With #BookTok becoming a go-to resource for book discovery, we asked creators on TikTok what novels they wish they could read again for the first time…
By Stephan Petar
Is there a book on your shelf you wish you could experience again like it was the first time? You’re not alone.
If you search the hashtag #BooksIWishICouldReadForTheFirstTimeAgain – yes it’s a long one – on TikTok, you’ll find hundreds of videos by BookTok creators sharing a piece of literature they would choose.
The BookTok hashtag is centred around a powerful community that has “reignited the publishing industry” and “transformed the way people discover and engage with books,” according to TikTok. With nearly 53 million posts using the hashtag, BookTok has helped people discover brand new titles and up-and-coming authors, and has given older books a new lease on life.
We asked four 2SLGBTQI+ BookTok creators to share the queer books they’d want to experience again for the first time, and why. For the record, mine is Tucker Shaw’s When You Call My Name, a coming-of-age novel about two gay teens in 1990s New York City during the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Creator: @AModelWhosRead (she/her)
Location: British Columbia
Book: A Long Time Dead by Samara Breger
Synopsis: When Poppy wakes up in an unfamiliar home, she discovers she is a vampiress. Confused and with a thirst for blood, she meets Roison, who helps her through her transformation. A Victorian romance drenched in blood and drama, the novel follows the lengths Poppy and Roison take to secure a love that cannot die.
From the creator: “From page one, I knew this was going to be something special. Breger has absolutely gorgeous writing and the depictions of easy, open queer love are just as impactful as the struggles of moving on from old wounds. Poppy’s brash humour balances perfectly with Roisin’s more reserved nature, and the two of them are centre stage in this beautiful story of self-worth, feminine rage, and finding belonging in unexpected places. It shows love can be soft and quiet, or heart-pounding and ruinous. But be warned: this story will lure you in with bawdy jokes and queer vampire shenanigans, then sucker-punch you with haunting depictions of eternal longing. Make sure to have a box of tissues nearby!”
Creator: @Bookbinch (he/him)
Location: Quebec
Book: Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
Synopsis: A young American expatriate in 1950s Paris finds himself caught between his repressed desires and conventional morality. David has just proposed marriage to his American girlfriend, but while she is away, he becomes involved in an affair with a bartender named Giovanni. The story delves into the mystery of love and tells a deeply moving story that reveals the unspoken complexities of the human heart.
From the creator: “I love Giovanni’s Room more every single time I read it. The first time I got my hands on it was in my first year of college after frantically searching for ‘must-read queer books.’ I carried it all over the place for months and could barely get through it because I was nursing a heartbreak. Little did I know, 17 and freshly dumped was probably when I needed it most. I’d want to read it again for the first time, because now I read it with distance – I’m no longer driven by shame or searching for myself like the characters in the book. Today, I take it in and notice the masterful emotion through lines and narrative arcs. It’s a novel written with exactitude that represents one of the best at his best. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of Giovanni’s Room, or of James Baldwin, but I do wish I could go back to the version of myself who had a tattered copy stuffed into the skinniest pants he could find. I’d shake him by the shoulders and say, ‘Read it! Read the book!’”
Creator: @GreysLifeLibrary (he/him)
Location: North Dakota
Book: Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
Synopsis: Kobabe’s (e/em/eir) intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, including the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, and facing the trauma and fundamental violation of Pap smears. Gender Queer: A Memoir is more than a personal story: it is a touching guide on gender identity for advocates, friends and humans everywhere.
From the creator: “I found a signed copy of this book by chance at a local bookstore a few years ago. I was initially captivated by the cover, but when I read the synopsis, I knew I needed to read it. This book quite literally changed my life. It helped me come to terms with my transness and truly made me feel seen and comfortable enough to be myself. This book has the potential to help so many people understand themselves, their loved ones and the LGBTQ+ community in general. In a time when the American government is trying to erase the history of trans people, it’s more important than ever to uplift trans voices, whether that’s authors, actors, models, creators, etc. Gender Queer: A Memoir has been on the American Library Association’s “challenged books” list for four years, which shows you its importance. I will forever recommend this book to anyone who will listen.
Creator: @JohneePixels7 (he/him)
Location: Ontario
Book: Lie With Me by Philippe Besson
Synopsis: Translated into English by Molly Ringwald – yes, The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles star – this story is about Philippe, who comes upon a young man who bears a striking resemblance to his first love. What follows is a look back at the relationship Philippe has never forgotten and a hidden affair with a gorgeous boy named Thomas during their last year of high school.
From the creator: “This book transported me to France in the ’80s with descriptions that felt vivid, and emotions that I also absorbed. It’s so beautifully crafted in both its writing and story. Will definitely reread this summer.”
STEPHAN PETAR is a born and raised Torontonian, known for developing lifestyle, entertainment, travel, historical and 2SLGBTQI+ content. He enjoys wandering the streets of any destination he visits, where he’s guaranteed to discover something new or meet someone who will inspire his next story.
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