I'm thinking about designing a book-tracking website/app because existing ones feel like glorified spreadsheets. I want to turn a digital library into a series of beautiful, personalized spaces—your very own Reading Nooks.
I am not selling anything. I just want to see if people actually want, what I think is a pretty cool project.
The core idea is this- Instead of one static list, you can create multiple, distinct Nooks. Each Nook is designed to match the specific vibe of the book (or books) you're reading at that moment or overall genre like fantasy.
Here's a breakdown of the features I'm working on. Let me know if this sounds like something you'd actually use!
You start by picking a room size (small cozy or medium) and then customize everything to match your current read-
Custom Layout Overhauls- Set a theme for your space with presets like Cyberpunk Den (for sci-fi), Medieval Tavern (for fantasy), Winter Lodge (for a cozy classic), or Mystery Study. These change the walls, floors, and window frames. This doesn’t change the layout structure, just the detail of the walls, floor, and window frames.
Ambient Features- Add immersive background sounds that make you feel like you're in the book's setting-
- Rain/Thunder/Wind from the window.
- A crackling Fireplace or a bubbling Mini Fountain.
- Coffee Pot that adds coffee shop noise.
- Wind Chimes or a gently Ticking Clock.
Memorabilia & Identity- Place Symbolic Items ("Mementos") around your Nook, purchased from a in app market that changes what they have. These represent books you've finished, and you decide what each item means to you by attaching custom notes, making the space uniquely yours.
Your books are central to the space and provide satisfying visual cues-
From your nooks, wherever your books are placed – you can then click/tap and it brings you to a "bookshelf" – where each book has its own custom spine. You can then create collections and categorize your books with custom label plates. You can then see the custom books from your nook so there is a lot of variation. The empty spaces on your shelves are also a fun visual cue, encouraging you to fill them up!
Dynamic Spines-
You can set a clean, uniform spine theme for a collection of books, or collect unique custom spines for individual books. – (e.g. dragon skin, ice frost, a bloody drip, etc.)
Progress-Based Spines- As you log pages, the spine of your currently reading book on the table will visually fill up with color or a progress bar—a great motivator!
Format Indicator- Spines feature subtle icons (e-reader, speaker, book texture) to show if it's an eBook, audiobook, or physical copy.
Seamless Goodreads Import- A simple, flawless process to import your entire TBR list so you don't have to manually re-sort anything.
Quarter star ratings
Mood-Based AI Reader- An AI that checks your current mood and asks a series of short questions then suggests your next book only from your current TBR list. It helps you find the right book at the right time. – helps tackle that endless TBR list.
Social Nook Visiting- Easily share and visit each other's custom Nooks to browse their collections and check out their designs and memorabilia . You can leave "Likes" or "Upvotes," and the most creative Nooks get featured weekly.
Here’s some questions that would help me out greatly. Does the ability to create and switch between multiple, fully customized, immersive Nooks—each built for a specific reading experience—sound like a game-changer for a book-tracking app?
What kind of genre would you create your first Nook for and what would you imagine it to look like?
What features do you really like?
What do you want really badly that’s not included?
What do you dislike or don’t really care for?
by Old_Organization4147