TL;DR
BookTok is the massive, high-energy literary corner of TikTok that has single-handedly made reading "cool" again for Gen Z and Alphas. While it’s awesome that kids are swapping screens for pages, the line between Young Adult (YA) and "New Adult" (explicit) content is incredibly thin. If your kid is talking about "spice levels," "tropes," or "Romantasy," they’re deep in the BookTok algorithm.
Quick Links to Trending BookTok Media:
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – The "dragon book" everyone is obsessed with. (Ages 16+)
- A Court of Thorns and Roses – The gateway drug to "Romantasy." (Ages 17+)
- Heartstopper – A wholesome, graphic novel favorite. (Ages 12+)
- The Cruel Prince – High-stakes faerie drama, safer for younger teens. (Ages 14+)
- It Ends With Us – Very popular, but deals with heavy themes like domestic abuse. (Ages 16+)
If you haven't been on TikTok lately, BookTok is the subculture where creators post highly aesthetic reviews, "hauls" of new books, and emotional reaction videos (usually of them crying over a character's death). It has massive market power—BookTok can turn a book published ten years ago into a #1 bestseller overnight.
For parents, it’s a mixed bag. On one hand, our kids are actually reading physical books. On the other, the algorithm doesn't care about age ratings. A 13-year-old looking for "fantasy books with dragons" might easily get served a recommendation for a book containing graphic sexual content because the covers look nearly identical.
BookTok doesn’t talk about "plot" or "character development" the way we did in English class. They talk about tropes. Tropes are recurring themes or plot devices that help readers find exactly what they like.
- Enemies to Lovers: Two characters who hate each other but eventually fall in love. This is the holy grail of BookTok.
- The Grumpy x Sunshine: A brooding, moody character paired with a bubbly, happy one.
- Slow Burn: A romance that takes forever to actually happen (think 500 pages of longing looks).
- Spice / Spicy: This is code for sexual content. If a book is "5-alarm spice," it’s essentially erotica.
- TBR (To Be Read): The mountain of unread books sitting on your kid's nightstand.
- DNF (Did Not Finish): When a book is so bad or boring they just stop reading it.
- The Aesthetic: Reading isn't just a hobby; it’s a look. Think candle-lit rooms, annotated pages with colorful tabs, and specific "bookshelf wealth."
If your teen is into reading right now, they are likely reading Romantasy (Romance + Fantasy). This genre is dominating the charts. Think A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas or Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.
Here’s the no-BS take: Romantasy is often marketed with covers that look like traditional YA fantasy—dragons, swords, crowns—but the content is frequently "New Adult" or "Adult." These books often contain explicit "spice" that would earn them an R rating if they were movies. If your middle schooler is picking these up because they saw them on TikTok, you definitely want to do a quick vibe check first.
One weird side effect of BookTok is the "haul" culture. Creators show off stacks of 20+ books they just bought, often in "special editions" with sprayed edges (colored page ends).
It can turn reading into a competitive sport of buying rather than reading. Kids might feel pressured to have a "perfect" bookshelf for their own Instagram or TikTok posts. While it’s better than spending money on Roblox skins, it can still drain a bank account pretty quickly.
Check out our guide on managing digital-driven overconsumption
How do you know if a book is okay? You can’t always trust the "Young Adult" label in a bookstore anymore because BookTok has blurred the lines.
For Middle School (Ages 11-13)
Stick to true YA or "Middle Grade Plus."
- The Hunger Games is a classic for a reason.
- Percy Jackson remains a top-tier choice.
- Better Than the Movies is a great "sweet" romance (no spice) that is huge on BookTok.
For Early High School (Ages 14-15)
This is where they start wanting the "trending" stuff.
- The Cruel Prince offers the "enemies to lovers" vibe without the explicit content.
- Divine Rivals is a beautiful, lyrical fantasy that is very popular and relatively clean.
For Older Teens (Ages 16+)
They are likely already reading the "spicy" stuff.
- If they want Fourth Wing, just know it has a few very explicit scenes.
- It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover is a massive BookTok staple, but it deals with heavy emotional trauma.
Ask our chatbot for book recommendations based on your kid's favorite tropes
The biggest safety issue with BookTok isn't the books themselves—it's the community.
- "Dark Romance": This is a specific subgenre that often features "taboo" or non-consensual themes (kidnapping, stalking, etc.) romanticized as "dark and brooding." This is not for kids, but the covers can sometimes look like regular thrillers.
- Unfiltered Discussions: BookTok creators often discuss adult themes very openly. If your kid is scrolling the #BookTok hashtag, they will see people talking about "smut" (explicit sex in books) with zero filters.
- Spoiler Culture: Not a safety risk, but a "wellness" one—kids get really upset when the algorithm spoils the ending of a 600-page book they’re halfway through!
Don't be the "book police." If you see them reading something questionable, ask about the tropes.
- "Oh, is that an 'enemies to lovers' story?"
- "What's the 'spice level' of this one? I heard some of these trending books get pretty intense."
- "I saw a review of this on Goodreads, the plot sounds wild. What do you think of the main character?"
Using their language shows you're paying attention without being "cringe" or judgmental. It opens the door for them to tell you if a book makes them feel uncomfortable.
Read our guide on how to talk to your teen about "spicy" media
BookTok is mostly a win. It’s a community that celebrates literacy, emotional intelligence, and storytelling. Yes, there is some "brain rot" content and some books that are basically "monkey-level" writing with a pretty cover, but at the end of the day, they are reading.
The goal isn't to ban the books, but to help them navigate the "spice" and the "aesthetic" pressure so they can find stories that actually resonate with them.
- Check the "TBR" pile: Take a look at the books on their shelf. If you see a lot of Sarah J. Maas or Colleen Hoover, it’s time for a conversation about content.
- Use StoryGraph: It’s a great alternative to Goodreads that provides much better content warnings (violence, sexual content, etc.) so you can check a book's "stats" before they buy it.
- Go to a bookstore together: Let them show you the "BookTok section" (most stores have one now). It’s a low-stakes way to see what they’re interested in.