thoughts on a bookish website idea?

[doris.ehcd]

Hi everyone, I’m thinking about developing a new website to help with something I personally find frustrating as a book lover. I’d really welcome your comments!

 

I feel that it takes too long to discover great books that fit my tastes (fantasy, etc.) There’s so many books and lists of books out there, but not enough guidance for choosing among the options when I’m deciding what to read next. I have to start a lot of books that I don’t finish because I don’t like the writing style or pacing. My favorite books are ones I discovered after a *lot* of looking around online.

 

So I’m thinking about developing something like a “Rotten Tomatoes for books,” where each book gets a number score based on how critics and blogs have reviewed it. The site could also have Netflix-style categories (like “young adult novels set in the US with male protagonists”) to give recommendations if you tend to like books with specific elements.

 

Would you find a site like this useful? Or if no, why not? Both answers are very welcome!

[Raven]

A "Rotten Tomatoes for books", giving a critic's and a user's* score, sounds like a good idea but I would imagine that the amount of work that would be required to get it up and running would be colossal! 

 

Would you be rating the story as written by the author, or would you be rating individual imprints?

 

*One that is policed a little better than Amazons!