If you are friends with me on Facebook you may have seen the occasional status post regarding progress I have made in books I am reading courtesy of Goodreads. If you haven’t checked out Goodreads yet, I highly recommend it if you are an avid reader such as myself. It is a website that is free to sign up and you can manage what books you have read, currently reading and would like to read.
The function of Goodreads doesn’t end at just managing your bookshelf. It can integrate with Facebook, GMail, twitter, Yahoo and Hotmail to try to link up with your friends. You never know if a book you friends are reading might interest you as well (and likewise for them). I have already found several recommendations both from friends and from the recommendation engine at Goodreads (based on the genre of books that you like).
Goodreads also has a giveaway program, called First Reads, where authors provide copies of their books and you can enter for a chance to win a copy. You can then post your review of the book on the Goodreads website which helps aspiring authors, and current authors, spread the news of their latest novel. It’s a pretty spiffy feature.
There are apps available for your mobile devices so you can manage your bookshelf while on the go including an ability to scan a book using your phone. They also integrate with eReaders, though so far it seems its only the Kindle, I have not seen where they offer nook versions.
I’m really impressed with this site and it can become pretty addicting. My to-read list seems to grow daily so I guess that’s a caveat as well 🙂
/Cheers!