Top 10 Book Review and Discovery sites

Latest news about Book Review and Discovery sites

07.07.24. Z-Library improved desktop launcher and online reader



In a corner of the digital galaxy teeming with bookish delights, Z-Library, that venerable institution of endless tomes, has twirled its metaphorical towel and announced a smorgasbord of updates designed to make users feel rather like they've stumbled upon the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and reading. Chief among these cosmic offerings is a spruced-up desktop launcher for Windows and Linux, bristling with shiny new gizmos and a ravishing interface that practically winks at you. The profile section, now positively brimming with opportunities for self-expression (bios! interests! intergalactic mingling!), promises to make social interactions feel as easy as ordering tea on the Heart of Gold. Meanwhile, the online reader has been given the kind of memory upgrade Marvin the Paranoid Android could only dream of—it now remembers your last reading position—and, for those grappling with glitches, there's a shiny new bug report button. Not to be outdone, the toolbar has been streamlined, a glorious full-screen mode has landed, and, in an act of tantalizing mystery, promo codes are on the horizon, their secrets yet to be revealed. Keep your towel handy, and stay tuned.


2024. Z-Library introduced new Dark Theme and other features



In a move that would surely make the denizens of a small galactic sector quietly cheer—though only after a nice cup of tea—Z-Library, the galaxy’s most improbably vast shadow library, has rolled out a slew of shiny updates aimed at delighting bookish Earthlings. Chief among these is the much-whispered-about Dark Theme, perfect for reading light text on dark backgrounds while pondering the meaning of life, the universe, and everything (still in beta, so expect occasional hiccups). The booklist page now boasts a spiffier design for the sort of organization that makes finding your books slightly less like trying to locate a towel in the dark. A mysterious three-dot button now presents whimsical shortcuts for "Read Online," "Download," "Add to Favorites," and "Add to Your Booklist," while a clever icon will tip you off if an author has left you an introductory note, perhaps explaining why dolphins really left the planet. For the seriously inquisitive, the full-text feature now hunts down search results with laser-like precision, and thanks to some text-recognition wizardry, books once lacking searchable layers have been pulled out of the dark void of the unreadable. Cheers all around!


2024. Z-Library unveils new enhanced book recommendation system



In the grand galactic bazaar of bookishness, Z-Library has unveiled a marvelously over-engineered contraption for recommending books, aiming to catapult users into an interstellar adventure through the cosmos of literature. Previously, it shuffled through user behavior data like a mildly curious but slightly overwhelmed Vogon clerk. Over time, however, its statistical engines hummed and whirred into a state of enlightenment, gathering enough insights to boldly recommend across genres and languages. But lo! The wisdom of mere popularity left a chasm where the delightfully obscure titles dared not tread. Undeterred, the librarians of Z took it upon themselves to craft a proprietary techno-wizardry—a cunning algorithm that whispers to the very essence of millions of books. Now integrated with panache, this ingenious system harmonizes user quirks and bookish souls alike, delivering a recommendation experience that is both improbably accurate and delightfully diverse.


2023. Z-Library adds book discovery features and online reader



In the grand and slightly improbable universe of Z-Library, where books and convenience collide in a dazzling dance of innovation, new features have been unveiled to make the user experience as smooth as a Vogon’s poetry recital isn’t. Forget the old, clunky search-query-only systems; Z Library’s recommendation engine is now a sleekly integrated affair, quietly observing your reading whims like a friendly but mildly eccentric hitchhiker. Sure, it might occasionally point you to a book about intergalactic fish farming when you were clearly after astrophysics, but the library’s boffins are on the case, polishing and tweaking it into a marvel of predictive prowess. Meanwhile, booklists have undergone a rather splendid upgrade, with clever little sorting options inspired by the whims of users who, quite rightly, demanded more order in their literary chaos. And lo! The booklist page now glimmers with a “Read Online” button, a testament to Z Library’s noble quest to make the entire collection readable in-browser. Of course, this shiny new feature currently tips its hat only to Premium users, offering PDF and DJVU files ready to be devoured without the bother of downloading.


2023. Amazon launched book discovery service Your Books



In a move that could be described as an intergalactic collision between Amazon’s ever-expanding commercial reach and the well-thumbed world of bookish recommendation platforms, the mighty retail giant has introduced Your Books, a feature aiming to take on the very platform it already owns: Goodreads. Think of it as Amazon’s attempt to organize the galaxy of your literary obsessions, spanning everything from print books to Kindle downloads to Audible escapes, all unified under one sprawling digital umbrella. Unlike Goodreads, whose raison d'être seems deeply rooted in reviewing, rating, and tracking books with the devotion of a lovesick poet, Your Books is more like a cataloging tool geared toward nudging readers to consider their *next* big purchase rather than dissecting the last one. Nonetheless, it’s a clear case of overlap, with Amazon gracefully sidestepping the dusty, somewhat neglected Goodreads and instead creating a fresh, review-laden platform—though these reviews come from Amazon shoppers rather than the impassioned Goodreads community.


2023. Service Bookhound offers paperback book bundles



In the vast, swirling chaos of the digital cosmos, where decisions about what to read next can feel more daunting than vogon poetry, Bookhound emerges like a benevolent guide dog with impeccable literary taste. With a simple click, you can declare your undying love for a particular genre, and Bookhound will promptly send you a charmingly curated bundle of four splendidly tangible paperbacks—all without the faintest whiff of a galactic credit crisis. This month, the clever chaps at Bookhound present the July Bestselling Feel Good Fiction Bundle, a delightful quartet of romance novels destined to make your heart sing. Among its treasures lies Tessa Bailey's "Hook, Line and Sinker," a rom-com marvel wherein an ex-player hopelessly and hilariously falls for his best friend while gallantly attempting to pair her with someone else—a story so well-loved it’s practically demanded by interplanetary treaty. So why wait? Snag your bundle, fall in love with love, and let Bookhound guide you to romance enlightenment.


2021. BingeBooks launches a promising book discovery site



The new book discovery service BingeBooks offers a range of impressive features: read the opening chapters of tens of thousands of bestselling books from both traditional and indie authors—on any device, browse the entire collection of books by nearly any author in an intuitive interface (if they write series, you can view all their series books in sequence), ask questions and engage with authors, create visually appealing book lists, join book groups, organize your digital book collection, read and write book recommendations, purchase what you like, with direct links to retailers for print books, e-books and audiobooks, find trending deals and discover new releases. BingeBooks is also an emerging social network, allowing you to follow your favorite authors. How does BingeBooks differ from Goodreads, BookBub, or other book sites? It’s independent and operates without any hidden agenda.


2019. Goodreads starts Giveaways to help authors promote their books



The shiny new contraption known as Goodreads Giveaways is rather like handing a microphone to your book and letting it shout to the universe, "Read me!" Whether you're nervously launching your debut, keeping the flame alive for your latest masterpiece, or coaxing an old favorite back into the spotlight, this ingenious platform is a delightfully chaotic way to fling your creation into the hands of millions of readers. It’s not just a marketing tool; it’s a bit of a literary adventure, letting readers introduce your book to their friends with the same giddy enthusiasm as finding a really good towel. With Goodreads Giveaways, your book gets an all-access pass to the popular Giveaways section, a bustling place where readers trip over new titles they didn’t know they needed. Plus, your giveaway takes center stage on your book’s page, practically inviting readers to join the fun. Oh, and don’t forget the nifty bit where your Goodreads followers and the folks who’ve already clicked "Want-to-Read" get a cheerful nudge about your giveaway—because what’s better than spreading the word faster than a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster at a book club?


2018. Goodreads launched new Android App



Goodreads has introduced a new ebook discovery and social community app for Android. It allows to scan cover to quickly find a book on Goodreads, explore personalized recommendations and add a book you've just completed to your Reading Challenge. The new interface also works well on tablets.


2018. New Goodreads app for Android is available



In the vast and tangled cosmos of social bookery, where pages are digital and opinions flow like treacle through a sieve, the mighty behemoth GoodReads—the largest social book community, now snugly nestled in the grasp of Amazon—has given its Android app a shiny new overhaul. Dubbed the GoodReads BETA app, it’s been redesigned to be faster (because who has time for lag when there are 12 million books waiting?) and generally more user-friendly, all while looking rather splendid on those pocketable slabs of silicon we call mobile phones and tablets. This marvel of literary utility lets you search, rate, and review just about any book ever catalogued, snoop on your friends' reviews and updates, and even indulge in the voyeuristic thrill of commenting on their literary adventures. Add status updates! Share page numbers! Use the barcode scanner to impose order on your bookish chaos by zapping tomes straight onto your Goodreads shelves. Frankly, it’s like strapping a rocket engine to your love of reading—without the worry of cosmic radiation.


2014. Netflix for Libraries - Hoopla - will add ebook content



In the grand scheme of cosmic absurdities, Hoopla stands as a delightfully clever contraption designed to partner with local public libraries—those quaint fortresses of knowledge—to deliver unto you a dazzling smorgasbord of movies, television, music, and audiobooks, all at the irresistible price of absolutely nothing. As if that weren’t enough to leave one mildly gobsmacked, they’ve now tossed eBooks into their ever-expanding digital treasure trove. Thanks to hoopla’s brilliantly peculiar transactional model, every eBook is miraculously available at all times, with publishers pocketing a neat reward each time someone dares to read. To leap aboard this intergalactic adventure, simply download the hoopla digital app on your trusty Android or IOS device—or, if you’re feeling particularly terrestrial, visit hoopladigital.com. Do note, however, that this marvel of modern library sorcery is available exclusively to card-carrying members of participating public libraries—so check your library card, and carry on with a sense of profound universal purpose.


2014. Goodreads allows to import books, purchased on Amazon



Goodreads users can now automatically transfer the print and ebooks they’ve purchased on Amazon into their Goodreads accounts. One benefit of linking the accounts, according to Goodreads, is that “more books added to your Goodreads shelves means better recommendations to help you discover more great books to read. The advanced algorithm driving our recommendations engine examines the books you rate to provide the best book suggestions tailored to your unique reading preferences.” The linking also allows Amazon to identify which of its customers are Goodreads users, although Goodreads emphasizes that “We give you full control over which books to include so you can avoid adding any books bought as gifts. Any book not rated or added to a shelf will not be included on Goodreads.”


2014. Wattpad raises $46 million to build a global literary community



In the vast and swirling cosmos of the internet, where ideas are as plentiful as oddly shaped stars and twice as hard to monetize, Wattpad—a peculiar yet wildly popular galactic hub for writers and readers—declared it had secured a gravity-defying $46 million in funding. This, they say, will turbo-charge their mission of conquering the universe of storytelling and getting the good word out to an eventual billion people. “We have an absurdly ambitious plan,” said Allen Lau, co-founder and CEO, beaming like someone who had just been handed the keys to a shiny improbability drive. With 25 million registered users—up from a mere 15 million the year prior—Wattpad’s growth is indeed impressive, though light-years away from their cosmic target. “It’s lofty,” Lau mused, acknowledging it’s unlikely to materialize this year, next year, or possibly even before we invent faster-than-light travel.


2014. Longreads content-sharing community acquired by Automattic



Book recommendation and review platform Longreads began as a Twitter hashtag five years ago and has since evolved into a global community centered on longform writing. It has now been acquired by Automattic, the company behind the WordPress blogging platform. WordPress founder and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg stated that Longreads’ dedication to longform reading aligns perfectly with his company’s goal of promoting quality content and that all four of Longreads’ employees will be joining Automattic. Mark Armstrong, founder of Longreads and a former journalist, mentioned that the service will continue as before the acquisition and that joining WordPress will help the community grow and expand. The site currently offers a free weekly email or a $3 membership that provides daily recommendations.


2014. Zoobean debuts ebook recommendation service for kids



Zoobean functions like a Netflix for children’s books. It’s a subscription-based service that delivers new books monthly. Today, it is evolving into a more comprehensive recommendations platform. With the new service, Zoobean will request more information from parents about their children’s interests, age and reading level to provide better content suggestions. Every five days, a curated app or book recommendation is presented along with an expert-created reading guide. Parents can then choose to purchase the books from their preferred retailer, borrow them from the library, or download the app from the App Store. Zoobean will earn affiliate revenue by directing users to the iTunes App Store or Amazon for those purchases. Meanwhile, the previously launched subscription service will continue as “Zoobean Home” at a reduced rate of $9.99 per month for the paperback option.


2014. Goodreads competitor Slice Bookshelf shuts down



Slice Bookshelf, a social platform for readers aimed at challenging Amazon-owned Goodreads by offering a more contemporary experience and one less reliant on manual user input, is closing down. The company states that, moving forward, it will concentrate on enhancing its primary product, the mobile shopping assistant, Slice. With Bookshelf, Slice had explored using its proprietary inbox-scanning technology in a new area: rather than tracking general purchases, it specifically identified your book and e-book receipts. By integrating data from Facebook, the service could automatically compile your library, eliminating the laborious data entry that competitor Goodreads still necessitates.


2014. Book recommendation site BookLikes integrates with Kindle


In the grandly unfathomable cosmos of bookish enthusiasm, BookLikes, that peculiar and delightful haven for sharing one’s literary escapades and uncovering tantalizing new reads, has unleashed a marvelously clever gadgetry: reading progress synchronization for Amazon Kindle. Now, every intrepid BookLikes adventurer can keep their loyal followers informed about their latest forays into the world of ebooks, with updates beamed straight from the depths of their Kindle device. Whether you’re lost in the pages of a galactic saga or rating a particularly perplexing tome, your reading progress and thoughtful appraisals can ripple across your social media realms and land with effortless precision on your BookLikes account. Fear not the technological void—settings can be tweaked with cosmic ease, allowing each member to configure their synchronization preferences and share their ebook odyssey in real-time, as if by some digital Vogon poetry—but infinitely more pleasant.


2014. eBookSoda offers daily personalised ebook deals



In the grand and sprawling universe of digital reading, where countless eBooks whirl and scatter across the cosmos like stars in a nebula, a beacon of sanity has emerged: eBookSoda. This extraordinary (and utterly free) service heroically takes on the mind-boggling task of sifting through the eBook multiverse to deliver free and cheap literary treasures directly to your eReader, whether it's a Kindle, iPad, Nook, Kobo, or some device yet to be invented. Gone are the dark days of leaping from one digital void to another, endlessly scrolling through galaxies of titles. Instead, eBookSoda subscribers are graced with a simple, personalized email, brimming with must-have deals and freshly unearthed gems from their favorite genres. Consider the humble Kindle: once a lonely wanderer in a sea of mediocrity, now a curated paradise of value-packed reading. It’s fast, it’s effortless, and—best of all—it won’t cost you a single hard-earned intergalactic credit.


2014. Learnist opens educational book store



The new social learning platform Learnist app for iPhone and iPod touch introduces a digital bookstore. At only 99 cents, premium Learnist Learnboards offer inquisitive individuals a distinctive chance to learn from renowned experts in various fields such as arts, technology, sports, food, fitness and more. Alongside premium content, Learnist users can freely access over one million crowd-sourced Learnings added to Learnist Learnboards. Users of Learnist on iPhone and iPod touch can easily browse popular Learnboards recommended by the Learnist team, view their friends' learning experiences and track their progress in a Learnist Learnboard before exploring new content. Learnist experts can now more effortlessly create and share their Learnboards—comprising curated web, print and video content—by utilizing the enhanced graphic design features and updated image-handling capabilities of the latest iOS devices.


2014. 250 Words - site for discovering best business books



Simon & Schuster has introduced a new site, 250 Words, focused on the realm of business literature. The platform will showcase reviews, essays and commentary on business books from all publishers, not solely Simon & Schuster. Central to the site will be a daily original essay that users can read on the site or receive as an email subscription. 250 Words highlights the finest business writing for discerning readers. The core feature of the site is a daily, concise piece—250 words long—that typically covers a business book (both new and classic titles) from any publisher. The focus is on insight and actionable advice and while each post is designed to be read in just a few minutes, we aim to inspire readers to view the world from a fresh perspective.