TBR - Bookshelf presents an interesting implementation of a digital reading journal, particularly for those of us who appreciate a visual representation of our data. The app's core functionality revolves around creating a virtual bookshelf, allowing users to organize and display their completed books in an aesthetically pleasing manner. This is more than just a superficial feature; the visual layout can be pedagogically sound, providing a quick overview of one's reading habits and preferences. The ability to rate books and add personal notes is also quite useful, mirroring the annotation practices common in academic research. The sorting options, while reportedly having minor algorithmic quirks with half-star ratings, offer a degree of control over organization that is intellectually satisfying. Cross-platform compatibility would be a welcome addition, but as a standalone iOS application, it offers a novel approach to an old problem: how to effectively manage and reflect upon one's reading list. I can see this being helpful for managing citations and sources for research projects.
Key Features
Visual Bookshelf: Displays your read books in a visually engaging bookshelf format, facilitating quick visual recall of your reading history.
Rating and Notes: Enables you to assign ratings and append personal annotations to books, mimicking annotation practices in academic research.
Sorting Options: Provides diverse sorting mechanisms, including rating, title, and author, for streamlined organization of your digital library.
"The visual bookshelf is surprisingly elegant. It's a well-researched design that makes tracking my reading progress throughout the year both simple and intellectually stimulating. I find myself using it to quickly recall key arguments and themes from books I've read months ago."
— 5★ User Review
IOSUpdated: 7/8/2025
