Introduction
Booktok made me read it!! I have at least 100 videos saved in my TikTok account with book recommendations..I picked a lot of books this way, and let me tell you that some of them were..not good š
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However, you can find a few hidden gems in the popular booktok books category!
In this post, I will Tier rank every popular fantasy romance booktok book I’ve read in 2022-2023
Table of Contents
Tier ranking every popular fantasy booktok book Iāve read from Worst to Best
What is booktok?
Booktokis the most popular hashtag used by the book community in TikTok. The term was first used by tiktoker @KATHYELLENDAVIS and popularized by @caitsbooks
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Tiktok uses a complex algorithm to show users videos based on their interests. Thus, people with similar interests began using this hashtag and videos about books began to show in their feeds.
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The term skyrocketed and now is the most popular in the bookish community.
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The booktok community embraces all kinds of genres, but fantasy romance, contemporary romance, and spicy books are the most popular ones.
Why is Booktok so popular?
Tiktok is the most popular social media platform. With roughly 1.8 billion users it was downloaded 745 million times in 2021, while its direct competition, Instagram, got 545 million downloads.Ā
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The average time spent on each platform varies too. People spend an average of 52 minutes on Tiktok whereas users of Instagram spend a media of 28 minutes.
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This app is hiper-personalized. You won’t be able to find two users with the same feed.Ā
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Therefore, if you are in the bookish community the videos that TikTok shows you will be always extremely accurate to your tastes.
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This is a clear advantage over Instagram which relies more on grouping users with similar preferences
Image via Mediakix
How Tiktok downloads surpased INstagram downloads through time
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What popular booktok books are worth reading?
Booktok loves to hype books.
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You will see the same books being recommended over and over again.
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I always pay close attention when a book goes viral. It is important to understand what made that book popular.
How to know if a book is worth the hype?
The key is finding if what people liked from that book matches your personal interests.
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I have had very good experiences with booktok and there were only a few books that were not my cup of tea.
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To know if a popular book is for you is important to read also negative reviews. You won’t believe it, but I have picked quite a few good books based on some very angry 1-star reviews.Ā
My Tier List of popular Fantasy Romance Booktok books
This Tier List is divided into 5 Tiers. I will go from worst to best..
Soo. let’s begin with the bottom Tier..shall we? š
Warning: Just because a book wasn’t for me doesn’t mean you won’t like the story. Sometimes, we aren’t in the correct mood to read certain books or simply the story is not our favorite; hence, the rating.
All the books that appear here are GOOD books that deserve a chance!
Bottom Tier: Not my cup of Tea
These are popular BookTok books that are good in their own right but weren’t for me. It usually happens when the narrative structure, pace, or a character weren’t to my liking.
Some common reasons:
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- The book was promoted as having a particular trope and ends up being another. This happens quite usually with the enemies-to-lovers trope. The author promotes the book as an enemies to lovers but in reality, there is no conflict between the heroine and the villain, they are just reluctant allies or the rivalry happens in one chapter and then is gone.Ā
- I didn’t connect with one of the characters.Ā
- Ā Too much info-dump an the begionning, or no worldbuilding at all.
The Witch Collector was everywhere on Tiktok during 2022. It was marketed as a traditional enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance and the fanart was just top-notch.
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The main character was supposed to hate his captor but that didn’t happen at all.Ā
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The writing is good but I was expecting more of a book promoted as enemies to lovers.
A Touch of Darkness is a Hades and Persephone retelling, where the characters are actually Hades and Persephone.Ā
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With lots of Greek mythology references and an urban fantasy vibe, I was more interested in the relationship between Persephone and her mother than Hades himself.
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Basically,Ā I just couldn’t connect with the characters.
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An “it is me not you”case, and I encourage you to try this book nonetheless. It is a series with lots of books and a spinoff from Hades POV.Ā
I’m sure you’re surprised to see this well-known Sarah J. Maas book in this tier, but it is what it is.
I enjoyed A Court of Thorn and Roses, and it’s one of my favourites as of today, but Throne of Glass isn’t in my top tier.
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This is a fantasy romance told in third person with multiple POVs.
I’m more of a fairytale reader; I don’t like my fantasies with lots of perspectives, so by the third book, I wasn’t interested anymore in the story.
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If you’re into epic fantasies with stories told in different continents and multiple protagonists, I’m sure you will enjoy Throne of Glass more than I did.
I loved the worldbuilding in The Bridge Kingdom.
Our main character trains all her life to become an assassin and avenge her people by fulfilling an old treaty that obliges her to marry the Prince. She pretends to use this chance to charm the Prince and kill him. What can go wrong?
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But sadly, I had the same problem with this book as with The Witch Collector.
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I wanted more banter, more parts where they were truly enemies, and higher stakes!
Despite this, the overall story is good. I may try this series again in the near future.
How to rate Zodiac Academy…
The good: the writing is addicting. It’s one of those series that you cannot stop reading and keeps you awake until way late in the night.
I was SO invested in one of the couples that I just did that… I devoured the first two books in 3 days.
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However, the other couples weren’t my cup of tea. I MAY wait for this series to be over to maybe read the rest of the books because I want to see what happens.
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The couple in question were Blue and Orion. A classic student-teacher relationship, forbidden, with tension… it is worth reading Zodiac Academy just for them
An Ember in the Ashes is a beloved fantasy romance series within the Booktok community. I can totally understand the hype around this one, but the story didn’t compel me enough.
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I think I wasn’t in the right mood at the time and may try this series again next year because the overall setting was intriguing.
The story is very similar to Fourth Wing, so fans of this fantasy romance will likely enjoy this popular series
In Depth Guide to Iron Flame the sequel to Fourth Wing
23 of the Best Fantasy Romance Books like Fourth Wing
Popular Booktok series I Won't continue reading
This Tier is for Series that I began reading but won’t probably continue
Usually, these are hyped books in TikTok but because of personal preferences, I didn’t end up enjoying them.
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A Court of Silver Flames is almost more hyped than the first one in the series. Readers just love Cassian and Nesta.
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I just couldn’t empathize with her story.
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This is a case of ‘love or hate,’ and I’m on the hate side with this one.
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There is nothing inherently bad with this book, and ACOTAR fans looking for spicy scenes with Fae will be more than happy with ‘A Court of Silver Flames’ because it delivers.
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However, I found the first part of the book a little slow and didn’t like how some plot lines were handled at the end of the story
This is the story of a girl whose skin and hair are completely covered in gold and who lives a prisoner in a castle.
I’m currently on book 3 of this series.
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The first and second books were okay, but by the third one, I had to put this series on hold because the heroine was just too much for me. Amren’s decisions – plotwise – were just nonsense to me, and I wanted to scream at her through the pages, haha!
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BUT, if you can endure Amren’s monologues, the love interest in this series IS WORTH THE STRUGGLE.
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I’m 50-50 with this one. I think I will finish book 3 in 2024 just to know more about our male protagonist .
You can read this series for free in Kindle Unlimited
The Best Fantasy Romance books on Kindle Unlimited
7. Booktok got it right!
These are books that are very good but don’t reach the ‘unforgettable GOD TIER’ level.
These popular BookTok books are your typical 4-star books. I enjoyed them and would wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone with similar tastes
The first urban fantasy novel from the author of A Court of Thorn and Roses.
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Crescent City is a LONG book with a lot of info dumping in the beginning (the first 100 pages), but somehow it wasn’t so bad for me. I didn’t mind the introduction with the story of all the races, the city description, etc.
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And if you can endure all the world-building, the last third of the book is unforgettable. Sarah J. Maas is the queen of third acts; she knows how to wrap up a story and deliver all the tension and angst in that final part.
This book is by the same author as A Touch of Darkness, which is in this Tier List as well.
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King of Battle and Blood tells story between a vampire and a witch, hits all the right points and keeps you guessing what will happen with good plot twists and pace.
I quite enjoyed this book. Is a good example of an enemies-to-lovers trope done well.
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A witch has to disguise herself in a convent full of witch hunters and there he meets the chief of all of them.Ā
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She is forced to marry him in order to avoid being captured by a powerful enemy, all of this without revealing her identity to his new husband.
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It was fun, thrilling, and the love interest was a cute golden retriever with a bad side.
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Nobody seems to like the second book of this series (haven’t read it yet ) but this one can be read as a standalone because of how the story develops.Ā
If you are looking for a book with all the juicy tropes ( enemies to lovers, one bed, one horse, who did this to you, etc.) A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows is the book for you.
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It works like a charm. The author knows her target readers and delivers.Ā
It has all the cliches but is fun.
Popular booktok books that are worth every minute of my time
I usually know by the 20% mark if the book is going to be memorable.Ā
In this tier, I put captivating books that I’m probably going to reread sometime in the future.
They lack that little bit to be top-tier, but they are good nonetheless
This one is presented as a book to read if you liked A Court of Thorn and Roses. I can see the similarities. Both male characters are dodgy, deceiving, and cunning and will break the world for their girls..
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I enjoyed the series, being the second and third books very spicy and fun.Ā
The first book reads as YA but don’t let that deceive you..in book 2 things go WAAY spicier.
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Is not top Tier because I found the ending of the series was a little..controversial, and not what I was expecting
A YA fantasy romance with all the tropes and a very well-done love triangle.
Yes sorry, love triangles are my weak point…I just LOVE THEM. And These Hollow Vows is so well written !!Ā
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You will enjoy every second of this duology, with all the plot twists, banter, and confrontations between the two love interests who want to get the girl.
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I didn’t put this one in god tier because it should have been a trilogy instead of a duology.
The Serpent and the Wings of Night is one of the most hyped books and for good reason.
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If you loved From Blood and Ash, you will adore this one. It has the same vibe, vampires, a badass heroine, a little bit of spice, and plot twists everywhere
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It ends in a super cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the second one!!
Another book for From Blood and Ashfans. This one is on the spicier side…Ā
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The male main character is the perfect example of ātouch her and you dieā. So if you like that trope you will love this book!!
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I loved the pace of the book, how everything begins unveiling at the end, and the feelings!!Ā
Very good indeed
GOD Tier, just perfection
These books are the absolute freaking best piece of fantasy romance literature Iāve ever read.
The books in this Tier are here because I LOVE THEM. .Ā
They are just perfection, they have the tropes I adore, the best book boyfriends, and the right pace.
I will recommend them forever.
Jennifer L. Armentrout is just so good at writing romance booksā¦The perfect bodyguard trope story.
From Blood and Ash has the right amount of spice and romance. I loved the first and second books of this series to bits and pieces and Hawke is GOALS.
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If you like plot twists, vampires, and badass heroines this one is for you.
Once Upon a Broken Heart is ABOVE god tier. Is just absolute perfection. Jacks is in my top 3 list of morally grey book boyfriends and the book community is just crazy about him.
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He is the new kid in town and he is here to STAY
If you haven’t read The Cruel Prince yet, stop what you are doing right now and buy it.
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THE enemies to lovers book by excellence. Cardan and Jude hate each other and are in complete denialā¦the slow burn and banter tension in this series is PERFECTION
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Be wary that these books are a hate or love type. Im in the ā I love this series to the moon and backā side, but take that into account before reading it.
12 Top-Tier Fantasy Romances with the He Falls First trope
Royal Fantasy Romance books you’ll absolutely love
Ok, this is not a romance fantasy book, more a fantasy book with romance. Imagine The Heist but being a book.
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It is good? Is GOAT LEVEL. You will love Kaz and his gang and will end up this duology and missing the boys so very much š
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The perfect example of a well-done found family trope.
Maybe you noticed that I put 3 books of this series in the rating. The last ACOTAR book, A Court of Silver Flames is in the āwon’t read them againā tier but these two (books 1 and 2 respectively ) deserve special recognition.
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They are the MOST popular books in booktok right now and with good reason.
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Sarah J Maas created one of the most popular book boyfriends ever and Tiktok just cant get enough of him.
12 Books like A Court of Thorn and Roses in 2024
23 of the Best Fantasy Romance Books like Fourth Wing
Another popular booktok fantasy romance book
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A Shadow in the Ember is a companion novel for the series From Blood and Ash. It tells the story of Nyktos and Sera, two characters that were mentioned in the principal series.Ā
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Some readers consider these series better than the main one. For me both are top-tier.
Final thoughts
As you can see, booktok as a source for book recommendations is a hit or miss. Hence, you should take every recommendation there with a grain of salt.
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Try to always rely on more than one source if you are searching for information for a popular book. Blogs and Goodreads are usually my preferred sources to truly check if a book I saw hyped in booktok is the real deal or just “well marketed”.
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I hope you enjoyed this list, it was so much fun to do it !!
Let me know in the comments if you’ve already read anty of the books from the list!! xoxo
QUESTION: Have you read any of these hyped books? Was a hit or miss? Let me know in the comments!Ā Ā
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