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 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
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
The Hunger Games is a best-selling young adult dystopian novel, the first in Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games trilogy. It details the life of teenage heroine Katniss Everdeen as she fights to the death for the entertainment of her fascist government. Since its publication in 2008, the trilogy has sold more than 65 million copies in the United States alone and, in 2019, was listed as one of 100 most influential novels by BBC News. The... Read The Hunger Games Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Health / Medicine, Grief / Death, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Biography, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Poverty, Grief / Death, Finance / Money / Wealth, Information Age, Class, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Religion / Spirituality, LGBTQ, Age of Enlightenment, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a historical fantasy novel by the American author V.E. Schwab published in 2020. It chronicles the story of Addie LaRue, an 18th-century Frenchwoman who gains eternal life through a bargain with a demonic entity. However, the deal comes at a great cost: Everybody who meets Addie immediately forgets her. A New York Times bestseller, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue received a 2020 Goodreads Choice Award nomination for... Read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
The Maze Runner is a young adult dystopian novel set in a post-apocalyptic world. The story begins in a dark metal elevator, where a teenage boy awakens with no real memories other than the fact that his name is Thomas. When the elevator stops and the doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by teenage boys. Their leader, a boy named Alby, welcomes Thomas to the Glade. Thomas quickly sees that the Glade is surrounded by... Read The Maze Runner Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Mental Illness
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags History: World, Music, History: U.S., Arts / Culture, Politics / Government, Sociology, Humor, Internet Culture / Social Media
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Class, Society: War, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Military / War, Race / Racism, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery
Tags Irish Literature, LGBTQ, Romance
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance
The Selection is the first book in the titular romance trilogy by American author Kiera Cass. First published in 2012, The Selection was pitched as a dystopian interpretation of the hit television show The Bachelor, and as Publisher’s Weekly stated in their review, the Selection is “[a] cross between ‘The Hunger Games’ (minus the blood sport) and ‘The Bachelor’ (minus the blood sport).” In a future set in the land of Illéa (formerly the United... Read The Selection Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, LGBTQ
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (2017) is a work of historical fiction by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The novel follows Monique, a journalist struggling to make a name for herself until she receives an offer to interview the mysterious and reclusive 1960s Hollywood starlet, Evelyn Hugo, about fame, scandal, and love. The novel is a study of human nature that explores The Cost of Fame, The Oversexualization and Commodification of Women’s Bodies, and the difficulty... Read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Chinese Literature, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Silent Patient (2019) is a contemporary psychological thriller from author Alex Michaelides. It tells the story of Alicia, who killed her husband, Gabriel, six years earlier—and hasn’t spoken since. The bulk of the novel takes place in the present-day, narrated by Theo Faber, a forensic psychoanalyst who recently began working with Alicia at The Grove, the psychiatric hospital where she resides following Gabriel’s murder. The novel uses the epistolary technique, interspersing Theo’s narrative with... Read The Silent Patient Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, History: European, Mythology, History: World, Fantasy, Romance
The Song of Achilles, author Madeline Miller’s bestselling novel, retells the events of Homer’s Iliad. Published in 2012, the book reimagines the relationship between ancient Greek Trojan war heroes Achilles and Patroclus. Narrated in the first person by Patroclus, the narrative explores themes central to ancient Greek mythology, notably the immutability of fate and the pursuit of glory.The novel begins with Patroclus narrating his birth and early childhood. Son of King Menoitius, the undersized and... Read The Song of Achilles Summary