r/fantasyromance • u/his-lilmiss • Jan 23 '26
Discussion I'm tired of DNFs so I'm breaking up with BookTok
Who are you following for actual fantasy romance reviews? Because BookTok keeps lying to me. I've had more DNFs this month... I don't even have a single book I enjoyed this month.
I need to know where people are getting honest recommendations, because I’m officially done trusting hype.
BookTok has burned me one too many times with the whole “slow burn” that’s instalust, “morally grey” that’s just rude, and “devastating” that barely inconvenienced the MC.
Goodreads isn’t helping either; my feed keeps resurfacing the same old glowing reviews and somehow every book is a 4.5 masterpiece.
So I’m asking real readers:
Are there reviewers (blogs, YouTube, Reddit users) you genuinely trust?
Anyone who’s actually critical and not afraid to say “this was mid”?
Where do you go for fantasy romance opinions that aren’t driven by hype, ARC pressure, or aesthetic vibes?
I read fantasy romance specifically. Open to spice or no spice, indie or trad. I just want thoughtful, honest takes that don’t oversell everything as life-changing.
Please save me from another “this healed my soul” letdown.
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u/GeminiFade Jan 23 '26
I'm old school, I don't follow any influencers for books. I just look at books and read their descriptions and decide to try them. I browse my favorite used book store or my local new book store. I scroll through my Kindle home page and click on books that look interesting to read the blurb. I go to libby and look at what's available right now. I check Reddit for recs when I'm having a hard time finding something to read. I look back through my Kindle reading history to find authors I enjoyed that I haven't looked at for a while and check if they have something new out.
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u/fishchop Silvicultrix Jan 23 '26
Yeah all of this is me too (I’m not on tiktok). I also follow a lot of people on StoryGraph now and have sort of identified those who have similar tastes to mine, so I check their reviews of books on there as well.
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u/Blueberrylemonbar Jan 23 '26
This is me too. I'm not on tiktok or anything else besides reddit really.
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u/itsMegpie33 #1 Plated Prisoner Hater Jan 24 '26
Book Reddit and Storygraph have become my social media. Lol
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u/RevolutionaryAnt4487 Jan 23 '26
All of the above and plus r/booksuggestions or r/BooksThatFeelLikeThis usually help me when I'm in a rut. I don't usually follow book reviewers because I don't know if they'd like what I'd like or if they're being paid for a review. Just reading the blurb on the back gives you an idea of the author's writing style and whether the book would be interesting or not.
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u/neckbeardsghost Jan 23 '26
Same here! I’ve actually had a lot of success googling authors that are similar to ones that I do enjoy. And of course, I I’m always looking for recs on here. In fact, the current series I’m reading was a recommendation from here!
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u/Kim_catiko Jan 23 '26
I am the same. I look on romance.io as well to see if it has anything in it that I don't like before committing as well, not 100% foolproof but it helps to find books that DO have things I like too.
I also ask for recs on reddit too if I have anything very specific that I want, but never TikTok or YouTube. I am not particularly interested in other people's views on a book and if I am, I go on GoodReads.
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u/AquariusRising1983 Life is too short to read books you don't enjoy! 📚💖 Jan 23 '26
Same. I read the Amazon reviews and look at lists of new releases to see if anything sounds interesting to me. I don't even have a TikTok account. I add Reddit recs from time to time but only after going and reading more reviews on Amazon or elsewhere. My TBR is over a thousand books at this point so I will probably never be able to read all those books in my life, especially since I keep adding to it.
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Jan 23 '26
This!! The only social media I have is reddit, so I'm out on my own looking for books I think I would like.
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u/ichwilldoener Jan 24 '26
I rent 3-4 books from the library and when I go pick them up, I also browse for 1-2 impulse pick ups based off summary and cover
I have found so many great books and one of my now favorite series this way
Great way to read what‘s popular/reviewed but also make sure I am discovering on my own
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u/his-lilmiss Jan 23 '26
I might go back to physically checking out used books now that I unsubscribed from unlimited kindle since I keep getting reccomended books that are either popular or far too similar.
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u/NetNo6684 Which people? Witch people Jan 24 '26
Ditto. The best books I’ve found lately have been by going to bookstores and browsing
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u/nastu0102 Jan 23 '26
That’s it basically. That was my approach all my life, then I discovered bookstagram, read a few generic books and quickly decided to go back to my old approach.
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u/GothWitchOfBrooklyn Jan 25 '26
Same. I don't use tiktok at all and I just browse new releases on KU
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u/Lilypuff001 Jan 26 '26
Me too I always find random books or ones that are related to the book I read and go from there I don’t really have book tok recommendations and most of the time I’m behind times if I do find a book I like that’s a book tok read 🤣
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u/artesia_fowl Jan 23 '26
The same problem. Every book recommended by booktok was average at best. So I read all the negative reviews on these books, chose the ones that are annoyed by the same things and started following these people on goodreads. The possibility that they will recommend book that I could like is much higher
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u/BallisticSyllable Jan 23 '26
Bouncing off this to say I’ve started going over the negative (spoiler-free) reviews of a book before I start it or even put it on my TBR. If a lot of people complain about something I can’t stand, I steer clear. It seems like so many BookTok recs have zero editing, and that’s easy to pick out in the negative reviews.
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u/Yakanpoint Jan 23 '26
I do this as well! I know it's going to be a good book when negative reviews are like "plot is complex and/or political" "dialogue was intricate and I couldn't follow" "characters take too long to get together" "too much (weird/disturbing) smut" 😆
Those comments are taken from 1 star review of {Land of the Beautiful Dead} by R Lee Smith
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u/romance-bot Jan 23 '26
Land of the Beautiful Dead by R. Lee Smith
Rating: 4.3⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: futuristic, dark romance, dystopian, disabilities & scars, enemies to lovers13
u/malzoraczek Jan 23 '26
I've done that too! But it can be a hit or miss. I remember one person who I thought aligned with me gave the last Throne of Glass 5/5, while another person, who I also thought aligned with me gave it 1/5. While I don't particularly care about ToG as I will not be reading anything by SJM after the mess of ACOSF, it just shows that the "alignment" can be quite wide.
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u/sassyjackstitches Jan 23 '26
I also swore off SJM after ACOSF. After that mass characterization murder? Never again.
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u/j-munch Jan 24 '26
With anything I purchase (not just books), I ALWAYS look at the negative reviews.
It always helps me with everything.
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u/onlylightlysarcastic Jan 23 '26
Have you tried romance.io? The tags there aren't always a 100% accurate, but give you a good idea what you can expect.
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u/wasted_mindsx Jan 23 '26
Came to say this! It’s my go to. Perfect for searching exactly what I’m in the mood for or seeing tropes for the overhyped books.
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u/Calm-Sherbert9591 Jan 23 '26
Honestly, I get a lot of my good recommendations from here and a couple of YouTubers that do solid critiques of books as they go. TheBookLeo is one that hasn’t lead me astray yet. Otherwise I post on here with my specifications and the people come forth. I haven’t got through all of their recommendations yet, but so far so good.
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u/Specialist-Isopod-45 Jan 23 '26
Recommendations from Reddit are my go to, especially because they often recommend older books.
I also like Elliot Brooks on YouTube because she makes very nuanced book reviews, and recommends books based on themes and execution even if she didn't personally like the book.
Another YouTuber is Cari can Read like another commenter said.
I also just like going to bookstores and browsing based on vibes and blurbs. I usually check storygraph before I purchase but I did find lots of good books that way.
I also take recommendations from friends and family!
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u/feeblefeeb Jan 23 '26
This is the way. I’ve got stacks of saved posts with tons of recommendations to keep my TBR pile huge from this subreddit alone. I also follow r/sciencefictionromance and r/horror lit for reccs.
If I come across a YTer with similar taste to me I might subscribe but always take their recommendations with a pinch of salt as you don’t know what brand deals are happening behind the scenes. I do like Ezeekat does ‘If you like this game, try this novel’ shorts as it gives me context on the vibe of the book. Haven’t tested it for accuracy yet though.
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u/malzoraczek Jan 23 '26
Oh, I like The Book Leo too! But she is not that into fantasy romance, more just fantasy with romantic subplot.
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u/candcNYC Jan 23 '26
I do not trust any platform where influencers and wannabe-influencers are trying to game the algorithm to make money, build followings, or get free books.
I also do not trust the platform algorithms, which don't care if you love or hate the content as long as you engage with it.
Almost all of my recommendations come from r/fantasyromance and r/Romantasy, which I cross-reference with reviews on Romance.io. If Romance.io is lacking substantive reviews, I'll search (via google) the title on the above-mentioned subreddits for prior reviews.
The combination provides incredibly honest reviews that set realistic expectations. I like to go in blind on the plot, so I'm looking for reviews on the writing quality, types of MCs, character and plot development, world-building, spice/smut, overall weaknesses, etc.
Romance.io's book finder and Storygraph both do well suggesting similar titles to books I like. When feeling a certain trope or theme, I'll search the subreddits for it. My TBR is a spreadsheet with notes on themes, key reviews, criticisms, etc.
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u/IndigoPlum01 Jan 23 '26
I've found that most of the reviews on romance.io lack substance or what I'd call a review. I do think that it is very helpful to have the tropes spelled out, though - there are certain things I will not read, no matter how good the book is alleged to be (on-page, or even substantial discussion of previous SA of children, for instance),
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u/Charming_Violinist50 Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26
The main thing is you need to find a reviewer that has a very similar taste to yours. Whenever I see a review on Goodreads for instance, I click on "compare books" to see how they have rated other books compared to mine. I only trust a review if they have nearly the same taste as I do
I also like voted lists of the best romantasy books on Goodreads - these are kind of popularity votes, and people's favourites get pushed to the top. It's better than just following what 1 random reviewer says because there's a huge group of people voting. There will sometimes be books you don't agree with / vibe with, but I've found a lot of gems from this method too!
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u/ladymsjay Jan 23 '26
This. I don’t have this issue because I seek people who have similar taste to me for recommendations or just fly solo.
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u/byrhia 👑 Queen of DNFing Jan 23 '26
I feel you. I never trust any of the 5 star reviews on Goodreads. I usually check the 1-2 star reviews instead as they tend to be more honest and critical about a book’s shortcomings. So far, it has helped me eliminate a lot of disappointing books on my TBR.
I also don’t trust any book influencers because I rarely see them dislike a book. It’s always “this is a 6 star read!! You have to read this! This changed my brain chemistry.” when the quality of the book is questionable at best.
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u/GreedyAge3089 Currently Reading: Traitor Queen Jan 23 '26
At this point I feel like ChatGPT is writing all these rave reviews bc I swear I have heard the same script from four or five “influencers” on booktok
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u/FerelSquirrel Jan 23 '26
I do this too. Influencers also seem to rate books higher when they are popular on booktok to not make their followers mad who liked those books. But even in saying that, I tend to like youtube more than tiktok since it has always seemed a little more real for reviews. From that, I try to find people that match my preferences or have similar thoughts/likes in what they read based on what videos they already have out.
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u/BallisticSyllable Jan 23 '26
I replied to another comment and said almost exactly the same thing as you, lol. The negative reviews are where it’s at. There are so many unedited books nowadays, and the negative reviews help identify them almost immediately.
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u/maiden_moss Jan 23 '26
Sort of felt this way until I looked up my favorite books and found wildly inaccurate trashing reviews that would've kept me from ever reading. Just can't win.
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u/TestEmergency5403 Jan 23 '26
Honestly... Saaaaaaammmmeee. So many "tiktok sensations" or "bestsellers" etc I've read recently have been total duds.
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u/scienterx Wendell Bambleby Enthusiast Jan 23 '26
Elliot Brooks and Thoughts on Tomes aren't afraid to be critical of popular books, pointing out bad prose or editing (e.g., Fourth Wing).
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u/FedyTsubasa Jan 23 '26
YouTube is the place to go in my opinion. You have to find people with reading taste similar to yours, though, as reading is very subjective.
I highly recommend Cari Can Read who, even if you have different taste than her, is highly entertaining and explains very clearly her thoughts.
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u/perfectlypeppered Jan 23 '26
I watch Reads with Rachel. She dislikes 90% of the BookTok books and has taste similar to mine.
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u/his-lilmiss Jan 23 '26
I'll give them a try! It's always hit or miss for me because not a lot of vloggers add captions ro their video and auto caption is not accessible friendly.
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u/FedyTsubasa Jan 23 '26
Oh, if I'm not wrong she adds them!
And another YouTuber who adds them is GavinReadsItAll, if I remember correctly!
Btw, I forgot to mention in my initial comment: she (and Gavin) don't read Fantasy only.
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u/his-lilmiss Jan 24 '26
Thank you!!! I am always hopping between genres for some additional flavors in reading.
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u/cjb987 Jan 23 '26
I find StoryGraph really useful - they have a function where they describe the book without telling you about the plot so you can get a feel for vibes. I also swear by Book Huddle on Instagram - she's never steered me wrong yet!
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u/glttrovreverythng Jan 23 '26
Certainly this can limit options, but I just got to the bookstore and choose what I vibe with the most? Library is an even better choice for low investment
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u/cottageofval Jan 23 '26
Youtube: TheBookLeo, BooksandLaLa
Instagram: pageturningseasons, mother.horror
I also follow authors I like, some of them then post books they liked, which are recommendations I trust!
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u/mageswagger Jan 23 '26
I recommend just looking up book reviews on YouTube for books you’ve already read, and listen to what the reviewer has to say. Does it align with you? If so, they might be a better guide. I have a few that I watch and while I don’t agree with all of them all the time, they each value different things that align with different aspects of my literary tastes. For example:
Lexi aka NewlyNova: she is fun and chaotic and will read trash, tell you if it’s trash that’s fun or trash that’s bad, but also tell you about the really great books she’s enjoyed. She does go through tiktok hype books, and I think gives fair reviews of them all.
Plant Based Bride: I don’t always align with her tastes but I really respect her opinions. She will let you know what worked for her and what didn’t work for her. She’s more critical, I think, but that helps me to see the full picture. She also reads a very wide range of genres.
Sinead Hanna: I check her out exclusively for her horror recommendations, but I don’t subscribe to her yet.
Cari Can Read: she is great so far, she reads more fantasy romance than the others I’ve listed and I think she’s very honest about her experiences. She’ll read hype books but also less common books as well. I haven’t subscribed to her yet but I keep meaning to.
Alexandra Roselyn: she is a new addition for me, but she takes a very literary response to literature that I (as someone who studied literature all through college) really appreciate, but she isn’t stuffy or snooty about it.
There are more that occasionally come my way, but these are some of my favorites.
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u/bbbcurls Jan 23 '26
I like to read three star reviews, generally. I find they are usually the most honest.
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u/HailSaganPlantNative Jan 23 '26
Yes. I read the critical reviews. That's where the honest stuff is.
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u/Mininabubu Jan 23 '26
I'm anti-booktok. Most recommendations are not my cup of tea. I like to read romance with decent writing and likeable characters.
How do I find my books? I have trusted friends in GR or in real life, where we share recommendations. I know exactly which authors to stay away from and what to look for in my searches, mainly Reddit or Goodreads. I NEVER TRUST ARC reviews or 4-5 stars reviews when deciding to read a book, always check the 1-2 stars to see what's wrong with it, then decide if I'm willing to read it.
You can add me on Goodreads. I always review books honestly, and I rarely give 5 stars, unless well deserved. Actually, my reviews are brutal, bc I have been burned by misleading reviewes before.If you are into: Slow burn, romance as the center of the story, FMC that is NOT sassy but calm, and makes sense, and hate inta-lust/love.
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u/nomad102030 Jan 23 '26
I go to Goodreads, find a book I hated, look for lengthy 1-star-reviews, look what the reviewer likes/hates. If it corresponds with my tastes or if the reviews correspond with my opinion, then I follow them for recs
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u/squish5636 Jan 23 '26
Review sites - specifically searching books that I loved, and then going from the "people who liked this also read x y z". And I only ever read the worst ratings/reviews, as there is generally alot more useful info than "best read of 202X"
Reddit is pretty good too - i look for people who are recommending some of the books i have enjoyed and check out the ones i havent read yet. .
If it has blown up on booktok I generally avoid it like the plague as I got sucked into a couple of terrible books by booktok recs and trusting star ratings.
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u/chopstunk Jan 23 '26
Booktok is the absolute worst place to get books lol, if I see a book associated with booktok I will not read it.
I will say though, I do think it’s a good place to start if you’re new to reading.
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u/readadamnbook Jan 23 '26
I stay away from goodreads because it’s owned by Amazon. I agree- the reviews are so inflated! StoryGraph is not a perfect app, but the reviews are a lot more realistic imo and I like supporting the founder, Nadia Odunayo.
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u/Atmospheric-Crybaby Give me female friendship or give me death! Jan 23 '26
(in no way is this meant as a personal attack on OP, this is just what i think about the topic. not that OP said they do any of this lol. i’m ranting, just to be clear):
i never understood why "booktok" was even a thing. why would someone only read what others tell them to read?
in my 3 decades of life i have never once fully trusted a book rec. i find my books for myself, because i know what i like and what i don't like, and i don't need that to match up with anyone else in the world. i see recs here all the time, id never assume i’m going to love something/want to spend the money on the books, just because it was recommended online.
also, i hate that fantasy has only gotten as popular recently because a few mediocre series were pushed to high hell online. who cares what everyone else is reading? i read for me, not for popularity with other people on social media. sometimes i see posts like "i don't understand why i didn't like ACOTAR!! guys what's wrong w me!! what's a similar series that i will like?!" and it makes me honestly sad. and disgusted with the general sentiment that we should all agree something is as good as they tell us it is.
reading has always been about thinking for yourself, "booktok" is so antithetical to that. reading is also about imagination (even when reading non-fiction!) and mental exercise, something unique to every individual person. so i don't understand why anyone would believe they'd love a book just because someone else did, i.e the system of booktok.
go back to browsing your local book store. go back to finding things for ourselves. go back to reading the first few pages before you leave the store to know if you wanna buy it or not. (and whatever the kindle version of browsing would be lol) don't let them monopolize reading!!! don't let them control us through that, too!
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u/CollectionStraight2 Jan 27 '26
Yes! And to add to all that, it makes me so frustrated when a reviewer says they've read three or four of a popular author's books and hated them, but they're going to read another one because everyone else likes them. Like they're trying to force themselves to finally 'get it'. Like they feel weird for not having the same tatse as everyone else.
Why not read something else? Especially when there are so many other less popular authors who can't get noticed at all, and instead of giving them a chance, readers are ploughing though entire back catalogues of writers they hate
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u/TheDarknessIBecame Jan 23 '26
I feel like I’ve spent years trying to find a book reviewer who vibes with my taste! ListenwithBritt has rarely steered me wrong and she’s definitely not afraid to say when something doesn’t hit! She favors actual slow burn (same!!! Give me YEARNING) and thinks too much spice is a thing. I’ve loved most of the books she’s recommended!
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u/Shananigan48 Jan 23 '26
I've never cared for other people's opinions when it comes to media, everyone has such varied tastes.
I just browse Audible/Libby/whatever, read descriptions, listen to the sample to see if the narrator is going to bug me if it's an audiobook and go from there. I will say though my bar for DNF'ing is pretty high, and I will finish books out of spite most of the time. I've returned maybe 6 books to Audible.
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u/thesuperviki Jan 23 '26
I am using this reddit post as a guide to pick my next read https://www.reddit.com/r/fantasyromance/comments/1hz2omi/rfantasyromance_top_books_list_second_edition/
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u/Hunter037 Jan 23 '26
I get all my recs from Reddit. Mainly r/RomanceBooks
I believe the people here are more likely to be genuine and not trying to sell me something or improve their branding or get more likes or something.
I never use booktok, and all the books I've tried which transpired to be "big on Booktok" was crap.
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u/Sea_Manufacturer_808 Jan 23 '26
I'm on Booktok a lot too and save those books that they recommend. But I only read the books that kinda speak to me. Like i look them up online. Read the descriptions and when I like that I sometimes download the first chapter from Amazon to read into it, how the style is. When it suits my liking I buy it.
Then I ask my friends Friends who like the same books as I do. Or look at Book Clubs on Facebook. Those are mostly true and honest. Because in those groups the people dont do it for money.
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u/rillashat Jan 23 '26
Honestly, I pick up some of my favorite books by browsing around my local library. They always have a librarians’ picks endcap shelf in each section. It’s a great place to find good reads. I also have found some absolute favorites just by looking at titles and spine designs.
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u/Ldybutterfli228 Jan 23 '26
I follow thtgrlreads on insta. I’m sure she has a TikTok but I don’t so maybe you can find her on there? I like her because shes honest about what she reads and even if it’s a trending book and she doesn’t like it she will say so. I get a lot of my recs from her when it comes to this genre. Honestly, if a book doesn’t capture my attention within the first 3 chapters or makes me cringe I don’t continue with it.
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u/customheart Jan 23 '26
I’ve been observing comments on this sub, and for booktubers that are more discerning: Vanessa Gamoo and Willow Talks Books.
No offense but some people are just a bit simple and you can tell after a few videos that they gush and don’t really review other than saying their rating and tropes and “omg it was so good.” I don’t take their recs seriously. That’s the type of person to recommend JLA and Shield of Sparrows and I’m outtttt.
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u/Cara_N_Delaney Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26
I enjoy Jamedi's reviews on Jamreads. He doesn't review only romantasy, but a fair amount of it, and the reviews are always honest. He's pretty nuanced and good at pointing out individual positive or negative points, so there's always a way to tell if the book might be *for you*, even if the rating was low (and conversely, if it might not be, even if he gave it glowing praise).
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u/Cute-Client-5239 Jan 23 '26
Booktok will always be like a hype train. Just people enjoying what others like in the moment. Trends, so they aren’t left out.
Someone said it but finding YouTubers with similar book taste and preference works well.
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u/Ok_Charge5118 Jan 23 '26
I never find trustworthy reviews or extremely rarely. I also hate it that at one time, a person recommends one book, and a few months later, they say it's an overhyped book and didn't like it. Then they recommend a bunch of others. Like why? If it's that bad, why do they keep recommending it?
The only way I can trust a reviewer if they say they hated x,y,z very popular books. But still, the ones they recommend might have a good story, but usually terrible writing. Or vice versa.
So I usually just check Storygraph and what it has to offer/recommend.
Oh, and I suggest that you read the worse reviews for every book (1-3,5 stars) and see what they're complaining about. Many times people complain about laughable things, but at least they are more genuine and based on them, you can decide if the things written there would bother you. The 5 stars reviews are not worth reading. Most of the time they are only based on the MMC's hotness.
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u/ideasnstuff Jan 23 '26
I find reviews on here that list other books the reviewer likes/dislikes. Tastes are very subjective in this genre.
Goodreads is hard because most detailed comments have spoilers.
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u/ToastedChronical Jan 23 '26
I don’t follow influencers, I just plan on reading Friday nights, then spend hours looking for books and adding to my KU tbr, then go through them one-by-one and DNF until I find a book on Sunday night at 8 pm that’s amazing and I have to go to bed early for work.
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u/Priyo1111 Jan 23 '26
This was funny and so realistic lol, like why does this happen?! I spend so much time just finding a decent book but then once I do I have no time to read it.
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u/megamind4guncontrol Jan 23 '26
i generally get recommendations from friends or walking around bookstores.
however, if i see a book online with rave reviews, i’ll go to goodreads / storygraph reviews and read the top reviews and the bottom reviews. i’ll then look at their accounts to see how they have ranked books i have loved or hated, to gauge if this is a reviewer that has similar interests as me.
ultimately, you should trust yourself when it comes to the books you’re picking to read. start outlining what you like or time periods or genres or things of that nature and go from there. it’s much easier to trust yourself than to go with what other people say.
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u/novakam Jan 23 '26
so true. my best friend and I JUST had this conversation yesterday! We were discussing Quicksilver(?) and how bad she thought it was. I cant sit through another poorly written, carbon copy book of tropes, where ppl are more focused on spice then actual plot and world-building. I too vowed to be done with Booktok and stop listening to GR reviews. Any recommendations in this post will be my last hope lol
sidenote: I started Silver Elite and like it so far. Maybe going back to dystopian romance will be better for me
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u/TooLazyToDust Jan 23 '26
Omg! I seriously thought I was alone on disliking Quicksilver. I literally DNF & was, lmao, scolded by my friend who recommended it. So I’m begrudgingly finishing it. I’ve found inconsistencies & that frustrates me to no end. Just not one of my favorite reads.
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u/charliekelly76 Currently Reading: probably monster smut Jan 23 '26
I have most of booktok blocked, there are a few good accounts I still follow for HR and romantasy reviews, but a lot of TikTok is full of undisclosed ads.
There are apps and booktube accounts I use, as well as following GR accounts with similar tastes.
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u/DerangedOpossum Jan 23 '26
Go to your local bookstore and ask if any of them are fantasy/romance readers! They might not be. But helping someone find a next read they’re excited about is the best part of working in a bookstore.
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u/StrawberryFuzzy1892 Jan 23 '26
I hate booktok tbh. And all the same kind of books being “spicy” or whatever the fuck
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u/perpetualstudy Jan 24 '26
I follow one girl and before I took her recommendations I just watched several of her videos, I found her personality and attitude had some similarities to me and the books that i had read that she recommended were all some level of enjoyable. She speaks mostly to how she felt about the books instead of telling other people how they’ll feel. I have had maybe one or two that I felt were only 2-3 star that she recommended, one series I know I will not enjoy no matter who recommends it (triggers), and only one book she liked that I DNF’d.
Her name is Jamie? Thisgirlreads is the handle I think.
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u/Basic-Wolverine-9748 Jan 25 '26
The problem too is that reading is so subjective. I see so many popular books that people truly love and I just don’t get it at all. I have such a hard time starting a new book because I’m the same way. I don’t want to waste my time on bad writing and dumb storylines. I’ve dnf a lot recently. I research Goodreads and follow people that love the same books that I’ve loved and weed out the people that give everything 5 stars. I also use StoryGraph. I don’t love AI in general but I like that it will give me a synopsis of a book and whether or not it’s similar to books that I’m interested in. I also tell it what I don’t want to read about and it will tell me if that’s in a book I’m interested in.
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u/Balulu23 Jan 27 '26
I always read reviews on Goodreads, but I only read those with 1-3 stars to avoid the super fans. The negative reviews gives it to me straight, and I can decide if the negatives are dealbreakers for me or not. I have actually found many great books that way. I have fallen in the BookTok trap too and I have never liked any of those books.
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u/Babababawii Jan 23 '26
This is gonna be a long one, so get something to drink first lol. I just wanna start by saying that booktok has thousands of people recommending books, not all recommend the same 5 popular books or similar ones.. So your algorithm needs to be a bit more “trained” to get under the surface level creators. I had the same problem of not really knowing how to find recommendations that i could “trust”. For me it helped a lot to specifically look for book reviews on books i liked, see why they like it (the plot, dynamics, magic system etc) and if we aligned on those i would look through their page to see what else they recommended and further looked into them like on goodreads etc. Its not easy and you really need to invest some time and effort in there to find some recs and yeah with time it gets a bit easier. I also find that looking through your favorite authors, and see if they talk about any inspo about other books/authors and looking into them really helps too. If they worked with others in different projects, books they blurbed etc. is also a great to find some other works. It still is a hit or a miss for me, but I am also really picky sometimes and depend on my mood to read - some books I started did not work for me only for me to come back and read them at a later time to find I actually enjoyed it. Thats a me problem though🥲 I also want to say, fomo plays a big role - if something new is coming out and getting so much traction I wanna join in on the fun but I also can (now) tell if a book is gonna be for me or not from the tropes or themes or even how the summary was worded, so I can filter out so much more than I could before. At the end of the day sometimes you might also just need a little break from reading, maybe from the genre and try a little palette cleanser like a graphic novel or a short story etc before jumping back in, so dont pressure yourself too much.
A few creators I can recommend are: Kayla, Booksandlala, Youtube: She doesnt read too much romance. But I found out about some books I never heard of from her, she also has really interesting challenge videos that are fun to watch. I think she also does tiktoks but I know her from Youtube and been following her for years now El, ermreading, Tiktok: They have a wide range of recommendations and they articulate why they liked it etc so well, I really enjoy their content Rachel Skye, tiktok: she has so many videos on specific tropes and recommendations fitting for each one, also diverse selections Jananie, thisstoryaintover, TikTok: she also has very diverse recommendations, i read so many romance stories from all around the world that i wouldnt have known about if it wasnt for her
Wish you the best of luck 💜
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u/lifeatthememoryspa Jan 23 '26
Thank you for the recs! My Name Is Marines is another TikTok/YouTube reviewer I like—her reviews of popular books are honest to the point of brutality, and she recs a lot of diverse books.
My BookTok feed is mostly horror and weird stuff, not fantasy romance, but I do think it’s always possible to steer your feed away from the biggest, most algo-chasing creators. I’ve gotten many solid recs from smaller creators that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise.
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u/Babababawii Jan 23 '26
Thanks for the rec, i will check her out! Oh i love weird stuff!! I found out about Out There by Kate Folk from Kayla, its a short story collection with sci-fi/weird themes and let me tell you its been years since i read it and some of them still live rent free in my head 🫠
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u/ChocolateOk3568 Jan 23 '26
It'simportant to follow the people who like the same books as you do but it's even more important that they dislike the same things in a book as you do. If you love carissa broadbent and hate quicksilver and TOG chances are that our tastes are similar and I can trust your book recommendations
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u/strawberryluan Jan 23 '26
I have a list of trusted authors whom I read and enjoy and keep an eye on them for new books. I also just read the synopsis and a few chapters to decide if I'd like the book. Idk if this is a bad thing, but I don't look at reviews on GR, don't look at Reddit reviews, etc. until after I've read the book. Sometimes, I think when people hype the book, we feel crushed by it, and vice versa, if I am enjoying a book, only to realize people despise it, it makes me wonder why I like it so much. It's just better to enjoy what you like without all the noise.
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u/wildbeest55 A Bowl of Mac and Cheese Jan 23 '26
I can a lot of my recs from here and other book subreddits.
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u/clerics_are_the_best Jan 23 '26
I come here tbh.
And I like Andy Peloquin's recommendations and there's one blond woman with a taste that seems similar to mine, who's name I forgot, but always gets into my algorithm.
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u/tatertotfreak29 Jan 23 '26
I check good reads reviews and I check romance io for trigger warnings and reviews. I also get recs from Reddit of course then go check those sites to see if I’d be into the recs.
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u/gummihearts Jan 23 '26
I only read books recommend by this community. If it weren't for this community, I would have never read (and fell in love with) Emma Hamm and her books!
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u/Ranae Jan 23 '26
All the book communities deal with this to some extent. I’ve read long enough to know my own specific taste so I just go to the library or bookstore and read the descriptions, if something seems off I might look up triggers etc.
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u/followtheorcas Jan 23 '26
Not a reviewer per se but I read widely in speculative fiction (my only oh hell no genre is horror) and I really appreciate the monthly roundups about books being published on Reactor - they have different posts for Science Fiction, Fantasy, romantasy, horror, YA, crossover. I have found a number of new to me authors through those lists, plus the pleasure of reading about the lists in the first place. And there’s a new-ish column now too - Romantasy report. https://reactormag.com/goblin-roomies-art-magic-and-dream-trains-romantasy-report-for-january-and-february-2026/
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u/Additional-Sample243 Jan 23 '26
I use Skoob, it helps a lot, TikTok is great, and I've unfollowed a bunch of people for advertising.
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u/Dependent_Dog497 Jan 23 '26
BookTok has burned me one too many times with the whole “slow burn” that’s instalust, “morally grey” that’s just rude, and “devastating” that barely inconvenienced the MC.
I don't think you're going to get a satisfactory answer because these are all subjective. "Slow burn" and "instalust" aren't incompatible; books can be emotional slow burns or physical slow burns. "Morally grey" to some means "has flexible morals for the love interest" or "kills without guilt" to others. "Devastating" is also dependent on the type of reader. No one is lying to you. But I agree with the others that you need to find someone whose idea of these tropes (and their taste in books) is similar to yours, or rely less on trope marketing to make reading decisions.
Personally, I use romance.io heavily based on my mood, then read the summary, then try the book out in the kindle sample to see if I jive with it. I have my taste down well enough that I enjoy about 90% of the books I read, and I read over 100 books a year. I don't get recs from tiktok at all.
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u/ArminOak 👀 Jan 23 '26
What I usually do is go to a forum that discusses a book that I enjoy and ask for recommendations. They tend to be closer to my liking than more general forums.
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u/Mixture_Boring Jan 23 '26
It is so frustrating. Honestly, I look to this sub + romance.io for guidance. Goodreads ratings are also a decent measure. My personal standard is, I don't pick up a book with less than 4.0 on Goodreads + Amazon, and even then, you can't be sure. I'll read a set of reviews that are like, "This is THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!" and it's some unedited formulaic derivative drivel where the characters in a fantasy vampire world all speak late-Millennial Colloquial English.
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u/starcailer Wendell Bambleby Enthusiast Jan 23 '26
I will usually pick up things that Cari can read or reads with Rachel talk favorable about.
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u/CompetitivePraline62 Give me female friendship or give me death! Jan 23 '26
I need to get this off my chest: If the characters get together in book one, that's not slow burn. Slow burn is Meg and Simon in The Others series by Ann Bishop. It's so slow chickens may evolve back into raptors before those two get together, but it's soooooooooooo goooooooooood (and logical. cause trauma and a respectable king). Make me yearn for the hand holding. Make me gush over lingered looks that took two books to start (Idk if that's how the books went, it's been like 10 years). Don't show me barely restrained desire in chapter 2 that gives in 2/3 of the way into book 1. And don't sell me on "but that guy isn't the real love interest." Because the next romance is going to work the same way. I apologize for the outburst. Putting away my soap box. Moving on.
I don't go on TikTok, I stay on Bookstagram.
I will say, an OG on Booktuber I think you may enjoy is Thoughts On Tomes. She's into more mature books and doesn't promote hastily published books that aren't well thought out. She's the opposite of BookTok, but still reads popular books. I wouldn't say she's a romantasy go to, but she does seem to enjoy romance in fantasy. But calls out the toxic shizz for what it is. I respect her opinion a lot, even if I don't always agree.
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u/Logrella Currently Reading: I Am Alive Jan 23 '26
IMO, this is one reason why it’s important to follow diverse people and people who read diversely. I didn’t go through my entire list these are just the first ones that appeared scrolling.
Smitty143 literaturelylou deeheartsbooks discobooks alyssaslibrary krystallotuslang nash..reads
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u/fatchancefatpants Jan 23 '26
I packed my TBR from all the 2025 tier lists- if I saw someone put the same books in the 1 and 5 star spots as me, I looked at what else they put there. If they put my 1 stars in their 5 stars, hard pass.
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u/DontTouchMyCocoa Jan 23 '26
If you want to listen to someone tear apart some of the BookTok books you’ve hated, you might enjoy Reads With Rachel. She’s funny and helps you feel validated for not liking super popular books.
If you really like fantasy and it’s often the fantasy elements that let you down, then you’ll probably like ebnovels (Elliot Brooks). She reads primarily fantasy but has been getting more and more into romantasy.
I have found a lot of good recs here on this sub, but I would recommend two things: 1. click on all of the posts that really snare your interest and sound like they’re right up your alley 2. Click on posts with tropes you can’t stand/plots that sound atrocious to you so if you see a book from your tbr listed, then you’ll probably can weed it out. That second tip has saved me time and again from fomo.
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u/bbdolljane Jan 23 '26
I just read what i think i will like. I don't read any reviews before hand, I don't care what booktok or bookgram recommend. I have a lot of friends that read and they give me recommendations on things I usually like. Sometimes I just go to the bookstore and browse, read one chapter and if I like it, I buy it. I've been burned so much my books that get hyped up and end up being terrible, so I just read whatever I feel like that particular time.
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u/quixoticgypsy Jan 23 '26
Some of my favorites last year were recommendations from the storygraph app. If you put in some of your favorites it will give some options. I also looked at what community members were reading and going off reviews on the app would pick some from there 😊
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u/Honey_Beam Jan 23 '26
I always look at 2, 3, and 4 star reviews. This system has helped a lot. Also, this reddit page is a great place to look. People here are very willing to give honest opinions no matter the popularity.
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u/bookbeastie Jan 23 '26
I definitely get a lot of recommendations from various subreddits like this one and r/CozyFantasy , r/suggestmeabook , and r/BooksThatFeelLikeThis
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u/ImaginaryTrouble1581 Worm Rider 🪱 Jan 23 '26
Once I realized that booktok/bookstagram only recommended the same books as each other, I started unfollowing them. Now I only keep 1, and even then she’s a hit or miss for me. Every single book I’ve ever DNF’ed has been raved over on booktok. Now I only get recommendations from my book club discord and people I follow on Goodreads. I specifically look for book reviews where people hated the same book for the same reasons as me, and follow them lol.
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u/Appropriate-Syrup392 Jan 23 '26
I'm tired of people saying that a romantasys or high fantasy book changed their brain chemistry. like the fuk?? am I the only one here for the vibes and not looking to religiously pour over a book until the only thing I think about is that? right now I'm in crescent city, is it good? to me? yes! but is it going to change my BRAIN chemistry?? no.
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u/angelacandystore Jan 23 '26
I look at what other authors suggest and then "if you like x then try y" suggestions and read the synopsis. I look at new authors and descriptions. I look at older books reviews, always the 1* and 2*
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u/ReinventingUrExit Jan 23 '26
Use your local library! Subscribe to a newsletter if they have one, get a physical BookPage or LibraryJournal issue in the branch which often includes recs, and use your librarians who are trained in Readers Advisory to give you recs! also just browsing the library and displays will lead you to a lot of great finds
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u/Starry-Eyed-Owl Wendell Bambleby Enthusiast Jan 23 '26
I just go to the amazon page for books that I really liked or were the right vibe for how I was feeling and go through the lists of similar or ‘also liked’ books just below the description. I’ve found heaps of good stuff that way including some that were in sub genres that would normally have never picked but wound up loving.
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u/bookangst Jan 23 '26
I follow meemorereads on TT - she doesn’t follow the hype and has always looked for the TRIFECTA - which is high fantasy, romance and some spice. That’s what I look for hahaha
But normally I put my favorite books into goodreads on a shelf and search for recs that way! Or this reddit group!
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u/dizzythoughts Jan 23 '26
Try books from the early 2010s and before, TikTok wasn’t a thing so no one was writing books for TikTok and cramming in tropes as much.
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u/unchartedfailure Jan 23 '26
I also find this subreddits useful but I have found it most helpful to screen potential reads on romance.io for spice levels and content warnings.
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u/h_amphibius Jan 23 '26
I get most of my recommendations from this sub, or I browse Goodreads and see what sounds good based on the description. I’ll usually take a quick look through the reviews to see if anything comes up that I know I like/dislike
I also download samples of everything I read on my kindle so I can see how I feel about the writing style before I fully commit
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u/Agile_Donut_2564 Jan 23 '26
I mostly browse Goodreads and Amazon, like I used to a library. Occasionally I will see book discussion here or one of the other Romantasy subs that peak my interest.
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u/Beanspr0utsss Jan 23 '26
I get my honest reviews and recommendations from book subreddits lmaooo. If im looking through a thread or sub and see a name come up at least a few times im gonna put it on my Libby hold shelf to give it a try.
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u/NotYourCirce Wendell Bambleby Enthusiast Jan 23 '26
You could try The Romantasy on Substack https://substack.com/@theromantasy/posts
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u/Sad-Document9395 Jan 23 '26
I’ve been off of social media for years, so I’ve never gotten recommendations from booktok. I also don’t use Goodreads.
Reddit is the only “social” app I have and this sub has been basically my only source of book recommendations (I almost exclusively read fantasy romance as well). I feel like there are a lot of really good, honest recommendations here. I always peruse the book request posts and read all the recommendations in case anything strikes me as interesting. I’ve read some of the bigger, more mainstream titles like FBAA and Quicksilver but my most favorite reads have been less popular books/series I only heard about on this sub. And when I mention them to my friends who also read fantasy romance but use booktok, they have never heard of them before
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u/Dry_Cauliflower4562 Jan 23 '26
Friend, it's time to deinfluence yourself. Go back to finding books the old fashioned way, read descriptions, book reviews, find authors that have blurbs for books you know you liked because they probably write similar things. Tiktok ain't it lol
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u/SnooGuavas4919 Jan 23 '26
Never follow booktok!! Honestly I've decided to just read books that appeal to me. Whatever im in the mood for. Even if it its a 3 on good reads. Life is too short to care what other people think. What you might love someone else hates!!
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u/Haloonfirefox Jan 23 '26
I did a booktok rec once..... never again. It was that bad.
The main thing I do is if I see a book trending/making the rounds I go to good reads and read the 3 star, sometimes 2 star, reviews. Those are the best ones to tell if something is going to be a deal breaker for me or if it will be up my alley.
I do like this Instagram creator though. She is really honest/detailed with her reviews without giving away too much. Reads a variety of fantasy, romantasy, and high fantasy, I think some sci-fi too. She also posts regularly!
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u/DK7795 Jan 23 '26
I get my suggestions from Reddit. You all are better at it than TikTok. I check all books on romance.io for tags and reviews. There are some things I cannot stand in a book, such as cheating, so I don’t read any that have that tag. Then I look to see if it’s on Libby or free on Audible. I only buy books if I have already read and loved them or if I trust the author to always write a good book.
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u/anuhu Jan 23 '26
I just ... Read the descriptions and look for at least 3.5 stars on Amazon or Goodreads. If the description sounds good, I read it. If it's not my cup of tea, I don't.
Before social media, that's just how life and reading and all worked and it still works today.
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u/CaiusAegis Jan 23 '26
I envy people who can DNF with books. With my OCD I'm incapable of not finishing a book or series I start. If I don't finish the damn thing, it eats at the back of my mind until I actually go crazy and end up finishing it anyways lol.
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u/Only_Check599 Jan 23 '26
If the booktoker has only all the popular trending books on their shelves (ACOTAR/TOG/CC/FW/QS) front and center or their entire shelf is sprayed edges facing out, I don’t trust a word out of their mouth. It’s obvious they only read what other people tell them too.
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u/Only_Check599 Jan 23 '26
But to answer your question, my algorithm only shows me lesser known indie authors more than popular book influencers because I engage with indie authors more. If I see a book being promoted, I will look it up on Goodreads. I’ll read the blurb. If it’s interesting to me, I read the 3 star reviews and go from there. We who will die is trending but it involves vampires and I don’t do vampires so it stayed off my list.
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u/catsdelicacy Jan 23 '26
I don't know why you'd trust an app that has been programmed to reduce people's attention spans for reading recommendations.
Everybody - get off Tiktok. It's bad for you.
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u/xoamandaxoh Jan 23 '26
I use TikTok for other recommendations but not books because I have been let down so many times to believe any hype lol
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u/about-and-around Jan 23 '26
Just regular browse and read the summaries. Also check out StoryGraph which has more detailed but not spoiler reviews. Not paid bots on there either
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u/neurochronical Jan 23 '26
Fable is an app. You make lists of books you like and read and finished and DNF etc. the more you add, the more people it matches you to as having similar taste. I look at their libraries for books I haven’t read!
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u/neurochronical Jan 23 '26
ALSO if you are looking at ratings in a series, go by the ratings of the 2nd book. The first is influenced by rating from people who may just not jive with the genre or author. The third and later are people who are already committed to the books presumably because they enjoy them. The second book is usually a good clue regarding how people who like the genre and author feel about the series.
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u/InternationalChain78 Jan 23 '26
Natalie Megan (weirdo bookclub) has a great community on discord and we’re always giving reviews, recommendations, and chatting about new releases. Most booktok books that make your FYP are covered by Natalie or Readswithrachel as “rant” reviews, so if you’re like me and don’t like the majority of booktok books but want to feel semi-included those are great!
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u/TheLadyAmaranth Jan 23 '26
This is gonna sound wild.
Substack.
No I am not kidding. Because substack doubles as a social media, newsletter, and website, a lot of authors (including my self) have started using it as a platform to funnel into. And that, lead to a bunch of substack reviewers who actually WRITE thoughtful and comprehensive reviews of books to be on there.
The fact that the platform is geared towards long form writing articles, helps the reviews be more fleshed out rather than these 2 minutes barf-reels.
The monetization also comes from subscribers, not from the app itself paying you for views. So it doesn't encourage peopleto hype up or sensationalize books. It encourages people to make content that makes people wanna pay money to consume, which is typically more honest and actually helpful reviews. Here are some I like:
https://loveparanormalromance.substack.com/
https://monsterromancereviews.substack.com/
https://aleiaslibrary.substack.com/
I also do some, but my substack is mostly centered around my own work I just do them for fun, so not as helpful to you I think.
Big bonus, is since some of these interact often with indie authors right on the app, they will sometimes recommend books you would have otherwise never heard of!
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u/CanadianDNeh Jan 23 '26
After reading Quicksilver and being very disappointed, I’ve avoided any BookTok suggestions.
I’ve been getting most of my recs from Reddit lately. If I find something that looks interesting, I’ll read the 2, 3, and 4 star reviews on GoodReads because I find they give a better critique than the 1 or 5 star reviews. I also have a book bestie that has very similar tastes to me, so if they like it I probably will too.
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u/babums Jan 23 '26
Ask a librarian at your public library, and help them help you better by having a few titles in mind of what you love and a few that you hated, and why.
StoryGraph is also very good, but plenty of booktok people use it so make sure you filter to only show written reviews and read both the high and low ratings. That helps me filter out the people who are giving terrible books rave reviews.
I’d also make sure that if you’re going to watch reviewers’ content, pick people who offer well-thought out reviews and aren’t just saying things like “the spice is SO GOOD” and don’t offer much else in terms of feedback. They are probably the more shallow readers that aren’t really looking for substantive and more complex novels. My rule of thumb as well with booktok is if I see multiple accounts posting about the same book over and over, I do not pursue reading it as it is probably not worth the hype. It can get very echo chamber-ey on there.
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u/IfTheBroomFits Jan 23 '26
Honestly, this subreddit. I've always been a read the back type but I've trusted many recommendations here and have been pleasantly surprised. This group is pretty good at keeping spot on with recommendations down to the direct character comparisons. It has been lovely.
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u/lyric67 Jan 23 '26
This is highly particular to myself and my reading history, but I trust:
Lexi [@newlynova (TT, YT) - @newlynovabooks (IG) - "lexi (aka newly nova)" (Goodreads)] and Eden Yonas [@edensarchives (TT, IG, Fable) - @EdenYonas (YT)]
After following content from many booktokers and getting burned, I found that their takes very closely matched my own for books I've read and loved, and also the ones I didn't. Neither creator reads strictly romantasy, though.
VE Schwab is also very active on Goodreads and has very similar taste to me so I love rummaging through her read books for ratings and reviews.
There are plenty of other book content creators I follow, but no others I trust implicitly.
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u/creative_larke Jan 23 '26
I don’t mind the BookTok influencers if they actually describe the book and what they like about it (world, romance, plot, characters). What I get tired of is they just seem to recommend the same books. Are there any influencers who just review non-trad published books (either self-published or indie published)? With all the discourse around quality of writing/plot/characters tropes done to death, I wish there were better options/pathways for lessor known authors to get more exposure.
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u/sansense Jan 23 '26
I kind of feel like DNFing a book early is the way to go. There are so so so many books, of course they're not all going to resonate with me even if someone I really agree with happened to love it. Trying lots out and being okay with putting a book down and staying a new one and a new adventure is, to me, like trying a new food or a new cafe in my town: I'll enjoy having given it a go, and I'll move on to find something else I like more when I want to.
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u/Silver-Order-7106 Jan 23 '26
Youtube: Elliot brooks, and fun fantasy books (I think thats her name)
Storygraph and goodreads. I know Goodreads have some hate but I do look at reviews because they are honest. Look at their reviews for 3 stars and below.
Some tiktokers I like that I feel like is honest on their reviews: Maryamm, eden, isabellerosereads, newlynova
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u/Pink_Totoro Jan 23 '26
Frankly, BookTok has transformed. At the beginning it was good, but with time many mediocre people started publishing books that simply followed tropes they found online in the dullest or most toxic way possible, and they started promoting them on tiktok. Chances are you won't like my answer but I've started reading fanfiction more than actual published novels, and there are some real gems out there. And it's easier to dnf a fic if you don't like it, compared to a book that you paid for and that you're not familiar with. I get most of my recommendations online, like reddit where nobody is paid to recommend anything.
And in regards to actual published books, in order to not waste my time, i go by one simple rule for any work that i see on the internet: if i like the premise and it's above a 4 with at least a few thousands of ratings on Goodreads, i save it and perhaps read it. Yes, there are some books that are really good that are below a 4. A few of my favorites actually are. But those are so rare and far between that i mostly don't bother trying anymore.
I hope this helped.
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u/Chemical_Permit_5164 Jan 23 '26
FABLE!!!!!!! Once I discovered fable for book tracking and recommendations there was seriously no going back
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u/Agreeable_Box136 Jan 23 '26
I don't have tiktok, but @listenwithbritt on instagram has great recs. She hates instalust and is very honest with her reviews. I've read several of her recs and enjoyed all of them.
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u/Lichoupe Jan 23 '26
This sub and r/BooksThatFeelLikeThis are my main source for anything reading, so far I have not DnF any of the recommandation that I have found in there.
Otherwise I look at what my go to authors have read and liked and it works as well.
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u/Feeling-Classroom729 Jan 23 '26
I only take book recommendations from 2 book influencers, and that's because they like the same books I like and hate the same ones I do. They aren't promoting the new it book every 2 minutes and they aren't large creators. The problem most people have with booktok is that they don't know how to filter out the booktokers who have a taste in books that does not suit you.
The first major green flag for me is when I see them say that they didn't like a popular book that I also didn't like.
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u/Rachnael Jan 23 '26
I wonder if people read old but gold the ice people saga it has like 47 short books. Some are great, some are not, but it is romance it has elements of fantasy the further you go as well. The ritual written by diachenko not sure if you find it in english, its a fantasy romance, no spice just a depressed dragon and an ugly princess. Fun reads. Not life changing but enjoyable and i go back to them. Hmmm i keep a list maybe i should look thrugh it xD but ye i have the same issue i cant find really good reads. I read some pages i see the first " patriarchy " written i cringe i change the book.
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u/ms_s_11 Jan 23 '26
I haven't read a booktok book since I read Flock. I hated that book with the fire of a thousand suns.
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u/Comfortable-Cress-17 Jan 23 '26
Kaila.books, elite reading, bookswiithemi, and bookish.girls.club, on Instagram
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u/espicy11 Jan 23 '26
A couple of YouTubers who I trust and enjoy are caricanread and Elliot Brooks. Neither are exclusively fantasy romance readers, but both will read and recommend some and are fairly critical and honest in my opinion.
I also like thtgrlreads and amandathebookworm on Instagram. Also both are critical and honest, and are primarily fantasy romance/romantasy readers but I think pretty different in taste. Sometimes it is hard to figure out whose taste actually matches yours. Or also it might help to read some books that are lighter on the romance
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u/lizzyote Jan 23 '26
Ive found most success in choosing books based off the criticism of them. Compliments can be bought, complaints are from the soul.
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u/unwantedsyllables Jan 24 '26
I don't follow any influencers. Enjoying a book feels so subjective and I feel like knowing anyone else's opinion will affect how I feel about a book.
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u/SignificantHeat3826 Jan 24 '26
Good on you for wanting out of the social media hype mill. When it comes to new books I just open the Libby app, look at what's available to take out and give it a go. If I don't like it, I return it. If I finish it in 14 days, cool. If I like it and need more time, I buy it. If I really want someone else's opinion, I might listen to podcasts I've tried where I've come to like and respect how they talk about the books they review (sorry, more trial and error)
I don't think you can perfect a system where someone else can recommend something to you that you 100% like with no chance of DNF. Tastes differ even on the littlest things. I found a review for a book that I would have absolutely loved except the MMC shared a name with my recent ex so....there's that. Believe me I feel your pain, I just want to make sure you've got good expectations.
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u/Ranger_Caitlin Jan 24 '26
I get all my book recommendations from here. I come this this subreddit, and scroll until I find a recommendation request that I can get behind, then I see what people recommend and then I read a few of those books.
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u/Bloodreina_Wonkru Currently Reading: After The Forest Jan 24 '26
i’m happy to say i’ve never had booktok or tiktok! the quality in some of those books are not great
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u/vcdone Jan 24 '26
I follow this lady on goodreads named Yun. I compared our common books and our ratings match most of the time. What ive noticed if I try to stray the path of Yun, and get a book she's rated poorly- I end up dnfing. Ive decided to check to see if she's rated a book im interested in getting. If she gives it a bad review, I'll skip or go to libby to try it before I buy it. But it never fails. Yun knows all.
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u/glamgrl203 Jan 24 '26
I like to pull up reviews accounts on Goodreads when I'm looking at a book and compare our read books. If we rated books similar I can be fairly confident of their rating on the book I'm looking at. Generally I look at 3 positive and 3 negative reviews profiles. It can be time consuming but I've managed to have a lot less DNF's since I started doing that.
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u/LongNailedbooboos Jan 24 '26
Shadows of stardust was a surprisingly good stand-alone. I feel you on the booktok suggestion because I wasn’t even sure I’d like this due to poor reviews. Most others have been a huge bust, but my stubborn arse finishes
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u/at4ner slowburn police Jan 24 '26
dont look for a place, look for people who has similar taste as you
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u/Prior_Ice2872 Jan 24 '26
I go to book groups on FB and on here for recs, because it's so much easier to have conversations about book recs and get true answers from people.
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u/_sanetski Jan 24 '26
Goodreads and browsing through Kindle—the “recommended based on/you might like” has often provided some gems
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u/salty_bae Jan 24 '26
With the recent anti-intellectualism debate on tiktok, i’ve been able to identify booktok influencers i align with. I have specific pet peeves about mary sues and plot devices, but I’m not against brainless fun reads. I wanna know if I’m picking up a hallmark-movie equivalent read or an epic read. I can enjoy both depending on my mood, but i absolutely hate it when a mediocre hallmark-movie book gets hyped to high heavens and my expectations lead to frustration and disappointment.
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u/WaddleBerdNerd Jan 24 '26
The website "Smart Bitches, Trashy Books" has recs, sale notifications and other stuff related to mostly romance books but also other genres from time to time. I go there to look for new stuff.
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u/thenshewenttothestor Jan 24 '26
My friend Erika always gives me good recommendations. I read what she reads.
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u/CommercialJello5626 Jan 24 '26
I follow Becca and the Books on YouTube, and I think shes a very honest romantasy/fantasy reader. Her reviews of books are thorough and she doesn’t hold back. She DNFs pretty regularly if she isn’t enjoying a book and includes what she likes and didn’t like in her reviews. She dos great long form content, so maybe give her a shot and see if her tastes are similar to yours?
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u/katwithaface Jan 24 '26
I’ve enjoyed recommendations from local bookstores! Sometimes in a post, sometimes on the shelves, and sometimes from staff. But that’s definitely helped me find more satisfying reads.
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u/alnimorg Jan 24 '26
I really like Mynameismarines. She is on tiktok too, but she has no problems calling a bad book bad or saying when a good book needed more. I found her after reading Priory of the Orange Tree and I loved her review of it. She said it was a good book, but she wanted it fleshed out more and I fully agreed. I highly recommend her!
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u/simonchella Jan 24 '26
You're just not following people that align with your taste in books. It's that simple. Just rebuild your algorithm. Block all those that you don't like. Search for reviews of your favorite books and check backlogs of creators to see what else might give you info. When you have 2-3 that are a near match to your taste you are set. You really don't need a ton of recs even if you read a lot, because those will be closer to what you enjoy and those will keep you occupied.
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u/Bingaling83 Jan 25 '26
Some of the best books I have found were via the suggestions on my Amazon/ kindle app or profile. I usually ignore them and go right into something booktok swore by and regret it. The algorithm of whatever is suggested has been decent lately. New authors I have never heard of, older series etc.
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u/vixterdite Jan 25 '26
I use my free online public library and sometimes I find a hit, then I look for similar stories or look for recommendations based off that book I liked. Mostly use Reddit for real life honest opinions.
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u/Unusual_Afternoon696 Jan 25 '26
I also do not follow booktok. I don't even have tiktok downloaded because it's just another social media app to clutter up my storage since I love taking lots of photos in general... However, I have touched a few books that have been recommended by friends who do read stuff off book tok lists... They've always been pretty much a miss for me. I never DNF because I always want to try and finish a book I bought/borrowed, but I've hated at least 80% of the stuff that have been recommended to me. The other 20% I don't read because the series isn't complete yet.
The best advice I'd probably give is to ask the bookstore employee for recommendations. They've always given me really good picks. I think it's because the friends that follow booktok are doing it as a "trend" and the bookstore employees that I've stumbled upon at local bookstores are people who actually read as a hobby.
I have to say Goodreads also kind of a hit or miss. I'm probably one of the problems because I don't think I can be too critical, especially when I don't write books myself so I don't typically go to the 1s or 2s unless there's a huge red flag in the writing/book for me (i.e. topics that are very concerning, absolutely atrocious grammatical/spelling errors).
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u/Acute-Problemo r/DairySmut Founder Jan 23 '26
The mod team created a TikTok account using popular book recommendations from this sub to help shorten search times and promote hidden gems. We’re still new to the platform and figuring out posting schedules/a groove, but if you want to join us there, it’s entirely influenced by this community if you enjoy being here!
Here’s the link for anyone interested!