If you've picked up a book recently, there's a good chance it's because someone on TikTok told you to.
What we read is no longer driven by bookshops or bestseller charts alone, but by a constant stream of fast, highly personal recommendations.
From rapid-fire reviews to emotional reactions, creators are shaping reading habits at scale and #BookTok has more than 77 million posts.
Now, this influence is being formalised with the launch of the UK's first official #BookTok bestseller list.
The new chart, compiled by Media Control and NielsenIQ BookData - which also provides data for traditional charts such as the Sunday Times bestseller list - combines UK sales data with analysis of the #BookTok hashtag.
The inaugural top 20, which will be updated monthly, is entirely made up of female authors, with Irish writer Chloe Walsh appearing most frequently.
All six books in her Boys of Tommen series - which follow a group of teenagers navigating love, friendship and trauma at a private school - feature on the list.
The chart also reflects how BookTok is reshaping the lifecycle of books - Donna Tartt's The Secret History, first published in 1992, appears on the list after finding a new audience decades later through TikTok.
Many of the titles on the list are also either recent or upcoming screen adaptations including Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us, Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing and Chloe Walsh's Boys of Tommen series.
Dominating the list are titles linked to the platform's biggest genre, romantasy, with books by Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros making it into the chart.
BookTok influencers Kris and Mads say it's no surprise romantasy dominates the list as these authors have built highly engaged fanbases online, with readers sharing reactions, theories and recommendations that sustain long-term interest.
Lucy Stewart, deputy publishing director at Hodder & Stoughton, notes that TikTok is giving some genres greater visibility, particularly romance, which has seen a surge in appreciation due to BookTok.
The rise of a BookTok chart does not mean traditional bestseller lists are disappearing, but it signals a shift in the literary landscape. NielsenIQ BookData revealed that 11 million UK book sales in 2025 were attributed to BookTok.
Retailers are responding to this trend, with dedicated sections in stores recognizing the influence of social media recommendations. BookTok can spotlight independent titles, indicating the potential for overlooked authors to gain popularity based on passion from readers.
As this phenomenon continues to evolve, it illustrates how social media is revolutionizing the connection between readers, authors, and their works.
