Adding Books to Your Library

Your BookNest library is the heart of your reading sanctuary. Here’s how to add and organize your books.

Adding Your First Book

Method 1: Search Google Books

The easiest way to add books:

  1. Navigate to your Dashboard
  2. Click “Add Book” button
  3. Type the book title or author in the search bar
  4. Browse the results from Google Books
  5. Click on the correct book
  6. Select the shelf (Want to Read, Currently Reading, or Read)
  7. Click “Add to Library”

Method 2: Manual Entry

For books not in Google Books:

  1. Click “Add Book”
  2. Choose “Manual Entry”
  3. Fill in the details:
    • Title (required)
    • Author (required)
    • ISBN (optional)
    • Publication year (optional)
    • Page count (optional)
  4. Upload a cover image (optional)
  5. Click “Add Book”

Organizing Your Books

Shelves

BookNest provides three default shelves:

Want to Read

  • Books you plan to read
  • Your reading wish list
  • Recommendations you want to remember

Currently Reading

  • Books you’re actively reading
  • Track multiple books simultaneously
  • Update progress as you read

Read

  • Finished books
  • Includes date finished
  • Write reviews and ratings

Moving Books Between Shelves

  1. Go to your library
  2. Find the book you want to move
  3. Click the shelf dropdown
  4. Select the new shelf
  5. Changes save automatically

Book Details

Viewing Book Information

Click any book to see:

  • Full description
  • Author information
  • Publication details
  • Your personal notes
  • Community reviews
  • Reading progress

Editing Book Details

  1. Open the book
  2. Click “Edit Details”
  3. Modify any field
  4. Click “Save Changes”

Tracking Reading Progress

For Currently Reading Books

  1. Open the book from your Currently Reading shelf
  2. Use the progress tracker to log:
    • Current page number
    • Percentage complete
    • Reading sessions (with date and duration)
  3. Progress updates automatically

Recording Reading Sessions

Track detailed reading history:

  1. Click “Log Session”
  2. Enter:
    • Start page
    • End page
    • Reading date
    • Duration
  3. Save to track your reading habits

Rating and Reviewing

Adding a Rating

  1. Open the book
  2. Click the star rating
  3. Select 1-5 stars
  4. Rating saves automatically

Writing a Review

  1. Open the book
  2. Click “Write Review”
  3. Write your thoughts
  4. Choose visibility (public/private)
  5. Click “Publish”

Bulk Actions

Import Books

Import from other platforms:

  1. Go to Settings > Import Books
  2. Select your source (Goodreads, CSV, etc.)
  3. Upload your export file
  4. Review and confirm imports
  5. Books added to your library

Export Your Library

Create a backup of your data:

  1. Go to Settings > Export Data
  2. Choose format (CSV, JSON)
  3. Click “Export”
  4. Download begins automatically

Search and Filter

Finding Books in Your Library

Use the search bar to:

  • Search by title
  • Search by author
  • Filter by shelf
  • Filter by genre
  • Sort by various criteria

Advanced Filters

Narrow down your library:

  • Rating (e.g., show all 5-star books)
  • Date added
  • Date read
  • Page count range
  • Reading status

Tips and Tricks

Quick Add

Use the quick add button (+ icon) available throughout the app for fast book additions.

Reading Goals

Books you finish are automatically counted toward your reading goals.

Book Covers

High-quality cover images are automatically fetched from Google Books. You can upload custom covers if needed.

Notes and Highlights

Add private notes to any book to remember key quotes or thoughts.

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