How ‘BookTok’ changes the way we view books

Jenna Jabbar | Contributor 

If you are on TikTok, you might know of something called BookTok. It is a community where readers share their thoughts about books, review what they read and recommend books. 

Social media can provide a space for readers to connect.

“It sounds like a way to share titles that people are enthusiastic about,” said Maryam Barrie, an English instructor at WCC. “I am–have always been– the kind of reader who keeps a list of books I want to read in the future. If other people are like that, then it would be good to get more participants.”

TikTok users share book recommendations with one another.

Nesreen Elhedy, a dual-enrolled student, believes that “you can get really good books from BookTok.” 

BookTok and social media can have an impact on readers of all sorts, said Rayan Salam, WCC mass communications instructor.

“I think the big influence is really coming from social media and BookTok itself. Its BookTok users are, like, actively engaged with books. They create content, and they influence each other,” said Salam. 

To some, BookTok is famous for featuring books that include both fantasy and romance. 

Elhedy elaborated by saying, “I feel like the dominating side (is) probably the romance, especially because Colleen Hoover and the whole romance novels that are being turned into movies.” 

Romance novels draw in readers for numerous reasons.

“I think romance novels in general spend a lot of time on people’s feelings being heard and seen, and a part of that is accepting who they are sexually,” Barrie said.

Once controversial topics have now become more mainstream in the media, Barrie said. 

“They (the writer) probably would have ended up in jail because writing was thought to be indecent,” said Barrie, before adding, “Then, when it was finally not obscene, a lot of flowering of the logic or sexual content has happened since then.” 

BookTok and the rise of social media has also allowed for a more direct connection between readers and authors, Salam said. 

“But now that dynamic has changed. Now, authors are directly connected to the readers, the audience members, and people are able to discover books that are no longer just controlled by the publishers themselves,” Salam said.

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