My Top 3 Book Tracking Apps
Learn why I use three different book tracking apps and websites to track my reading.
Currently, I use three main book tracking apps and websites to track my reading.
1. The StoryGraph
Main use: Tracking and data
I switched from Goodreads to The StoryGraph in 2021 for one main reason—data!! I found Goodreads lacking in terms of reading stats and data. While Goodreads has made some improvements since then, The StoryGraph has so much more to offer when it comes tracking and stats. Plus it's a Black woman-owned platform that's a worthy alternative to the Amazon-owned Goodreads.
Some of the features it offers:
Monthly and annual summary graphics
Custom tags and lists
Reading challenges
Half and quarter stars
Built-in DNF and Owned tracking
Reading journal
Up next queue
2. Goodreads
Main use: Reviews
I use Goodreads to look at reviews because it still has the biggest community of readers. When I did the ratings analysis of the 70 Best of the Best Romance Books of All Time, Goodreads had 57.8 million ratings for these books compared to 4.5 million on The StoryGraph (see Instagram post below). And while The StoryGraph does offer ratings and reviews, you only see those of the people you friend or follow—they're not public like they are on Goodreads (for better or for worse!).
So when I want more insight into what people are saying about a book, I head to Goodreads. However, the comment sections on Goodreads can be a bit of a dumpster fire of negativity, so approach with caution! I often wait until after I've finished a book to check Goodreads, so the comments don't influence my reading experience.
3. Fantastic Fiction
Main use: Author and series information
Fantastic Fiction is a popular book information website, with books listed in chronological order and grouped within series. I find the series information super helpful as a romance reader—I often want to know how many series an author has, the order they were released, etc. As such, I use Fantastic Fiction as a supplementary tool to follow my favourite authors and keep track of their various book series. The author pages also highlight their new and upcoming books, as well as other books that the author recommends.
There are some other cool features as well, such as:
Next in series: A list of the next books in the series you're reading
New books: A list of new books by the authors you're following, as well as ones that are coming soon
Recommendations: A list of recommendations based on the authors you follow.
