What is True Voice Reviews?
True Voice Reviews is an independent, paid editorial review service. We serve readers first and authors second—which means our reviews are honest, reader-focused assessments designed to help readers decide if a book is for them, while still giving authors serious, professional credibility.
How is this different from an editorial critique or beta read?
We are not doing craft coaching, editing, or beta feedback.
We:
Do not tell you how to revise your book.
Do not line edit or markup your manuscript.
Do not write “the author should…” style notes.
We write public-facing reviews, like you’d see in a newspaper, literary website, or serious book blog—plus a 1–5 “Book Rating” and a few marketing-ready elements.
Who are your reviewers? Are they qualified?
We keep individual identities private, but you’re not getting amateurs. Each reviewer brings years of experience, a deep love of reading, and a commitment to delivering fair, honest, reader-focused reviews.
You’re paying for an independent perspective, not a friend trying to be nice.
What exactly do I get with a True Voice Review?
Every full True Voice Review (any package) includes four core pieces:
Long Review (600–900 words) – In-depth, reader-facing commentary on premise, character, tone, themes, and style.
Short Review (200–300 words) – A tighter version suitable for sales pages, retailer editorial slots, and press kits.
One-Sentence Review / Blurb (~30 words) – A punchy line you can use on covers, ads, and social graphics.
Book Rating (1–5 Books) – Using the True Voice Reviews Book Rating Key, with a brief, neutral explanation.
Packages then layer marketing extras on top of this.
What’s the difference between Package 1 (Basic) and Package 2 (Premium)?
Package 1 – Basic includes:
Long Review (600–900 words)
Short Review (200–300 words)
One-Sentence Review / Blurb (~30 words)
Book Rating (1–5 Books) with a short explanation
1–2 pull quotes extracted from the review for marketing
Simple content notes (language, violence, sex, sensitive topics)
Digital delivery with permission to use excerpts in your promotional materials with proper attribution (“— True Voice Reviews”)
Package 2 – Premium includes everything in Basic, plus:
3–5 optimized pull quotes (tuned for covers, website, and social media)
1–2 alternate one-sentence blurbs (A/B options for different campaigns)
A short “market positioning snapshot” – 2–3 sentences on ideal readers, genre/tone, and where the book fits on the shelf
Custom 500–800 word press release tailored to your book and brand:
News-style headline & hook
– A strong, media-friendly headline and opening that frames your book as newsworthy, not just “another release.”
Clear story angle for media
– Connects your book to a topical angle, evergreen theme, or human-interest hook journalists and bloggers can actually use.
Integrated review pull quote(s)
– Seamlessly incorporates one or two True Voice Reviews pull quotes to show third-party credibility inside the PR itself.
Author positioning paragraph
– Short, sharp section that explains who you are, why this book matters, and why you’re worth covering or interviewing.
Book details section
– Title, subtitle, genre, format(s), page count/word count, release date, ISBN(s), pricing, and where to buy.
Call-to-action for media
– Clear next steps for reviewers, bloggers, podcasters, librarians, and event organizers (e.g., ARC requests, interview availability, speaking, signings).
Ready-to-send format
– Delivered in clean text you can paste into email, upload to your site, or drop into a press kit with minimal tweaks.
Think of it this way:
Basic = full, professional review set
Premium = full review set plus more marketing ammo and positioning clarity
What do you need from me to start?
We’ll typically ask for:
Your full manuscript (or clearly labeled substantial excerpt, if that’s all you want reviewed) in a standard digital format (PDF, DOCX, or EPUB).
Basic book information: title, author name, genre/category, approximate word count.
Whether it is published or unpublished (in case you want us to avoid certain spoilers in a particular way).
Do you review ARCs and unpublished manuscripts?
Yes. We’re happy to review:
Unpublished manuscripts
ARCs (advance review copies)
Already published books
The review is always written as if it’s talking to a potential reader, regardless of your publication status.
How long does it take to get my review?
Turnaround time can vary based on queue and length, but in general you should expect a multi-week process, not overnight. This isn’t a quick skim—we read and think before we write. If you have a hard launch deadline, schedule ahead.
Will you “go easy” on my book because I’m paying?
No. You’re paying us to tell the truth in a professional way, not to flatter you.
We’ll always:
Be respectful
Be fair
Be clear about strengths and where some readers may struggle
But we will not guarantee a glowing review.
What does the 1–5 “Book Rating” actually mean?
We use the True Voice Reviews Book Rating Key:
📘 1 Book – Not Recommended
📘📘 2 Books – Needs Significant Work
📘📘📘 3 Books – Solid, Selectively Recommended
📘📘📘📘 4 Books – Strongly Recommended
📘📘📘📘📘 5 Books – Outstanding / Must Read
We’ll assign a rating and explain why in 1–2 sentences, in neutral, reader-facing language.
Can I ask you to change the rating or tone if I don’t like it?
You can always ask questions or point out factual errors (names, plot details, etc.), but:
We do not change ratings because an author is unhappy.
We do not soften criticism to make the book “look better.”
Our credibility depends on us staying honest.
Do you review politically charged, religious, or LGBTQIA+ books?
Yes. We review across genres and topics. We’re not here to agree or disagree with your worldview; we’re here to assess:
How the book is written
Who it’s for
How readers are likely to experience it
We reserve the right to refuse material that is clearly hate propaganda or violates basic human rights—but disagreement or challenge is not the same as hate.
Where can I use my True Voice Review?
You can use:
Short Review
One-Sentence Review
Rating
Pull quotes (and short excerpts from the Long Review)
…on:
Your website
Social media
Ads
Sales pages
Press kits
Book covers
As long as you:
Attribute it clearly as “— True Voice Reviews”
Don’t change the meaning of the quote by cutting words mid-sentence in a misleading way
Can I edit or tweak the wording of the review?
You may shorten pull quotes (for space) as long as:
You don’t change the meaning
You don’t turn a mixed comment into a fake rave by selective cutting
If you’re unsure whether a particular cut is fair, ask us.
Will you post the review anywhere else?
We reserve the right to:
Feature the review (or an excerpt) on our own website or marketing channels
Post a version of the review on major book platforms if and when that becomes part of the service
If you want an timing delay (e.g., until launch week), tell us up front and we’ll work with you when possible.
Do you review all genres?
We review:
Most fiction genres (literary, commercial, romance, mystery, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, etc.)
Nonfiction (memoir, narrative non-fiction, self-help, history, etc.)
Some niche/experimental work, case by case
If your book is extremely technical or outside our scope, we may decline and refund you.
Do you offer refunds?
If we haven’t started reading yet, a refund may be possible.
Once we begin reading and working on your review, the fee covers that time and is not refundable, even if you don’t like the outcome.
We’d rather be upfront about that than pretend otherwise.
Will you show me a sample review before I commit?
Yes. We can share example reviews (with identifying details removed where necessary) so you can see tone, depth, and style before you purchase a package.
Can I upgrade from Basic to Premium later?
If you start with Package 1 (Basic) and decide you want the extras from Package 2 (Premium) after seeing the review, we can:
Charge the difference in price, and
Deliver the additional Premium elements (extra pull quotes, alternate blurbs, market positioning snapshot)
The original review content will not be rewritten, but the marketing layer can be upgraded.
If you have more questions, please email us at
