I, as a certified 100% real teen, spend an unprecedented amount of time on TikTok. And, to be more specific, on the book side of TikTok. If you're not familiar, BookTok is a part of TikTok that centers around book recommendations, reviews, and neat-looking book covers, and basically determine what everyone should be reading. But there are a handful of books that are featured over and over again and I made it my mission to find out if they are worth the hype. And now that I have read a handful of these books, oh boy do I have some (spoiler-free and ranked for your convenience) thoughts.
Five words: That is very much adequate. Three more words: What? Why? Huh? It turns out we weren't the liars, TikTok were the liars. Look, I’m a sucker for the lost memory trope, and suspense thrillers are usually a good time, but this book was not my cup of tea. I know some people are hard core stans of this book but most of the characters were just straight up the worst a bit too much to be likable in any sense of the word. And the story overall didn't really vibe, although the ending was neat. I feel like I had to read this book earlier in my life to really enjoy it.
5/10? Try it out I guess? But like, don’t go in with high expectations. It would be a good gift to a tween if nothing else. Or a door stop.
Mr. Green! Oh ho ho, the nuance, the writing, the mental health representation, chefs kiss! This was so different from his other books, it was like a piece of John Green’s soul, it was so personal and honest and dark. The book is less about the plot (which really took a back seat) and more about the inner workings of the main character’s mind as she tries to be everything she thinks she needs to be. So try it out if you like character-centric books. Also, bonus points for the title.
10/10 would recommend.
oh boy oh boy oh boy, I liked this book a whole ton. It is so beautifully written, it reads more like prose than a novel. And Patroclus has my whole heart, I would do anything for that man (unlike some people). This book wraps you in ancient mythology like it was yesterday and builds out the mythos in a way that is faithful to the original text but still engaging and innovative. I loved reading this book. Now, I feel like I'll get assassinated by the stans if I say anything bad about this book, but, hear me out, the pacing was a bit off ngl. But that doesn't really matter because the story more than makes up for it. I would highly recommend, especially if you're unfamiliar with the Illiad and the events of the Trojan War, it makes the ending better.
8/10 would put it on at least the third shelf of my bookcase.
Actually one of my favorite books of all time ever in the history of the world. Leigh Bardugo really said characters. And Ms. girl went off. It was so gripping and gritty but also really funny (The scene with the tank lives rent-free). And it's a heist! So the scheming levels are off the charts. It's all the immaculate vibes of batman minus the excessive brooding and warped view of justice plus a really cool magic system and morally questionable characters. And boy do I love the character dynamics, they all fit so well together but also are really good foils to each other. And relatable! And the world-building! And the imagery!
11/10 worth the hype, would voluntarily write a 10 page essay on this book.
A Little Life? More like a lot rip my heart out and crush it under the sole of your shoe. The best way to describe this book is a series of unfortunate events but wowie are the events unfortunate. This is a "you finish it and stare at the ceiling for an hour contemplating every life choice you've ever made that has led you to this exact moment" kind of book. I had to go and talk to my mom for several hours about the tragedy that is the events of this book. I swear this book fundamentally changed me as a person. I would recommend this book if you're looking to feel really sad but in a profound way. But do be careful and google its trigger warnings because it's a laundry list.
This one can't be ranked on a 10 point system, it's … its just too much, I can't.
I read a lot of books for this blog post, only 3 more!
Great concept! Good execution! Again the pacing dragged a bit, but it was honestly a fun read. And the ending was more satisfying than sad, like it all wrapped up with a neat little bow. Gives me Aristotle and Dante Discover the Universe type vibes, just in a very different situation and with a lot less time to develop the characters. Overall not as emotionally impactful as TikTok made it out to be, but still really good.
6.5/10 might be conflicted about giving it to goodwill but would not hesitate to sell it to a second hand book store for store credit.
Uh oh, it's another “stare at your ceiling all night and contemplate your existence” book! Not as heavy as a little life (thank god), but an interesting journey through mental health, the multiverse, the temporary state of living, and what it means to be alive. I feel like the author could have delved a bit deeper into the mental health and regret themes of the book, but I loved the scientific elements! It's a cool book with a neat library that poses some interesting questions about life.
7/10 would read with a mom at brunch.
And to round it all out, it's a contemporary romance! A genre I have never read before and I never really intended to, but TikTok really hyped this one up. Contemporary romance to me is kinda like pop music, there is a lot of it, everybody sorta likes it, some people really like it, and every now and then, there's a real bop. People We Meet on Vacation is the You Belong With Me, nay, the Single Ladies of contemporary romance. Like platinum record give this woman a Grammy bop. It's got enemies to lovers, it's got fun antics, it's got drama, and it's got a nice, believable romance! It's a quick and easy read and if you don't like contemporary romance, you should try it out. Especially in the wake of A Little Life. It helps.
9/10 would not change the station if it came
on the radio, but not in my Spotify wrapped.
So maybe all the scrolling on TikTok is not all for naught. I came away with some good books and some personally not stellar ones. But honestly, I think that BookTok just caters more towards new and younger readers so most of the books aren't ground breaking rock your world kind of books, just enjoyable and easy to pick up (besides A Little Life, do not let a child read A Little Life). Which is great! Espically for new readers just getting into reading for fun who are trying to figure out what they like. Or maybe I just have a very warped idea of what counts as "light, fun reads".
Anyway, I hope you might pick up a few of the books that you see on TikTok, even if you don't think you'll like them (they're free from the library hint hint wink wink). You might be pleasantly surprised, or absolutely underwhelmed, or perfectly whelmed, but hopefully pleasantly suprised!
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