Top Ten Tuesday is a regular feature on Pop! Goes The Reader in which I count down my top ten choices on a particular theme. This weekly event is hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.
A couple of weeks ago, the Top Ten Tuesday topic on That Artsy Reader Girl was “Favourite Book Blogs and/or Websites”. Because I had another post already scheduled for that particular day (Kit Frick shared ten novels to hep you through a toxic friendship or friend breakup – check it out!), I wasn’t able to participate. That said, I couldn’t get the topic out of my mind, and I knew immediately I wanted to circle back to it at a later date. No matter how large or small your audience, blogging can often feel a little like shouting into the void, so hearing positive feedback from someone who has enjoyed something you’ve created can make a huge difference! I’m definitely guilty of not always taking the time to comment or otherwise contact the creators whose work brings me joy, and I thought today’s post might be a nice way to thank them for all of their hard work and creativity. I’m still relatively new to BookTube so my list is quite small at the moment, but I’m always open to suggestions, so if you have a favourite BookTube channel you think I might like, please leave recommendations in the comments below – I would love to hear from you!
As always, these choices are listed in no particular order.
YouTube Channel ● Twitter ● Instagram ● Goodreads
If I’m ever in a reading slump, A Clockwork Reader is the first BookTube channel I turn to. Hannah’s passion for books and enthusiasm about reading are infectious, and few things will inspire me want to pick up a new book faster than watching one of Hannah’s videos on her awesome marathon reading sessions, like “I Read 6 Books In One Day?!” or “Reading For 24 Hours!“. I wish I had the focus and dedication to be able to do this! Whether she’s reading for hours on end, exploring the contents of a subscription box or chatting about what she’s currently reading, Hannah feels like such a warm, sincere presence in the community and she always makes reading look like so much fun!
YouTube Channel ● Blog ● Twitter ● Instagram
I was first introduced to Ashley’s work and channel, Bookish Realm, back in 2016 when she shared her powerful, insightful video, BookTube and Its Lack of Diversity, and I’ve looked forward to new videos on Ashley’s channel ever since. Over the years I’ve learned so much from Ashley regarding how to best use my platform to advocate for diversity and inclusivity, both in regard to the books I choose to read, feature and/or support and being mindful of how I can be a better ally and friend to those in the community, whether they be bloggers, authors, or other publishing professionals, particularly those who might otherwise sometimes feel left behind or excluded. In addition to Ashley’s important and relevant commentary on the state of the community, another aspect I really love about Ashley’s BookTube channel is how widely-read she is. All too often you hear bloggers and BookTubers discuss the same small selection of books each month. Ashley reads across a wide variety of genres for a range of different age groups, and I love that her content isn’t necessarily limited to the most recent releases or what’s popular in the moment. I’ve discovered several new-to-me books because of her channel and I’m so grateful to her for that!
YouTube Channel ● Twitter ● Instagram ● Goodreads
When India Hill announced the forthcoming publication of her (currently untitled) 2019 middle grade debut, I couldn’t have been more excited! I can still remember watching her I Have A Literary Agent! video a year ago and it has been such a pleasure to be able to follow along on her journey to publication ever since, from her opportunity to blurb a book to her book deal announcement. Like many of my favourite BookTubers (and YouTube creators, generally) India also shares snippets from aspects of her personal life outside of book and reading-related news, including this beautiful video on her recent wedding and candid videos about writing, all of which make her channel really well-rounded and special. I would love to be able to work with India and have her stop by Pop! Goes The Reader in the future, so this will (hopefully) not be the last time you see her name on my platform! She’s a gem.
YouTube Channel ● Twitter ● Instagram ● Goodreads
As someone who loves everything true crime and mystery-related, Lianne’s channel is a wonderful resource when I’m looking for recommendations and opinions about books being published in these genres. Lianne is so well-read and knowledgeable in this area. It feels as though there are more and more thrillers being published every month, so it’s nice to have someone who can help to separate the ordinary from the extraordinary. Lianne’s videos are lively and full of personality, and I always look forward to her Tops and Bottoms wrap-up video in which she shares her favourite and least favourite books of the month!
YouTube Channel ● Twitter ● Instagram ● Goodreads
Marines’ BookTube channel is the one I’ve been subscribed to the longest, and remains the one I love the most. Marines has this wonderful ability to summarize her feelings about each book she reads in such a succinct, eloquent way that I sincerely admire and I’m always so excited to hear what she thinks about books, blogging, and the community in general. Marines’ views are honest, analytical and deeply insightful, and she’s one of the voices whose opinions I trust most when determining whether a book might be right for me or not. I have so much respect for Marines and what she creates and I’m grateful she’s willing to share it with us.
YouTube Channel ● Twitter ● Instagram ● Goodreads
Monica’s corner of the BookTube community can only be described as a cheerful ray of sunshine. There’s so much to love about Monica’s channel and the content she creates, I hardly know where to begin! In addition to the channel’s overall lovely, pastel aesthetic and Monica’s seriously enviable fashion sense, one of the things I love most about the content Monica shares is the variety of it all. Whether she’s opening up about books and nostalgia, sharing her summer fashion haul or talking about her favourite bookstores, Monica’s videos are always creative, fun, and special. It feels like Monica shares a little piece of herself in every video, and that you’re being given an opportunity to really get to know her, in a genuine, personal way that not all BookTube creators and channels are able to accomplish.
Now it’s your turn! Who are some of your favourite BookTube creators and channels? Let me know in the comments – I would love to hear from you!
