After the world went on lockdown in March of 2020, people turned to social media as an outlet for a way of connecting with others. One social media prevailed, TikTok. With the app’s versatility, people were able to find others who shared the same interests as them, and one side of TikTok specifically gained popularity, BookTok.

Creators would use the BookTok side of TikTok to promote different young adult novels or fantasy books. They would post videos quoting significant lines, highlighting books that compared to each other, as well as discussing their opinions on certain plots. Additionally, some creators would promote their own fan-fiction, writing their own twist on certain characters and storylines from books.

Through this, they created a community for their fixed interests, allowing people to scroll as they please and find the perfect books for them.

Despite being a niche side of the app, it gained traction, and both authors and directors came together to make adaptations of the books.

Books have always been popular, and on screen adaptations of them have been happening for decades. However, once BookTok emerged in popularity, it urged people to do something other than go on their phones. It forced them to order books or go out and buy some, giving them something to do outside of just watching TikTok all day. It gave them something to look forward to.

Additionally, it gave the authors something to do. Some authors returned with prequels or sequels, even if their novels came years before.

Suzanne Collins released “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” in May of 2020, leading to the 2023 film adaptation. With the popularity of both the novel and movie, she also announced another prequel book titled “Sunrise on the Reaping” set to come out in 2025 with a film in 2026. If not for the pandemic and “The Hunger Games” receiving a surge in popularity, Collins would not have seen fans so eager to read her novels 10+ years after they were originally published.

Not only did Collins find the urge to write and publish more stories, but Stephanie Meyers followed up “Twilight-Breaking Dawn” with “Midnight Sun” in August of 2020. Although the movies were not well received, the books were, and BookTok readers found themselves invested for the first time or re-invested in the life of Bella Swan.

The pandemic was truly a hard time for everyone in the world, but there were positives that came out of it and one of those was the demand for books and stories as a means for escapism. Reading allowed for people to enter a different world, somewhere that you did not have to wear a mask or remain six feet away from someone. You could act as if you were in your favorite stories, and that was a magic that the pandemic and BookTok gave the world.

BookTok: a community on TikTok where a review or list of opinions on almost any trending book can be found. These passionate reviews are produced in the media by different TikTokers that use their page to influence readers to read or to avoid popular books.

This community wouldn’t be where it is today without the creators that have dedicated their pages to informing viewers about intriguing books and authors.

As the founder of BookTok, Cait Jacobs, known on TikTok as @caitsbooks, created an account during Covid-19 where they could freely post about one of their main interests, books. Jacobs’ account gained attention rapidly by viewers who shared a similar interest in books. Their content covers different book genres, ranging from fantasy to historical romance. There are in depth descriptions of books on Jacobs’ page, as well as different ranking and recommendation lists.

Jacobs’ creation of BookTok impacted thousands of other book lovers to start pages documenting their deep interest and opinions of different series as well. Many of these creators, popular ones being Haley Pham and Steph Bohrer, started to post about different books around Covid. However, there are also creators who have gained popularity around book discussions more recently.

One of these creators being @cassiesbooktok who refers to herself on TikTok as a “professional fangirl.” Having a TikTok account with 1.4 million followers, Cassie not only focuses on her favorite books and authors, but also her favorite types of book storylines and tropes. Her account consists of videos that are aimed to be relatable for other avid readers.

While each creator on BookTok has their own creative style of engaging readers, there are techniques that have become used often. Some creators use a ranking system, where when they review a book they will give it a certain amount of stars on the level of the quality of the book. Additionally, some of these TikTokers will use the tactic of describing the book without any context, which often draws readers into the plotline of the story. There’s also the idea of “Read or pass”, which gives the viewer insight from a creator on if they believe the book is worth the read or not.

These engaging tactics make readers both interested and influenced to read specific books that stand out to them based on others reviews. It also can start the spread of an author’s rise to fame if a lot of their books become surfaced on this part of TikTok.

BookTok as a whole is a space full of creativity and the passionate spread of new ideas. The creators that make up BookTok are the drivers of this part of social media. They lead the way for the traction of different genres, being the people to make or break different books and authors.

Justin Baldoni’s film adaptation of the popular novel “It Ends with Us” in August 2024 threw Colleen Hoover’s readers for a loop. Hoover published the book in August 2016, but the real boost in popularity came in 2021 from the BookTok community. After a year of BookTok influencing people to read the book, “It Ends with Us” was ranked first on The New York Times Best Seller list in January 2022. The immense popularity of this novel put weight on Baldoni’s shoulders to execute the production so well that fans would appreciate the movie equally as much as the novel. Although the film did receive positive recognition, there are some negative reviews to unpack.

Hoover’s novel explores the life of Lily Bloom, played by Blake Lively, as she enters an abusive relationship with Ryle Kincaid, played by Justin Baldoni. Having lived with a father inflicting the same violence on her mother, Lily battles through the mental strain of thinking this abuse is endless.

The book focuses on ideas of domestic violence, and Lily’s character is used as a role model for women going through similar situations. She sets an example by showing the audience what strength and courage are necessary to break free from the strong grasp abusers have on their victims.

Viewers of the movie praised Lively and Baldoni’s acting, appreciating their authenticity in how a real-life abusive relationship might play out. Lively especially hit the nail on the head when it came to the stage of denial in an abusive relationship, coming up with every possible excuse to justify Ryle’s actions. Baldoni mastered the short-tempered, intense, demanding character of Ryle. He accurately portrayed this character through his body language, often towering over Lily to show his assertiveness and power over her.

Critics were saddened to see the movie failed to include the Ellen DeGeneres storyline. Throughout Lily’s childhood, she writes letters addressed to Ellen as a coping mechanism. As she gets older, she writes to Ellen about her relationship with Atlas. Every day after school, she watches Ellen’s show and even plays it when Atlas comes over. Ellen being a major part of the book, taking up many pages with Lily’s letters, fans were horrified to see that Ellen’s role was removed from the film.

Baldoni also failed to include Atlas and Lily’s mantra “just keep swimming” from “Finding Nemo.” Atlas and Lily repeat this quote to one another as a reminder to keep pushing forward through the tough times. In Lily’s case, this is referring to her home situation dealing with an abusive father. Atlas needs the strength to keep fighting through his situation as a homeless teen, struggling day to day to nourish himself with enough food and water.

One of the most important details in Hoover’s book that was altered in the movie is the “Better in Boston” significance. Atlas gives Lily a magnet stating “Better in Boston” before he moves away. The young lovers say this phrase as a sign of hope that things will get better, promising to find one another someday.

The “Better in Boston” storyline extends further throughout the story. Atlas names his restaurant Bibs, standing for “Better in Boston,” and explains the significance of this title when his business appears in a newspaper for top new Boston businesses. Ryle reads this newspaper and sees the magnet to put the pieces together of Lily and Atlas’ former relationship. His confrontation with Lily ends in abuse and essentially drives Lily to end the relationship.

In Baldoni’s movie, this whole idea of “Better in Boston” was eliminated. Instead, Atlas’ restaurant is named Root, referring to a conversation with Lily about the strength of an oak tree. Atlas gives Lily a heart carving from an oak tree that she gets tattooed on her collarbone. Ryle reads the significance of the name Root and sees Lily’s tattoo to realize that she and Atlas weren’t strangers. Then, his anger leads to fury and he hurts Lily in the process, leading to the end of their relationship.

Overall, the “It Ends with Us” film generated lots of publicity in the media. Hoover’s fans have had a lot to say about the similarities and differences between the book and the movie. Most agree that Lively and Baldoni’s acting was up to par, but the significant details Hoover had in the story being eliminated from the film generated some bad press. To end the movie, Baldoni included a message with resources for people going through domestic abuse, reminding his viewers to “just keep swimming.”

The electrifying feeling between two singers performing passionately on stage. Is it love, or is it hatred being shared? Why is there a whole audience watching their every move, and all they can focus on is each other? The tension, mystery and curiosity that a moment like this brings causes conspiracies and questions to arise.

For Taylor Jenkins Reid, a moment like this stood out momentously; enough so that she was inspired to write a book encapsulating the relationship that she saw between former Fleetwood Mac members Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.

Daisy Jones and The Six displays a relationship built on fire and passion between Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne. The relationship Daisy and Billy share doesn’t only bring up complex feelings for Reid’s readers, but also makes them still to this day constantly debate about their relationship, and where it stands compared to Billy and his wife Camila’s relationship.

This book’s impact wasn’t ignored by avid book readers, one of the most prominent ones being Reese Witherspoon. Witherspoon, inspired by the evident connection between Daisy and Billy and Nicks and Buckingham decided to take her interest to the next level. With her production team, Hello Sunshine, Witherspoon collaborated with Prime Video to bring this fireful book to life.

Daisy Jones and The Six was adapted into a ten episode series displaying the formation of this infamous band and the mix between the musicians personal and professional lives. While there are many films based off of books that fail to truly envision the purpose of the book, Witherspoon and her team didn’t make this mistake.

The Daisy Jones and The Six television series, through its casting and plot lines, extraordinarily represents the tension and magic between the band members. The unique traits each member possesses are represented in the series.

One of the largest signs that this show completed the mission of connecting the characters in this show to the book is shown through readers’ perceptions of the show. When fans of the book are discussing the band, they are picturing in their minds and describing the actors present in the Prime Video series. Instead of describing book Daisy and television Daisy as two separate characters, they are aligned in most readers’ minds, thinking of Daisy as her actress, Riley Keough.

The television show inspired by the novel both enlightens readers’ fascination with the creativity of this story, and provides them with a true representation of the characters that can be watched through a screen.

Which do you prefer, the book or the movie? With the rise in streaming services and thus the commonality of adaptations, this debate resurfaces quite frequently. Often, fans have strong opinions: maybe the movie skips over too much of the plot or perhaps the book just didn’t hit the mark. People love comparing the two and there’s no better place to do so than on TikTok, one of the most popular social media platforms.

Lately Book-Tok has become a space where creators eagerly share their thoughts, praises, and critiques on popular books- and their adaptations- including It Ends With Us, Daisy Jones and the Six, Red White & Royal Blue, and Normal People. From exposing behind the scenes drama, to commending a cast’s raw emotion, Book-Tok certainly doesn’t hold back.

It Ends With Us:

It Ends With Us, by Colleen Hoover instantly took the internet by storm. Becoming the most sold book in the United States in 2023 and having over 1 billion hashtags on Tik Tok, it’s no surprise that book-tokers had many things to say. Inspired by her mothers escape from domestic abuse, Colleen Hover portrays the meaningful and multifaceted story of Lily Bloom.

Over the course of the novel Bloom moves to Boston to open up her own business and meets Ryle, a charming love interest. As she falls deeper and deeper into her relationship with Ryle she begins to see sides of him that remind her of her parents’ abusive relationship. All while this is occuring she runs into Atlas, her first love. The book concludes with an emotional and empowering ending shedding light on the complexities of abusive relationships.

When Colleen Hoover announced that “It Ends with Us” would be turned into a film fans were both excited and skeptical to see if the story would really be as good on the big screen as it is on paper. Despite its booming box office numbers, many critics feel that It Ends With Us did not live up to their expectations.
Because “It Ends With Us” includes a myriad of difficult topics ranging from acohol abuse and mental illness to domestic violence and rape, people expected the film and its promotional material to raise awareness. But fans were saddened to see that this was not the case. Critics argue that although the movie had intentions to raise awareness many scenes were portrayed in a tone-deaf way that glosses over the real issues within the storyline.

The same goes for its press tour. When promoting “It Ends With Us” Blake Lively, the well known actress portraying Lily Bloom, specifically said “Grab your friends, wear your florals and head out to see it”, treating a potentially triggering and complex story like a light-hearted romance.

Although It Ends With Us achieved soaring success as a novel reaching all different people across Book-Tok, fans were sad to admit that the movie adaptation unfortunately couldn’t deliver its important message effectively, diluting the story’s meaning.

Daisy Jones and the Six:

Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Best Selling Novel, Daisy Jones and the Six, is celebrated for her nuanced portrayal of characters and her ability to enhance her characters personalities and experiences without it being too overwhelming for the reader. Reid’s storytelling is the driving force behind Daisy Jones and the Six, a captivating tale of a passionate band’s rise and fall in the 1970s music scene . Written as a series of Interview transcripts, Daisy Jones and the Six reveals the characters hidden emotions and takes readers on a vivid journey through time.

Given the book’s success and its raving reviews, Amazon Prime adapted Daisy Jones and the Six into a 10-episode series, exciting fans of the book and lovers of 1970s music alike. Although the series was lauded for its diverse and incredibly talented casting, authentic wardrobe, and original songs, critics feel it fell short of their high expectations.

One of the novel’s defining strengths is Reids emphasis on the power, courage, and emotional-depth of her female characters, which is evident within the novel. Daisy Jones, Camilla Alverez , Karen Sirko, and Simone Jackson all have complex layered relationships that are central to the story.

However, fans argue that the TV series diminishes the independence and strong connections these women share. On the page, their characters and relationships are rich and empowering, but the series fails to fully capture the intensity and importance of them. In addition, the novel’s intricate plot is filled with complex dynamics and significant moments that resonate deeply with readers. Unfortunately the adaptation compresses and rushes the story, reducing pivotal moments to mere plot points.

While the Daisy Jones & The Six Amazon Prime series is undeniably an entertaining and visually stunning show, it doesn’t quite live up to the richness and emotional complexity of the book. Fans of Reid’s novel will likely find themselves yearning for the depth and intensity that made the story on paper so unforgettable.

Red White and Royal Blue:

Written by Casey McQuiston, Red White & Royal Blue captivated readers with its irresistible enemies-to-lovers trope, centering on the secret romance between Alex Claremont-Diaz, the first son of the United States, and Prince Henry. Since its release in 2019 the book has quickly garnered widespread praise for its LGBTQ+ representation, standing out in a market where queer centered novels were still relatively scarce, setting a new standard amongst romance novels.

When Amazon Prime announced a film adaptation there was initial apprehension among fans over whether or not the movie would be able to capture the novel’s depth. Fortunately those concerns were put to rest after the movie’s release in 2023.

Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galzentine delivered great on-screen, making their love story both swoon worthy and engaging. While some viewers found a few scenes to be “corny” or inconsistent, shifting from PG moments to R-rated content, many fans felt the film’s strong character development and the genuine connection between the leads, overshadowed the film’s minor flaws. With a script that stayed true to its source and outstanding performances by the lead characters, people feel that “Red White & Royal Blue” adaptation meets its novel’s greatness.

Normal People:

Normal People, by Sally Rooney beautifully explores the intricacies of young love through the evolving relationship between Marianne and Connel, starting in their small town school and continuing through their undergraduate years at Trinity College. The novel exposes traumas, memories, love, and insecurities as they repeatedly find themselves drawn together at different points in their lives. Readers were captivated by the novel’s deep emotional pull and relatable moments of vulnerability and connection that Rooney so skillfully portrays.

After Normal People became a New York Times Bestselling Novel, fans were thrilled when Hulu and BBC Three announced plans for a TV adaptation. However initial excitement was met with skepticism when the casting was revealed.

With Daisy Edgar Jones And Paul Mescal, still relatively small in the acting-world, some fans questioned whether they could embody such a weighty relationship. But when the series premiered in April of 2020, it exceeded all expectations.

BBC Three reported its best week ever with 16.2 million streaming requests, as viewers were swept away by Edgar-Jones’ and Mescal’s emotionally charged performances. People instantly fell in love with their on screen chemistry.

The adaptation was also praised for its dreamy, tactile visual style, making viewers feel as if they were walking through the main character’s memories. While the novel’s third person narrative could sometimes feel isolating, the show was able to bring unsaid emotions to ife, adding layers of depth to Marianne and Connel’s relationship, and in some ways making the story even more resonate on screen than it was on the page.