Sharing books in progress became social media ritual and community-building practice, connecting readers worldwide while sometimes prioritizing aesthetic over actual reading.
The Practice
Currently Reading posts feature:
- Book covers with coffee/tea
- Reading nooks and cozy settings
- Progress updates and thoughts
- Anticipation for upcoming reads
- Aesthetic flat lays
The sharing makes solitary activity social.
Community Building
The hashtag built reader communities:
- Recommendations and discussions
- Finding like-minded readers
- Accountability for reading goals
- Celebrating finishing books
- TBR (to-be-read) pile commiseration
Reading became less isolated through social sharing.
Aesthetic Performance
Some Currently Reading content prioritized aesthetics over reading:
- Books as props for photos
- Trendy titles for social currency
- Perfectly staged reading moments
- More photographing than reading
The question: Are people reading or performing reading?
BookTok/Bookstagram Influence
TikTok and Instagram book communities (BookTok, Bookstagram) made reading cool again, particularly for young adults:
- Romance and fantasy normalized
- Diverse books amplified
- Author connections direct
- Reading challenges and goals
The communities drove significant book sales.
Reading Culture Shift
Social media reading culture:
- Made reading aspirational lifestyle
- Normalized genre fiction over literary snobbery
- Diversified what “counts” as reading
- Built fandoms around books
- Democratized literary discussion
Pressure and Comparison
Reading social media also created:
- Comparison (reading speed, quantity)
- Guilt about TBR piles
- Pressure to read popular books
- Reading for content versus enjoyment
- Quantity over quality focus
References: Reading statistics, BookTok sales impact, Instagram book community data, publisher social media studies