"many creators make videos titled, 'Rating books on BookTok' or 'Telling you if these books are worth reading' inferring that some of the books on the platform get more attention than they deserve. So I talked to a few readers who are on BookTok about what they think is or isn't worth reading on BookTok." --Ruby Deetz, 7th grade
Short for "Book TikTok," BookTok is a group of TikTok users who love reading and literature. They have developed a creative method of discussing, reviewing, and recommending books that have transformed the publishing and literary worlds by creating engaging videos inspired by the books they read.
But how did BookTok come to be the huge platform that it is now? 16 year-old Kate Willson was the first to start the trend, #BookTok in August of 2020. Wilson's @kateslibrary TikTok handle is one of the many well-known accounts sharing content on #BookTok, a reading-focused section of the platform that has amassed 9.6 billion views so far and has been dubbed “the least wholesome place on the internet” due to certain styles and genres of books on the platform. According to a poll done among American TikTok users, exposure to BookTok increased their reading habits: 48% of TikTok users reported reading more books than they did before using BookTok.
BookTok is controlled by regular readers, typically young women, who upload recommendations and videos of themselves talking about the books they love—sometimes sobbing, sometimes screaming, sometimes throwing a copy across the room—rather than the traditional book industry heavyweights like authors and publishers advertising their work.
However, many creators make videos titled, “Rating books on BookTok” or “Telling you if these books are worth reading” inferring that some of the books on the platform get more attention than they deserve. So I talked to a few readers who are on BookTok about what they think is or isn't worth reading on BookTok.
1. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air series)
First, we’ll start with arguably one of the most popular series on BookTok, The Folk of The Air Series, often referred to as “The Cruel Prince.” The series is a trilogy and one sequel. This story follows Jude Duarte, a mortal girl, and Cardan Greenbriar, a faerie prince, as they cross a world filled with hatred, betrayal, and disdain, while also harboring affections for one another.
8th grade Literary Arts student Zanthe Jones-Gerachis (she/her) enjoyed The Folk of the Air series. “This series really got me back into reading after a huge reading slump.” she says. “I get a lot of reading slumps and most of the time it’s hard to pull me out of them.” Jones-Gerachis says that the majority of the books she reads are from BookTok. You can find more of her perspective on this series from her article, “Worst VS. Best Young Adult Novels.”
7th grade Theater student Isadora Abell (she/her) also is fond of this series, “The misconception about Cruel Prince is that it’s an enemies to lovers book, but it's mainly a dark fantasy political romance. I was pleasantly surprised.”
Jones-Gerachis rated it a 9/10 while Abell rated it an 8/10, so we’ll rate it an 8.5/10. They both said it was overall a great series.
But how did BookTok come to be the huge platform that it is now? 16 year-old Kate Willson was the first to start the trend, #BookTok in August of 2020. Wilson's @kateslibrary TikTok handle is one of the many well-known accounts sharing content on #BookTok, a reading-focused section of the platform that has amassed 9.6 billion views so far and has been dubbed “the least wholesome place on the internet” due to certain styles and genres of books on the platform. According to a poll done among American TikTok users, exposure to BookTok increased their reading habits: 48% of TikTok users reported reading more books than they did before using BookTok.
BookTok is controlled by regular readers, typically young women, who upload recommendations and videos of themselves talking about the books they love—sometimes sobbing, sometimes screaming, sometimes throwing a copy across the room—rather than the traditional book industry heavyweights like authors and publishers advertising their work.
However, many creators make videos titled, “Rating books on BookTok” or “Telling you if these books are worth reading” inferring that some of the books on the platform get more attention than they deserve. So I talked to a few readers who are on BookTok about what they think is or isn't worth reading on BookTok.
1. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air series)
First, we’ll start with arguably one of the most popular series on BookTok, The Folk of The Air Series, often referred to as “The Cruel Prince.” The series is a trilogy and one sequel. This story follows Jude Duarte, a mortal girl, and Cardan Greenbriar, a faerie prince, as they cross a world filled with hatred, betrayal, and disdain, while also harboring affections for one another.
8th grade Literary Arts student Zanthe Jones-Gerachis (she/her) enjoyed The Folk of the Air series. “This series really got me back into reading after a huge reading slump.” she says. “I get a lot of reading slumps and most of the time it’s hard to pull me out of them.” Jones-Gerachis says that the majority of the books she reads are from BookTok. You can find more of her perspective on this series from her article, “Worst VS. Best Young Adult Novels.”
7th grade Theater student Isadora Abell (she/her) also is fond of this series, “The misconception about Cruel Prince is that it’s an enemies to lovers book, but it's mainly a dark fantasy political romance. I was pleasantly surprised.”
Jones-Gerachis rated it a 9/10 while Abell rated it an 8/10, so we’ll rate it an 8.5/10. They both said it was overall a great series.
2. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barns (The Inheritance Games series)
The Inheritance Games is also fairly popular among the books on BookTok. This is another trilogy and a sequel written by Jennifer Lynn Barns. The protagonist of the book is Avery Kylie Grambs, a high school student who moved in with her step-sister, Libby after losing her mother. Avery discovers that she is in the will of billionaire Tobias Hawthorne. However, Avery won't just inherit his wealth, though. She has to play the inheritance game, created by Hawthorne.
“The inheritance games is probably my favorite series ever. It’s so well written and has a strong female lead,” says Jones-Gerachis. Jones-Gerachis is very fond of Avery when it comes to being the main character. “She is amazing. She is beautiful, charismatic, well put together, just ten out of ten.”
A lot of people enjoy this series, including Rose Fallows who made an online post for it.“The entire series is written so well, with the loveable written main characters that actually have interesting and good personalities unlike some other books, but also the mixture of romance love triangle, and a very, very good mystery,” Fallows said in her BookTok. This series was rated a 10/10 by most people.
The Inheritance Games is also fairly popular among the books on BookTok. This is another trilogy and a sequel written by Jennifer Lynn Barns. The protagonist of the book is Avery Kylie Grambs, a high school student who moved in with her step-sister, Libby after losing her mother. Avery discovers that she is in the will of billionaire Tobias Hawthorne. However, Avery won't just inherit his wealth, though. She has to play the inheritance game, created by Hawthorne.
“The inheritance games is probably my favorite series ever. It’s so well written and has a strong female lead,” says Jones-Gerachis. Jones-Gerachis is very fond of Avery when it comes to being the main character. “She is amazing. She is beautiful, charismatic, well put together, just ten out of ten.”
A lot of people enjoy this series, including Rose Fallows who made an online post for it.“The entire series is written so well, with the loveable written main characters that actually have interesting and good personalities unlike some other books, but also the mixture of romance love triangle, and a very, very good mystery,” Fallows said in her BookTok. This series was rated a 10/10 by most people.
3. Today, Tonight, Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Today, Tonight, Tomorrow is a novel by Rachel Lynn Solomon, that is written over the course of three days but manages to tell a great story in a small amount of time. Throughout high school, Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been intense rivals who have fought over everything from test scores to student council elections to pull-up competitions in the gym. Though Rowan, who longs to write romance novels in secret, is worried about the future, she would really like to defeat her annoying rival once and for all.
This is yet another book that Jones-Gerachis is fond of. “I could not put it down. I was camping with my friend and she would tell me to hang out with them but once I finished it I lent it to her and she was like, ‘I get it now.’” This book was given an overall 8/10.
Today, Tonight, Tomorrow is a novel by Rachel Lynn Solomon, that is written over the course of three days but manages to tell a great story in a small amount of time. Throughout high school, Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been intense rivals who have fought over everything from test scores to student council elections to pull-up competitions in the gym. Though Rowan, who longs to write romance novels in secret, is worried about the future, she would really like to defeat her annoying rival once and for all.
This is yet another book that Jones-Gerachis is fond of. “I could not put it down. I was camping with my friend and she would tell me to hang out with them but once I finished it I lent it to her and she was like, ‘I get it now.’” This book was given an overall 8/10.
4. The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
The Shadows Between Us is a fantasy romance the author describes as a "Slytherin romance" that is a book that many adore. Alessandra, the frequently neglected second daughter of a lord, is determined to capture the king's heart in order to murder him and steal his kingdom. Her ambitions get a boost when she captures the king's eye at a royal ball and is invited to stay at court.
Jones-Gerachis read it and feels similar about it as she does The inheritance Games. “It has a great strong lead female character. The first sentence in the book hooked me right away.” she says.
This book also has a second book called The Darkness Within Us. This book was given an overall rating of an 8 out of 10.
The Shadows Between Us is a fantasy romance the author describes as a "Slytherin romance" that is a book that many adore. Alessandra, the frequently neglected second daughter of a lord, is determined to capture the king's heart in order to murder him and steal his kingdom. Her ambitions get a boost when she captures the king's eye at a royal ball and is invited to stay at court.
Jones-Gerachis read it and feels similar about it as she does The inheritance Games. “It has a great strong lead female character. The first sentence in the book hooked me right away.” she says.
This book also has a second book called The Darkness Within Us. This book was given an overall rating of an 8 out of 10.
5. They Both Die at The End by Adam Silvera
They Both Die at The End is a YA fiction that is usually seen in videos of creators crying over it. It’s the story of two teenagers, Mateo Torrez (18) and Rufus Emeterio (17), who both receive phone calls from Death-Cast, a nationwide service that alerts those who have just 24 hours to live.
“I feel like The First to Die at The End is more romantic but I still love 'They Both Die at The End’ just because I’m a killer for romance,” says Abell. The ranking of this book was a 9/10
Other Books Promoted On BookTok
Abell has read other books such as The Summer I Turned Pretty and Red Queen, but thinks those books, and books like them, are given too much spotlight and could be replaced by other books she has read such as the Warcross Series by Marie Lu. Other books that are discussed on BookTok that are well loved are The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and the number one book on BookTok, It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover.
They Both Die at The End is a YA fiction that is usually seen in videos of creators crying over it. It’s the story of two teenagers, Mateo Torrez (18) and Rufus Emeterio (17), who both receive phone calls from Death-Cast, a nationwide service that alerts those who have just 24 hours to live.
“I feel like The First to Die at The End is more romantic but I still love 'They Both Die at The End’ just because I’m a killer for romance,” says Abell. The ranking of this book was a 9/10
Other Books Promoted On BookTok
Abell has read other books such as The Summer I Turned Pretty and Red Queen, but thinks those books, and books like them, are given too much spotlight and could be replaced by other books she has read such as the Warcross Series by Marie Lu. Other books that are discussed on BookTok that are well loved are The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and the number one book on BookTok, It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover.
