by Paul Davidson 
People who love to read are usually seen carrying their latest book around, catching a few minutes of that page-turner on the bus or on their break. If you enjoy reading, but have been disappointed too many times, having relied on the jacket back blurb, you need a new strategy to zero in on those books which are the ones that keep you up late into the wee hours, just to find out what happens next. Using the free book reviews to find those great reads rarely proves a disappointing strategy. It takes little time to avail yourself of these free resources, it’s fun and in some cases, you might even meet some new like-minded friends online. Here are a few tips on exploring the wide world of reading to your benefit. 
With the exception of the New York Times bestseller reviews, personally, I find book critics and publisher’s reviews to be ‘iffy’ at best. With all due respect, book critics are somewhat like restaurant critics. Dare I say there’s a bit of professional snobbery involved? Again, JMHO, but these people are simply individuals, reflecting their own personal foibles and taste in reading material. These free book reviews can be tainted by personal prejudice. For example, a critic may be influenced by a strict preference for ‘commercial literature’, that is, a book with esoteric meaning and hidden, idealistic or mystical qualities that mark the book as literary – in their opinion – while disdaining a great mystery novel or sci-fi books. Unless you scout out other free book reviews, this prejudice may not be readily apparent.
In the same vein, publishers are naturally prejudiced. They are promoting the book with one main thought in mind: profit. Again, a publisher’s book review is not necessarily suspect, but you’ll want to read a number of other, independent book reviews to gain the best sense from a variety of perspectives. Publisher’s reviews are often most useful in obtaining the gist and general flavor of the contents, as well as getting a take on the writer’s style.
So where do you find a more comprehensive listing of free book reviews, giving you a more well-rounded set of opinions? Obviously, if you’ve got a friend whose recommendations often prove reliable, the book they’ve just finished is probably a good bet.
One of the best resources for free book reviews are found on online bookstore sites. For example, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Borders all carry a list of not only the publisher’s reviews, but independent reader’s perspectives, which often prove to be the most reliable. These people have read the book and were sufficiently impressed – or disappointed – to take the time to give their take on the book in question. Sometimes you’ll find dozens of such free book reviews. One independent reviewer may point out the virtues of the author’s style, while another compares the book favorably with another author with whom you’re familiar. There’s always a naysayer who blasts the book as trite, unworthy of your time. All of these free book reviews gives you an opportunity to assess where each reader is coming from and form a more considered opinion, forming your own conclusion on the summaries provided.
Another great online resource are the reader’s forums. The members who take time to share their opinions are, just as you are, looking for other ordinary people’s opinions on books they might find for themselves. The reader’s forums have another advantage, in that you can learn of some of the more obscure titles you might never otherwise have come across on the major online bookstore sites.
Free book reviews abound on the net. Take advantage of them, before you rush out and buy a book based on just a publisher’s blurb on the back cover or a perhaps prejudiced critic’s take. Your money will undoubtedly be better spent.
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