BookTok: A Narrative Review of Current Literature and Directions for Future Research

Abstract

Harvesting hundreds of billions of views, the hashtag #BookTok on TikTok is currently having a global impact on the production, distribution and reception of literature. This article assesses the academic research conducted thus far on this online literary phenomenon. It differentiates among three directions in the research: (1) BookTok as a specific form of book reviewing; (2) BookTok as a literary community-builder; and (3) BookTok as an agent in reading promotion. Based on this narrative review, directions for future research are explored, with particular attention to the use of empirical methodologies to further investigate user experiences, the application of a celebrity studies lens, and a focus on BookTok accounts that combine affective and critical approaches to literature, exploring discussions on political, social, and environmental issues within the platform.