How to Track Books You Have Read with Goodreads

Goodreads is a free app and website where you can keep a personal record of every book you have read, every book you want to read, and every book you are reading right now. Think of it as a bookshelf you carry in your pocket.

When you finish a book, you add it to your "Read" shelf on Goodreads. Over time, your profile builds up into a personal library you can look back on. You can also rate books and write short reviews for yourself or to share with friends.

One of the most popular features is the Goodreads Annual Reading Challenge. At the start of each year, you set a goal — say, reading 12 books in a year — and Goodreads tracks your progress throughout the year. It shows you how many books you are ahead of or behind schedule, which makes the goal feel like a friendly challenge rather than a chore.

Goodreads also recommends books you might enjoy based on what you have already read and rated. If you loved a certain mystery series, Goodreads can suggest similar books from authors you have not discovered yet.

You can follow friends on Goodreads and see what they are reading, what they rated highly, and what they recommend. If a friend whose taste you trust gives a book five stars, that is often better advice than a stranger's review.

Goodreads is owned by Amazon and works on iPhone, Android, and in any web browser. The app and website are completely free. You can connect your Goodreads account to your Amazon Kindle if you want your Kindle reading activity to sync automatically.