Goodreads, the social networking site for authors and readers that lets you rate and review books as you read them, is extremely popular amongst book enthusiasts like me. The site allows you to friend others with similar reading interests, and review books that you are currently reading. It also offers a platform for new writers to get their works recognized, even if they are not on the best-seller list. I discovered Goodreads about 2 years ago, and ever since then I have used it to save the books I have read, books I want to read, and suggestions for the next book I might want to read.
Six months ago, the site launched a recommendation engine that figures out what you might want to read based on your past reading experience. It recommends new books in all different genres, and it doesn’t necessarily just recommend the most popular books either. This tool is great for an avid reader since most sites just recommend the best sellers, and most readers don’t get to delve into the unknown of the reading world. For me, this is great since I love to try out new authors and see what is up and coming in all genres of literature.
In September of last year, Goodreads welcomed their 6 millionth member. Although it’s a far cry from other social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter, the site is running well and new readers are joining daily. There are groups that readers have started that you can join to share more in-depth with others who like the same books as you. Authors can sign up in order to gain a new fan base and get extra publicity by talking about upcoming releases and venues they will be at. All in all, the site offers readers and writers alike a vast arena to share new works, gain new fans, and engage with others who enjoy reading just as much as they do.
Try it out. If you are an avid reader, such as myself, you might just find a new social site to add to your list. You can find the site by clicking here www.goodreads.com. Happy reading.
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