Amazon acquiring Goodreads back in March 2013 wasn’t without controversy; weathering accusations of censorship and hindering creativity when user reviews and ratings were deleted without any warning. Since then, Goodreads has held steady as the go-to book recommendation service. This week, Amazon has released a welcome update to their iOS app (with an Android update heading our way soon as well).
The updates to the app are rather simple, but they make a huge difference. Now when the app opens, you are greeted with a home-screen that acts as a customized news feed featuring all of your friends –allowing you to like or comment on the books they are currently reading. Other updates streamline navigation, make it easier for you to show your own progress, and create more meaningful shelves (with custom names) for the books you still need to get to.
For those who are unfamiliar, Goodreads is an app that is one part social network and one part literary to-do list. Use it to keep track of the books you would like to read (even scanning barcodes while you are in the library or bookstore), connect with other readers, get future recommendations based on the books you like, read reviews, find literary events nearby, and participate in reading challenges!
If you haven’t yet tried Goodreads, download it now and see what books your friends are currently wrapped up in.
Jillian Koskie is an experienced software developer, content writer, project manager and usability design expert. With over 17 years in these roles, Jillian has enjoyed applying her skill-set to assist clients and users across a wide variety of sectors including: legal, health, and financial services. Combining these professional opportunities with a love of technology, Jillian is pleased to contribute articles, opinions, and advice to numerous news outlets, websites, and publications.
