The Tiktok Books That Are Worth the Hype

As a chronically online reader, I delight in being the target audience for communities like ‘Booktok’ and ‘Bookstagram.’ I love finding gems in new accounts and tailoring my feed to be exposed to a diverse range of book-fluencers. I follow readers from Tāmaki Makaurau to Honolulu, all with different tastes and opinions that shape my own reading habits. And throughout my time in the digital realm, I’ve found my fair share of fantastic reads.

I’m also acutely aware that the best recommendations aren’t always the most obvious ones. With 34 million TikToks posted daily, the process of finding the real deal can be overwhelming.

To aid with this plight I’ve curated a list of some must-reads I’ve discovered while scrolling. I’ve endeavoured to share a range of genres, places, characters and experiences. I aim to create a starting point for those looking to translate aesthetic feeds into real-life taste.

Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly

My first pick is from one of our own, Rebecca K Reilly, who represents the next generation of authors taking Aotearoa fiction to the global stage.

Greta & Valdin is a favourite book of mine. This is partly because I think it’s so exciting that people worldwide are reading a book that describes Tāmaki Makaurau so astutely. It’s also partly because I can’t get enough of the amusing, relatable, and loveable cast of characters.

Although the story centres around queer siblings Greta & Valdin, it also features their extended Māori-Russian-Catalonian communities. This includes older brother Casper, Casper’s family, their parents, their parent's families, the situationships of the siblings and extended friend groups. Despite the large ensemble, the world Reilly creates is never too much. Every character brings the story forward and ultimately leaves you with tentative optimism about being alive in the 21st century. In the words of Goodreads reviewer Stacey, Greta & Valdin is “Nine out of nine Matariki stars.”

Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad

Enter Ghost is the story of struggling actress Sonia Nasir's return from London to her family in the West Bank. Although the trip is meant to be a burnout-cure holiday, she reluctantly joins a production of Hamlet—the first of its kind in Palestine. If you love an “obsessed artist” archetype and/or a novel bound by the weight of history, then Enter Ghost is for you.

The novel's tone is similar to If We Were Villains and The Secret History. The referenced “ghosts” are those of Hamlet, and of Shakespeare actors come before. They’re also the ghosts of the personal lives of the actors (we get glimpses into Nasir’s life in London, one that has the style and complications of a Sally Rooney character.)

More pertinently, what makes Enter Ghost distinctive is how it portrays the “ghosts” of the West Bank. These are the ghosts of occupation, suffering, and connection to a homeland. As fiction readers know, sometimes a novel can tell you far more about a conflict than a newspaper can.

Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton

Dolly Alderton is laugh-out-loud funny and Everything I Know about Love might be her comedy memoir magnum opus. There’s a reason it brought Alderton to the limelight and is now enjoyed by millions as a certified ‘Booktok’ classic.

Alderton’s writing is best described in terms of the personal. In my case, multiple friends have used it to successfully reinvigorate a passion for reading after what seemed to be an endless reading slump. For others, myself included, it’s offered a respite from university readings during exam season.

It’s not a how-to guide (!!!) but it does offer life lessons. The principal lessons, unsurprisingly, surround the stories of all kinds of love - romantic, familial, and friendship. Some stories call for a been-there-done-that sigh of resignation while others seem so outrageous they verge on the inconceivable. Regardless, there maintains a thread of relatability. Alderton brings out our best and worst instincts in love.

The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye

The Transgender Issue has gained recent TikTok renown, largely for its timeliness. It offers an informed, reasonable, and nuanced understanding of the impact that a culture war has on real people. Although the book is written by a British author, there are relevant lessons for Aotearoa too.

It’s also accessible. While its non-fiction label may put some fiction readers off, it regularly makes lists titled such things as “the best non-fiction books for people who don’t read non-fiction.” And it’s written for both the informed among us and those who are new to the topic. It’s perfect for both if you want to expand existing knowledge or if you know very little but want to come to the conversation from a place of understanding.

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

I picked up The Island of Missing Trees from the ‘Booktok favourites’ section of an airport bookstore. It subsequently became one of my favourite ever aeroplane reading experiences. Reading Shafak feels like exploring new places as much as any travel does. In this novel, she takes you on a journey through Cyprus, an island sliced in half by war.

It’s ultimately a Romeo-and-Juliet forbidden love story. But the backdrop of Cyprus keeps it from being anything but a cliché. There’s the perspective of Ada, our forbidden lovers' daughter in the 2010s still feeling the impact of her parent's relationship. Even more aptly, there’s the voice of a fig tree, written as a central character in the plot. The fig tree’s voice is my favourite. It narrates the long-lasting story of our lovers, Cyprus, and humanity’s connection with the natural world.

Know My Name by Chanel Miller

Know My Name is the powerful story of Chanel Miller and her experience navigating the United States justice system after being sexually assaulted. Before writing this memoir, Miller had reached internet virality for her victim testimony. A testimony that challenged stereotypes about victims and what they can gain for accusing someone of rape.

Notably, it was not until right before the publishing of this memoir that Miller revealed her identity. Although the book is about her previous attempts to bring truth to power, this memoir is an act of reclamation in of itself. Published in 2019, Know My Name is the oldest book on this list. However, it remains just as important as it was at the height of the #MeToo movement. The perfect memoir for feminists, law students, and anyone looking to be inspired.

Anything to add to the list? Post what you’re reading and tag us @unitybooksauckland