If you’re reading this, I’m going to assume that you’ve landed on the literary side of TikTok, also known as #BookTok. As both an avid reader who polishes off close to 200 books a year and a frequent TikTok scroller, a lot of my screen time is comprised of getting book recs from my fellow TikTok users. The thing is, there are quite literally thousands of BookTok recs at this point—and as someone who has read her fair share of them, I’m here to help you cut through the noise and find the titles that are actually worth adding to your toppling TBR. Whether you love romance, are craving a popcorn thriller, have been bitten by the romantasy bug (I see you, Sarah J. Maas girlies!), or love to see a Cinderella story, I’m confident there’s a title in here to please every type of reader. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Fantasy readers who love a campus-set novel, if you haven’t yet picked up Fourth Wing, what are you waiting for? This novel brings readers into the halls of a war college for dragon riders. Although Violet Sorrengail always intended to dedicate her life to studies (think Ravenclaw), she decides to train as a dragon rider (think Gryffindor) to appease her mother. Unlike Hogwarts, this school is cutthroat—the only way out is to graduate or die, especially after she becomes enmeshed with an unlikely suitor. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid Everything Taylor Jenkins Reid writes strikes it big on TikTok, including her latest novel, Atmosphere. If you were glued to the Artemis II space mission, might I suggest this ‘80s-set heart-pounder?It follows Joan Goodwin, a fictional character who becomes one of the first women in NASA’s space program—and ends up falling in love with someone unexpected in the process. Berkley Beach Read by Emily Henry As an Emily Henry superfan, I’m here to tell you that my girl has NEVER written a bad book. Whether you start with People We Meet on Vacation after watching the Netflix adaption, pick up my personal favorite (Book Lovers forever!), or prefer to start at the beginning with Beach Read, you cannot go wrong. This one chronicles the story of a romance author and a pretentious literary fiction bro who live next to each other for the summer and challenge each other to write a novel in the other’s genre...only to fall head over heels. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah Should I just go ahead and crown Kristin Hannah the queen of BookTok-beloved historical fiction? While novels like The Women and Firefly Lane have gotten tons of buzz on social media, The Nightingale is undoubtedly TikTok’s favorite. Set in World War II France, this story follows a woman who is forced to house German Nazis in her home after her husband leaves for war. Warning: Have tissues on hand. Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton BookTok defintely prefers fiction, but every so often, a memoir cuts through the romance and thriller recs popularized by the platform. One of my personal favorites is Everything I Know About Love, which can be best described as a modern version of Bridget Jones’s Diary, following the messiness of Alderton’s twenties as she makes friends, gets drunk, falls in love, gets dumped, rinse and repeat.
