Books on BookTok: The BookTok hotlist
With Frankfurt Book Fair on the horizon and the agents hotlist in The Bookseller magazine this week, BookTok creators created their own BookTok hotlist for the year ahead.
Authors to watch
Among the authors she thought would be most popular on BookTok in the coming year, Samantha (@samfallingbooks; 43,300 followers) highlighted authors with “big books” including Sarah J Maas’ House of Flame and Shadow (Bloomsbury), Leigh Bardugo’s The Familiar (Viking), Cassandra Clare’s adult fantasy debut Sword Catcher (Tor) and Olivie Blake’s The Atlas Complex (Tor), the conclusion to the Atlas series.
Although there is no publication date announced for R F Kuang’s new novel Katabasis (HarperVoyager), Samantha flagged the book’s guaranteed popularity on BookTok.
Saara El-Arifi “will have a fab year”, Samantha continued, with the final book in her Ending Fire trilogy publishing in August 2024 and the release of Faebound (HarperVoyager), the first in a new series, in January 2024. Brittany (@whatbritreads; 55,000 followers) added: “I’m estimating [the final Ending Fire book] will be announced soon after [the publication of Faebound]. I think that will definitely be big for the fantasy side of BookTok as her books are incredible.”
In #romantasy, both Emily (@emilymiahreads; 69,200 followers) and Samantha mentioned Rebecca Ross’ Ruthless Vows (HarperCollins), the sequel to the BookTok hit Divine Rivals (HarperCollins). Samantha also flagged the inevitable “resurgence” of Carissa Broadbent’s self-published books, The Serpent and the Wings of Night is due to be republished by Tor. Stephanie Garber’s A Curse for True Love (Hodder & Stoughton), the final instalment in the Once Upon A Broke Heart trilogy, was also highlighted by Samantha, Brittany and Emily.
In romance, Ali Hazelwood’s move into paranormal romance was flagged by Samantha and Brittany. Brittany commented: “I’m estimating her popularity will stay at a pretty consistent level.” Hali (@booksonthebedside; 38,600 followers) also believes Colleen Hoover “will continue her reign in the easy-reading and romance fiction side of TikTok".
Samantha also highlighted three debut fantasy authors she expects to become popular on BookTok, including Thea Guanzon, the author of The Hurricane Wars (HarperVoyager), Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, whose book The Principle of Moments (Gollancz) is publishing in January 2024, and Molly X Chang’s To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods (Penguin).
Speaking for literary fiction, Hali believes “Mona Awad’s new book Rouge (Simon & Schuster) might solidify her as a TikTok staple, as people loved Bunny and All’s Well (both S&S) so much”.
BookTok community
BookTok creators also considered which books the community is most looking forward to over the coming year.
Hafsah Faizal’s A Tempest of Tea (Pan Macmillan) was highlighted by both Samantha and Brittany. It is a “long awaited book”, Samantha noted, with the author having teased publication “a while ago”. Brittany added: “I hope she has another burst of popularity, she’s an incredible author.”
Rebecca Yarros’ Iron Flame (Piatkus), the sequel to Fourth Wing, publishing in November 2023, was flagged by Hali, Emily and Samantha. The latter noted: “I’m looking forward to the buzz around this book at the end of the year. Having Fourth Wing go viral really brought in a lot of new readers to the genre.” Hali concurred: “Fantasy has always been popular on the platform, but Fourth Wing (Piatkus) really captured the attention of people (like myself!) who aren’t primarily fantasy readers.”
Samantha and Emily also highlighted S T Gibson’s new books An Education in Malice (Little, Brown) and Evocation (Little, Brown), publishing in February and May respectively. Gibson’s previous book, A Dowry of Blood (Little, Brown) “has so much love on BookTok [and] I think everyone is ready for more”, wrote Samantha.
Emily Henry’s Funny Story (Penguin) is another book the community are looking forward and “will inevitably be everywhere”, Brittany wrote.
In special editions Hali flagged the new Waterstone exclusive paperback edition of Kuang’s Babel (HarperVoyager) and a signed hardback edition of Jeffrey Eugenides classic The Virgin Suicides (HarperCollins).
More please
BookTok creators also reflected on what books, genres and events the community would like to see more of in the next year.
Brittany believes the BookTok community would like to “fiction that pushes the boat out a bit more… I’m not saying it doesn’t exist because it does, but in popular books it does feel like there is a safe and predictable formula for a lot of genres and I’d love to see authors shake things up and do something different. I love when authors try a new genre, or combine a few genres together... Though having said all of that, there is a large portion of BookTok that loves the consistency and knowing what to expect from their books so it’s always a gamble, I think. I don’t think I know what I want as a reader until it’s already in my hands.”
Brittany also added how “more widespread bookish events” would be welcomed as “travelling to London constantly is not always very accessible”.
Hali also spoke to the desire for more books “that bring excitement to everyone and that we don’t ever want to stop talking about”. She added: “Part of what makes the community and beyond so fun is mutual appreciation for a great book and the ability to be part of something.”
Regarding genre, Emily cited the growing appetite for “romantasy” and how readers will want more of this “with good, gripping plot[s]”.
