R E C O M M E N D A T I O N – B O O K T U B E R
Adrita Zaima, Nafisa Binte
Let us take a moment to think of all the things that we require on a day-to-day basis to sustain the healthy functioning of our mind and soul. For the majority of us, chances are, hidden somewhere in the long list of things, perhaps lurking between meals and sleep, lies Youtube. Fortunately for the bibliophiles out there, the inconceivably expansive categories of Youtube content does not exclude books.
A small but growing community of tight-knit book lovers has nestled out a corner in Youtube that is dedicated solely to books and bookishness. They identify themselves as Booktubers and have christened their little haven: Booktube. It won’t do justice in simply calling Booktube special. It is more appropriate to compare it to a magical world full of passionate individuals who aim to share their inexorable and inexplicable love for books with anyone who will take the time to listen.
Here are ten such members of the Booktube community that all bibliophiles need to (like, really, really must) acquaint themselves with.
withcindy
To say that Cindy has a pronounced disposition is a vast understatement. Cindy is an explosion of sarcasm, literary content, and depression, much like the cover photo on her Youtube channel claims. She is the perfect person to watch when you are in the mood for some book reviews with a bite.
Be it rallying for diversity in books or making grand statements against consumerism, cruising through underground books while eating spaghetti, or clowning on Booktube favourites while doing laundry — Cindy has got it all wrapped up in her book reviews. And she has the hottest takes on all things bookish. Not to mention, her videos have some of the most creatively quirky titles and thumbnails out there, specially designed to lure unassuming readers in and trap them in her world. Explore withcindy at your own risk because you WILL become addicted.
sansyreadsalot
From having an amazing bookshelf to propagating calmness in her videos, Sansy leaves no scope for not loving her and her channel. Sansy is guilty of having one of the most aesthetically pleasing bookshelves on Booktube. Just seeing her bookshelf in a few of her videos can make you want to jump through the screen and spend hours on end appreciating its beauty.
While discussing books in her soft, comforting voice, Sansy can pull you down memory lane, making you feel nostalgic about your favourite novels. One starts to have gratifying emotions after listening to her chew over her recent reads. If you are looking for perfect monthly reading wrap-up videos, then you have to visit sandyreadsalot.
jessethereader
Ever wonder where all the wacky tags and challenges on Booktube originated from? Chances are they are the brainchild of a certain individual who goes by the name of jessethereader on Booktube. With more than 8 years of Booktubing career behind him and over 400k subscribers, Jesse’s library of content is massive and houses nearly all forms of bookish videos imaginable.
His creations range from classic readathons and unboxings to the craziest yet most gratifying videos (looking at the chaos the ‘Flip the Page Challenge’ is) that a bibliophile can find on Booktube. In the sea of unboxings, Jesse’s certainly hits differently. There is something truly wholesome in watching him descend into fanboy mode as he unwraps these boxes and discovers bookish goodies dedicated to his favourite characters. These factors, coupled with his refreshing and energetic personality, will render you unable to fight the huge grin plastered across your face and the warmth spreading through your soul, should you choose to seek out jessethereader.
Stephs Romance Book Talk
One can say that nothing can beat the alluring aura that Stephanie emanates in her videos. The excitement with which she expresses herself is so infectious that one can get obsessed with her wrap-ups.
If you are looking for a voracious romance Booktuber, you will definitely find one in Stephanie. In many videos, she comes across as a sweet hailer of romantic books, and, in others, you find her as a trooper trampling on the books she hates. She never fails to amaze her viewers with her enthusiastic approach to reviewing books and discussing characters. The touch of love that StephanieUncensored presents her content with can raise your energetic spirit and make you devoted to romances.
BookswithEmilyFox
If you are looking for rant reviews that have equal doses of critic and pure anarchy, Emily Fox is the way to go. She is, quite literally, the queen of endless recommendation lists. It is evident that her videos partly (perhaps even fully) serve as a way for her to rave on all the books she hates and/or loves. Within her short videos, Emily somehow manages to precisely articulate enough of her thoughts about why she may or may not like something, giving viewers adequate reasons to either pick up a book right away or to avoid it like the plague.
Whether it be sci-fi, contemporary, classics, or even scientific non-fiction, her channel explores a little bit of everything. Plus, if you are a rookie trying to get into sci-fi, these videos of hers might be just what you need. And it is quite simply impossible to not fall in love with her while she’s showering you with bookish content in her charming French-Canadian accent.
If all this sounds appealing to you, then you must give Emily a shot. Who knows, her annual tirade on Goodreads during the Goodreads Choice Awards season might even become your personal favourite!
the farah project.
Farah is one of the few booktubers who does regular videos on graphic novels. She has an excellent taste when it comes to books. One can’t help but fall in love with the way she reviews the realistic elements of a book, and her creative book tags are always worth mentioning.
The way she dives deep in her book reviews makes you appreciate her insights. Hailing from UAE, Farah has a wise and lovable personality that makes you want to meet her in person and have a long conversation about nothing but books. If you are in search of a Booktuber with a comprehensive and amazing mindset, just go ahead and explore the farah project.‘s book reviews.
Daniel Greene
Are you the kind of reader who is into fantasy, fantasy, and nothing but fantasy? Or, perhaps, you are tired of enduring Booktube gushing about YA literature and just need a reprieve from it? Lucky for you, Daniel Greene has the full potential of becoming the new highlight of your subscription box.
What makes his channel an Eden for high fantasy lovers is that he approaches difficult topics and dissections in a breezy, lighthearted manner, making his content understandable and accessible for all of his audience. In addition, Daniel makes use of such wickedly devious humour (as is best seen in his hilarious yet informative fantasy news segments) that you can’t help but respect him as a creator. And if you are suffering from a reading slump and are in dire need of something to pull you out, then Daniel Greene, with his quiet enthusiasm about everything that he does and loves, might just be your best cure.
Booked with Jameelah
Jammelah is a 24-year-old obsessed with fantasy books, dragons, and avatars. Jameelah’s book reviews are as wholesome as her interests. You are going to smile when she uses her flags and annotations for her beloved books. Her book reviews are filled with the cuteness and amazing personality which she bears.
Jameelah’s cheerfulness never fails to keep your heart and soul warm. She is a Black American woman who never feels insecure but is known as a ray of sunshine for the way she reviews books in her wrap ups. Her book reviews are so frank that you will be held in an entranced flow while listening to her. She is also an expressive audiobook narrator. Explore Booked with Jameelah to have a chill day filled with wholesomeness.
A Clockwork Reader
If you are the sort of person who loves to snuggle up under a warm blanket and get lost in the world of books, then A Clockwork Reader is a must Booktube channel for you. Hannah has the magical quality of putting her viewers at ease, making them feel relaxed enough to simply forget all their worries and disappear into the bookish haven that she has woven for them.
Despite her traditional style of content — consisting mostly of wrap-ups, recommendations, and vlogs — Hannah is undeniably unique in the way that she presents her channel. There is something soothing in the way that she speaks about books and her journey of overcoming mental health issues. The way she talks about both the detrimental and positive impacts of her mental health problems on her reading life can resonate with a person at the most basic level. However, the things that can ultimately draw a book lover to Hannah’s channel are her reading vlogs. They possess the ability to irresistibly draw a viewer in, making them believe that the emotions that they are witnessing Hannah experience are their very own.
In addition, if you are a fanatic for Cassandra Clare (I mean, Clockwork is in the name) and V.E. Schwab, and like a dash of BTS and Avatar with your books, A Clockwork Reader might just be your next big love.
Yogi with a Book
As per Jocelyn’s Youtube channel’s name, she is a yoga teacher along with being a Booktuber. If your bookshelf is filled with books of magic, folk lore or mythological elements, then the videos of Jocelyn are for you. She is a Cuban-American booktuber who loves hosting readathons. You might think that magic related books are not that interesting, but your curiosity will know no limits once you begin to watch the videos of yogi with a book.
She is the co-host of Tome Topple, Latinx-a-thon and Latinx Book Club. You will feel intrigued, feel a personal connection, and experience your heart breaking and then healing at the same time while watching her wonderful wrap ups. You will believe that the best books can do magic while listening to yogi with a book.