I am so glad that this discussion group is growing as much as it is! It really shows that this debacle is a real issue in the book world today!

So lets get our selves together. Please introduce yourself here!

Please include the following:

Name:

Home:

Reason for joining:

Why the Goodreads debacle is an important issue to you:

Do you want to help the book community:

Do you review books:



I'll go first.

Name: Robert Edward.

Home: Phoenix

Reason for joining: I am currently working on my thesis at Arizona State University. For my thesis I am finding a better way for first time authors to break into the book blogging community. To do this I am creating a how-to of sorts for new authors. The how-to is based on the theory that by contributing to the book blogging community in a positive way, an author can also become successful.

Why the Goodreads debacle is an important issue to you: The biggest issueI have with the GR debacle is that they are destroying the book community. They are taking the culture out of book blogging and are threatening to make it monotonous.

Do you want to help the book community: Absolutely!

Do you review books: I'm starting to!

OK.
I am bad with introductions, but I will try my best :)

Name: Tamara, but prefer Mammarella online

Home: Boston, Moscow (Russia)

Reason for joining: My reviews were never censored, I have not yet suffered from GRamazon policing our book community in any way. At least not yet. But I AM for freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom to read whatever book on any subject you deem interesting from the authors you like. And I am for freedom of expressing an opinion. I am for freedom.

Do I want to help? Yes, I do.

I do review books. They are not very deep and sophisticated reviews, just my personal feelings and thoughts.

I'm Cecily (both here and on GR).

I'm in England.

I've joined BookLikes because I have many respected GR friends who were directly affected by the new guidelines and had reviews deleted. Some of them got together to write "Off-Topic: The Story of an Internet Revolt".

The GR debacle matters to be because it is one-sided censorship, for commercial reasons, but destroying the work of the people who actually create most of the site's content.

Of course I want to "help the book community", though I'm not really sure how.

Yes, I write reviews. Reviews, and comments on them, were the whole point of GR for me. I have reviewed every book I've read since I joined GR in 2008.

Name: Sarah

Home: USA

Reason for joining: Refugee and the different format is intriguing.

Why the Goodreads debacle is an important issue to you: I was not censored but I follow people who were. Really though, it is important to me because it 1) destroyed the safety and community of the site and 2) censorship, particularly invasive and hidden forms of it, should not stand and should be repugnant to any true lover of books.

Do you want to help the book community: Yes, though as said by Cecily in #3, I'm not sure how I can.

Do you review books: I try to review every book I read since I joined GR in 2012. Manga books I read in less then hour have tended not to count though.

Hello!
Angelika - or Angelfox on goodreads
Austrain
Reason for joining: I am an editor/author (german/english) and just joined goodreads some time ago. Did not encounter censorship so far but as trained social scientist I am really intrigued on the topic and am always happy to get the info before it hits me myself. So thanks for creating this group.
As editor, author and book addict and social scientist censorship is an issue of importance to me.
Help? actually as editor I think I do. And I will. I am not frequently discusing in blog cause I do not have much time for it, but I share if I agree to comments, so I help to spread word if it is reasonable and reflects my own opinion.
Occasionally I review books, but as editor I read so much, that I do not promise reviews if I am unsure about my schedule.
see ya soon!

Hi, this is Urthwild, still on Goodreads as Urthwild, never been censored either on GR or Amazon. I am curious about reviewers who have been censored however.

Hello my name is SimplyNIk... I am an avid reader, unpaid Beta reader. (this may be changing) I love romance with a Kick and I am a GR patron. I enjoy Goodreads. I am going on my year anni next month. I enjoy and learn so much there. I am aware that some groups have stricter rules than other. I stumbled across this group and I would like to be a part of the solution and not the problem. Please tell me how I can help??

I long to be a moderator and I am pretty close so follow my page and let me know what's up!

Nik OUT!

Hi, My name is Brenna M (or just Brenna), and I'm from Ontario, NY. I am an avid reader as well. I am still on GR and have not had the censorship issue directly affect me. I am one who will review books and be part of discussions. I have never had a problem stating I did not like a certain aspect of a book or how something was presented in a book I have read, but I do try to make it professional, and more of a constructive criticism than about bashing the author. Authors have one thing that I don't have, and that's the talent and perserverance to deal with multiple rewrites and attempts at getting their work published. I respect that. Out of that respect, they deserve the decency of a well written review. Each author is unique and each reader has his/her own opinion. I have picked up many a book and gone to many a movie where the reviews were not necessarily great, but walked away loving the book and vice versa.
I'm not sure what it is I can do, but I am here.

Hi, My name is Brenna M (or just Brenna), and I'm from Ontario, NY. I am an avid reader as well. I am still on GR and have not had the censorship issue directly affect me. I am one who will review books and be part of discussions. I have never had a problem stating I did not like a certain aspect of a book or how something was presented in a book I have read, but I do try to make it professional, and more of a constructive criticism than about bashing the author. Authors have one thing that I don't have, and that's the talent and perserverance to deal with multiple rewrites and attempts at getting their work published. I respect that. Out of that respect, they deserve the decency of a well written review. Each author is unique and each reader has his/her own opinion. I have picked up many a book and gone to many a movie where the reviews were not necessarily great, but walked away loving the book and vice versa.
I'm not sure what it is I can do, but I am here.

My name's Jim, and I'm in San Diego, CA. I write and publish (and, of course, read). I am on GR, but I am liking Booklikes more lately because of what I've been reading about Amazon and its dictatorial presence. In fact, my entire business as publisher is to make a better relationship between indie author and his or her reader. As Anne Rice said recently, "There is no long a stigma about indie publishing," but there is a stigma in the retailing world and its name is "Amazon." Whenever an author gets punished, the rebellion should begin from the readership. That's why I've joined this group: to give readers their rights.

My name is Phil. I'm based in Ireland.

I'm primarily a reader, although I don't get to read nearly as much these days as I used to (Real Life has taken over far too much in recent years). Trying to get back into reading regularly again, with some success, although I'd like to reach the stage again where it's a habit (like it used to be) rather than forcing myself to find time to read.

I've been on Goodreads for a few years now. I was never a frequent poster, although I visited the site quite regularly to read the boards (I still do occasionally). I came to BookLikes for a number of reasons:

It's a new book reading site, and I was naturally curious

I did NOT like the Amazon takeover of Goodreads and the move away from a reader community-focused review site to an Amazon review and mouthpiece site

I instinctively abhor censorship, so the freedom and community of BookLikes attracts me, despite the fact that I'm finding the interface a tad confusing and unintuitive.

I suppose I'll get the hang of it eventually. :)

Hi! I go by Mindheartbook here and on Twitter. I used my real name (Jennifer) on Goodreads, but I will be deleting my account there on Monday. I started reviewing at Booklikes several months ago, because I like the less corporate vibe here, but now my book catalogue will be exclusive to BL.

I'm here because GR has sold out to the spammers, the stalkers and the shriekers. I'm here because GR has lost its soul and doesn't care. I'm here to support readers and to encourage authors to communicate with us in healthy, appropriate ways.