Portage Woman Gains 57k Followers On Tiktok For Her Love of Books

I've said it before and I'll say it again. While Tiktok, like all other social media apps, has the potential to be toxic it also has the potential to create and connect you with your community. This is the perfect example:

Meet Rachel Skye, or @rachelskyereads on Tiktok. Rachel, as her username suggests is a reader. And with over 57,000 it's clear she's found her niche and her community through Tiktok. Or, as Rachel calls it, Booktok.

Reaching out to Rachel I asked what made her want to start a Tiktok specifically about books. She said,

I've always been a reader but used to get teased heavily because of it. But, I've found my people on Tiktok. I stumbled upon Booktok by accident and started getting more followers when I shared my husband was reading my favorite books to get to know me better.

Based on a few of her Tiktoks I guessed that her favorite genre was fantasy but, she said she likes fantasy, sure, but always goes for books that have any kind of "world building". She continued saying that her favorite part was living through the characters. Here are some of her recent reads:

She gives monthly reading reviews for fellow members of Booktok:

Get our free mobile app

Gives tips about where to find books for cheap:

And gives recommendations on new books based on what you loved when you were younger:

As someone who's always on the hunt for a new book, I LOVE those comparisons. It's so useful to have a guide based books you loved in the past.

While the main focus of her page is reading and books, she also dives into things like consent and how it starts in childhood. She shared a video earlier this year about something she witnessed on a playground that received over 1 million views:

And Rachel has her own Etsy shop! I don't know how she finds the time between reading, being a mom, life in general and running your own online store. Absolutely incredible. You can check out her Etsy shop, Bookish & Bold, here.

Through our conversation I made a remark about how surprising I find it that so many people simply don't read anything. And her response was so eloquent. She said,

I think they probably don't read because they haven't found a genre they connect with or because they haven't found a medium they enjoy. I switch between physical copies and audiobooks frequently depending on my lifestyle at the time.

Whether you need book recommendations, just want to feel at home with other book readers, or need a laugh (check out this video of Rachel reading phrases from a "spicy" book to her asexual sibling and straight partner), then find Rachel on Tiktok at @rachelskyereads.

We feature a SW Michigan Tiktok creator every week for Tiktok Tuesday. If you know of someone we should highlight (or want to nominate yourself) simply fill out the form below: