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 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Fate, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender
Tags Mythology, Gender / Feminism, History: European, Historical Fiction, History: World, Fantasy, Romance
Published in 2018, Circe retells the story of the eponymous Greek mythological figure. The novel is also popular among the online BookTok community. Although traditionally viewed as a heartless, savagely beautiful witch who lures sailors to their deaths, the Circe of Madeline Miller’s imagining is quite different. This Circe is a multidimensional, flawed, and empathetic character struggling to find meaning and worth in her immortal life. Through Miller’s detailed and honest first-person narrative, which takes... Read Circe Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Relationships, Depression / Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
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 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Survival Fiction
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 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Survival Fiction