HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS CREATING A NEW GENERATION OF BOOKWORMS - VORAKA

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN VORAKA

Article Published on 07 September 2026 | www.vorakamagazine.com

In a world of endless scrolling, streaming platforms and short-form videos, reading might seem like a pastime from another era. Yet, surprisingly, social media is helping books make a powerful comeback.

Across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, a growing community of readers, authors and content creators is making books part of everyday online conversations. From recommendations and reviews to bookshelf tours and reading challenges, BookTok and Bookstagram have created a new way for people to discover stories—and, in many cases, rediscover the joy of reading.

What began as a niche online community has grown into a cultural phenomenon capable of turning relatively unknown books into worldwide sensations. More importantly, it is encouraging many young people to exchange some of their screen time for time spent between the pages of a book.

When social media inspires reading

Fourteen-year-old Mia from Bristol is one example of how the movement is influencing younger readers.

Mia regularly watches book-related content on YouTube, but says her overall screen time has actually decreased because she now spends more of her free time reading. Instead of automatically turning to Netflix or Disney+, she often chooses a book because she wants to discover what happens next.

Her friends and their recommendations have also played an important role. One of the books that helped spark her enthusiasm was Powerless, a romantasy series by Lauren Roberts.

The story immediately captured her attention, leaving her eager to keep reading. For Mia, books provide more than entertainment. She says reading keeps her mind engaged and allows her to escape into another world.

Her experience also highlights one of the most important strengths of the reading community: there is a book for almost everyone.

Someone who dislikes mystery novels might enjoy romance. Another reader might prefer fantasy, science fiction or adventure. The key, Mia believes, is finding the genre that feels right rather than giving up on reading altogether.

BookTok moves beyond the screen

The influence of BookTok is no longer confined to social media feeds.

Bookstores across the UK have introduced dedicated BookTok sections, giving shoppers an easy way to find titles that have gained popularity online. A BookTok chart has also been introduced, combining traditional bestseller information with UK sales data and analysis of the #BookTok hashtag.

Romance and romantasy have been among the biggest beneficiaries of this trend.

Romantasy, which combines elements of romance and fantasy, has developed a particularly enthusiastic following. The genre offers readers a combination of emotional relationships, adventure and imaginary worlds—making it especially appealing to people looking for an escape from everyday life.

From reluctant reader to bookshop owner

Holly Irwin's story shows just how dramatically a relationship with books can change.

The 20-year-old moved from Hamilton, New Zealand, to the Cotswolds earlier this year. She began sharing book reviews on Instagram in 2021, hoping to discover new stories and connect with other romance enthusiasts.

But Holly had not always been passionate about reading.

As a child, she rarely considered herself a reader and believed books simply were not for her. That changed during the COVID-19 pandemic when she decided to read the Twilight books after enjoying the films.

The decision transformed her relationship with reading.

Holly quickly became immersed in the series and soon developed a passion for romance novels. Her social-media account grew alongside her enthusiasm, eventually attracting more than 149,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok.

What started as a personal hobby eventually became the beginning of a much bigger dream.

Turning a dream into reality

During a trip to Oxford in 2024, Holly and her mother, Maria, began talking about the possibility of opening a bookshop dedicated to romance novels.

The idea stayed with them after they returned home to New Zealand. Rather than leaving the dream as a conversation, they decided to pursue it.

After spending several years planning, developing the concept and working out how they wanted the business to look, Holly eventually took the leap.

The result was Hollyhocks, a specialist romance bookshop in Cirencester.

Since opening in August, the store has welcomed local romance readers as well as visitors travelling specifically to experience the shop.

For Holly, seeing people come through the doors has been a deeply rewarding experience. A passion that began with a single series of books eventually led to an online community, a large following and, ultimately, a physical bookshop.

The genres taking readers by storm

Holly has also seen how quickly social-media trends can influence readers' buying habits.

Certain subgenres, including hockey romance and cowboy romance, have attracted particularly strong interest, with some titles selling faster than others.

Much of that enthusiasm can be traced back to BookTok.

A recommendation from a popular creator can expose thousands—or even millions—of potential readers to a particular title or genre. A book that might otherwise have remained relatively unknown can suddenly become one of the most talked-about releases online.

For Holly, this demonstrates the extraordinary influence social media can have on the publishing world.

It also reflects something fundamental about why people read: the desire to escape.

Fantasy and romance can transport readers into entirely different worlds, allowing them to experience adventures, relationships and emotions far removed from everyday life.

A strong market for books

The renewed enthusiasm for reading is also reflected in the UK publishing industry.

According to figures from the Publishers Association, publishing income in the UK reached a record £7.4 billion in 2025. The organisation attributed part of this growth to the country's growing appetite for fiction, children's books and audiobooks.

Not every genre experienced growth during the year. Romance and saga sales declined by 15%, with around 10.1 million units sold. However, sales remained approximately twice as high as they had been in 2019, showing just how much the genre has grown over the longer term.

Science fiction and fantasy performed particularly strongly, with sales increasing by 42% year-on-year. Around 8.8 million units were sold, representing an increase of 183% compared with 2019.

The figures suggest that while individual trends may rise and fall, the wider appetite for books remains strong.

A different kind of screen-time story

The rise of BookTok presents an interesting contradiction.

Social media is often blamed for encouraging people to spend more time looking at screens. Yet, in the case of book communities, the opposite can happen.

A TikTok video can lead someone to a novel. An Instagram recommendation can introduce a reader to an entirely new genre. A YouTube review can inspire someone who has not picked up a book in years to start reading again.

For young readers like Mia, social media has become a gateway rather than a distraction.

For creators like Holly, it has provided a community strong enough to turn a personal passion into a business.

And for the publishing industry, it has created a powerful new connection between books and readers.

Perhaps that is the most unexpected success of BookTok and Bookstagram: in an increasingly digital world, social media is helping people fall in love with something wonderfully offline.

A screen may introduce the story—but the real journey begins when the book is opened.