The BookTok trend has grown in popularity internationally, spreading to the reach of readers on TikTok.
The trend has created a community, where readers can connect online and in person.
But what is BookTok?
BookTok is a hashtag trend with over 128 billion views where users can share book related content including reviews, hauls, recommendations and general book related conversation.
Despite being a huge intentional trend, BookTok has been able to bring together readers locally.
One group in particular is the Melbourne Bookish Friends group on FaceBook, which saw a rise in members after a TikTok of their book swap meet up went viral.
Since then, book related meet ups have been occurring more often, as the Melbourne book community expands.
I went to a book meet up at Dymocks on Collins Street, a popular meet up spot where I met group members Keely Sheppard and Mara Carstensen.
We walked around book shopping and had a coffee at the neighbouring cafe, discussing our favourite books and what we love about reading and Booktok.
Keely moved down to Melbourne only a couple of months ago and “relied on the discord and TikTok and FaceBook groups to make friends”.
She uses Tiktok almost everyday, but says that she wouldn’t have found the friends that she has without it.
Engaging with the book community has been new for Mara.
Whilst she has always “been into books” and looking “at what other people were saying online”, it’s been new for her that she’s started engaging with people closer to her.
During covid, Mara took a break in reading.
However, BookTok got her back into reading when she “started seeing very popular Booktok books” and started reading them.
BookTok has not only been able to connect readers, but also draw new readers in.
I also spoke with another member of the Melbourne Bookish Friends group Anna Solome, who hasn’t attended any book meet ups yet but is looking forward to attending one in the future.
Anna believes that social media, including BookTok, has had a positive impact on connecting people.
This is because people who “would otherwise not have anyone to talk about their interests with” can connect with people all around the world.
However, Anna does think that finding books can be difficult in Australia at times.
One book Anna had trouble finding was Icebreaker by Hannah Grace.
She saw everyone recommended it on BookTok, but the only place she could find it in Australia was on Amazon at a high price.
But eventually her local Dymocks got it and she was excited because finally she could “read what everyone else was reading”.
Aside from finding books, another common struggle for readers is finding a group to talk about books with, when their friends aren’t interested in reading.
BookTok has created a platform where readers can voice their opinions with likeminded people.
Despite readers using online apps to meet each other, local meet ups have allowed people the opportunity to break away from their screens and make personal connections face-to-face.
