We Asked BookTokers For Their Top Books To Read, And Here’s What They Recommended
Your TBR is about to be stacked.
By Nicole Ng - published
Welcome back to the age of analogue. Whether books are a past hobby you’ve been wanting to pick up again or you’re dipping your toe into digital detoxing and need something to fill the void, solid book recommendations are a good place to start—and who better to ask than book enthusiasts around the globe?
While digital and social media fatigue becomes realer by the minute, it’s blessed us with things like BookTok: a community of readers who share honest reviews of the buzziest novels and suggest reads catering to every niche, from Asian literature to beloved classics.
Below, five of our favourite BookTokers and their top picks to read right now.
Related article: 8 Singaporean Books To Add To Your Reading List
1. Sisilia Zheng (@sisiliareads)
Sisilia Zheng is one of the names championing Asian literature on BookTok. The content creator, who works at a publishing company in Canada and coaches writers on promoting their books via channels such as social media, has always been an avid reader herself. Delving into fictitious worlds kept her going during difficult times, and she started a BookTok account to fill the space caused by a lack of Asian representation, dedicating her page to classics and contemporary books from the region such as Ling Ma’s Severance, which she read and loved.
Sisilia’s pick: The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir by E.J. Koh
“The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir is written by writer and translator E. J. Koh, who was 15 and living in America when her parents decided to move back to Korea. She feels abandoned and struggles to find her place in the world, but throughout her journey, she ventures into poet-hood and it is clearly evident in the way she writes—the language in this memoir is luscious with grace, magnanimity and beauty.
What really makes this memoir unique is its unconventional structure. Interspersed throughout Koh’s narrative are letters from her mother. Koh translated the letters, and the translations are endearing.
There is something enchanting I find in books that discuss various languages and the beauty of translation. Mother-daughter relationships also affect me emotionally in unspeakable ways—who we are because of our mothers, or the young girls they might’ve been before.”
Sisilia’s other recommendations
Ru by Kim Thúy, $27, Amazon
Chemistry by Weike Wang, $25, Kinokuniya
2. Catherine Kim (@magdalerine)
Books have always been a companion for content creator Catherine Kim, playing various roles from an English teacher and a friend to a life coach throughout her life. The reading enthusiast is partial to classic literature and writers such as Clarice Lispector, Jorge Luis Borges and Vladimir Nabokov, posting on her account to share her outlook on the world through a literary perspective to connect with like minded-individuals who find love through the same things as she does.
Catherine’s pick: East of Eden by John Steinbeck
“When life becomes slightly complicated and overwhelming, there are only two things that I find comfort in: a nap and my tattered copy of East of Eden. I love East of Eden for all the reasons I love reading: for one, it’s a good, old, simple story that feels like a family saga soap opera, but it’s also something that stays with you long after you’ve finished it, like an old piece of advice that makes more sense as you get older.
The fundamental human question is asked: who am I, and do I have a say in my fate? John Steinbeck explores the burden of perfectionism, generational trauma and identity through wit and shock, creating a story that feels too close to home of what it means to be a human.”
Catherine’s other recommendations
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, $23, Kinokuniya
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, $23, Kinokuniya
Related article: 6 Celebrity Book Recommendations To Beat Digital Fatigue With
3. Alexandra Beleno (@an.readss)
Alexandra Beleno’s love for reading was sparked by her grandfather, who kept a collection of books spanning different genres and periods. Amid the lockdowns during the pandemic and being isolated from loved ones, reading became a source of comfort when the world felt uncertain.
On being part of BookTok, the Philippines-based 24-year-old shares that she often talked about books with her family and friends, but found herself yearning for deeper conversations with like-minded people. While she initially gravitated mostly toward fiction, engaging in thoughtful and creative conversations with her community pushed her to explore and appreciate other genres, allowing her to grow as a reader and rediscover why reading has always mattered so much to her in the process.
Alexandra’s pick: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
“Crying in H Mart is a memoir that narrates the death of the author’s mother and the process of healing through memory and Korean food. It is an honest portrayal of grief, showing that it is messy, painful and non-linear. The silence, the memories, and the longing for moments with her mother is what made it such an emotional and resonant book to me. It represents the complexities of a mother-and-daughter relationship, honouring what was never said while navigating the gaping hole left by loss. As she reconnects with her heritage, she keeps her mother alive in memory.
This memoir stayed with me after I finished it. It felt honest, raw, and relatable, where each moment made me reflect on my own relationships and the ways we remember those we love. Crying in H Mart is for readers who are looking for reads about human relationships and how grief shapes our lives.”
Alexandra’s other recommendation
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, $19, Kinokuniya
4. Shivaane Subash (@inagoldframe)
Shivaane Subash started posting BookTok content in an attempt to charm her TBR (to be read) pile into submission. On her account, the Singaporean creator, who’s currently pursuing an education in musical theatre in London, documents her honest thoughts about popular reads such as Kaveh Akbar’s Martyr! and R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis, alongside cafe runs and the occasional fanfiction recommendation.
Shivaane’s pick: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
“The Secret Garden is a whimsical book I loved as a child and happily returned to in adulthood, critiques notwithstanding. The story grapples with the realistic effects of childhood neglect and grief, following two lonely children and a heartbroken man as they find renewed life in the quiet magic of a hidden garden. Beyond metaphor, the residents of this house blossom through the medicinal properties of not just the garden, but the gentle hug of companionship. I have a soft spot for ill-tempered, sad children who slowly learn to find hope in their world, so yes, I did tear up many times reading this book in public. For anyone who loves the nostalgia of a joyous childhood and believes in small magics, this book might feel like home.”
Shivaane’s other recommendations
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli, $27, Amazon
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel, $26, Amazon
Related article: Catching Up With Jemimah Wei, Singaporean Author Of ‘The Original Daughter’
5. Yve Villaverde (@aveclier)
Yve Villaverde’s page is a corner on BookTok where pop culture and books collide against the backdrop of different cities such as Singapore, Manila and Paris. Reaching mostly for literary fiction and translated works, she shares mostly about books, along with art and the places she has travelled to, creating her very own space dedicated to reading, noticing the little things and connecting with fellow readers around the world. The content creator also occasionally posts book reviews on her Substack, an online publishing platform.
Yve’s pick: Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
“People often say grief is something you can never prepare for. In Kitchen, Banana Yoshimoto explores what comes after a loss in a delicate way: the difficult return to ordinary days, where the mundane parts of life begin to hold everything that would rather be left unsaid. The book contains two stories, Kitchen, which follows Mikage as she learns to keep living through new routines and chosen family, and Moonlight Shadow, which follows Satsuki as she faces the sudden death of her boyfriend and navigates life with the support around her.
Yoshimoto’s writing feels gentle but clear. It is about letting go, finding hope again, and forming new connections all while carrying grief with you. There is comfort in the honesty of it. At the end of the day, grief is a shared experience and life goes on even when it feels impossible.”
Yve’s other recommendations
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, $20, Amazon
The Pachinko Parlour by Elisa Shua Dusapin, $22, Kinokuniya
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