How BookTok influenced my reading

Looking back at my 2022 and 2023 reading lists, I now realise just how much I have been influenced by BookTok. I don’t even have TikTok, yet many popular titles championed by BookTok users have found their way into my life. While I won’t do a deep dive into BookTok and its influence on the publishing industry (let’s save that for a later blog), I think the reason I picked up so many of these BookTok favourites is a professional want to learn about trends in publishing and a personal fear of missing out on the latest craze (such as Fourth Wing). I’m also always just looking for a good book recommendation.

Now, not all the BookTok books were great reads, in my opinion, but there are a few gems that I am very thankful for.

As well as my BookTok favourites, here are some other books I highly recommend.

The Tilt by Chris Hammer

Chris Hammer builds such vivid pictures of towns or places in his novels. He has done it again in The Tilt, slowly revealing and piecing together a story of people and place, with the perfect blend of intrigue and action. I particularly enjoyed the perspective of homicide detective Nell Buchanan as she returns to her hometown.

Wake by Shelley Burr

I recommend Shelley Burr’s Wake to anyone who enjoys Aussie crime and mystery. The strength of this book is the intriguing characters who propel the plot forward. This is a book that I truly could not put down.

Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley

I enjoy everything I read by Steven Rowley. The narration always feels so authentic, and Rowley explores universal themes of loss, love, grief, loneliness, change and hope with wit and humour. Greatly moving, this was the one book that made me cry this year.

Lockwood & Co series by Johnathan Stroud

I came to read this series after watching the TV adaptation on Netflix. Sadly, the show was cancelled after one season, but the books are great on their own. These are fun young adult novels featuring a strong female protagonist, found family, a super cool talking skull, and dangerous and exciting adventures.

I could keep going with more recommendations, but these were the standouts for me this year. Not all of these books are new, but they were new to me in 2023. Let me know what your favourite books were and if you have any recommendations for what I should read in 2024.

Happy New Year!