What do you look for in a Book Review?

[kismoody]

I've been curious about this for a while, so if this is a dup posting, I apologize. When you're trying to decide if you want to read a certain sci-fi/fantasy book, do you look at editorial reviews or only peer reviews or both? What keywords do you look for that will make you decide to read it?

[gali]

I read both but prefer peer reviews. Interesting plot and the language are some of the factors that make me decide whether to read the book.

[switchblades]

I try to read a couple of different reviews. Critics are not always right.

[Paliden]

I read the peer reviews before I get a book. Editorial reviews most of the time are all the same and tend to gush over the book without pointing out any of the errors. I want to know before I get into a book if it's really worth reading and if there are any really strange things that are not mentioned in the synopsis.

[yalonde]

I like book reviews where the reviewer's personality can be seen. If the reviewer is boring, it will cause me to be bored and not want to read the book. In my opinion, the reviewer place a big role in getting me to read a book. Some reviewers can just grab my interest with the way they word things, or the enthusiasm.

[Kate_Emme]

I tend to check out certain reviewers that I have found to have similar takes on books as myself. Key words that I look for in reviews? It is always a good sign if the people reviewing are clear in their analysis and not overly-gushy about the book. I mean we all have books that we totally love, but if someone ALWAYS says that every book they read is amazing, it is hard to take their opinion seriously.

[Snickerdoodle9]

When I read a book review I want several things. One thing that I want is to know about the characters and the style and voice the author writes in. I want to know about the plot, and I want to know a hook. I want to be informed about the way that the book is written, without giving spoilers. I want to know what the person thinks about, and who he thinks will enjoy the story.

[Lisalovecraft]

Very interesting question. I think the cover art is one of the first things that draw me in to a fantasy title. As for reviews, I always look at peer reviews, which I think are more realistic. I like to read the good reviews first. After that I look for the lowest ratings and see what those reviewers had to say. Keywords I look for are character development , pacing and if the reviewer was satisfied with the ending.

[Sav Sparkman]

I like to know if there was something interesting, unique, or impactful about the book, without any spoilers. This can be hard to accomplish in a review or discussion.