How do you find the books you read?

[i_love_autumn]

Originally Posted by silibran

OK, I created a Good Reads profile. Some time back I added a bunch of titles that I have read. What do I do with them? And what does Good Reads do for me anyway? It seems like it is just a bunch of book titles. It is overwhelming, and I can't imagine what to do with everything.

You create bookshelves to categorize them, which is a wonderful reminder of what you have read.

I love to read other's book reviews, so if you also review the books that you have read, it is a help to other review readers like myself. I don't know anyone who leaves a review for 'every' book they have on their bookshelves, but they usually at least rate 1-5 stars, so rate the ones that you don't review.

Goodreads is also a social site, where you can make new friends by interacting[posting] in the groups that interest you.

On your profile page, next to your picture or avatar you have chosen, is the option to 'edit profile',if you click this and then click-'Settings' you get this page~
You control who can see your profile. Your profile includes your information on the profile tab, your bookshelves, your friend list, and other Goodreads members’ comments on your profile. Your profile image thumbnail and your name will always be visible in some areas of the site, but you can hide your last name using the setting on the profile tab. Book reviews are always public and will appear on book pages throughout the site regardless of privacy setting.
Who can view my profile: anyone (including search engines) (?)
Goodreads members
just my friends
Public profiles may be indexed by Google and other search engines.

allow non-friends to follow my reviews
allow non-friends to comment on my reviews
Your reviews will always be public, but you can block users outside your friends list from following (subscribing to) and commenting on them.
allow partners of Goodreads to display my reviews
Goodreads allows some partner sites access to book reviews via an API. This access is granted in the spirit of openness with the goal of spreading the love of reading. Current partners include Google Books, WorldCat, and more. Uncheck this box if you don’t want the text of your reviews to appear on these sites.
Who Can Send Me Private Messages:
anyone just my friends
Share My Email Address With:
my friends no one

Friend Requests [I highly recommend doing this or sad to say~ you will get a zillion friend requests from authors who couldn't care less about being a friend, but just want to get their name out there, and make it appear that they have countless friends, if you create a group you also must restrict when/where they are allowed to post on your discussion boards]!

You can require other Goodreads members to answer a challenge question when sending you friend requests. Note that this doesn't apply to friends who already know your email address.
Challenge Question e.g., Why do you want to be my friend?
Make it easy — eg. Where did I go to college? What kind of car do I drive? What is my last name?

Require a challenge answer

Challenge Answer — your friends must guess this to friend you. Answers must be one word only.

Don’t require a challenge answer



Site Customization

show friend suggestions on my homepage
prompt me to recommend books to friends

When you click on 'RECOMMENDATIONS' at the top of any page it will give you a page/pages of recommended titles. Along the right side will be genres that you can click on for titles in specific genres, scroll down until you come to a box with these options~More Actions
Recommendations from Users
Give Recommendations
Ask for Recommendations
Books Marked as 'Not Interested'

Click 'Ask for Recommendations' and put the type of books you would like viewers to help you find. You will then find those recommendations when you click on the little arrow beside your little profile picture /avatar at the top right of every page.

Join some groups, then click on some poster's names-pics/avatars and check out what their profile pages and bookshelves look like, it will give you an idea. Explore the site.

Up at the top left of every page next to the goodreads name, is a search bar. Put in the title of a favorite book, then read some reviews left for it.Click on some of the reviewers that liked it as much as you did, to go to their page and click-compare books under their profile to see what other books you like in common, or click 'follow reviews', and be sure to click 'like on the book page where you liked their review. I have received 'Friend requests' at times after liking someone's review.

[i_love_autumn]

I did read the Regency romance~ Reforming Lord Ragsdale by Carla Kelly. Found it just ok, so gave it 3-stars.

I am still reading and enjoying~The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje, haven't finished yet because I have been busy watching my library's DVDs of the Brit Crime series Midsomer Murders, and Monarch of the Glen. My SIL and I love films with beautiful scenery. She discovered MM on Netflix, lol! Anyway, it has cut into my reading time.

[ylisa7]

Originally Posted by silibran

OK, I created a Good Reads profile. Some time back I added a bunch of titles that I have read. What do I do with them? And what does Good Reads do for me anyway? It seems like it is just a bunch of book titles. It is overwhelming, and I can't imagine what to do with everything.

1. You can start organizing a bit. At the top of the page "click" on My Books.

On the left side you will see "bookshelves" and (edit)

The automatic bookshelves are:
all
read
currently reading
to read


Use the edit button to create more bookshelves for your books like:
Favorites
Book of the Month Books
Fiction
Non Fiction etc.


That will be where you organize your books. To add books..find the book. There will be a "Want to read" button at the bottom of the book. Just to the right you will see a smaller green box with 3 white vertical bars. It kind of looks like books(sorry I have no idea what it is supposed to be). Anyway hold your cursor over the 3 bar section and you can add "that" book to one of your bookshelves. Just scroll down and click on one of your shelves and the book will be added. If you don't want to read it don't do anything.


2. To find recommendations from Goodreads go to the top of that same page and click on "Recommendations"

There will be recommendations based on your bookshelves. You can scroll over each book to see the description. If it looks good to you click on "want to read" if it doesn't click on "not interested"

There will be more books added for you to check out every time you "mark" one with want to read or not interested.

The recommendations will pile up.

I only go to that section about once a month now…I have so many books, lol.


3. I find a lot of my books through Groups….there are groups for all kinds of interests. How to find a group:
Again…at the top of the page click on "Groups"

You can scroll through and see if any of the groups on the page interest you. If not you can do a search for whatever you like. There are thousands of groups. Once you join a group you will see they are set up like forums. You can participate or not. I usually like to see the Book of the Month and also read the "what are you reading" sections. That is how I find a lot of my books.

Within the groups there are also group reads and discussions, challenges, free books, and games.

Like I said you can participate or just read the comments. If you don't end up liking a group you can always leave.


4. Friends…just like CD. If you see people who have similar interests as you…send them a friend request. Then their books will show up on your page when you go into GR. You will see what they are reading and any comments they make.



A couple of my groups…if you are interested…just put the name in the search bar in groups

BookWorm Bit*ches(I'm not allowed to spell it out on CD)-which is a fun group for women. They like to read mostly Chick Lit

The Life of a Book Addict-They have a lot of group reads. I get most of my free books from there to "Read with Publishers"

The Reading For Pleasure Book Club- A smaller group and a little more discerning in what they read.(for the most part)




That should keep you busy. I hope I didn't confuse you. I have been a GR member for 3 years and I am still learning things, lol..

Good luck.

[Nomad14]

Originally Posted by i_love_autumn

You are most welcome, just be prepared to become addicted, and for your TBR list to 'explode',lol!

Yep! I have 8 pages of just different bookshelves for my books on goodreads and over 2k books to read.

[ylisa7]

Originally Posted by Nomad14

Yep! I have 8 pages of just different bookshelves for my books on goodreads and over 2k books to read.

Shh…don't scare the new people, lol.

[netwit]

Originally Posted by younglisa7

Shh…don't scare the new people, lol.

I have already been scared away.

[crd08]

The internet lol I see what books people are reading and loving on forums like this and other websites. I've even read like random blog posts of peoples favorite "book quotes" and if I see a quote that I like I will find the book and read it.