Goodreads Stopped Working For 24 Hours And Readers Everywhere Lost It

May 2024 · 4 minute read

Why is Goodreads now not working? The bookish app has a infamous history amongst customers for glitching and breaking down. Here's what to know.

Source: Getty Images

If you're a giant reader or partial to BookTok, chances are high that you'll have heard of Goodreads. Couple Otis Chandler and Elizabeth Kaur Chandler launched the reading app in 2007 after Otis was once inspired by way of having a look to a chum's bookshelf for ideas on what to read. In 2013, Amazon purchased the app for about $a hundred and fifty million, in line with AllThingsD.

Amazon's controversial possession of the app is, in some instances, directly linked to its history of glitching. However, nothing may get ready customers for what came about on June 26, 2023, when the app went offline for kind of a full day.

Why is Goodreads now not working? Here's what you want to know.

Source: Getty Images

Why is Goodreads not working?

On June 26, 2023, the Goodreads website and app stopped working. The error message that seemed read, "An unexpected error occurred. It may be that Goodreads servers are over capacity: please try again in a bit. You may also try to sign out and sign back in (or force-close and relaunch the app) to refresh your user session."

According to the Associated Press, the app gave the look to be down at 4 p.m. ET and proceeding into the night. Users may get admission to Goodreads once more on June 27 after a 2nd error message. This time, the message learn, "Goodreads is down for maintenance. We expect to be back within minutes. Please try again soon!"

It appears Goodreads was once no longer working for routine upkeep, however that didn't prevent users from questioning why there wasn't any caution previously.

Users reacted to Goodreads now not working the best way they may: with memes!

A stunning selection of people reacted vocally on-line to Goodreads now not working, posting memes, pleas for updates, and humorous reactions to the glitch. One consumer wrote, "wanted to update my progress on the book im reading only to find out goodreads is down" with a picture of Kim Kardashian's crying face.

@goodreads it's been hours let me inpic.twitter.com/pQ2QdxtZxM

— aasiyah❀ (@perfictionistx) June 27, 2023

there are two types of other folks on this world: cool folks, and individuals who know goodreads is down at this time

— emma lord (@dilemmalord) June 27, 2023

completed a e book however goodreads is down pic.twitter.com/IaxTGmjyNf

— jess (@jessicatshadix) June 26, 2023

Who knew goodreads being down would impact me so fiercely pic.twitter.com/bckPOTbnPg

— cardan greenbriar’s #1 tail stan (@mushroomvenum) June 27, 2023

so you're telling me goodreads is down when I spent the entire day binge studying a e book and was once about to get the pride of checking it as read??

— Lucia (@lujudin) June 26, 2023

Authors and reviewers have asked Goodreads to stop "review bombing."

In 2021, Time Magazine wrote an article pleading with Goodreads to address extortion scams and evaluate bombings that many authors at the site experienced. Independent creator Beth Black defined that on the time, she gained a threatening e-mail from an anonymous server asking for cash or she could be evaluation bombed, potentially impacting her readership and sales.

The drawback with evaluate bombing has persevered, and the New York Times also addressed the issue in a 2023 article. Users take out-of-context snippets or details about the ebook from the web and deliberately charge it with one megastar, tanking its total score and probably hindering an writer's luck. Goodreads scores are used as advertising equipment, particularly for debut or upcoming books.

Source: Getty Images

Another example of a review bombing is Alex Aster's Lightlark. When users began receiving the ebook's Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs), they cited discrepancies between digital advertising and marketing and the written paintings. They took their frustrations out by way of review-bombing the book instead.

Author Roxane Gay additionally pointed out, "It can be incredibly hurtful, and it’s frustrating that people are allowed to review books this way if they haven’t read them. Worse, they’re allowed to review books that haven’t even been written. I have books on there being reviewed that I’m not finished with yet."

In a statement, Goodreads said it "takes the responsibility of maintaining the authenticity and integrity of ratings and protecting our community of readers and authors very seriously" and took steps to make it more uncomplicated to document or flag suspicious critiques.

But will this be enough?

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pbXSramam6Ses7p6wqikaKhfrLW6ecisZKCnn5m%2Fpq3DrGSnp6RixLC%2ByqKloA%3D%3D