Like most crazed book-loving girls, I have been meticulously following the book suggestions on BookTok. I have added countless books to my TBR (to-be-read) and I have managed to read a bunch too. Some have been out of this world amazing while others have been complete let downs. I am here to tell you which ones I loved that are worth the read and which ones you could probably skip. These are simply my opinions!
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
We are starting off strong. I just recently finished this book, as in around 4 days ago. This book is quite possibly the best book that I have ever read. On Goodreads, I gave it 5 stars but I would have given it more if possible. This book was absolutely amazing. I have never been extremely interested in fantasy novels but this book has made me want to read every fantasy series written. Rebecca Yarros crafted a magnificent world with terrific characters. It had the highly loved trope of enemies to lovers and it incorporated dragons. I liked that this book included elements from other beloved fantasies and dystopias like The Hunger Games, Divergent, Harry Potter, and The Darkest Minds. She didn’t explicitly copy any other stories but there were elements that reminded me of each of these other series. This is the best book I have found from Tik Tok and I definitely recommend that everyone tries it!
- Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
This is controversial but I did not like this book. I started it because everyone spoke so highly of it and a close friend of mine even suggested it. However, I made it about 90 pages in and was absolutely bored. I took a break from the book for a couple weeks and after that I still couldn’t get into it. I finally forced myself to finish it because I was hoping it had some amazing ending to deserve all of the praise it gets. Alas, that was not the situation. I liked the concept but it just wasn’t for me. I found it boring and uneventful. The end was decent but predictable.On Goodreads, I gave it 3 stars but honestly it deserved a 2.5. You could definitely pass on this one.
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I very much enjoyed this book. I loved the concept and I thought that it was such a cool plot. The characters were interesting and there was never a dull moment to this book. There were lots of plot twists and the book kept you guessing until the last pages. I loved it and I definitely recommend this book. On Goodreads, I gave it 5 stars. I had never seen a book with this concept which made it unique and enjoyable. It was a good read and this one is worth your time.
- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
OMG. This book helped me out of a reading slump this summer. The plot captured my attention immediately and left me wanting more. I loved the character development and plot twists. I have always been a huge fan of mystery/thrillers and this book did not let me down. There was mystery, there was suspense, there was a little romance. It was probably my favorite that I read over the summer. I gave this 4 stars on Goodreads but it should be a 4.5. I continued on and read the rest of the series. The first one was the best but I do recommend that you read the whole trilogy!
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
To preface this review, I am a psychology student and this book does involve psychology topics. With that being said, I loved the concept of this book. As mentioned above, I am a fan of mystery/thrillers so this was right up my alley. There were so many plot twists and this book was not predictable. I kind of hated some of the characters but it was so interesting and enthralling. If you know psychology, then you would understand why I was weirded out by the constant references to Sigmeund Freud but other than that it was good. On Goodreads, I gave this book 4 stars. This is definitely worth the read.
- They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
Another controversial take but this book is not as good as everyone has been saying. I read this book five years ago for a book club. Therefore, I read it before it got all of the hype. It was a good book, but I don’t think it lives up to the expectations created from BookTok. The concept was very interesting and I liked the characters but it wasn’t a completely outstanding book. At the time, I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads but this one could easily be skipped.
- Verity by Colleen Hoover
Last but certainly not least, we have Verity. This book is well worth the hype. This novel is a mystery/thriller and one of the craziest that I have ever read. This is a hot-take but I do enjoy Colleen Hoover books and this is one of my favorites so far. The characters were enthralling, the plot was intense, and the whole book was just unbelievable. The sex scenes were a little over the top but the book itself was so good. There were numerous plot twists and the book leaves you guessing even after you finish it. I cannot even explain the hold that this book has on me. On Goodreads, I gave this 5 stars. For all you mystery/thriller girlies, this is one that you cannot pass up!
I hope that my reviews helped to determine which BookTok books are worth the hype and which can be skipped. I enjoyed many of these books and I hope you do too!