Tiktok trend increases Hoover’s following
Colleen Hoover is a New York Times bestselling author. With more than 11 books, she is taking the Young Adult book world by storm. This particular storm has recently hit the teenage female audience. You can’t walk a foot without seeing someone intensely reading one of her books in the hallway. Senior Ella Nelson has been reading Hoover’s books since the summer and is now in the middle of her novel, Heart Bones.
“Her books are deep and passionate and she has this amazing ability to put you into the story when you’re reading,” Nelson said.
Nelson has spent a lot of her time reading Hoover’s books because of their presence on TikTok. According to Sophia Stewart’s article, “How TikTok Makes Backlist Books into Bestsellers” in Publishers Weekly, “#BookTok” became a thing in the early summer of 2021. Hoover’s most popular book, “It Ends With Us,” was one of the many that quickly developed a following by teens on Tiktok. Her book came out in 2016, but until August 2021 it quickly rose to popularity selling 17,000 copies weekly.
“It Ends With Us, is probably my favorite book I’ve ever read. I thought it was very deep and emotional and displayed the mental effects of abuse,” Nelson said, “but also how you can always find your way back to true love.”
For Nelson, reading this book over the summer started a new trend among her friends. After she discovered her love for Hoover’s books she started recommending them to her friend group.
“Ella had read It Ends With Us and loved it so I thought I’d give it a try,” senior Emma Williamson said, “and now I’ve read three of Hoover’s books and find myself extremely invested in them.”
Williamson isn’t the only one who took up reading in October, senior Brooke Bowen started reading Hoover’s books and has already gone through three of them. She finds herself relating to the characters even though their stories are nothing like hers.
“Her books are all so different yet you find something new to relate to in everyone. It’s just so interesting to see how you can connect to fictional stories and characters.” Bowen said.
Bowen not only has enjoyed the connection from reader to book but the outlet it’s been for her this year. With her senior year being so busy it’s been really good for her to take a step back.
“Reading takes my mind off other things when I don’t want to think about social media, school, friends, or drama,” Bowen said, “I just read and I block out everything else and it’s like a distraction.”
Senior Abby Livingston shares this same sentiment that the books provide an escape for her despite her schedule this year.
“It’s been an escape for me, especially with college applications and friends. I also just got out of a relationship so being able to read instead of dwell in that. It gives me the space I need away from everything.”