At least — I used to. Before I found ✨ The Storygraph. ✨
Let's back up a second. For those of you who don't know, Goodreads is an online platform where readers can keep track of what they read, review titles through a 5-star rating system, group books by list, join community book groups, enter giveaways, and more. It is the most popular reading platform that I know of.
BUT...it's not great. In my opinion.
To be totally honest, it feels dated. The interface could use a sleeker update, it's constantly buggy (lookin' at you, search bar), and I don't LOVE the rating process — which I'll talk about more in a bit. While there are some good things about it (I do like the way they let you create lists of books), I am ready to give it up completely. All because of The Storygraph.
Let me tell you why you should make this switch with me.
First of all, the homepage is *perfection.* It's minimalistic but catchy, and there are no ads. The first thing you see is recommendations curated for you based off what you've read and are reading. You'll also see your to-read pile, what you're currently reading, and what others are reading.
Here's what your profile page will look like. Again, super clean! Your page shows viewers what you're currently reading (can you tell I'm a mood reader), what you recently read, what types of books you tend to read, and what's on your to-read list.
The biggest difference between Goodreads and The Storygraph are their rating systems. The Storygraph offers you a list of really helpful questions, and then takes that information into account when recommending the book to others. So for instance, if someone else likes reading dark and tense novels that are fast-paced, The Last Mrs. Parrish might come up.
And then, if you want to, you can rate the book and add your review. This will look similar for those familiar with Goodreads. Also, I love that it gives space for content warnings. I feel that's important to flag to readers!
Another huge difference is the book's homepage. On Goodreads (seen on the right), the first thing you see is the rating and description. Users know that Goodreads only lets you rate on a full-star system. However, on The Storygraph you're able to rate using full stars, half stars, or quarter stars. You can see the labels users created for the story ("fiction," "emotional," "reflective") and then the description. But if you scroll all the way down...
You see all the data submitted from the reading community that will tell you a little more about the book. And if you scroll even FARTHER, there's the rating. I like that the rating is strategically the last thing you see, honestly.
The Storygraph gives you a few options that Goodreads doesn't. For instance, you can mark a book as "did not finish." (Which I did not do for this one, by the way. I'm in the middle of it and thoroughly enjoying it!) Also, when you click on that little "buy" link, it takes you to Bookshop!
One of the coolest parts of The Storygraph is that you can create or join challenges, as seen here.
Shoutout to Katie A for listing our spring reading challenge! Basically, you create the type of challenge and list the prompts. Others in the community can join in. (Pssst: If you want to join BuzzFeed Books fall reading challenge, join here!)
However, there are a few things that make Goodreads different from The Storygraph.
The biggest difference is that Goodreads shows every review left by a member on the book's page. They are ranked by engagement levels. So if a user ranks a book 1 star and it has 500 comments and likes, it will ideally be stuck at the very top of a book's page — even if the majority of the reviews are 4 or 5 stars. Also, Goodreads is owned by Amazon. The Storygraph isn't.
I also wish The Storygraph listed book details like Goodreads does: Original Title, ISBN, Edition, Characters, Setting, and Literary Awards.
Here's what I won't miss. 🙃
I rest my case. The Storygraph is minimalistic and user-friendly, and it still fosters a reading community. The only thing I wish it had were more book details and an option to create lists like Goodreads. Other than that, it's a great way to keep track of what you're reading!
