Ever bought a book because of a bad review?

[hufflepuff]

Often I've come across books that were poorly reviewed only to find them fresh and exciting and different. Often a lot of the criticism holds up, but seems that reviewers either sit at one end of the spectrum or the other when it comes to making a judgment. Maybe the have quotas to meet. Anyone else bought a poorly reviewed book only to find it a gem?
cheers
huff

ops, just realized I've posted this is the wrong place. How do I move it? Sorry about that; I'm new around here!

 

[brk_3]

A review from some anonymous person or group doesn’t influence me to buy or borrow a book to read. Actually, I don’t read reviews on books to often.
I do listen to the opinions of others that have the same taste in subject matter that I do. But overall, if I want to read it I’ll get it and read it.
Yes and sometimes I get a lemon of a book with this philosophy.

 

[Tai_Mai_Shu]

Hmm...good question. I've never done it but I have done the opposite. There have been times where I thought certain books were going to be a gem because of the 45 or 50 people review it gave it all a 4 or 5 starts. I picked it up only to be disappointed then come to realize that all that reviews were probably by family members and friends. I rarely pick up a book based on that so like the poster above stated, I will trust the opinion of those that I have the same taste in. I got hook on Michael Connelly's books because of the said friend.

 

[Peder]

I have some clunkers from the highest of recommendations by people whose good tastes I thought I knew. My loss.

And I have one book I love, based on an accurate and positive NYT review that absolutely turns many people totally off. Their loss.

But, no, I avoid books with dubious to bad reviews; I have too many books to read already.

And even too many highly acclaimed authors still slip through the filter to remain unfinished.

 

[DavidRM]

The way I find most books I read is pretty random. Usually its a recommendation from a friend, or (for nonfiction) a book mentioned in an article I found interesting. Sometimes, I just grab books off the shelf at the library and take them home to find out what I got.

So...I almost never see reviews of a book before I read.

That said, if a book *really* pisses me off, I might go to Amazon to read all the bad reviews and commisserate. Which doesn't make a lot of sense, but there you go. =)

-David