Everyone says that reading is one of the best ways to pass the time, especially for those of us stuck in lockdown.
But with thousands of books to choose from on your Kindle, eReader or bookstore website, it’s hard to know where to start.
That’s where BookTok comes in.
WATCH: The BookTok reads you won’t want to put down
‘BookTok’ is the name for the corner of TikTok filled with avid readers who love nothing more than to share their favourite reads.
From books about romance, to thrilling mysteries, dark fantasies and so much more, BookTokers have a recommendation for literally everyone.
We’ve scrolled through hours of videos to find some out which BookTok reads are the best of the best, and now we’re going to share them with you.
Scroll on to see our BookTok picks for every kind of reader.
If you’re all about dark fantasy: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
If you watched the Netflix series Shadow and Bone, you may already be familiar with a few of the Six of Crows characters like Kaz Brekker and Inej Ghafa. In this book they form a team of six teen criminals in the fantasy city of Ketterdam who have just been hired to pull of the heist of the century – but will they succeed?
Get it here: download the ebook or buy a physical copy.
If you love a coming-of-age story: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
If the name Jenny Han sounds familiar, it’s because she wrote the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before series that the Netflix movies were based on! In this book, she follows Belly, a girl who finds her whole life gets turned on its head one fateful summer. It’s even being turned into a movie, so read the book first.
Get it here: download the ebook or buy a physical copy.
If you yearn for LGBTQ+ romance: Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar
Fake dating? Check. LGBTQ+ romance? Check. BIPOC representation? Double check! Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating has everything you could want from a young adult queer romance novel, and the story is cute as! But will they end up actually falling in love? You’ll have to read it to find out.
Get it here: download the ebook or buy a physical copy.
In you’re a total adventure buff: Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Did someone just say 17-year-old girl pirate captain? We’re in! If the protagonist, Alosa, doesn’t win you over straight away, her very cute and very clever first mate Riden will. All the swashbuckling adventure you’d expect from a book about pirates will have your eyes glued to the page.
Get it here: download the ebook or buy a physical copy.
If you’re interested in politics or royals: Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Picture this: the son of America’s first female president and a British prince are thrown together after some hijinks at a royal wedding and – of course – fall in love. Sounds like something worth reading, right? Pick up a copy of Red, White and Royal Blue, and you’ll quickly see why everyone is obsessed with it.
Get it here: download the ebook or buy a physical copy.
If you’re obsessed with 2000s pop culture: Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
There’s a reason the Twilight books took the world by storm in the 2000s! If you’ve never picked up the original novel that started the vampire and supernatural craze 16 years ago, now’s the time to do it. Come for the love story, stay for all the details that you never got to see in the movies.
Get it here: download the ebook or buy a physical copy.
If you had a Greek mythology phase: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Greek mythology? Check. Queer romance? Check. Heartbreak? Double check. This ancient fiction novel takes the story of Achillies and turns it into something that will make you laugh, cry and fall in love with the book itself. Just keep tissues handy for those last few lines.
Get it here: download the ebook, buy a physical copy, or listen to the audiobook.
If you want to cry: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
To quote Ron Weasley, “You’re going to suffer, but you’re going to be happy about it.” There’s a reason BookTok is obsessed with this YA novel, and even though the devastating story will tug at your heartstrings, it’s actually pretty uplifting too… trust us.
Get it here: download the ebook, buy a physical copy, or listen to the audiobook.
If you still have a soft sport for fairytales: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
This book is a completely original retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and honestly do we need to say any more? It also has amazing female characters, incredible world building and faeries. Seriously, what more could you want?
Get it here: download the ebook, buy a physical copy, or listen to the audiobook.
If you want to understand those TikToks: It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
Anyone on BookTok has seen the videos talking about the author’s note in this book, and yeah, you’ll just have to read it if you want to know what all those people are talking (and crying) about. But believe us when we say it will be so worth it in the end.
Get it here: download the ebook, buy a physical copy, or listen to the audiobook.
WATCH: What people actually think some BookTok faves
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