Entertainment in the form of 15 second videos. Is it now helping teens get back to reading?

According to research made by the American Psychological Association, less than 20% of teenagers read for pleasure while more than 80% of them use social media daily. 

This might be changing and it’s thanks to social media.

Colleen Hoover is a young adult (more commonly known as YA) and romance novelist. She has become one of the most influential writers for teens and young adults today, specifically girls ages 15-25. The popularity of Hoover’s books surged thanks to a Tik Tok trend of her best selling novel It Ends With Us. The novel gained popularity on the app in late 2021 when users began posting their reactions to its infamous plot twist. 

Hoover is known for her heart-wrenching, unpredictable details. 

“I was disappointed by the characters but I was enthralled by the plot twist,” said senior Carlota Matos, about It Ends With Us.

Hoover has published a total of 24 books with her most recent being Reminders of Him. It Ends With Us continues to be the highest ranked book on Good Reads while November 9 still holds the title of runner-up. 

“It was amazing. The beginning was super, wieldy, suspenseful and it’s an emotional rollercoaster throughout the entire book and the BOOM! You get thrown a plot twist.” said senior Samantha Santiago, about Verity.

Hoover is not the only author whose books have been popularized thanks to Tik Tok; nonetheless, her books have become popular on the ILS campus. Many students, mostly junior and senior girls, have been spotted around campus reading one of Hoover’s tearjerkers.

“I thought it was a heartwarming story, especially throughout the end. I learned that there will be a lot of bumps and in order to reach your goals you need to surpass your fears. It is a beautiful representation of life,” said senior Clementina Daboin regarding Ugly Love.