Booking Through Thursday (Reviews)

From Booking Through Thursday:

Do you read book reviews? Whose do you trust? Do they affect your reading habits? Your buying habits?

           I love reading book reviews, book recommendations and book list, however, I only use these as jumping off boards for what I want to read it. It doesn't matter to me if they're good or bad reviews as long as they are written well. I've been known to buy and like books that have been given horrible reviews and I read the reviews from a variety of places. Since starting a semi-book blog and following a plethora of book blogs that tickle my fancy I have found books that I never would have on my own (my TBR has increased exponentially), although there are many times that I'll read about a book at a blog, wonder why they like that particular book and then realize that that particular blog is geared towards paranormal or fantasy or detective books or something or another. Because I enjoy YA fiction, I listen to my students when they talk about what they read and then buy or borrow books that they recommend. I listen to librarians and book store employees, as well, especially if I know them. I have also not been steered wrong from the interviews and reviews on the Colbert Report, in Rolling Stone magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Bitch magazine and Atlantic Monthly. What I like to read is as diverse as the magazines I read, so I read, read, read about books and then move those that interest me (either because of the review, the cover, the magazine or blog that's promoting it) to my TBR and then I buy the book either when I see it or when I've got the moo-lah to purchase it...that is if another book doesn't catch my eye.