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You: A Novel (1) (The You Series) Paperback – June 16, 2015

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• Book 1 of 4 You
• Print length 448 pages
• Language English
• Publication date June 16, 2015
• Dimensions 5.31 x 1.2 x 8.25 inches
• ISBN-10 9781476785608
• ISBN-13 978-1476785608
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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1476785600
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria/Emily Bestler Books; Reprint edition (June 16, 2015)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781476785608
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1476785608
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.7 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 1.2 x 8.25 inches
• #377 in Psychological Fiction (Books)
• #1,176 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)
• #2,244 in Suspense Thrillers

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About the author

Caroline kepnes.

CAROLINE KEPNES is the New York Times bestselling author of YOU, HIDDEN BODIES, PROVIDENCE, YOU LOVE ME and FOR YOU AND ONLY YOU. The Netflix series You is an adaptation of her Joe Goldberg/You novels.

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Is Netflix’s You based on a book?

Everything you need to know about the source material for the hit thriller series, including whether a fourth You book is on the way.

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One of the most binge-worthy series in Netflix 's library returned for its third run earlier this month – with dark thriller You reuniting viewers with stalking serial killer Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) and his partner Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti).

The fast-paced third season saw the pair's relationship stretched to the limit as they aimed to cover up their murderous behaviour, and many fans will have already reached the show's thrilling climax.

Books play a central role in the series – Joe is a massive bookwork and used to work at a bookstore – but was the show itself based on a novel? Read on for everything you need to know.

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The short answer is yes, the show is based on a series of novels by Caroline Kepnes, whose first book, You , was originally published back in 2014.

Kepnes has released three novels in the series so far, with the original followed up by Hidden Bodies in 2016 and You Love Me in 2021.

More like this

Is you season 3 based on a book.

Here's where things get a little more complicated – while You season three is in some ways an adaptation of Kepnes' novels, the events in the new run do not correspond to the third book in Kepnes' series (which should come as no surprise, given the new book was only published earlier this year).

Instead, You season three is based – as was the case for the second season – on Hidden Bodies, book two in Kepnes' series. This is made clear in the opening credits for each episode, although in truth there are some major differences between the book and the new season.

In the books, Love never becomes a killer as she does in the series, while she and Joe do not raise baby Henry together – instead, Joe is arrested in connection with the earlier murders and remains in jail until after the child is born.

Will there be a fourth You book?

The fourth series of You has already been announced by Netflix, and it seems that Kepnes is also planning more books in her series – with the author recently telling The Hollywood Reporter that a fourth novel was in the works and that the pandemic features heavily in the draft.

The next season of the show will likely adapt the third book in Kepnes' series – but this has not been confirmed just yet, and there's a chance the show could go in a different direction entirely.

Want to read more about You?

• You cast : Meet the characters in Netflix thriller
• You boss explains why major character had die to in season 3
• Where is Marienne at the end of You season 3?
• You season 3 ending explained : Did Joe and Love survive?
• What happened to Ellie in Netflix thriller You?
• You season 2 recap: Who killed Delilah?
• What happened to Theo in Netflix thriller You?

You seasons 1-3 are streaming on Netflix. If you want to watch something else check out our guides to the best movies on Netflix and the best series on Netflix.

If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Drama hub for more news and features.

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20 ways the 'You' TV series is different from the book

• The Lifetime-turned-Netflix series "You" is based on the novel of the same name by Caroline Kepnes.
• In the book, the characters Paco, Claudia, Annika, and Raj don't exist.
• On the TV series, Candace and Mr. Mooney get much more prominent backstories. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

One of the buzziest shows of 2019, the Lifetime-turned-Netflix thriller "You" actually spurs from a novel written by Caroline Kepnes .

As with any book-to-TV adaptation, "You" the show differs quite a bit from the book it is based on. 

Here are a few of the biggest differences between "You" the TV series and "You" the novel.

Warning: Post contains major spoilers for both the "You" TV series and novel.

For starters, Beck has brown hair in the book.

Although Beck has blonde hair on the show, she is described as having brown hair in the book. 

In the book, Beck doesn't have an awful professor who is trying to seduce her.

On the show, Beck has to deal with a professor who sexually harasses her and even removes her from her teacher's assistant position because she will not give in to his inappropriate requests.

In the book, however, there is no subplot about an awful professor — Beck's time at school is hardly mentioned at all. 

Joe Goldberg's neighbors do not exist in the book.

Although prominently featured on the TV series, Joe's neighbors Ron, Claudia, and Paco are not present in the book.

These characters, let alone their names or storylines, are nowhere to be found in the 425-page novel.

Their tragic storyline was completely made for the TV series — in the book, there's no beating from Ron (in fact, Joe actually gets beaten by a former employee, Curtis, in the book on page 259), there are no hospital visits or drug overdoses to humanize Joe, and there is definitely no Paco for Joe to look after. 

In the book, Joe's apartment is described as being pretty rundown.

Joe has some pretty sweet digs on the TV series — his apartment seems clean and lined with bookshelves.

But, in the book, Joe is really hesitant to welcome anyone into his digs, and his place is described as being pretty messy, decrepit, and rundown. 

One of the most horrifying scenes on the show doesn't happen in the book.

In the book and on the series, Joe lies about a gas leak to get into Beck's apartment for the first time. Beck ends up coming home early, and Joe begins to panic. 

But, in Kepnes' novel, Joe simply sneaks out instead of hiding in Beck's apartment. On the series, Joe hides in her shower during one of the most nail-biting scenes of the entire first season. 

In the book, Benji never killed anyone.

On the TV series, Benji is the owner of an artisanal soda company. In the book, Benji is actually the proud owner of an "organic club soda company that symbolizes everything bad about right now."

One thing does remain the same between the book and movie: Benji is a narcissist who happens to really be allergic to peanuts and could care less about Beck.

Unfortunately, the TV show does change a significant part of Benji's storyline, having him reveal to Joe that he killed one of his friends and caught the whole thing on tape.

This detail was perhaps added to help Benji look like more of a bad guy, making Joe seem a bit "justified" in killing the rival suitor.

In the book, Joe quizzes Benji about books while holding him captive.

While holding Benji captive, Joe frequently gives Benji books to read and tries to quiz him on them later.

On the show, Joe doesn't give Benji any sorts of exams or assignments, other than the "Which soda is yours?" beverage test (which also appears in the book). 

In the book, Beck doesn't have to work and she's not financially struggling as much.

In the book, Beck isn't a broke student who really needs a job — at least there's not much of an indication that she is, anyway.

On the TV show, she's a yoga teacher who has to balance early morning classes with her tough teaching-assistant schedule. None of this happens in the book. 

In the book, Beck lives in an apartment meant for Brown graduates pursuing a graduate degree in New York City. She won the apartment by writing a winning essay for The Brownstone Biased Lottery.

And, while she could probably afford curtains, both the show and book maintain that Beck's apartment windows remain bare, allowing Joe to do all of his peeping activity unobstructed.

And, while we're on the topic of Beck's finances, in the book, Peach never offers to give Beck money to hold her over as she does on the show.

Read More: 8 things 'You' got wrong about bookstores, according to experts

Annika doesn't exist in the book.

Beck's influencer friend Annika is a character created solely for the TV series.

In the book, Beck's go-to friends are Chana and Lynn — and neither of them plays a major role and they hardly interact with Joe.

On the other hand , the TV show frequently depicts Beck's friends hanging out with Peach, but in the book, Peach likes to keep Beck's other friends at bay and neither girl seems to mind as they dislike Peach.

There are several more characters on the show that are not in the books.

On the show, Beck and Joe accidentally run into Maddie Johnson at one of Peach's parties, where Johnson slyly asks about Candace moving to Italy and ghosting literally everyone she's ever known — planting seeds of suspicion in Beck's head. But this doesn't happen in the book as Johnson isn't a character in Kepnes' original novel.

Elijah, the guy Joe was supposed to have killed after finding out he slept with Candace, is also not in the novel.

And neither is Raj, who has an interesting "sleepover" with Peach and Beck in Greenwich. 

In the book, Joe works with a high-schooler long before working with Ethan.

In the book, Joe notably works with a lazy high-school kid named Curtis prior to working with Ethan. 

Joe fires Curtis after he gives Beck Joe's address. As mentioned earlier, Curtis later retaliates by sending his friends to attack Joe.

Candace has more of an established life on the TV series.

In the novel, the reader doesn't get too much insight into who Candace was — other than she was one of Joe's previous girlfriends who he definitely killed.

On the show, however, Candace is given a whole storyline. She's an angsty musician who eventually signs with a producer (who she's also sleeping with) before moving to Rome.

Oh, and contrary to the TV show, Beck never tries to investigate what happened to Candace in the books — the reader isn't even sure Beck even knows who she is. 

Read More: Everything we know so far about 'You' season 2

In the book, Peach is not super suspicious of Joe.

In the book, Peach (played by Shay Mitchell) never confronts Joe about his obsession with Beck even though she does so on the TV show.

In Kepnes' novel, Peach does think she has a stalker but doesn't mention that she believes it is Joe. She also doesn't attack Joe with a gun after finding him in her vacation house.

Peach also dies differently in the books.

On the TV series, it's implied that Joe shoots Peach — and Peach's suicide note is left, typed, on her laptop.

In the book, Joe drowns Peach on the beach, sending an ambiguous note to Beck from her phone before filling her pockets with rocks and dumping her lifeless body in the ocean.

Unlike on the TV series, no one notices that Peach has died for a few weeks and there's no immediate commotion surrounding her death.

In the book, Joe doesn't get caught at the Dickens Festival.

Joe isn't the stealthiest stalker on the show. In fact, he gets caught at the Dickens Festival red-handed, but quickly lies to Beck and is then invited to a super awkward Beck family dinner.

However, in the book, Joe actually purchased a Dickensian costume (and a beard, although it is not of the Dickensian style) to blend in at the celebration. He loses his beard after violently puking while onboard a ferry and is almost caught by Beck but he makes it out of the whole ordeal unseen.

In the book, there is also not much emphasis on Beck's father's new family other than that she's mostly disliked by them. 

Karen Minty is a bit different in the book.

Unlike the book, Karen Minty on the TV series is a kindhearted do-gooder who is relatively normal.

In the book, Joe begins to date Minty after a therapy session with Dr. Nicky when Dr. Nicky suggests he could get the "mouse out of his house" by finding a " stray cat." 

Joe interprets this by trying to replace Beck with a new lover. In the book, Joe meets Minty in the subway and they have a conversation and begin to have a bunch of sexual-fueled encounters.

On the TV series, Minty is his neighbor Claudia's sister who has come to visit. As aforementioned, Claudia doesn't exist in the book series.

One thing does remain true in both the book and the show is that Minty is a nurse and she does briefly date Joe.

The creepy box of Beck's personal belongings is hidden somewhere else in the book.

Among the dozens of other details that changed between the on-screen adaptation of Kepnes' novel, a big one was when, on the TV show, Beck discovers "The Box of Beck" filled with her stolen mementos in the ceiling of Joe's bathroom.

In the book, Beck has to climb into a tapestry-covered hole in the wall (made by Joe after tossing a typewriter through it) in order to discover the box.

Joe didn't try to conceal the box because he believed no woman would ever climb up to look inside a hole.

In both the show and the novel, Beck does find a pair of her panties, a used tampon, and even her yearbook inside the secret box — but in the book she doesn't find any creepy "souvenirs" that Joe kept of his past kills.

In the book, there's nothing belonging to Benji, Peach, or Candace is found in the box. There aren't any teeth, either. In fact, when Beck finds the box, all she thinks is Joe is a "twisted panty-hoarding creep."

There's not much indication that Beck knows Joe killed Peach, Candace, or Benji by the time she dies in the novel, but Beck knows the truth before her death on the TV show. 

Mr. Mooney's abuse toward Joe is shown on the TV series, but it is never mentioned in the books.

On the series, viewers frequently see flashbacks detailing Mr. Mooney's abusive behaviors toward Joe, like locking him in the basement cube. 

The series likely added these flashbacks to try to have viewers sympathize with Joe — in the books Mr. Mooney is seldom mentioned.

Readers are never even told if Mr. Mooney was ever cruel to Joe. 

In the book, Beck escapes captivity just by walking out of the bookstore.

On the series, viewers see Beck cleverly use a typewriter key to stab Joe so she can try to escape from the basement.

But, in the book, Joe is a lot more trusting of Beck. Joe simply leaves the door of the "cage" unlocked and Beck leaves. 

At the end of the first season, Candace appears. But, at the end of the book, it's a new character.

At the end of season one of the TV show, Joe encounters Candance.

But, during the end of Kepnes' novel, Joe actually meets a new woman in his bookstore, readers only know her as Amy Adam, an attractive-looking credit-card thief. 

Candace's reappearance at the end of the season is definitely unexpected, hinting at an exciting and off-book season two of "You." 

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'You': Major Differences Between the TV Series and Books

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'The Acolyte's Best Twist Was Right in Front of Us the Whole Time

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For the fourth time, Joe Goldberg, played by the charming Penn Badgley , is back on his BS in Netflix’s hit psychological thriller, You . The show about a man that takes the phrase “I would do anything for love” to a new, twisted level premiered back in 2018 and has been stalking viewers’ hearts ever since. But some fans might not know that the show is based on a book series by Caroline Kepnes . While the TV series remains a relatively faithful adaptation, the show’s writers seem to stray more from the books with each new season. These differences, however, are the most significant reason fans should take a page out of Joe’s book (literally) and check out the novels.

RELATED : 'You' Season 4 Review: A Risky Reinvention for Joe Goldberg Pays Off

Joe Is Even Darker in the Books

One of You’s biggest draws is that it gives the audience a front-row seat to Joe’s thoughts . Witty and often brutally honest, Joe thinks things we wish we could say. Mostly, he doesn’t actually say them but covers his thoughts with what he says to manipulate a situation or person into getting what he wants. This is usually affection or a way to cover his tracks and maintain the illusion of an innocent man.

Only some things translate well from book to screen. The basis of screen storytelling is to show, not tell; however, in novels, the story is played out through a character’s thoughts. Due to this fundamental rule, Joe’s thoughts on TV are more elaborate in the novel and thus make him much darker. It’s incredibly similar to another fictional serial killer, Dexter Morgan, who is also darker in the books.

In the books, Kepnes doesn’t hold back on Joe’s incredibly violent and perverse thoughts. Another thing that makes Book Joe darker is the absence of the charismatic performance from Badgley. Both versions of the character share the delusion that their actions are justified, but TV Joe is more remorseful than his novel counterpart and has a stronger desire for change. Joe’s only kill so far in Season 4, for example, was in self-defense. If Book Joe and TV Joe met, they'd probably loathe each other.

Another thing that makes TV Joe not as dark is his stronger hero complex. Season 2 sees him feel the need to look out for a 15-year-old girl named Ellie, played by Wednesday star Jenna Ortega . Similarly, in Season 1, Joe rescues his neighbor Paco ( Luca Padovan ) from his abusive stepfather. These kids aren't in the novels but exist in the show to make Joe more likable. Furthermore, Joe’s backstory on the show about being abused by his mentor Mr. Mooney is missing, taking away more sympathy for the character in the books.

Season Ending vs. Book Ending

Speaking of characters who don’t exist in the books, it’s hard not to think about Candace, Joe’s ex-girlfriend who, in Season 1, was believed to be murdered by Joe but instead shows up at the end of the season. This twist probably came as a shock to fans of the novel because, in the first book, Joe does murder Candace. So what happens at the end of the first book if Candace doesn’t return from the dead? A girl does enter the bookshop named Amy Adam (a name TV Candace uses in Season 2). The book ends with her and Joe flirting, hinting that she might be his next “you.”

In You Season 2 , the writers take more liberties with the adaptation. Fans of the show who have not read the second book, Hidden Bodies , are in for a parallel universe when they pick up the novel. The book starts with Amy and Joe’s relationship. All seems well until Amy steals about $23,000 worth of rare books from Joe’s bookstore and runs off to Los Angeles. This is what takes Joe to the West Coast. Since there is no Candace to run from, Joe does not go by the name Will Bettelheim, nor does the real Will exist. In fact, in the book, Joe leaves his infamous cage in New York.

One will find the most significant differences in his love interest, played in the series by the tremendously talented Victoria Pedretti . If any fans were left with a sour taste when it comes to chef Love Quinn, they should check out the source material because Love is almost entirely different. In the novel, she has cotton candy hair, and Joe describes her as “the most attractive girl I’ve ever seen in my life” when they meet at Soho House in LA instead of the grocery store in the series. This is because Love is not a chef in her 20s but an aspiring 35-year-old actress.

Love’s parents still own a chain of grocery stores, but it's called The Pantry. Neither Joe nor Love work at the grocery store. Instead, Joe works at a bookstore hoping to catch Amy trying to sell his stolen rare books. To Joe’s dismay, Love takes an acting gig in a film directed and starring a possible old flame who is in love with her.

What would Love be without her wild and problematic twin brother? Forty Quinn, brought wonderfully to life by James Scully , had many fans crying, “He deserved better!” after the character’s demise. However, that might not be the case for fans of the book. From disappearing on benders for long extended periods with no communication with his grieving family to ruining a newlywed couple's wedding night with an indecent proposal, Book Forty is just the worst. The worst thing Book Forty does is trick Joe into believing they are co-writers on his screenplays, only to double-cross Joe, selling the scripts to film producer Megan Ellison as his own, striking a multi-picture deal.

One huge difference with the twins comes from a story Love tells Joe in the series about Forty being abused by a babysitter they had, leading to her first kill to protect her brother. In the book, she tells Joe about a puppy they had when they were kids that Forty killed. It’s Forty who has murder tendencies, not Love. In fact, Book Love is not a killer at all! Gasp!

In the novel, Love might not be a killer, but she does accept Joe for who he truly is when he confesses everything to her. She even returns to Peach's home to retreive the mug of urine Joe left behind in the first book as a sign of loyalty. And just like in the series, Love reveals she is pregnant, but just when it seems like the happy ending, Joe is arrested for the murders of Guinevere Beck and Peach Salinger!

Alternate Character Arcs

Peach Salinger is one stuck-up individual . In the show, she is highly suspicious of Joe, adding to the suspense of the season. When reading the first book, fans of the show may be surprised she doesn’t suspect Joe at all, and opposite of Forty Quinn, her book version is less awful than her screen adaptation. In the show, Joe and Peach have a dramatic fight over a gun that Joe wins. In the novel, Joe attacks her on the beach, hitting her head with a rock before filling all her pockets with stones and sending her sinking into the ocean.

Not much is different regarding Beck's fate, but watching and reading it are very different experiences. Since Paco doesn’t exist to give Beck the hint of the hidden area in the ceiling, Book Beck finds Joe’s creepy treasure chest behind a poster in a hole in the wall. From there, almost everything plays out the same. The detail Kepnes puts into Beck’s end is gruesome and heartbreaking. Fans who know it’s coming from the show will still likely find themselves in tears reading about her fight for survival and ultimate demise. To make things a little worse, Book Beck does not die in the basement but ends up on the shop floor, inches away from freedom, having almost made it out.

In Hidden Bodies , once Forty grossly takes credit for Joe’s writing, Joe decides it’s time to get rid of him. The perfect opportunity comes when he tracks Forty on one of his many MIA benders in Las Vegas and lies to the Quinns that he will heroically bring him home. Joe waits for Forty to get high enough that he can drown him in a hot spring. That seems to be it until multiple chapters later; it’s brilliantly revealed Forty has survived. Forty blackmails Joe into writing more scripts for him in return for his silence on the attempted murder. Then in a twist, Forty is hit and killed by a drunk driver. This is very different from TV Forty being suspicious of Joe and being shot by Officer Fincher.

The book and TV versions of Fincher are mostly the same jerk who abuse their power, though Book Fincher might be a bit worse. The beating he gives Joe is cringe-worthy, but it’s how he uses his status as a cop to stalk celebrities since he is an aspiring actor that sets him apart. Joe uses this information to pretend to be Megan Fox to lure Fincher to a house in Mexico, where he tortures Fincher. This enrages the officer so much he accidentally kills himself, hitting his head while trying to escape. Since Love is not a murderer in the books, she isn't the one to kill Delilah. Joe murders Delilah when she learns too late that it’s curtains if you suspect Joe Goldberg. Love does not meet her end in Hidden Bodies , just like her story doesn’t end in Season 2. Instead, Love appears and dies in both versions of the third chapter but in vastly different ways.

Book 3 vs. Season 3 and Beyond

Due to Hidden Bodies and Season 2’s very different endings, and the third book in the series, You Love Me, not being published until way into the production of Season 3, very little of the third book is adapted for the show. The third book is about Joe moving to the Pacific Northwest to start over after Love’s family pays his legal fees and bribes him with $4 million to stay away from Love, and their baby named Forty (not Henry like on the show). Joe ends up meeting and falling in love with a woman named Mary-Kay. In Season 3, Joe falls for Marienne, played by Tati Gabrielle . Other than their names being similar, they both have daughters and are in love with a murderer, but these characters are different.

Love is a main staple of Season 3 , but in the third novel, Love is only mentioned when Joe sees her and his son on Instagram. One day she calls him with the promise that he can finally meet his son. When Joe gets there, however, Love pulls a gun on him, demanding he says he loves her. When he refuses, she shoots him in the head before turning the gun on herself, dying after attempting to kill Joe, just like her on-screen version. Somehow, Joe survives, but never gets to meet his son.

In the third book, a private investigator hired by the Quinns named Oliver catches Joe disposing of a body and leverages the money that the Quinns paid Joe to blackmail him into continuous payments to keep quiet. In Season 4, Part 1, Joe meets Elliot, a man sent by Love’s father to kill him. Just like Oliver, he extorts Joe for money he got from the Quinns in exchange for Joe’s life.

It's clear that the books and the show have split into entirely separate storylines. As Book Joe says, “ The problem with books is that they end .” The good news is the wait is almost over. You Season 4, Part 2 drops next month on Netflix on March 9, followed by For You and Only You , the fourth book in the Joe Goldberg novels, out on April 13, 2023.

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The 11 Best Sites for Finding What Books to Read Next

Want your next read to be a good one? These are the book recommendation websites you should look up for books to read next.

Trying to find good books to read during your commute or planning out your summer reading early? There is nothing more daunting than going to a bookstore without a shopping list. So, make sure that your next read is going to be a good one.

There are plenty of sites you can use to look up books based on your personal taste, favorite authors and titles, or even based on a specific plot summary or character.

Whether user-generated, based on recommendations, or using a book recommendation search engine, there are a variety of ways that these sites are going to answer the question: what should I read next?

Gnooks is probably the simplest of these sites to use. You can enter up to three author's names, and Gnooks will recommend another author you might like.

The interface is clean and distraction-free, but if you want to find out more about the recommended authors, you'll have to take your search elsewhere.

The only other feature on Gnooks is the option to make one of three selections: I like it , I don't like it , and I don't know . Making these selections probably helps Gnooks algorithm improve.

2. Goodreads

You should already be familiar with this book community. Goodreads is packed with features that go beyond book recommendations. You will have to sign up for an account to use the site's book recommendations.

There are several ways to discover books using Goodreads . You can search for a title, and you'll see a list of other titles users also enjoyed. If you sign up for a free Goodreads account and rate books that you've read, the site can also offer up recommendations based on your reading history.

In addition to these features, given that Goodreads is a social network, you can also scan the reading lists of other users and friends to find book recommendations.

Some users have also created themed lists which you can use to discover your next read. You can either search for titles you enjoyed and see which lists they appear on, and find other titles you might like.

For example, searching for The Alexandria Quartet is featured on a variety of lists such as best post World War II fiction, alongside other greats such as Catch 22. But then it also does wind up on a list of best books ever, alongside Twilight.

Goodreads isn't the only site that you can use to catalog your book collection and also benefit from the community's wisdom on what to read next. LibraryThing is another good example.

3. What Should I Read Next?

What Should I Read Next? (WSIRN) is a book recommendation search engine. It asks you to enter your favorite book and suggests similar books that you might find interesting. It also lets you browse books by subject.

WSIRN asks users to create reading lists of their favorite books. Thanks to these reading lists and its algorithm, it can understand which books are related to each other.

You can also add books to three default lists: books you liked, books you disliked, books you want to read. This will not only help the algorithm to improve, but you'll get better recommendations. Besides these three lists, you can create custom ones and make your lists private. WSIRN has a Quotes section as well, where you can discover new writers and read relevant quotations.

Unlike most other sites listed here, Litsy doesn't rely on an algorithm. Instead, it relies entirely on its user base for this information. Though you can search for books without signing up, creating a Litsy account gives you access to more features. You can search for books, read reviews, add friends, create posts, and of course find your next read.

Once you've signed up, you'll get a list of users it recommends following. You can also search for other users to follow by searching for your favorite books and seeing who else has left reviews for them. When you want to recommend books for other users, you can't just give the book a thumbs up; you have to leave a short review.

And that's how you're going to find your recommendations—by seeing what other Litsy users are reading. Users post photos of the book (or screenshots of the ebook), along with their reviews.

To find a good book to read, you'll probably want to go directly to the profile of someone who has read other books you've enjoyed and also given them a ringing endorsement. Moreover, Litsy has a mobile application for recommending books .

Download: Litsy for Android | iOS (Free)

5. AllReaders.com

AllReaders.com is another no-frills website without much of a UI to speak of, but it's a great option for those of you who are fans of thrillers. With AllReader.com's advanced search function, you can search for books based on plot, setting or even details about the protagonists. Titles are also accompanied by a plot summary, as well as setting and character information.

Plots or themes include a variety of thrillers, horror, and adventure—so this feature won't be wildly useful if you're looking for something a little more literary.

You can also select the era in which the story is set, the characteristics of the protagonist and the antagonist, the setting, and the book's writing style. Besides the advanced search, it has an option for searching books by title or author.

Amazon should be an obvious option for searching book recommendations. You can find similar titles for any book since the search result is accompanied by a Customers who bought this item also bought list.

While Amazon uses this feature primarily to get you to buy more stuff, you can also take a look at the recommendations for items that are frequently bought together:

And, don't forget that Amazon is also home to the Kindle and its massive reading community too.

7. TasteDive

TasteDive (formerly TasteKid) is a great site for both book and author recommendations, along with other forms of entertainment. Just enter the title of your favorite book or your favorite author, and TasteDive will generate its recommendations.

TasteDive isn't only about book recommendations. You can also use it for music, movies and TV shows. By the same token, you can find recommended books based on other books, as well as based on authors, TV shows, movies, music, and more.

While TasteDive's recommendations are often pretty accurate, searching for recommendations based on newer titles or more obscure authors won't yield any results.

8. Whichbook

Whichbook is another site that offers up suggestions based on specific characteristics rather than similar books - you can make your choices based on the mood of the book, using a series of sliders: Happy to Sad, Funny to Serious, Safe to Disturbing, and so forth.

Drag up to four sliders around to make your selection for each characteristic of the book, and Whichbook will offer up a long list of recommendations. You can also opt for making your selection based on specifics regarding character, plot, and setting. Additionally, you can find books by country and browse through bestsellers.

BookBub is worth a look for its handpicked recommendations. You can also save yourself some money with discounts on books they think you'll want to read.

When you first sign up, BookBub will ask you some questions on what kinds of recommendations you want (updates from authors you love, recommendations from people you trust, info on discounts etc.), and of course information on the genres of books you like.

You can also follow your favorite authors, and in some cases (like Margaret Atwood for example), you'll get recommendations straight from them. In addition to recommendations for people you follow and auto-generated lists, the editors' picks is a great way to discover new titles in your favorite genres.

10. Olmenta

Use Olmenta for random finds if you love to be surprised. The site is simple: you can select books based on nine genres including poetry, children's books, and business.

There are no signups, no algorithms, and no real explanation as to how the books end up on the list, except for a link to recommend books via Twitter to the brains behind the operation.

The Subreddits /r/Books and /r/BookSuggestions are a good place to go to find other like-minded people on the hunt for a good read. You can search the previous threads, or create a post yourself asking for suggestions if you're looking for something in particular.

/r/Books also has a book recommendations tab, where you'll find a weekly recommendation thread . Here, you can request suggestions and can help out other readers with suggestions of your own.

Add Books to Your Reading List

If you're having a hard time finding books to read, it's worth giving these websites a shot. Some share recommendations based on user reviews, while others use algorithms and databases to find the book you'll love.

Once you visit a few of these sites, you can easily find several books to include in your reading list. After adding all the book suggestions to your reading list, you can visit Amazon or other online stores to get your copy.

Don’t Know What to Read Next? This Comprehensive Book Map Can Help

By michele debczak | oct 26, 2023.

Half the battle of nurturing a reading habit is figuring out which book to read next. Whether you prefer fiction or nonfiction, classic literature or new releases, the diversity of titles to choose from can be daunting. If you’re desperate for book recommendations, TheLibraryMap is the perfect starting point.

TheLibraryMap is an online tool that organizes 100,000 book titles in a way that’s visually pleasing and easy to navigate. Each bubble on the map represents a different book, with the size of the bubble reflecting the number of user reviews. Genres and topics are color-coded, and similar titles are clustered in close proximity to one another. If you read and enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, for example, you can browse that area of the map for books you possibly would find next to it on the shelf of a bookstore. The Secrets We Keep by Kate Hewitt and All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood are a couple of the related titles that it recommends. 

If you already have a specific read in mind and are looking for similar recommendations, inputting the name into the search bar at the top of the page brings you straight to it. You can also create an account to add any books that catch your interest to a virtual “to be read” pile on the website. Explore the comprehensive database for yourself here .

Between self-published and commercially published works, millions of new books are released each year. When navigating the wide world of literature , it helps to have a resource you can trust. Here are some books recommended by the Mental Floss team.

How to read the 'You' series in order if you've binged season 4

The 'You' series differs on the page versus screen—here's how, and why you should catch up on the books

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The You series isn't just a televised one—yes, like Bridgerton , Lupin and Shadow and Bone before it, the thrilling Netflix show starring the character we love to hate, Joe Goldberg, is based on a book series by Caroline Kepnes. And her captivating page-turners have hooked fans from the get-go...even if the protagonist's obsessive ways left also them slightly disturbed.

Caroline Kepnes' 2014 bestseller You was the starting point for the series, which follows the head of a bookshop who becomes infatuated with a writer in the making, and stops at nothing to ensure that she becomes his. It's a literary love story that gets dark, and quickly—we're sold! If you've finished streaming You season 4 —which aired on the streamer between February 9 and March 9—and are looking for a way to tide yourself over until season 5 (the final season, sob!), then why not catch up with the novels that first brought Joe to life?

How to read the 'You' series in order:

Currently, there are three books in Caroline Kepnes' You book series: 2014's You , 2016's Hidden Bodies , and the most recently released You Love Me , which hit shelves on April 1, 2021. 

So if you want to dive into You (the Kepnes novel), this is the order you should read them in, in order to avoid getting the storyline mixed up!

What is 'You' the book about? 

The first book in the You series, You (obvs) introduces us to East Village bookstore manager Joe Goldberg. When he meets a beautiful aspiring wordsmith, Guinevere Beck, at the store, he becomes deeply entranced—and entirely too obsessive with her. 

And unfortunately, Beck's life is seemingly an open book, with social media posts all over the place. As you might have guessed, this makes it all the more simple for Joe to get exactly what he wants—even if requires does something immoral. 

You: A Novel (The You Series) by Caroline Kepnes RRP: $10.22 / £7.35

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• View on Amazon in the UK

What is 'Hidden Bones' about?

You clearly needed a sequel and author Caroline Kepnes delivered, much to thriller fans' delight. In this follow-up, we journey alongside the wicked bookseller as he heads to the West Coast, attempting to put his demons to rest. Will history repeat itself when Joe finds a new love interest in Los Angeles?

Hidden Bodies: A You Novel (The You Series) RRP: $13.74 / £6.99

What is 'You Love Me' about?

In the highly-anticipated third installment of the You series, readers find Joe attempting to move out of the city and set up shop in the California 'burbs. But his new routine starts to look oddly familiar when he finds himself falling for his fellow librarian Mary Kay DiMarco. If she's not willing to go along with his quest for love, how will things play out?

You Love Me: A You Novel (The You Series) RRP: $13.35 / £12.99

Will there be a fourth book in the 'You' series?

Yes, a fourth You novel is coming! Kepnes announced the new book, entitled For You and Only You , on Instagram in November 2022, writing: "I'm so excited to invite you back into Joe's head and I hope you love it in there!" 

The title will be available to purchase everywhere books are sold (online and in-store) on Thursday, April 13, 2023—so there's not long to wait now!

While people have been wondering about You book 5 as a hint to what season 5 of the TV series will bring, it's important to note that the Netflix show is actually one ahead of the book series. This means that season 4 and book 4—while similar—don't technically correspond (e.g. the 4th season wasn't directly influenced by the book), which means that the 5th season likely won't correspond to a book either. That is, unless Kepnes very quickly writes another!

However, fans might note that there are some similarities between You (Kepnes novel) and You (the Netflix show) when it comes to book 4 and season 4.

In the upcoming novel, Caroline Kepnes reveals that Joe has travelled from California to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he has been accepted onto a writing fellowship. There, he falls into a seriously well-to-do, privileged crowd (sound familiar?) until he meets Wonder, who luckily, appears to be as down-to-earth as Joe. And soon, he'll do anything to protect her...

For You and Only You: A Joe Goldberg Novel RRP: $30 / £13.19

'You' series book versus show: how are they different?

Like any onscreen adaptation, storylines tend to change along the way. There are certain characters in the novels that we don't get to see in the TV series (like the professor who is also in love with Beck). And, conversely, there are characters, such as Annika, who exist on the show but not in the book. 

Without giving away any spoilers, particular characters who commit murder in the show don't do so in the book. Plus, a certain horrifying scene in the first season is something entirely new and not in the novel. 

It goes without saying that both print and TV need to be consumed—they're equally as engrossing and frightening! 

Catch up on You series 4, which is available to stream on Netflix now.

Need a TV show recommendation? Maybe a few decor tips? Danielle, a digital news writer at Future, has you covered. Her work appears throughout the company’s lifestyle brands, including My Imperfect Life, Real Homes, and woman&home. Mainly, her time is spent at My Imperfect Life, where she’s attuned to the latest entertainment trends and dating advice for Gen Z.

Before her time at Future, Danielle was the editor of Time Out New York Kids, where she got to experience the best of the city from the point of view of its littlest residents. Before that, she was a news editor at Elite Daily. Her work has also appeared in Domino, Chowhound, and amNewYork, to name a few. 

When Danielle’s not writing, you can find her testing out a new recipe, reading a book (suggestions always welcome), or rearranging the furniture in her apartment…again. 

• Christina Izzo

As a self-proclaimed blush connoisseur, I swear by ILIA's cheek and lip stick and hopefully, when my work is done, you will too.

By Naomi Jamieson Published 28 September 23

If you've been looking for a new, signature hair look for fall, Emma Chamberlain may have just come *through* for you...

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You Won't Believe that These 10 Movies Based on Books are on Netflix

Posted: June 4, 2024 | Last updated: June 4, 2024

Calling all bookworms and movie buffs! Did you know Netflix offers a treasure trove of films based on your favorite novels? Here’s a list of 10 surprising titles you might not have realized were book adaptations: The Huntsman: Winter’s War (2016) Betrayed by her vindictive sister Ravenna, the Ice Queen Freya unleashes her formidable ice […]

The post You Won't Believe that These 10 Movies Based on Books are on Netflix appeared first on New York Tech Media .

The Huntsman: Winter’s War (2016)

Betrayed by her vindictive sister Ravenna, the Ice Queen Freya unleashes her formidable ice powers and declares war on love itself. Caught in the crossfire are Eric and Sara, two elite warriors bound by a forbidden romance. As Freya’s icy wrath threatens to engulf the kingdom, Eric and Sara must defy the odds and fight for love, even if it means facing the wrath of the vengeful ice queen. (Based on the novella “The Huntsman and the Ice Queen” by Alice K. Gardiner)

World War Z (2013)

Former U.N. investigator Gerry Lane is thrust back into the nightmarish world of global crisis when a mysterious virus explodes into a full-blown zombie pandemic. With humanity on the brink of extinction, Gerry embarks on a perilous global mission to find the source of the outbreak and uncover a potential cure. (Based on the novel of the same name by Max Brooks)

The 5th Wave (2016)

In the wake of four devastating alien attacks that have decimated the human population, Cassie, a fierce and resourceful teenager, desperately searches for her younger brother amidst the ruins of civilization. When she encounters Evan, a mysterious stranger with his own secrets, they join forces to prepare for the fifth wave, an alien invasion rumored to be the most lethal yet. (Based on the novel of the same name by Rick Yancey)

Constantine (2005)

John Constantine is a cynical demon hunter haunted by his past. Plagued by visions of hell and weary of the world, he reluctantly agrees to help a police detective investigate her sister’s mysterious suicide. As they delve deeper into the case, they uncover a celestial war brewing between heaven and hell, and Constantine is forced to confront his own demons to save the world from a devastating supernatural threat. (Based on the “Hellblazer” comic book series by Garth Ennis and Jamie Delano)

Jumper (2008)

David Rice discovers he possesses an extraordinary ability: he can teleport anywhere on Earth at will. Initially using his power for personal gain and globetrotting adventures, David soon finds himself targeted by a ruthless organization known as Paladins, who hunt and eliminate individuals with his kind of power. On the run for his life, David must learn to master his abilities and fight back against the Paladins before they eliminate him. (Based on the novel of the same name by Steven Gould)

Snow White & the Huntsman (2012)

In a dark and twisted take on the classic fairy tale, Snow White is not a helpless princess but a warrior princess forced to flee into the dark forest when her evil stepmother, Queen Ravenna, seeks to steal her beauty and immortality. Enlisting the help of a reluctant huntsman named Eric, Snow White embarks on a quest to gather allies, reclaim her rightful throne, and defeat the tyrannical queen. (Inspired by the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Snow White”)

Van Helsing (2004)

The legendary monster hunter Van Helsing travels to a remote corner of Europe to face off against a trio of iconic villains: Dracula, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein’s monster. Hired by the Vatican to vanquish these forces of darkness, Van Helsing utilizes his vast arsenal of weapons and hunting skills to overcome the unholy alliance and save the world from their monstrous clutches. (Loosely based on the novel “Dracula” by Bram Stoker)

Next (2007)

Cris Johnson is a down-on-his-luck Las Vegas magician with an extraordinary secret: he can see a few minutes into the future. When a terrorist plot threatens to unleash catastrophic destruction on the city, the FBI enlists Cris’s unique ability to help them prevent the attack. However, using his visions comes at a cost, and Cris must find a way to manipulate the future he sees without succumbing to its overwhelming power. (Based on the short story “The Golden Man” by Richard Matheson)

Blade Runner: The Final Cut (1982)

In a bleak future Los Angeles, Rick Deckard is a jaded blade runner, a specialized police officer tasked with hunting down and retiring replicants – bioengineered beings indistinguishable from humans but deemed a threat to society. Deckard’s latest assignment leads him to uncover a conspiracy that throws into question the very nature of humanity and forces him to confront the ethical implications of his job. This restored director’s cut includes previously unseen footage that sheds new light on the film’s themes and characters. A neo-noir masterpiece, Blade Runner is a must-watch for fans of science fiction and classic cinema. (Based on the novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” by Philip K. Dick)

Mortal Engines (2018)

In a post-apocalyptic world where giant, mobile cities roam the Earth devouring smaller towns for resources, a young woman named Hester Shaw finds her world turned upside down when she falls from the skycity of London. Thrown together with a mysterious fugitive named Tom Natsworthy, Hester embarks on a perilous journey to stop London from consuming everything in its path and forge a new future for humanity. (Based on the novel of the same name by Philip Reeve)

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What to Read Next, Based on Your Favorite Books & Authors

Check out our tried-and-true book recommendations.

For many of us, choosing what to read next is a daunting task, especially if you don't have as much time to read as you would like. And nobody wants to waste hours slogging through a book that just isn't right for them, or filling their Kindle library with books that may not be worth reading.

The solution? If it's not broke, don't fix it—choose a book that evokes the same feelings that you get from a book you already know you love. To help out with that, we've created this list of what to read next, based on your favorite books.

Related: The 10 Most Popular Books of All Time  

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For fans of Harry Potter...

The Red Magician

By Lisa Goldstein

Being a children's book, J.K. Rowling stopped short of directly comparing Voldemort's hatred of those who weren't "pure bloods" to the Holocaust. But in The Red Magician , Lisa Goldstein tackles the dark history directly. The book follows 11-year-old Kisci as she leaves a concentration camp, only to be drawn into a battle between the rabbi she respects and the magician she trusts.

Related: 13 Books Like Harry Potter for Adult Readers  

For fans of Agatha Christie...

The Chinese Shawl

By Patricia Wentworth

Miss Marple, meet Miss Silver. Patricia Wentworth introduced Miss Maud Silver in the 1920s, and readers quickly fell in love with the former governess who enjoyed knitting, reading Tennyson and using her sharp intellect to solve mysteries. In The Chinese Shawl , a budding actress's life is cut short. And it's up to Miss Silver to determine who killed her, and why.

Related: 9 Mystery Authors Like Agatha Christie  

For fans of The Lord of the Rings...

The Ill-Made Mute

By Cecilia Dart-Thornton

Grand Master of Science Fiction Andrew Norton compared this book to LOTR , and for good reason. With roots in ancient folklore of the British Isles, the best-selling tale follows a nameless mute who's trapped in a tower. The foundling has no memories of arriving there, but sets out to escape anyway. 

Related: 12 Engrossing Fantasy Books Like The Lord of the Rings  

For fans of The Alchemist...

Alburquerque

By Rudolfo Anaya

The Alchemist taught us to look to our future, but Alburquerque shows us the importance of the past. Abrán González has found out he's adopted, and he's determined to find his birth father. As he searches, Abrán discovers the importance of love, hope, ethnicity, and what it means to have a sense of identity. 

Related: 11 Inspirational Books Like The Alchemist  

For fans of Stephen King...

By Robert R. McCammon

Cory is used to the unusual. In Zephyr, the small town where he grew up, there have been whispers from spirits in the local graveyard and dozens of snakes slithering down Main Street. But when he sees a car drive into the town lake—a car that was being driven by a naked corpse—it sets of the most haunting summer so far.

Related: The 15 Best Horror Books—We Dare You to Finish Them!  

For fans of Little Fires Everywhere...

The Lost Daughter

By Elena Ferrante

You may have heard of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Quartet , or the HBO series based on the books, My Brilliant Friend. The rest of Elena Ferrante's books are just as, well, brilliant—and this one is also being adapted for the big screen, in a movie directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring Olivia Colman.

Like in Little Fires Everywhere , this novel sees the meeting of two families sparking a series of events that no one could have anticipated. Expect lots of psychological thrills in this unexpected story about motherhood and independence. 

Related: 9 Books Like Little Fires Everywhere  

For fans of Jane Austen...

Jane and Prudence

By Barbara Pym

Jane Austen was undoubtedly a genius, but we can only read her 6 novels so many times. Luckily, there are plenty of authors who followed in her footsteps, including Barbara Pym. This witty comedy-of-manners in particular is reminiscent of Emma —older spinster Jane enjoys playing matchmaker for her younger friend, Prudence. But Jane's plans are foiled when Prudence becomes interested in a married man.

Related: 10 Must-Read Books for Die-Hard Jane Austen Fans  

For fans of Game of Thrones...

The Reluctant Swordsman

By Dave Duncan

George R.R. Martin isn't the only author to play fast and loose with his characters' lives. The Reluctant Swordsman features favorite characters in danger, unfavorable odds, and incredible world building. In this first book of The Seventh Sword series, Wallie Smith is an average boy until he wakes up in another world of priests and barbarians—and they need his help.

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15 Of The Best Book Recommendation Sites To Find Your Next Book

Abigail Clarkin

Abigail can often be found holding a book in one hand and an ice cream cone in the other. When she is not devouring stories (or dessert), Abigail trains for marathons and writes poetry about growing up with eight brothers and sisters. She enjoys working in marketing for a real estate developer and creating Instagram content for fun (@marathonandmunch) about all the tasty eats found in Providence, RI.

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At some point, you’ve likely encountered a long, bleak patch when your reserve of recommended books ran dry. A few years ago, there was a stretch when I didn’t have people in my life who understood my taste in books. I’d finish a fantastic series and then be disappointed when I realized that there was no rebound read to help me recover from the last series. Thankfully for the readers like us who are still nursing book hangovers, there are personalized book recommendation websites across the internet to save us.

If you have run out of books you’re interested in reading, look through these fifteen book recommendation sites.

Subscriptions

Book Riot has its very own subscription service called Tailored Book Recommendations . TBR is made up of staff who dedicate their time to carefully tailoring book recommendations for readers based on what they like to read personally. Sign up for either a recommendations-only level subscription or a hardcover level subscription (which includes having three books mailed to you).

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If you’d like free and discounted reading deals sent straight to your email, sign up for BookBub. Based on the genres you choose when signing up, BookBub will send personalized recommendations of ebooks that can be purchased for a reasonable rate. Themed lists are also available on their site.

22 Books Coming in 2018 Recommended by Librarians https://t.co/Sil3Wvs6Lh @tarawestover @thuglibrarian @CommerceLibrary @randyribay @alicewriterland @anglophilelibr pic.twitter.com/Uu6cIJuuxx — BookBub (@BookBub) March 2, 2018

3. Library-Specific Sites

If you’re a patron at a large library, there’s a chance that your library offers personalized book recommendation services delivered via email. A few libraries currently offering this service include New York Public Library , Denver Public Library , and Sacramento Public Library . Ask your librarians to see if this is a resource for you as well.

Themed Lists

4. epic reads.

Epic Reads is one of the largest young adult fiction communities online. Along with their endless energy and passion for YA, one reason for their popularity is their interactive quizzes, lengthy lists, and colorful book charts that point readers towards their next favorite read. A few years ago when I met a reading slump, I worked my way through much of their amazing Young Adult Retelling Chart . Many of my favorites were found through this resource.

5. Penguin Teen

The Penguin Teen website features book lists, news about young adult authors, and a helpful book suggestions tool that focuses on genre specific book recommendations.

6. Reading Rockets

If you’re looking for children’s books for the kids in your life (or for the child in you), check out Reading Rockets. Reading Rockets provides specific, lengthy themed lists for young readers. With list topics ranging from “Books About Kids Who Find Reading Hard” to “That’s So Gross,” you are sure to find a book for any occasion. This site can be a wonderful resource for teachers, librarians, and educators.

Tor is the online hub for fantasy and science fiction. Check out their many lists to find stories that will transport you to fictional lands.

A project from Netgalley, Bookish offers a wide range of book lists, including fiction, audiobook, and young adult. What makes this site stand out is these are all brand new releases or forthcoming titles, so you can get your library holds or preorders in early.

All of the recommendations on Olmenta are submitted by passionate readers. The site allows you to peruse titles by genre or category, and it’s a fun way to let someone else pick a book for you (without needing to do any real work on your end). You can submit your own suggestions, too.

10. Shepherd

Who could offer better recommendation lists than authors, experts, and passionate readers of books on aa topic? Shepherd offers a wide range of book lists, including everything from best YA books about immigration to novels where something queer’s afoot. In the near future, Shepherd will make it possible to sort lists by genre, as well, so you could find books set in China that are romance, nonfiction, YA, or otherwise.

Made-For-You on the Spot

11. whichbook.

On Whichbook, book recommendations are calculated by one out of two categories: 1. Mood, or 2. Character, setting, and plot. The reader has the choice to use sliders on the “Mood” section to rate what they’re looking for in a book. Do you want a book that is completely happy? Or on the border between safe and disturbing? There is also the option to select your desired character characteristics, the story setting, and/or plot points that you’d like included in the recommendation.

Maybe AI knows the perfect book for you. Readow starts by asking you some simple questions about recent reads and uses technology to pair you with your next great book.

13. What Should I Read Next

14. readgeek.

Registering is optional when using Readgeek to receive book recommendations. In order to get ahold of book suggestions, simply rate a few books that you’ve read on a 1–10 scale. After you finish rating as many as you’d like, Readgeek calculates which books you’d most likely enjoy based on your previous ratings.

15. Literature Map

At Literature Map, you can type in an author’s name and then view similar authors that other readers are enjoying. The site generates a map that displays author names in relative states of closeness. The closer the authors, the more likely other readers enjoyed both.

Another simple but fun AI-driven recommendation site is Gnooks. Pop in your three favorite writers and you’ll get a recommended author to try. It doesn’t end there, though: you can rate whether or not you like the author suggested for even more recommendations.

17. Goodreads

Goodreads provides a space for people to track their reading, write reviews, and view books, lists, and authors that align with their interests. When creating an account on Goodreads, the reader has the opportunity to create original book lists. One of my favorites is the “Want to Read” option: every time you view a book description that sounds interesting, you can save the book to a list that is dedicated to books you plan to tackle later. For those of you who are looking to build a never ending To-Be-Read list, Goodreads is a perfect place to start.

18. Narrative Muse

Are you interested in reading books specifically written by underrepresented voices? Narrative Muse serves as a recommendation site for those who are looking for both films and books created by women and nonbinary writers. Create an account to be matched with books that fall under these categories.

19. The Storygraph

Billed as an alternative to Goodreads, The StoryGraph is a book tracking site, a community making site, and offers book recommendations. You can import your Goodreads information to The StoryGraph, and both the website and app have clean but visually appealing interfaces. Here’s our full StoryGraph review .

20. r/books

Numbering at almost 21 million subscribers, Reddit’s main book subreddit is a haven for book discussion and recommendations. Want to know what Reddit users across the massive site are reading? There’s Reddit Reads for that.

Still looking for more ways to find your next favorite book? Take this quiz on what you should read next to receive an immediate recommendation. If you’re willing to look for suggestions in places off of the internet, check out 31 Ways to Find the Best Book Recommendations .

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Analytical Methods

Enhanced detection of acetamiprid via a gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric aptasensor integrated with hybridization chain reaction.

This study presents a novel colorimetric aptasensor, which seamlessly integrates gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with the amplification potential of the hybridization chain reaction (HCR) for enhanced detection of acetamiprid. The aptamer, hybridized with a partially complementary strand that is covalently linked to AuNPs, serves as the recognition element for acetamiprid. The free end sequence of the aptamer, distal from the AuNP surface, functions as the initiating strand for the HCR, triggering the amplification process. In the absence of acetamiprid, the HCR efficiently occurs, conferring robust salt tolerance to the AuNPs and maintaining their characteristic red coloration. However, in the presence of acetamiprid, the aptamer preferentially binds to its target, disrupting the double-stranded structure and leading to the dissociation of the aptamer from the AuNPs. This dissociation results in a decrease in HCR product, subsequently diminishing the salt tolerance of AuNPs and triggering a colorimetric transition from red to gray. This integration enhances sensitivity to 3.14 nM. Additionally, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) transduce colorimetric signals to fluorescent ones, further boosting sensitivity to 0.24 nM. The aptasensor exhibits excellent selectivity and robustness. Real-world testing on tomato, peach, and lettuce shows recoveries of 98.50% to 100.36% with low standard deviations, validating its utility for pesticide residue analysis and food safety. This study provides a powerful tool for rapid and accurate pesticide detection, crucial for food safety.

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X. Liu, M. Li, H. Wang and L. Yang, Anal. Methods , 2024, Accepted Manuscript , DOI: 10.1039/D4AY00685B

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