Who knew book FOMO was a thing? I didn’t, until I caved and downloaded TikTok during the pandemic.
While I’ve always been an avid reader (fun fact—I was grounded for reading under my pillow with a flashlight when I was supposed to be sleeping), but unfortunately work, school, and tbh, Netflix got prioritized over a good page-turning thriller.
And I know I’m not alone in this.
#BookTok, a popular subcategory on TikTok, has been recognized as single-handedly breathing new life into reading culture and the publishing industry as a whole over the last few years. Without BookTok influencers, this new community of bright, young readers may never have been born—and speaking for myself, I might not have been exposed to so many brilliant, heart-shattering, heart-warming, and other-worldly stories that I now treasure on my (rainbow-coloured) bookshelf.
Get ready to add to your already overwhelming to-be-read (TBR) list, as these creators have a lot of BookTok book recommendations coming your way.
Sydney | @sydneyybean
Goodreads: Sydney Renee
https://www.tiktok.com/@sydneyyybean/video/7117421712630664494?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en
Looking for book recommendations with plot twists that will keep you up all night? Sydney’s got you covered. Dark, moody, creepy, spooky—four of my favourite things packed into one BookTok account.
Give this BookTok influencer a follow if you crave the unpredictable!
Janelle | @janellelovesbooks
Goodreads: Janelle
https://www.tiktok.com/@janellelovesbooks/video/6986260137585413381?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en
Janelle prefers a little bit of fantasy and a lot of spice (🌶 🥵) when it comes to her genres of choice. More than just sharing book recommendations or dissecting last month’s reads, this BookTok influencer brings us along in her day-to-day life including getting a super cute bookish tattoo, sharing her opinion on certain underrated tropes, and super adorable puppy content!
Peyten Jewell | @pjandbooks
Goodreads: Peyten Jewell
https://www.tiktok.com/@pjandbooks/video/7106312149542145326?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en
Peyten is a 22-year-old BookTok influencer who, as her bio states, is servings looks & books—and we’re here for it. From monster romance (yes, this is a thing) to highlighting authors of colour and black female main characters, this BookTok influencer is one of the many POC creators shaping this subcommunity.
Melissa Blair | @melissas.bookshelf
Goodreads: Melissa Blair
https://www.tiktok.com/@melissas.bookshelf/video/7116297497386978602?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=6897238305616889349
Melissa is an Anishinaabekwe of mixed ancestry living in Turtle Island, splitting her time between Treaty 9 in Northern Ontario and the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg in Ottawa. Dedicating her account to discussing Indigenous and queer fiction, feminist literature, and non-fiction, we love to see representation in the BookTok community. She’s even a published author, and releasing this August is her first novel, A Broken Blade!
Tolu | @tolusuniverse
https://www.tiktok.com/@tolusuniverse/video/7099475478548909318?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en
Is your TBR full of trending books and not much else? That’s totally fine if you’re looking for a some popular reads to ease you back in after a slump, but if you’re looking for something deeper, Tolu is the queen of recommending queer-friendly books that will tear your heart apart (in the best way possible).
Give this BookTok influencer a follow to get your next (inclusive) hot girl summer read!
Jasmin | @jasminlibrary
https://www.tiktok.com/@jasminlibrary/video/7026007279069711621?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en
From enticing us with excerpts from a spicy book, to monthly roundups rating her latest reads, as well as complete books reviews, Jasmin’s book TikTok account is perfect for those who love everything about the art of reading. We also love that she isn’t afraid to get candid behind a camera; like we all know life isn’t what social media portrays, and getting personal is one of the many things that makes #BookTok such a supportive and empathetic community!
Aaliyah | @aaliyahreads
Goodreads: Aaliyah Reads
https://www.tiktok.com/@aaliyahreads/video/7109224106414869762?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en
Aaliyah is as relatable as BookTok influencers come, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves full of stories waiting to be read—but that doesn’t stop her from buying new books. During the pandemic, Aaliyah found a passion for reading and starting collecting and reading large amounts of published books, and has since read over 80 just last year.
Give her a follow if you’re a fan of LGBTQ+, enemies to lovers, love triangles, and friends to lovers themes.
Ella | @ellas.edition
Goodreads: Ella
https://www.tiktok.com/@ellas.edition/video/6958512767380851974?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en
Anyone who has A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid as one of their favourite books is my kinda person; and in this case, that’s Ella! Her feed is visually stunning, with seamless transitions of monthly roundups rating each book based on what she thought she’d rate it before and after reading. It only took me scrolling through her account for five minutes to add another 10 books to my TBR…
Sarah | @messbooks
Goodreads: Sarah
https://www.tiktok.com/@messbooks/video/6993104905300954373?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en
Sarah is another one of our favourite Canadian BookTok influencers, and for good reason! From discussing which books she will never read (and why), to helpful tips on how to read more, to bringing us thrifting for great book finds. Give her a follow if you need more YA or fantasy BookTok recommendations!
Alaina | @alaina.wyl
Goodreads: Alaina
https://www.tiktok.com/@alaina.wyl/video/7117323400887946501?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=6897238305616889349
This quick-witted BookTok influencer has a surprisingly dark sense of humour, and we’re here for it. Check out her account if you’re into fantasy novels, love a hilarious use of trending sounds, and want to feel heard with relatable #readerproblems.
Leveraging TikTok Marketing to Reach Your Niche Market
It’s clear how powerful social media is as a marketing tool, but each platform is effective in a unique way. With TikTok, creators are encouraged to speak their truth in an unfiltered way, sharing recommendations that broke them, picked them back up, and pieced them together again.
If you’re looking for unique ways to reach your audience with TikTok, let us help!