I use AI daily, so I figured why not see what it can recommend for my next read? Probably just as good as random internet strangers, right?

For anyone out there constantly asking "what should I read next?", try your favorite AI! I mainly use Claude (Sonnet 4 for this experiment), but I'd imagine most of them would do a decent job.

The Process:

Since I'm pretty good about tracking my reads on Goodreads, I decided to feed all that data to Claude and see what happens. Here's how:

1. Export your Goodreads library. Click "My Books" then scroll down to Tools on the left nav and click "Import and Export". Click the "Export Library" button at the top of your "My Books" page to download your data.
2. Upload that CSV file to Claude
3. Use the prompt below and let it analyze your reading history

Results:

I was really impressed! The recommendations matched my tastes. It did recommend a few books I'd already read, but when I pointed that out, it immediately went back and replaced them with new suggestions. (Hopefully the verification steps I added to the prompt will minimize this issue.)

The AI actually understood my preferences better than I expected and it picked up on patterns I hadn't noticed and recommended books that hopefully match my reading style (I'll have to see after I read them).

Have you tried this? What were your results like?

Here's the exact prompt I used (copy and paste):

Book Recommendation Prompt

I'd like personalized book recommendations based on my Goodreads reading history. I'll paste my export data below.

Key data points to focus on:

• Title, Author, My Rating (1-5 scale, 5 is best, 0 means unrated)
• Date Read (prioritize books I've read in the past 2 years)
• Bookshelves (indicates if "audiobook")
• Exclusive Shelf (shows "read" vs "to-read" status)
• My Review and Private Notes (if present)
• Read Count (books I've read multiple times are clearly favorites)

Questions for you to ask me:

1. Are you looking for similar books to ones you loved, or trying to branch into new territory?
2. Any genres you specifically want to explore or avoid?

Please provide:

• 20 total recommendations split into two sections: "Physical Books" (10) and "Audiobooks" (10)
• For each recommendation, explain why you're suggesting it based on my reading patterns (without spoilers)
• For audiobooks, briefly mention what makes them work well in audio format
• IMPORTANT: Do not recommend any book I've already consumed in ANY format. If I've read a physical book, don't recommend it as an audiobook. If I've listened to an audiobook, don't recommend it as a physical book. Check the "Exclusive Shelf" field to see what I've marked as "read"
• It's fine to suggest books I have on my "to-read" shelf, but don't specifically try to work those into your recommendations

**VERIFICATION PROCESS – CRITICAL:**

Before making any recommendations, you MUST:

1. First analyze my Goodreads data to identify books I've read or have on my to-read shelf
2. For each potential recommendation, search my library data to confirm it's NOT already there
3. Show me your verification process (which books you checked and confirmed are safe to recommend)
4. Only recommend books after you've verified they're not in my library If you accidentally recommend a book I've already read, I will point this out and you must check more thoroughly.

• My Goodreads data: [upload goodreads_library_export.csv here]

Here's what it came up with for me:

Based on your Goodreads data analysis, I can see you're an voracious reader with excellent taste! You've consumed 358 books with 131 on your to-read list. I notice you particularly love LitRPG (the entire Dungeon Crawler Carl series), sci-fi (Andy Weir, Blake Crouch), horror/thrillers (Stephen King is clearly a favorite with 13 high-rated books), and psychological mysteries. You're also a heavy audiobook user (about 28% of your library).

Based on your reading patterns: You clearly love LitRPG/GameLit (especially Dungeon Crawler Carl), sci-fi in the Andy Weir/Blake Crouch style, Stephen King horror, and psychological thrillers. You're also a heavy audiobook user (~28% of your library).

Physical Books (10 Recommendations)

1. Beware of Chicken by CasualFarmer

LitRPG/Cultivation
A refreshing take on the cultivation genre with humor and heart. Unlike typical power-fantasy LitRPG, this focuses on slice-of-life farming with cultivation elements. Perfect counterbalance to the intensity of Dungeon Crawler Carl while staying in the genre you love.

2. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Literary Sci-Fi
Post-apocalyptic but beautifully written, focusing on human connections after civilization collapses. Matches your appreciation for thoughtful sci-fi like Project Hail Mary but with more literary depth.

3. Exhalation by Ted Chiang

Sci-Fi Short Stories
Mind-bending short stories from the author of "Story of Your Life" (basis for the movie Arrival). Perfect for someone who loves the scientific rigor of Andy Weir with philosophical depth.

4. Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

Sci-Fi Short Stories
Chiang's earlier collection, equally brilliant. These stories will appeal to your love of hard sci-fi concepts explored with perfect precision.

5. Billy Summers by Stephen King

Thriller/Crime
King's recent thriller about an assassin taking one last job. More crime thriller than horror, but with King's masterful character development you clearly appreciate.

6. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Gothic Horror
Atmospheric horror set in 1950s Mexico. Rich, creepy atmosphere that fans of Stephen King's more gothic works would appreciate.

7. The Fisherman by John Langan

Cosmic Horror
Deep, literary horror in the Lovecraftian tradition. For readers who want horror that's both terrifying and intellectually challenging.

8. Spin by Robert Charles Wilson

Hard Sci-Fi
Earth gets enclosed in a time-dilating barrier where the outside universe ages millions of years per day. Hard sci-fi mystery perfect for fans of Blake Crouch's high-concept work.

9. Azarinth Healer by Rhaegar

LitRPG
Fast-paced LitRPG about a woman with healing powers who prefers to punch things. Great progression fantasy with satisfying power growth.

10. Mother of Learning by nobody103

Time Loop Fantasy
A student mage gets stuck in a month-long time loop. Brilliant problem-solving and magic system development. Appeals to both your LitRPG love and appreciation for clever plotting.

Audiobooks (10 Recommendations)

1. He Who Fights with Monsters by Shirtaloon

LitRPG/Portal Fantasy
Australian gets transported to fantasy world, gains sarcastic powers. Excellent narrator brings the humor to life. The series has the same addictive quality as Dungeon Crawler Carl.

2. Defiance of the Fall by TheFirstDefier

LitRPG/System Apocalypse
Earth gets integrated into a multiverse system. Fantastic progression and world-building. The narrator handles the complex magic system explanations well.

3. The Primal Hunter by Zogarth

LitRPG/System Apocalypse
Archer class protagonist in system-apocalypse setting. Great for audio due to excellent action sequences and progression tracking that's easy to follow while listening.

4. The Wandering Inn by pirateaba

LitRPG/Fantasy
Young woman starts running an inn in a fantasy world with game-like elements. Epic scope and character development. The audiobook narrator does excellent character voices.

5. Artemis by Andy Weir

Hard Sci-Fi
Weir's follow-up to The Martian, set on a lunar city. Great narrator brings the protagonist's voice to life, and the technical aspects work well in audio format.

6. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

Fantasy/Sci-Fi
First in the Broken Earth trilogy. The narrator's performance elevates the already incredible world-building and emotional depth.

7. Contact by Carl Sagan

Hard Sci-Fi
Classic about first contact with aliens, emphasizing scientific method and wonder. The audiobook captures Sagan's sense of cosmic awe perfectly.

8. The Institute by Stephen King

Horror/Thriller
Recent King about children with psychic abilities held in a sinister facility. King's recent audiobooks have been particularly well-narrated, and this one's no exception.

9. Later by Stephen King

Horror/Supernatural
A boy who can see and talk to ghosts gets drawn into dangerous situations. Shorter King novel that works perfectly in audio format.

10. The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

Sci-Fi Horror
Space horror about a deep cave explorer in a high-tech suit, guided by a mysterious handler. Combines the isolation horror you enjoy with sci-fi elements. The tension builds perfectly in audio format.

Why These Work for You

LitRPG Selections: Based on your love for Dungeon Crawler Carl's blend of humor, progression, and world-building. These offer similar addictive progression mechanics with varied approaches.

Sci-Fi Picks: Match your appreciation for hard science (Weir), mind-bending concepts (Crouch), and thoughtful world-building (your 5-star ratings pattern).

Horror/Thriller: Continue your Stephen King journey while expanding to authors who share his ability to blend character development with genuine scares.

Audiobook Logic: Selected books that particularly shine in audio format, high-quality narrators known for these genres, or series where following complex systems/progression works well while listening.