Trust Us, These BookTok Books Are Actually Worth the Read

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Whether you're a seasoned reader or just picking up the habit, it's hard to ignore the impact BookTok (shorthand for the rise of book content on TikTok) has had on the publishing world.

There are tables full of BookTok recommendations at every bookstore, older books have had Cinderella story-esque resurgences after going viral, debut authors have netted huge book deals thanks to their popularity on the app, and the entire world seems to be obsessed with the "romantasy" genre (a blend of fantasy and romance, of course).

Although we, as lifelong readers, love seeing everyone fall head over heels for reading, some of BookTok's recommendations could use some finessing. After all, with so many recommendations, there's bound to be a dud or two in the mix. Luckily, there are plenty of great books that have become synonymous with BookTok—and we're rounding them up just for you.

Behold 40 TikTok-approved books that are actually worth the read, from love stories that will leave you blushing to literary tomes and young adult novels that will make you feel like a kid again.

Related: 11 Kindle accessories for the perfect reading setup

Fourth Wing

Even fantasy skeptics will fall for this novel, set at a war college where students are bound to dragons. Violet is supposed to become a quiet scribe working in a library until she defies the odds and enters the Riders Quadrant, where she starts intense training and combat in preparation for fighting in a brutal war. In a romantic twist, she can't help but fall for Xaden, the ruthless and brooding wingleader in charge of her training.

Fourth Wing is the perfect starter fantasy series because the world-building isn't too intense and most of the characters are humans. As strange as it might sound, you'll have a newfound appreciation for dragons after reading.

Beach Read

Emily Henry is truly the patron saint of the perfect rom-com. Her novels are equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, and she has an uncanny ability to pen romances in which the characters feel like real people.

All of her rom-coms are worth the read, but if you're looking for a place to start, you can't go wrong with Beach Read, a rom-com about dueling novelists who fall in love after challenging each other to write a book in the other's genre. Although you can certainly expect lots of laughs, don't be surprised if you get a little misty by the end of this one!

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Ever wonder what animals in the aquarium are thinking? That phenomenon is explored in Remarkably Bright Creatures, which has defied the literary odds and sold over a million copies, thanks in large part to BookTok.

Tova takes a job working the night shift at an aquarium to help cope with her grief after the death of her husband and the disappearance of her son over thirty years ago. At work, she becomes acquainted with Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus with a less-than-sparkling attitude. As their bond grows, Marcellus begins to investigate what happened to Tova's son in order to help her with her grief. Dear reader, you've been warned, bring tissues if you read this one in public.

Seven Days in June

Even the strictest romance skeptic will fall head over heels for this love story following two writers who just can't quit writing about each other in their bestsellers.

Eva Mercy, a paranormal erotica writer and single mom grappling with chronic migraines, is shocked when she runs into Shane Hall, an award-winning literary author, at a book event. What members of New York's literary scene don't know is that Eva and Shane spent one sizzling week together as teens that ended in tragedy and have been including references to each other in their work ever since. Over seven steamy summer days, the pair reconnect—although Eva is wary of having her heart broken by Shane all over again.

I'm Glad My Mom Died

No matter if you're intimately familiar with Jennette McCurdy's Nickelodeon years or have never seen an episode of iCarly, this memoir is a must-read.

Although the title is jarring, this is a deeply emotional, sometimes difficult, and surprisingly funny depiction of growing up as a child star in the spotlight. There's no denying that Jennette has been through a lot—this book covers everything from her struggle with alcohol to eating disorders and an abusive relationship with her mother. It's impossible to not root for Jennette to reclaim her life, and you'll marvel at not only her dazzling storytelling (she's now working on her first novel!), but also her remarkable resilience.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of BookTok's most beloved authors. While her contemporary romances are sweet, easy reads, her historical work is where she shines. All four of her historical novels (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones and the Six, Malibu Rising, and Carrie Soto Is Back) are connected through small Easter eggs, but you can read them in any order.

Start with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which is reportedly inspired by Elizabeth Taylor's prolific love life. After a long Hollywood career, Evelyn Hugo has become reclusive. She decides to re-emerge with a tell-all memoir about her seven marriages and taps an unsuspecting reporter to pen the book. Prepare yourself for a twist that will make your jaw hit the floor!

Better Than the Movies

If you're in need of a sweet read that evokes the feeling of watching your favorite 1980s teen movie (John Hughes, anyone?), it doesn't get any, well, better than Better Than The Movies.

Lix Buxbaum, a teenage movie buff, has spent her formative years pining after Michael, until he moves away. After he returns to town years later, Liz is poised to finally make her move, even if it means she has to befriend Wes, her next-door neighbor and Michael's closest friend at school. Not only is this book one of the sweetest depictions of first love you'll ever read, it's also chock-full of film references.

The Song of Achilles

The Song of Achilles might be one of the best stories to come out of BookTok. When the novel was released in 2012, it received critical acclaim, but it didn't make a huge splash commercially. After it went viral on TikTok, though, it became a bestseller over a decade after it was first released.

This novel reimagines Homer's The Iliad. Achilles, known as the "best of all the Greeks," develops a special bond with Patroclus, an awkward young prince who was exiled from his own homeland. When war erupts, both Achilles and Patroclus head into combat, only to find that fate will test them in unprecedented ways.

Red, White & Royal Blue

Diplomacy is on display in this swoonworthy romance that was recently turned into a movie.

Alex Claremont-Diaz, America's First Son, is playing his role as American royalty perfectly, aside from one thing: He's involved in a longstanding feud with Prince Henry, who's next in line to the British throne. When the tabloids get ahold of a photo of the duo in an altercation, it becomes a PR nightmare. Their teams devise a plan to stage a truce between the rivals that turns deeper when they begin to fall for each other. There's no better read for royal watchers, political pundits, or anyone who loves a good love story.

Divine Rivals

Imagine the movie You've Got Mail set in a magical world where gods are at war after centuries of sleep and love interests communicate using magical typewriters. That's exactly what you get with Divine Rivals, the first in a young adult duology (you're in luck: the sequel, Ruthless Vows, is out now).

Iris Winnow is counting on a promotion at the newspaper in order to support her struggling family. Every night after work, she uses her typewriter to pen letters to her brother, who is missing at war. When she slips the letters under her closet door, they vanish into the hands of Roman, Iris's rival at the newspaper. When he begins to write her back, they forge a romantic connection that is tested by the war.

Everything I Know About Love: A Memoir

British columnist Dolly Alderton channels all of the feelings of first love, friendship woes, and job-searching into her debut memoir. Through hilarious commentary, she recounts everything from her failed relationships to mending friendships, all with the relatable voice of a big sister or a best friend.

Everything I Know About Love is jam-packed with early 2000s nostalgia, one-liners that will have you wiping away tears of laughter, astute observations about growing up and figuring out who you are—and even recipes and satirical emails. While some might classify this as a self-help book (Dolly does give some great advice!), her heartfelt humor is what makes this book so special.

Verity

It's no secret that Colleen Hoover's novels dominate BookTok. If you're looking for a place to start, we recommend Verity, which we can confidently say will be unlike anything you've ever read before.

Lowen, a struggling writer, gets the break of a lifetime when she's hired by Jeremy to ghostwrite the remaining books in his wife Verity's bestselling book series. When Lowen moves into their home, she discovers a manuscript for Verity's unpublished memoir that reveals shocking secrets. As Lowen's feelings for Jeremy intensify, she considers showing him the manuscript in a bid to win him over. We'll stop there. It's best to go into this book knowing as little as possible—the twists are that shocking.

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Sarah J. Maas, who has written three fantasy series, was already incredibly popular before the dawn of BookTok—but her novels have become full-blown sensations, thanks to her legion of fervent fans on the app.

This ongoing series, which currently contains four full-length novels and a novella, begins as a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast. After Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, she's given an ultimatum: die or move to a magical land that's not safe for humans. As she acclimates to her new surroundings, she's drawn to a faerie whose fate becomes entwined with her own.

Normal People

While BookTok is famous for fawning over happily ever afters, there's one deeply realistic (and slightly sad) love story that's been a viral success.

Sally Rooney's Normal People follows Connell and Marianne through their formative years. They first meet in high school, where Connell is a popular soccer player and Marianne is lonely, but wealthy, living in a palatial home that Connell's mother cleans. The duo form a close bond through secret meet-ups. A year later, they're both students at Trinity College in Dublin, where the roles have reversed: Marianne is thriving, while Connell is shy and uncertain. Through their college years, they remain magnetically drawn to each other, despite outside forces threatening to pull them apart.

The Love Hypothesis

As the jokes go, every rom-com heroine works for a magazine, owns a bakery, or has a creative job of sorts. But Ali Hazelwood turns that stereotype on its head with The Love Hypothesis, the first in a series of romances involving women working in STEM.

The Love Hypothesis (which actually started out as fan fiction) introduces readers to Olive, a lovable PhD candidate who fake dates Adam, a young and successful professor, in order to convince her best friend that she's in a happy relationship. As most fake dating books go, Adam and Olive begin to realize that their feelings might not be fake, with charming romantic twists that will make your heart flutter.

Crying in H Mart

Michelle Zauner, also the lead singer of the band Japanese Breakfast, flexes her writing chops in this moving memoir about losing her mother and reclaiming her Korean-American identity.

After growing up as one of the few Asian-American kids in her Oregon hometown, Zauner begins to shed her Korean identity, especially as the pressure of her mother's lofty expectations loom. When her mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, it forces her to reckon with not only their relationship, but her Korean roots, as the pair bond over their shared culinary memories. This book feels like sensory overload in the best way: Zauner's depictions of grief and loss are cathartic for anyone who has experienced it, and she holds her own as a talented food writer.

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

You don't have to be a high schooler to fall head over heels for A Good Girl's Guide To Murder, the first installment in a trilogy that casts teen Pippa as an unsuspecting detective investigating a murder that took place in her hometown five years before. As she dives deeper into the case, she turns her findings into a podcast that makes her the target of messages threatening her to stop the investigation...or else.

Although this is technically a young adult mystery, it's complete with sophisticated twists that will leave even the most seasoned thriller readers reeling.

Project Hail Mary

So you're interested in science fiction but have no clue where to start? Might we suggest Project Hail Mary, one of the most readable sci-fi novels and a perennial BookTok fave?

When Ryland Grace wakes up as the sole survivor on a spaceship, he can't even remember his own name, let alone the fact that he's the only person who can save the planet. It's up to him to rescue humankind, aided by Rocky, an alien companion who has strong Wall-E vibes. This book has a lot of science talk, but Weir's deeply emotional writing and knack for building suspense will hook you.

Lessons in Chemistry

There are plenty of sweet mother-daughter stories that have made waves on TikTok, but Lessons in Chemistry, which also inspires women to chase their dreams, is a standout.

Elizabeth Zott is a talented chemist who is constantly passed over for promotions and recognition. After all, it's the 1960s, and chemistry is a male-dominated field. When she meets Calvin Evans, a lonely Nobel Prize winner, he's the first person to give her a chance. Years later, Elizabeth finds herself as a single mother and the reluctant star of Supper at Six, a cooking show that infuses chemistry principles into recipes—and in turn, inspires viewers to change the status quo. Oh, did we mention there's a talking dog?

It Happened One Summer

Schitt's Creek fans, listen up: It Happened One Summer is essentially a steamy take on what would happen if Alexis Rose was sent to a small beach town in the Pacific Northwest, where she falls for a surly boat captain she can't quit butting heads with.

Tessa Bailey is a popular author on BookTok—she's written everything from spicy holiday romances to flirty comedies revolving around a cast of construction worker characters. Despite her vast catalog, this book (and its sequel, Hook, Line, and Sinker) has made the biggest splash on TikTok, and for good reason: It's her best work!

The Inheritance Games

If you like twisty mysteries, like Knives Out or The Traitors, look no further than The Inheritance Games, a young adult series set in a luxe mansion where Avery, a teen girl, must compete in challenges in order to inherit a recently deceased billionaire's fortune.

The catch? Avery has never met the billionaire and has no idea why he's tapped her to be next in line for his fortune. As she competes for the cash, she must battle against the four Hawthorne brothers who will stop at nothing to secure their grandfather's fortune for themselves.

The Seven Year Slip

Mouthwatering food descriptions? Check. Lush New York City details? Yep. A lovable heroine with a fun job working as a book publicist? Absolutely. A time travel plot in which a woman falls in love with her temporary roommate, only to realize he is living seven years in the past? Wait...what?

While this romance's premise might seem bizarre, it's one of the biggest delights to come out of BookTok. Ashley Poston writes romances with magical realism elements that tug at your heartstrings.

Magnolia Parks

The Magnolia Parks books, typically dubbed the Magnolia Parks Universe by BookTok's most fervent fans, takes the wild exploits of Britain's wealthiest and rowdiest young adults (they call themselves the Box Set) as they fight, fall in love, and wear designer outfits.

The "universe" is divided into two series: Three books follow the relationship between the titular Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballentine. Then there are two (with two more planned) told from the perspective of Daisy Haites—the heiress to one of the UK's most notorious crime families—and Christian Hemmes, her emotionally unavailable love interest. Toxic love is on display here, but these stories are impossible to put down.

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library

What could be more perfect for a book lover than an infinitely charming short story collection set in a library?

Sayuri Komachi, one of Tokyo's most enigmatic librarians, has an unprecedented skill: She can read the souls of the library's patrons to help them pick out the perfect book for whatever they're going through in life. Through 12 short stories, Sayuri helps people from all walks of life, from aspiring magazine editors to struggling single moms, find the book they need most. This book, translated from Japanese, feels like a warm hug. It's a tale you'll never forget.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation

It's nearly impossible to watch a literary fiction-focused TikTok without catching a glimpse of My Year of Rest and Relaxation, which is beloved for its moody aesthetic and nameless main character.

Set in New York City in 2000, our narrator seems to have it all—a fully paid-for Upper East Side apartment, an art gallery job, and a Wall Street boyfriend—but deep down, she's struggling with the death of her parents. To cope, she embarks on an extended hibernation, aided by medication. What follows is a dark, yet funny, portrait of grief and alienation that is surprisingly tender. This book is certainly not for the faint of heart, but it's one you can't stop thinking about.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Nope, you don't need to be a video gamer to pick this one up! Although the world of video game design is meticulously detailed, the true standout of this book is Gabrielle Zevin's depiction of platonic friendship.

Sadie and Sam meet as children and run into each other again at Harvard. From that moment on, they're inseparable as they build a video game empire that launches them to stardom. This novel spans 30 years and is told in an experimental format, with chapters written in various styles. If you're looking for a book that will both mentally challenge and emotionally destroy you, this is the one.

Grown

Grown is a heart-wrenching and incredibly important novel with a ripped-from-the-headlines twist: It's loosely inspired by R. Kelly's sexual misconduct allegations. Enchanted Jones, a 17-year-old aspiring singer, thinks she's gotten her big break when she meets Korey Fields, an R&B singer more than a decade older than her. When he promises to make Enchanted a star, she's on board—until she learns that behind the scenes, Korey is controlling and dangerous.

Tiffany D. Jackson notably writes young adult books that are packed with social commentary, and Grown is no exception. Pick this one up if you're not afraid of a powerful, but difficult, read.

Every Summer After

This lakeside love story, told in alternating timelines, will have you yearning to fall in love on the docks.

A decade after Percy makes the biggest mistake of her life, she's called back to her lakefront hometown when Sam's—her former best friend-turned-first-love—mother dies. When Percy returns to Barry's Bay, she and Sam pick right back up where they left off, but Percy struggles to separate what she did years before with the new relationship she and Sam are building.

The Secret History

While BookTok does its fair share of promotion for new releases, the platform also gives older titles new life. Enter: The Secret History, literary fiction with a dark academia spin.

A group of wealthy and eclectic students at an elite New England college join together under the influence of their zany Classics professor. As they grow closer, the group spirals into madness. Crimes, chaos, and even murder, ensues, ensuring the group will never be the same. The Secret History is considered a modern classic, so it's essential reading at this point. (FWIW, we believe this one is best read under a blanket next to a roaring fire.)

All My Rage

Sabaa Tahir, an acclaimed author known for writing young adult fantasy, steps out of her norm with All My Rage, an award-winning novel about two Pakistani teens vying for the American Dream.

As outcasts at their small-town California school, Sal and Noor are deeply entwined—until an explosive fight destroys their relationship. Sal is left running his family's failing motel as his mother's health deteriorates and his father's alcoholism intensifies. Meanwhile, Noor is struggling through shifts at her abusive uncle's liquor store, while trying to keep her grades up so she can escape to college. When the two reunite, a life-changing event leaves them reeling.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

This gorgeous novel starts in 1714 France as a young woman makes a devastating bargain: She will live forever, but is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Over the next 300 years, Addie LaRue travels the world and meets a vast cast of characters, none of whom remember her name. In present-day New York, Addie stumbles upon a young man in a bookstore who does the impossible: He remembers her.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is not only gorgeously written, but it also blends magical realism, historical fiction, and romance to appeal to nearly any reader. It's deeply thought-provoking and will leave you pondering topics like mortality and fate.

Before I Let Go

While we're quite certain that every single one of Kennedy Ryan's romances have been shouted out on TikTok, our personal favorite is Before I Let Go, a deeply emotional second-chance romance that doesn't skimp on spice.

After a series of devastating blows, Yasmen and Josiah make the difficult decision to separate. Although they're no longer married, they're bonded by their two children and their thriving comfort food restaurant. (Heads up: This book has no shortage of food descriptions that will leave your stomach growling.) As they spend more time together, they begin to wonder if they made a mistake in getting divorced.

Beartown

You've probably heard about the plethora of hockey romances making a splash on BookTok. And while those are plenty of fun, we'd have to award the Stanley Cup (no, not that Stanley cup) to Beartown, the first installment in a must-read trilogy.

The community of Beartown, a small woodland village, has placed the town's future on the shoulders of its junior hockey team, which is about to compete in the national semi-finals. When the big game becomes a catalyst for a violent act that ripples through the entire town, the the team's role in the city's dynamic is reconsidered. Once you finish this, make sure to have the other two books (Us Against You and The Winners) on deck for maximum emotional impact.

Done and Dusted

If you're already lamenting the end of Yellowstone, fill the void with a cowboy romance that will make you blush. BookTok loves steamy cowboy-themed reads, but there's no denying that Done and Dusted is the most fun of the crop.

Although Emmy vowed to escape the small Wyoming town where she grew up, she finds herself moving back to her family's ranch after a horseback riding accident sidelines her. She doesn't expect to fall for Luke Brooks, the bad boy who's best friends with her brothers, yet their magnetic pull might just get Emmy back on her feet. Bonus: This is the first in a planned series, so you'll be able to linger in the world of Rebel Blue Ranch for a long time.

The Vanishing Half

You've undoubtedly heard the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover," right? Well, The Vanishing Half, breathtaking historical fiction that spans the 1950s through the 1990s, is one of the exceptions to this rule, because the inside is just as incredible as its show-stopping cover.

After growing up in a small Black community, the once-inseparable Vignes twins run away from home to live vastly different lives. While one twin eventually returns with her daughter, the other has decided to live her life passing as white—and not even her husband knows the truth. When the lives of their daughters intersect, the secrets of their mothers threaten to bubble to the surface.

The Five-Star Weekend

Elin Hilderbrand, who has been penning Nantucket-set beach reads for 24 years, has recently made quite the splash on BookTok. All of her books are full of exquisite food descriptions (think lobster, wine, and quintessential beach sandwiches), juicy romances, and immaculate summer vibes.

In The Five-Star Weekend, Hollis, a popular food influencer, invites one friend from each phase of her life to Nantucket for a "Five-Star Weekend" to help her grieve her husband's tragic death. While this novel is full of Elin's signature Nantucket specifics, it's also a moving portrait of grief, resilience, and friendship.

Yellowface

This recent Reese's Book Club pick isn't afraid to get dark: It opens with a promising young writer choking on a pancake and descends further into madness from there.

When Athena Liu, the aforementioned talented author, dies, her frenemy June Hayward steals her unpublished manuscript and passes it off as her own, changing her name to Juniper Song in order to seem racially ambiguous. Once the novel is released, June becomes the new darling of the literary world and will stop at nothing to ensure her publishing success remains intact. Although this novel covers serious and important themes of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, this book shines in its satirical voice.

The Push

While we might caution new mothers against picking this one up, it's hard to deny that you'll fly through The Push in a sitting or two.

After a rough childhood, Blythe is determined to be the mother she never had for her own children. Despite her best efforts, she's convinced that something is wrong with her daughter Violet, a fear that's only exacerbated after the birth of her son, Sam. When an unimaginable event changes their lives in an instant, Blythe is forced to face the truth about her young family. Although this is an incredibly quick read, it's also a remarkable character study and a searing portrait of early motherhood.

City of Girls

Looking for a dose of glam, vintage New York City gossip, and a strong female character to root for? City of Girls delivers all of that and more, as a 95-year-old woman mines her memories to recount her life story.

After Vivian fails out of Vassar College, she is sent to live in Manhattan with her Aunt Peg, who owns a crumbling theater. Vivian is soon ensconced in a lush world of showgirls, handsome actors, gruff stage managers, and budding costume designers. Without spoiling anything, this one feels like a blend of How I Met Your Mother and The Great Gatsby. (That might sound odd, but trust us, it really works.)

A Flicker in the Dark

In a world full of thrillers that play on the same few themes, Stacy Willingham has released a Southern-fried mystery that feels so fresh.

When Chloe was 12, six teenage girls disappeared in her small Louisiana hometown. Weeks later, her father was arrested for their murders. After spending two decades grappling with the knowledge that her father is a serial killer, Chloe finally feels like she has it all together: She's about to get married and her psychology career is thriving. When several teen girls go missing, though, she begins to draw parallels back to the worst summer of her life—and worries that there's another killer on the loose.

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