Romance Specific: Do you purchased books based on reviews?

Zis poll needs an "occasional" or "rarely" option.

I've only ever bought one book based on a review I read in the New York Times. The book was Caleb Carr's The Alienist and it lived up to the review.

If I'm looking for something beyond my usual scope of authors, I go based on friend recommendations instead.

I voted no, although that's not quite true. I bought "Never Let Me Go" because the review was so brilliant. But it's true in that I never buy romance based on reviews.

I buy those based on excerpts. I can tell from the first page if it's going to be for me or not.

I buy a lot of books I am waffling on based on reviews. If I see something people are raving about on multiple sites, then it does make me interested.

I value blogger reviews more than industry reviews, though? (like Kirkus/PW)

Mostly I use reviews when I'm in the mood for an M/M romance. When I first started reading it, I had no idea who was good, who was bad, and I often found myself buying a really bad (or badly edited) book. Then I found a few review sites, and there are two sites whose reviews generally match my own reaction to the stories, so I go there and see what they recommend. I've found some amazing ebooks that way.

Not really. I'm in with the "read an excerpt" crowd... I'd rather form my own opinion.

I first started reading romance because of reviews. I don't think I would have picked up one on my own since I was of the mind that all romance novels were the same. Reviews have helped me find books that speak to me, and I've found amazing authors that I never would have found without.

I started reading Tessa Dare because of a review on SBTB. I'm a total fan of hers now and I'm almost read every one of her novels (I have one waiting on my kindle...). Another author I wouldn't have found without reviews is Shana Abe (Regency and dragons. How can I pass that up?).

Unless I know the person recommending the book has the same taste that I do, I see no point whatsoever in reviews. I don't even read reviews of my own books. It's too late to change a book that's already published, especially if you consider it was written usually 2 years before. If a friend tells me I really need to read something, then I do. But random people on the Internet are not going to sway me one way or another on anything.

If the reviewing site actually keyword-tags the reviews or puts them in categories (like all arranged marriage stories, all secret baby stories, m/m/f, etc.) then yes. Otherwise not usually. I do like one blog where they ask each author to write a few paragraphs about some aspect of writing when their book is reviewed, but just because I like their little essay about writing shapeshifters or worldbuilding doesn't mean I'll have any interest in the novel reviewed.

Mainly I buy books based on reading the first chunk of the book as a sample.

I do buy and avoid books based upon reviews. There are certain reviewers that have tastes similar to mine. If I'm on the fence about a book, I usually check and see if they've reviewed it. These are book bloggers, not professional reviewers.

How I Buy A Book

I have to admit, I don't read reviews at all. I have started reading the first page with the idea that all great books seem to have a great beginning, but that's just my theory I guess. The very first thing I am intrigued by is the title.

Yes, but like others, I buy on the basis of blog reviews rather than 'professional' reviews or, heaven help us all, Amazon reviews. If I've been reading a blog for a while, I get a good sense of whether the reviewer's taste is similar to mine or not. And even if a reviewer dislikes a book, I'll sometimes buy it on the basis of something in the review that intrigues me.

Because I know so many writers, I have a hard time buying books even by the people I know. I usually limit my book buying to signed first editions by people I know and who have named me in their acknowledgements or made me a character . However, I did buy one of Joanna Bourne's books based on a review in SBTB and have bought all of her books since.

I do, actually. I've found a few review sites that have the same opinion of plot and characters so I'll look there first to see what they say.

I read review sites... but it is the Cover and the blurb that will likely get me to buy or pass. A reviewer's comments lends a little if I'm unsure. Great cover with intriguing blurb... that's what gets me to buy. Excerpts don't do much for me either. Although if the writing is really not cohesive to my reading style preferences... it will override my impulse to buy a great cover and blurb. I'm not a finicky reader when it comes to writing style though, so I can only think of once in the hundreds of books I've read or passed on, where the excerpt changed my mind for the worse. Typically, I don't read excerpts anyway.

I might look for a book that I didn't previously know about based on a review, but I generally don't buy books solely because of a review. I'll still reach a few pages and see whether the writing and characters grab me.

However, if a review says "this starts slow before getting awesome" (paraphrasing), then that might influence me to purchase even if the first few pages didn't knock me out.

Occassionally

I also buy and avoid based on reviews. I should also add I sometimes buy a book that got a horrible review--just to see if I agree with the reviewer.

I don't usually read romance unless a friend of mine says "hey, I read this, you'll like it." Then I read it. And she's usually right.

She doesn't read reviews so much - the blurbs on the back of the book are what make up her mind to read it or not.

Yes, but usually because they brought my attention to something I wouldn't have found otherwise--posting covers and back-cover blurbs--not because of the actual reviews. Well, most of the time. I think I've bought two books, maybe three, tops, due to actual reviews.