Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: HARDBARNED! by Christopher J. Driver

In Hardbarned!: One Man’s Quest for Meaningful Work in the American South, an amusing and insightful memoir by Christopher J. Driver, readers are invited to commiserate with a hardworking American in a tough world, trying to pursue the happiness of writing over potential riches doing anything else.

Before this book was born, Driver spent years staring down some of the hardest questions of the last generation, namely: What am I supposed to do with this degree? What do I want to do with my life? Am I ever going to find a job that makes me happy? While these […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-02-11T09:36:08+02:00December 14th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir, Non-Fiction|

Review: Sundown by Carl H. Mitchell

★★★★½

When the world stops working and the oil runs out, no one is exactly sure what sort of chaos will unfold, but author Carl H. Mitchell has a pretty good idea. Sundown: Engineering Gives the Devil a Sunburn is an ambitious and entertaining peek into what lies ahead for the world. A corrupt Supreme Leader is pulling the world’s strings in dangerous directions, the fabric of American democracy has crumbled, and survival is becoming more important than maintaining any semblance of society.

The novel begins with a bang – or rather a strangle – of the vice president of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-06-14T04:56:07+02:00December 6th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Carl H. Mitchell, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction|

Review: Soul’s Fury by Sattar Memon

★★★★

Blending spirituality, philosophy, suspense and engaging literature can be a tricky challenge for some authors, as it can lean too far in either direction – pedantic prose to promote a belief system or a convoluted narrative that doesn’t espouse a clear message. However, in Sattar Memon’s second novel, Soul’s Fury, the balance is surprisingly well done.

While the author has written a number of books in the past, the majority of these have been directly related to spirituality, healing through faith, or other alternative philosophies. That being said, his 2012 book The Ashram was another fictional narrative and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-12-06T06:34:38+02:00December 6th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Thriller, Visionary Fiction|

Review: Free Will Odyssey by Larry Kilham

★★★★

In Free Will Odyssey, author Larry Kilham imagines a not-too-distant future where humans are able to have complete control of their lives. By enhancing one’s free will, and preventing one’s body from dictating the choices you make, this new technology could usher in a new generation of human achievement and happiness.

Upon that fascinating premise, this short novel weaves the intricate and thoughtfully crafted tale of Peter Tesla, the brilliant young inventor and engineer that is responsible for creating this revolutionary new technology. The plot is highly dependent on certain elements of VR and AI, extrapolating some of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-12-06T05:48:03+02:00December 6th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction|

Review: Sorcerers’ Dynasty by Stephen Perkins

★★★★★

Sorcerers’ Dynasty by Stephen Perkins presents a wildly creative take on a world beyond our world, and the reality that has been obscured from mankind for eons. With an intrepid fringe reporter named Dan Sheraton on the case, this eternal secret just might finally see the light of day.

The novel offers a remarkably complete and well thought-out world that lies beneath the one that we know. Something sinister is going on out in the desert, with insectoid sentries, heavily armed military installations, and the deadly stench of secrets. The danger goes far beyond the typical cloak and dagger […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2018-07-26T10:44:53+02:00December 5th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy, Stephen Perkins|

Review: Esperanza by Tommy Tutalo

★★★★

Understanding our identity, or at least tapping into our origins, is something that everyone can understand and relate to on some level. In Esperanza, an unforgettable novel by Tommy Tutalo, readers are welcomed into a strange and dangerous world – one of illegal immigrants, dangerous border crossings, FBI conspiracies, and a sinister criminal underworld that threatens to tear one young family apart.

Sarita is a young woman with a bizarre history, and a childhood that stretched her heart in different directions, imbuing her memories with fear, confusion, and loneliness. The three journals that she is given, however, will […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-07-22T07:30:07+02:00December 4th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Tommy Tutalo|

Review: Blowback ’63 by Brian Meehl

★★★★

Overlapping timelines in different centuries, epic struggles of self-discovery, and enough fantasy thrills to make your head spin, Blowback ’63 by Brian Meehl is a roller-coaster of a novel, but also a clever and well-planned drama. Following on the heels of Blowback ’07, the first installment of this series, Meehl continues his era-jumping narration and sheds even more light on Arky and Iris, the enigmatic core of these novels.

As in the first book, Arky and Iris are still doggedly searching for their mother, trapped somewhere back in time. The magical family instrument, the Jongler cor anglais, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-03-02T09:40:06+02:00November 30th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Brian Meehl, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Young Adult|

Review: FAKE NEWS by David Hutter

★★★

FAKE NEWS: Strange Historical Facts Reimagined in the World of Donald Trump is a brilliant piece of satire by David Hutter, a young author with a sharp tongue and a unique perspective on the world at large.

The book makes clear that politics has always made for a strange spectacle, and much of it seems downright unbelievable, even in comparison with today’s political circus. Rather than rehashing the madness of the present political situation, Hutter attempts to inject anecdotes from history into the paradigm of today, offering a unique perspective on history and the present day.

What results is […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-01-22T15:17:44+02:00November 27th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Political Fiction, Satire|