Want to make the most of some much-needed downtime this holiday season? Snuggle up with a book or two (hot cocoa optional). If you’re not sure what to dig into, skip browsing the shelves or wasting precious time reading the backs of a thousand books; hop over to #BookTok, where TikTok meets book recommendations — and sometimes, in-depth literary discussions or short summaries of the buzziest titles. BookTok is for nerds, dreamers, romancers, and those in the know. These are the readers who have done the legwork for you and sorted all the classy (and trashy) literature coming out. BookTokers are your own personal librarians, and just like there’s a book for everyone, there’s a Black BookToker for every interest and personality.
So, who are the best of the best?
@coloringbookslit: Featuring beautiful books by and about people of color, this BookToker should never be scrolled past when it comes up on your feed. The content is curated by @ebonyladelle, a marketing and publishing professional who recently published her own debut novel, “Love Radio.”
@drereads: While Dre describes his account as a literary dumpster, it is anything but that. With a focus on Black works, his TikToks feature a few unique niches like Black mothers in fiction, Black works for spooky season, the new queer Black releases of the year, and more.
@kendra.reads: Kendra is a fan of audiobooks, which is actually a controversial take in the book world. For whatever reason, listening to a book is not as “good” as reading a physical book. Yes, to some reading purists, audiobooks are worse than Kindles. Kendra may not always focus on books with characters of color, but she also reads like the wind. In October alone, she read 13 books.
@introtoeclecticism: This woman has stacks on stacks on stacks of books she’s read and wants to read. She goes by the name Dawnshae, and most of the books she reads are by Black authors with Black characters at the forefront. She is so well-known on BookTok that publishers send her books to read and review, giving her an edge on what’s next.
@justgreggy: Greg gives LGBTQ+ book recommendations. He focuses mainly on books featuring characters of color in addition to reading and reviewing ones that do not. This may be partly due to the limited number of LGBTQ+ books published overall, especially those outside of the romance section.
@jennaslitpicks: Jenna is not spoiler-free. Her TikToks tend to favor fantasy books sectioned by Young Adult, adult titles for those new to the fantasy genre, and 18+. Not all of her recommendations are by Black authors or have Black characters, but she does have TikToks that feature just that.
@zai_rambles: Zai reviews and recommends Black books and movies, but also includes manga and anime, which very few Black BookTokers include. She is a huge influencer in the community, collaborating with Amazon and Penguin, and will likely continue to grow her platform in the coming year.
@joycebookcorner: Her TikToks are refreshingly simple with a musical underscore and a brief line of white text about the theme of the video, whether recommending thrillers or featuring dual POVs. While not all of the books she highlights are by Black authors, many are by authors of color.
@blackromanceconnoisseur: Torri loves romance and the outspoken BookToker stands for what she believes in, including representation in literature. Her recommendations include books from Black indie authors as well, meaning authors not published through the traditional channels, using an agent and a large publisher or distributor. These authors may have self-published or used indie publishers.
@kimmybookss: Kimmy posts a lot of funny content about tropes within writing and stories and stays current on the memes. She also shares book recommendations, sometimes with very hyper-specific themes, like books with billionaires who spoil their girls.
Aja Hannah is a writer, traveler, and mama. As secretary of the Society of America Travel Writers: Central States Chapter, she prioritizes travel with an ecotourism or human-first focus. She believes in the Oxford comma, cheap flights, and a daily dose of chocolate.
Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrio’s newsletter.