Year in Books
Reimagining Goodreads' yearly recap as a shareable, story-driven experience
01
About
This idea came about because I wanted to create something fun and engaging on Goodreads—a way to see your yearly reading stats, similar to Spotify Wrapped or Apple Music. While Goodreads is a widely used platform, it can feel a bit outdated, so this “Year in Books” feature is designed to bring a more dynamic, modern experience.
At its core, this project is about reimagining how readers connect with their own habits, giving them a moment to reflect, feel accomplished, and get excited about reading again, instead of just passively tracking books.
My Role
Product Designer, Creator
Timeline
75 hours
Tools
Figma, Figjam, Adobe Illustrator, Maze, Zoom
02
Overview
This feature transforms how Goodreads users experience their yearly reading stats—turning passive data into an engaging, shareable story inspired by Spotify Wrapped.
Goodreads users track their reading, but users rarely feel a connection to their end of year wrapped
01
Outdated Experience
The interface feels dated compared to modern reading apps, lacking visual appeal and engagement
02
Passive Data Display
The storytelling feels not exciting and difficult to feel a connection to
03
Low Shareability
No built-in features to share reading accomplishments with friends or social media
04
Research
I interviewed 8 users to understand their reading habits and relationship with Goodreads. Some were avid readers, others sometimes readers, and a couple are just getting into reading.
67%
expressed some level of frustration with Goodreads
33%
knew about the current wrapped version but want it improved
83%
Want visual storytelling over raw numbers
83%
want deeper, more personalized insights (genres, habits, stats)
Pain Points
Users have limited opportunities to share and celebrate their reading habits, as Goodreads does not provide a compelling, social, or shareable experience comparable to modern platforms like Spotify Wrapped
Users need a more personalized, engaging, and shareable way to reflect on and discover books, as current Goodreads features lack interactivity, meaningful insights, and social connectivity
Competitive Analysis
I analyzed the existing competition by evaluating their unique features, strategies, and app design to help guide the research in the direction of the most suitable solutions for potential users
All platforms offer similar core features: book tracking, recommendations, and community-based discovery
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Smaller user bases, inconsistent UX, or lack of emotional engagement
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Key weakness of Goodreads → Outdated interface and lack of engaging, interactive data visualization
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Core insight: → Users want more than tracking—they want a fun, shareable, and reflective experience
Affinity Mapping
Turning raw data and feedback into insights that drive user-centered design and smarter features
Reading Habits & Behaviors
Users read consistently across formats (physical, audiobooks) and genres
Secondary discovery comes from apps, online lists, and AI tools
Book discovery is primarily driven by word of mouth and trusted sources
Users value personalized recommendations from sources that “know them”
Gaps in Current Experience
Goodreads is perceived as:
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Outdated
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Lacking personalization
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Not reflective of evolving reading tastes
Current “Year in Books” feature feels:
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Too basic
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Not rewarding or memorable
Mixed engagement with book apps—many users don’t rely on them consistently
Opportunities for Personalization and Engagement
Strong demand for smarter, more personalized recommendations
Interest in social and community features:
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Seeing what others are reading
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Sharing stats
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Book clubs or like-minded groups
Users want both:
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Familiar suggestions
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Genre expansion / discovery outside their norm
Desire for a more interactive, story-driven Wrapped experience
User Personas
Key
User Flow
05
Design System
Color Palette
Headings
Tondu
Subheadings
Young Serif
Body
Poppins
05
Prototyping & Wireframes
Starting with low fidelity frames, I mapped out what the feature was going to look like. Through a couple of revisions, I created a prototype that shows users their yearly book stats in a fun and exciting way.
High Fidelity
Creating a Story
Narrative-driven, celebratory,
UI-forward
