Booktok is chock-full of wonderfully written books in every genre…so how do you know which one is right for you? This article is a collection of reviews on the popular Booktok books I’ve read, and which readers I think would like them the most.
- The Folk of the Air Series by Holly Black (5/5 Stars)
Summary: Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans—especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him—and face the consequences.
As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself (Goodreads).
Review: The characters in this series are extremely complex, adding to the well-built fantasy world centered around a Fae government. Each book comes with a unique and unexpected plot twist that somehow makes complete sense to the storyline of the characters, selling a thrilling and captivating journey that won’t let you put the book down. Brooke Holmes (9) would agree with me, stating, “I liked how the characters were made and how their personalities were portrayed. It [their portrayal] shows a lot about the character and the story and how the author wanted the characters to be.” Everything, down to the purposeful lack of ‘n’t’ words (example: couldn’t, isn’t) sells the formal High Fae Court narrative. However, I don’t think this series lives up to the expectations I had when I first bought the books. I was under the impression that the Jude/Cardan romance was much more present than it was in the actual books–-it’s made out to be a Romantasy, while I found it to be much more plot-central than romance-central. This series is definitely a five-star read regardless, and perfect for fans of powerful female main characters, far-away fantastical worlds, and unsuspecting plot twists.
- A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder Series by Holly Jackson (3/5 Stars)
Summary: Everyone in Fairview knows the story.
Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.
But she can’t shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?
Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn’t want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger (Goodreads).
Review: This was one of the first Booktok series I ever read, and at the time I thought it was going to be the best book I’d ever read. The writing of this book is absolutely amazing, giving just enough clues to the reader that if they really try hard enough, they can figure out the mystery alongside Pip. I also adored how the author, Holly Jackson, presented the readers with things that seemed like facts in the beginning of the first book and then went on to disprove at least half of them by the end of that very same book. However, I felt as though the main characters (Pip, specifically) seemed quite robotic in the first book and part of the second book, with improvement only in the second half of the second and the entire third book. In addition, after reading the first book I expected a continuation to the first case, but that isn’t what I got at all. It felt like a spinoff, essentially, and until I read the third book I thought I’d mistakenly bought the wrong book. The first and third books, at least, were easily four-stars and at times five-stars. This series is perfect for the intended audience: mystery-genre enjoyers who love being able to solve the mystery along with their favorite characters. A small warning, though: these books contain mentions of sensitive topics, so if you’re sensitive to explicit content, please steer clear of this series.
- One of Us is Lying Series by Karen McManus (5/5 Stars)
Summary: Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.
Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? (Goodreads)
Review: This series did what A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder failed to do—it gave all four of the main characters interesting backstories that hit me in the feels and made me root for each of them more than I ever did for Pip and Ravi (except regarding Max Hastings). It’s also, in contrast to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, the type of mystery series where you can’t guess the plot twists. It’s only after it’s revealed that the reader can see how each of the clues fall into place and lead to the plot twist result. On the other hand, One of Us is Lying follows A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder in a seemingly unrelated second book, though the connection between the two books is explained within book two instead of in book three like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. It’s, in my opinion, a better alternative to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, though both are definitely on my recommendations list. Overall, One of Us is Lying is a good series for mystery lovers who live for good plot twists.
- Heartless by Marissa Meyer (4/5 Stars)
Summary: Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.
Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans (Goodreads).
Review: While not classified as a mystery book, the foreshadowing in this book is top-notch. There are little details mentioned throughout the book that only come into play in the last fifty pages of the book, and strange encounters that are overlooked but actually have vital information. The main attraction, though, is the romance plotline between main character Catherine and her love interest, Jest. It’s a whimsical affair that makes the reader fall in love along with the characters…which makes it all the more tragic when you remember that something bad must have happened to make Cath the infamous ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Queen of Hearts. Whatever the reader decides to classify this book as—a Queen of Hearts retelling, a romance with a tragic ending, or a story about a young girl who just wanted to open a bakery—this standalone is ‘Goldilocks’ right for readers looking for a book that’ll make them cry by the end.
Out of these four booktok series, I hope there’s something there for all readers who clicked on this article hoping to find their next obsession.
