Exclusive Interview
Stephanie Hinderliter on Falling Into BookTok & How ‘After’ Changed Her Life
Stephanie Hinderliter, also known as BookThoughtsWithSteph on social media, doesn’t consider herself an influencer. She especially never imagined that becoming one would fill her days. It started in 2019 with a dark romance series recommended to her by a friend.
“My son, who was seven years old at the time, was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, and I was just in a funk,” she shared with Swooon. “Then a friend of mine asked if I’d read the After books. And after I said, ‘No,’ she goes, ‘Good, I need someone who hasn’t read the books to go see the movie.'”
Stephanie grew up as a bookworm—Little Women and The Baby-Sitters Club were among her favorites—but she had never been as taken by a series as when she saw the film adaptation After.
“I went and saw the movie, and I could not believe what I was seeing on screen. I was just fascinated by their chemistry,” she explained.
From then on, Stephanie bought and buried her nose in the book (and later series) by Anna Todd, kickstarting her journey onto Instagram, where she thought it would be fun to talk about what she was reading. She now covers other upcoming book-to-screen adaptations and boasts over 15,000 followers. When it comes to what she discusses online with fellow romance consumers, Stephanie has prioritized one thing: positivity.
“No rumors, no drama, nothing like that,” she said. “I just really want to celebrate the story. That’s what I strive to do.” Having been in the online book community for almost five years, the pace of posting and editing nearly comes to Stephanie like it’s second nature.
“If I read a good book, all I want to do is talk about it,” she said. “And I want you to read it too or to go watch this new movie. And when you have the spice or the smut in the story, it just enhances the couple. It enhances the story.”
The romance genre in particular has been uplifting for the mother of three. “It makes me feel stronger as a woman,” she explained. “It makes me know what I want, what I don’t want. There’s just something about it.”
While not everyone in her life may understand her passion, Stephanie remains grateful for the community that does. “Of course, one time my husband picked up my Kindle when I was reading something very spicy, and he was like, ‘What is this?'” she said. “I said, ‘I don’t know how to explain this to you.'”
For Swooon’s Influenced series, Stephanie opened up about her latest adaptation obsessions, the book she’s most looking forward to reading in 2025, and what spice level she prefers when it comes to a good book.
This interview was edited for length.
Do you have a favorite adaptation that has come out recently?
Stephanie: Yes, I absolutely loved The Hating Game. It was very true to the book. And honestly, It Ends With Us. I was so blown away by that movie.
Any books that you’re excited to read in 2025?
Stephanie: Right off the bat, Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros. I’m just dying for it. And that fandom is fantastic. They bring so much energy. It’s completely worth the hype. And Amo Jones is one of my top authors, and she has a book coming out January 1 called Priest and His Anarchist.
What was your favorite rom-com of 2024?
Stephanie: The Idea of You. That one was so good, and I got to go to the premiere. It was such an experience and something that I’ll never forget. They did such a good job. I’m an August Moon fan for life.
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What’s your romance book of the year?
Stephanie: How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn. I could not stop reading it. I didn’t want it to end.
What’s your favorite love song of the year?
Stephanie: One of my faves this year was “The Alchemy” by Taylor Swift. It makes me think of Maxton Hall.
How much spice do you normally prefer in the book you’re reading?
Stephanie: I like spice, I’m not going to lie. I don’t want just the spice. I want the story, and I want the character, and I want the full circle moments. The angst and the build-up too.
Any fellow influencers who you admire or have met along the way?
Stephanie: I have a couple influencers who inspire me. I love their authenticity and friendship. GirlGotBooks, BooktasticBlonde, BooksandChatsWithNickiB, and BookishYou.
What makes you swoon?
Stephanie: I love enemies to lovers. I love quiet alphas, the one who is never going to fall in love but does. When he falls and they say “baby” for the first time, I love that. And honestly, age gap.
This is a big year for age gaps.
Stephanie: Yeah, we are definitely seeing more. It’s so interesting reading books from like 2012 and then reading the books of today, and the dialogue is so different. They’re really going there with their FMCs and their males. I love it. These kind of dynamics were taboo, but they’re not taboo anymore.
