I asked a question recently about how people use reviews to choose books and discovered that a number vehemently refuse to read reviews. I could not help but mentally cry “ouch” because that is one of my principle activities on this blog, having written roughly 1700 reviews over the last ten years. I write reviews with the hope that they will both help people find books they will love, and also avoid books that aren’t for them. I love sharing what I read for that reason.

Some people don’t share that love, I think, because they think choosing books is a very personal choice and they don’t want anyone else meddling with that. Some don’t want to know too much about their books before they read them. And some have been burnt by reviews that led them to books they could not finish, they were so bad. Some consider reviewers part of a literary set removed from life. I respect all of those reasons.

I’m also aware that I’m heeding reviews all the time, even when I’m not reading them in papers, literary review publications, or blogs. Part of it is that I’m around friends who read and they tell me about books and I’m always learning about books I’m interested in because my friends are interesting! On the Facebook page I host, people talk about books they are reading. They are not reviews, but sometimes, a book stands out, particularly if a number are talking about it. As I write, I’m reading Demon Copperhead, by Barbera Kingsolver, and loving the book. I don’t think I read a formal review about it–I’ve just heard a number of people rave about it. I will review it when I’m finished but I bet at least one person reading this just added this to their mental “I’m going to check this out” list.

So reviews come in lots of forms. I do read a number of review publications as well, including the New York Times Review of Books, The Atlantic, The Guardian, and Christianity Today. I also read a variety of newsletters. One of my favorites is Hearts and Minds Booknotes from bookstore owner Byron Borger. He’s steered me to many interesting books, including a number I’ve purchased from his store.

Booksellers and librarians actually can be trusted reviewers, especially if they’ve gotten to know our reading tastes. They know what’s out there and can suggest authors we’ve not explored based on some of the ones we like. I usually find them much better than an algorithm!

Sometimes I like to read reviews of a book after I’ve read it. Often, my own thoughts are still forming and a mental dialogue with a reviewer will crystallize my own assessment of a book, whether I agree or not or have a different take altogether. Sometimes I find myself wondering, “did we read the same book?” That makes me ask why I am asking that. If several reviewers are touching on a particular issue in or aspect of a book, that suggests that I might want to notice it, and when I write about the book, give my own thoughts on the matter.

I don’t pay much attention to either Amazon or Goodreads reviews (although in the interest of full disclosure, I post some Amazon reviews and copy all my reviews to my Goodreads account). Frankly, there are just too many instances where the system has been corrupted, often to the hurt of authors.

I try to follow reviewers who have steered me well in the past. I’ve been heartened when I hear from someone who read a book I reviewed and found the book helpful and follows my reviews because of that. That’s what I and any ethical reviewer strive for.

Like most readers, I’m eager to find the next “good read.” Some are repeat buys of authors I love. I don’t need a review and I’ll likely buy their books until they disappoint me. But I like discovering new books and new authors. Reviews, whether via the informal buzz of friends or a well written review in a publication help me sift from the welter of books the ones I want to check out.

So what do I say to those readers who don’t read reviews? Basically, if what you are doing to find books you love is working, who am I to say you should do any differently? But if you want to learn about books you might not have heard of that you might like, the reviewer is your friend. Any of them are readers just like you and love to talk books with anyone who will listen. And that, I think, is one of the coolest things about the bookish community.