Book lovers have found a unique and vital sense of community thanks to TikTok, and one of BookTok's most popular creators, Cameron Capello, spoke exclusively with TAG24 about her experience on the platform, the value of shared passion, and her bookish hot takes.

With more than 470,000 followers on the platform, Cameron (@chamberofsecretbooks) is one of the most famous faces of BookTok, a side of TikTok dedicated to book discussions, reviews, and recommendations.

Her unique sense of humor combined with a deep passion for reading has culminated in an online presence that's impossible not to love.

Cameron was first inspired to start posting her own BookTok videos when she stumbled upon a clip of another creator's book-inspired daydream, where she described fantasizing about being swept away to the Highlands by a brooding Scotsman (as every true Outlander fan has).

The video immediately resonated with Cameron. "I was like, oh my god, I have these daydreams all the time," she said. "I have something to add to this!"

She then shared her first video on TikTok describing her own Outlander-inspired fantasy, and she soon gained a significant following of fellow book lovers thanks to her popular reading-related skits.

"TikTok was great because I had no idea that there were so many people like me," she said. "I obviously knew Outlander was big, but I didn't know other people were obsessed to the point I was. So, it just makes you feel so validated."

With almost 95 billion views of the hashtag #BookTok, it's clear that this community is much more than a niche collective of readers. As BookTok-recommended reads and authors skyrocket to the top of bestseller lists everywhere, it's becoming increasingly evident that this community is having a very real impact on a larger scale.

"I definitely think the power of TikTok and how a bunch of young people getting together with their love of reading has changed the entire book market," Cameron said.

With the influence of BookTok recommendations now well-established in the market, Barnes and Noble has capitalized on it with prominent #BookTok tables filled with the community's top picks. Many of the books are from genres that have been traditionally stigmatized or belittled in literary circles.

"I think one of the greatest things that came out of BookTok is getting away from this shame about reading romance and also empowering women not to feel bad about themselves for reading it," Cameron told TAG24.

Cameron admits that she used to feel too embarrassed to even browse the romance section at bookstores, but the community she's found on BookTok has made an immeasurable difference in becoming more confident about her passions.

"We've literally revolutionized reading, and I think it's made people feel okay with the type of books that they're reading because a lot of the times people will say that romance books are juvenile and not considered real books, but I think because there's such a mass audience bonding together with reading romance books we're all hyping each other up," she said.

TikTok's algorithm makes it the perfect medium for readers, as its highly-curated For You page allows users to discover new books that align perfectly with their tastes. BookTok has even spawned genres of its own, like Sad Girl Literature, that hone in on hyper-specific styles of books, unlike the more broad traditional genres.

"It's just this idea of people capturing identities that you had no idea had a name, and it makes you feel so seen," Cameron said. She particularly connected with BookTok's famous Sad Girl niche, saying, "When I first saw a TikTok about that, I freaked out because I absolutely love this aesthetic, this type of writing, and I didn't know it had a name."

In this way, TikTok has changed the game of book recommendations, largely for the better.

Much of what sets Cameron apart from other creators are her impeccably clever comedic skits that focus on everything from poking fun at romance tropes to documenting her quest to become a real-life Rory Gilmore.

"I grew up watching a lot of Saturday Night Live, so the idea of these small skits has always been in my head. I was a big theater person in high school, so I just like performing and doing accents and whatever," she said.

Her sense of humor has clearly resonated with other readers, as her comments are flooded with an endless chorus of the internet's highest praise – "literally same."

Cameron's passion for reading has led her to begin working on a novel of her own called Across the Telephone Wire. Drawing inspiration from books like Call Me by Your Name and Normal People, her current writing project is a contemporary romance set in a sleepy town in northern Italy.

The romance follows childhood neighbors Magdalen and Theo as they return home for Magdalen's sister's wedding. The novel will explore the pair's unexpected romantic connection and the "dark secrets" that emerge upon their return.

Cameron has documented her writing journey online and recently shared a few excerpts from the novel with her followers.

"That was the most intimidating thing I've ever posted because it's just so personal," she said. Her posts were met with an overwhelmingly positive response from her followers.

"It's actually inspired me to keep going," Cameron told TAG24. "I know at least a handful of people will read this book once I put it out, and they're excited about it."

Unapologetically sharing bookish opinions is a staple of BookTok, and Cameron gave TAG24 an exclusive run-down of some of her hottest literary takes.

With all the hype behind BookTok's most recommended reads, some are bound to be a bit overrated. Colleen Hoover may be the reigning queen of BookTok, but Cameron admits she was "underwhelmed" by Verity.

As for books that deserve more hype on BookTok, she strongly advocates for Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. "That book was so good, and I've never seen one video dedicated to that book on TikTok," she said.

Cameron also wants more attention for The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake. "The Atlas Six changed who I was, something permanent about me," she joked. "I loved that book so much, and I just want everyone to read it."

Like many other BookTok fans, Cameron has some strong opinions on the many common tropes in romance books. Her favorite tropes are two true classics: fake dating and forced proximity.

"I love when two people have to live together and they hate each other," she explained. "When you're living together, it's just different, and you're exposed to the other person, and I freaking love it!"

Of course, every romance fan also has their favorite ships. Cameron's top picks are Adam and Olive from The Love Hypothesis, Kaz and Inej from Six of Crows, Marianne and Connell from Normal People, Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter, and Wentworth and Anne Elliot from Persuasion.

As for where BookTok may be heading next, Cameron thinks a dark academia renaissance is on the horizon. The gloomy aesthetic is commonly associated with books like The Secret History by Donna Tartt and If We Were Villians by M.L. Rio.

Book lovers everywhere can keep up with Cameron's latest bookish skits on TikTok and check out her book reviews on Instagram (@thechamberofsecretbooks).