This article initially appeared in a print issue of the Monitor published Oct. 31, 2025.

I’ve been working my way through a lot of books over the last couple of falls and these are the ones that stuck with me. From twisty thrillers to dark academia to nonfiction, here are my top reading recommendations for the season.

Thrillers

If you like fast-paced plots and stories that keep you guessing, these are all worth picking up.

• Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter: This one is dark and definitely not for the faint of heart. It follows two sisters who reconnect years after their third sister’s disappearance, uncovering horrifying truths along the way. Slaughter’s writing is intense but totally gripping.
• Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera: A fun, modern mystery that combines true-crime podcast vibes with an unreliable narrator. It’s about a woman suspected of murder in her hometown and the podcaster determined to dig up what really happened.
• All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers: A small-town journalist returns home and becomes obsessed with solving a cold case that mirrors her own past. It’s full of secrets, small-town gossip, and that classic “everyone’s hiding something” energy.
• And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: A classic for a reason. Ten strangers are invited to an isolated island, and one by one, they’re killed off. Even if you think you know the twist, it still holds up.

Fantasy & Dark Academia

For readers who like atmospheric settings, academic rivalries, and a little bit of magic.

• A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid: This is one of my favorite reads of the year. It’s about a literature student who wins a contest to design a cover for her favorite author’s final book. It has gothic vibes and a haunting seaside setting.
• Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett: A cozy read about a grumpy academic studying faeries in a fictional remote village. It’s part fantasy, part field journal, and surprisingly funny.
• Babel by R.F. Kuang: A dense but fascinating story about language, power, and colonialism set in an alternate Oxford. It’s a slow burn, but if you like dark academia and big ideas, it’s worth it. (Next up for me is Katabasis, R.F. Kuang’s newest book).

Other Fiction

These are character-driven stories that made me think, and in some cases, cry a little.

• The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans: A short story collection about race, identity, and how we talk about history. Every story feels sharp and deeply relevant, and the title novella is especially memorable.
• If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio: Think Dead Poets Society meets Macbeth. It follows a tight-knit group of acting students whose lives spiral after one of them ends up dead. It’s dramatic in the best way.
• Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka: This book alternates between the final hours of a man on death row and the perspectives of the women affected by his crimes. It’s beautifully written and much more about empathy and understanding than violence.
• Normal People by Sally Rooney: A quiet, emotional story about two people who can’t seem to get their timing right. Rooney captures the awkwardness and intensity of young relationships perfectly.

Nonfiction

These books prove that real life can be just as fascinating (and unsettling) as fiction.

• From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty: A mortician travels the world exploring how different cultures deal with death. It’s oddly comforting and a reminder that death doesn’t have to be taboo.
• Being Mortal by Atul Gawande: A thoughtful look at aging, medicine, and end-of-life care. It’s one of those books that changes how you think about what it means to live well.
• American Predator by Maureen Callahan: A chilling deep dive into the case of Israel Keyes, one of the most meticulous serial killers in U.S. history. It reads like a detective story but is entirely true.
• I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara: True crime at its best. McNamara’s investigation into the Golden State Killer is both gripping and deeply human, especially knowing that her work continued to bring attention to these crimes even after her death.

Whether you’re looking to be spooked, inspired, or just distracted from homework for a while, these books all made an impression on me and I think they’ll do the same for you.

Photo by Toa Heftiba via Uplash.

BookTok is a dynamic and rapidly growing community on TikTok dedicated to all things literature. This vibrant platform allows users to create and share short videos that showcase book recommendations, reviews, reading challenges, and discussions about literary themes. With its engaging format, BookTok has become a powerful influencer in the publishing world, driving significant sales and sparking renewed interest in various genres. 

BookTok and Tropes

One of the defining features of BookTok is its emphasis on popular literary tropes. Users frequently highlight recurring themes, such as enemies-to-lovers, love triangles and found family, often reducing complex narratives to their most basic components. Business Insider has talked about how the format of TikTok has led to this result. “The focus on tropes has to do with the short nature of videos on TikTok… With one-to-three-minute videos, creators have mere seconds to capture the attention of a viewer and condense the plot of a book. Tropes make the task easier.” 

The problem is that this focus on tropes can lead to an oversimplification of literature, boiling a book down to its most basic points. As Isabella Madruga said in her article “How can reading make you dumber? BookTok makes that possible.” “…it’s like if someone took The Great Gatsby and marketed it with the tropes ‘pining,’ ‘exes to lovers’ and ‘love triangle,’ and ignored the themes of social class, cynicism toward the American Dream and glamorization of certain problematic/abusive themes.” 

While familiar tropes can enhance the reading experience by providing comfort and predictability, this reductionist approach can also detract from the richness of a story. It risks overshadowing nuanced character development, intricate plots and the deeper themes that make literature so compelling.

But that’s not the only problem found in the land of BookTok. Additionally, the focus on easily digestible content can create unrealistic expectations for readers. Many books that deviate from popular formulas may be overlooked. This could result in a  lack of diversity in reading choices. This narrow focus can stifle exposure to different voices and genres, ultimately limiting readers’ literary horizons.

The Positive Impact on Reading Culture

Personally, I have read a fairshare of books I found from TikTok. Whether it be a nonfiction book about the Donner Party or a “trope-centric” romance novel, BookTok has reinvigorated my love of reading. In this way, BookTok has played a crucial role in making reading more approachable and accessible. By creating a vibrant community where users share recommendations and discuss their favorite books, it has fostered a culture of enthusiasm around literature. 

When I was younger a book was always in my hand and to be able to return to even half the enthusiasm I used to have for books is so refreshing. In a lot of ways, reengaging with books and bookish culture has felt like coming home and I don’t know that it would have had happened without BookTok. 

BookTok and the Publishing Industry 

It has become obvious that people are buying books more than ever in no small part due to BookTok (though it is perhaps another question to ask if they are reading more than ever). According to The Week, BookTok contributed to the sale of 20 million print books by adult fiction writers in 2021. By mid-2022, sales in the genre had risen by another 50 percent. This phenomenon illustrates how social media can impact cultural consumption. As more readers discover titles through trending hashtags and relatable content, authors and publishers are keenly aware of the potential for viral success. This not only benefits established authors but also provides a platform for new voices, diversifying the literary landscape. In addition, authors and publishers are increasingly using tropes as a marketing tool to sell books by making new releases feel familiar to readers. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, I can neither fully endorse nor fully scorn the BookTok community. BookTok represents a transformative force in the literary world, bridging the gap between readers and books in innovative ways. While its emphasis on popular tropes can lead to oversimplification and limit exposure to diverse narratives, it undeniably fosters a vibrant community that reignites passion for reading.