I totally stole this idea from Ally @ Ally Writes Things who got the idea from Caitlin @ Caitstiel’s Book World. All you have to do is look at your Goodreads recommendations and decide whether or not you are interested in reading the books or not.
I am going to talk about the first ten books that they recommend! I had a lot of fun with this post so do not be surprised if you see me doing this again in the near future!
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Goodreads recommended this book because I read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.
This is a great recommendation for me! It is a book a really want to read and I am surprised it was not already on my TBR shelf. I have heard so many amazing things about it and I am hoping to get to it some time soon!
Verdict: Want to Read
Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty
Goodreads recommended this book because I read The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherin Arden as well as Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel.
I have never heard of this book! I have been in to SciFi lately but I do not recall ever reading anything about clones. That could be really interesting! I was on the fence about this one until I read this quote that completely sold me on it:
“Extremist individuals live inside every single group on the planet. Devout followers from Christian to Muslim who kill in the name of God, down to people who perpetuate a cycle of abuse from parent to child. And do you know at what point they’re labeled as terrorists?”
Martini said, “When the government—”
“When the news reports it. The news can take a starving refugee and make them into an invading migrant. One of my Black ancestors was photographed carrying diapers over his head after a flood. They called him a ‘looter.’ A white man was photographed doing the same thing. They called him a ‘survivor.”
Verdict: Want to Read
Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead
Goodreads recommended this book because I read Wonder by R.J. Palacio.
I am not someone who normally reads Middle Grade. I only read Wonder (and loved it!) because of the movie and everyone raves about it! Realistically, I will never actually read Liar & Spy even though it sounds good and has great reviews.
Verdict: Will Not Read
Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina
Goodreads recommended this book because I read The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
As soon as I saw the cover I knew this was a book that I want to read! It is set in New York during the summer of 1977, which was the year that the serial killer the Son of Sam was active. I am curious to see how that plays in to the story. It is also a young adult book which surprised me but intrigued me!
Verdict: Want to Read
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
Goodreads recommended this book because I read I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson as well as Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy.
I am so surprised that I have never heard about this book. It sounds exactly like the kind of book that I will enjoy. The synopsis sounds really amazing and I just want to share part of it with you here.
July 24
My mother named me Gabriella, after my grandmother who, coincidentally, didn’t want to meet me when I was born because my mother was unmarried, and therefore living in sin. My mom has told me the story many, many, MANY, times of how, when she confessed to my grandmother that she was pregnant with me, her mother beat her. BEAT HER! She was twenty-five. That story is the basis of my sexual education and has reiterated why it’s important to wait until you’re married to give it up. So now, every time I go out with a guy, my mom says, “Ojos abiertos, piernas cerradas.” Eyes open, legs closed. That’s as far as the birds and the bees talk has gone. And I don’t mind it. I don’t necessarily agree with that whole wait until you’re married crap, though. I mean, this is America and the 21st century; not Mexico one hundred years ago. But, of course, I can’t tell my mom that because she will think I’m bad. Or worse: trying to be White.
Verdict: Want to Read
The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
Goodreads recommended this book because I read Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
This book has such an interesting premise! It can see why Goodreads would say it is similar to Never Let Me Go. It seems to be both science fiction and dystopian. I was so close to hitting that ‘want to read’ button but then I decided to read some reviews. The reviews are very mixed. The negative reviews have pointed out some things that I do not think I would enjoy!
Verdict: Will Not Read
Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach
Goodreads recommended this book because I read Red Rising by Pierce Brown as well as Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
I am torn on this one! As I have said before, I love SciFi, but this book appears to be SciFi and romance- which is not my favourite genre! Apparently the main character is a complete bad ass and that alone is making me want to read this one! Some reviewers I trust enjoyed it so that has won me over.
Verdict: Want to Read
The Basketball Diaries by Jim Carroll
Goodreads recommended this book because I read Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
This is a book that I have always heard about but never really considered reading. It is actually the perfect recommendation for me right now because I have rediscovered my love of memoirs. It is “the urban classic coming-of-age story about sex, drugs, and basketball.” I am sold!
Verdict: Want to Read
Mother of Pearl by Melinda Haynes
Goodreads recommended this book because I read White Oleander by Janet Fitch
This is an Oprah’s Book Club pick that I have not heard about!
Mother of Pearl revolves around twenty-eight-year-old Even Grade, a black man who grew up an orphan, and Valuable Korner, the fifteen-year-old white daughter of the town whore and an unknown father. Both are passionately determined to discover the precious things neither experienced as children: human connection, enduring commitment, and, above all, unconditional love.
That sounds amazing and I have loved every Oprah Book Club pick that I have read so far so I trust her judgement!
Verdict: Want to Read
Far From You by Lisa Schroeder
Goodreads recommended this book because I read Crank by Ellen Hopkins
This book sounds really wonderful, but I am just not someone who is in to poetry! I enjoyed Crank by Ellen Hopkins but I have not picked up another one of her books simply because I have a hard time connecting to the format. The reviews are amazing so if poetry is something you love than I think this book is worth having a look at!
Verdict: Will Not Read
I am so surprised that I added 7 of the 10 books to my TBR! I did not think that Goodreads recommendations would be so accurate! I highly recommend checking them out because I feel as though it is a feature that Goodreads offers that is often ignored.
I would love to know if you use this feature?
Mother of Pearl sounds exceptional! I’m going to have to do this myself…not that my TBR shelf needs any more titles. 😉
My TBR is forever growing! Can’t wait to see what books Goodreads recommends to you!
This is so fun! I haven’t heard of many of these books but it is cool that Goodreads knows you pretty well and found 7 books you would like to read. I think I’ll check out that feature!
I love that it recommended me books I have never heard of! I hope you find some books to add to your TBR!
Ah I want to this too. 🙂 🙂
Yay! Can’t wait to see your post!
Thanks.. Will tag you. 🙂
Ooo! I like this idea, I may have to do this one! The only rec here that I know about is Dear Martin. Excited to see what I get.
I only knew Dear Martin and Basketball Diaries! I love that they recommended me books I probably never would have heard of otherwise! Let me know if you end up doing this because I would love to see what recommendations you get!
Will do!
I’d been hibernating from the blogosphere while I’m buried under book promo stuff but I just had to read this post after seeing the headline. What an amazing idea, now I’m so intrigued to check what Goodreads has to recommend for me. Thanks so much for sharing!
I am so glad you enjoyed it! I will have to do this again because I really was impressed with the recommendations! I hope Goodreads recommends you some books you have never heard of and are interested in!
I didn’t even realize that this was a feature of Goodreads! (Not sure how I missed that, considering I’m on that site all the time.) This is super cool!
I had completely forgotten that it was a feature! I think it is great!
What a great idea, I’m totally stealing this and tagging you 😁
Awesome!! Can’t wait to read it!
Ooooo, interesting idea! I’m genuinely surprised you want to read so many of the recommendations. I stopped using that feature because it was always recommending the same kids books because of a Wrinkle in Time. And I didn’t want to hit “not interested” because I MIGHT be interested, but I haven’t read any kids literature in a long time. Also, it recommended a lot of things that seemed stupid to me, haha.
I have a feeling that the recommendation system is better than it used to be! At least it seems that way to me. I like that fact that it shows me books that I have never heard of!
I’ll have to give it a try then. 🙂
What a cool idea! Especially given that it recs books you’ve never really heard of! I might have to steal this!! =D
Ah I hope you do this because I would love see what they recommend to you!
It sounds like Goodreads knows you really well! This inspired me to go look at the recommendations feature and see what books I would enjoy. 🙂
I hope they recommended you some good books!
This is such a fun idea! I want to try this too 🙂 I actually read Fortune’s Pawn last year after Goodreads recommended it to me and I really enjoyed it. Six Wakes sounds super interesting, I’m adding it to my tbr as well 🙂
Ohh I love that you read a book because Goodreads recommended it to you and you actually enjoyed it! I am going to move that one higher up my TBR! I am so intrigued by Six Wakes as well!
I have a very long TBR list and because of that I have not used this feature yet as I’m scared my TBR list will completely expand. 😂 Sounds very neat though and I may try it out once I catch up on a few books. 😊👌
This is definitely not good for your TBR!!
😂😂😂
You and Ally both got Dear Martin, that’s really cool! I hope you read it ASAP and love it, it was one of my favorite reads of last year 😍
I know! I thought it was funny we both got that one! That is good to hear that you loved it! I know I will too.
This is such a fun idea! Great post!
Thank you!!
I think it’s so cool that this was so spot on!!
A few people have done this today now and it seems to have been successful for them too! I am impressed with Goodreads recommendations for sure!
That’s great! 🙂
Ha! I usually avoid the recommendations but you got me looking and they do seem pretty good – my poor TBR! This is a great idea for a post – I may steal it if you don’t mind… 😀
Of course I don’t mind! I would love it!
This is such a fabulous idea, can’t wait to try it 😊😊
I can’t wait to see what recommendations you get!
I would love to try this on Goodreads, but my TBR doesn’t need to be any bigger (I’m still going to haha) Also, I’ve heard Dear Martin is really good and its on my TBR 🙂
This is something that is definitely not good if your TBR is already overwhelming! That is for sure!
I have heard great things about Dear Martin as well!
Great post!
I haven’t looked at my recommendations in a while cuz last time goodreads thought i should read some super weird books and i didn’t really like any of the suggestions… maybe it improved in the meantime 😀
Thank you! From what I can tell the feature has improved! I used to get weird recommendations back in the day tok!
That’s such a cool, fun feature! I’m always curious about those Goodreads recommendations and how accurate they truly are 😀
I was surprised to see that you found so many great recs 🙂 Whenever I see the recommendations for me I’m like ‘nope’ 😀
I was surprised too! I think maybe the improved their recommendations? A few other people have now done this and have found a lot of good books too!
I definitely need to look more closely at the recommendations sometime, maybe they do rec me something great after all 😀
I love this idea!! I totally plan on copying you and making a post like this in the future. This was such a fun one to read! ☺️
Awesome!! Can’t wait to see what recommendations you get!
Ooooooh such a good ideaaaaaaa. I’m definitely going to do this, bet my suggestions are going to be rubbish in comparison :’)
Thanks!! I can’t wait to see what you get!!
Yay this is so great and I love seeing other book lovers try this out too! It worked really well for you and some of those books actually peak my interest as well 😀
I was so happy to see that other people did this! I will definitely be using the feature again!
It looks like your goodreads knows you better than anyone haha😍😍 i will do this soon
I was so surprised!!! Can’t wait to see what recommendations you get!
What a great post idea! I am definitely noting this for a possible post later 🙂
Thank you Nicole!!
What a fun idea! I’m impressed goodreads did so well with your recommendations 🙂
Thank you! I was really impressed as well!
I agree that Goodreads is almost frighteningly accurate with their recommendations. It is for that reason that I seldom look at them. My TBR is long enough already. LOL
I was so surprised!!! My TBR is getting crazy!