BookTok Books

If you're looking for a book that makes you cry, this might be the list. TikTok has increasingly become a platform for sharing the kind of reading experience that sticks with you. This Collection presents popular BookTok selections, with accompanying Study Guides to help you gain an even deeper understanding of the stories you can't put down.

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Language

Tags Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Crime / Legal, Sociology, History: World, Psychology


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, LGBTQ

Darius the Great Is Not Okay is a coming-of-age novel by Iranian American writer Adib Khorram. Originally published in 2018 by Dial Books, the novel echoes Khorram’s experiences growing up in a multiethnic family with a history of mental illnesses. The book, which is Khorram’s first, won the William C. Morris YA Debut Award in 2019 and is a popular BookTok read. A sequel entitled Darius the Great Deserves Better was published in August 2020. Content... Read Darius the Great Is Not Okay Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult, Western


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Language, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Love / Sexuality, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags Romance, Sports


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Class, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Relationships


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Class, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Relationships

Heartless, first published in 2016, is a contemporary fantasy Young Adult novel by Marissa Meyer. Meyer is best known for her dystopian sci-fi YA series The Lunar Chronicles, inspired by fairy tales such as Cinderella and Snow White. Set in a fantasy world, Heartless imagines the backstory of Lewis Carroll’s iconic character the Queen of Hearts from the 1876 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Heartless is also popular among the BookTok community. This guide utilizes... Read Heartless Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Japanese Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Asian Literature, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, New Adult


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, New Adult, Sports, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness