40 BookTok Books That Are Actually Worth the Read

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.

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.

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.

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!

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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!