Pondering...

I know we, as authors, value our reviews. But do you think they ultimately make a difference in whether readers buy your work?

This question was posed on a blog I read, and the comments (9 of them) said that reviews mattered little compared to recommendations from friends and supporting writer friends.

I pondered this for a bit and wondered why I buy books, especially from a new author. And, you know what? I DO consider reviews IF they come from reputable source... I almost never use Amazon reviews because I don't think they're necessarily authentic.

I do read reviews at reviews sites and blogs, and I take them all into account before I buy. I don't trust one review, necessarily, but will compare several and see what they say.

I do prefer recommendations from friends, since they know me and my reading habits well. And I certainly support my author friends when they are published, but I don't think reviews can be discounted out of hand.

What do YOU think?