Imi > Status Update

Hey, Imi. I have an account there that I started a few years ago and one on Book Browse and also on LibraryThing, which is my most established account; I started using LT in 2013. I don't do much on any of these. I've given most attention to LT, but I've never been excited by that site. Anyway, I find TSG boring so haven't spent more than, like, 15 minutes total there, but I'll look you up and friend you. I'm Caroline77, and that's also my screen name on the other sites, too.

I don't think GR has many years left, just going by all the features we've lost and the declining customer service. I'd like to give all my attention to TSG, hoping it'll improve to be a true GR clone (though staff don't seem interested in improving in that way). I'm annoyed Amazon partially owns LT so would like to be able to eventually delete that account. It's just that the alternatives are so bare-bones and unexciting...

Sigh

Thanks for your username, Caroline! I've accepted your friend request there. I agree about TSG being a bit boring... I think it's great for logging and cataloguing your collection (although the database does have some holes, at least it's easy to add stuff yourself), but it's very different to GoodReads in that it's far less social and reviews definitely aren't the focus. I haven't been reading/writing reviews here for a long time, but it's still a bit strange to see how unimportant they feel on TSG.

Agree completely, I'm convinced GoodReads is just going to stop functioning one day, so I want to be prepared in case it does happen. I think TSG has potential and I've just felt more comfortable there than all the others I've tried out: LibraryThing, Hardcover, OpenReads, probably others I can't remember the names of right now.

Anyway, thanks so much for replying, Caroline! It's good I have one friend from here over there now! I'll probably re-evaluate how I feel logging in 2 different places later in 2025, but for now that's the plan.

Yeah, I think TSG has potential, too. However, I was put off when, years ago, I emailed them to ask when they were going to add commenting on reviews and status updates, and they told me it "isn't on our road map." :[ It's nuts to me that they wouldn't add these things, as interactive features would definitely attract more users, especially with all the problems GR has and continues to have. They market the site as a superior recommendations engine, but--I don't know about you--the last thing I need is more book recommendations. (Plus, I don't like site-generated ones as much as finding out about books via reviews.) Oh, and when I DID try their recommendations engine, I broke it. TSG couldn't find a single book that met the criteria I typed in. :/ :/ I like the modern design of TSG's interface--much better than LT's!--but if all you can do is catalog and get recommendations (maybe), I'll never feel excited by the site. Each site has their "thing," but strangely, none prioritizes reviews and interaction via those. TSG is cataloging and recommendations; LT is cataloging; and Book Browse is about (noninteractive) reviews and book groups. The other day I joined one Cher recommended, called "Fable," but it has a high membership fee and, like the others, doesn't offer most of GR's features. :[

Maybe when GR finally shuts down at least one of these sites will step up and add all the features we'll suddenly be without. I also think lots of GR members just won't migrate anywhere; they'll return to their pre-GR reading lives. Whenever I've discussed this situation and recommended people export their catalog ASAP, I get few responses. Either people think I'm exaggerating and are in denial (possible) or they just don't care much about their record (hard to believe).

Oh, and I dislike that most of these sites have steep membership fees, but I'd be willing to pay if they were true GR clones. With TSG's limited features, their fee feels like robbery. :[ I'm going to continue building up my library there in the hopes that they'll change their road map! Then I'll be happy to pay.

You're so right on not needing recommendations. My wishlist is 1000+ books long and growing all the time, so I haven't even tried that feature on TSG yet 😂😂 Their response to you while disappointing doesn't surprise me, because I got that impression reading through their roadmap/feature requests page. They seem to not really want to be a "social network", which fair enough if that's not their aim, but you're right it doesn't make them a direct competitor to GR.

I think Hardcover is aiming to be more social and although they don't have comments yet, it's on their roadmap. But Hardcover really isn't there yet. It completely failed to import most of my GR data, and then what was there wasn't right and I noticed many other problems (also hated what I think was AI art on book pages 🤢). They didn't response to my email asking for support either sadly. I think Hardcover is one of the newest so I'll probably check back in the future, but it's really not usable imo currently.

I've not even heard of Fable before despite all my searching! It's really strange there are so many but all are missing features.

Just noticed in the TSG roadmap! Comments and likes on updates and reviews.

It's listed as medium term and first posted about in 2021, so maybe they changed their mind since you contacted them?

Imi wrote: "Just noticed in the TSG roadmap! Comments and likes on updates and reviews.

It's listed as medium term and first posted about in 2021, so maybe they changed their mind since you contacted them?"

Yay! I'm elated to hear this. I remember seeing a while back that one of the perks of being a paying member is that you got to participate in polls staff created asking about potential new features. I desperately wanted to vote on those and resented the manipulation of making people pay to do it. I assume they got responses in favor of comments and liking. So glad!