Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: 2359 Hours by Jack B.S. North

Immersing readers in the mind of a conflicted soldier desperately seeking inner peace, 2359 Hours by Jack B.S. North is a timely reflection on war, trauma, and the myriad roads to redemption.

Archie has attempted to overcome his devastating experiences in Afghanistan by moving to Canada, near his wartime comrades, but has found that all the ghosts of his past came along for the journey. Embarking in a new direction after being forged in a crucible of war is never easy, as this gritty and relentless story shows. The twist of this narrative, however, is that the novel takes place […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-07-21T01:24:40+02:00June 8th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Military|

Review: Myers by Jeff Lee

A gripping mystery that reveals its villain long before the final page, Myers by Jeff Lee is a character-driven thriller that exposes the grim repercussions of trauma and war, showing how the severe residual trauma and haunting memories of survivors can have their own terrible repercussions.

Plunging readers into a wind-blown, easily forgotten part of America, this novel is an exposé of violence, history, and family. The story pits two such souls against each other, the town’s police chief, Karl Myers, and Jerry Peterman – a soldier who never really stopped fighting, and who has forgotten any language but domination. […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-07-15T04:47:13+02:00June 7th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction, Thriller|

Review: Bad Girl by Vonne B

A compelling rich-romance drama, Bad Girl by Vonne B offers a surprisingly multifaceted novel set in the dual cut-throat worlds of strip clubs and the law.

Protagonist Abigail has managed to pull off a gig at one of the best strip joints in town, Secrets, working as a thick-bodied exotic dancer to provide for her little brother after her drug-addled mother made off leaving them to fend for themselves at a young age. A wealthy regular, Jones, has taken a shine to her, and she’s dancing for him privately one night a week to bring home the dough.

Meanwhile, Jones […]

SPR2022-07-05T10:05:40+02:00June 7th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Erotica, Romance|

Review: Stained Echoes by Jon Ring, Illustrated by Vinessa Sanford

Crafting myriad worlds in a tightly penned collection of stories, Stained Echoes: Tales of the Mysterious and the Macabre by Jon Ring is an enchanting work of old-fashioned horror for readers who love to be spooked. Presenting a wide and weird variety of disturbing yarns, from ancient battlefield hauntings to the demons held deepest in our hearts, this book exhibits a mastery of the style.

A unique and impressive homage to the macabre pacing of Poe, the collection hums with sinister tension, often delaying its twisted payoffs until the very end of the story. The opening piece especially, “The Secret […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-06-09T03:51:58+02:00June 3rd, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Horror, Jon Ring, Short Stories|

Review: Truthful Misconceptions by Con Trong Bui

Author Con Trong Bui presents a comprehensive and multifaceted thesis about long-standing Christian dogma in his new book Truthful Misconceptions. Probing some of the most fundamental aspects of the faith, and applying a lens of science, logic, rhetoric, and a fine-toothed comb of theological history, Bui challenges everything from Adam and Eve’s existence on Earth and the resurrection of Christ to the prerequisites of salvation for believers.

The introduction explains the intention and approach of the book, explaining that it is not only for veteran Christians, but also for those who are new to the faith. The depth of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-07-15T04:45:53+02:00May 31st, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Religion|

Review: The Chocolate Clouds by Marc Remus

Author Marc Remus sends readers on a surprising and symbolic ride through the magical land of Foodtopia in his delectable children’s book, The Chocolate Clouds.

Henry’s family rose to wealth and prominence by securing the chocolate clouds and harvesting their bounty, ensuring plenty of food for Choco-Locoville and Sugarland. However, when the clouds suddenly disappear from his family’s property, Henry’s “normal” life melts away, so this health-conscious adventurer and his beloved cat embark on a grand quest to find them.

Daring to cross the Monster Mountains in search of his family’s most prized possessions, Henry learns the proper history […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-05-31T08:13:45+02:00May 30th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Children's Books, Marc Remus, Middle Grade Fiction|

Review: Transformations: Poetry and Art by G. Jordan Maclay Ph.D

Transformations: Poetry and Art is an eclectic, whimsical, and deeply personal collection from the mind of G. Jordan Maclay Ph.D. From amusing vignettes about pets to cosmos-sized musings about existence and the foundation of the universe, this combination of poetry, prose, and art is like few other books on the shelf, especially from a Ph.D whose other published work is a dense text on quantum mechanics.

Turning the mind of a theoretical physicist towards the realm of poetry is inherently original, but Maclay is far more than a scientist with a flair for art. When appropriate, he effortlessly lays a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-07-13T01:24:31+02:00May 30th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Art, Poetry|

Review: Strung by Roske

The mysteriously-named Roske has summoned a magical land with their gifted pen in Strung, an ambitious and masterfully crafted story of forbidden love and the shattering of traditions.

According to Lysbeth Haywood’s ancestor, Alder, the magical and elusive Faye simply wish to be left alone, but the curiosity of humans is persistent and voracious, as is Lysbeth’s fascination with these supposedly mythical creatures. When an unwanted potential suitor, the Earl of Dorsit, brings an impossible treasure to her doorstep as an engagement gift, her heart is torn between curiosity and the fear of becoming another man’s wife.

The gift […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-07-11T03:47:31+02:00May 26th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy|