OUR Story
The Story Behind the BookTok Library
Since childhood, I’ve been passionate about reading. I vividly remember being just nine years old when I “borrowed” my mom’s copy of Gone With the Wind. It probably wasn’t the most suitable choice for a 9-year-old, but I devoured it in less than a week! From that point on, I eagerly read anything I could get my hands on. My mom and I would visit a local used bookstore every week, each leaving with a towering stack of novels.
As the years passed, life became busier—careers took off, children were born—and gradually, I found myself reading less. My reading list shifted to TV shows and movies based on books (Game of Thrones, Twilight, Stardust, to name a few). Then, like so many others, during the COVID-19 lockdowns, I stumbled upon TikTok, and my love for reading reignited with a new intensity. Suddenly, I was racing through book series in less than a week, and my TBR (to-be-read) list grew impossibly long. While my heart remained with fantasy, I found myself exploring any genre that earned rave reviews.
The idea for The BookTok Library stemmed from a simple desire—to create a space where all the trending books on BookTok could be found in one place for easy access. While apps like Goodreads are great for building TBR lists and rating finished books, they can feel cumbersome and lack the interactive community that TikTok offers. With over 20 years of experience in the technology field, I decided to turn this idea into my passion project: a site dedicated to showcasing all the incredible books recommended daily, highlighting the creators who pour so much energy into their reviews, and celebrating the readers who share the same love for reading.
Though the site is still in its early stages, I plan to grow it day by day, introducing new features and engaging with the community. My goal is for it to become a complementary home to BookTok, where creators and readers can expand both their following and their libraries!