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Books trending on #BookTok
Thrillers, literary fiction, and — of course — romantasy: Read the books trending on TikTok to see what the hype is all about.
Publicat la 26 Februarie 2024
Fourth Wing
Rebecca YarrosNo fantasy fan can resist dragon adventures, while romance bookworms have a weakness for enemies-to-lovers plots. “Fourth Wing” pleases both crowds, so it's no wonder this romantasy (and its sequel, “Iron Flame”) is one of the most talked-about reads across TikTok. Violet, the bookish daughter of a formidable mother, must put aside her fear to become a dragon rider. But first, she has to survive Basgiath War College, where everyone and everything seems out to kill her.
Divine Rivals: A Novel
Rebecca RossAmid a war between gods, Iris, an 18-year-old writer, pens cathartic letters to her missing brother. They mysteriously (perhaps magically) wind up in the hands of Iris’ rival at the Oath Gazette, leading to surprising consequences. This duology-starter by Ross is a steampunk fantasy that leans heavily into relatable human experiences, with subtle magic woven in.
Powerless
Lauren RobertsIn Ilya, gifted Elites rule and Ordinaries are disdained — even killed. Paedyn masquerades as a psychic to survive, but when she saves the life of Prince Kai, she’s drawn into a brutal competition between Elites that makes hiding her identity near-impossible. BookTokers agree: Romance, fantasy, and deadly consequences make this a thrilling and engrossing read.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. MaasMaas’ wildly addictive 2015 novel, which takes themes from “Beauty and the Beast'' and twists them into something entirely new and unexpected, continues to enthrall BookTokers across the globe. Feyre is a huntress, but when she kills the wrong wolf, she is taken from her family and into the fae realm to pay the price. Only, the fae have secrets and problems of their own. Complete with curses, wicked rulers, dangerous bargains, and monsters, this story explores just how much one will sacrifice for love.
A Touch of Darkness
Scarlett St. ClairIf you liked the juxtaposition of worlds and the resulting bargain between the two protagonists of “ACOTAR,” try “A Touch of Darkness.” In this Greek mythology fanfiction, all the Greek gods live on Earth and are treated as lavish celebrities. Persephone hopes she can hide her failures as the Goddess of Spring by leading a normal life of a mortal, but instead gets sucked into a bet with Hades, the God of the Dead. She doubles down when they develop romantic feelings, but all bets are off on how it’ll turn out.
The Song of Achilles: A Novel
Madeline MillerWe editors recall mid-2020 when Miller’s book — an imaginative reinvention of Homer’s epic “The Iliad” — made its way back onto The New York Times bestseller list. We were confused because this book came out in 2012. Then we learned about BookTok, and everything made sense. “The Song of Achilles” continues to trend on TikTok, proving the enduring quality of Miller’s entertaining foray into Ancient Greece.
Shatter Me
Tahereh MafiWith seven action-packed, bestselling books in the “Shatter Me” series, it’s a mainstay of the dystopian YA genre and a continual BookTok favorite. Juliette can kill with a simple touch of her hand, which makes her an ideal weapon — even if she’d rather kiss than kill people. Mafi’s “This Woven Kingdom” series is also popular on TikTok.
Legendborn
Tracy DeonnFilled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy “Legendborn” offers dark allure with a modern-day twist on a classic legend. Sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews is spending the summer at UNC Chapel Hill in a program for gifted high school students when she witnesses a magical attack that has some connection to the death of her mother. Bree’s own unique magic is the key to finding the truth, but she’ll have to make some tough choices along the way. “This unconventional perspective on fantasy was so refreshing,” gushes top BookTok account @aymansbooks.
Lightlark
Alex AsterOnce a century, the mysterious island of Lightlark appears, setting the stage for a battle between rulers of cursed kingdoms. The prevailing ruler will set their people free, but one leader must die. Isla Crown of the Wildings is undoubtedly prepared for battle — until love complicates her chances. Aster, a 2023 Forbes 30 under 30, gained a massive following by promoting “Lightlark” on TikTok (@alex.aster). After facing rejection 16 times by publishers, the book broke records for a YA debut novel, and Universal Studios has already licensed the story for the screen. The sequel, “Nightbane,” is equally riveting.
Binding 13: Part One
Chloe WalshWalsh’s “Boys of Tommen” series, beginning with “Binding 13,” is an emotional rollercoaster dealing with some heavy themes, including parental abuse. Johnny is committed to rugby and won’t let anything — or anyone — distract him. But everything changes when Shannon appears. With Shannon burdened by a dark secret and Johnny afraid to lose his focus, their mutual attraction may not lead anywhere. Or, it could change everything.
Caraval
Stephanie GarberDescribed by many as “The Night Circus” meets “The Hunger Games,” this series starter has it all: a magical circus, lyrical prose, a deep sisterly bond, and a sensual romance. Scarlett wants nothing more than to go to Caraval with her sister, Tella; once there, she wants nothing more than to find her sister and save her from death. You’d be hard-pressed to scroll through BookTok without seeing this utterly captivating novel at least a few times.
Icebreaker: A Novel
Hannah GraceGrace’s latest may be set on the ice, but the chemistry between her protagonists is pure fire. A scheduling error at U.C. Maple Hills thrusts Anastasia, a figure skater and Olympic hopeful, and Nate, the captain of the hockey team, into the same rink, competing for enough ice time to make their dreams come true. “Icebreaker” is funny and steamy with well-developed, ambitious characters.
Love and Other Words
Christina LaurenMacy’s life is unfolding according to plan, complete with the perfect fiancé and career — until a chance encounter with her childhood sweetheart reawakens something inside her. “Love and Other Words” delivers the romance trifecta: an adorable meet-cute, an unexpected plot twist, and most importantly, a second chance at a happily ever after.
Act Your Age, Eve Brown: A Novel
Talia HibbertHibbert’s spunky and steamy “The Brown Sisters” standalone series is beloved on BookTok even now, several years after this final installment was published. When disaster-prone Eve crashes into always-in-control grump Jacob, the ensuing enemies-to-lovers antics make this sexy charmer soar.
Before We Were Strangers: A Love Story
Renée CarlinoCarlino delivers a captivating “right person, wrong time” love story that follows lovers torn apart by circumstance and brought back together by fate. Matt and Grace are university students whose friendship blossoms into something more. Their paths diverge, but 15 years later, one encounter brings back a rush of love they realize never truly went away.
Honey Girl
Morgan RogersPractical, scientific-minded Grace lets loose in Vegas to celebrate earning her PhD in astronomy only to wake up the next morning married to a woman she just met. Frustrated by the discrimination she faces in her career field, she doubles-down on her impulsive marriage and moves across the country to take a chance on love with her new wife. “Honey Girl” revels in love and so much more: the power of friendship, the queer community, and self-discovery.
Twisted Love
Ana HuangHuang’s slow-burn romances have proved extraordinarily appealing to BookTok, especially those looking for spicy love stories. The bestselling author has proved her skill at building tension so thick you could cut it with a knife, and her love interests usually have a rocky or forbidden start. Book one of the “Twisted” series is no exception, featuring opposites-attract and grumpy-sunshine tropes plus open-door steam.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: A Novel
Taylor Jenkins ReidA reclusive Hollywood actress who rose to fame in the 1950s chooses an unknown journalist to divulge all her secrets. Jenkins Reid’s (“Daisy Jones and the Six”) talent for creating likable, complex characters makes this book shine. As both characters come to terms with uncomfortable truths, the story ends on a high note with a twist that’s impossible to see coming.
The House of Eve
Sadeqa JohnsonTwo young Black women in 1950s America fight to keep their dreams afloat in the face of unexpected circumstances. In Philadelphia, Ruby Pearsall longs to attend college, while Eleanor Quarles, a Howard University student, is set to be the first graduate in her family. Both of their lives are upended after finding love. Johnson’s (“Yellow Wife”) powerful historical fiction revisits a time when women, particularly those of color, grappled with limited choices and seemingly predetermined futures.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold: A Novel
Toshikazu KawaguchiWho doesn’t wish they could go back in time to right old wrongs, spend time with loved ones, or gain closure? In a small, retro cafe in a back alley in Tokyo, visitors have the opportunity to do just that. However, there are rules to traveling back in time: They must sit in a certain seat, they can’t leave the cafe, and they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold. In this beautifully moving and heartwarming story, Kawaguchi explores not what can be changed by revisiting the past, but, rather, what can be learned.
The Way I Used to Be
Amber SmithBookTok readers can’t help but connect with — and be moved by — this heartrending YA novel about one teen’s harrowing journey to process, heal, and, ultimately, speak out after sexual trauma. When her brother’s best friend rapes her and threatens to kill her if she tells anyone, 14-year-old Eden self-destructs, using alcohol and sex to mask her pain.
The House in the Cerulean Sea
TJ KluneThere’s nothing quite like “The House in the Cerulean Sea” — wonderfully weird, quietly romantic, and full of magic, queerness, and found family. Caseworker Linus Baker doesn’t push boundaries; he meticulously audits orphanages taking care of children with supernatural powers. But his worldview is taken for a spin when he’s assigned to work at Marsyas Island Orphanage, where the children are particularly monstrous and the caretaker extremely mysterious. This 2020 novel is seeing a resurgence on BookTok in anticipation of its upcoming sequel, “Somewhere Beyond the Sea,” expected in September 2024.
The Teacher
Freida McFaddenMcFadden’s twisty thrillers keep BookTokers hooked, including “The Housemaid,” “The Coworker,” and, most recently, “The Teacher.” Unhappily married couple Eve and Nate are both teachers at Caseham High School, which is still reeling from a scandal involving a student and a former teacher. When the student and Nate seem to be getting too close, Eve fears the worst. Truth and lies blend and blur until the shocking end, made all the more tricky by alternating unreliable narrators.
None of This is True: A Novel
Lisa JewellA friendly meet-cute transforms into a twisted nightmare in this thriller from Jewell, a thriller author favored by BookTokers, BookTubers, and pretty much any other book-loving community. Alix Summers and Josie Fair share a birthday, and they meet by chance (or so it seems) while celebrating at the pub. Alix agrees to interview Josie for her podcast, but Josie isn’t the meek, mousy housewife she appears to be. Before long, Alix is the subject of her own true crime investigation.
Razorblade Tears: A Novel
S. A. CosbyCosby followed up his cinematic page-turner “Blacktop Wasteland” with this equally thrilling crime novel, to much BookTok fanfare. Putting aside their prejudices and homophobia, two ex-con dads, one Black and one white, join forces, hell-bent on revenging the brutal murder of their sons, who were married. Kirkus calls it, “Fast on its feet, by turns lethal and tender”; we call it a hell of a ride.
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory
Caitlin DoughtyWho knew a book about death could be so lively? Doughty, creator of the “Ask a Mortician” web series, questions modern America’s relationship with death in this morbidly funny and thought-provoking memoir about working at a crematorium. From the often-predatory funeral industry to nursing homes — Doughty will have you thinking differently about a whole range of accepted practices related to death and end-of-life care.
I'm Glad My Mom Died
Jennette McCurdyMcCurdy, an actress best known for playing Sam on the Nickelodeon sitcom “iCarly,” pens an honest account of child stardom under the control of an abusive mother. Darkly funny, this coming-of-age story offers hope for those struggling to overcome trauma. McCurdy’s vulnerability and humor make “I'm Glad My Mom Died” popular on TikTok and in mainstream reading circles.
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism
Amanda MontellWhat makes cults so compelling for followers and “believers”? In this fascinating pop science book — which is making the rounds on TikTok — Montell explores how cults entice (and entrap) through influential language. “Cultish” covers groups from Jonestown to Amway to SoulCycle, challenging the broadly accepted idea of what truly makes a cult.
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017
Rashid Khalidi“In the name of God, let Palestine be left alone,” says a 1899 letter from the mayor of Jerusalem to the father of Zionism, Theodore Herzl. As we know, this plea went unheeded. Over a century later, Khalidi — a descendent of the letter-writer — delivers an account of the continued conflict between Israel and Palestine. Khalidi’s Palestinian perspective is a vital contribution to the conversation, and he remains balanced in his analysis of past mistakes and potential pathways forward. This book has consistently been on the New York Times bestseller list since the October 7 attacks, and it’s also made its way into BookTok circles.