Good reads recommendations

jbcohen · 04-17-2014, 07:27 AM

How valuable to you are the good reads recommendations?

DiapDealer · 04-17-2014, 08:38 AM

I love Goodreads. I really do. But their recommendations algorithm is horrible IMO. I keep rating and rating in the hopes that sheer volume will clue it in to my likes/dislikes, but it doesn't seem very willing to learn.

jersysman · 04-17-2014, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I love Goodreads. I really do. But their recommendations algorithm is horrible IMO. I keep rating and rating in the hopes that sheer volume will clue it in to my likes/dislikes, but it doesn't seem very willing to learn.

That is what I was hoping for as well. Do you mean it is futile?!?

jbcohen · 04-17-2014, 02:37 PM

What book recommendation site do you find better than goodreads?

treadlightly · 04-17-2014, 02:41 PM

The Goodreads algorithm seems to be based on "you read Book A so we'll recommend Book B" instead of analyzing the set of books you've read (and liked) as a whole. That is unfortunate. It's one of the only sites that would have access to the amount and type of data required to build a meaningful algorithm.

HomeInMyShoes · 04-17-2014, 05:13 PM

The Good Reads algorithm is pretty decent in my opinion. I've put a few things on my potential read list from it.

It has been very helpful in my around the world challenge because I get books from regions a lot of times when I read something.

kristalana · 04-17-2014, 09:35 PM

Not even a little bit valuable. What I've had better luck with is finding reviewers with similar tastes to mine and then looking at their shelves.

CWatkinsNash · 04-17-2014, 10:57 PM

I have no use for the Goodreads recommendation function, but I get loads of good recs on the site in other ways.

- following users of similar taste, and browsing their shelves like the poster above me

- from discussions in the groups I belong to

meeera · 04-18-2014, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

I have no use for the Goodreads recommendation function, but I get loads of good recs on the site in other ways.

- following users of similar taste, and browsing their shelves like the poster above me

- from discussions in the groups I belong to

jbcohen · 04-18-2014, 07:21 AM

what site is better at recommendations?

DiapDealer · 04-18-2014, 07:59 AM

No algorithms are going to be better than interacting with like-minded (and sometimes un-like-minded) readers whose tastes and opinions you've come to understand and anticipate.

If you talk to people (forums, blogs, Goodreads groups, etc...), you'll find plenty of solid recommendations. Don't forget to allow for the possibility of your tastes changing/evolving, as well. You may not really know what you don't like any longer. Nothing will limit your options like unnecessarily pigeonholeing yourself.

Yapyap · 04-18-2014, 09:36 AM

I've come across maybe a handful of books among GR automatic recommendations over the few years I've been there that I've added to my TBR or wish list. Amazon's recs and "people who bought this also bought that", while not wonderful, have proven to be a little more useful.

As said above, Goodreads does offer a multitude of other ways to get recs - find people to follow or friend (you don't have to friend someone with a public profile to follow their reviews) and see what else they've rated highly - the GR "compare books" feature is a handy way to see at a glance how much you have in common with someone. Check the reviews of books you've enjoyed, find people who've rated them highly and have posted enthusiastic reviews, check what else they've read and enjoyed.

Listopia lists have also been more useful to me than recs - they don't tell me if I'd like something, but they'll give me more titles in similar genres to check. And a lot of people find groups really useful.

treadlightly · 04-18-2014, 11:57 AM

Listopia is great. Check out some "Mobileread Recommended" GR lists: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...64&postcount=1

jersysman · 04-18-2014, 07:34 PM

Goodreads to me is still a pretty good source for a lot of things. I guess you get out what you put in.

jbcohen · 04-21-2014, 07:35 AM

I used to read a lot of the executioner novels. Most of the writting is excellent, and some are really bad, if you like long running series its a great series of books: mackbolan.com.

04-17-2014, 07:27 AM	#1
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,031 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	Good reads recommendations How valuable to you are the good reads recommendations?

04-18-2014, 07:59 AM	#11
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,508 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	No algorithms are going to be better than interacting with like-minded (and sometimes un-like-minded) readers whose tastes and opinions you've come to understand and anticipate. If you talk to people (forums, blogs, Goodreads groups, etc...), you'll find plenty of solid recommendations. Don't forget to allow for the possibility of your tastes changing/evolving, as well. You may not really know what you don't like any longer. Nothing will limit your options like unnecessarily pigeonholeing yourself. Last edited by DiapDealer; 04-18-2014 at 12:01 PM.

04-18-2014, 07:34 PM	#14
jersysman Wizard Posts: 1,747 Karma: 3761220 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Pennsylvania Device: T1 Red, Kindle Fire, Kindle PW, PW2, Nook HD+, Kobo Mini, Aura HD	Goodreads to me is still a pretty good source for a lot of things. I guess you get out what you put in. Last edited by jersysman; 04-21-2014 at 08:31 AM. Reason: Changed "be" to "me". Now it makes sense.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Free ebooks & exerpts through Good Reads	crich70	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	0	01-29-2014 04:15 PM
My Reading List (help me sort, add good reads, apparently Dystopian/Sci Fi)	nook2	Reading Recommendations	24	10-18-2011 12:33 AM
any good recommendations?	CaelThunderwing	Reading Recommendations	11	06-25-2011 12:06 PM
Good Reads	fantasy4497	Reading Recommendations	6	06-11-2011 08:13 PM
Kindle to Good Reads	Nyssa	Amazon Kindle	3	01-01-2011 06:40 PM

04-17-2014, 08:38 AM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,508 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I love Goodreads. I really do. But their recommendations algorithm is horrible IMO. I keep rating and rating in the hopes that sheer volume will clue it in to my likes/dislikes, but it doesn't seem very willing to learn.

04-17-2014, 02:37 PM	#4
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,031 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	What book recommendation site do you find better than goodreads?

04-17-2014, 02:41 PM	#5
treadlightly Wizard Posts: 1,370 Karma: 6957792 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ottawa, ON Device: Kobo H2O	The Goodreads algorithm seems to be based on "you read Book A so we'll recommend Book B" instead of analyzing the set of books you've read (and liked) as a whole. That is unfortunate. It's one of the only sites that would have access to the amount and type of data required to build a meaningful algorithm.

04-17-2014, 05:13 PM	#6
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	The Good Reads algorithm is pretty decent in my opinion. I've put a few things on my potential read list from it. It has been very helpful in my around the world challenge because I get books from regions a lot of times when I read something.

04-17-2014, 09:35 PM	#7
kristalana Groupie Posts: 152 Karma: 1170000 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: USA Device: Kindle PW2, Galaxy Tab Pro	Not even a little bit valuable. What I've had better luck with is finding reviewers with similar tastes to mine and then looking at their shelves.

04-17-2014, 10:57 PM	#8
CWatkinsNash IOC Chief Archivist Posts: 3,950 Karma: 53868218 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Fruitland Park, FL, USA Device: Meebook M7, Paperwhite 2021, Fire HD 8+, Fire HD 10+, Lenovo Tab P12	I have no use for the Goodreads recommendation function, but I get loads of good recs on the site in other ways. - following users of similar taste, and browsing their shelves like the poster above me - from discussions in the groups I belong to

04-18-2014, 07:21 AM	#10
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,031 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	what site is better at recommendations?

04-18-2014, 09:36 AM	#12
Yapyap Guru Posts: 861 Karma: 3543721 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Estonia Device: Kindle Paperwhite, iPad 3, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge	I've come across maybe a handful of books among GR automatic recommendations over the few years I've been there that I've added to my TBR or wish list. Amazon's recs and "people who bought this also bought that", while not wonderful, have proven to be a little more useful. As said above, Goodreads does offer a multitude of other ways to get recs - find people to follow or friend (you don't have to friend someone with a public profile to follow their reviews) and see what else they've rated highly - the GR "compare books" feature is a handy way to see at a glance how much you have in common with someone. Check the reviews of books you've enjoyed, find people who've rated them highly and have posted enthusiastic reviews, check what else they've read and enjoyed. Listopia lists have also been more useful to me than recs - they don't tell me if I'd like something, but they'll give me more titles in similar genres to check. And a lot of people find groups really useful.

04-18-2014, 11:57 AM	#13
treadlightly Wizard Posts: 1,370 Karma: 6957792 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ottawa, ON Device: Kobo H2O	Listopia is great. Check out some "Mobileread Recommended" GR lists: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...64&postcount=1

04-21-2014, 07:35 AM	#15
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,031 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	I used to read a lot of the executioner novels. Most of the writting is excellent, and some are really bad, if you like long running series its a great series of books: mackbolan.com.

Advert

Advert