There is a unique magic in holding a physical book. The smell of paper and ink is both familiar and timeless and the weight of the pages offers a tangible connection to the stories that live in our minds. But as time changed between the creation of bookselling guilds to the current rise of Amazon, the appreciation of this craft was lost to many. Ebooks emerged as a vision of the future, with the Kindle allowing for an endless library right at our fingertips. But something always feels like it’s missing: It feels too commercial, too accessible and removes the excitement of picking out books from a bookstore. In recent years, a resurgence in the appreciation for physical books has emerged and thrived even in the face of the digital boom. The source of this rekindling? Social media. More specifically, BookTok.
But what even is BookTok? BookTok is a subcommunity of the app TikTok that has become a platform to discuss, review, recommend and joke about books and literature. BookTokers will post short, catchy and often humorous videos about the books that made them sob uncontrollably or the pains of being a reader in a stubbornly mundane world. More recently, BookTok has become a powerful force in the bookselling market in that it has helped increase physical book sales and played a role in creating bestselling authors. As the platform gains popularity, people’s opinions gain a broader reach which has translated into a boom in book sales especially within the young adult fiction, fantasy and romance genres.
BookTok first formed around 2020 and already by the end of that year Bloomsbury saw a 220 percent rise in profits. By 2021, book sales in the U.S. rose 9 percent to reach 825.7 million print sales which was the highest reported statistic since BookScan started recording data in 2004. A similar increasing trend was seen in 2023 and again in 2024. And despite the economic effects of COVID on brick and mortar stores, bookstores like Barnes and Noble are flourishing. Publishers Weekly noted that foot traffic at Barnes and Noble has been increasing almost every month and new stores are opening across the country. In other words, people are returning to bookstores! This is a very exciting trend especially as ebooks, audiobooks and Amazon books become increasingly easier to purchase. There appears to be a generational shift in readers’ incentives which has rekindled a love for reading, supporting bookstores and finding joy in reading physical books.
BookTok has also helped certain debut or “underground” authors to get recognition and success. Some BookTok videos feature prompts like “if you read this popular book try this underrated one” or “my favorite new/underrated authors.” The reach of the BookTok platform introduces a large audience to new authors and encourages literary exploration. Books mentioned on BookTok which receive traction often translate into enormous success. Perhaps the strongest example is Sarah J. Maas, a renowned fantasy author who gained widespread popularity on BookTok. Just in between January and June of 2024, Maas has sold 4.83 million print books. As a SJM fan since 2016, it’s been fascinating to watch her popularity soar alongside her rise on BookTok, transforming her into the powerhouse she is today.
Like most things, it can’t all be positive. There is widespread dissatisfaction with its focus on tropes and aesthetics. Tropes are recurring plot devices or character archetypes such as an enemies-to-lovers or slow burn romance. Seeing that this is how readers on BookTok describe books, authors have taken up marketing and plotting their books based on these perceived popular tropes. However, while these tropes are sometimes successful, it has led to repetitive, formulaic and surface-level books. In a way, BookTok has become like fast fashion with quick catchy trends that often lack quality. This is a disappointing side effect because there are some truly fantastic books that I have found through BookTok. However, as a longtime reader with some experience navigating BookTok, it becomes easier to parse out what is worth a try. Another trend that I have noticed is that book covers and titles, particularly in the fantasy genre, have become very formulaic. Titles seem to fit the structure of A/The ____ of ____ and ____ and include words like “shadow,” “court,” “kingdom” or “stars” for example. At some point, the titles devolve into a nonsensical combination of words that fails to set it apart. Covers also start to appear repetitive with lots of micro-detailing set against a blank background with items such as a sword at the forefront. So while BookTok has revived the art of physical bookselling and reading, it has also had the effect of watering down creativity in favor of marketing techniques.
Overall, while correlation doesn’t equal causation, there is strong evidence that BookTok has been saving the publishing and physical bookselling industries. By streamlining word of mouth, rekindling excitement for reading and romanticizing the art of the home library, BookTok has brought young people back to bookstores. In 2024, we are no longer in the throes of COVID, but BookTok’s effect has endured, which means it can maintain a positive impact. Previous trends starting around 2007 showed that the publishing industry was making less and less from book sales each year and that bookstores were closing around the world. BookTok played a role in turning this around, so while it may sometimes garner a bad reputation, its overall impact is undeniably powerful. It has also revived a passion for reading in many and introduced many more the the joys of reading by cultivating a wholesome, safe and welcoming community. What started as a digital trend has now sparked a cultural shift, proving that the love of reading physical books will prevail.
Ayla Kruse Lawson is a sophomore in the College of Human Ecology. She can be reached at [email protected].