resources
Where Do You find Books To Read
This has been a struggle for me in the past. I often found myself running out of books and searching for something new to read, which led me to browse bookstores. Each visit is a wonderful experience; independent shops have a unique charm, often showcasing local authors, and the smell of books is irreplaceable. However, there were times when I left empty-handed, without anything that sparked my interest.
To tackle this, having a collection of online tools for discovering books is essential. Here are some ideas that may inspire you.
Now, I face a new challenge: a to-read list that keeps expanding, which is, in fact, a wonderful problem to have. I used to feel overwhelmed by this, but I’ve learned to embrace the reality that countless books will always remain out of reach. That’s why it’s so important to focus on reading what you love. Don’t linger on a book that feels just okay; there are countless extraordinary stories waiting for you. And don’t let that ever-growing pile of unread books weigh you down; it’s always there with your next book!
I will continue to add to this list with your suggestions and any helpful resources I come across. Please email or comment with your favorites, and I’ll include them.
Major Platforms
Five Books - They ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview. This site has an archive of more than 1700 interviews and 8000 book recommendations. They publish at least two new interviews per week.
The Millions - A great online publication devoted to books. Check out The Great Fall 2024 Book Preview as a good place to start.
100 Best Books of the 21st Century - NYT Gift Article
The Best Books of 2024 - The New Yorker
NYR Of Books - The New York Review Magazine is over my head and usually out of my wheelhouse, yet I still enjoy it and find it helpful. Although I usually only read one or two articles, the ads are mostly for books, and It’s been a great place to find new books that I would never have ordinarily seen.
New Books To Read in 2025 - Penguin Random House. It also has a good weekly newsletter about their books.
Red Pen Reviews - Expert nutrition book reviews that sort fact from fiction
GoodReads - Amazon company
StoryGraph - A fully-featured Amazon-free alternative to Goodreads
Personal Sites & Blogs
Derek Silvers - He does a good job blogging about the books he’s read.
Trey Hunner - Has a great 2024 recap on his books and audiobooks.
The Library of Alexandra - I just found this via microblog and am looking forward to exploring it.
Social Media
For myself, this is just Mastodon and the newly found Micro.blog. After you acquire a group of people you enjoy following, it can be a great place to see what they are reading and why.
Micro.blog - Really is amazing for book ideas and reviews. In your Discovery feed, you can filter by books and see what everybody is reading and their book reviews. I’m new to it, but it looks like a gold mine!
Podcasts
It’s a great place to hear interviews with authors, or you can search your podcast player for book review podcasts.
If Books Could Kill - I haven’t listened to many of them, so I’m unfamiliar with their general theme and structure, but it might be worth checking out.
Friends and Family
I reached out to a small group of friends and said let’s have a texting group where we text about the books we enjoyed and recommend. This has been an excellent source.
Community Driven
Literature Map - Type in an author, and it will show you other similar authors.
BookWyrm - BookWyrm is a social network for tracking your reading, discussing books, writing reviews, and discovering what to read next. Federation allows BookWyrm users to join small, trusted communities that can connect with one another and with other ActivityPub services like Mastodon.
Library Thing - A Home For Your Books, LibraryThing is a free, library-quality catalog to track reading progress or your whole library.
What Should I Read Next - Enter a book you like, and the site will analyze the huge database of real readers' favorite books to provide book recommendations and suggestions for what to read next.
r/books - Reddit
Library Tools
OverDrive/Libby - Free ebooks, audiobooks & magazines from your local library.
You only need a public library card or access through your workplace or university. Always free - no fees or subscriptions.
Soon, you’ll have a huge To-Read Pile!