Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Under the Orange Blossoms by Cindy Benezra

An emotionally vulnerable, authentic memoir about enduring horrific childhood trauma and learning how to cope and survive, Cindy Benezra’s Under the Orange Blossoms is a testament to human strength and the power of positivity.

When living with her mother and sister in Spain at age 17, author Benezra started having frightening, visceral nightmares about being sexually abused by her father when she was younger. Uncovering these painful memories lead her down a difficult path of emotional strife, suicidal ideation, dissociative episodes, reckless daredevil behavior, and withdrawal from friends and family, all while her parents’ problematic relationship lingered off and on […]

Michelle Hogmire2022-01-06T07:03:09+02:00January 5th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir|

Review: Broken Promises: The Story of a Jewish Family in Germany by Bonnie Suchman

Unearthing an astonishing family history from the dark heart of the 20th century, Broken Promises: The Story of a Jewish Family in Germany by Bonnie Suchman is a revelatory and powerful read.

In an effort not to let a valuable story be lost, the author dove into the annals of Heppenheimer family history, from their humble beginnings to their industrial accomplishments, as they fought and struggled for their identity, security, and place to call home. From the first decade of the 1700s, once Jewish people were “allowed” to return to Germany, all the way to the decades following World War […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-14T07:49:12+02:00January 4th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Biography, History|

Review: Dutch Preacher Boy by Tuna Fisch

From the life of an immigrant in Western Michigan to the overwhelming allure of Los Angeles and the sweat-soaked streets of Latin America, Dutch Preacher Boy: Coming of Age in Grand Rapids, Taking Wing Beyond* by Tuna Fisch is an unpredictable and deeply compelling memoir.

The author’s unforgettable childhood in the beauty of Holland and his exciting journey to the “New World” sets the tone for the story, summoned by a razor-sharp memory and the ability to paint rich and immersive scenes, even from five decades ago. His sense of childlike wonder and excitement is everywhere in the prose, which […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-14T04:39:17+02:00January 3rd, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir|

Review: Snowlands: A Blood Moon by Morr Meroz, Illustrated by Collin Fogel

Author Morr Meroz and illustrator Collin Fogel have summoned a beautifully stunning world with their immersive graphic novel Snowlands: A Blood Moon.

Feba the snow-white wolf cub is forced to flee her pack to avoid a curse – or a death sentence – launching her on the journey of a lifetime, as she crosses paths with many other creatures wandering in the wild, some who are keen to join her adventure, and others who aren’t so sure. Gathering allies and making friends along the way, like Batu the monosyllabic wildcat, Usha the grief-stricken leopard seeking the Seeress, a pacifistic […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-01-03T09:55:37+02:00January 1st, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Children's Books, Comics & Graphic Novels, Fantasy|

Review: The Cosmic Killings by Thomas J. Thorson

Author Thomas J. Thorson delivers a gripping Malcolm Winters mystery with his latest installment, The Cosmic Killings.

A young Amish girl is found dead at a zoo during her Rumspringa adventure, and while the Chicago PD are shrugging it off as random violence, there is something decidedly strange about this monkey house murder. Mal and Vinn, mild-mannered professors once again moonlighting as reluctant sleuths, find themselves diving into the mysterious and tight-lipped realm of the Amish, hunting for clues and hints as to why someone would want to remove a bone from the young woman’s forehead. When a second body […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-10T03:50:52+02:00December 22nd, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Mystery, Thomas J. Thorson, Thriller|

Review: The Last Leadholders: Quest for Fulfillment by Richard Deatherage

Author Richard Deatherage unravels his fascinating life and universally relatable struggles in The Last Leadholders: Quest for Fulfillment, an honest, timely, and thought-provoking memoir.

After a lifetime of adapting to change and finding ways to persevere, the author faced one of his biggest challenges in 2008 – finding a way forward in a career that was rapidly entering the 21st century, potentially leaving him behind. Like Proust’s madeleine, this watershed moment kicks off a stream of far-flung recollections, retold in both stark and vivid detail, resulting in a powerful and deeply personal chronicle of a life. From hilarious anecdotes […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-02T05:22:00+02:00December 20th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir, Richard Deatherage|

Review: FitzDuncan’s Alchemy by John Spearman

Another well-crafted adventure by John Spearman, FitzDuncan’s Alchemy is the second installment of this medieval series, where the titular character – a reliable finder of lost things – must use all his wits and wiles to unravel a lucrative cargo scam, in a clever, character-driven caper.

Navigating the pitfalls of new love, and avoiding the manipulative clutches of the royal court, Caz schemes and sneaks and supplicates with charm and grace, making it hard not to root for the book’s roguish hero, even with his roving eye and soft spot for beautiful women. Executing a clever plan that could cost […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-01-31T09:06:03+02:00December 13th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Action and Adventure, Historical Fiction, John J Spearman|

Review: Crop Burner by Gavin Black

Author Gavin Black plunges readers into a rich new fantasy world with Crop Burner: The Tale Of Fearn & The Deamhon, a stirring coming-of-age adventure.

Born into the world as something to be feared, Fearn is faced with a childhood filled with grief. However, as his nascent powers grow, more hands and minds seek to guide him, including those of a mysterious and widely feared Crop Burner. Fearn’s destiny lies far beyond his fiery origins, and as he learns to harness the energy of Dainua, he finds his place in a broken world not made for him.

Although there […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-01-25T09:12:24+02:00December 9th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy, YA Fantasy|