Chapter #52: Asking ChatGPT for Reading Recommendations

The results were a little surprising...

Feeling My Shelf is a bi-weekly newsletter about books, life, and, well, life with books. Grab your favorite caffeinated beverage and get comfy. First up, some recent reads.

1. A Legend in the Baking by Jamie Wesley

   Football player August is supposed to be the “quiet” partner in the cupcake business he and his two best friends own. But he accidentally goes viral after a rant defending baking and masculinity and suddenly becomes the town's hottest bachelor. At the same time, his best friend’s little sister, Sloane, shows up to handle the business’s social media. She’s had a thing for him forever, and working together stirs up all those old feelings. It’s fun and full of romantic tension as they navigate their past and chemistry. The “will they / won’t they” parts dragged on a bit, and the flashbacks to their “past encounters” weren’t as satisfying as I would’ve liked, but overall it was a solid, feel-good read! Hits shelves on November 19.

2. Colored Television by Danzy Senna

   Jane is a biracial writer struggling with her second novel. Once she realizes that it’s going nowhere, she switches gears and dives into Hollywood, hoping to create a hit biracial comedy show. Of course, Hollywood’s wild and full of shady people, so things get chaotic. The story digs deep into her identity struggles, complicated marriage, and artistic dreams. It’s hilarious, biting, and relatable, especially if you’ve ever felt stuck between chasing success and staying true to yourself.

The hardest thing about wanting to read more sometimes? Deciding what the heck to read.

A stroll through a bookstore (or a scroll down BookTok) will yield many options, but how do I know if I’m going to like any of those? I often think to myself. I wish there was a way to share books I’ve already read and loved and get personalized recommendations for what to read next. Obviously, you know where this is going. That “way” does exist—insert ChatGPT.

At first, I was skeptical about using AI for book recommendations. I wasn’t sure if it could understand my reading preferences or offer suggestions that matched my taste. But I figured it was worth a shot.

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First, I went to GoodReads. I selected “Read” under my Bookshelves, which brought up a list of all the books I’ve read and rated.

Next, under tools, I selected import + export. After a minute or two, a CSV file became available to download, and I uploaded and opened it in Google Sheets. There were a bunch of unnecessary columns, so I deleted those and then filtered out everything but my 5-star reads. The result was this list of titles below.

On to ChatGPT! I asked the question below and pasted in the list of books.

In less than two minutes, here’s what I got in return:

hmm…, that's pretty spot-on!

1. Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn – A funny and heartwarming story about family expectations and self-discovery, similar to the romantic and personal journeys in books like The Perfect Find and Honey Girl.

2. Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson – This charming romance follows a man trying to keep his family's knitting shop alive while navigating a relationship with a long-time friend, similar to Accidentally Engaged and The Wedding Date series.

3. Luster by Raven Leilani – If you enjoyed Nightcrawling and The Weight of Blood, Luster offers a raw and unflinching look at race, relationships, and survival in a similar way.

4. The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon – With sports, romance, and ambition, this fits with your love for Take a Hint, Dani Brown and Snapped from the Playbook series.

5. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – A witty, slow-burn romance that has been a popular hit, perfect for fans of smart, nerdy heroines.

6. The Love Con by Seressia Glass – A light, fun read featuring a fake relationship in a cosplay competition, perfect for fans of Crazy Stupid Bromance and Dial A for Aunties.

7. Black Girls Must Die Exhausted by Jayne Allen – A relatable and emotionally compelling story about a woman facing both personal and professional pressures, similar to The Vanishing Half and The Black Kids.

8. The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams – A heartwarming story about the power of books, much like The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks and Better Than Fiction.

9. We Are Not Broken by George M. Johnson – A poignant memoir about family, love, and resilience that touches on similar themes of identity and strength as Know My Name and Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism.

10. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin – A unique blend of dystopian science fiction and social commentary. If you liked The City We Became, you'll appreciate Jemisin's world-building and exploration of systemic oppression and survival in this series opener.

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My overall rating of Chat GPT’s recommendations? ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Four stars! It’s a solid list of picks, and these all sound like books I actually would read. But the comp titles feel like a bit of a stretch in some places. I do kind of want to try it again with some of my three and 4-star reads, though!

Would you try this? Have you read any of these books? Let me know in the comments!

And if you’re looking for any fall book recommendations…I shared two titles I’m excited to read in

Downtime

’s Fall Book Issue alongside a few other bookish folks. Check it out here!

An ARC of If I Were You by Cesca Major, “a funny and emotional read about a couple struggling in their relationship who accidentally swap bodies on their way to a family wedding weekend.” Hits shelves on September 24.

“I read over 45 thrillers this year—these are the ones I gave five stars.” Nine books Meredith Grey would read. Lucy isn’t perfect, but she isn’t the problem in Tell Me Lies season two. The Bravo of romance novels? Meet 831 Stories. How author Elin Hilderbrand starts her day. These are the accessories you need to level up your Kindle.

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