# Book Discovery Apps Squirl Turns the Real World into a Place to Find What to Read Next By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2015-03-23 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/squirl References: [squirl.co](http://squirl.co/) Squirl is a mobile app that offers a new way to get book recommendations in a novel way. Rather than getting your next must-read book from a friend or a bestseller list, Squirl gets you out of the house to explore. The app uses [real-world locations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scratch-earth) found in books, using its app as "a real life portal into a different world." Equipped with your [personal reading preferences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bookwiz), the app will highlight if a cafe or a toy store nearby might be tied to a plot that will pique a reader's interest. Once intrigued, a reader can check out an excerpt from the book and even purchase the entire book from within the app. Blending real-world exploration with book recommendations, this is a fun way to find new books that are tied to the surroundings that are most familiar to you. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.4/10 - Popularity: 16% | Activity: 48% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Mobile](https://www.trendhunter.com/mobile) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Location-based Book Recommendations:** Opportunity to create innovative apps that connect readers with books based on their real-world surroundings. - **Experiential Reading:** Potential to develop immersive reading experiences by incorporating real-world locations and settings into book recommendations. - **In-app Book Purchases:** Opportunity to enhance the convenience of discovering and purchasing books by enabling readers to buy directly from the app. ### Where This Applies - **Mobile App Development:** Disruptive innovation potential in the field of mobile app development to create unique reading experiences. - **Publishing:** Opportunity for publishers to partner with location-based book recommendation apps and explore new avenues for book discovery. - **Retail:** Chance for retailers to collaborate with book recommendation apps and attract customers by tying book selections to their real-world locations. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Social Reading Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/social-app-for-readers.md) - [Location-Based Storytelling Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/storyrabbit.md) - [Book Discovery Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/book-chat-noir.md) - [Immersive Virtual Bookstores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shepherd-30.md) - [Curated Book Finders](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/readhive.md) - [AI Book Recommenders](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nextreadai.md) - [Curated Reading Insights](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bookselects.md) - [AI Book Finders](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cinder-books.md) - [AI Book Suggestions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/book-recommendations-tool.md)