BookTok Books

If you're looking for a book that makes you cry, this might be the list. TikTok has increasingly become a platform for sharing the kind of reading experience that sticks with you. This Collection presents popular BookTok selections, with accompanying Study Guides to help you gain an even deeper understanding of the stories you can't put down.

Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure

Published in 2015, V. E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic is a young adult fantasy novel and the first installment of the Shades of Magic series. Kell Maresh, one of the last Antari magicians, possesses the rare ability to travel between parallel worlds. When a dangerous artifact from a forbidden realm falls into Kell’s possession, he and a thief named Lila Bard become entangled in a perilous adventure. The novel—which received a Goodreads Choice... Read A Darker Shade of Magic Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: DisabilityTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Drama / Tragedy, Relationships, LGBTQ, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Depression / Suicide, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Romance, Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

All the Bright Places (2015) is a young adult novel with elements of romance written by Jennifer Niven that deals with the topic of teen suicide. The book was winner of the Goodreads Choice award and has become a popular read among the BookTok community. Niven tells the story from two different voices, those of high school students Theodore Finch (who goes by “Finch”) and Violet Markey. The characters first meet at the top of their... Read All The Bright Places Summary


Publication year 2014Genre Novel, FictionTags Historical Fiction, Disability, History: European

All the Light We Cannot See is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Anthony Doerr published in 2014. This historical fiction novel alternates between the lives of its two central characters: Marie-Laure Leblanc, a girl who grows up in Paris and loses her eyesight to cataracts at age six, and Werner Pfennig, a boy from a German mining town who joins the Nazi military to escape working in the mines.In August 1944, Marie-Laure and Werner are... Read All the Light We Cannot See Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: WarTags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Book DetailAn Ember in the Ashes, published by Razorbill in 2015, is the first in Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series. The novel debuted at number two on the young adult New York Times best seller list and was also a USA Today and international bestselling book. In addition, TIME magazine named it one of the 100 Best Fantasy Books of all Time. It won the People’s Choice Award for favorite fantasy in... Read An Ember in the Ashes Summary


Publication year 2024Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Fantasy, Romance, Humor

Publication year 2012Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Relationships, Bullying, Parenting, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz is a young adult fiction novel published in 2012. The novel won a Lambda Literary Award, a Pura Belpre Award, and a Stonewall Book Award. It was also named a Printz Honor Book and has achieved popularity on BookTok. Told from a first-person point of view, the book is a work of realistic fiction set in El Paso, Texas, in the late... Read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Novel, FictionTags Middle Eastern Literature, Military / War, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a 2007 novel by Afghan-born Khaled Hosseini, who was granted asylum in the US as a child during the Soviet-Afghan War in 1980. It is the story of Mariam and Laila, two women married to the same man, Rasheed, while the Taliban comes to power. The novel was chosen as one of the American Library Associations’ Best Books for Young Adults in 2008, was number one on the New York... Read A Thousand Splendid Suns Summary


Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: FateTags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, New Adult

Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Japanese Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: ClassTags Romance, Sports, New Adult, Modern Classic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: MarriageTags Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Identity: Mental HealthTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2017Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: FearTags Romance, Fantasy, Relationships, Mystery / Crime Fiction

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore

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Madeline Miller
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Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: GenderTags Mythology, Gender / Feminism, History: European, Historical Fiction, History: World, Fantasy, Romance

Published in 2018, Circe retells the story of the eponymous Greek mythological figure. The novel is also popular among the online BookTok community. Although traditionally viewed as a heartless, savagely beautiful witch who lures sailors to their deaths, the Circe of Madeline Miller’s imagining is quite different. This Circe is a multidimensional, flawed, and empathetic character struggling to find meaning and worth in her immortal life. Through Miller’s detailed and honest first-person narrative, which takes... Read Circe Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: ArtTags Romance, LGBTQ, Relationships, Depression / Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

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Tracy Wolff
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Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Fantasy, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2017Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Self DiscoveryTags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2023Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: LanguageTags Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Crime / Legal, Sociology, History: World, Psychology

Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Teams, Relationships: FriendshipTags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, LGBTQ

Darius the Great Is Not Okay is a coming-of-age novel by Iranian American writer Adib Khorram. Originally published in 2018 by Dial Books, the novel echoes Khorram’s experiences growing up in a multiethnic family with a history of mental illnesses. The book, which is Khorram’s first, won the William C. Morris YA Debut Award in 2019 and is a popular BookTok read. A sequel entitled Darius the Great Deserves Better was published in August 2020. Content... Read Darius the Great Is Not Okay Summary


Publication year 2017Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Self DiscoveryTags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

Publication year 2023Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: CommunityTags Romance, Sports, New Adult, Western

Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Language, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Love / Sexuality, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction

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Adrienne Young
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Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionTags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Fantasy, Romance, Class, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: BeautyTags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Relationships

Publication year 2016Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Class, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Relationships

Heartless, first published in 2016, is a contemporary fantasy Young Adult novel by Marissa Meyer. Meyer is best known for her dystopian sci-fi YA series The Lunar Chronicles, inspired by fairy tales such as Cinderella and Snow White. Set in a fantasy world, Heartless imagines the backstory of Lewis Carroll’s iconic character the Queen of Hearts from the 1876 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Heartless is also popular among the BookTok community. This guide utilizes... Read Heartless Summary


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Mieko Kawakami, Transl. Sam Bett, Transl. David Boyd
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Publication year 2009Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: FriendshipTags Japanese Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Asian Literature, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, New Adult

Publication year 2023Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: SexualityTags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Self Discovery, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Romance, New Adult, Sports, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2013Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: GriefTags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionThemes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: RevengeTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Grief / Death

Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ

Publication year 1995Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: FemininityTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, French Literature, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Siblings, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Gender / Feminism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: MothersTags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism

Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & BetrayalTags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

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Alexandra Bracken
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Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Relationships: TeamsTags Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Romance

Publication year 2023Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags Romance, Education, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Romance, Fantasy, Drama / Tragedy, Modern Classic Fiction

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Nat Cassidy
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Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

Monday’s Not Coming (2018) is a young adult novel by Tiffany D. Jackson. She employs a nonlinear narrative to explore issues of race, mental illness, and media bias. Claudia Coleman narrates the story of how her best friend, Monday Charles, disappeared for a year, and no one but Claudia seemed to notice or care.Published by Harper Collins, Monday’s Not Coming earned Jackson the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe award for new talent. It was also nominated... Read Monday's Not Coming Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: FriendshipTags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Ninth House is a 2019 contemporary occult fantasy novel by American writer Leigh Bardugo. Inspired by the author’s undergraduate experiences at Yale University, Ninth House is part of the Alex Stern series with the next book planned for release in 2021. The novel is also popular on BookTok, a community of readers and book content creators on TikTok. The story is set in a macabre version of the real world and focuses on the occult... Read Ninth House Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: FearTags Fantasy, Romance, Gothic Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction