hyped tiktok books are... interesting. here's what to read instead 

booktok is mainly just ya romance/smut with the enemies to lovers trope

"booktok is booktube 5 years in the past" YUP like are we really talking about THE SELECTION in 2021???

I was thinking maybe the people who post on booktok are newly getting into reading? I remember when I just started reading regularly I would pick up random popular books and would really like most of them. But now looking back I can see that a lot of them were repetitive and don’t stand out from other books in the genre. So maybe some of the booktokers are at a point where you’re not really familiar with the genre tropes, cliches, etc. and every book seems super exciting and new.

Why do the titles of all YA books sound the same, I find it really confusing I can never remember which is which. It’s always ‘something and something else’ or ‘shadow something’ or ‘throne of something’ 😂

Why no one talking about six of crows??!! 🤔Its the best book I've read in 2021 and its worth the hype. Its amazing . shadow and bone doesnt stand a chance to compete with it

I'm currently reading Priory of the Orange Tree and re-reading the Throne of Glass series at the same time because I like balance in my life

I really dislike it when a book presents a premise and when you end up reading it, it's not anything like it assumes to be 🙃

Y'all really hate Booktok in this comment section 💀💀💀

What I’ve noticed is that lots of people hype books with attractive people, usually guys. So the book itself could be awful but a couple characters-usually white guys with black hair-are attractive to most the readers. I always ask myself after reading a book, “Was that a good book or did a couple straight girls think a boy in it was hot?” Not spreading hate just trying to give some suggestions on how to find and read good books. Blessed be you.

try out reading the cruel prince, another tiktok favorite! the main characters are all kind of sh!tty (morally gray) so if u didn't like acotar, I think you'd actually really enjoy this one :D it's less romance-focused, and involves more political intrigue. i know some people were let down when they read it but it's because this series gets hyped for all the wrong reasons on tiktok.

tbh booktok is probably the worst form of media to consume to learn and be recommended books. to condense multiple books to put in a compilation video of less than 1 minute... is really such a weird way to be recommended. but maybe, as a 24 year old, it just isn't for me. i personally enjoy hearing readers review individual books at their own pace. i also know that the app is more for teens so yknow it's fine that it isn't for me.

A hyped tiktok book that actually deserves the hype is "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo". The caracters are flawed, the Old Hollywood setting is well done and it has very good representation

HONESTLY... at least more people are reading (which is at least one positive.) :)

As a new reader this comment section is making me so insecure about reading, as a young adult who never enjoyed reading before I think booktok is really helping me get into reading and this comment section is making me insecure about reading and also making me NOT want to read anymore

The Night Circus doesn't have a lot of plot imo, but it's so magical and weird and wonderful that it doesn't matter. :)

I’m trying to come up with good theories why booktok is so stuck in the past but none of them make sense really. They’re just trapped in 2015 there. Which is ironic, considering tik tok seems to be the platform that is the most modern, if that makes sense. Like they’re the trendsetters, I guess? though I loathe using that word.

have you read the inkheart trilogy? I'm not sure if it's fully YA but it's full of atmosphere and flawed, wonderful characters and I'm currently telling myself I don't need to re-read them... but I'd love to hear your thoughts on them, your commentary is always fantastic!

Booktok only recommends already popular books that don't need to hyped anymore? I never see talking about some really good YA fantasy series like the raven cycle? Also why is almost every booktok book is smutty?

I actually don't see a court a thorn of roses as a retelling for beauty and the beast. Barely, saw it unfortunately.

What is wrong with talking about books that came out 5 years ago and hyping them🤷‍♀. There are people who didn't get to read them back when they came out. New readers need to know about them!

I like YA books, I've been reading for years, and can honestly say that more mature vibe books just don't do it for me. I read for the fantastical element, not a murder mystery that can happen to your neighbor. Just let people live and like what books they like 😹

i dont trust booktok after they overhyped "we were liars" i was literally SO disappointed lmaoooo

As an alternative to Kingdom of the Wicked (just based on the premise bc I haven't read it) I would also recommend Gods of Jade and Shadow, it's about a Mexican girl in the 1920's who's sick of working as a servant for her grandfather, so when she accidentally frees an ancient God if death she decides to roll with it and help him reclaim his kingdom (and fall in love). The world and descriptions are beautiful and colourful and the characters are all v cool, I would recommend

it's really not surprising that booktok has a lot of older YA content, tiktok in general skews teenage and so most of the wouldn't have been old enough to read those books when they came out 5+ years ago

i am living for Leonie's "it is a truth universally acknowledged"😂

my fyp really thinks I'm interested in smutty fantasy only. The other books i see recommended are ones that most booktubers I watch didn't enjoy five years ago.

Does anyone else feel like Leonie's weekly uploads are a relief from stress? Waiting for it to be uploaded and then watching it with excitement. I guess what I'm saying is, Leonie, you rock!

it’s hard to trust booktok sometimes 😟 someone recommended daughter of the pirate king to me and it’s the worst book i’ve ever read

I saw a video on tiktok where they recommend books based on aesthetic, that would be such a nice video idea for you!! And for us to see :)

These books are for like, 13 year old teens. Not for me for sure, I wish there was a "booktok" for adult readers. Longer books, more interesting plot, nonfiction (I know right, those exist too🤯🤯) and less hate for classics/older books.

Children of Blood and Bone was such a disappointment for me. Mainly because it would have been better if it were adult instead of YA. The premise is so good! But as a lot of YA books this is lacking a lot of description. It feels so rushed and I think that is a big loss for this book in particular since it is pretty uniqe in its setting. Long story short: a lot of potential but the execution is not the best

Booktok is Booktube 5 years in the past, in the same way that Twitter has become Tumblr 5 years in the past, which is to say not in a good way

Let us take a second to admire how pretty she is.

All the SJM books slamming is giving me life. I do not understand her popularity. Even if I don't like a book I usually understand why other people may like it. But not with her books. ACOTAR was honestly worse than Twilight and the same people who mock Twilight, love SJM books! There are SOOOOO MANY better books out there.

Tik tok has terrible book and movie taste

Finally someone who doesn't like 'Acotar' series, I feel like that Eugene meme where knives surround him from all direction, for saying that on social media.

Booktok has the WORST taste I swear

“I like me characters to be shitty” I died so hard! Agreed!😂

I’m not on booktok and I never will be because I know how much time I’d waste on tiktok in general but your videos are so relaxing that I just had to click on this one. Love you ❤️

Booktok and the effects on the publishing that is a video that I would definitely watch.

you should definitely try reading "the young elites" series by Marie Lu. It is the literal definition of a perfect book plus it is from the villain, Adelina's pov which makes the book even better. Also i would recommend reading all Marie Lu's books because they are all immaculate

It's a shame that people feel the need to put others down for what they like to read. Booktok has been a very positive place for a lot of people. Let's not belittle that experience

ACOTAR, i feel like the first one or two books were pretty shitty, but as the series continues and Rhys comes in, the whole book changes and becomes a bit more interesting and fun. cause like tamlin the tool was- well a tool. i had to suffer thru the early books too tho

I don't know if i'm the only one here to say that in Caraval there is no traveling circus (THERE IS NO TRAVELING CIRCUS IN THE WHOLE TRILOGY!!), so basically Carval is a game that is hosted by its master "Legend" on every year in a different place. So yeah in Caraval trilogy there is no circus in any kind. And both Caraval and The night circus are really different from each other (in terms of pace, plot, action ect...). And btw i'm not just saying, i read both the Caraval trilogy and The night circus. (Hope someone will agree)

This has turned into a powerhouse of a book channel.

My sister is obsessed with a court of thorns and roses and we were having an argument over a book with a toxic love triangle. And somehow we got to that subject and wow. I really wanna know what goes on in Tamlyns head! P.S forgive me if I spelled his name wrong. I haven’t read the books. But at least now I know the entire plot! Yay

I think it's because it younger people reading books that were popular years ago and now they are at that age and they are like hey read this and we're like yeah we did lol

I personally love Caraval, but the second book is way better, with a better plot and it's from her sisters pov. I have ordered night circus, bc I knew they have the same premise so I'm excited to read that, to see if I feel the same feels as I did with the rest of the trilogy in Caraval. Also is night circus a stand alone??

I really don't like when people say that booktok has bad book recs or that it's bad and has no taste. Like, obviously there's going to be some bad books on there, and the books some people recommend might not be as good to others. It's true that some of these books are overhyped or straight up bad, but there's also many other, good books people on booktok talk about. It's not like every book that people on booktube or booktwt talk about is good. but many of them are. same thing goes for booktok. I just hate seeing all of this hate for booktok around the book community, because yes, there are many overhyped books and some creators with questionable taste and takes, but there's also amazing creators with amazing taste. It's not all bad, or all good. Same thing goes for booktwt, booktube, bookstagram.... People are entitled to their own opinions either way. Also, most people on booktok hate The selection (that I've seen) and there are many sjm antis. Basically, it's diverse. You just have to find creators with a similar taste to yours. So it's really not that different from booktube or booktwt (it's less intense than booktwt tho) or bookstagram. I hope what I'm trying to say comes across. Sorry for the rant, I just hate when people treat booktok like it's any different than other (book) platforms when it's really not. I'm saying this as a person that is on booktwt, bookstagram, booktok and booktube. Also, I'm writing this before watching the video, so this is not a jab at Leonie, I'm just tired of all the hate.

I absolutely adore the night circus and agree with your comment. The characters perform magic and it's described so beautifully that even via audiobook, I am in awe. Definitely engages your imagination.

imagine my disappointment when the first ever hyped up booktok book that i picked up was shadows between us and the content is...well....that😂 i didnt trust tiktok books anymore after that experience

I’m 16 and I’ve read 3 books from tiktok. The Song of Achilles, They both die in the end, and The Hating Game. I literally HATE the Hating Game and it’s the fact that ppl said it was enemies to lovers even tho it isn’t. I was very disappointed and I hated how the bitch kept saying how short she was compared to everyone else it was so annoying. It’s like I was reading a wattpad book. The other two books were so fricking good.

Good alternatives to ACOTAR you ask, I suggest you read "The Folk of the Air" series. It has Fae characters and a good plot as well.

I was re-watching a bunch of your other video, then refreshed and VOILA.

Ember in the Ashes is actually heavily inspired by West and south asian aspects! like if you pay attention to food, architecture, the “tribal” parts of it, their clothes, the languages they speak, but i agree the plot is more roman based

I'm just starting the video BUT I love your earrings and the filter you're using! ✨

Not really related but the aesthetic, in your videos like the background, the color, etc, is so satisfying

This comment section really isn’t it. It’s a whole bunch of adults hating on kids. Can y’all not get a life. Also these are all straight Booktok books, come for me idk (yes lgbtqia+ books can be from straight TikTok ehhem cmbyn and co.)

I’m watching this video for the second time and I just realized I HAVE THE EXACT SAME EARRINGS!!!

I’m reading ACOTAR rn,, I’m currently mid-way through ACOMAF,, ngl I’m having fun reading them (particularly the world,, it may be basic but, peak fantasy and rich insane architecture,, love it) however there are so many glaring issues with these books. They’re far from good,, but I find the ridiculousness of Feyre (and the shit male characters in particular) both funny yet godawful. My favorite character is Nesta,, I feel she hates Feyre almost as much as I do. Don’t read these books if your looking for healthy relationships and deep characters,, read em if your bored out of your mind and want something that could be considered a guilty pleasure. I haven’t finished them so I can’t give a full opinion,, it’s not awful- a solid 3ish stars yk. I read them whilst on long road trips and I felt that helped. Also take a shot every time Sarah J uses the term “growls” you’ll be dead midway through the 1st book.

I mean The Selection series is good but why are we still hyping it now

Has anyone (maybe Leonie herself) read 'The neverending Story' by Michael Ende? I would just love to hear some opinions on it

When you mentioned the Shadows between us , I was like , Poppy War sounds like a good alternative and then you mentioned it ❤️

I keep thinking you are saying : book talk 😂

Oh yes, "Caraval" 🙈, it was my first time, when the heroine's love interest is introduced and I'm, like: "NOPE. 🙅, Not interested!" It was sooo cliché and booring...

On a semi-related note, I really love VE Schwab's books. They make me feel so many emotions and I just love her writing style :') Also, been loving Addie LaRue's story so far, can't wait to finish it :3

when i heard there was a community for readers on tiktok i really did think "oh there will be plenty of ya because that's marketed to teens, the main demographic of tiktok, but i imagine a blend of contemporary adult fiction too, maybe i can find some recommendations!" unfortunately for me it all just seemed to be ya fantasy/romance, which is fine if that's what you like to read! but i thought perhaps there would be more than that? :(

I read The Night Circus about 10 years ago when it was first published and I have loved it ever since! Still struggling to find something that will inspire the same kind of feelings in me as Night Circus...

Hiii! As a reader I absolutely love the books by Sarah J. Maas but I do get why people don’t really enjoy Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses. Tbh, I read Throne of Glass first but kinda gave up midway and only picked it back up after around a year or so. BUT! The first two books are (not gonna lie) kinda mediocre HOWEVER I think it’s the third book where the plot actually picks up and gets really interesting (if you wanna read Throne of Glass then try to last at least till the third book but if you still don’t like it then that’s fine :DDD) Same can be said to A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Personally, I didn’t like (close to hated) the first book but the second and third book of the series was where I kinda got hooked. I still prefer the Throne of Glass series (and Leigh Bardugo books) but this series is a close third in my list of favorites. :DDD

I haven't joined tiktok. It seems a place for young people and I find RU-vid, Twitter and Facebook eat up more than enough screen time for me. I think you've convinced me to read Priory of the Orange Tree though. Thank you for the video.

I loved Daughter of the Pirate King! I read it in 2 days & thought it was really fun.

O God I hate Sara J mass I tried so hard to read her bc everybody loved it, so I read 3 parts of Thron of Glass series but I gave up at the 4th book, it's just.. I couldn't take the stupidity level anymore and the main character... she's just... at many, many, many points I hoped she just dies and be over with it

Just started the video but I love the color grading you did!

So many of the hyped books on booktok seem to be what was hyped years ago

I'm not on tiktok as it doesn't appeal to me, but I'm so glad I finally started watching booktube this year. I used to rely on Goodreads for recs (which GR is horrible at, lmao), idk why I never thought to look on social media. I used to read 4-5 books a year (because of lack of time but also 'cause I didn't have good recs); now I have 40+ books in my TBR. Lol

Does not deliver for anything it promised... thank youuuu. I completely agree with the shadow between us. I was disappointed. I’ll check out cruel beauty though 🙂

y’all need to stop GATEKEEPING reading like ??? some of these comments are so discouraging pls get off your high horses

The only good book I’ve got from booktok is the “silent patient”

I would not recommend Addie LaRue to anyone. Such a slowburn. Bored me to death

I fell in love with the six of crows duology, I don’t even wanna read leigh bardugos other books bc ppl say they’re not as good 😭 I just wanna wait for another book with all the same characters

Just what I need when I’m about to buy new books ☺️

Wait how is Caraval a rip off of The Night Circus? /gen I have read both and don't see any similarities besides that it's a traveling circus

I love love LOOVE The Poppy War series! Also, can I also recommend Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko !!

why is the night circus NA and not YA? please i really wanna know

Amy other 12 year old here looking for an interesting book lmao

I don’t use TikTok so I have no BookTok thoughts, but I’d love to see a video of you talking about it

off topic but i'm in love with your room, currently redecorating mine🤧

I liked The Shadows Between us, but I guess have your opinions. Especially if you aren't super experienced with dark romance.

The Poppy War is a great series. I'm happy you mentioned it, but it is also graphic on some parts, but I like how it had a plot, and it's based on an actual war too

Not me not liking either the shadows between us or the cruel beauty 😭

Your accent is familiar but not. Are you perhaps from the Baltic area? Maybe central European? Maybe I am wrong. Any answer would be appreciated.

Somehow I loved ToG but I couldn’t stand ACOTAR at all! Honestly I think the witch subplot introduced in book 3 of the ToG series is what kept me reading it. (That being said, Priory is definitely superior)

have you heard about ice planet barbarians by ruby dixon? It came out 6 or 7 years ago and booktok hyped it up so much that it's a nr 2 bestseller on kindle sci fi now💀✋🏼 (it's pure smut btw) the sheer power booktok has omg

For weeks now my friends and I have been discussing why every booktok recommended is either YA and/or reads like fanfiction, falling into similar tropes. Not that people shouldn’t like (it’s 2021, cringe culture is dead) but we just didn’t understand why they were so popular. Why did it take me until NOW to put together that tik tok (and what’s considered popular on it) is like 70% teens. OF COURSE they’re into ya and fanfic tropes, that’s literally who they’re for! Christ I’m so dumb

I knew I was too old for booktok when everyone was hyping shadows between us and I’ve never read anything that bland and boring

Wrote my first book, publishing next month. It's one of my goals for you to read it someday.

booktok is like 80% smutty enemies to lovers and it’s so annoying man

One series that I stand by is The Remnant Chronicles by Mary Peterson. The first half of book 1 is slow but enjoyable because as it turns out she is laying out all info you will need for the rest of the series. There is a little bit of enemies to lovers but more about the arranged marriage as it is about a Princess who decides to escape for one last adventure before the wedding. If you want Enemies to Lovers with a dystopian flair I recommend the Legend Saga by Marie Lu. It was originally a Les Misérables retelling in future America.

tbh I think better books are being really hyped up on tiktok! Joining booktok literally got me out of a 8 years reading slump (I used to read like 30 books in the span of 2 months but then I turned 15 and just couldn’t read more than 2 books a year🤠) thanks to its spot on recs! Some very good book recs I found on tiktok would be : - the 7 husbands of evelyn hugo - the inheritance game - these violent delights - the soc duology (which in my opinion gets more hype than the s&b trilogy RIGHTFULLY SO) - we hunt the flame duology

I had to delete tiktok because my screentime was concerning... So far I've read two books in the past couple weeks.