Goodreads Blog

New Top-Requested Reader Feature: Did Not Finish Shelf

Posted by Elaine on March 13, 2026
We're launching a new feature based on years of reader feedback: the Did Not Finish (DNF) shelf is rolling out over the coming weeks. This has been one of our most requested features from readers, who have been creating custom DNF shelves for years to track books they started but didn't finish. By making this a default shelf option, we're responding to consistent customer feedback while giving readers better tools to manage their reading lives. Did Not Finish shelving counts will not appear on book pages.

 DNF Shelf feature screenshot

How It Works
📚 New default shelf: Readers can mark a book Did Not Finish the same way as Want to Read, Currently Reading, or Read.
🔄 Move books between shelves: Readers’ reviews, ratings, and reading history stay with their book.
📊 Record how far they got: Readers can update their progress before setting a book aside.
🎯 Reading Challenge Compatibility: Did Not Finish books with a read date count toward readers’ goals; books without one don't.