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 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


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Grief / Death


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

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


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Femininity

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, French Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Gender / Feminism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Teams

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Romance


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Romance, Education, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Drama / Tragedy, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Music


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

Monday’s Not Coming (2018) is a young adult novel by Tiffany D. Jackson. She employs a nonlinear narrative to explore issues of race, mental illness, and media bias. Claudia Coleman narrates the story of how her best friend, Monday Charles, disappeared for a year, and no one but Claudia seemed to notice or care.Published by Harper Collins, Monday’s Not Coming earned Jackson the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe award for new talent. It was also nominated... Read Monday's Not Coming Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Ninth House is a 2019 contemporary occult fantasy novel by American writer Leigh Bardugo. Inspired by the author’s undergraduate experiences at Yale University, Ninth House is part of the Alex Stern series with the next book planned for release in 2021. The novel is also popular on BookTok, a community of readers and book content creators on TikTok. The story is set in a macabre version of the real world and focuses on the occult... Read Ninth House Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Gothic Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Bullying, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

One of Us is Lying is a 2017 young-adult thriller by Karen McManus that revolves around the suspicious death of Bayview High School senior Simon Kelleher, author of a gossip app called About That. The story is told from the alternating first person perspectives of four students who served detention with Simon when he died: Bronwyn, Cooper, Nate, and Addy. It explores themes about the corrosive impact of stereotyping and gossip, the value of empathy... Read One of Us is Lying Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Romance, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction