These BookTok influencers are finding success in the ever-evolving digital world by turning reading into a game. Through the power of social media, influencers like Morgann Book, a 22-year-old Torontonian, are creating thriving digital communities around books. Book selection, once an individual experience, is now being influenced heavily by these social media platforms, and the phenomenon is nowhere more apparent than on TikTok, where millions gather to discuss and recommend books.

Morgann Book: A Rising Star on BookTok

Morgann Book, aptly named, is an avid book lover who has found a unique way to share her passion for reading on TikTok. According to her, reading is in her “family DNA.” As a child, she would save her allowance to buy books from Indigo, choosing her next read based on the coolest cover and the best synopsis. However, now, her book selection is heavily influenced by TikTok. She admits, “As much as I hate to say it, sometimes I’m not picking up a book at the bookstore if I have not seen it somewhere on social media.”

With millions of followers on TikTok, YouTube, and her podcast, Book has successfully gamified reading through the creation of digital communities around books. Her content varies from her thoughts on young adult novels to romantasy books, a genre that blends fantasy with romance.

The Impact of BookTok on Popular Culture and Book Sales

BookTok, a subculture on TikTok dedicated to book lovers, has a staggering 68 million posts. It has not only created a space for influencers like Ms. Book to share their book recommendations but also driven book sales. Even published authors have seen a surge in their book sales due to BookTok. Sarah J. Maas, author of the popular romantasy series A Court of Thrones and Roses, credits her success to BookTok. Despite her first book being published in 2015, she was the highest-selling author on TikTok in 2024, selling about five million copies of her books across three series that year.

The Profitability of BookTok and Goodreads Challenges

BookTok influencers can earn revenue through subscriptions, advertisements, and brand deals, even though Canadian creators cannot take advantage of TikTok’s Creator Rewards Program due to local laws. This profitability can be attributed to what Jenna Jacobson, an associate professor at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University, calls a “gamification” of reading. The process is similar to how fitness is gamified by devices like Apple watches or Fitbits, where users can track, share, and compare their progress, receiving external and social validation from friends, family, and connections.

Creating Community with BookTok

More than the monetary benefits, what draws many BookTokers is the sense of community they are able to create. Influencers like Tina Li, a 21-year-old student from Calgary, enjoy the platform for the opportunity it presents to voice their opinions and share what they love. Li, who posts short reviews and recommendations of classics in a whimsical aesthetic, has 54,400 followers on TikTok. She also runs a Taylor-Swift-themed book club on the app Fable, where she interacts with her followers daily.

Maddie Vaters, a 25-year-old from Mississauga, is another BookTok influencer who has successfully turned her passion for reading into a side hustle. She started her BookTok journey by taking up a reading challenge on Goodreads and ended up reading an impressive 257 books in just eight months. Vaters, who posts monthly wrap-ups of her readings on TikTok, finds the sense of validation she gets from completing reading challenges very incentivizing. She has 68,700 followers on TikTok and considers her BookTok account a successful side hustle, earning almost $15,000 in a year.

Building Careers with BookTok

For some influencers like Morgann Book, BookTok has become more than just a platform to discuss books; it’s a launchpad for their careers. Book is actively expanding her career through her media company and is even working on productions for book-to-screen adaptations. She proudly shares, “I’m very happy where I am right now. I mean, I get paid to read books. It’s my dream.”

Ethan Radcliffe

Ethan Radcliffe is a senior reporter and digital editor at The Toronto Insider, specializing in Canadian federal policy, GTA urban development, and national economic trends. With over a decade of experience in North American journalism, Ethan focuses on translating complex legislative and economic developments into clear, accessible reporting for Canadian readers. Ethan’s work emphasizes policy analysis, government accountability, and data-driven reporting, with a strong focus on how federal and provincial decisions impact communities across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. He has covered infrastructure planning, housing policy, fiscal strategy, and regulatory changes affecting Canadian households and businesses. A graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Journalism, Ethan brings expertise in investigative reporting, long-form analysis, editorial standards, and digital publishing best practices. His reporting is guided by verifiable sources, public records, and transparent sourcing. In addition to reporting, Ethan has experience in newsroom editing, fact-checking workflows, SEO-informed journalism, and audience analytics, ensuring stories meet both editorial integrity standards and modern digital discoverability requirements. Ethan is committed to objective, fact-driven journalism and adheres to established ethical guidelines, prioritizing accuracy, clarity, and public trust in all reporting.

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