Goodreads is best described as a social media platform for book lovers. It’s an app that lets you keep track of everything you’re reading, set yourself challenges, and see what books your friends currently have on the go. Despite being around since 2007, the app has grown immensely in popularity, partly due to the BookTok trend sweeping the internet.
I stumbled across Goodreads after hearing about it from TikTok and quickly became an avid user. I like being able to document each book I read so that I don’t forget what I have read, and whether or not I liked it. For a while, I was all on my lonesome with no followers or friends on the app, but soon enough I convinced my real-life friends to hop on board the virtual book club.
Scrolling through the app I am able to see what everyone is reading, gather suggestions, and keep track not just of what I have already read, but what I want to read.
Set yourself a challenge
One of the most popular features of Goodreads is the reading challenge. You can choose how many books you would like to read in a year, and add each book you read to your challenge. The app tells you if you are on track, or if you are behind schedule with your reading.
The reading challenge also allows you to take a look back at each year and see which books you read. You can challenge your friends, or keep it personal and set your own target to smash.
Designed by book lovers
Goodreads was thought up by Otis Chandler, one of the co-founders, when he was looking through his friend’s bookshelf. He realised that, when searching for books, he would rather take advice from his friends than any random person or bestseller list.
Teaming up with his wife Elizabeth, the two of them built Goodreads from his living room. Elizabeth wrote the site copy, and Otis wrote the code.
Otis describes Goodreads as ‘a place where you can see what your friends are reading and vice versa.’
‘You can create “bookshelves” to organize what you’ve read (or want to read). You can comment on each other’s reviews. You can find your next favorite book. And on this journey with your friends you can explore new territory, gather information, and expand your mind,’ he writes on the Goodreads website.
Virtual bookshelves
As a serial organiser, one of my favourite features of the app is the ability to create and sort your own virtual bookshelves. When you search for a book on Goodreads, you have the option to add it to one of three bookshelves: want to read, currently reading, or read. However, you can also create your own bookshelf, allowing you to organise books you’ve read, and books you want to read whichever way you see fit. You could create a bookshelf titled ‘books I love’ or even organise your books by theme or vibes. It’s your choice.
Reviews galore
Every book on the app has a rating and reviews written by other readers, so you can see what others thought about it before you choose to invest your time (of course, only if you are someone who is interested in other opinions. Reading is a very personal hobby!). After finishing a book and adding it to your bookshelf or reading challenge, you can rate it out of five stars and leave a review, although this is not mandatory.
Your friends reviews will appear in your Goodreads feed, and you can even comment on their reviews and ratings.
If you are a book lover, an organiser, or even someone who is just interested in keeping track of what they read, Goodreads is the app for you.
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