Let’s talk about books! As an avid reader, and writer, I decided to share with Crimson readers my own opinion/take on books taking social media by storm, particularly the world of Booktok. As I was wondering what books to talk about, many did come to mind but three in particular stood out to me, being part of Barnes and Noble picks for teenagers: “Divine Rivals” by Rebecca Ross, “If He Had Been with Me” by Laura Nowlin, and “Kingdom of the Wicked” by Kerri Maniscalo. Each of these books are sweeping platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, all sharing a main character who we can all relate to, and two out of the three being based in a world that is fictional. Now when I first discovered these books, I was a bit hesitant, I mean, social media had led me astray with some books that were all the rage but I can say that the three above were all surprising.
Divine Rivals
To start Ross’s novel starts as any would, setting the story in a world where mythology is not quite far off from reality, and the characters are in the middle of a huge world war that some acknowledge while others do not. This book was one of the ones that did live up to the hype that was surrounding it, building characters and storyline that was easy to follow/understand alongside the subplots that were presented.
If He Had Been with Me
Nowlin’s novel is the most realistically set being based on a high school freshman and how she progresses through high school, navigating relationships and finding herself through this coming of age story that takes a sad turn near the end. This book was an emotional rollercoaster, certainly the most emotional from the social media recommendations so far, and would serve for the best and biggest impact for teenagers.
Kingdom of the Wicked
Maniscalo’s book was the most invigorating for myself, giving a new take on the seven deadly sins, while following a strong female protagonist, who is a witch investigates the murder of her twin sister. This book was something that I enjoyed as the first book of a three part series, where each chapter and book got better than the next, with myself never quite wanting to see the book down to do much of anything let alone get an appropriate amount of sleep.
Now as I have talked about the three books, I feel as though I could always go back and re-read them, finding new details that I had previously missed. As a person who appreciates every letter and word on a page, I am grateful for the opportunity to explore these literary treasures and share my thoughts with fellow book lovers. While social media may sometimes lead us astray, the gems unearthed through platforms like Booktok remind us of the power of storytelling to captivate, inspire, and enrich our lives. So, here’s to many more adventures between the pages of beloved books, and the endless discoveries that await us within their boundless realms.
