After more than 30 years working in the book industry, Cheryl Akle has learned that reading is rarely a solitary pursuit.

Readers might curl up alone with a novel, but they still want to talk about it afterwards. They want recommendations, they want to know what others are reading, and they want to share the books that have moved them. It’s an observation that helped Cheryl build Better Reading into Australia’s largest reading community, reaching more than one million readers each month.

For Akle, that sense of connection has always been at the heart of reading.

“I think reading gave me an interest in people and people’s lives,” she tells Starts at 60. “I think it also gave me empathy. Reading stories opens up the world of other people.”

That fascination with people remains one of the things she loves most about books. Even after decades spent working with authors, publishers and readers, she still finds excitement in discovering a new writer or story.

“What I’ve really enjoyed about fiction, in particular, is how people’s own experience is woven into a fiction storyline,” she says.

“You’re never not in the book, even if you’re writing fiction.”

It is also why she believes recommendations remain so important. Throughout her career, readers have consistently come to her with the same question.

“No one has ever asked me what not to read,” she says with a laugh.

Instead, people want to know what they should read next.

That desire for guidance and conversation ultimately helped shape Better Reading and, more recently, inspired the launch of a new free book-tracking and discovery app called What Are You Reading?

Akle says the idea grew out of years of conversations with readers who wanted a simple way to keep track of what they were reading and discover new books through recommendations from people they trusted.

“People kept saying to me, ‘Do you have somewhere where I could connect with other readers?’ and ‘Do you have somewhere where I could just keep the list of books that I’ve read this year?'”

The result is a platform that allows readers to create a personal library, track their reading and, if they choose, connect with a wider community of book lovers.

“It’s called What Are You Reading?, and you can really just keep your own list, your own personal list, and you don’t have to share it,” she says. “Or you can share it with others.”

Users can catalogue their books privately or choose to connect with other readers, share recommendations and even form book clubs.

The platform has also been designed with Australian readers and writers front and centre.

“I think our writers are fantastic,” Akle says. “I think we have very good writing, very good fiction, in this country.”

While international books remain available, she wanted Australian stories to be easier to discover.

“We have so much homegrown talent that I wanted Australian writing and Australian fiction to be first.”

One feature Akle is particularly excited about is the way the app connects books with additional content from Better Reading. Readers can access author interviews, podcasts and Q&As directly through the platform, allowing them to dive deeper into the stories and writers they love.

“You’re getting not just about the book, you’re getting more information about the author,” she says.

For Akle, reading has always been about more than simply finishing a book. It’s about sharing recommendations, discovering new authors and finding others who love stories just as much as you do.

That is particularly true when it comes to grandchildren.

Many Starts at 60 readers will know the joy of reading with younger family members, and Akle believes grandparents can play a powerful role in helping children discover books.

“I think grandparents have such a special relationship with their grandchildren because they’re not the main caregiver,” she says.

For grandparents, reading doesn’t need to be about educational outcomes or literacy milestones.

“Make it not about literacy and make it about the story,” she says.

Picture books, rhymes, repetition and favourite family stories all help children develop a love of reading. More importantly, they create opportunities to spend time together.

Akle’s passion for reading extends well beyond childhood. She has also seen the important role books play later in life, particularly for retirees and those living in regional communities.

“They’re companions,” she says simply.

Books offer entertainment, escape and comfort, but they can also provide a sense of connection. Through libraries, book clubs, online communities and reader events, people continue to find others who share their love of stories.

In a world full of distractions, Akle believes readers are still searching for meaningful ways to connect through books. The format may have changed, but the desire to discover a great story and share it with someone else remains as strong as ever.

For Akle, the launch of What Are You Reading? is a natural extension of the community she has spent more than a decade building through Better Reading. Whether readers are tracking their latest novel, discussing a favourite author or searching for their next recommendation, her goal remains the same: bringing readers and stories together, while helping Australian authors find the audience they deserve.

As for what she’s reading herself, Akle is currently enjoying The Cairo Bridal Shop by Tess Woods, due for release in September, though she says readers looking for a recommendation today should pick up The Venice Hotel.