In relatively recent years, there has been a noticeable expansion in the online reading community. Social media, particularly TikTok, has facilitated this. In the vast sea of meticulously personalized audiovisual content on the clock app, the rise of the BookTok phenomenon continues. This cyber community with apparent unlimited reach has been the conversation topic for readers of all sorts. It provides reading motivation, lists of books for every genre, prompts the unearthing of classics and obscured books alike, offers a space for amateur and professional book reviews (that may inspire or deter reader audiences from reading a particular text), and often feeds the fictional infatuations, also known as literary crushes, of millions through fan-edits. BookTok also promotes more direct author-to-reader interaction, which can provide useful feedback for authors.

There is no doubt that BookTok has had a positive impact. After all, it serves to promote reading and creativity. Nevertheless, there are also obvious flaws in BookTok‘s schema. Considering the platform through which this phenomenon manifests (TikTok [which, I will not dive deep into]), known for its short, continuous content, it does not come as a surprise that BookTok # often feels misused or misrepresented. After all, consumerism is everywhere, even in reading spaces, and the thorough analysis one can offer or receive from some of the flash reviews featured under this hashtag is limited. The controversy surrounding TikTok transforming twenty-first-century reading into a consumerism-based activity by pushing the unboxing of fifty books at a time via videos that emphasize the aesthetic of the reader before the activity (of reading) itself is evident in TikTok‘s algorithm. Mass engagement is rewarded in the digital era we live in. Creators on TikTok are forced to appeal to superficial aspects of the literature they are discussing in order to get the views they need to maintain relevancy and profit; BookTok harbors a vicious cycle.

I have noticed a shallowness with how novels are perceived on BookTok (especially within the romance genre). Some may even argue BookTok revolves around the question, “Is there spice?” Spice, in this instance, referring to erotica. It is unfortunate to see an excess of content that normalizes a lack of diversified reading lists. . . because the problem is not the popularity of erotica or smut. The problem, instead, is the growing disdain for complexity, which may be related to the slightly exaggerated self-serving behavior fomented in an individualistic and capitalistic society. There is a growing disregard for literary diversity, which is something we cannot afford as a society amid a literacy crisis. Some of the most popular romance novels tend to prioritize erotic content over any other aspect, which often leads to flat characters and nonexistent plots. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy a novel full of senseless adorable moments that have no specific purpose or direction. It is comforting, but I prefer to see more than just these novels on the shelves of my favorite bookstores.

At the end of the day, every reader is free to interpret these texts through whatever lens they wish to use, but the optimal approach to these conversations may not be through a fifteen-second video or comment section. Such content may prompt these debates, but in order to have more productive interactions, a different, less simplified, less prone to astronomical misinterpretation forum is necessary.

I guess writing solely for the sake of guaranteeing commercial success is not one of my favorite strategies since I believe it tends to disregard creativity overtime. Such emphasis on profit can quickly lead to the trivialization of the overarching plots in these stories as specific, already overused tropes are so focused on that the novel becomes nothing but the label of the section it will be placed under at the bookstore. I do not want to read a book just because it contains an “enemies to lovers” trope. I want to read books because it is something I enjoy. I enjoy discovering the complexity of the people contained within ink and paper. I want them to come alive because of what an author has to say through them. As a reader, I aim to build lasting connections with what I read, not to simply temporarily entertain myself with a book meant to be bought to be read once. I often find these BookTok books remain as permanent and impactful as their relevancy on the TikTok algorithm and find them used as filler for my bookshelf. Of course, asking authors to write for passion instead of commercial success may sound unrealistic, but I choose optimism in the sense that I always hope whatever book I pick up will evoke sensations and thoughts substantial enough to be remembered long after reading it.

One thing is certain though, and that is that art is subjective, and everyone is free to enjoy and interact with the content and reading spaces of their choice. BookTok has not ruined the online reading community and neither reading comprehension, critical thinking, or media literacy are dead. We are experiencing a literacy and censorship crisis, yes, but there are plenty of other factors contributing to those.

The truth is that BookTok has left some audience members with an unsatisfied hunger for nuance as conformity and profit seem to overtake the online reading community. It is unfortunate to watch some authors dilute and minimize their art in order to make it marketable.

Overall, my experience with this social media reading space has been mixed, but it definitely sparked introspection and debates among my reader friends that I find important. I would just like to remind anyone who read this that asking questions – no matter what genre or author one reads – is key. It is not about writing a dissertation or creating a philosophy class based on each and every book one reads. All we have to do is think while reading. Making connections matters. Words matter. The internet is a great way to connect, but it can also be ruthlessly isolating, and when it comes to reading spaces (among many things), it can quickly turn into a pitiful phone game.

Finally, BookTok seems to be an incredibly gray area in many aspects. It can be fun or frustrating, sometimes even disencouraging to see the trends unfolding under its hashtag. Yet, creativity finds its way to prevail, and many authors and works have been revived thanks to it, and even if mediators are nonexistent, it serves as a great conversation starter.