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What can you use the application for?


GoodReads is a social networking site with a difference; it’s designed specifically for book lovers. It’s a really easy way to find reviews about certain books and discover what you are going to read next. All of the reviews on the site are written by other members which means that they should be just like you. Recommendations from friends are much more valuable than reading expert reviews that mean nothing.
The site is extremely popular and in 2007 the site had over 600,000 active users and over 10 million reviews added onto the site.
The site features many of the standard social networking features, including profiles, interacting with friends, and leaving comments. The only real difference is that the site has bookshelves which are a list of books that they have read or are reading at the moment. You can search through other member’s bookshelves to find people that like similar books to yourself.

What is the history and popularity of the application?


GoodReads was founded in December 2006 by Otis chandler and is based in California, USA. The site has received over $750,000 in funding from various sources. Competitors of GoodReads include aNobii, library thing, and Shelfari among plenty of others.

What are the differences to other applications?


Unlike virtually every other social networking site this one revolves around books. Every member has a bookshelf which is a list of books that they have either already read or are reading at the moment. Other members can then search through your bookshelf to find out the types of books that you are interested in.

How does the application look and feel to use?


The site has quite a clean design that’s easy on the eye and also very easy to use. On the home page there is an option to sign up and create an account straight away. There is also a list of popular books and the worst books towards the bottom of the main page. It’s also possible to search for books by searching for the author, title or ISBN number. The community is great because you can use it to find a great book that you will really enjoy reading.
Adding books to your bookshelf is just a matter of searching for it and then clicking the “add to my books” button and give it a rating. You can also write a review if you want.

How does the registration process work?


If you want to contribute to GoodReads then you will first need to register for an account. You will then need to enter your email address, name and password. You can then invite your friends from your email account, or if you want to skip this then click the “skip this step” link at the bottom of the page. There is then a compatibility test where you have to rate a number of different books. This is used to determine which other users you are similar to. As soon as you have done that you can start using your account.

What does it cost to use the application?


The site is completely free to use and doesn’t seem to be supported by adverts. There are links to purchase books and presumably they will earn commission from this.

Who would you recommend the application to?


GoodReads is great for anyone that loves to read and is always looking for the next great read. Good reads makes it possible for people to identify the books that they will like without having to read the book.