I hadn't updated my paperwhite for quite awhile but just did and it is now running the 5.14.2 firmware.

I notice they changed the look of the interface with this update, but also on my home screen I am getting book recommendations, something I know I had disabled on the previous firmware.

I tried to find a way to disable these recs in settings, but can no longer find the option, and all the online tutorials I can find seem to be for older versions of the firmware.

Is Amazon now forcing these recommendations on customers, or is there some way to disable them?

Thanks for your help.
Don’t go to Home Screen.
Recommendations have been there for years now.

Can't really escape it. So as tomsem said, don't go to your homescreen. You can totally use your Kindle just from the Library view.
With older firmware it is possible to disable the homescreen. Is this still possible? Maybe the OP could do that.
No, but it isn’t necessary because it will stay in Library if you start reading from there.
Or.....DEAR GOD!....if one's thumb accidentally touches the Home screen.
Or whenever Kindle restarts, it will start on Home.
It’s possible to revert back to the Home Screen from 5.14.1 but to do so, the device needs to be jailbroken. The only change needed is a minor tweak to a config file and a reboot.

I’ve been sitting on an exploit chain that allows this on recent firmware versions for a while but have so far been doing the whole responsible disclosure dance… for now.
The "for now" part has me hopeful for the pw5 14.1.1 JB
Will you get in trouble if you share it without Amazon fixing it first?