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 Relationships: Mothers

Tags Race / Racism, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Such a Fun Age (2019) is a debut novel from Kiley Reid, published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons (an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC). The novel quickly garnered critical acclaim, including a NY Times Bestseller spot, and was a finalist for an NAACP Image Award in 2020. Another novel by Reid is Come and Get It. Plot Summary Though it starts with Emira’s perspective, Such a Fun Age alternates almost evenly between Emira Tucker and Alix Chamberlain... Read Such a Fun Age Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature, Fantasy


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Class, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, New Adult


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Self Discovery

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


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Magical Realism, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Coming of Age

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


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Femininity

Tags Indian Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction

The Book Thief (December 2007) is a young adult novel by Australian author Markus Zusak. Other titles by Zusak include Underdogs (1999), I am the Messenger (2002), and Bridge of Clay (2018). All his works have received multiple literary prizes and reader’s choice awards from countries around the world.When first published, The Book Thief became a #1 New York Times bestseller and was a nominee of PBS’s The Great American Read as one of America’s... Read The Book Thief Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, History: World


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: New Age, Identity: Language

Tags Arts / Culture, Music, Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Business / Economics, Philosophy, Psychology


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Parenting, Psychology, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ


Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Psychology, Self Help, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Crime / Legal, Relationships, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Diversity, Race / Racism, African Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance


Publication year 1925

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags The Lost Generation, Music, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Modernism, American Literature, Classic Fiction, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance

The Great Gatsby is a fiction novel published in 1925 by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. Inspired by Fitzgerald’s experiences during the Jazz Age of the 1920s, The Great Gatsby captures the prosperity and the hedonism of the era through a cast of characters who reside in the fictional Long Island towns of West Egg and East Egg. Despite a cold reaction from critics and audiences upon its release, many modern scholars include The... Read The Great Gatsby Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Romance, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Community, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Romance, LGBTQ

The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) is a queer fantasy novel by TJ Klune, Lambda Award-winning author of The Extraordinaires and the Green Creek series. Klune is a queer author whose works often explore supernatural elements. Many mythological species feature in this novel, while other books focus on werewolves, ghosts, and the like. The book explores themes of Nature Versus Nurture, The Perpetuation of Prejudice, and Found Family.Klune’s work, particularly The House in the... Read The House in the Cerulean Sea Summary