For readers who like discovering new books, reading and writing passionate book reviews, and organizing their reading lists, Goodreads has been the go-to site and book-lover community.
However, a new platform, The StoryGraph, may soon be giving Goodreads a run for its money. In this post, we’ll explore how this burgeoning new site can help readers uncover great reads while supporting independent booksellers and helping other readers along the way.
What Is The StoryGraph?
The StoryGraph is a a platform that allows readers to track their reading goals and progress, TBR (to-be-read) lists, and favorite books, as well as write and share reviews. If this concept sounds familiar, it’s because it’s a lot like Goodreads, complete with a tagging and “shelving” system.
The site started as a personal side project of co-founder Nadia Odunayo, which she used to create and track reading lists as a supplement to her Goodreads account.
However, her own research (including many interviews with readers) highlighted a demand for more quality, personalized book recommendations, as well as an ability to filter books by mood (using such adjectives as “emotional,” “adventurous,” or “sad”).
Since launching as a start-up in 2019, The StoryGraph has amassed over 320,000 users, many of whom have transferred over from its reigning competitor, Goodreads (although Goodreads still boasts over 90 million users).
How to Use The StoryGraph
So now that you have a general idea of what The StoryGraph is, let’s take a look at what you can do with The StoryGraph, and see how it differs from Goodreads.
1. Sign up for a free account.
Signing up for a free StoryGraph account is easy. All you need to provide is your email, a username, and a password.
2. Export data from Goodreads.
Once you sign up for a free account, you’ll be asked if you want to import your data from Goodreads, including your library and tags, which you can keep as they are or convert to StoryGraph tags.
Your data will be exported to a .csv file, which you can then upload to The StoryGraph. According to the site, this can take up to 24 hours depending on your library size, but many users reported successful imports in 20 minutes or less.
If you are not a Goodreads user, or if you don’t wish to import your data, you can simply skip this step.
3. Complete the survey.
Next, you’ll be asked to complete a short survey to help The StoryGraph match you with books you’re likely to enjoy.
Start by selecting up to five of your favorite genres, then select a few words to describe the types of books you are interested in right now. You can also list genres that you don’t wish to read.
After answering those initial survey questions, you’ll be taken to the results page, where you’ll see a prompt that asks “What are you in the mood for?” at the top.
4. Search for books that suit your mood.
This is completely optional, but it’s one of the features that makes The StoryGraph unique. While the initial results page shows you titles that fit your general taste on any given day, passionate readers know that their interests are dynamic, and can change based on their moods.
Maybe you selected memoir as one of your favorite genres. But rather than a deeply emotional read, today you’re in the mood for something lighthearted and humorous. This feature will help match you with memoirs that fit that mood.
You can update these preferences as often as you’d like for customized results.
5. Preview a book’s details and content warnings.
Once you click on a particular book, you can view its details, including its synopsis, length, and the tags that match your selected moods.
On this page, you can also organize your TBR list by marking the book as “Mark as owned” or “Buy,” and manage your progress by selecting “to read,” “currently reading,” “read,” or “did not finish.”
When you scroll down on this page, you’ll get even more helpful insights. For example, view content warnings that have been added by other users, which can alert you to things like violent or explicit content, or sensitive themes that could be triggering for some readers.
In addition, you’ll see specific rankings based on the community’s reviews.
These describe the book’s:
- mood(s)
- pace
- character likeability
- character development
- whether it’s plot- or character-driven
- diversity of characters
- overall rating (average of all user reviews)
6. Support indie booksellers.
Another unique selling point that might be enough to win over supporters of indie bookstores is that unlike Goodreads, The StoryGraph isn’t owned by Amazon.
In fact, instead of being directed to a purchase page on Amazon when you wish to buy a title (which is where Goodreads sends users), you’ll be taken to Bookshop.org, an online platform where you can shop online while supporting local, indie booksellers (also one of Amazon’s competitors in the book market).
7. Track your reads.
The StoryGraph makes it easy to track your reads through insightful statistics.
See how many books and pages you’ve read in a given period, view your progress by the month, or compare two time periods. You can even see a percentage break-down of your “moods.”
8. Rate books using half- or quarter- stars.
If you have finished reading a book and wish to write a review, you can do so easily with The StoryGraph’s review form.
Unlike Goodreads, which only allows for a full-star rating system, The StoryGraph allows for half- and even quarter-star ratings, allowing you to be more precise in expressing your opinion.
9. Create or join challenges.
Easily set personal reading goals for the number of books or pages you wish to read in a year.
Simply click on “Reading Challenges” in the main menu.
As far as community goes on The StoryGraph, the site allows you to search for your friends or explore the community feed to find new readers to follow and browse reviews.
When you record more of your reading activity, The StoryGraph can suggest more users for you to follow.
The StoryGraph App
The StoryGraph also has an app available for iOS and Android, where you can easily access all the website’s features from your smart device. Like the website, the interface is very intuitive and easy to navigate.
If you don’t have access to the Apple or Android stores, you can still use The StoryGraph as an app using the instructions provided on their site.
The StoryGraph Plus
The StoryGraph also offers a paid, premium version, known as The StoryGraph Plus.
For $4.99 per month, you can sign up to enjoy more advanced features, including:
- Side-by-side comparison of your reading data for any two time periods, plus access to exclusive charts
- Customized “up-next” suggestions, which are generated based on your To-Read Pile
- Vote and comment on site features and submit official requests for new ones
- Receive priority support, as your tickets and requests for book information updates will be handled first
The free version of The StoryGraph is probably more than enough for most readers who want to discover new books, track their reading, and stay on top of their reading lists and goals.
The StoryGraph Plus is ideal for readers looking for in-depth statistics. Plus, as the site gently reminds users, your payment will be supporting “a Goodreads alternative not owned by Amazon” and can help them to “stay independent, ad-free, and constantly improving.”
Is StoryGraph Owned by Amazon?
The StoryGraph is not owned by Amazon. It was founded in 2019 by British entrepreneur and software engineer Nadia Odunayo, and it works to support independent booksellers by directing book shoppers to Bookshop.org rather than Amazon.
Is StoryGraph Better Than Goodreads?
The StoryGraph and Goodreads are not completely alike, and user preference may also come down to personal ideologies (such as how important supporting indie booksellers is to a user versus the convenience of Amazon).
In addition to its support of independent booksellers, The StoryGraph boasts the following advantages over Goodreads:
- a cleaner, simpler alternative user interface
- opportunities to leave more nuanced and in-depth reviews
- the ability to filter book recommendations based on your mood any given day
On the other hand, here are a few areas where Goodreads may be seen as a stronger alternative to The StoryGraph:
- greater social interaction (The StoryGraph was not designed to be a social site; users cannot import friends from Facebook or Twitter, nor post from The StoryGraph to those platforms).
- much larger reading community to interact with and more users to provide reviews (90 million versus StoryGraph’s 322,000).
- convenience of ordering from Amazon if that’s the reader’s preferred platform
A New Space for Book Lovers
Goodreads remains the reigning power amongst reader and reviewer communities, but just because it’s 90 million strong doesn’t mean it’s for everyone.
The BookGraph offers a strong alternative with a sleek design, more customized recommendations based on readers’ moods, and an honorable mission to support independent booksellers.
If you’re looking for a change from Goodreads or are simply looking for a reader-friendly platform to discover more great books, I definitely recommend giving The BookGraph a try.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
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- 10 Hilariously Funny Book Reviews that Don’t Hold Back
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
