This isn't your grandma's book club: like just about everything else, engaging with literature is moving online. As part of the YouTuber phenomenon, the niche community of BookTubers does just what it sounds like: read and review books, talk about the latest developments in the literary world and sometimes just life. Many channels concentrate on young-adult fiction, but the community can deviate into anything from manga to audiobooks. Here are six BookTubers you should keep in your queue.
Booksandquills
Sanne is originally from the Netherlands and now resides in London. She works at Hot Key Press and talks about it frequently, so if you’re ever interested in the world of publishing, Sanne is your gal. She loves the classics and some odd fiction books you wouldn’t even think twice about reading – and every recommendation she gives is a pretty solid one. Plus, her voice is so calming that you could watch her for hours on end. YA readers beware – her disdain for shallow plots means that light reads may not be on her list.
ItsWayPastMyBedtime
Carrie isn’t exactly a BookTuber, but her love for books extends into everything she does. Carrie works on the West End (currently playing Eponine in Les Miserables), and her motto is to always be happy. Carrie is like the big sister everyone wishes they had, and she can always brighten your day if you’ve been a bit down. Her genre is mostly young-adult fiction and regular fiction – so if you’re looking for a slice of happiness, check her out.
PolandBananasBooks
Christine’s bubbly attitude and love for YA fiction makes her a must-watch BookTuber. She tackles all the bookish issues of today, like how awful it is to buy physical books in the bookstore now that they’re SO EXPENSIVE and whether Goodreads is really good for anything at all. She doesn’t just review books, but explains why they’ve been so influential to her and how they connect with the real world. She weeds out the boring books and finds the ones that don’t suck. However, her overexcited personality can get on your nerves, and her pickiness for YA is high, so you might miss out on a few titles with her channel.
InkBonesBooks
Sanaa is an advocate for all things anime, science fiction and fantasy. Her quick-witted opinions and in-depth analyses of these novels is always something to watch out for, and best of all, she always does read-a-thons. Warning: her videos lack quality and she takes a while to articulate her points. Watch Sanaa if you want a review, a movie recommendation or even just a random day in the life to help you get your mind off that midterm looming ahead.
The Readables
Priscilla has high quality videos and a graphic-design edge that makes her content infinitely more beautiful. Her book interests are all over the place, from autobiographies such as Amy Poehler’s Yes Please to Scott Pilgrim-style comics and everything in between. Her reviews are very clinical and always spoiler-free, but still make sure the reader knows what they’re getting into. She tends to review some books without finishing the series as well, which can help some people but is frustrating for those who have already read them all.
Bookish Thoughts
Jean is funny, sweet and best of all, less scripted. What she tells the camera is truly what she thinks of the books, and she’s not afraid to speak her mind. Jean usually reviews YA, fantasy, comics and graphic novels, which is perfect for those of us who are searching desperately for the next Scott Pilgrim. Even better, she films most of this stuff on her iPhone—and it’s in perfectly great quality. Although her reviews aren't always as two-sided as they could be, she delivers honest content that isn't marred by sponsorships.