BookTok, social media’s buzziest collective for literature-centred content, is landing at Żejt iż-Żejtun on September 28.
At the event’s annual second-hand book sale, a dedicated section catering to BookTok fans will debut, featuring the online community’s favourite reads.
Now a significant driver for the publishing industry, BookTok has generated millions of dollars in book sales and is notable for popularising a new crop of bestselling authors writing in new genres for a new generation of readers.
“BookTok is not in itself a genre, it’s a social media platform which has popularised certain kinds of novels,” writer Marcus Brewster, convenor of the book sale, said.
“Although the platform has launched many young authors, it’s also notable for propelling certain older book titles back into the charts.”
BookTok’s powerhouse author is Sarah J. Maas, whose A Court of Thorns and Roses (#ACOTAR) has established romantasy as a genre. Maas’s dominance has seen her ACOTAR series of spicy love stories set in fantasy realms dominate the New York Times bestsellers’ list.
Two other BookTok stars are romance writers Colleen Hoover and Emily Henry. Hoover is the author behind It Ends with Us, whose film adaptation is currently showing in cinemas, and its prequel, It Starts with Us. Rom-com queen Henry, author of Beach Read and Book Lovers, has all five of her novels in Hollywood development.
Dark academia is a sub-genre exemplified by Olivie Blake, whose originally self-published The Atlas Six owes its cult bestseller status entirely to BookTok word-of-mouth. Blake’s Atlas series follows in the footsteps of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, originally published in 1992. Now 30 years later, Tartt’s critically acclaimed novel has enjoyed a massive BookTok-fuelled renaissance and found a new generation of readers.
These, and other Booktok-minted titles by Celeste Ng, Gabrielle Zevin, Holly Jackson, Curtis Sittenfeld and Hanya Yanagihara will feature at the ‘Well-Read Books’ stand at 60, Triq San Girgor, Żejtun, on Saturday.
A curated selection of fiction and non-fiction will also be available, as well as cult, classic and collectible DVDs and CDs. The book sale starts mid-afternoon and runs until 11pm.
About Żejt iż-Żejtun
The event celebrating the olive-picking season and olive-pressing for oil will be held in Żejtun during the evening of Saturday and on Sunday morning. Organised by the Żejtun local council, it will start on Saturday at around 7.30pm with the Bandu (banns or proclamation) that will announce the event. A défilé of village folk and farmers on carts, carrying the olive harvest for pressing, will then parade along the streets of Żejtun.
Drummers and flag bearers in medieval costumes, together with folk singers and dancers, will provide the traditional musical input in celebration of a bountiful harvest.
An exhibition of agricultural tools, agricultural products and folk art will deck the village in traditional attire that will come alive in a celebration of colour, music, movement and food. Pride of place will, of course, be given to the olive tree. Maltese ftajjar and bread dressed in freshly pressed olive oil will be distributed for free tasting.
Olive trees and associated products will also be on sale. An audiovisual presentation will feature olive tree varieties and techniques for their proper cultivation.
The crypt of the parish church of St Catherine will be open for public viewing.
On Sunday morning, the parish will organise the traditional blessing of horses, cattle and pets. This will take place after the planting of trees by children who would have received their Confirmation this year.
The church belfries will also be open to the public.