The Purpose of this Project
Spellbound is a web application designed to showcase the best-selling books ranked by The New York Times. It provides users with an easy and engaging way to explore books, authors, and categories from the NYT Best Seller list. Whether users are looking for their next great read or simply curious about current literary trends, Spellbound makes book discovery effortless. The platform allows users to browse the latest best-sellers, search for specific titles or authors, and filter books by category. To keep readers updated, it includes notifications whenever the list is refreshed. Additionally, Spellbound offers personalised book recommendations based on user interests, enhancing engagement and making the browsing experience more interactive.
The Technical Implementation
Spellbound is built using modern web technologies and integrates multiple APIs to deliver up-to-date book information. The key technical components include: -New York Times Books API: Retrieves real-time best-seller data to ensure book listings remain current. -MongoDB Database: Stores and manages book data efficiently, with automatic updates every 24 hours to prevent excessive API requests. -Open Library API: Provides additional details about authors, including biographies and other published works. The application also features an intuitive navigation bar, a powerful search function, and interactive modals that display detailed book and author information in a visually appealing way.
Results & Future Potential
Spellbound enhances the reading experience by making best-seller lists easily accessible and regularly updated. By presenting book data in a structured and engaging format, it helps users discover new books quickly and efficiently. Looking ahead, there is potential to expand Spellbound by incorporating links to global book retailers, allowing users to purchase books directly from their preferred stores. Additionally, enhancing author pages with more in-depth bibliographies and related works would further enrich the platform, making it a valuable resource for book lovers worldwide.