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The Ultimate List of Goodreads Alternatives For 2023

When I introduced everyone to Bookshop in January, I was also learning about some alternatives to using Goodreads to track books for the year. I found a lot of alternatives and have tried a few; here is my takeaway.

What Is Goodreads?

Goodreads is arguably the world’s largest site “for readers and book recommendations.” It’s a social media site owned by Amazon that invites readers to record and recommend books. There’s an app, there are giveaways, groups – all the normal things you find with a social media site.

Throughout the year I track what I’m reading. And, like most of the world, I use Goodreads. I even post what I’ve read every month in my “mission” posts.

But the Goodreads website and app are both clunky. In fact, I recently learned that there have been little to no improvements since Amazon acquired the site. I’ve read about bullying issues in the groups and towards authors, and about people making up fake reviews. Don’t take my word for it, though; here are the articles I checked:

  • Why I’m Deleting Goodreads and Maybe You Should Too
  • 6 Reasons Why You Should Stop Using Goodreads
  • The Problems With Goodreads
  • Everything or Less That’s Wrong With Goodreads

What I Look For In A Goodreads Alternative

There are several things I look for in a Goodreads alternative:

  • The most important thing I look for is easy of use. Is it easy, mindless, and super-simple to navigate?
  • Is there both an app and a website? The older I get the less I want to only have an app. I want both an app and a website so I can sit at my computer and do data entry or browser or whatever. But I love the on-the-go flexibility with an app.
  • Can I scan books directly from the app? Having to search or otherwise hand-key is a pain.
  • Can I import books from Goodreads into this new app? For me this is a must. There’s no way I’m scanning or hand-keying years of reading into a new app.
  • Is that app/website modern or clunky?
  • More than numbers and statistics, are there graphs that visually represent what I’ve read?

Goodreads Alternatives I’ve Used

LibraryThing

I found LibraryThing before I found Goodreads, and it remains my favorite. It is a clunky, too, but I love that it’s still majority held by the founder of the company. As far as I know at this time (March 2023) a small, tight team runs the whole site.

The Home page of Goodreads alternative LIbraryThing
The Home page of my LibraryThing account.

The LibraryThing Home page defaults to an overview of my world. In the center you see “Your Books” which tells me I have 849 books, have written 42 reviews, have 24 collections and have rated 291 different items.

To the left is a simple text menu of different options like recent news, my feed, and recommendations. Further down are things to discover like books, reviews, community (groups,) lists, and more.

There is also a menu at the top of the screen with plenty of options. Here’s the Zeitgeist which gives you stats for all of LibraryThing.

The Zeitgeist page of Goodreads alternative LibraryThing

There is also one place to view all of your books. There are several different views. Here is the view of all of the covers.

One view of my library in Goodreads alternative LibraryThing

And here’s a view of the some of the different tags on my books.

A list of tags and collections associated with my LibraryThing books

There’s even a “local” feature that highlights places near you. I even added a couple of the Little Free Libraries that I know about into Mount Pleasant into the local listings.

The local page on LibraryThing

I’ve been on LibraryThing for a very, very long time and as such, I’ll stay despite the clunkiness. I was there when they were using paid memberships and bought a lifetime membership. And I’m still there now that the site is 100% free.

  • What Makes LibraryThing LibraryThing (2013 blog post)
  • LibraryThing celebrates libraries. Check out the list of legacy libraries LibraryThing has catalogued.
  • LibraryThing has a whole lot more going on than I can even mention. Things like flash-mob cataloguing, book pile contests, treasure hunts, and book haiku.

The StoryGraph

The StoryGraph is (at least for me) a new kid on the block. It’s feisty, entrepreneurial driven, and loaded with cool graphics and statistics. Find me on The StoryGraph.

I LOVE these graphics. This is what I mean by a modern, easy-to-use Goodreads alternative. You can click on any “pie” slice to see the books that fall within the selected category. I love knowing that I read mostly informative, reflective, mysterious, lighthearted, and adventurous books.

A pie chart showing all books read and associated moods in Goodreads alternative The StoryGraph.

The vast majority of the books I read are medium paced.

A pie chart of book pace in The StoryGraph.

And my reading is split between fiction and nonfiction.

A pie chart of fiction vs nonfiction in The StoryGraph.

Look at the different genres!

A bar graph of genres from The StoryGraph.

There are more genres, by the way; the screenshot only shows the top genres.

So what have I learned from The StoryGraph? I love books that are medium-paced novels around 300 pages that are mystery, fantasy, historical, reference, self-help, science fiction, romance, contemporary, or memoir.

As much as I love the graphs, as of March 12, 2023, you can’t scan books into The StoryGraph app. And that’s why probably will not use this as much as LibraryThing.

The StoryGraph also has a strong community, reading challenges, and giveaways. There is a Plus version available, and the programming road map for the future of The StoryGraph is public.

Bookstagram, BookTok & Other Social Media Alternatives to Goodreads

Authors, readers, editors, and others associated and enamored with books and publishing are all over social media. The only issue I’ve had with this Goodreads alternative is that while people are really enthusiastic about books, they aren’t always enthusiastic about the kinds of books I like.

For example, when I first joined TikTok, people were super enthusiastic about A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah Maas. I got a copy, read, and was disappointed. I liked the premise, but really hated the blood and guts.

On the other hand, one of the first authors I followed on TikTok was Mary Robinette Kowal. I just enjoyed listening to her talk about her writing process. And then I read The Calculating Stars, fell in love with her writing, and quickly read through (and enthusiastically recommend) the whole series.

Even More Digital Goodreads Alternatives

There are a ton of other digital options if you want to skip or escape from Goodreads. Here are some others. Links are correct as of March 12, 2023.

  • anobii
  • Basmo
  • BingeBooks
  • Blurbr
  • BookBrowse
  • BookDigits
  • BookHype
  • BookLikes
  • Bookly
  • BookMarks by LitHub
  • Bookroo (A book club for kids)
  • Book Tracker (App for iOs/Mac only)
  • BookRiot
  • BookSloth
  • Bookstr
  • BookTrib
  • BookWyrm
  • Candl
  • Copper Books
  • Cozy Mysteries List
  • Evernote (or Notion, Airtable, GoogleSheets.) Tried ’em all, love Evernote.
  • Fantastic Fiction
  • Hardcover
  • Inventaire
  • Italic Type
  • Liberry
  • Libib
  • Libreture
  • Likewise
  • Litalist
  • Literal.club
  • Lit.Hit
  • Litsy
  • LoveReading
  • Notes app on your mobile device.
  • Oku.Club
  • Read This Twice
  • Readerie (Website says it’s coming soon)
  • Readerly
  • ReadingList Book Tracker (Apple app. This link goes to the app in the Apple app store.)
  • ReadMore (Android app. Link goes to the app on the Google Play Store.)
  • Reddit
  • Revish, “Book reviews done right”
  • Riffle on tumblr
  • SearchAStory.com
  • SuiteBooks
  • The Greatest Books
  • Threadable (iPhone app)
  • What Should I Read Next
  • Zeneca

Analog Goodreads Alternatives

Want to go old school? Here are some analog ways to track what you’re reading or find new books to read.

  • Book Clubs: I’ve never been in a book club; it’s a group activity and boy, I avoid those as much as possible. But I always seem to enjoy the books I buy that are designed for book clubs.
  • Bookstores: There’s just nothing like wandering around a bookstore in the analog world and seeing what catches your imagination.
  • Friends & Family: Exchange books, get recommendations.
  • Hotels: There are literary & book themed hotels.
  • Library: When’s the a last time you were in your local library?
  • Magazines: It’s been a hot minute or two since I read a magazine, but they’re still around.
  • Paper and Pen: If you keep a journal, it’s a great place to track what you’ve read and what you want to read. And it’s worked for millenia!
  • Subscription Boxes: There are a whole load of book and reader themed subscription boxes out there.
  • Thrift Stores: Wander into a thrift store and see what kind of random book you can find. It’s rarely today’s best sellers, but it might be a best seller from 20 years ago

Your Turn

How do you keep track of what you’ve read? What are your favorite Goodreads alternatives? Which one should I try next?

Year In Books 2023

One of my missions this year revolves around writing. And writing means books: writing the second draft of a book plus sharing the books I read through the year.

Yes, I’ve done the whole Good Reads annual reading challenges and I’ve shared Amazon links…but I felt something was missing from those.

Bookshop.org

And then I learned about Bookshop.org. This company “connects readers with independent booksellers all over the world. More specifically, they given over 80% of their profit margin to independent bookstores.

My local, independent bookstore is Sleepy Dog Books. The community-focused boutique bookstore opened in downtown Mount Pleasant last year. It’s been a pleasure to have a bookstore just a few blocks from my house.

Just before Christmas I walked in and asked for recommendations for gifts. The two recommendations ended up being some of my favorite books this year: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.

I’m A Bookshop Affiliate

Once I learned about Bookshop and realized that I could get books and support my local bookstore (and walk in the bookstore, too) I jumped at the chance to be a Bookshop Affiliate.

For you, that means if you click through one of the links below and finalize a purchase, I earn a small commission. My affiliate store is also linked to Sleepy Dog, so some of that purchase will also benefit Sleepy Dog. (I’m not quite sure how all that works, it’s my first year doing this.)

(Disclosure: All of the links to books are Bookshop.org affiliate links. If you click through the link and finalize a purchase, I earn a commission.)

Bookshop Advantages and Disadvantages

The most obvious advantage is that any purchase from Bookshop helps me and my local, independent bookstore a little bit. It also helps keep dollars away from Amazon, which I contribute to enough over the year!

The biggest disadvantage I’ve found so far is that Bookshop doesn’t have the depth that Amazon or even Barnes and Noble has. For example, because I published my poetry book through Amazon KDP, it’s not available at Bookshop; maybe I should do something about that, right?

If it’s an older or out-of-print book, you may not find it at Bookshop because they (so far) don’t deal in used books. In turn that means you’re buying a new book which can be pricey at times.

Still, I feel the opportunity to support local, independent bookstores far outweighs the extra cost – especially when I’d buy the darned books anyway. This year, I’ll look to Bookshop first!

Favorite Books of 2022

  • D: A Tale of Two Worlds by Michel Faber
  • Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson
  • Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
  • The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (and the sequel The Book Woman’s Daughter) by Kim Michele Richardson
  • Anything and everything by Mary Robinette Kowal. This year I learned about the Lady Astronaut series and fell absolutely in love with both the story and the writing. Start with The Calculating Stars and, if you’re like me, you’ll read your way through the rest of the series in no time.
  • The Falcon’s Eyes by Francesca Stanfill
  • The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (and The Shadow Land by the same author)
  • The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
  • The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie
  • Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama

Felt Like Visiting An Old Friend, ie, Honorable Mentions for 2022

  • A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear. Sigh, the Maisie Dobbs mystery series is fantastic.
  • The Dressmaker’s Secret by Rosalie Ham (great if you loved the first book or movie)
  • The INFJ Writer by Lauren Sapala
  • The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti
  • The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna.

All Books Read in 2022

  • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
  • A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear
  • Birthright by Nora Roberts
  • Crossings by Alex Landragin
  • D: A Tale of Two Worlds by Michel Faber
  • Don’t Stop The Music by Hannes A. Jonsson
  • Fire Monks: Zen Mind Meets Wildfire by Colleen Morton Busch
  • Galileo’s Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson
  • Groupies by Sarah Priscus
  • How to Tell A Story by Meg Bowles
  • Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
  • Living to Tell The Tale by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
  • Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson
  • Memoir of the Sunday Brunch by Jula Pandl
  • My Antonia by Willa Cather
  • Owen 9 by George C. Wilson
  • Poor Man’s Feast by Elissa Altman
  • Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
  • Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan
  • Secrets of the Tides (also known as The House of Tides) by Hannah Richelle
  • Super Host by Kate Russo
  • Take the Long Path by Joan de Hamel
  • The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
  • The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
  • The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson
  • The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
  • The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
  • The Dressmaker’s Gift by Fiona Valpy
  • The Dressmaker’s Secret by Rosalie Ham
  • The Falcon’s Eyes by Francesca Stanfill
  • The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal
  • The Fire by Night by Teresa Messineo
  • The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
  • The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moritary
  • The INFJ Writer by Lauren Sapala
  • The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
  • The Last Mrs. Summers by Rhys Bowen
  • The Little Lady Agency in the Big Apple by Hester Browne
  • The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery Aames
  • The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
  • The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
  • The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti
  • The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie
  • The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal
  • The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova
  • The Shortest Way Home by Miriam Parker
  • The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
  • The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
  • The Yellow House by Sarah Broom
  • Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper
  • Wither by Lauren DeStefano
  • Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama
  • Write Away by Elizabeth George

Your Turn

What’s in your to-read stack for 2023? I’ve already worked my way through one book and am starting on another. I’ve found another interesting website to help track books (and I already have Good Reads and Library Thing;) so I think I’ll work on a comparison of the three sites.

What are you currently reading? What do I need to read?

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