BookTok is a side of TikTok that grew in popularity during 2020, at the height of quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. BookTok is where writers and readers come together to talk about their favorite books. BookTok is one of my favorite parts of TikTok, and I’ve read my fair share of popular BookTok books in the past two years. I’m here to rate some of BookTok’s favorite books. I’d like to preface this by saying these are my opinions, but people are allowed to feel differently than I do when it comes to these books.
Warning: Possible spoilers ahead.
It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
I’m reluctant to talk about this book in light of how Colleen Hoover has recently been exposed for being problematic. However, It Ends With Us is one of the most popular books on BookTok… and I’m not sure that’s rightfully so. When I first read this book, I loved it; I thought it was groundbreaking and revolutionary. I don’t think the same now. While it has a good message when it comes to abusive relationships, I don’t think it was written well. For the first half of the book, a relationship filled with red flags is romanticized. It’s hard to connect with any of the characters, and Colleen Hoover’s writing style is not for me, even if the story does end with a good message. However, I personally don’t understand BookTok’s obsession with Colleen Hoover.
My Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Goodreads: ★★★★☆ (4.37)
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
The A Court of Thorns and Roses series is currently standing at 4 books, but Sarah J. Maas hasn’t finished writing it yet. This series gets weird and hard to read at points of time, but I do love this series. The first book is the hardest to get through, but once you get to the second book, entitled A Court of Mist and Fury, the series picks up and is actually really good. In all honesty, Maas isn’t the greatest writer and the story is full of plotholes. However, while the series is very long, the series, while very long, it is very fun to read. And all of the characters are hot.
My Rating: Book 1 ★★★★☆ Book 2 ★★★★★ Book 3 ★★★★★ Book 4 ★★★★☆
Goodreads: Book 1 ★★★★☆ (4.20) Book 2 ★★★★★ (4.62) Book 3 ★★★★☆ (4.44) Book 4 ★★★★☆ (4.41)
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
The Love Hypothesis started as a Star Wars fanfiction, but I’m so glad it has become an officially published book since then. This is one of my favorite BookTok books. It’s a fake dating academic romcom that is both sweet and funny. Ali Hazelwood is a big advocate for women in STEM, which makes the story all the more interesting. I highly recommend this book, and it will have you wondering “when is it my turn to be happy?”
My Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads: ★★★★☆ (4.28)
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Once you move past the idea that the male romantic interest has a tail, this series is highly entertaining and features badass characters all around. This trilogy whisked me away into a fantasy world that I wasn’t sure I wanted to come back from. I think BookTok tends to portray this series as an enemies to lovers story – which it is – however, it has an interesting plot outside of the romance. Holly Black created a trilogy with alluring characters, plots, and relationships.
My Rating: Book 1 ★★★★☆ Book 2 ★★★★★ Book 3 ★★★★★
Goodreads: Book 1 ★★★★☆ (4.09) Book 2 ★★★★☆ (4.34) Book 3 ★★★★☆ (4.37)
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
I have to start by saying this book is unreasonably long for a contemporary romance. The reason a lot of people don’t like this book is because of its length. However, it was Elena Armas’ debut as an author, and I would say it was an incredible start. I happened to love this book despite its length. It hits so many tropes, including enemies to lovers, fake dating, and workplace romance. I also think the length of the book paced the slow burn of this romance perfectly. I’m a big defender of this book and I highly recommend reading it.
My Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads: ★★★★☆ (3.96)
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
This will always be one of my favorite books of all time. I cannot count the number of times I have reread this book. If you are going to listen to any of the ratings I’m making in this article, I beg you to listen to this one. This love story between the son of the (female) President of the United States and the Prince of England is devastatingly beautiful. I love everything about the book, from the characters to the plot, from beginning to end and everything in between. I beg people to read this book, especially before the Red, White & Royal Blue movie is released in 2023.
My Rating: ★★★★★ (I wish I could rate it more than 5 stars)
Goodreads: ★★★★☆ (4.15)
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
I wish I could say I liked the Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. I didn’t. I had high hopes for this series because I saw a lot of creators on BookTok praised it. I ended up not liking it for a multitude of reasons – I didn’t like the directions the plot went in, I didn’t like the blandness of a lot of the characters, and I didn’t like the character relations. However, I would recommend reading this series because after reading this series, you can read the Six of Crows duology that takes place in the same universe as Shadow and Bone. And Six of Crows is absolutely incredible. I also recommend reading this series because if you read this series, you can watch the Shadow and Bone TV show, which I think is incredible. All of the characters I hated while reading Shadow and Bone were transformed by their actors on the screen.
My Rating: Book 1 ★★☆☆☆ Book 2 ★★★☆☆ Book 3 ★★☆☆☆
Goodreads: Book 1 ★★★★☆ (3.95) Book 2 ★★★★☆ (3.85) Book 3 ★★★★☆ (4.02)
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
This series made me remember why I love reading. My experience while reading this series was so incredible because Victoria Aveyard is an incredible writer. I think she is extraordinary when it comes to world and character building. While reading this four book series, I became immersed in the world and felt like I was a part of it. A lot of people have a hard time reading this series because of the amount of world building, but I think that just helps the reader fully visualize the world of the story. I highly recommend reading this series. It has the perfect balance between plot, politics, and romance. It is heartbreaking, beautiful, and everything in between and I adore it.
My Rating: Book 1 ★★★★★ Book 2 ★★★★☆ Book 3 ★★★★★ Book 4 ★★★★☆
Goodreads: Book 1 ★★★★☆ (4.03) Book 2 ★★★★☆ (3.83) Book 3 ★★★★☆ (3.94) Book 4 ★★★★☆ (3.85)
The Song of Achilles by Madeleine Miller
Word of advice: Don’t read this book if you’re in a classroom setting. I was in my high school choir class when I finished this book and I started crying in front of everyone. Don’t make the same mistake I did. For a kid who grew up obsessed with Greek mythology because of Percy Jackson, I loved this book. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the story of Achilles and Patroclus. It is both gorgeous and heart-wrenching. Madeleine Miller has an incredible way with words, proven through the multitude of incredible quotes that came out of the book, including “I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.” I think this is one of the greatest books BookTok ever advocated for.
My Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads: ★★★★☆ (4.38)
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Emily Henry is another one of BookTok’s favorite writers. Her most famous books are People We Meet on Vacation, Beach Read, and Book Lovers. I’ve read all three of them and I’ve loved them all. I find that Emily Henry’s books are the type of books you adore while you’re reading, but end up forgetting about as time goes on. That’s not to say they aren’t entertaining because they really are and I love her writing. I visualize her books as the type of books you read during the summer while on the beach. You read it, you enjoy it, and then you move on to the next. Regardless of all of that, I do recommend reading this book, along with any of her books BookTok tells you to read. People We Meet on Vacation is a college friends to almost enemies to lovers book that is guaranteed to keep you entertained from beginning to end.
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Goodreads: ★★★★☆ (3.96)