I don’t know about you, but I’ve come across quite a few shocking book recommendations on social media. Sure, we all have different reading tastes: What might have been a life-changing novel for one person could be the most basic and boring of reads for another.
When it comes to BookTok, it’s pretty much a hit or miss—but I certainly have my personal favorites. Here are five BookTok recommendations that are actually worth the hype.
1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of my all-time favorite novels from BookTok. I didn’t know what to expect when I first picked it up, but as I began reading about Evelyn’s stardom, personal life, and complex love affairs—which are not at all what they seemed on the surface—I quickly became engrossed by her story. The novel reads like a raw exploration of the human experience, capturing one woman’s rise to fame and the hidden evils that accompany the spotlight.
“Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?
“Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
“Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.”
2. Happy Place by Emily Henry
I read Happy Place by Emily Henry while vacationing in my very own happy place of New England with my childhood best friend a few summers ago. What I’d thought would be a lighthearted, romantic beach read turned out to be far more relatable and reflective than I’d anticipated. This second-chance romance will linger with you for years, reminding you of what’s most important—both in life and in love.
“Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.
“They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.
“Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.
“Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?”
3. If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin
Warning: Do not read this book if you’re in a fragile place. Although you could probably be in the best possible headspace and still feel utterly destroyed by this poor excuse of a teen romance novel. (I say that with love and admiration, and a twinge of resentment, for the author.)
You might be wondering, then, why I would include such a heartbreaking story on this list, but I’m not one to shy away from emotional reads. Art is meant to be felt, after all. This character-driven book was beautifully written, achingly intimate, and unshakably devastating.
“I wasn’t with Finn on that August night. But I should’ve been. It was raining, of course. And he and Sylvie were arguing as he drove down the slick road. No one ever says what they were arguing about. Other people think it’s not important. They do not know there is another story. The story that lurks between the facts. What they do not know-the cause of the argument—is crucial.
So let me tell you…”
4. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
If you’re craving a young adult murder mystery novel, you’ve come to the right place. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder has dominated BookTok for good reason, as it’s filled with relatable tropes and the classic teenage angst many readers seek. But even more, this book will have you on the edge of your seat with twists and turns you’ll never expect.
“Everyone in Fairview knows the story.
“Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.
“But she can’t shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?
“Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn’t want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.”
5. The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo
This romance novel is “right person, wrong time” personified. Unfortunately, I chose to read it after a breakup during which my ex quoted that infamous phrase (or, rather, excuse). Needless to say, the book shattered my already broken heart into millions of jagged pieces, yet shifted my perspective in a much-needed direction.
“Lucy is faced with a life-altering choice. But before she can make her decision, she must start her story—their story—at the very beginning.
Lucy and Gabe meet as seniors at Columbia University on a day that changes both of their lives forever. Together, they decide they want their lives to mean something, to matter. When they meet again a year later, it seems fated—perhaps they’ll find life’s meaning in each other. But then Gabe becomes a photojournalist assigned to the Middle East and Lucy pursues a career in New York. What follows is a thirteen-year journey of dreams, desires, jealousies, betrayals, and, ultimately, of love. Was it fate that brought them together? Is it choice that has kept them away? Their journey takes Lucy and Gabe continents apart, but never out of each other’s hearts.”
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