tik tok books that are great, okay, and bad

When it comes to reading books that are popular on Tik Tok, I am shameless in every sense of the word. Having a finger on the pulse of literary culture for my generation proves endlessly beneficial (and not to mention super fun) because it introduces me to books I might have never picked up otherwise and serves as an easy conversation starter. Especially while I’m in the phase of college orientations and ice breakers, commonalities are invaluable! 
Romances, classics, horrors, fictions– I’ve been recommended all those and more thanks to the endless accounts I trust and follow; however, those recommendations haven’t always proven accurate. These are my personal recommendations and though they may not be accurate, I’ll try my best!

GREAT

• These Violent Delights – Chloe Gong

As this blog can tell you, I love Shakespeare. When I found out this book I kept seeing everywhere was a SHAKESPEARE ADAPTATION? It was instant. I went to Barnes and Noble and bought it.
I love seeing the creative ways writers can weave a classic plot into something original, though these adaptations can often walk the line between laziness and homage; however, I loved everything about the way Romeo and Juliet was woven throughout the plot of the book with a focus on their respective families and geopolitical roles within Shanghai. I can honestly say I’ve never read anything quite like the wonderful politics that are constantly in play throughout the book that only heighten the romantic and sci-fi aspects. The cast is fleshed out expertly and each character is distinct. 
Also, completely separate from the quality of the book and more a testament to my own complete lack of memory, I could actually remember everyone’s names which was wonderful and rare in a YA novel.

• Normal People – Sally Rooney

I know this book is extremely stylized and not for everyone, but I was more than pleasantly surprised with this book. I expected to like nothing about it based on the hot and cold reviews I kept watching on Tik Tok, but lo and behold, this might end up being one of my favorite books I read this year (and possibly ever). The characters are just simply real, normal people that I know. I just know them. They’re my best friends. I hate them. If you like no plot but all vibes, or a storytelling method more reminiscent of reading years of love letters than one streamlined narrative, this book is for you; however, I recommend that everyone give it a shot at least once. If you don’t want to buy it, Normal People has deeply infiltrated the public library system and it never hurts to have a library card!

• Leave the World Behind – Rumaan Alam

This book made me incredibly paranoid and disturbed to the point where I had to watch only Love Island for the next week in order to purge my paranoia. I loved it. I expected it to be a ‘cabin at the end of the world’ horror or psych thriller, but in reality, it’s much more layered and interesting than that. It’s heartwarming at times, it’s realistic, it’s poignant, it’s terrifying. Its portrayal of people in times of crisis as they become more and more desperate feels completely real, and with the masterful restraint Alam takes to avoid outright terror, this book was an instant classic for me.

OKAY

• The Love Hypothesis – Ali Hazelwood

As my first foray into Tik Tok books, this one holds a special place in my heart as an accessible dive into romance. It was light, fun, and airy, like a good angel food cake. The main character actually has hopes and dreams that extend beyond her love interest while also not losing sight of who she is to please him. I know romance isn’t for everyone, but I think this is one of the least offensive corny romances possible from the Tik Tok batch.

• Red, White, And Royal Blue – Casey McQuiston

I had so much fun reading this book despite its brief lapses of millennial humor. The characters are distinctive, the romance is complex, and the plot evolves in tandem with their relationship. Aside from interspersed millennial humor, my only problem with this book is that I felt it was a little too long and was hard to sprint to the finish line. 

• What Happens After Midnight – K. L. Walther

I had no hope for this book because it was an impulse BOGO buy at Barnes and Noble, but it surprised me! I enjoyed the plot, the intensity of pranking under the cover of night, and the shared secrecy that comes with a group of ragtag jesters. The romance was cute, the plot easy to follow, and the ending satisfying.

BAD

• Kafka on the Shore – Haruki Murakami

I don’t mind Murakami’s more sci-fi-centered books like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, but this book was too much for me. When it comes to his more absurdist pieces, I feel like he writes to be as ridiculous as possible so that when people read it, they fill in the blanks with their own personal projections and then laud the book for being absolutely incredible when they’re mostly impressed with themselves for reading it. The plot was convoluted and disturbing in a way that didn’t make me ponder the mysteries of life, but rather if Murakami has a good relationship with his mother.

• The Fountainhead – Ayn Rand

I was excited to try this book but after 3 separate attempts, I never made it past the first chapter. My eyes physically couldn’t stay open the second they hit the page. It felt too dense to be a novel, more like a tome of public record. I’m not sure if I’ll try anymore Ayn Rand in the future, but this book had an interesting concept that felt drawn out to the point of boredom. If you put a gallon of water in a cup of Kool-Aid, it’s going to be bland.

• The Summer of Broken Rules – K. L. Walther

I found the premise and the start of the book to be cute, but by the middle and certainly by the end, I could not stand the main character. I know that the point of the book is that she handles her grief poorly, but even when she’s said to be handling it well, she’s doing almost the exact same things she was doing previously except she kind of has boundaries. I thought the plot was way too dragged out– it could have ended fifty pages earlier and still have been okay. I crawled exhaustedly to the end of the book feeling significantly more tired than I began. 
***

There’s no shame in the Tik Tok book game! If you see a book floating around on social media and it’s calling your name, give in! Check your local library or used book store for copies if you don’t want to commit to the book and give it a shot. It might be your next favorite book!