The Benefits of Goodreads.com (or the app!)

How many of you are familiar with Goodreads.com (or the Goodreads App)? How many of you simply couldn’t live without it? 🙋‍♀️ I used to keep a folder of sticky’s with books I’ve read. Epic fail to go through the folder every time I looked for a book (and it’s not something I want to drag along to a bookstore or library with me). Then I started a notebook, still, you have to look through it page after page. Trust me, you need Goodreads!

GOODREADS.COM

Goodreads.com: I use the website on my computer – when I’m nearing the end of a book I start my search for another and I use the website often!

Goodreads (the app): I downloaded the app from the App Store and use it on my phone (super convenient while in a bookstore or library) and on my iPad. Are you wondering what there is to love about Goodreads? Let me do a brief run down of what’s on the app/website (there is so much more than what you read below):

HOME

From the HOME tab, see books and reviews from other Goodread friends that you may follow. If you see a book that looks interesting or read a review that sounds intriguing, click the WANT TO READ button!

MY BOOKS

This area has everything that is personal to you in the way of books. It has three default categories, you can add more if you like.

READING: This is the book you are currently reading. You can enter a page number to see your progression if it matters to you.
WANT TO READ: These are the books that you have marked that you want to read. It’s nice to click on this link to see all the books you’ve added to read in the future. Never again wonder “what am I going to read next?”
READ: These are all the books you’ve read! You can rate the books you’ve read (1-5 stars, 5 = you loved book) and you can also write a review if you like. If you write a review with “spoilers” you can mark it as such so that people know they may not want to read on. I don’t like to write a review like what’s on the back of the book. I don’t read reviews where people describe each character. I write reviews like I like to read them, something like I loved the characters, the setting was fabulous, the writing fluent and beautiful, hard to put down, didn’t want it to end, can’t wait to read another book by this author… those types of things. Some write in depth reviews, some are short and funny, some are very helpful.
+ (plus sign at top left of app) allows you to Search for books, Scan book covers (I love this, it couldn’t be easier, open the app on your phone, tap the + in the app and select Scan Book Cover hold the phone over the book in view and it will pull it right up, then you can mark as currently reading 🙌. Using the + you can also Add to your Amazon books, see Recommendations and Create a New Shelf (other than Read, Want to Read, Reading). Try this app/website, it’s amazing!

DISCOVER

Having a hard time finding a book? Unsure what to read… not sure why it’s so hard but sometimes it just is. DISCOVER helps. You can scroll through books in many different categories to find your next read!

SEARCH

I love the Search function. I use it on this website, on my website, in email, pretty much everywhere it makes finding something so fast! Are you at the library and wonder if you’ve read the book before? Use the search function to find out. It has saved me more times than I can count. You can search by Title, Author or ISBN. ⚠️When you enter an author you really like to read you can click FOLLOW, that way you receive notifications when new books will be coming soon, when there is a giveaway to win a book prior to publication and to know when a book is coming soon/has been released. It’s so helpful!

Recommendations (I just added another book to my list by looking at this).
Reading Challenge: I do this each year, I surprise myself my usually reading more than the number I had guessed in my challenge, I don’t have a ton of time to read, but try to fit in a few minutes each day at least. Some stretches I can read longer and love that . (It’s why I love a cloudy/rainy day!)
Friends, you can follow friends or they can follow you to see what they’re reading and their reviews.
Best Books from each year – voted on by Goodreads readers!

SETTINGS

This is your account (email/password) and links to social media or Amazon books. As well as Privacy settings.

#whatchathink ??

Take a minute and check out Goodreads (links in orange above). It’s free and it’s easy. If anyone has problems creating an account comment/send me a message via the CONTACT ME form and maybe I will do a step by step post on how to create an account for those of you who would love to do this but are having trouble figuring it out!

Sharing the love of reading… ✍️ Until next time…