From TikTok to the Top Charts: The Power of BookTok

How are we doing besties?

It is again book week, are you as excited as I am? If you are new here every three weeks we do a book week, we discuss books or something book related and if you stick around the two weeks in between, we talk about all things neurodivergent and how a real life autistic life is. Not just a statistic and not all the medical things you read but instead real life experience.

This week we are discussing the ever-growing world of BookTok, what do I think of it? Has it ever influenced me? Do I think it is a good part of the community and world of books? My top favourite BookToker?

Let us start with in my own words and opinion what is booktok? If you have not come across it yet, booktok is a community on TikTok that posts all things books and sometimes writing. It can be from recommendations to their reviews and what they are reading, most of the time they will also have a YouTube account with similar content. Sometimes they do life content as well and sometimes it is just books. I have seen some who show you their bookish collection, and some that just focus on book reviews. So really booktok is a very broad and diverse community but one thing emails throughout if you are a booktoker your page revolves around books. 

Booktok influences a lot of people to read certain books and I can not lie I have fallen into the booktok hope before, however my favourite book/series I did actually read because of booktok is Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. I first picked it up because I kept seeing videos of fan art of what the world looks like to them, so I ended up going down a hole of reviews and then because I looked once everyday a new Fourth Wing came up again until in the end I read it and fell in love with it. However, everyone has different tastes so there are some books, booktok made me read that I was not a fan off.

One thing I dislike about booktok is the fact you can cancel an author with one video; it is the same with every platform but with booktok they will cancel an author simply because they do not like their book? And I am sat thinking are you okay? I will admit sometimes it is justified to cancel, but I saw someone trying to cancel Rebecca Yarros because she took a break after Onyx Storm for not only her mental health but also her physical health and to spend time with her family. To me, it is just selfish from the community to cancel an author for taking time to themselves? There is one author I have seen cancelled and before I speak on it I will admit, I do not know much about it or what they did, Colleen Hoover. Personally I love her books. I know some do not, I own every book she’s written but I did see her a few years ago being cancelled because of her son’s actions? Someone please explain how she is responsible for her son’s actions. That is just stupid. Especially boycotting her books because her son, who did not write the books, did something wrong? But again, I do not know much about it or if she had actually done anything, I just think the whole cancel culture is pathetically stupid. 

Is booktok a good part of the community? I believe it is, not only do readers and writers connect, but you get real reviews from real people, a mostly safe and judgement free community, book recommendations and a place you can talk about books. Everything has its bad no matter how good it is, but I do fully believe booktok is a good part of the book world, and if you are not involved in it please get involved even if it’s interacting with booktokers videos. 

My overall view on booktok? It has its good and bad things. I do not agree with canceling culture as a whole, especially boycotting books and judging people for reading a certain author because you cancelled them. However, booktok in a whole is an amazing community, a place readers can all come together some, talk about all things books. It is also a good place for authors as someone writing a book, writing poems and short stories. Authors can find not only arc and beta readers but can be involved in a community they might one day be a part of as an author. 

With booktok comes Facebook groups where you can make friends with people with a similar mind to you, there’s book YouTubers where you can find longer videos of the same thing. I am actually in a few Facebook groups and they run challenges, raffles, book box exchanges, you meet friends, meet ups and I think it is an amazing community. 

I do not follow many booktokers as I am more a silent reader and watch booktok when it comes up on my foryou page however, do I have a favourite booktoker? In my opinion if you are new to booktok who is the one person you should follow who is a less known smaller account? @ellarose.readss on TikTok and YouTube and @ellarose.reads on instagram. Let me start with she is not only a booktoker she also does life content, but if we just focus on her book content especially on Instagram she does reviews, readathons and read with me.

Her content is real, if she is in a reading slump you will know about it she will not hide it or fake it. If she hates a book you will know. If she changes her review, you will know. If she receives PR or a gift from a viewer she makes a video about it, unlike some other booktokers I have seen who will show it but not give credit, she gives credit where credit is due. Her videos are comforting and kind of like a home away from home. Even her life content she does little series on TikTok, “become a causal heel wearer with me” “matcha moments” she has done a series going on solo dates, she shows little things are okay and normal. She is kind of like a booktok big sister which I love. 

Booktok is a good community especially if you are a big reader, or even if you are just an author I definitely think you should dive into the world and realm of booktok (especially Ella I am watching you all go dive into her world).

Thank you all for joining me as we delve into booktok and thank you for still following along on my autistic journey of life 

With love from me to every bestie!

Love,

Your autistic bestie

(Book of the week: Twisted Love by Ana Huang)