Many people are having problems finding books and getting awesome reads. So I came up with some platforms and social networks that allows you to read books and also get to interact and meet other book lovers and avid readers. You can also get book recommendations and read interesting reviews.
Good Reads
I have been using goodreads since 2012 and I must confess it has served as a perfect resource for checking good books and reading their reviews. This titan of personalised book recommendations uses algorithms created by an engine that "analyses 20 billion data points" and has a very strong social component. Goodreads allows you to organize your own virtual library, create a wish list and find out what your friends – or other members of the community – are reading and reviewing.
It also includes quizzes, quotes, its own awards and even a reading challenge. I am currently participating in the reading challenge and I have read 28 out of 100 books I plan on reading this year. YIPPEE!
Check it out: Goodreads
Whichbook
Whichbook takes a completely brilliant approach to reading as it classifies titles by feeling, mood or state of mind. You can move the sliders from "happy" to "sad" or from "safe" to "disturbing" and Whichbook generates a list of best matches. If you can't decide where you sit on the scale between "beautiful" and "disgusting", then there are also curated lists ranging from "Short and sweet" to "Laugh your pants off".
A quick search for something "down to Earth", "serious", "unpredictable" and "demanding" it would come up with amazing results.
Check it out: WhichBook
I know most people would scream, Instagram? Seriously? Yess. Apart from posting your hilarious jokes and awkward selfies. Instagram also has a large community of readers. Since I started using instagram, I have discovered a whole lot of Instagram readers. A quick search of #Bookstagram and #Bookish would give you awesome results of users to follow and get book recommendations from.
Check it out: Instagram
Amazon
The online shopping giant has allowed readers to review books for almost 20 years, making the site a massive resource for book recommendations.
Check it out: Amazon
What should I read next
All this social network does is simply to enter a book you like and the site will analyse their huge database of real readers' favourite books to provide book recommendations and suggestions for what to read next. You can also browse the results by subject. It's as straightforward as they come and it doesn’t make you log in or have an account. You just type in a book title or an author you like and it gives you a list of books you might also like.
Check it out: What Should I Read Next
My Independent Bookshop
This social medium allows you to enjoy the thrill of discovering great new reads that have been recommended to you – books you’d never have got to know otherwise. And the best thing? It all happens through your very own bookshop – a shop you can design and theme any way you please.
Simply pick the 12 books you love and put them on display. Write recommendations and share them with friends. Then change your collection as often as you like, by season, genre or mood – the possibilities are endless. Also the best part is that this social medium allows bookshops to open a shop on their site.
Check it out: My Independent Bookshop
JellyBooks
Scrolling down in this endless sea of book covers is a visual treat, that is why it is the only booksite that simulates the bookstore experience the best. Clicking on a book gives a summary, a sample (with login), a link to buy through a variety of sites, the opportunity to share a sample with friends or on a social media site, and the request for a deal. However, when i searched a little deeper, I discovered that their collection is rather limited. On the plus side, the site offers the opportunity to get free samples (the first 10% of each title) and links to buy ebooks.
Check it out: Jelly Books
Riffle
Created by the Facebook marketing platform Odyl, Riffle has been described as and Goodreads for book discovery. It works in a similar way to Goodreads but is much more visual with much less noise. Recommendations are based not only on your favourite past reads, but also on reviews from your friends and other key users, such as authors, publishers or expert readers, who you are encouraged to follow from the very beginning. You are actually forced to follow four other readers when you sign up. It also allows users to create thematic lists very simply.
Check it out: Rifflebooks
Your Next Read
Your next read is also a fantastic social network for Book Lovers as it helps you to find books, recommend books to others and link you to Amazon and goodreads. YourNextRead happens to know that browsing and searching for a book without a title or author in mind is very difficult. In fact trying to find new authors is quite a difficult task. In this vein, the social network made discovering, buying and enjoying a book very simple.
Check it out: Your Next Read
Amab Books
Finally, for readers in Nigeria who are having problems choosing fantastic books especially books written by Nigerian authors. Amab books provides you so many books to choose from and they also ship in books as long as you text them the titles you want. Though the website is not updated with new books, their instagram page and Facebook page is allows you to a wide variety of books to choose from, It is easier to find self-published books here.
However, apart from bookselling, Amab books also allow allows use to sell your old books or exchange them for new ones. Amab Books also organises Bookish events from Poetry readings to Book Launch.
Check it out: Amab Books
To be honest, all of the social medium listed here are based on my own preferences. None of these websites have quite the same feel as going to a bookstore or having a book club.