Point/Counterpoint | Does BookTok have its benefits?

BookTok Brings Excitement

When it comes to Halloween costumes, makeup tutorials, or hair videos, TikTok is the place I, and many others, jump to for ideas — so it should come as no surprise that it’s also where a lot of people look for book recommendations.

As college students, our laborious schedules keep us busy. Reading through syllabi, textbooks, and assignments often discourages me to even think about reading for pleasure. Because of this, by the time I finally get home, my only desire is to order food and watch TV.

But occasionally, there’s weekends where you’re bored. You’ve been scrolling through TikTok for an hour and a half, and you decide you want to pick up a book. That’s where BookTok, home to TikTok’s avid readers, enters the picture.

Some may say BookTok is unoriginal or boring, but there’s a solution for that. Simply look up “unique book recommendations,” and you’ll be met with numerous reads no one has heard of. If the post has less than 1,000 likes, you know it’s going to have some interesting suggestions.

I believe BookTok will give you what you put into it. TikTok tends to show you what is most popular; which, most of the time, is going to be boring, overdone cliches, like Colleen Hoover.

However, my point still stands. From personal experience, I have found many worthwhile books from BookTok. I feel my TikTok knows me well enough at this point to not recommend things like “A Court of Thorns and Roses.” Even if it does, the comments tend to shed light on the stories’ flaws and recommend a superior alternative.

Have I found some recommendations that made me roll my eyes? Tons of times, but then I can simply scroll. If I don’t particularly love the books recommended, at least I know what I don’t like and can avoid in the future.

For me and many other users, the point is not necessarily to find the gold mine of unforgettable books. It’s more about pushing you to get off your phone and do something valuable with your time. It can be an escape from your everyday life, and one that’s not a TV show or doomscrolling.

Especially for college students who are constantly bombarded with textbooks and lectures, BookTok is about taking your power back and reading something enjoyable for the first time since you were a kid.

RELATED: Above the Fold: BookTok creates demand in libraries

BookTok Has Bad Taste

As an avid reader and chronically online social media addict — a real dichotomy that is — I’ve encountered many self-proclaimed BookTokers ready to pounce on the opportunity to recommend their favorite books to fresh, eager audiences. Armed with opinions and persuasive arguments, these “intellectual influencers” claim to offer diverse recommendations for every reader.

Like fantasy books? Try reading Sarah J. Maas’s “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series! Into romance? Check out the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series! Want something mysterious and thrilling? The “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series probably has some aspects of that too!

Finished with the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series? Try the “Throne of Glass” series, also written by Maas! Plus, finishing the “Throne of Glass” series comes with a secret bonus level: reading all 1.05 million words in the series again, but differently! Tried tandem reading before? No? Well, now’s the chance to start, because why would we ever read anything different!

Everything recommended is the same rehashed popular author or series over and over again.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing bad about enjoying a popular author or series. The problem is the lack of originality and the push from these brazen book influencers to make audiences believe these novels are the epitome of literary achievement.

Now, I’m a big advocate for reading, no matter the content. Just because I personally dislike a book or author — looking at you, Colleen Hoover — doesn’t mean I’m unhappy people are picking up these books. In the current literacy crisis, the more reading done, the better.

However, it seems like the main push on social media is to consume books, not read them. To even interact with BookTok, there’s a hidden list of requirements every reader needs to meet: read all the popular books, own all the popular books, and only talk about all the popular books.

I can’t even count the number of times I’ve walked into a Barnes & Noble and picked up a book just because I had seen it online numerous times, only to have it gather dust on my shelf. This is what BookTok promotes: not good recommendations catered to a reader’s niche interests, but the desire to fit in with everyone else.

Gone are the days of walking into a library or bookstore, ready to be charmed by nothing more than a cute book cover or interesting synopsis. Now, it’s all about the online ratings. Reading should be about exploring personal interests and finding something enjoyable, not about forcing your way through a mountain of trendy books just to fit in online.

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