How social media is inspiring a new generation of bookworms

Social media is used by millions of people around the world to connect with friends, stay up to date with the latest pop culture news and for short-form entertainment, but one corner of the internet is encouraging a shift back to a non-digital pastime.

Discussing books and sharing reviews is by no means a new trend, but the social media movement of BookTok and Bookstagram which emerged in recent years has changed the way people showcase and share their reading habits.

The BookTok and Bookstagram communities on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube are made up of readers, authors and creators who share book-related content, including reviews, bookshelf tours and recommendations.

The phenomenon has led to viral titles, introduced some people to books and helped others to lower their screen time.

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Among those is Mia, a 14-year-old keen reader from Bristol.

Although she watches book-related content on YouTube, she said her screen time was "definitely lower" nowadays due to the amount of time she spends reading.

Mia also credited her friends and their recommendations for influencing her to read more, including the romantasy series Powerless by Lauren Roberts which got her hooked on books.

"While reading it, I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next.

"I've had such a cut from screen time like with Netflix and Disney+. I don't really go on those anymore because I think, well, what would I prefer to do? Watch a TV series or find out what happens next in my book?

"I think [reading] keeps my brain engaged. I find reading helps me do that because I'm in a different world.

"There's loads of different genres, so if you're not into one thing - like if you're not into mystery - don't give reading up because you might prefer romance or something."

Although it began online, the BookTok phenomenon can often be found in dedicated sections of many bookstores.

A BookTok chart was also launched earlier this year , which combined data from traditional charts like the Sunday Times bestseller list along with UK sales data and analysis of the #BookTok hashtag.

The inaugural chart was dominated by romance and romantasy books - the mixed genre of romance and fantasy that Holly Irwin dedicated her own bookshop to.

The 20-year-old, who relocated to the Cotswolds from Hamilton, New Zealand, earlier this year, began her Instagram account in 2021 to share reviews, find new books and connect with fellow romance fans.

Holly said she "never really got into reading" as a child and always thought books were not for her.

However, her interests changed during the Covid-19 pandemic when she read the Twilight saga.

"I loved the movies, so I started reading. I'd never really tried to read romance before that, so I thought books weren't for me.

"I read Twilight and I absolutely devoured those books and I haven't stopped since - it's been books, books, books," she said.

Holly's social media "took off" and exceeded 149,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok.

While on a trip to Oxford in 2024, Holly and her mum Maria discussed the idea of opening a bookshop specialising in romance novels.

"We got back home to New Zealand and just thought life's too short... you've got to follow your dreams and you've got to give it a go.

"We spent the last couple of years planning it all, figuring out how we wanted to do it and then we decided it was time.

"It was kind of all or nothing... it's been wild, but it's been so fulfilling and so worth it to see this dream of mine come true," Holly said.

According to the Publishers Association, the UK's publishing income hit a record high of £7.4bn in 2025.

The company said the nation's "increasing appetite" for fiction, children's books and audiobooks were among the factors behind the growth.

NielsenIQ BookData found that romance and saga book sales declined by 15% in 2025 with 10.1m units sold - a decline which comes after several years of exceptional growth.

However, the sales of the genre were still twice as high as they were in 2019.

Sci-fi and fantasy books - which encompass the romantasy subgenre - saw record sales last year, with a 42% increase year-on-year.

A total of 8.8m units were sold, which was a 183% increase on 2019, a spokesperson for the organisation said.

Since opening Hollyhocks in August, Holly said she had met local romance fans as well as many people who had made a journey to Cirencester to visit the specialist bookshop.

She also said she noticed specific titles and subgenres - like hockey romance and cowboy romance novels - selling out quicker than others.

"It's definitely because of BookTok… everyone has just been on such a cowboy romance kick.

"I think people like to escape to a whole different world, so that's definitely a contributing factor.

"It blows me away, the power of social media," she added.

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