Bookworms and Goodreads go together like a morally gray villain and an angsty protagonist. But do you know how to use Goodreads?

Even though you know what Goodreads is, are you making the most out of this book-awesome app?

Here’s my ten cents on just what makes Goodreads a bookworm must and how you can do more with your account:

1. Track the Books You Read

I love that rush of serotonin that comes every time I move a book from the TBR list to the READ list!

Goodreads keeps track of your progress and lets you look back fondly (or not so fondly) on all your past adventures.

Basically, Goodreads is your digital reading journal. You can keep a comprehensive record of the books you’ve read, complete with the dates you started and finished them.

To track a book you’ve read, simply search for it on Goodreads, click on the book’s title, and mark it as “read.” You can even rate and review it, which brings us to the next point.

2. Leave Reviews

One of the most engaging parts of Goodreads is leaving reviews and ratings for the books you’ve read. Reviews provide a way for you to express your thoughts, connect with other readers, and contribute to the larger literary conversation. Your reviews can be as brief or as detailed as you like.

If you are an especially awesome book reviewer, you may even receive an exclusive invitation for a book ARC.

Not only does writing reviews help other readers make reading choices based on positive or negative elements in the book, but it also allows you to organize your thoughts about the book and keep a personal record of your reading experiences–again, reading journal for the win!

3. Join a Community

Social media is as popular as it is today for a reason. People love to connect and especially look to connect with like-minded people.

I don’t know about you, but books are a pretty big part of my personality, and it’s a huge determining factor when making new friends.

Goodreads is home to a diverse community of readers. You can join or create book clubs, participate in discussions, and follow your favorite authors. 

Connecting with a Goodreads community makes reading more fun by providing a space for sharing your passion, getting book recommendations, and engaging in insightful conversations.

4. Find Book Recommendations from Like-Minded Readers

The Goodreads community is a treasure trove of book recommendations. You can discover books tailored to your preferences by checking out the shelves of readers just like you, joining groups dedicated to your favorite genres (hello fantasy lovers!), and following users with similar reading tastes. 

Goodreads also offers personalized book recommendations based on your reading history and preferences, so you can book binge for days without running out of captivating reading materials.

5. Set Reading Goals

Setting reading goals is a great way to challenge yourself and stay motivated to read.

Wait, what? There are people who aren’t motivated to read?

Hear me out, sometimes life just gets in the way. As much as I love reading and go through book binges, I also hit reading deserts.

These are times when work, family, and other obligations just keep getting in the way. When I have a few minutes, my first impulse is usually zoning out to Instagram reels about…well…books.

Goodreads lets you set an annual reading challenge where you choose a target number of books to read in a year. Don’t worry, you can change the number if (like me) you were A LOT more motivated in January than you were by the time June rolled around. The platform will track your progress, making it fun and easy to stay on top of your goal. Which, as you can see below, I’m not. In my defense, some of those books were hefty reads!

6. Keep Track of Books You Own

Goodreads allows you to catalog the books you own, both physical and digital copies. This feature helps you avoid accidental double purchases and ensures you always know what’s on your bookshelves. 

You can also use it to create wishlists and organize your books by genre or theme.

I’m not going to lie, I don’t actually use this feature. It’s a little clunky for my taste and doesn’t allow enough organization. You can check out my favorite app, BookBuddy, which I talked about on another post. But for some people, Goodreads is enough to meet their organizational needs.

7. Enter Giveaways

Goodreads frequently hosts book giveaways where authors and publishers offer free copies of their books in exchange for reviews. Participating in these giveaways can be an exciting way to discover new authors and genres while contributing to the reading community.

I never won anything yet, but I do know I don’t win competitions. I have literally entered competitions with only one other person and I still lose. But if you have a little more luck than me, you’re sure to win some fun book surprises!

What’s Your Favorite Goodreads Feature?

Now that you know how to use Goodreads, what are you going to do next with it?

Goodreads is more than just a book-tracking app–it’s a dynamic platform that transforms your reading experience. My list isn’t exhaustive, and I’d love to hear more ways to use this app created by the book queens and kings of our world.

Do you want another Goodreads friend? I’m on Goodreads as LilyBlossomBooks. Follow me to see what clean books I’m reading and reviewing.

Happy reading!