Six buzzworthy books on TikTok

The farther into TikTok I fall, the more difficult it gets to ignore the endless book recommendations running through my “for you” feed courtesy of “BookTok” influencers. From young adult fiction and fantasy to contemporary romance and thrillers, there’s something for everyone. So without further ado, here’s a list of some of the best and most-talked-about books on TikTok.

“The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller (2011)

A retelling of Homer’s “Iliad” from the perspective of Patroclus, “The Song of Achilles” explores a romantic side to his relationship with the hero Achilles, suggested in several areas of the original text. The son of a goddess and “best of all the Greeks,” Achilles himself is so devoted to Patroclus, a mortal, that he begs the gods to spare the two of them at the expense of not only their Trojan enemies but also every last one of their Greek comrades.

But the gods, constrained by fate and their own internal squabbling, remain deaf to his prayers. From their childhood in the kingdom of Phthia to their last days on the beaches of Troy, Miller imagines a breathtaking love story cut short by tragedy. Miller’s “Circe,” a retelling of “The Odyssey,” is also excellent. “The Song of Achilles” and “Circe” are available at Auntie’s Bookstore and Wishing Tree Books.

“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017)

Monique Grant’s life and career are altered forever when she receives a coveted, once-in-a-lifetime chance at interviewing Evelyn Hugo, a wildly famous actress celebrated for her beauty and command of the silver screen. Despite her fame, Evelyn has managed to keep herself largely shrouded in mystery.

As Monique works to clear the fog surrounding Evelyn’s glamorous and scandal-filled life, she finds herself drawn in ways she never would’ve expected. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” is available to order from Auntie’s Bookstore and Wishing Tree Books.

“They Both Die at the End” by Adam Silvera (2017)

Just after midnight, strangers Mateo and Rufus receive calls from “Death-Cast,” letting them each know that the next day will be their last on Earth. Neither wants to die alone, but luckily “there’s an app for that.” After finding each other on “Last Friend,” Mateo and Rufus spend their remaining hours together trying to live what little life they have left to the fullest. “They Both Die at the End” is available at Auntie’s Bookstore and to order from Wishing Tree Books.

“The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides (2019)

For months following the murder of her husband, Gabriel, Alicia Berenson has remained completely silent. By all other accounts, Alicia and Gabriel had been deeply in love. So why on Earth would she shoot him five times? And why won’t she speak?

Criminal psychotherapist Theo Faber is hell-bent on solving the puzzle. I would also recommend Michaelides’ “The Maidens” released in June. “The Silent Patient” and “The Maidens” are available online and in-store through Auntie’s Bookstore and Wishing Tree Books.

“A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas (2015)

For years, the fate of Feyre Archeron’s family has rested entirely on her shoulders. Hunting in the cold, bleak lands surrounding their home has meant their only chance at survival. But when Feyre kills a strange creature in the forest of Prythian – a land inhabited by the sinister Fae folk, among other dangerous creatures – her life changes forever. “A Court of Thorns and Roses” is available at Auntie’s Bookstore and Wishing Tree Books.

“A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara (2015)

Four college classmates – the biracial heir to a wealthy Upper East Side family fortune, an aspiring actor from Wyoming, a child of immigrants who dreams of becoming a writer and a brilliant young man with a shadowy past – graduate from a prestigious New England college and move to New York in hopes of securing their places in the world.

Hampered by financial instability, addiction and lingering childhood trauma, the four young men keep one another afloat, and as the decades pass, their brotherhood strengthens. Despite the heavy subject matter, “A Little Life” has become a runaway success. “A Little Life” is available at Auntie’s Bookstore and to order from Wishing Tree Books.