For the same reason that people went crazy over the books that got chosen for Oprah‘s book club. People like feeling like they’re part of something and if you’re reading a book that a bunch of other people that you like are also reading you get to talk about it with them.

It gets people to read who otherwise wouldn't have picked up a book, I guess? Maybe their standards are different ;)

Then again, I know some older people who'd only ever read books that were in the top 10 bestseller lists (and definitely not all books in bestseller lists are that good, or at least, I don't think so), so it's nothing new, but just the same but on another platform, aimed at another target audience

This is a weird question. You can't understand why people like something that a bunch of their peers like, it's not a really hard concept to wrap your head around. What I don't understand is why people in this sub feel the need to throw shade and feel superior to other readers because of their book choices.

Some people like different things than you! They’re not faking it because they want to be part of a trend, they just have different preferences and interests.

I always think it’s funny that people on r/books like to feel so superior to people on booktok, because they’re really very similar: communities that are largely but not entirely homogenous, with the same few books put on a pedestal but other books often discussed as well, using social media to find and discuss literature.

Sometimes people want to read purely for entertainment and escapism. Why is that a hard concept to understand?

20, 30 years ago, heavy readers would join book clubs so they could be a part of a community and talk about the books they were reading with a receptive audience. Today, people turn to social media for the same reason. They want a sense of community and BookTok/BookTube/whatever provides that for them.

What’s a BookTok?

Might be an effort to feel a part of something? If everyone you know is reading a certain book you might feel a little FOMO.

bc books that are trending on booktok are just books that are liked be a lot of people and if you keep seeing them, you will think that they must be good and so you give it a try. Booktok just means its a popular book and hence gets recommended a lot on tiktok. You also have to keep in mind that just bc you didnt like a book,it doesnt mean others cant enjoy it. I also read "It ends with us" and i liked it but i k ow that the author is greatly hated on in the booktok communtiy, so its kind of funny that you mentioned her.

It's the same as to ask why some TV series get much more attention and wider audience compared to others, even if they are not necessarily that good. They just appease to the wider audience. Same with Booktok. Most books are easy to read which means they attract people who aren't generally so much into reading overall or that specific genre. But also people who are maybe avid readers but are looking for something light. And well..some will read them simply to see what is all the buzz about.

In some other cases, books become popular because most accounts (as far as I have seen) are dedicated to specific-genres or even qualities (smutty, cozy, etc). So it is likely that followers will enjoy the recommendations because they are in a way tailored to them, which in return means that they will be more proned to suggest them to others as well.

And well..some authors are great at creating social media content. I have seen several books becoming popular because author managed to create the hype. For example, Alex Aster and her Lightlark.

I don't pay attention to books all over tik tok but I do tend to gravitate towards them without even knowing. It's not an obsession. People just like the books they like especially if the blurb sounds interesting. It just ends up being a good book that many people just happen to enjoy.

And btw, It Ends With Us is relatable for those of us who have been through DV situations. If you haven't been through it then ya you probably won't enjoy the book because you don't relate and that's fine.

Booktok has attracted a lot of new readers, including many friends of mine who otherwise would’ve never picked up a book, but it attracted a lot of habitual readers as well. I think the format is compact and highly digestible and a lot of videos present the books in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing, concise and attractive to the casual TikTok scroller. I’ve read a couple of CoHo books at my friends’ recommendation. Our opinions differed greatly; a discussion ensued and we exchanged our reflections; it was fun. It’s not much deeper than it seems honestly. It attracts all types of readers, and it fosters a sense of community among those people.

I’m not on Booktok, but I’m on Booktube, and I love finding booktubers who have a similar taste to mine and I often discover books I wouldn’t have found otherwise. Also, when I read a book that someone else has also read, it’s interesting to hear their thoughts and review of it. Booktok is quite similar, though with shorter length videos. People like whatever books for whatever reason: who cares? What you’re observing here is literally what happens on any popular social platform: people like things and tell other people they might like those things as well, then it becomes a trend and goes full circle. Whether they’re actually good or not is entirely subjective. I’ve liked some books that have trended, and I’ve disliked some others. There’s such a wide range of books trending on the internet that it’s genuinely absurd to lump them under any one category and pigeonhole them as insipid or fatuous. There’s no real correlation between how enjoyable a book is and how popular it is. I also get the feeling you’re being slightly, even if unwittingly, condescending.

There’s a slight dissonance between what you’re expressing and what you claim to believe. Your wording suggests you view “booktok famous books” as inferior, and that more experienced readers would never “obsess” over such second-rate, simplistic writing. Accessibility in literature is only deemed mediocre if you’re being a snob. I get that you’re not trying to be critical or offensive, but you might wanna word things more sensibly when you’re asking for someone else’s opinion.

I think it has to do with feeling like a part of something. I have bought a couple of books here and there because I like supporting indie authors, and don’t mind reading various stages of drafts. One series I really really liked, and another was very unfinished but a good idea.

With tt authors you get the chance to give direct feedback and I think that makes people feel like they had direct influence on something they think is cool. Personally, I don’t give feedback unless specifically asked. That feels too much like unsolicited criticism for me, a non professional editor.

people like to spout their brilliant takes - or be assholes - or both. read what you want and ignore tiktoxic

"they've gone viral"

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>Why ppl are so obsessed with Coho's novels or any other books that are in trend cause of booktok or other platforms like that. What is in it? And yep I've read one of her books 'it ends with us cause my roommate had it and for me it was a total waste of time. So why ppl are so interested in it? Is this because they are new readers? Or because the language is easy? Or maybe because everyone's commenting on it? Either the comments are positive or negative

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it's not necessary to follow the herd on books.

do you try to do every viral trick out there?
why not?

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_crate_challenge

The milk crate challenge, also known as the crate challenge, is a video challenge that became viral online in August 2021. The challenge involves stacking milk crates into a structure that resembles a podium, with both sides of the structure functioning as stairs.[1] The participant is expected to climb up to the top of the crates and climb back down without destroying the structure or falling, risking injury.[2][3] The activity has faced criticism by health professionals for its unnecessary risk to personal health.[4] Social media platform TikTok that helped popularize the trend said it would eliminate search results for "milk crate challenge" citing its policy that "prohibits content that promotes or glorifies dangerous acts."[5]

maybe a certain type of person reads these books.. the same type who feel it's necessary to record every minute of their lives.

​

what kind of books appeal to the people who do that?

if you're not that type of person, maybe the books will not appeal to you.

​

BookTok is a subcommunity on the app TikTok, focused on books and literature. Creators make videos reviewing, discussing, and joking about the books they read. These books range in genre, but many creators tend to focus on young adult fiction, young adult fantasy, and romance.[1] The community is cited with impacting the publishing industry and book sales.[2] The creators in this community are also known as BookTokers.[3]

- Being part of a community by reading something lots of people are reading

- Being a new reader that hasn't really developed a sense of taste yet, so you read what's popular

- These books are literally marketed to certain groups of people (themes, cover design, ...) and people are easy victims

- They want books they can identify with

- They want to read something they don't really have to think about in a deep, philosophical way

- If you don't have lots of time to try out new books, it's easy to pick something that "most people like", so as not to waste time on a "bad book"

That's probably it.

BookTok is a big place. While there are books that get mentioned over and over on BookTok, there are also TikTok accounts that recommends books beyond the Colleen Hoovers and Taylor Jenkins Reids of the world. I would actually spend some time looking for TikTok accounts that focuses on books that align more with your own tastes. BookTok has some good recommendations but you might need to dig a little deeper to find them.

It's best to just accept that the general public has really bad taste. That's why you can't go a day without a Project Hail mary post on this sub, Panic at the Disco is a famous band, Marvel movies rake in billions, etc.

Probably positive association with the influencers/vloggers that recommend the book. People also like to be in the know and get in on trends, so if an influencer pushes a book people will want to be apart of that.

People like to feel included in something.

I watch a number of booktok channels, but mostly out of curiosity. I still read what I please, and most of the books I read never appear on booktok.

Like any other type of media people often try things that others in the peer group try. Reading the same book as your peers can give you something to talk about and share.

I ask the same question about tv shows like Friends and Real Housewives. They are wildly popular and I don't understand their appeal.

The medium is the message.

Why do you read the books you do?

Just because you don’t think they’re intellectual enough doesn’t make people reading them brainless twats. So many more people are reading and I think that is what’s important here.

Late to the party but I think this reddit and booktok are quite similar. I think booktok is viewed in a different light do to the medium conversations are shared through. It's all video so it can come across as Vayne because everyone's always got their face in the video and seems they're trying to push an "aesthetic" but most of the discussions are the same here!

It is like with these crappy soaps people watched in HS so you could talk about it with others. I only watched them so I am not an outsider.

Some people read like 4 books a year. So they like to be told what to read

People love trends. They crave to fit in. Everyone loves reading certain books, I need to read certain books. Everyone is saying “based” (which I have no idea what that means), I need to say based.

It’s keeping up with the Jones’ and keeping up with the times. You don’t want to be left out, do you?

Personally, it’s not for me. I read what I want NOT what’s trending but to each their own.

They can’t be that popular. I’ve never heard of those books and don’t know what booktok is aside from seeing it referenced here.

Social Media is based around sheep idolising influencers. These people successfully sell people their bathwater.

Books are no different really. When followers buy into the value of some influencer's vapid opinion, they'll value that opinion no matter what it is. That includes pushing books.