Goodreads - The Pinterest For Readers

I have many ways of finding books to read.  The obvious, bestseller lists.  New releases through the bookstores.  In Barnes there is a section where the sellers recommend their favorite reads of the month.  The also tell why it is their favorite.  Sometimes I just walk around the book store waiting for something to jump out at me.  The popular "mainstream" books are easy to find.  They are everywhere!  It is harder to find unique reads.  To find books that are book club type reads I google and go out to blogs.  I will jot down books I read about.
Tonight I spent a couple of hours on a site called Goodreads.  On this site I can input  the names of all the books I read and rate them.  I can also classify the books into subject groups.  There are Chick Reads, Historical, Bookclub, Survivor Stories.  I do not always take the time to classify the books.  I do not always remember to go out on the site.  Tonight I had lots of updates to do.  Based on what books I put on my shelves and how I rate them, books are recommended for me to read.  The books are broken into categories.  They show a picture of the book, how most people rated it, and give a description.  If I want to read it, I mark it.  If I do not want to read it, I mark that. 
This is a great way to find unique reads.  I had lunch with Jersey Girl today.  We found a few minutes to talk books.  She mentioned she just finished a book called, Snow Flower and The Secret Fan by Lisa See.  When I was on Goodreads tonight one of the books recommended to me was, Snow Flower and The Secret Fan.  Amazing right?  It also shows that Jersey Girl and I like to read some of the same books.  Though she will take a walk on the weird side once in awhile, I have received good suggestions from her.  Jersey Girl was the one that recommended The Time Traveler to me.  The first time I tried to read it, I could not get into it.  She told me to try again.  I ended up loving it! 
I have a few lists of books to read now.  My next step is to go out on Amazon and see prices for downloading some books.  The last step is to find quiet time do get the reading down.  Think it will be a reading kind of week-end.  Well, after my three grand children spend the night Friday night and stay with me until Saturday afternoon.  They are always top on my List of Things To Do!
**Note to Jersey Girl**  In case I forget to tell you tomorrow, I came across a book you need to read.  It is called, "Left Neglected" by Lisa Genova.  Lunch with you was the first time I heard the term, Left Neglected.  Tonight I came across the book.  I know I am meant to tell you about it.  You need to read it.  Hope it helps.
Much more goes into reading then just grabbing a book off the shelf.  Finding the great book is part of the fun.