How do you use goodreads?

[Steve]

I love this site dearly. My reading has increased ten fold since I found it, I now know how to find books that I will like. I'm wondering if anyone can chime in on how they use the features on this site. Personally, I mostly search for books I've heard good things about, and after I read a particularly good book, I search for similar books and/or authors. My main gripe is the 'Home' page. The Discussion listing is ALWAYS displaying HUNGER GAMES. ugh. Yes, I read it. Yes, I enjoyed it for what it was. No, I don't want to discuss it ever again. Any way to hide this from the discussion feed? Any pro-tips?

[Steve]

I never touch the page number feature, can't be bothered! I suppose if I were to put a book down for a few months it would be useful, but I just don't read that way..

[Kelly]

I use the page number feature a bit. It's great to give me some motivation to get through a book I don't enjoy as it gives me a target to reach. I also do a lot of reviews and even if they aren't read, it helps me to formulate my ideas on the books and what I want in the future. I also use lists a LOT. It's my favorite feature so far!

I've tried to get into a few book clubs but I hate the formatting of comments on this site. It's unorganised and disruptive to a properly flowing conversation. I wish they would change it!

[Dylan]

Aside from the common features I use the community recommendations system a lot, and sometimes search for books in the What's the Name of that Book group - I've found a lot of books that interest me by searching for stuff on behalf of other people.

[Zack]

I find the best aspect of this site is being able to follow other peoples activity. I am far more likely to read something that someone who has a similar interest in me is reading, or has rated, or lists to-read. I think if Goodreads pushed finding users with similar interest more, I would use the site every other day, at least.

I use the page number, I think it's fun. I like seeing how far into a book I've gotten and like keeping track of how long it's taken me to read it.

[Ted]

Mostly the user reviews for me. I mostly listen to audiobooks, and while the field is growing it is still limited in comparison to print and ebook publishing. So I'll see what titles are available from my library, and go check reviews here. That brought me to The Night Circus and other great stories I wouldn't have tried without someone to back me up.

[Steve]

Zack, I too wish that this site had an easier way to 'find' similar users. I mean, we can store favourites, why not show others with similar favourites?

[J.D.]

If you have a favorite book, you can go to the book page and see who else has added the book. Then you can click on their profiles and use the "compare books" function to see how closely their tastes match yours.

It's not exactly easy, but it's not exactly complicated, either.

[whimsicalmeerkat]

Friends

[Tory]

I listen to a few book podcasts, so I really like to add the books that sound interesting to my to-read shelves to remind me about them later. I also love keeping track of how many books I've read over a period of time.

[Ben]

I used to have a word document of books I read and I was really excited when there was a website I could store the info and organize it.

I mostly like sorting books and the 'to read' feature, which I always go back to whenever I'm at the library.

I write reviews and rate things, but it's only for my own personal use. I'll give a 'more objectively good' book a 1 star review if I didn't like it, or a bad book a review of why it was important to me.

I don't really use any of the social features, though it it interesting to look at other people's book lists.

[Ken]

I use Goodreads as my library organization tool. I have 1,000's of paperback scifi books and kept buying duplicates. I use the "read" and "to read" like everyone else, but I also have bookshelves such as "owned", "paperback", "hard cover", "first edition", and "didn't finish". I have over 1,000 books in my "to read" as they are books I own and I don't have a clear record of the last time I read them. I am slowly working though the stack and reading them and sorting out the books I no longer want.