Goodreads Is Now on the First Generation Kindle Paperwhite

Posted by Suzanne on March 9, 2014
“We want Goodreads on the original Kindle Paperwhite, too!" was the cri du coeur in November when we first launched Goodreads on the new Kindle Paperwhite. For all of you who asked, your time is now!

Starting today, Goodreads on Kindle is available on both models of Kindle Paperwhite in the United States, Canada, and Australia. This is part of our ongoing commitment to bring Goodreads to you on all your favorite devices.

Goodreads on Kindle will be made available in a free and automatic over-the-air upgrade to the first generation Kindle Paperwhite in the coming weeks. How will you know when you have it? You’ll see the Goodreads “g” on the top right-hand side of the menu bar.




What can you do now that you have Goodreads on Kindle?

  • See what your Goodreads friends are reading
  • Share your favorite passages on Goodreads from inside the book
  • Rate books
  • See your want-to-read, currently reading, and read shelves
  • Add your Amazon book purchases to your Goodreads shelves, all without putting down your Kindle Paperwhite!


We Know You Have Questions

Will you be introducing Goodreads on Kindle to members in other countries?
We currently offer Goodreads on Kindle only in the United States, Canada, and Australia (on all models of Kindle Paperwhite and also on the new Kindle Fires). We don’t have anything more to announce at this moment, but our goal is to provide the Goodreads on Kindle experience to as many of our members as possible.

In the meantime, you can also use Goodreads on our iPhone/iPad app or our Android app, available from the Amazon Appstore for Android or from here.

Will you be introducing Goodreads on Kindle to the older Kindle devices with keyboards?
We don’t have any concrete plans to share about this right now, but see our answer to the question above.

I can’t see the “g” on my screen. What’s happening?
Goodreads on Kindle will be coming in a free and automatic over-the-air upgrade to the first model of Kindle Paperwhite over the coming weeks. If you can’t wait that long, you can manually download the software and transfer the update to your device via a USB cable. You can find instructions for that here.

Also, don’t forget to reboot once you have the upgrade!

Well, I like what I can do with Goodreads on Kindle Paperwhite so far, but I have some suggestions…
We love to hear feedback! This is our first version, and we’ll be building on this to keep improving the experience. Let us know what you’d like to see in future updates in the comments below.

Comments Showing 1-50 of 133 (133 new)


message 1: by Sara (new)

Sara I hope goodreads on kindle will soon reach european countries too!


message 2: by Janice Barnard (new)

Janice Barnard Why Not South Africa? I got so excited for a moment. Restarted the device and waited....then poof. NOTHING. NOTHING!!!!!


message 3: by Mauro (new)

Mauro What's the reason for not releasing it in other countries? I suppose it's not about copyright issues, but I can't figure any other reason...

Anyway, thanks for the good work!


message 4: by Jbb Lim (last edited Mar 10, 2014 07:53AM) (new)

Jbb Lim This is great news! Many thanks for the great addition to Paperwhite!


message 5: by Olia (new)

Olia Are there any plans for Goodreads reviews and ratings be combined with Amazon reviews for the same person's profiles? Perhaps it is already the feature of Goodreads on Kindle, but as I live in the UK I wouldn't know.


message 6: by Gerardo (new)

Gerardo I updated it manually and worked like a charm.

I bought my first gen Kindle PaperWhite from the US Amazon but I live in Mexico.

The link to the manual update instructions can be found here http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custome...


message 7: by Julia (new)

Julia Will you be releasing it for the base line Kindle? (i.e. the one without a keyboard that came before Paperwhite?)


message 8: by Carmski (new)

Carmski Pescod When will this be available in the UK please??


message 9: by Emily (new)

Emily Janice Barnard wrote: "Why Not South Africa? I got so excited for a moment. Restarted the device and waited....then poof. NOTHING. NOTHING!!!!!"

Janice, did you try downloading the manual update? Someone from our support team will be sending you an email to check this out!


Olia wrote: "Are there any plans for Goodreads reviews and ratings be combined with Amazon reviews for the same person's profiles? Perhaps it is already the feature of Goodreads on Kindle, but as I live in the ..."

Hi Olia! Reviews on Goodreads and Amazon are completely separate, and we don't have any plans to change this.


message 10: by Anita (new)

Anita We want goodreads on Kindle in Europe too. Hope we will get it soon.


message 11: by Books By Ces (new)

Books By Ces Gerardo wrote: "I updated it manually and worked like a charm.

I bought my first gen Kindle PaperWhite from the US Amazon but I live in Mexico.

The link to the manual update instructions can be found here http:..."


Yep!!! you can do it.. Amazon casi sirve identico que en EU aunque estés en Mexico....


message 12: by Books By Ces (new)

Books By Ces Gerardo wrote: "I updated it manually and worked like a charm.

I bought my first gen Kindle PaperWhite from the US Amazon but I live in Mexico.

The link to the manual update instructions can be found here http:..."


Yep!!! you can do it.. Amazon casi sirve identico que en EU aunque estés en Mexico....


message 13: by Books By Ces (new)

Books By Ces It would be amazing to have that G on the kindle app. I own an android device but I am a 100% kindle user! I hate that I have to jump back and forth between my kindle and GR, especially when I have a series and I want to know which book comes next (amazon just doesn't shoe the info correctly)... and the reviews... automatic posting to amazon would be epic!!!


message 14: by Kate (new)

Kate I would really love it if I could write my reviews on my Kindle.


message 15: by Iman27 (new)

Iman27 How about goodreads on kindle 4?


MargueriteMedieval I love this!! Good reads on MY KINDLE !! I NEED TO TELL AMN ABOUT THIS!! is it for kindle fire to?


message 17: by Fran (new)

Fran Can you tell us why this isn't available in the UK/Europe/other countries? I can't really see a reason why not myself, it's clearly not a technology issue, so what is the reason please? Thanks.


message 18: by Books By Ces (new)

Books By Ces Fran wrote: "Can you tell us why this isn't available in the UK/Europe/other countries? I can't really see a reason why not myself, it's clearly not a technology issue, so what is the reason please? Thanks."

Amazon... they have strict country policies due to copyright among other things..


message 19: by Hanife (last edited Mar 10, 2014 05:47PM) (new)

Hanife This is the day I'm waiting for! I updated my kindle and I'm glad to see the "G" on it. :)


message 20: by Joyce (new)

Joyce What about the Kobo? =(


message 21: by Haikufall (new)

Haikufall I was wounding if B&N would have this as well.


message 22: by Juan (new)

Juan Oh man, got so excited in vain, why is this usa-only? :/ -argentine-


message 23: by Sarah (new)

Sarah I would really love for this to be available on kindles purchased from Amazon Japan. 99% of the reason I upgraded to the new paperwhite was for the Goodreads app.


message 24: by Cam (new)

Cam Gerardo wrote: "I updated it manually and worked like a charm.

I bought my first gen Kindle PaperWhite from the US Amazon but I live in Mexico.

The link to the manual update instructions can be found here http:..."


I bought mine from the US too but I'm in Asia. When I do the manual update and put the file in my Kindle, after it installs, can I delete that bin file? It's 183mb and I don't want it sitting there taking up space after the installation. Thanks!
I bought my Kindle from the U


message 25: by Cam (new)

Cam I'm still downloading the update, will post here if I get it to work on my Kindle PW. :) *crosses fingers*


message 26: by Jay Cresva (new)

Jay Cresva Great!


Now let us have it in older model kindles like the kindle 3 keyboard.


message 27: by Jaye (new)

Jaye Berry Finally! Thanks a bunch. :)


message 28: by John (new)

John What about the original kindle fire HD?


message 29: by Cam (new)

Cam Updated! I got the G (Goodreads) icon at the top and it installs 3 books/documents: letter saying your Kindle is updated, Vocabulary builder, Kindle freetime. I did notice my Kindle is a bit sluggish but better than when it first restarted.

Signed into GR just fine.

Now I'm just wondering if it's okay for me to delete the 182mb bin file I used to install the update?


message 30: by Sparrowlicious (new)

Sparrowlicious Since lots of people already posted on how this isn't available in their country:

It would be wise if you guys would add "in the US" to posts like this to avoid confusion. Not everyone who speaks English lives on the American continent.


message 31: by [deleted user] (new)

Am I the only one whose K-PW is totally wrecked since the update and only since I signed into goodreads? I'm seriously bummed and frustrated because it's truly a wreck and I can't undo it? :( Was SO thrilled to see this option in the update and I still want it, but how do I fix my kindle and the app now?


message 32: by [deleted user] (new)

Yes! Life just got easier!


message 33: by Vikarti (new)

Vikarti KPW1 WiFi bought in Amazon US Store.
Russian Amazon account (on amazon.com)
Manual update worked. Cloud Collections and Goodreads integration is here.


message 34: by WhyYesIYA/Bebe (new)

WhyYesIYA/Bebe Well, this just made my day


message 35: by Frank (new)

Frank Have had this for almost a month now.

Really nice useful feature.


message 36: by TS S. (last edited Mar 11, 2014 03:56AM) (new)

TS S. Fulk Joyce wrote: "What about the Kobo? =("

My cry as well. However, I think I heard that GoodReads is owned by Amazon, so that's probably not going to happen.

I'll never trade in my Kobo Aura HD for a Kindle.


message 37: by Lauren (new)

Lauren Looking forward to the day we get it on the Kindle Keyboard as well.


message 38: by Sharon (new)

Sharon Hope this comes to the UK soon


message 39: by Fran (new)

Fran TJlovestoread wrote: "Fran wrote: "Can you tell us why this isn't available in the UK/Europe/other countries? I can't really see a reason why not myself, it's clearly not a technology issue, so what is the reason please..."

I realise it's probably an issue with Amazon and not GR. I know that different publishing rights in countries affects what books are available in different territories and that can also affect other kindle functions (e.g. lending), but I'm still confused how a website that's available worldwide can't have their their integrated functionality available worldwide too. Makes little sense to me.


message 40: by Vikarti (new)

Vikarti Arunkumar wrote: "India ?"

Manual update?


message 41: by Bob (new)

Bob How about the ability to upload progress from the Kindle? I mean, it's kind of silly to have to read my percent complete off my Kindle and transcribe it over the the Goodreads app on my phone.


message 42: by Pam (last edited Mar 11, 2014 09:09AM) (new)

Pam thankyou thankyou thankyou!!! Even MORE to add to the 'AMAZING GOODREADS SHOW'... I mean, there are just not that many organizations on the web that read and respond...yeh yeh....although I'm a bit non-plussed that Amazon - well, the do own Goodreads, don't they - take all the credit. I do NOT think a positive response and a quick one would have come out of 'petitioning' Amazon. Heck, its only been recently..wait, not even, that you can GET a humanoid response from Amazon. Uh oh. Going negative. Not good. Back to the kudos, Goodreads!!


message 43: by Craig (last edited Mar 11, 2014 07:14AM) (new)

Craig What Bob said (messag 44). The kindle doesn't seem to be updating the progress automatically and seems like it should be the one thing that the integration DOES do, if it was to do anything. It's the only significant reason I wanted the integration in the first place, to avoid having to manually record my progess. Automation! It's what computers are good at.

If they can't get the kindle integration to update your progress then I think they really missed the boat on some basic functionality here.

Edit: Having said that the functionality that is there seems to work well and it looks good.. It's just that the lack of updates is a large obvious hole in the functionality.


message 44: by Randy (new)

Randy Come on Kindle Keyboard!


message 45: by Sam (new)

Sam Ah that must explain why you haven't bothered to make the Android version worth using.


message 46: by Jessica (new)

Jessica Love it, Thanks!


message 47: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca This is wonderful news.


message 48: by Gaspas (last edited Mar 11, 2014 09:05AM) (new)

Gaspas Just made the update...... fantastic.... now I can update my books without my android phone.... really nice.
But.... I don't see my personal shelves...just the ones that come by default.... is that normal?


message 49: by Pam (new)

Pam Fran wrote: "TJlovestoread wrote: "Fran wrote: "Can you tell us why this isn't available in the UK/Europe/other countries? I can't really see a reason why not myself, it's clearly not a technology issue, so wha..."

I'll certainly look forward to reading the AMAZON response to THIS! Oh wait, Amazon doesn't respond to anything directly. Still, I am curious too (w/o out ANY vested interst :-P)


message 50: by Ginger (new)

Ginger I have a third gen kindle e-reader. I did not want to get a tablet but I so wanted to have the GoodReads connection! I am thrilled that I can upgrade to a paperwhite and get the best of both worlds!!! You rock!


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