After going through hundreds of booktoks, we have compiled a list of the most popular books on TikTok that people are loving in 2023.
- It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
This is a complex love story of Lily, who is a hardworking and determined individual that left her quaint town of Maine to settle in Boston. Things take an interesting turn when she meets a charming and kind albeit a bit assertive and arrogant neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid. Lily struggles to stop thinking about him, but Ryle’s complete disinclination towards a serious relationship is an issue for her. Amidst this, Lily finds herself repeatedly thinking about her first love Atlas Corrigan, who she left behind in her old life. The book is an exploration of love, loss, and pain. It is also the plot for an upcoming movie starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.
- The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak
Exploring the poetry of the great Persian poet Rumi, this book is about a middle-aged woman named Ella Rubenstein. Working for a literary agent, Ella reads a book written by Aziz Zahara about the 13th century tale of the Shams of Tabraiz and Rumi. Amidst her tumultuous personal life, she finds hope in Sham’s philosophy of how God resides in each and every one of us, which draws her to the author Zahara. This book offers an in-depth insight into the philosophy of love and life.
- Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Published in 2011, this is the first part of a series of six books. It is narrated by 17-year-old Juliette Ferrars, whose touch kills human beings by paralyzing them. This work of young adult dystopian traces Ferrar’s life in an asylum, where she was placed for killing a young boy. Struggling with isolation and uncertainty, Ferrars meets Adam Kent in the asylum who can touch her without any harm. Both of them fall in love and embark on an adventure.
- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
In this book, you will attempt to solve a murder that took place in the fictional town of Little Kilton with the 17-year-old crime enthusiast Pippa “Pip” Fitz-Amobi. Five years ago, the quaint town was shaken by the murder of a schoolgirl named Andrea Bell. Bell’s boyfriend Salil Singh was blamed for the murder and Singh eventually took his life. Pip is convinced that Singh did not murder Bell nor did he take his own life. Rather, there is a third person who is behind these two murders.
- The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
This book will make you forget about your surroundings. It is about the seemingly perfect life of Alicia Berenson, who is a painter. She is married to a fashion photographer and lives in London. However, one day she shoots her husband five times in the face after he returned home late from work. Since then, she has stopped speaking. Published in 2019, this book broke many records and stayed on the New York Times bestselling list for a year.
- Babel: An Arcane History by R.F Kuang
To get a break from mystery, thriller, and romance, you can read this unique work about revolution and violence. Set in the 1800s, it traces Robin Swift’s quest of going to Oxford University, where he wants to work in the translation department called Babel. The motivation is to uncover the secret of the British empire that aids them in their quest for colonization. But as a Chinese native Swift’s allegiances are threatened when the British are involved in an unjust war with China over opium. Should Swift continue working in Babel to aid the British empire?
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A work of historical fiction, this book is about the life of Evelyn Hugo, a former Hollywood celebrity, who shares details of her life at the age of 79 with Monique Grant, a reporter for Vivant magazine. When Monique goes to visit Hugo, Hugo tells her that she is not interested in giving any interview, rather she wants Monique to write her life story. The book is divided into seven sections, where each section tells about Hugo’s life with her 7 husbands.
- We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
This psychological- horror is about the Sinclair family, who on the outside seem like the perfect family spending their holidays on a private island together every year. But internally all family members are harboring secrets and envies related to wealth that they don’t want others to know. Things get particularly difficult for Cadence, who had a devastating accident on the island with her cousins, also called ‘liars’ by the authors, when she was fifteen. Since the accident, her mother has not let her go back to the Island for two years. At 17 when she finally goes to the Island she realizes that nothing is the same. Her grandfather now has dementia and all her cousins are acting weird around her.
- Kiss the Sky by Krista Ritchie
If you are in the mood to read something fun with romance, sex, fight, drugs, and humor then this book should be on your list. 23-year-old Princeton graduate Rose Calloway is a fashion designer. She has her life on track until she realizes that her fashion line might be dying. In an attempt to reboot her business, she agrees to film her life for a reality Tv show. But this task becomes daunting when her sister is a sex addict and Calloway has to interact with alpha-male Hollywood executives, who are used to having their own way.
- Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
Contrary to traditional rom-com movies and books, this book is an original and honest depiction of love. It focuses on the love life of Liz Buxbaum, who since childhood has had an annoying neighbor Wes Bennett. If this were a movie then Wes would be the kind and charming guy living next door, but in reality, Wes has always been really annoying for Liz. But things change when Liz’s childhood crush Michael becomes friends with Wez. Liz now needs Wez’s help to get closer to Michael. But during this Liz realizes that she might be developing feelings for someone she thought she would never be interested in.
