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I think many reviews now for indie books do not serve the function of 'review' so much as 'filter for the slushpile.' It's not like there is a ton of info available elsewhere on all of these books. If someone wants just a general sense of what it's about and whether it is generally put together okay, it's quicker to read a review than to read through a sample. I remember in the days before Smashwords, trying to buy indie books from Fictionwise. There was no sample. And in many cases, no reviews either. All you had to go on was the blurb. More than once, I bought a book with an intriguing blurb and it was terrible. I just wanted a little more information, but there was nowhere to get it!
Also, if you do find a reviewer with a blog, and you like their style or share their taste, they can alert you to potentially interesting books you maybe didn't find on your own. It's not 'they are telling you to buy it or not to buy it.' It's 'they are alerting you to a book you did not know about so that you can make your own decision.'
Personally, I tag all the books I read, whether I review them or not, with ratings and a summary at minimum. And I have a link on my blog to a dynamically updating list of my favourite books in various categories. That way, a reader can see what I like before they invest in the blog. If they share my tastes, my reviews will be credible to them. If they like different books, they can go find information about them elsewhere.
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