How to add books, and what to do when a match is wrong
Add a book in a few seconds, check the match, and fix it in a tap if BookWard picked the wrong one. Here is every option, step by step.
Examples shown for illustration. App screens show a fictional demo reader.
Search by title, author or a description
In BookWard choose Add books, then Add one book, and start typing. A title alone usually works. Add the author to narrow it down, or describe the book if you cannot recall the exact title. BookWard lists matches from real book catalogs, with covers and first publication years.
Choose a shelf, then confirm
Choose whether you have read it or want to read it, and press Add to shelf. A confirmation card shows the cover, author and year, so you can check it is the book you meant. Press Yes, add it.
If it is the wrong book, press Not this one
BookWard shows the closest other matches. Pick the right one, confirm, and it is added with the correct cover, author and year.
If your book is not in the catalog
BookWard tells you it could not confirm the book and gives you three choices: Add as typed (unverified), Fix the details, or Edit search. Fix the details lets you set the title, author and first publication year yourself, and choose a cover. A book saved this way is marked as not matched to a book record.
Fix a match any time
Open the book on your shelf and press Not this book (or Find the right book, if it was never matched). Search again and pick the right one. Your rating, notes and shelf stay exactly as they are, and you can edit the details by hand from the same panel.
Adding several books at once
Each book in a pasted list, a Goodreads file or a store page is looked up in the background and marked Matched, Check this match or Not confirmed before anything is added. Press Not this book on any row to see up to five other matches, or add it as you typed it. Books already on your shelf are skipped. See how to add a whole list in one paste and how to import from Goodreads.
Read or want to read
Choose a shelf when you add a book, and move it between Read and Want to read any time from the book’s page.
Why matching matters
A match ties your book to a real book record, so you get the right cover, author and first publication year, and so recommendations and Book Companions are about the right book.
Common questions
What if BookWard picks the wrong book?
On the confirmation card press Not this one to see the closest other matches, and pick the right one. If none are right, choose Fix the details to set the title, author and year yourself.
What if my book is not in the catalog?
BookWard tells you it could not confirm the book. You can add it as typed (unverified), fix the details by hand, or edit your search. Books added this way are marked as not matched to a book record.
Can I fix a match after I have added a book?
Yes. Open the book and press Not this book, or Find the right book if it was never matched. Search again and pick the right one. Your rating, notes and shelf stay as they are.
Will I lose my rating or notes if I change the match?
No. Changing the match only updates the title, author, cover and year.
Do I have to type the exact title?
No. A title alone usually works, and you can add the author or describe the book. Spelling mistakes are tidied up as well.
What happens if the book is already on my shelf?
BookWard skips books you already have, so you do not end up with duplicates.
Add your first book
Sign up free, search for a book you love, and see it land on your shelf with its real cover.
Free while in beta. No credit card needed.