BookLens.ai is a free AI-powered book recommendation tool that analyzes photos of your bookshelf to suggest personalized reading recommendations.
Instead of spending hours browsing through endless book lists or getting overwhelmed by choice paralysis, you can simply snap a photo of your collection and receive instant suggestions tailored to your reading preferences.
I decided to try this out myself. I used a popular book, “The Crash” by Freida McFadden, as my input.
BookLens.ai came back with these suggestions:
- “No Exit” by Taylor Adams: This one’s a thriller about a college student stranded in a blizzard who finds a kidnapped child. The AI picked up on the suspense and thriller elements, which makes sense.
- “Behind Closed Doors” by B.A. Paris: Tagged as a psychological thriller and domestic mystery. Again, it’s in the same ballpark as Freida McFadden’s style.
- “The Woman in Cabin 10” by Ruth Ware: A psychological thriller set on a luxury cruise. This also aligns well with the “thriller/suspense” vibe.
The recommendations were definitely in the right genre: psychological thrillers and suspense. If you’re a fan of McFadden, these suggestions would likely appeal. It felt like the AI understood the core appeal of the input book. For a quick, no-fuss recommendation, it did its job.
Features
- AI-Powered Recognition: Advanced computer vision identifies books from your photos automatically
- Instant Recommendations: Get personalized suggestions within seconds of uploading
- No Registration Required: Start using the tool immediately without creating accounts or providing personal information
- Multiple Format Support: Works with physical books, digital libraries, audiobook collections, and reading lists
- Genre Analysis: The AI examines themes, writing styles, and characteristics across your collection
How to Use It
1. Visit booklens.ai directly in your browser. No downloads, registrations, or account creation required.
2. Take clear photos of your bookshelves where book titles are visible, or upload screenshots of your digital library. The tool accepts various image types, including physical shelves, Kindle libraries, Goodreads lists, or any image containing readable book titles.
3. The AI analyzes your collection within seconds, identifying books and generating personalized suggestions. Each recommendation includes cover images, author information, brief descriptions, and direct links to purchase options.
Pros
- Zero Commitment Access: No sign-ups or personal information required to start using
- Speed and Efficiency: Instant recommendations eliminate hours of browsing and decision-making
- Visual Recognition Accuracy: Successfully identifies books from various photo angles and lighting conditions
- Personalization Depth: Goes beyond genre matching to analyze writing styles and thematic elements
- Format Flexibility: Works with physical books, digital collections, and mixed libraries
- Cost-Free Operation: Full functionality available without payment or subscription requirements
Cons
- Limited Interaction: No ability to rate recommendations or provide feedback for refinement
- Database Scope: May not recognize very obscure or self-published titles
- No Advanced Filtering: Cannot specify preferred publication dates, page counts, or specific sub-genres
FAQs
Q: Can I upload a photo of someone else’s bookshelf to get ideas for them?
A: Yes, as long as the photo has readable book titles, you can upload it. The AI doesn’t know whose shelf it is; it just analyzes the books.
Q: How are the recommendations actually chosen? What’s the AI “thinking”?
A: The AI looks at the genres, themes, authors, and other characteristics of the books you own. It then searches its database for other books that share similar traits or are often read by people who liked your books. It’s a mix of content-based filtering and collaborative filtering patterns.
