How BookTok has Influenced the Resurgence of Reading

Although many may associate TikTok with trending videos, dances, and fancams, there’s a whole other side to the popular video-sharing app in the form of a book community called BookTok. There, influential BookTokkers and reading enthusiasts share their mutual love or hatred for books that they’ve read via comments or video responses. 

Due to its handy and easy-to-use short-video function, avid readers have also taken to the app to give their own recommendations and reviews of the novels they’ve completed. A video format of Goodreads, if you will.

Some have even incorporated the element of comedy to summarise the plot of the books they’ve read via short skits, or by creating relatable scenarios and funny audios that match the theme of their content.

Compared to how reviews were typically done in the past, it is a refreshing departure from short quotes at the back of books by other published authors who may see a book differently from those who simply love to read them.

As such, quite a substantial number of TikTok users who have chanced upon the world of BookTok have since rekindled or sparked their interest in reading. And this, of course, has made book publishers very happy – with the significant increase in sales of physical books and e-readers since the rise of BookTok. 

According to British publishing house Bloomsbury, sales saw a record 220% rise in profits, partly caused by the phenomenon of BookTok. Special edition TikTok stickers have also been printed onto popular BookTok books as a new-age marketing tool for Gen Z and young millennials to purchase books. E-commerce platform Amazon has also taken to including the phrase “TikTok made me buy it!” under book bios in order to intrigue buyers into purchasing them.

With a new wave of readers selling out contemporary novels and revisiting old ones like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, publishers only have young BookTok influencers to thank. 

If you wish to see what all the fuss is about, we’ve rounded up our favourite BookTokkers for your consideration. And who knows? Maybe seeing the world of books through modern lenses will help you reawaken your passion for reading. 

With over 420k followers, 22-year-old British BookTokker Abby is known for her relatable content within the book community. You can expect to see Abby’s recurring series like “things that bookworms do”, POVs from book characters, and roundups when scrolling through her page.

Writer and BookTokker from New York City, Cameron, is popular for her humorous commentaries. With over 430k followers, the TikTokker goes into detailed reviews about the books she loves and why she loves them. Her most popular Jane Austen video has since been viewed 5.4 million times. 

21-year-old BookTokker Ayman has over 630k followers – and for good reason. The influencer has found a lighthearted and funny way to recount her views about books using audios and creating scenarios in her content. The majority of her videos also have over 100k views.

With close to 200k followers (and growing), 19-year-old Selene is one of the youngest, most influential BookTokkers to grace the app. She is known for creating scenarios in her videos that many young readers can resonate with. Her “what book you should read based on your favourite...” series is also popular amongst viewers.

23-year-old BookTokker Cait is known for their gorgeous book wall, unboxing videos, and compelling reviews. With over 260k followers already, viewers typically tune in for Cait’s detailed analysis of the novels they read each day. The perfect person to follow if you prefer fast and straight-to-the-point reviews.

If you’re one for classic literature or indie novels, Sayde is the one to follow. With over 117k followers so far, the creator is known for her helpful tips with reading. Her page includes a series of videos like “classics for beginners,” “how I annotate a new book,” and more to help beginners read better.