This workflow follows the Emailsend → HTTP Request recipe pattern — see all workflows that pair these two integrations.
The workflow JSON
Copy or download the full n8n JSON below. Paste it into a new n8n workflow, add your credentials, activate. Full import guide →
{
"id": "12",
"name": "Find a New Book",
"nodes": [
{
"name": "On clicking 'execute'",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger",
"position": [
40,
140
],
"parameters": {},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Every Friday at 11:00 AM",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.cron",
"position": [
20,
330
],
"parameters": {
"triggerTimes": {
"item": [
{
"hour": 11,
"mode": "everyWeek",
"weekday": "5"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Set Subject",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
"position": [
220,
330
],
"parameters": {
"values": {
"string": [
{
"name": "subject",
"value": "juvenile_literature"
}
]
},
"options": {},
"keepOnlySet": true
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Retrieve Book Count",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
"position": [
420,
330
],
"parameters": {
"url": "=http://openlibrary.org/subjects/{{$json[\"subject\"]}}.json",
"options": {},
"queryParametersUi": {
"parameter": [
{
"name": "limit",
"value": "0"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Check Book Count",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
"position": [
620,
330
],
"parameters": {
"conditions": {
"number": [
{
"value1": "={{$node[\"Retrieve Book Count\"].json[\"work_count\"]}}",
"operation": "larger"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Select Random Book",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.function",
"position": [
820,
330
],
"parameters": {
"functionCode": "var retrieve_book = 0;\nvar book_count = items[0].json.work_count;\n\nretrieve_book = Math.floor(Math.random() * book_count) + 1\n\nitems[0].json.retrieve_book = retrieve_book;\nreturn items;"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Retrieve Detailed Book Info",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
"position": [
1260,
330
],
"parameters": {
"url": "=http://openlibrary.org.{{$node[\"Retrieve Basic Book Info\"].json[\"works\"][0][\"key\"]}}.json",
"options": {},
"queryParametersUi": {
"parameter": [
{
"name": "limit",
"value": "1"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Retrieve Basic Book Info",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
"position": [
1040,
330
],
"parameters": {
"url": "=http://openlibrary.org/subjects/{{$json[\"name\"]}}.json",
"options": {},
"queryParametersUi": {
"parameter": [
{
"name": "limit",
"value": "1"
},
{
"name": "offset",
"value": "={{$json[\"retrieve_book\"]}}"
},
{
"name": "detail",
"value": "true"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Book Recommendation",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
"position": [
1830,
330
],
"parameters": {
"values": {
"string": [
{
"name": "msgSubject",
"value": "=Book Recommendation: {{$node[\"Create Author String\"].json[\"title\"]}}"
},
{
"name": "msgBody",
"value": "=<H2><a href=\"{{$node[\"Create Author String\"].json[\"URL\"]}}\">{{$node[\"Create Author String\"].json[\"title\"]}}</a></H2>\n<p><em>By {{$node[\"Create Author String\"].json[\"authors\"]}}</em><br>\n{{$node[\"Create Author String\"].json[\"description\"]}}</p>"
}
]
},
"options": {},
"keepOnlySet": true
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Filtered Book Info",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
"position": [
1460,
330
],
"parameters": {
"values": {
"string": [
{
"name": "authors",
"value": "={{$node[\"Retrieve Basic Book Info\"].json[\"works\"][0][\"authors\"]}}"
},
{
"name": "title",
"value": "={{$node[\"Retrieve Basic Book Info\"].json[\"works\"][0][\"title\"]}}"
},
{
"name": "description",
"value": "={{$node[\"Retrieve Detailed Book Info\"].json[\"description\"][\"value\"]}}"
},
{
"name": "URL",
"value": "=https://openlibrary.org{{$node[\"Retrieve Basic Book Info\"].json[\"works\"][0][\"key\"]}}"
}
]
},
"options": {},
"keepOnlySet": true
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Create Author String",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.function",
"position": [
1630,
330
],
"parameters": {
"functionCode": "var arrAuthors = items[0].json.authors;\n\nvar arrNames = arrAuthors.map(function(author) {\n return \"<a href=\\\"https://openlibrary.org\" + author['key'] + \"\\\">\" + author['name'] + \"</a>\";\n});\n\nvar names = arrNames.join(\", \");\n\nitems[0].json.authors = names;\n\nreturn items;"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Send No Book Email",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.emailSend",
"position": [
830,
520
],
"parameters": {
"html": "=<p>Unfortunately, there are no books available for the subject of <em>{{$node[\"Check Book Count\"].json[\"name\"]}}</em>. Please update your n8n workflow with a different subject.</p>\n\n<p>A list of all available subjects can be found at <a href=\"https://openlibrary.org/subjects\">the Open Library</a>.</p>",
"options": {},
"subject": "=Book not found in {{$node[\"Check Book Count\"].json[\"name\"]}}",
"toEmail": "john.doe@example.com",
"fromEmail": "john.doe@example.com"
},
"credentials": {
"smtp": "<your credential>"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"name": "Send Book Email",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.emailSend",
"position": [
2030,
330
],
"parameters": {
"html": "={{$node[\"Book Recommendation\"].json[\"msgBody\"]}}",
"options": {},
"subject": "={{$node[\"Book Recommendation\"].json[\"msgSubject\"]}}",
"toEmail": "john.doe@example.com",
"fromEmail": "john.doe@example.com"
},
"credentials": {
"smtp": "<your credential>"
},
"typeVersion": 1
}
],
"active": false,
"settings": {},
"connections": {
"Set Subject": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Retrieve Book Count",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Check Book Count": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Select Random Book",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
],
[
{
"node": "Send No Book Email",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Filtered Book Info": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Create Author String",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Select Random Book": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Retrieve Basic Book Info",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Book Recommendation": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Send Book Email",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Retrieve Book Count": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Check Book Count",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Create Author String": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Book Recommendation",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"On clicking 'execute'": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Set Subject",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Every Friday at 11:00 AM": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Set Subject",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Retrieve Basic Book Info": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Retrieve Detailed Book Info",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Retrieve Detailed Book Info": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Filtered Book Info",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
}
}
}
Credentials you'll need
Each integration node will prompt for credentials when you import. We strip credential IDs before publishing — you'll add your own.
smtp
For the full experience including quality scoring and batch install features for each workflow upgrade to Pro
How this works
Discover fresh reading recommendations effortlessly each week, saving time on endless searches through your digital library. This workflow suits avid readers or book club organisers who maintain a collection in a service like Goodreads, delivering a randomly selected title directly to your inbox with key details to spark interest. The essential step involves querying your book count via HTTP request, then using a function node to pick a random entry before fetching and emailing the details.
Use this workflow when you want automated, weekly nudges to revisit unread books in your collection, especially if you're prone to forgetting titles. Avoid it for real-time recommendations or if your library exceeds API limits, as it relies on scheduled cron triggers every Friday at 11:00 AM. Common variations include adjusting the frequency for daily picks or integrating additional HTTP requests to pull reviews from external sources.
About this workflow
Find a New Book. Uses manualTrigger, httpRequest, emailSend. Event-driven trigger; 13 nodes.
Source: https://github.com/Zie619/n8n-workflows — original creator credit. Request a take-down →
Related workflows
Workflows that share integrations, category, or trigger type with this one. All free to copy and import.
xSend and check TTS (Text-to-speech) voice calls end email verification. Uses stickyNote, httpRequest, formTrigger, emailSend. Event-driven trigger; 19 nodes.
YouTube Video Analyzer with AI. Uses manualTrigger, lmChatOpenAi, lmChatOpenRouter, lmChatDeepSeek. Event-driven trigger; 21 nodes.
Code Http. Uses httpRequest, lmChatOpenAi, outputParserStructured, chainLlm. Event-driven trigger; 19 nodes.
Code Http. Uses httpRequest, lmChatOpenAi, outputParserStructured, chainLlm. Event-driven trigger; 19 nodes.
Create Animated Stories using GPT-4o-mini, Midjourney, Kling and Creatomate API. Uses httpRequest, stickyNote, manualTrigger. Event-driven trigger; 51 nodes.