As someone who consumes books like their life depends on it, I’ve found Booktok to be a great tool for finding book recommendations. The rise of book content on the popular social media platform TikTok has unearthed a lot of opinions from enthusiastic readers.
Many TikTok users have enjoyed the opportunity to engage with online reading communities centered around finding new books from readers from all around the world. Others have criticized the rise of book content and the impact BookTok has had on the publishing industry as a whole.
Some of these criticisms are fair. Trends centered around sharing book opinions on this social media platform have given the publishing industry a run for its money and have potentially encouraged the mass production of books designed to sell.
That debate is for another time. I’m here to briefly position myself as a booktok-apologist and share some of my favorite books from the social media platform. Whether you love it or hate it, booktok is here to stay, so we might as well enjoy Booktok for what it is.
My first few months on booktok were spent sifting through a lot of fluff. I have nothing against the more popular books being pushed by the platform, but I quickly realized that Colleen Hoover, and Taylor Jenkins Reid just aren’t for me. I’m glad I didn’t give up on booktok too quickly after the first book recommendations didn’t pan out.
I realized that while yes, some book recommendations found on the social media platform are not great, what is great is booktok’s algorithm. Once the algorithm learned my tastes better and I found Tik Tok users with the with similar reading preferences to me, I started finding some really great reading lists.
After digging a bit I realized there were plenty of TikTok users that read similar genres and authors that I enjoyed. After that, I was really happy with the book recommendations I found.
Some of the book recommendations I’ve included in this list are more well-known than others. If you use social media to find book recommendations, you’ve probably heard of a few of these titles. Surprisingly, I ended up enjoying one of the most popular BookTok titles.
I’ve spent more hours on social media than I’d like to admit, sifting through the depths of Booktok and watching book reviews so you don’t have to. I hope you enjoy what are now some of my favorite books as much as I did!
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The first book on this list is probably one of the most popular booktok books on this reading list. The Song of Achilles novel blew up, quickly becoming a booktok favorite and for a good reason.
This novel is a poetic retelling of the Trojan War. The Song of Achilles is written from the perspective of Patroclus as he navigates growing up during the Greek Heroic Age and experiences his first love, Achilles.
This novel is by far one of booktok’s favorite books and it deserves every ounce of hype its recieved. I probably wouldn’t have discovered this book if I wasn’t on social media.
The Song of Achilles is one of the most heartbreaking and heartwarming love stories I’ve ever read. If you’re interested in retellings of Greek mythology or just need a love story and a nice long cry, this book belongs on your shelf.
Severance by Ling Ma
If you’re on the dystopian side of Booktok, you’ve probably heard of Ling Ma’s Severance. The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and follows the main character, Candace.
While the setting is bleak and feels hopeless at times, the main character eases a bit of tension from the outside world with her introspection and reflection on her past life. The story is rich in themes surrounding worker’s rights.
The critiques of capitalism and our obsession with productivity make the story philosophically interesting. This novel is one of the best stories I’ve read in the apocalyptic genre, and like many of the titles on this list, I may not have found it without the help of Booktok.
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
If you’re wondering when I’ll stop talking about this book, which I consider to be one of the best books of all time, the answer is never.
One of the older books I’ve found through TikTok, this gut-wrenchingly beautiful speculative fiction novel takes place in an unknown world where 40 women are held captive in an underground bunker.
The bunker is patrolled 24/7 by male guards who do not speak. The unnamed main character doesn’t recall her life before the bunker and has no idea how or why she ended up there.
An unprecedented event changes the trajectory of the main character’s story as she’s forced to grapple with the strange new world she’s found herself in.
This is one of the best stories I’ve read in the speculative fiction genre. If you like ambiguous settings and endings in your novels and enjoy literature with feminist undertones, you’ve got to check this one out.
Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
Tender is the Flesh is the first novel from BookTok I ever read. This novel is not for the faint of heart, and I definitely recommend checking the trigger warnings before reading it.
The story takes place in a dystopian world where all animal meat has become contaminated, and humans have resorted to legalizing cannibalism.
Tender is the Flesh follows Marcos, a worker in one of these cannibalistic meat plants. Marcos faces his own struggles with his father’s disease and his wife’s infertility. The way that Marcos chooses to address his interpersonal issues leads the story down a dark path.
The story is intense and grim, as you may imagine. While the story is incredibly disturbing and graphic at times, it’s a great pick if you’re looking for new dystopian horror book recommendations.
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
The Fifth Season is the first novel of a three-part book series, The Broke Earth Trilogy.
This story is the perfect blend of science fiction and fantasy with some dystopian features as well. The Fifth Season takes place on a planet with one single continent that experiences environmental catastrophe every couple of centuries.
These catastrophes are called “Seasons”. N.K. Jemisin’s world-building is insanely intricate, and her characters are equally impressive. A major feature of this novel that sets it apart is the use of the second-person point of view storytelling.
I was really nervous about this aspect of the novel since the second person isn’t a super common perspective used by authors. The use of the second-person perspective was very well done in this case and made me feel like I was woven into the story as a reader.
Fantasy, science fiction, and dystopian book lovers all have something to enjoy from this book recommendation.
Final Thoughts on BookTok
While BookTok isn’t the be-all and end-all of great book recommendations, I think it has its place as a useful tool. If we can agree on one thing, it’s probably that TikTok’s algorithm is scary good, and if used properly, it might just lead you to your new favorite book of all time.
Have you been pleasantly surprised by book recommendations from BookTok? Let me know in the comments your favorite (or least favorite) book recommendations.
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