社群媒體如何引發年輕讀者中的讀書熱潮

Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are inspiring a new generation of book lovers. Communities such as BookTok and Bookstagram have made it easier for people to share their reading habits, book reviews, and recommendations. These online groups have helped some books and authors become viral sensations, and they are encouraging people to spend less time on screens and more time reading.

One example is Mia, a 14-year-old from Bristol. She enjoys watching book-related content on YouTube, but she now spends more time reading than watching TV shows or movies. Mia credits her friends for recommending books, especially the romantasy series Powerless by Lauren Roberts, which got her hooked on reading. She says reading keeps her mind active and allows her to escape into different worlds. Mia encourages others to try different genres, like romance or mystery, so they can find something they enjoy.

The BookTok trend has become so popular that many bookstores now have special sections dedicated to it. Holly Irwin, a 20-year-old who moved from New Zealand to the Cotswolds, started sharing book reviews on Instagram in 2021. She didn't enjoy reading as a child, but during the Covid-19 pandemic, she read the Twilight saga and became a passionate reader. Holly and her mother Maria opened Hollyhocks, a bookshop in Cirencester that specializes in romance novels. Holly's social media accounts have more than 149,000 followers, and she says people travel long distances to visit her shop. Certain subgenres, like hockey romance and cowboy romance, are especially popular and sell out quickly, thanks to BookTok.

The UK's publishing industry reached a record income of £7. 4bn in 2025, with increased sales of fiction, children's books, and audiobooks. Although romance book sales dropped by 15% in 2025, they are still twice as high as in 2019. Sci-fi and fantasy books, including the romantasy subgenre, saw a 42% increase in sales last year. Holly believes social media has a powerful influence on reading habits, helping people discover new books and escape into different worlds. She is proud to see her dream of owning a bookshop come true and enjoys connecting with fellow book lovers.