New GR book page

[Rebecca]

Aaaaanddd I'm forced back to the new page today, sigh.

[Raucous]

Oh, ick. Today was my first exposure to the new book page and I can see now why people are so upset by the change. The difference in fonts (both style and size) is particularly jarring to my older eyes and the rest offends my alleged design sensibilities.

I could imagine them seeing the new page as a way to sell more books, as some have suggested. Maybe it's supposed to help with their crippling performance problems too?

We hates it...

[Michelle]

Raucous, that was the nicest condemnation of the page I've read yet :)

[YouKneeK]

How do people feel about the new way spoiler tags are displayed on the book page? I don't think I've seen that mentioned yet; sorry if I missed something somebody already said!

It blurs them instead of completely hiding them and I don’t like that I can read them without unhiding them now. Not easily maybe, but it’s possible with a little effort and some words or phrases do jump out more easily. I keep catching myself staring at the spoiler tags and reading them through the blur before I know what I’m doing, like I’ve been presented with some challenge I must overcome.

I’ll eventually train myself to stop looking at them, I’ve done that with other far more obvious things, but it’s a little annoying meanwhile.

[Michelle]

The app always lets the spoilers show, too. For some reason I'm back to the old page, YAY!, so I hadn't noticed this.

[so_big_hope]

I do see a big problem now. I have around 300 friends and anytime I want to check out the reviews of popular books I havre to scroooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot now. Sometimes I even miss the begining of actual reviews!

[Becky]

I had a new issue yesterday which was that my review was missing (IE: It looked like I hadn't reviewed, only rated) and the link to the my review page would take me to the editions page, showing the editions I've shelved. >_<

VERY annoying.

That is already fixed, at least it seems to be, but just FYI in case anyone else experiences that one.

[so_big_hope]

Oh, and another thing... Does anyone else see more and more bots nowdays? Ot's annoying af

[Becky]

so_big_hope wrote: "Oh, and another thing... Does anyone else see more and more bots nowdays? Ot's annoying af"

Well I am NOW.

[Banshee]

YouKneeK wrote: "How do people feel about the new way spoiler tags are displayed on the book page? I don't think I've seen that mentioned yet; sorry if I missed something somebody already said!

It blurs them inste..."

They did what?! Ugh, that sounds awful. I only saw the new page briefly when it was first tested and optional a long time ago, and I haven't seen the blur thing then. But I only managed to take maybe 2 days with the new page view, because I hated it so much, so I didn't see all the features.

Now I'm looking forward even less to when I'm forced to the new page layout.

[The Joy of Erudition]

YouKneeK wrote: "It blurs them instead of completely hiding them and I don’t like that I can read them without unhiding them now. Not easily maybe, but it’s possible with a little effort and some words or phrases do jump out more easily."
Yeah, I don't like that either. I was also able to read some of that blurred text. They either need to blur it a lot more, or actually hide it like before.

[Becky]

Banshee wrote: "But I only managed to take maybe 2 days with the new page view, because I hated it so much, so I didn't see all the features."

There aren't any.

[Jemppu]

Just got a glimpse of an extra-sized ad (for Amazon Publishing) on top of the new book page. So, that seems to be an 'improvement' they're testing out.

[CBRetriever]

Jemppu wrote: "Just got a glimpse of an extra-sized ad (for Amazon Publishing) on top of the new book page. So, that seems to be an 'improvement' they're testing out."

Amazon has had a publishing arm for quite a while. AmazonCrossings is good for book translated into English. Amazon is currently the foremost publisher of books translated into English in the world. Their translators seem pretty good for the books I've read.

[Jemppu]

CBRetriever wrote: "...Amazon has had a publishing arm for quite a while. AmazonCrossings is good for book translated into English. ..."

I meant the large ad space on top of the new book page seems to be a new 'improvement' they're testing.

Thusly (on desktop - likely screenwide on mobile?):

[Michelle]

Jemppu wrote: "CBRetriever wrote: "...Amazon has had a publishing arm for quite a while. AmazonCrossings is good for book translated into English. ..."

I meant the large ad space on top of the new book page seem..."

I have those stupid banner ads, too.

[Nicole]

The banner ads are the worst. Due to my quick movements and the ads slow load time I have accidentally clicked on the banner ads a few times and now I'm getting emails from amazon "are you still interested in...(insert name of book I accidentally click on)"

[Anna]

Ad blockers! 10/10, would recommend :)

[Raucous]

I've been trying hard to avoid the new book pages but sometimes I end up on one despite my attempts to get my book information elsewhere. I really have to wonder what weird juju went into these new pages. Why, for example, does going to one sometimes ask me to log in even though I was already logged into the "regular" Goodreads? And what have they done to keep these from rendering in the app that I use for information management? Goodreads is the only site that fails to render there. What an accomplishment.

Sorry for the mini-rant. I'm going to go look for a cozy.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

we are all scratching our heads at what happened and why they thought this was "better." it's so hard because y'all are great and that's basically the only reason we keep putting up with this crud

[Brandon]

I give them a tiny amount of credit for only making me say "Got it" the first time on the new pages this time around.

[Amy (Other Amy)]

Oh, no, it's back! I had managed to sign in without it and then I got used to not dealing with it again. It looks like they are force updating everyone to it now. I have to get used to not clicking on the book links again and doing everything from my books page instead.

[Bonnie]

Me too.
IT Is Back.
😨

[Beth]

My home PC was the last holdout with the old version of the page. I'll have to check it after work today. I'm worried :(

[Kirsten]

Oh, dear, I guess it's out of beta. I really don't like it. It looks pretty, but I found the other one more usable.

[Becky]

SIGH.

[Anna]

I've had the new page for ages, it never went back after the last time I complained here that I got the new page back. I'm "used" to it now, and by that I mean that I'm used to avoiding it.

I still had the old page on the mod account tho, so I've been using that as a backup when needed. Except no more, since the new page is back on that account, and still unusable, it doesn't open at all. I contacted support about it months ago, no reply. Don't be surprised if all mod book updates stop!

[Netanella]

Beth wrote: "My home PC was the last holdout with the old version of the page. I'll have to check it after work today. I'm worried :("

Last bastion of sanity. My home PC has been recently overtaken by the new book page. Lots of luck for yours, Beth!

[Michelle]

Even my kindle has become infected with it!

[Amy (Other Amy)]

Michelle wrote: "Even my kindle has become infected with it!"

Oh, no, that is really bad. I already hated the whole thing they did with Kindle's home page. I don't need it to get worse :(

[Beth]

Beth wrote: "My home PC was the last holdout with the old version of the page. I'll have to check it after work today. I'm worried :("

My home PC now has the new version of the book page. Farewell, old book pages. I didn't realize how good you were until you were gone...

[Ellen]

Kirsten wrote: "Oh, dear, I guess it's out of beta. I really don't like it. It looks pretty, but I found the other one more usable."

Agree. I really don't like it.

[Banshee]

Nihil novi sub sole, but... I hate it 😞

[Bonnie]

From the new book page.

1. Where/how do you "Recommend This Book" to someone?

2. Where/how do you get to a Friend's reading updates for that book?

[DivaDiane]

Is it correct that you can only see how many other people read/reviewed a book but can’t see their reviews?!? I couldn’t figure out how to get there if you can.

[Bonnie]

Hi Diane,
You can get to their reviews* :

On the right, now the main column,
Scroll down to the

Ratings & Reviews section.

Sub-sections:
-My Review
-Friends & Following
-Community Reviews


* (albeit harder to get to, and not separated into Friends over Following, and their star-ratings not calculated)

[Bonnie]

Try using the current month's picks to see.

Spirits Abroad
- i show
Friends & Following (5)
Then 1 review - Hank's.


Stories of Your Life and Others
- i show
Friends & Following (32)
Then 11 reviews - by various connections.

[Bonnie]

I will give example of what I want to re-find, for my question above:

Where/how do you get to a Friend's reading updates for that book?

@Beth started reading The Thirty Years War. She wrote in a reading update that it goes along with a podcast... now I want to get the name of the podcast.

I can see from the book page, under
Ratings & Reviews > Friends & Following
that she is reading it: a box with thin outline, containing "Currently reading" link, her name, her profile pic (Beth the Garlic/Mercury ;->).

Is there a way for me to see her/people's reading updates on this page, without going to her profile page, or scrolling down the notifications on Home page, hunting, for whenever it is that I saw that note?

[Faith]

Bonnie wrote: "I will give example of what I want to re-find, for my question above:

Where/how do you get to a Friend's reading updates for that book?

@Beth started reading The Thirty Years War. S..."

Click on the date to the right of their review/rating. If there is no review/rating, there should be 3 dots to the right of their shelf.

[DivaDiane]

Bonnie wrote: "Hi Diane,
You can get to their reviews* :

On the right, now the main column,
Scroll down to the

Ratings & Reviews section.

Sub-sections:
-My Review
-Friends & Following
-Community Review..."

Thanks, Bonnie!

[Bonnie]

Faith wrote: "Click on the date to the right of their review/rating. If there is no review/rating, there should be 3 dots to the right of their shelf."

O - M - G
I would never have clicked on that date in a hundred years. No signal that it's hyperlinked, and no sense that it might be (like someone's name).

Thanks, Faith!!

[Faith]

Bonnie wrote: "Faith wrote: "Click on the date to the right of their review/rating. If there is no review/rating, there should be 3 dots to the right of their shelf."

O - M - G
I would never have clicked on that..."

Months ago I sent feedback to Goodreads that they should make the links apparent. They obviously ignored me. You just have to randomly click on everything and see what happens.

[Beth]

Bonnie wrote: "From the new book page.

1. Where/how do you "Recommend This Book" to someone?"

I don't know how to do it from the book page. The only way I know of to do it (and that learned only recently) is

Profile page of recommendee --> drop-down arrow to the right of their profile pic (next to "more") --> compare books --> link on top right hand side of page.

[Michelle]

I would've never clicked on that, either. Thank you for telling us.

[Faith]

Beth wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "From the new book page.

1. Where/how do you "Recommend This Book" to someone?"

I don't know how to do it from the book page. The only way I know of to do it (and that learned only ..."


Another example of new page idiocy:

There is a recommend to friends button on the new book page if, and only if, not a single one of your friends has shelved the book. So the button will not appear most of the time.

Example 2:

There is no preview button on the desktop version of the page, although it appears on the apps. However, if you click on the quotes icon on the bottom of the page you will get to a preview button. I doubt that the developers even know that the button is there.

[Beth]

A couple of GR friends noticed this earlier, and now I just noticed it myself: the new book pages are missing at least some friends' reviews. C'mon, that is literally the only reason I visit book pages at all, to see my friends' and follows' reviews! Stupid piece of garbage!

[Anna]

The April known issues says "Unable to view all reviews on Android app, although these are visible on desktop. We’re aware of this issue and working on a fix."

So in true GR fashion the fix was to break them for everyone, not just Android users? :)

(But seriously, Help has several people reporting the issue so they should be aware of it.)

[Beth]

Anna wrote: "So in true GR fashion the fix was to break them for everyone, not just Android users? :)"

Maybe! :D I'm on desktop now, so the problem is definitely happening there, too.

[Michelle]

I have the same problem, Beth.

[Beth]

For a while there, I was only seeing reviews of people I follow, and none of my friends', but it seems to be fixed now.