Trending on #BookTok 2023: What to read right now, from love stories to horror and memoir

#BookTok has taken the world (and book shops) by storm.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, #BookTok stems from the reading community on the social media site TikTok. It's where readers, authors and creators are sharing book recommendations, talking about what they’re currently reading and more.

According to TikTok, the #BookTok community took off in early 2020 and has led to an increase in book sales for authors.

Book sellers such as Barnes & Noble have even added #BookTok tables to their stores so customers can easily find the most talked-about reads.

If you’re having trouble deciding what to read next or are simply interested in what books are popular on TikTok, here are 10 trending #BookTok books that you just might love.

Casino grand opening, Barbie rave: These are just 2 of the best things to do in Phoenix this weekend

'Happy Place' by Emily Henry

Emily Henry does it again. If you’re looking for a book that encompasses summer, this is it.

Published in April, “Happy Place” is about a group of college friends who visit their friend’s beach house in Maine every year.

Harriet and Wyn, who have recently broken up, need to pretend to be together for the sake of their friends’ happiness. That, combined with the fact that the beach house is about to be sold, leads to an eventful summer filled with lobster rolls, wine, boat trips and tension.

Alternating between the past and present, “Happy Place” is a great poolside read that lets you dive into friendships, romances, growing up and letting go.

'The Song of Achilles' by Madeline Miller

This is a book about Greek mythology with a twist. Achilles, the son of a sea goddess and King Peleus, meets Patroclus, a prince who is quite his opposite. Together, the two best friends are trained in war and medicine and love blossoms between them. Soon after, Helen of Sparta is kidnapped and they join the siege on Troy.

This novel is told from Patroclus’s perspective, which is refreshing and gives a different viewpoint of Achilles. Love, war, myths and legends add up to a great leisure read.

'Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow' by Gabrielle Zevin

Sam Masur and Sadie Green are two friends who design, play, promote and talk about video games. Over 30 years, they experience love, love triangles, falling outs, successes and failures.

This novel combines a game world with a very real one. With a lot of 1980s, '90s and early 2000s pop culture references, you don’t have to be a gamer to enjoy this book.

The characters are multidimensional, and their lives are raw, complex and chaotic. From Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, this love story is unique.

'Carrie Soto Is Back' by Taylor Jenkins Reid

If you’re a fan of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” or “Daisy Jones and The Six,” then you’ll love this book about talented and fierce tennis player Carrie Soto.

Soto goes into retirement at the top of her sport. Six years later, she loses that status as Nicki Chan breaks the very records Soto set.

At 37, with the help of her father, she trains to be No. 1 again and stumbles across love along the way. Soto is a flawed character, but you can’t help but want to see her win.

'The Vanishing Half' by Brit Bennett

Twin sisters Stella and Desiree Vignes were born in 1938 in a Black community within a small southern town. The two run away to New Orleans at the age of 16 and set off on different paths.

Stella passes as white, marries a white man and has a daughter, while Desiree lives with her Black daughter in the same town she tried to run away from.

The twins’ lives are shown over 40 years and their daughters’ paths eventually cross. This thought-provoking story is perfect for those interested in historical fiction and delving into issues of race.

'I’m Glad My Mom Died' by Jennette McCurdy

If you’ve ever watched "iCarly" or been a fan of "Sam & Cat," you may know Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy. As foreshadowed by such a striking title, McCurdy gives you an inside look into her life and relationship with her mother in “I’m Glad My Mom Died.”

Written beautifully descriptively, the book takes you on a journey with McCurdy starting with when she first got into acting to when she eventually left. There are hard topics, such as emotional and physical abuse, alcoholism and eating disorders.

However, this memoir is hard to put down. You might just read it in a day and a half.

'Everything I Know About Love' by Dolly Alderton

Another memoir to add to your TBR list. “Everything I Know About Love” is a heartwarming book about dating stories, loss and love in all forms.

This memoir is not about men. Alderton highlights the importance of female friendships and encompasses feelings we all experience. Finding a job, being dumped, getting drunk, Alderton experiences and shares it all.

Humor entangled with life lessons, this book is perfect for a pseudo-therapy session and will make you laugh-cry.

'A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder' by Holly Jackson

Soon to be made into a series on BBC Three (U.S. streaming options haven't been announced) starring Emma Myers, who plays Enid in "Wednesday," “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” is about Pippa “Pip” Fitz-Amobi who investigates a murder-suicide that happened five years ago in her small town.

Allegedly, Sal Singh killed his popular high school senior girlfriend Andie Bell, but Pip isn’t entirely sure that’s what happened. Soon, she starts to reveal hidden secrets and that the real killer may still be out there.

This mystery thriller is sure to keep you on your toes. Filming for the show is predicted to start later this year according to Deadline.

'The Silent Patient' by Alex Michaelides

This thriller mystery combines diary entries and investigations for an interesting read. The story involves a famous painter Alicia Berenson, who seemingly has it all. She’s married to a popular fashion photographer and has a large house in London.

Until one night, Berenson murders her husband and then never talks again. Her psychotherapist, Theo Faber, is determined to fix her and find out more. You will be hooked as this novel gets to truth of this gruesome murder.

'A Court of Thorns and Roses' by Sarah J. Maas

A young adult novel that involves fantasy and science fiction, “A Court of Thorns and Roses” is part of a series so you can binge on all five books.

Feyre is a 19-year-old huntress who kills a wolf in the woods. Soon Tamlin, an immortal faery, comes demanding retribution and brings her to a magical land. The two begin a journey that moves from hate to passion.

A shadow is looming that could doom Tamlin and his world unless Feyre does something about it...

Reach the reporter at dina.kaur@arizonarepublic.com. Follow @dina_kaur on Twitter.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

OFFER FOR NEW SUBSCRIBERS: $1 per month for 12 months of access to azcentral.com. Subscribe at azcentral.com/NewsSale.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: #BookTok books you need to read in 2023