Hi friends! Recently I posted a list of five alternatives to Goodreads, a platform which has fallen out of favor with may readers and writers. As promised, here's a closer look at LIBRARYTHING. I was hoping to find it a worthwhile site ... but although LibraryThing claims independence, it is very much a pointer to Amazon, who owns 40% of it.

LibraryThing: a True Alternative to Goodreads, or Just Another Amazon Herding Site?

Benefits: You can join a group, participate in discussions, and give your (Amazon only) books away for free in hopes of a review. So, while options are limited for authors not on Amazon, if you really wish to use this platform, you can still cultivate a modest online presence. You cannot advertise your books except through engagement - no promo posts allowed.

Like Goodreads, LibraryThing makes money as an Amazon affiliate, ie if you buy a book through their Amazon link, they get a commission. Since 2018, LibraryThing also owns Litsy, another Goodreads alternative. It's set up more as a social media site. I've joined Litsy and will let you know what happens.

LibraryThing began in 2005 as a catalog system for personal and small libraries. That's why the only book links you can get on the site, besides Amazon, are for libraries. Here's my full article on LibraryThing: 

LibraryThing: a True Alternative to Goodreads, or Just Another Amazon Herding Site?

Cheers,
Sylvia