Discovering Joy and Community in the World of BookTok

My career has always centered on books—reading, writing, and analyzing them. Yet, for a long time, I rarely read purely for enjoyment.

This was not always the case. As a teenager, I was an avid reader, cherishing my library card above all else. During college, I would immerse myself in magical realism during quiet shifts at a hotel gift shop, captivated by tales where ghosts haunted kitchens, spices evoked emotion, and love defied reality.

However, graduate school and professional academia transformed books into objects of critique and assignment. After long days spent deciphering dense academic texts and grading papers, I found no desire to open a book for leisure. Gradually, I replaced reading with binge-watching streaming shows and scrolling endlessly through social media feeds.

Following a tense election in November, the usual numbing effect of doom-scrolling only heightened my anxiety. Seeking relief and better sleep, I purchased an e-reader. Initially, I loaded it with critically acclaimed prizewinners, but this felt more like work than pleasure, and I soon returned to social media.

Late one night, an algorithmic recommendation introduced me to a vibrant and often humorous corner of TikTok called BookTok, where users passionately rave about novels that they claim transform their minds or that they wish they could experience directly.

The platform quickly adapted to my interests, filling my feed with enthusiastic readers sharing the exhilaration of a compelling story—whether during lunch breaks or moments when the joy of reading triumphs over fatigue. The algorithm also tailored content to highlight voices from queer and BIPOC creators, offering a rich and diverse literary community experience.