The Challenge
Existing book tracking apps felt either too cluttered (Goodreads) or too simplistic. Readers wanted a beautiful, intuitive way to track their reading progress, organize their TBR (to-be-read) pile, and get personalized recommendations without endless scrolling through reviews.
The Solution
I designed Next Chapter around three core experiences: a clean reading dashboard showing current reads with progress tracking, a visual bookshelf for organizing collections, and a smart recommendation engine based on your actual reading history. The app prioritizes beautiful design and speed, making it delightful to use daily.
Key Features
- Visual progress tracking with daily reading goals and streaks
- Custom collections and shelves (TBR, Favorites, DNF, by genre, etc.)
- Reading stats dashboard showing books per month, pages read, and favorite genres
- Smart recommendations based on your reading patterns
- Book notes and highlights for capturing thoughts while reading
- Reading challenges and community features (coming soon)
Impact & Results
Currently in beta with 50+ active users. Early feedback shows users are reading 30% more books after tracking with Next Chapter. The visual progress tracking and streak features create positive reinforcement loops that keep readers engaged.
What I Learned
- Readers are motivated by progress visualization. Seeing reading streaks and completion rates encourages consistent reading habits
- Mobile-first is essential for reading apps—people add books on the go, not just at their desk
- The TBR pile is sacred. Users needed flexible organization tools, not rigid categories
- API limitations matter. Working around Google Books API restrictions required creative solutions
Tags
Mobile App
React Native
Product Design
Beta
Reading
Tech Stack
React Native
TypeScriptTailwind CSS
Supabase
Google Books API