diff --git a/fedireads/connectors/fedireads_connector.py b/fedireads/connectors/fedireads_connector.py
index 3093f5a2..fc354b18 100644
--- a/fedireads/connectors/fedireads_connector.py
+++ b/fedireads/connectors/fedireads_connector.py
@@ -40,19 +40,20 @@ class Connector(AbstractConnector):
             book = models.Book(remote_id=remote_id)
 
 
-    def update_book(self, book):
+    def update_book(self, book, data=None):
         ''' add remote data to a local book '''
         remote_id = book.remote_id
-        response = requests.get(
-            '%s/%s' % (self.base_url, remote_id),
-            headers={
-                'Accept': 'application/activity+json; charset=utf-8',
-            },
-        )
-        if not response.ok:
-            response.raise_for_status()
+        if not data:
+            response = requests.get(
+                '%s/%s' % (self.base_url, remote_id),
+                headers={
+                    'Accept': 'application/activity+json; charset=utf-8',
+                },
+            )
+            if not response.ok:
+                response.raise_for_status()
 
-        data = response.json()
+            data = response.json()
 
         # great, we can update our book.
         mappings = {
diff --git a/fedireads/status.py b/fedireads/status.py
index 558d8a70..a0fa34f9 100644
--- a/fedireads/status.py
+++ b/fedireads/status.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 ''' Handle user activity '''
+from urllib.parse import urlparse
+
 from django.db import IntegrityError
 
-from fedireads import models
-from fedireads.books_manager import get_or_create_book
+from fedireads import books_manager, models
 from fedireads.sanitize_html import InputHtmlParser
 
 
@@ -25,6 +26,41 @@ def create_review_from_activity(author, activity):
     return review
 
 
+def get_or_create_book(remote_id):
+    ''' try the remote id and then figure out the right connector '''
+    book = get_by_absolute_id(remote_id, models.Book)
+    if book:
+        return book
+
+    connector = get_or_create_connector(remote_id)
+    return books_manager.get_or_create_book(
+        remote_id,
+        key=connector.key_name,
+        connector_id=connector.id
+    )
+
+
+def get_or_create_connector(remote_id):
+    ''' get the connector related to the author's server '''
+    url = urlparse(remote_id)
+    identifier = url.netloc
+    try:
+        connector_info = models.Connector.objects.get(identifier=identifier)
+    except models.Connector.DoesNotExist:
+        models.Connector.objects.create(
+            identifier=identifier,
+            connector_file='fedireads_connector',
+            base_url='https://%s' % identifier,
+            books_url='https://%s/book' % identifier,
+            covers_url='https://%s/images/covers' % identifier,
+            search_url='https://%s/search?q=' % identifier,
+            key_name='remote_id',
+            priority=3
+        )
+
+    return books_manager.load_connector(connector_info)
+
+
 def create_rating(user, book, rating):
     ''' a review that's just a rating '''
     if not rating or rating < 1 or rating > 5:
diff --git a/init_db.py b/init_db.py
index 62e0d571..6ed9f387 100644
--- a/init_db.py
+++ b/init_db.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Connector.objects.create(
     books_url='https://%s/book' % DOMAIN,
     covers_url='https://%s/images/covers' % DOMAIN,
     search_url='https://%s/search?q=' % DOMAIN,
-    key_name='openlibrary_key',
+    key_name='id',
     priority=1,
 )