enough to warrant what TikTok even is.
What Is #BookTok?
While you take your daily (or hourly) scroll through TikTok these days, there is a likely chance that a video hashtagged as “BookTok” pops up on your feed. This side of TikTok pertains to anything and everything book-related, from reviews and recommendations to fandom inside jokes and character cosplays (( Beech, Chase. 2021. “BookTok Boon is Changing the Publishing World.” )). There are similar reading communities on social media platforms like Instagram and Youtube, correspondingly called “Bookstagram” and “Booktube.”
Although book lovers have discussed their favorite and least favorite books online for years, a recent surge in the popularity of Booktok and Bookstagram has inspired a whole new wave of readers to join the conversation. The popularity of BookTok has spearheaded a growth of interest in reading as an exciting pastime for younger audiences. It is effectively reclaiming reading as an outlet for individuals to use as an escape or way of identifying themselves. Currently, #BookTok has over twenty billion views on TikTok and counting, the hashtag filled with book reactions, reviews, and recommendations for your next best read (( “#booktok.” TikTok. Accessed September 13, 2021. )).
The Influence of TikTok And Social Media On Trends
From fashion to food, almost all the latest societal trends are determined by their popularity on Tiktok and other social media platforms. For instance, as students and employees transitioned to working from home in the spring of 2020, the South Korean drink of whipped coffee called “dalgona” coffee became a hit trend on TikTok (( Kubota, Samantha. 2021. “US Company Apologizes.” )). For many students, making the drink was an essential part of their daily routine in quarantine, with millions of people enjoying the whipped beverage and its subsequent variations for the whole summer.
The influence of TikTok expands to music as well, with some of the biggest chart-toppers finding their success initially on the app, such as “Savage” by Megan Thee Stallion and “Say So” by Doja Cat (( Morris, Seren. 2021. “25 Songs Thats Totally Blew Up on TikTok.” )). Dances for both songs went viral on TikTok, inspiring dancers and non-dancers alike to learn the moves. These trends in food and music showcase how TikTok influences the popularity of activities by motivating people to try out something new or return to beloved old pastimes. As people try out trends to see what the hype is about, they may discover a new hobby to enjoy on an everyday basis.
How #BookTok And Bookstagram Make Reading Appealing
Similarly to how TikTok inspires trends in food and music, BookTok has inspired a reading renaissance by reviving enthusiasm around the activity. In a day and age with countless methods of entertainment and hobbies to pursue, reading often appears as a more burdensome pastime compared to watching television or playing video games. For many students, obligatory reading for school generally ends up feeling like a chore, with school curriculums often emphasizing classical literature that is not necessarily relatable or entertaining to modern youths. For working adults, reading may be considered a more luxurious hobby that requires an abundance of personal time and money (( Lombardi, Esther. 2019. “Why We Don’t Read.” )). From these perspectives, reading is not accessible, appealing, or fun.
However, BookTok and Bookstagram confront these challenges to reading by making the hobby more approachable and exciting. BookTok promotes reading by reminding prospective bookworms that the books they read do not have to be high-brow classical literature. BookTok emphasizes the notion of reading what is engaging and enjoyable for you, whether that be classic literature, self-help books, or fantasy romance. The sheer number of BookTokers and the variety between their interests guarantees a range of genres for individuals to find something genuinely exciting for themselves. There are also various subcommunities and fandoms for different genres and books on TikTok, helping people connect with others who have similar interests and tastes.
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Furthermore, although BookTok can’t provide more time for people to read, it makes the process more efficient by giving short summaries that highlight the strengths of a book and its plot tropes. This eases the process of choosing a book to read while hopefully investing the person enough in the story to inspire them to start reading. Of course, getting a book based on a TikTok recommendation does not guarantee a person will read it, but BookTok can also serve as a reminder or inspiration to do so. As prospective readers come across discourse and reactions to a book that’s been sitting on their shelf for months, they may just be inclined enough to read the book to understand what everyone is talking about. In this way, BookTok inspires people to read while motivating them to actually do it.
Common Denominators Among Popular BookTok Reads
Countless books are reviewed and recommended on TikTok; however, out of those texts, there are certainly a few that stand out as the most highly talked-about and hyped reads. Among these popular books are some shared characteristics that help explain their widespread appeal. For instance, fluffy romantic comedies like Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston or The Hating Game by Sally Thorne are highly recommended for their effective use of the popular enemies-to-lovers trope (( Olito, Frank. 2021. “15 Books Everyone Must Read.” )). Mature fantasy romance with “spicy” adult scenes is another primary theme between well-known BookTok reads like A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas and From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout. These fantasy series also appeal to the imagination, as they feature expansive world-building that help the reader feel as though they have been transported to another universe.
Beyond the plot points and genres shared between hyped BookTok reads, one of the most significant factors in increasing a text’s prominence on TikTok is how well it succeeds in evoking a reaction or feeling from the reader. This is best demonstrated by the massive popularity of books like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. Both of these books are highly acclaimed for their beautiful and powerfully evocative portrayals of love and tragedy. In her recommendation of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, TikTok user @thebooksiveloved can’t help but tear up while describing the book and the main character’s “greatest love.” This user was not the only person to be emotionally impacted by the book, with countless BookTokers posting their tearful reactions to the novel, discussing how much they love the character of Evelyn and how they relate to or learned from her life story.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller received the same emotional response on BookTok, perhaps to an even more severe degree. Miller’s reimagination of the myth of Achilles and Patroclus captures the development of their relationship from friends to lovers, resulting in a beautiful and utterly tragic story (( The Song of Achilles. Wikipedia. September 13, 2021. )). For many TikTok users, the ending of the book left them feeling heartbroken for weeks afterward. Many individuals posted their initial reaction to starting the book versus their crying response to its end, showcasing just how effectively the book can resonate with readers. While the intense emotional response to books like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and The Song of Achilles might be offputting at first, they also help to prompt further intrigue in the books. For instance, The Song of Achilles experienced explosive popularity on BookTok in early 2021, resulting in its book sales being nine times that of when it was first released nearly ten years ago in 2011 (( Harris, Elizabeth A. 2021. “How Crying on TikTok Sells Books.” )).
From these commonalities between the most popular books on TikTok, it is apparent that prospective readers want a text that is engaging and evocative. Whether it be a rom-com that makes the reader laugh or a tragedy that makes them bawl their eyes out, recommendations on TikTok are geared towards connecting with readers on a visceral level. Ultimately, this showcases how younger generations are reinterpreting their approach to reading in a way that is more accessible for their own emotional expression and introspection.
The Importance Of Reading In Today’s World
As the world entered lockdown in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ushering in a new age of life online, it became even more critical for people to find methods of self-expression and fun in the comfort of their own homes. TikTok became a platform for people to connect with themselves, as many used their accounts to stay up-to-date with the times and the trends. Through TikTok, people can find or rediscover old hobbies like dancing, baking, or reading, ultimately helping them discover more about themselves and what they genuinely enjoy spending their time doing.
The rise in popularity of BookTok reveals just how exciting and engaging reading can be by providing individuals with countless stories to make them laugh, cry, and live vicariously through their favorite characters in fantastical worlds. BookTok exemplifies how reading is important beyond academic pursuits and can serve as an outlet for individuals to explore their own imagination, interests, and feelings.
Great article. Learned alot just reading it. Thank you
Long live books and readers!
This is so beautifully written this writer is truly talented and knows what’s she’s talking about!