When you read a review of anything on this blog, even when I’ve been paid to write it, I can assure you it will always be an honest review. Things don’t always go according to plan, and when things inadvertently go a little awry, I find it’s best just to write the truth instead of rehashing some regular review you can find all over the web.

But that means it’s not always a five star glowing review and if my son is involved, then there’s a 50/50 chance an item gets destroyed/goes missing/causes an immediate meltdown, etc.

So I honestly wrote about the time the Strictly Brix company sent us a cool building set that caused my son to freak out because the box had cars on it, yet there were NO cars in the box. He was convinced I was holding out on these cars because why else would they be right there on box??

And then there was the time we were sent the book Why Did Sergeant Stubby Go to War? and my son refused to look at it and kept finding it and throwing it in the trash. So I had to hide it until I could just read it myself. I have no idea what the kid has against Sergeant Stubby, as it was quite a heart-warming story.

And mostly recently I agreed to review a Scooby-Doo DVD that I thought my son would like and he refused to sit down and watch it. So I made it a family movie night and we all watched it. He just wasn’t into it and fell asleep. So I wrote about the experience, honestly.

Every time I do a review post, I always send the link to the sponsor and then get a little worried they may not like my unique personal angle and would prefer me to just write something more like a super positive press release. Something a little more conventional.

So this reply back from the client, about the Scooby-Doo review, really made me happy:

“I really liked your review – it was very honest and insightful. I so appreciate that you took the time and trouble to give us your take and your analysis.”

*phew!* They liked it! My review was my true experience and my own personal thoughts about the movie, as well as my son’s reactions. I didn’t pretend it was the best movie ever, and I didn’t just rehash the press release info. I just wrote what I really thought.

And that’s what I plan to keep doing. If I don’t like something, I’ll say it. If I love something, you know it’s for real.

I do give the client a choice to not publish though, and I also have returned products I just couldn’t stand behind. I was going to do an article for a fake diamond company one time and the rings they sent were just so cheap feeling that I couldn’t do it. I sent back their product and payment. I don’t want to be the reason someone purchases something and it’s actually terrible!

I enjoy doing the reviews a lot, even if mine are a little different. You at least know I’m being honest. And I think that’s something that’s getting harder and harder to find these days.