TikTok#BookTok is a community unlike any other. With over 116 billion views, it has become a thriving space inspiring a new generation of bookworms. That's why this week we're spotlighting one of our leading #BookTok creators and soon-to-be #BritishBookAwards Pageturner judge @WhatBritReads.
Brittany is the creator to follow for all of your much-needed literature content. From book reviews, to showcasing some amazing front covers - she really will inspire you to be ambitious when it comes to reading. She's perhaps best known for weekly updates on her recent reads, shining a light on well known classics such as Virginia Wolf's Orlando, as well as contemporary reads such as Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola. So, if you're looking to broaden your literary horizons you should definitely check out her content.
What's more, with the British Book Awards shortlists being announced today, we could not be more excited that Brittany has been selected to be a judge for the Pageturner category, celebrating the bestselling books hailing from all genres, from fantasy to romance. We can't wait to hear about her experience of judging the Awards, and discover even more of the nominated books by checking out #BritishBookAwards.
Ahead of the shortlist announcement, we sat down with Brittany to get her thoughts on being selected to judge at the British Book Awards how she got started on TikTok, plus her best book recommendation of the year.
Congratulations on being selected as a judge for the Pageturner category for the British Book Awards! What does that mean to you?
Thank you! It is really exciting and it means a lot. It's amazing to have come from an online book community like #BookTok where creators share their love and passion for books every day, to then go on to take part in something as amazing as the Nibbies. I feel honoured to have been chosen as a judge, to get to share such a special experience with other book lovers from all industries and really celebrate everything that goes into putting a book into the world. It really feels like a big acknowledgement to readers, reviewers, bloggers, and content creators out there that our voices are being heard and we're making big waves in the book world which is incredible to think about.
If you could describe each of the Pageturner books in one word, what would it be?
The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page - Charming
How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie - Brooding
Sunday's Child by Dilly Court - Heartwarming
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak - Emotional
Verity by Colleen Hoover - Chilling
The Summer That Changed Us by Cathy Bramley - Hopeful
Which other Booktokkers are on your For You feed?
I follow a whole host of amazing bookish creators! Some highlights and creators I can't get enough of at the moment are @samfallingbooks, @bookishbytammi, @literamie, @booksarebrainfood, @amymaybooks, @cultofbooks, and @sivanreads.
I wish I could give a giant shoutout to every single bookish creator on the app who works tirelessly every day to make content and engage with the community. I love everyone I've met through the platform with my entire heart, and of course they always have the best book recommendations for every vibe and every genre imaginable!
What first inspired you to create book content on TikTok?
A mixture of things. I've always loved and admired all forms of online bookish communities (particularly on Instagram and YouTube) and used to spend hours talking to my bedroom wall about the books I was reading to my pretend audience. It seemed inevitable that one day I would end up engaging in these communities one way or another, I just hadn't found a platform I felt entirely comfortable doing it on until TikTok.
It was during the Coronavirus pandemic that I started spending more time on TikTok and first discovered #BookTok, through a video of @abbysbooks appearing on my For You page talking about the books she had read that week. From then on, I couldn't stop thinking about making my own page where I could also share my love of books with the world and I am so glad I made that jump and just did it because it has honestly changed my life for the better. Now funnily enough, Abby is one of my closest friends that I've met through the app, along with @faithmyoung and @emilymiahreads who have also been making book content since 2020.
What is your favourite TikTok you have made to date and why?
My favourite TikToks that I make are often my book reviews because I love sharing more in depth feelings on how I got on with a book. I spend a lot of time trying to piece together my thoughts for a video. I also love the conversations around a book posting reviews starts in comment sections, it's one of my favourite ways to engage with the community and my audience. The video I'm most proud of though isn't a review at all, but it's the 'Books That Made Me Cry' tag that I created. The sound has been used by over 250 other creators, and it makes me happy to see others sharing their books using my audio as initial inspiration! I had a lot of fun coming up with the idea and filming my video, so it's great to see other people enjoying it too.
Finally, outside of the Pageturner nominations, if you could recommend one book this year what would it be?
Every time I get asked this question recently I always seem to say Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin and that's simply because in all of the months it's been since I've read it, I still can't think of anything that tops it. It's probably now my favourite book of all time (which is quite a statement since I've read almost 800 books so far) and I can genuinely say it's a book I think about almost every day. It was beautifully written, had an amazing story arc, an interesting cast of characters, and it made me cry. Twice. It also has the most beautiful cover I've ever seen so if you read it on my recommendation and hate it, you've got a stunning decorative piece at least - you're welcome!
New to TikTok and want to explore books nominated in the #britishbookawards? Getting involved couldn’t be easier, simply download the app for free via the Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon.
