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 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Class, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Relationships

Heartless, first published in 2016, is a contemporary fantasy Young Adult novel by Marissa Meyer. Meyer is best known for her dystopian sci-fi YA series The Lunar Chronicles, inspired by fairy tales such as Cinderella and Snow White. Set in a fantasy world, Heartless imagines the backstory of Lewis Carroll’s iconic character the Queen of Hearts from the 1876 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Heartless is also popular among the BookTok community. This guide utilizes... Read Heartless Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Japanese Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Asian Literature, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, New Adult


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Religion / Spirituality


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 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense 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 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction


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