The merger. What do you think? (This funny pic comes courtesy of the fact that I still have Easter eggs on my mind.)

Did you hear? On March 28th Amazon bought Goodreads, one of the leading social network sites for readers and book recommendations. Twitter was abuzz with the news, with many authors and readers in shock.

I’m an avid user of Goodreads. I love using this site for keeping my TBR, read, and currently reading lists all in one place. When I see a great book I’d like to read, I add it to my Goodreads TBR list and that way I never forget to grab a copy when I’m ready. I post ratings for every book I read, and reviews for maybe one-third of those. As an author my books are listed there, too. I’ve joined reading groups in my favourite genres so I can stay up with the play on what everyone’s reading. In fact, I’d say I visit Goodreads four or five times a week. This is a place I love to hangout, chatting to other readers and authors.

Goodreads has quickly become a hub for avid readers like me. In fact there are 16 million members and 23 million book reviews. If you’re a reader, you’re going to end up there. If you’re an author, you should already be there (but that’s a whole other blog.)

So, what does this merger mean for us authors?

Well, times are changing faster than I can keep up with. 🙂 But, I’ve scoured the web to see what other authors are thinking about this merger. Some are for it saying, “Amazon buying Goodreads makes so much sense.” Some are unsure saying, “Here’s hoping the marriage will be a good thing. Let’s see.” Some are against it, saying, “The world’s largest bookseller will now control the world’s largest book recommendation engine. It’s freaky. No company should have this much power.” And let’s not forget the readers. Some are saying, “I guess we can now expect a lot more adverts. Goodreads should not be a commercial space, but a personal one.”

The more I read all the comments, the more I understood there is a lot divided opinion. I’m personally not sure what to think, except that time will tell. Once Amazon begins to effect changes, we’ll all get a more concise idea of where they’re headed.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let me know.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and stayed safe. The Easter Bunny certainly sprinkled my backyard with some real treats. And those hot-cross buns. Delish. They need to sell those all year round. Have a fabulous week. Catch ya later.

PROTECTOR > BUY THE BOOK: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Lyrical Press / iTunes / Kobo