December 29, 2025
Shelfmates or Soulmates?
Show HN: See what readers who loved your favorite book/author also loved to read
Book Twins app splits readers—missing authors, fantasy feuds, and cover wars
TLDR: A new “Book Twins” tool asks readers to share their top three books for personalized recommendations, and 712 have joined. Commenters like the idea but clash over missing authors, fantasy overlap stats, and off-putting covers, with calls for synopses and fan-specific leaderboards to make recs feel smarter and useful.
Readers are rushing to test a shiny Book Twins tool that promises personalized picks if you share your top three reads. With 712 submissions, the feed is stacked with fan favorites like Percival Everett’s James, Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, and the cult hit Dungeon Crawler Carl—but the comments are the plot twist. One camp is swooning; the other is side-eyeing. The 'Loved by X people' vs 'Book twins' labels sparked a mini metrics war, as eastoeast begged for a leaderboard showing the most-loved books among fans of specific titles (where are the Mistborn and Name of the Wind overlaps?). Design drama flared when a critic called the wall of covers “off-putting,” demanding short synopses instead; cue a cover-art vs clarity smackdown. Skeptics grumbled they can’t find certain authors, poking at the platform’s own disclaimer: we’re new. Then a veteran dropped literature-map.com like a mic, starting a “been-there, read-that” debate. The creator, bwb, cheerily linked a page to share yours, which some read as wholesome, others as promo. Fans joked it’s “Book Tinder for nerds” and “twins who don’t look alike.” Verdict: readers want better search, smarter overlap stats, and fewer vibes—more substance.
Key Points
- •The page highlights readers’ favorite reads of 2025 and invites users to submit their top three books.
- •A personalized recommendation feature (“Book Twins”) suggests reads based on shared preferences.
- •The platform is new and may not yet include every book.
- •712 readers have submitted their favorite reads so far.
- •Submitting top three reads generates a personal page showcasing the user’s favorites.