Whether you think of yourself as a BookTok expert or a lurker, you’ve most likely come across at least one of the community’s infamous recommendation videos before. If you’re a romance reader, these recommendations are often a perfect fit, but other genres may be hesitant to feel at home on the For You page. However, don’t worry — there are BookTok niches for us all, and here are a few of our favorite recommendations to prove it.
Trigger Warning: This article includes the mention of sexual assault in a work of literature. Reader discretion is advised.
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Though I may be a BookTok newbie, I have to give its community its flowers for introducing me to this eerie, gothic beauty of a novella. The story, inspired by Poe’s classic The Fall of the House of Usher, follows ex-soldier Alex Easton as they visit their childhood friends — the Ushers — after receiving a cryptic letter as their first communication in years. It’s difficult to talk about this novella without spoiling it, so I’ll just say three things: possession, nature horror, and atmospheric narration. Take from that what you will — and thank you, BookTok.
Anastasia Ledyaeva, Editorial Intern
The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
Vampires and gods in The Hunger Games? Count me in! This one did not disappoint. The FMC is a badass, the hero is delicious, and there’s enough mystery to keep me on the edge of my seat. Add in that this beauty currently has two books out with three more to come in the series, and I’m dying to read them…BookTok got it right with this one.
Kristi Eskew, Executive Editor
The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith
The Way I Used to Be follows a girl’s journey of growth and healing as she processes the trauma of her sexual assault. This was the first book I picked up based on a BookTok recommendation — and I’m so glad I did. From the very beginning, it pulled me in. I cried, I laughed, and I couldn’t put it down. I finished the whole book in just a few days, which made me proud of myself because it was one of the first books I read fully on my own. After I finished, I remember wanting more, so I was even more interested when I found out there was a sequel!
Ailyn Saavedra, Social Team Intern
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Silent Patient is a crazy who-done-it thriller that has you second-guessing everything and everyone. This was one of the first books that opened my eyes to mystery and thrillers, all because “If I loved…” The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt then I would love this and, well, Booktok was spot on with that theory. All I can say is — when I read the big twist, I should not have read it at work, since the noises I made absolutely made me sound feral in my little cubicle. Luckily, I was not the only bookworm.
Abigail Hibbard, Graphics Intern
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
This book follows the journey of Feyre Archeron as she is brought into the faerie world when a beast-like creature demands reparations after she kills a wolf in the forest. A Court of Thorns and Roses was actually what got me into the fantasy genre, as I had just tried reading a different fantasy book before and DNF’d it. This one, though, captivated my attention throughout the entire series, and it’s one I always recommend!
Melissa Rogers, Outreach Intern
If you haven’t given BookTok a chance quite yet, now is the perfect time to try. Who knows — you might even find your next favorite read there!
Looking for more recommendations? Check out If You Like Ghibli Movies, You’ll Love These Books.
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