I love getting book recommendations, and Shepherd sources their book recommendations from readers and authors (not businesses). I’m thrilled to share my book list with them, the best horror books where something comes back wrong.

This indie platform focuses on helping readers find books they’ll love, not which books came out in the past year that happen to be in a genre they’ve read before. Their Book DNA tool offers dozens of book recs based on the authors, books, genres, and topics of your choice.

And, these recommendations come from a wide range of authors (some of the ultimate book lovers). You can also find top book recommendations by year, genre, and audience. So far, 8,200 authors have added their book recommendations to the site. You can also find out which books have been recommended the most across all book lists. Readers can also contribute their book recommendations to the site by sharing their top reads of the year.

Another reason I love Shepherd is the positivity exuded across the site. It’s full of book recommendations, not reviews. You won’t find any book bashing here, but the specific reasons behind a book recommendation can help readers decide if they want to find out more or start reading.

The variety, positivity, and independent nature of the project make it an ideal community for both writers and readers to find the books they may not have found otherwise.