Books on TikTok That Are Worth the Hype

TikTok has given me so much company throughout quarantine. And my favorite sorner of TikTok, unsurprisingly, has been BookTok. The videos are funny, interesting, and like a mini BookTube (my all-time favorite). If you want to follow my TikTok, here it is. I never really post, but I want to post more, so look out for that.

On BookTok, many videos recommend books. And those recommendations tend to look the same. Certain titles are now recognized as “BookTok" famous” and are featured in bookstores.

My goal here is to tell what books on TikTok I think are worth the hype, are maybe worth the hype depending on the reader you are, and books I think are absolutely not my thing, and I have no idea why they are so beloved. Quick disclaimer, this is purely my opinion. If you like books I don’t, that’s great. If you have books I love, that is also great. As long as we are respectful, we’re good here. Also, I did not include any book that I have not yet read. It seemed counterproductive.

Worth the Hype

1. Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

2. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab

3. Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

4. Circe by Madeline Miller

5. The House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas.

6. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Maybe Worth the Hype aka I Get It, but It’s Not a Favorite

1. A Court of Thornes and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

2. The Cruel Prince series by Holly Black

3. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

4. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

5. Shadow and Bone series by Leigh Bardugo

Not Worth the Hype

1. Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

2. The Selections series by Kiera Cass

3. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

4. Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard

Honestly, my main takeaway from this list, and the hours of TikTok I watched, is where’s the flavor? Why are the books so white? Many creators amplify BIPOC and queer voices, but why is it the popular books that are so white. That’s some food for thought, something to consider when making TikToks and scrolling on the app. Also, many of the popular books are ones I like but do not love. But there are not too many books that I do not think are worth it, which is pretty good if you ask me.