Nadia Odunayo may not have had the intention of taking on the formidable global giant that is Amazon, but she has undoubtedly become a hero for many book lovers who believe they don’t need Amazon.
For 18 years, bibliophiles logged their readings, left reviews and star ratings behind, and received their next reading suggestions from Goodreads, a platform founded by two Stanford University graduates in California.
In 2013, the creator of Goodreads sold the platform to Amazon, causing its already massive popularity to soar. Currently, Goodreads boasts an estimated 150 million users.
Among these users since 2012 is Odunayo, a software engineer and developer based in London. Six years ago, she sat down and envisioned an app that could complement Goodreads.
After creating a demo for several friends, she quickly realized that she had inadvertently created a potential competitor. The app leveraged AI to provide reader tracking tools, trends, and personalized book recommendations. As of this week, Storygraph has amassed 3.8 million active users, many of whom have made the switch from Goodreads.
In a blog post titled “Leave Goodreads in 2025!” just before Christmas, a book blogger and reviewer known as Bunny expressed dissatisfaction with Goodreads, stating, “I feel Goodreads is outdated. Its interface is clunky and offers limited functionality… I found Goodreads’ recommendations overwhelming and heavily skewed towards popular titles.”
Bunny announced her decision to switch to Storygraph, emphasizing, “I’ve loved it from the start! Not only is it female-owned, but it also offers a plethora of wonderful features.”
A Goodreads representative mentioned that the platform welcomes millions of readers, facilitating the exploration of hundreds of millions of books within the community. The spokesperson emphasized strong growth in user engagement with the platform.
Odunayo, 33, remarked, “I believe people appreciate the diversity of data we offer. With many exciting features and a engaged reader community…”
“But when people compare us to Goodreads, the prevailing sentiment is, ‘It’s the fact that Amazon doesn’t own it.”
Storygraph has attempted to address concerns surrounding malicious reviews and personal attacks by disallowing private messages and comments on reviews. Odunayo emphasized the importance of avoiding a scenario where users face unwarranted criticism or harassment.
Despite the increasing user base, Storygraph remains independently operated by Odunayo, who actively engages with users through social media and shares insights about the app and her reading habits.
As Storygraph experiences continued growth, the question arises: can it endure? What if Amazon attempts to acquire Goodreads competitors with lucrative offers?
Odunayo firmly states, “That’s not something we’re interested in. StoryGraph has had zero external investment; it’s a fully self-sustained venture. While anything is possible, we are currently content and committed to StoryGraph. I believe it’s the culmination of our life’s work.”
She further adds, “I believe there’s no cap on our potential growth while maintaining our current ethos. Our goal is to reach more users and become a globally acclaimed app.”
For Odunayo, the initial motivation behind all this stands stronger than ever – the love for books. Reflecting on her journey, she states, “I recall a friend caught up in social media for years, only managing to read 45 books.” She realized, “I’m single, no kids; with a 9 to 6 job, I only read 13 books this year.”
Currently, Odunayo reads 70 to 80 books yearly, distinguishing between fiction and non-fiction. Her current book is Time saving by Kaliane Bradley. She credits interacting with readers for broadening her reading choices and emphasizes, “Reading is ingrained in my identity as not just a CEO but a committed reader.”
Source: www.theguardian.com
