Navigating BookNest

BookNest is designed to be intuitive, but here’s a complete guide to help you navigate efficiently and discover all the features available.

Main Dashboard

Your dashboard is your home base. Access it by clicking “Dashboard” in the main navigation.

Dashboard Sections

Reading Overview

Current reading progress
Books currently reading with progress bars
Reading streak counter
Quick stats (books read this year, total pages, etc.)

Recent Activity

Your latest book additions
Recent reviews
Friend activity
Club updates

Goals & Challenges

Active reading challenges
Goal progress
Upcoming milestones

Recommendations

Suggested books based on your reading
Trending in your genres
Books your friends are reading

Top Navigation Bar

The main navigation is available on every page:

Home

Returns to main dashboard
Quick overview of everything

Dashboard

Your personal reading space
Access to all your books and stats

Discover

Browse books
Find new reads
Explore genres
View trending books

Clubs

Your book clubs
Browse available clubs
Create new clubs
Club invitations

Goals

Reading challenges
Annual reading goals
Statistics and achievements

Profile

View and edit your profile
Access settings
View your public profile page

Notifications

Bell icon shows unread count
Click to view all notifications
Mark as read or clear all

Book Management

Your Library

Access through Dashboard > Books

Views Available:

Shelf View - Organized by reading status
Grid View - Cover art display
List View - Detailed list with metadata
Stats View - Analytics and charts

Quick Actions:

Click any book for details
Hover for quick actions
Use search to find books
Apply filters to narrow down

Adding Books

Multiple ways to add books:

Global Add Button - Plus (+) icon in top navigation
Dashboard Quick Add - Prominent button on dashboard
Add from Search - Add while browsing Discover section
Add from Recommendations - One-click add from suggestions

Book Clubs

Navigate to Clubs from main menu:

Your Clubs Tab

Clubs you’ve joined
Active discussions
Upcoming events

Browse Clubs Tab

Discover new clubs
Filter by genre, size, activity level
Preview before joining

Create Club Button

Start your own book club
Invite friends
Set club parameters

Reading Challenges

Access via Goals in main navigation:

Active Challenges

Currently participating challenges
Real-time progress tracking
Quick actions to log books

Browse Challenges

Community challenges
Seasonal events
Genre-specific challenges

Create Challenge

Set personal goals
Create community challenges
Invite friends to join

Profile & Settings

Click your avatar in top right:

Your Profile

Public profile view
Edit profile information
View your stats
Manage privacy settings

Settings

Account settings
Privacy controls
Notification preferences
Theme selection (light/dark mode)
Import/export data

Sign Out

Safely log out of your account

Search Functionality

The global search bar (magnifying glass icon):

Search Everything:

Books in Google Books database
Books in your library
Users and friends
Book clubs
Help articles

Quick Tips:

Use quotes for exact phrases
Filter by type (books, users, clubs)
Recent searches saved for quick access

Mobile Navigation

On mobile devices:

Hamburger Menu (☰)

Opens full navigation drawer
All sections accessible
Quick actions available

Bottom Navigation Bar

Home
Library
Discover
Profile
More (additional options)

Keyboard Shortcuts

Power users can use keyboard shortcuts:

Ctrl/Cmd + K - Quick search
Ctrl/Cmd + N - Add new book
Ctrl/Cmd + / - Open help
Ctrl/Cmd + D - Go to dashboard
? - Show all shortcuts

Breadcrumbs

Track your location:

Displayed below main navigation
Click any breadcrumb to navigate back
Especially useful in nested sections (clubs, challenges, etc.)

Common Navigation Paths

To log a reading session:

Dashboard > Currently Reading > Select Book > Log Session

To join a book club:

Clubs > Browse > Select Club > Join Club

To start a reading challenge:

Goals > Create Challenge > Set Parameters > Start Challenge

To discover new books:

Discover > Filter by Genre > Browse > Add to Library

Tips for Efficient Navigation

Bookmark Your Favorites - Use browser bookmarks for frequently visited pages
Use Search - Fastest way to find anything
Learn Shortcuts - Keyboard shortcuts save time
Customize Dashboard - Arrange widgets to prioritize what matters to you
Mobile App - Install as PWA for app-like experience

Still Lost?

If you can’t find something:

Use the search bar
Check this help center
Contact support
Watch tutorial videos (coming soon!)

We’re always improving navigation based on user feedback. Have suggestions? Let us know!