StoryGraph is the Goodreads alternative worth switching to

2023 ended on a really bitter observe for Goodreads. In early December, a author was uncovered for assessment bombing different authors, and he or she finally misplaced her guide deal. While this scandal was horrifying, what’s extra so is that it wasn’t shocking — nor was it the first high-profile case of assessment bombing on Goodreads that occurred final yr.

The Amazon-owned website’s points with moderation are longstanding and nicely documented. But it’s understandably troublesome to make the bounce to different guide monitoring apps if you happen to’ve already logged and reviewed tons of books, accomplished a number of studying challenges, or discovered a specific group of readers there. But, my fellow guide lovers, now is the time to make the bounce to a distinct — and higher — studying app: StoryGraph. (And sure, earlier than you ask, StoryGraph does enable you to import your whole Goodreads historical past.)

Created by Nadia Odunayo, the app has been round since 2019. But it has been gaining extra traction in the previous couple of months as readers flock to its glorious options, together with enjoyable graphs, new methods to do opinions, and the capacity to discover books primarily based on temper, tempo, and extra. On Jan. 2, so many individuals tried signing up for StoryGraph it broke the servers for almost the whole day.

Here’s why I’ve cherished utilizing the app and haven’t seemed again:

Image: StoryGraph by way of Polygon

Moods over rankings

I’ve difficult emotions about guide rankings. So usually, I’ve seen a guide I am keen on with a low Goodreads ranking, whereas one I couldn’t stand has almost 5 stars. And whereas I do know reviewers’ opinions are subjective and these rankings aren’t reflective of whether or not I’ll get pleasure from a guide, I hate to admit that seeing a excessive or low star ranking does influence my notion of the guide, even when solely momentarily. That’s why one in every of the largest methods StoryGraph supplies an improved studying app expertise is by deprioritizing rankings, which have turn out to be a number one contributor of Goodreads’ poisonous tradition.

On a StoryGraph guide web page, the first issues listed underneath the title and writer are useful particulars like style, pacing, and temper — or what I refer to as “general vibes,” which embrace descriptors like “adventurous,” “reflective,” or “dark.” The temper and pacing info are primarily based on consumer opinions, the place readers will not be solely prompted to fee the guide, however to weigh in on quite a lot of different components that may assist higher inform a potential reader’s alternative.

This doesn’t imply StoryGraph doesn’t embrace rankings in any respect. In reality, the app permits you to choose half and quarter stars, which implies your ranking generally is a extra correct reflection of your emotions, as opposed to having to spherical up on Goodreads. The main distinction between the two apps is that StoryGraph doesn’t make the star ranking a centerpiece of a guide’s web page. While Goodreads rankings get distinguished placement underneath the guide’s title and writer, StoryGraph lists it at the very backside.

Image composition: Sadie Gennis/Polygon | Source photographs: StoryGraph, Goodreads by way of Polygon

In order to see a guide’s ranking, you’ve to scroll by an expansive checklist of “general vibes” info that truly tells you a complete lot extra a few guide than a quantity out of 5. In addition to style, pacing, and temper, reviewers can point out whether or not the guide is primarily plot- or character-driven, and if the forged of characters is various. Reviewers can add notes on themes, matters, and tropes from the guide, which feed into the app’s advice options. The assessment kind additionally features a devoted part for content material warnings, creating a transparent place for readers to look if they need to know whether or not the guide comprises issues they need to keep away from, as opposed to having to scroll by particular person Goodreads opinions to see if a reader has listed any warnings but. And all of this is on prime of conventional prose opinions (although you do have to click on out of the important guide web page to learn them).

Actually helpful suggestions

To be frank, Goodreads’ suggestions system is utter shit. It’s why folks rely so closely on different group members to discover books, quite than something offered by the platform itself. Meanwhile, StoryGraph has developed a strong suggestions system that enables you to mix a variety of filters to drill down and discover the actual sort of guide you’re in the temper for.

Image: StoryGraph by way of Polygon

Through StoryGraph, you may seek for books utilizing filters for temper, style, tempo, size, and even trope. If you need to take suggestions a step additional, you may fill out a complete studying preferences kind, the place you may observe genres, tropes, themes, and content material you want and ones you’d desire to keep away from. You may even choose particular books you need StoryGraph to refer to whereas producing suggestions. Meaning, if you happen to’re on the lookout for a sweeping sci-fi drama with advanced political themes, you possibly can pack that checklist with James S.A. Corey and Adrian Tchaikovsky, and StoryGraph would search for books with related vibes.

Something I discover notably useful is making use of these filters to my very own To Be Read checklist. When I used to be utilizing Goodreads, I felt like I used to be continuously getting excited a few guide a pal raved about, solely to notice I had already added it to my TBR checklist ages in the past and fully forgotten about it. Now, the first place I flip once I’m undecided what to learn is StoryGraph, the place I search inside my very own TBR checklist to discover a guide I already know I’m eager about that additionally matches my present temper.

All of those suggestions options and filters imply you don’t simply discover books these in your circle are enthusiastic about or loved, however uncover ones you won’t in any other case have identified about (or ones you’ve simply forgotten about). And if there’s a guide that excites you, however you may’t get to at this actual second, simply add it to your Up Next checklist — a characteristic that enables you to queue up 5 books you need to get to quickly.

The graphs

Other than my robust want to discover actually any Goodreads alternative, the very first thing that drew me to StoryGraph was the graphs. My love of group and knowledge is a key tenet of my being (if we ever meet, please ask me about how I logged my whole closet right into a Clueless-style app), so discovering StoryGraph was a dream come true.

Image: StoryGraph by way of Polygon

As you learn and assessment titles, StoryGraph interprets that info into graphs and pie charts that visualize your studying traits and preferences. You can see breakdowns of the books you’ve learn in a given time interval primarily based on moods, pacing, web page size, style, writer, and extra. These visualizations are stunning to have a look at, but additionally present a easy method to get a way of your habits at a look. I like evaluating my graphs from the present yr to earlier ones, and discover it fascinating to see how my preferences change over time. Looking again, it’s clear that in 2020, my want for escapism translated to studying extra digestible fantasy, together with a variety of YA books and a startling quantity of Sarah J. Maas. Comparatively, my 2023 habits included much more sci-fi books (a lot Ann Leckie!) and tales that have been extra tense than what I might have dealt with three years prior.

And for these of us who do annual studying challenges, the line graph monitoring books and pages learn every month is an effective way to see what your studying habits appear like this yr, and supply one other method to perceive the way you’re pacing towards your studying purpose.

But this can be the finest a part of all: On the first of yearly, StoryGraph mechanically converts all this info right into a enjoyable annual wrap-up, together with stats, graphs, and an attractive collage of all the covers of the books you’ve learn. (Meanwhile, a Goodreads consumer had to hack collectively their very own website to create year-end wrap-ups, since the platform has by no means bothered offering this characteristic, regardless of the group’s want for it. Make of that what you’ll.)

A rising group

When talking to pals about why they nonetheless use Goodreads, the important motive I hear is that they love the group and social community they’ve constructed there over the previous decade. That is a tough factor to transfer away from, as lots of people nonetheless utilizing X (previously Twitter) can attest to. And whereas StoryGraph can’t replicate what arguably is Goodreads’ largest power, the app nonetheless feels extra centered on fostering a protected, gratifying group than the Amazon-owned platform ever did.

In addition to fundamental pal options — like seeing what your connections are studying and the way they’ve rated books — StoryGraph presents the capacity to do Buddy Reads and Readalongs. The former permits you to primarily create a closed guide membership in which you’ll asynchronously focus on a guide with pals as they learn. During a Buddy Read, customers depart feedback and the web page numbers they’re referring to, all of which stay hidden till the different readers hit the similar level of the guide. At that time, the feedback are revealed and the consumer can reply. Meanwhile, Readalongs are the StoryGraph model of boards, the place you’re ready to be part of a group guide membership and depart feedback in several threads, like ones for a selected chapter or a person character.

At the second, each these options are sort of clunky, and with StoryGraph nonetheless having a comparatively small consumer base, the Readalong boards are sparsely engaged with. My hope is that as StoryGraph grows, it’ll give you the option to construct up and refine options for these on the lookout for extra of a group area. In reality, I’m ready to see all the methods StoryGraph is doing simply that proper now.

Any consumer can have a look at the app’s public roadmap to see what’s in progress, what’s up subsequent, and what the medium- and long-term initiatives are. Odunayo is extraordinarily lively on this area, responding to customers’ solutions in the feedback and constructing a collaborative ambiance. It’s sincerely inspiring to see StoryGraph’s founder so engaged with customers and excited to implement their suggestions to enhance present options, add new ones, and create a greater consumer expertise for everybody.

So whereas StoryGraph won’t give you the option to replicate a few of the group options Goodreads customers love but, if ever, that’s OK with me. Because quite than strive to promote you books or gamify the trade, StoryGraph appears centered on genuinely attempting to present readers a enjoyable area to discover, have a good time, monitor, and join over books they love (or, in some instances, don’t). How are you able to beat that?