Goodreads Reviews 188

I actually created the account on GoodReads years ago and back then it was working just fine. I had a one single ebook on the platform for more than 3 years now. Intending to generate more content in that direction, I intended to also come back to GoodReads. Turned out, that is impossible.

First of all, I was not able to log in into my account. This is obviously not a new issue, since people have been complaining about this problem for years. Several, not just me. Not just one or two. I've found discussions with no solution that go back years. Btw... the ebook is still out there, so my account still seems to exist.

Secondly, Goodreads actually confuses users by offering to log in with other accounts, but asking for email address and password with various of them instead of actually using active account, while also not clearly separating the options.

Thirdly, I have taken notes and know my account email address and password exactly. I did not get an error that I tried to often, but got the error right from the beginning. Also, I barely ever connect platforms for logins. Be it as it may, I tried both most likely options. None of the two worked. With both I get errors, that the credentials are not correct.

Now, trying to recover the password for the email address login, I actually receive the recovery link. But next the page is not working. The browser says, no permission to access the reset page!

Trying the same with Amazon instead, the login is still not possible. I do receive the confirmation code and the reset link as well. On the other hand, I'm being asked if I want to connect the accounts after reset. So, an additional sign that this is not the way I used it back then. What's even worse is, the password reset did actually work. But instead of resetting the password for GoodReads, actually the password for Amazon has been reset, which I didn't even want to reset! Btw... even after the reset I was NOT able to log in. Also, do we really need GoodReads to reset our Amazon password? I don't!

If all this was not enough, the support was absolutely horrible. For example, while I've explained details of trying to recover the password, as well as that I have my credentials and know they are correct AND about receiving the emails and links, the first answer literally told me to try to recover the password! So, essentially the support already starts out with ignoring what I say and wasting time instead of helping. Sadly, this continues all the way. Whatever you say is being ignored and they just demand. So, who's supporting and solving issues? Me or them? Funny enough, after resetting my Amazon instead of the GoodReads password they also stated, that they can't see a password change. Really? What a coincidence! Not only that. They are also rude and Marcela tells me, that I MUST provide screenshots, instead of asking nicely. As if I were their slave and had nothing better to do then waste my time for problems they cause. Seems like support neither knows how customer SERVICE works, nor what SUPPORT means! Also, there is no solution. You won't get ANY help. Just repetition of useless monolog and statements.

The most interesting question is probably, if it is worth the trouble. And given everything they have done for me with my ebook in the past 3 year... which is literally NOTHING... I'd say... better off leaving GoodReads be and go somewhere else. Because this is definitely not worth it. Even less so if they can't even make basic functionality work.

Sadly, this is the mentality of developers these days and in surveys you can read, that 90% (90k out of 100k asked) prefer to release it with and correct errors later. Resulting in users fighting errors all day, instead of being productive and getting their work done. This is not new to me. I'm looking back at 30 years IT experience and I am web developer myself. What's going on with development these days is just horrible. I get stuff like that every single day. No wonder companies ask constantly for professional and skilled developers, not THIS. But obviously they don't wanna pay them?

Take notice that good reviews are primarily before 2020, while bad reviews pile up since 2020 with few earlier. There is your heading and trend!

Be it as it may. Your choice, GoodReads. We are through. Probably your intention the entire time. One less thing to worry about. You fail your users? This is what happens. They leave the sinking ship! Goodbye GoodReads. Not like there is no other platform out there these days. Good luck! You'll need it ;)

Shame they were bought out by Amazon, a company that is actively killing the book industry (not to mention the audiobook industry through their subsidary audible!)

Goodreads keeps sending mails without subscription. Unsubscribe doesn't work. I will add them to spam.

I never signed up for emails and I get them repeatedly.I have clicked unsubscribe many times to no avail. To contact them you need to have an account which leads to more unwanted emails.

Unsubscribe link in their Spam emails does not work. It is impossible to unsubscribe from their junk mail, which I have reported to the Federal Trade Commission. Not ok.

Keep bombarding me with unsolicited emails and make it very hard to stop them.

I started reading the book authored by my friend Adrianne. It had me spellbound from the beginning to the point it felt like I was within the storyline, I laughed, giggled and I cried so much I had to set the book aside while composing myself. Such a good read I didn't want it to end. Thank you, thank you Adrianne, love you dearly. Looking forward to reading Ronin Affair.
Candy

I really, really don't like Goodreads' new website design. Information is spread out instead of connected to the book reader has selected to read summary of, reviews and ratings. One has to scroll down quite far to find "Readers also enjoyed" section and the book photos are oversized.
Much preferred the previous format of "Readers also enjoyed" to the right of the original bood and being able to scroll quickly through the selections.

It's always nice to see what other people are thinking about the books you read. I personally hope to use this app more

I recently purchased Bon: The Last Highway by Jesse Fink. What a fantastic book. Not only did I learn a lot about Bon Scott, but also the music industry & all people's views & opinions were expressed. This was not a one-sided opinion piece, it was very broad, informative & soberingly honest, making the reader think as well as enjoy the content. I commend Mt Fink's bravery in getting this out into a second edition, telling more of what should be well known but isn't.

As a child brought up in the 50’s I can relate to the events around which this book is written. I highly recommend this read based on facts and with an interesting reference to “cloud seeding”. An excellent first novel.

It's nice to read reviews on it. But when you sign up the emails start: many emails. Then they make it complicated to unsubscribe from all those emails: a whole menu where you have to uncheck many boxes one by one. Finally, you have to verify by doing one of those "click on all the ...." tests to prove that you're not a robot. Not user friendly in this respect.

The corporate system has ruined the experience. Going to look for another app/company.

Ex. I read many books that are not in the website and have been adding quite a few. Now you need a librarian to do for you the job and add all the infos you have been adding since you started. And worst… the waiting time , 2 to 3 days. Enough time for me to read 3 books. The main reason why I was using this website was to keep track on a daily basic. Experience ruined. Bye Goodreads ✌🏾Ridiculous.

Impossible to unsubscribe from newsletter. Has done it 3 times now and still receiving it...
NOT OKAY!

Thanks to this website, I've been able to properly organize my reading lists. I've used goodreads for years and they've always remained quite consistent.

Shady and unethical behavior to not allow authors to make changes or delete their own books on the platform. They are shady and unethical.

Damon, Liam and Aiden are more than happy to follow in their fathers foot steps and very proud to be firefighters. Damon Jackson lost his wife to cancer a few years back and his brothers worry about him constantly Ever since Carol passed Damon seems to be just going through the motions of living. Getting up, eat, work, home to an empty house that the high school sweethearts bought as a fixer upper and Carol threw her heart and soul into decorating and making it a true home. They decided to hold off on starting a family for a few years to save money. That way Carol could be a stay at home mom. But, fate played the ace of spades and took her way before her time. Now Damon just has his job to look forward to each day.
His parents were always into always being there for anyone, and everyone any time they were needed. It is just how their family worked. In fact his father gave his life saving a family and the boys know he never would have regretted it. Damon very much takes after his father. His thought is if he has to give his life to save another so be it.
As the fire engine pulls up to the complex that is fully engulfed in flames a little girl comes running out the door. Screaming for somebody to help her Mommy. Damon and Aiden finish getting quickly in their gear. Before he knows it Damon is running back to Aiden with the girl in his arms. He shouts at his brother to get her help and turns back to the fire. As he rushes into the complex he hears Aiden scream"the whole place is caving, in get back to the truck." Damon continues into the fire calling the women who is trapped there. "Let me know where you are. Bang on the walls. Let me hear where you are." He suddenly hears faint pounding down the hall. He rushes in and sees a women laying on the floor. All he can see is her sooty black form and piercing green eyes. Damon rushes in and scoops her into his arms. As he barely clears the door way the entire structure comes crashing down.
The people injured are taken to the hospital and Damon follows. He can't get those green eyes or the terrible site of the girl running out of the roaring fire out of his mind. He has to make sure they are okay. He had no time to check them over before they were loaded into the ambulance.
Fate has a strange way of placing people who are deeply hurt and hurting into the path of someone who needs to nurture and care for them. So begins a great story.
I received this free e-book in return for a review

I am an author who writes for pleasure and posterity. I’m not interested in writing the next best seller nor making money from writing. Having said that, my 3 travelogue books received good Amazon reviews.

I recently discovered that my toxic, soon to be ex brother in law had rated all 3 of my books 1 star on goodreads with no written review. He couldn’t write a review because he hasn’t read them. He ticked the box ‘to read’. He rated them all on the same day at the same time and hasn’t rated any other books.

Sooooo obviously malicious ratings.

I contacted Goodreads, pointed this out and asked them to remove the ratings. After a series of to and fro emails, they refused as they said the ratings didn’t break their rules. In other words, their rules allow people who admit to not having read a book, to rate it.

I got nowhere with their customer care (oxymoron) team, so wrote to their CEO. No response.

What makes this debacle worse is that Amazon (their parent company) can randomly remove ratings if they ‘believe’ they were written by a friend or relative (even if they are genuine reviews) - BUT - they only apply this to positive ratings. Ie they think if you know someone they may give you overly positive / inflated ratings, yet when my brother in law (we both dislike each intensely) gave his malicious ratings of books he hadn’t read, they are allowed to remain.

Furthermore, I am not allowed to remove my books from Goodreads.

Goodreads demonstrated in spades that they have no integrity nor care a dot for authors - and seem to forget that if it wasn’t for authors - they wouldn’t exist. Shame on you Goodreads. Shame.