TikTok recommends SO many books, so here are my opinions on whether a few of them are worth the read!
Verity (Colleen Hoover) ★★★★☆/ ☆☆☆☆☆
Please look at the trigger warnings before reading this book!
Verity is an amazing psychological thriller that will leave you questioning reality.
It’s VERY disturbing and there were many scenes that I had to outright skip, but you’ll be driven by an all-consuming need to know what happens. I actually pulled an all-nighter to finish this one. Hoover’s transition from most romance books to a horror-themed novel is impressive and I look forward to her writing more books like this in the future. Overall, this book is great for the fall if you’re into creepy, brain-twisting books with mysterious elements.
Beautiful World, Where Are You? (Sally Rooney) ★★★★☆/ ☆☆☆☆☆
Sally Rooney has mastered capturing the feeling of being lost in your twenties. This book definitely reminded me more of Normal People than Conversations with Friends, but it is a great read nonetheless. It follows two best friends, Alice and Eileen, in their correspondence post-graduation after moving far from each other. Its blend of email correspondence and transitions between Alice and Eileen’s perspectives keeps the book interesting while maintaining a compelling storyline. The book also discusses dating and mental health post-university. I loved this book and think it’s a great read for anyone who might be feeling confused about navigating their twenties.
Circe (Madeline Miller) ★★★★☆/ ☆☆☆☆☆
Told from the perspective of the titular Greek witch Circe, this book proves Miller’s place as one of the best adapters of Greek mythology. I never thought I’d be able to relate to a goddess, but during this entire book, I was rooting for and felt connected to Circe. Miller’s writing style is so beautiful and poetic, and she does an amazing job of adding flourish to traditional Greek tales. Even if you know the myths discussed in the book, it’s full of unexpected twists and beautiful quotes. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to read something with a coming-of-age plot with hints of fantasy.
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue (V.E Shwab) ★★★☆☆/ ☆☆☆☆☆
This book is a dark academia lover’s dream taking place in cities like Paris and New York. It tells the tale of the immortal Addie Larue on her journeys around the world. While the plot of this novel can be slow at times, the beautiful wording and imagery make up for this fact. This book took me a while to get through, but the unexpected ending and elegant writing made it a good read. This book is perfect for the fall, with its dreary setting and tone.
We Were Liars (E. Lockhart) ★★☆☆☆/ ☆☆☆☆☆
To be honest…I was not the biggest fan of this book. The setting was cute and it was a short and easy read, but those are the only things I really liked about it. It was extremely predictable, and the plot twist wasn’t as shocking as Tik Tok made it seem. In general, the writing style was very straightforward. If you want a quick, straightforward book, this one is great, but I would definitely say it isn’t as life-changing as TikTok says it is.
Hopefully, this article can help you figure out whether a TikTok-recommended book is worth the read! Everyone has different tastes, and this is just my opinion, so make sure you read whatever is best for you.