Book Reviews

The latest indie book reviews from Self-Publishing Review

Review: Celtic Mist by C.L. Nightjar

Celtic Mist by C.L. Nightjar

An epic and erotic journey of youthful adventure, Celtic Mist by C.L. Nightjar is an immersive experience that will thrill historical fiction, romance, and fantasy lovers alike. Driven by honor and desperation, this is a deeply moving tale of loss, grief, redemption, and revenge, all set among a stunning depiction of Ireland’s rough-hewn beauty.

Declan is a charmingly naive protagonist, at least at the beginning of the novel, but readers see him mature quickly into a rugged hero. An unexpected promotion to the Captain’s Crusaders gives him the sudden pride of belonging, perhaps for the first time in his life. […]

2022-08-22T10:42:27+02:00August 19th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , , |

Review: Kelly is Unbreakable by Jackson Keller

Kelly is Unbreakable by Jackson Keller

A surprisingly deep musing on trust, power, truth, and friendship, Kelly is Unbreakable by Jackson Keller is a unique and suspenseful YA thrill. Exploring personal boundaries, and perhaps even finding the edge, this super-powered debut novel takes adolescent exploration to an inventive new level.

Kelly has grown up in the shadow of what’s “wrong” with her, and while age has taught her discretion, her superhuman strength is starting to show, just as it did a decade earlier, when her only friend Chris discovered her dangerous secret. After a lifetime of hiding, Kelly may finally be forced to come into the […]

2021-09-29T02:51:26+02:00August 17th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: Surviving the College Admissions Madness by Kevin Robert Martin

Surviving the College Admissions Madness by Kevin Robert Martin

An unflinching and savagely honest review of the college admissions process and modern-day higher education as a whole, Surviving the College Admissions Madness by Kevin Robert Martin is a must-read for those who are entering the convoluted system of university life.

Unlike so many other books on the admissions process, this revelatory read begins with the author’s simple premise – that elite colleges don’t care about their applicants or future students, seeing them merely as investments. Martin argues that the process of gaining admittance has become so cutthroat and competitive that it is genuinely traumatic for tens of thousands of […]

2021-09-28T03:02:10+02:00August 15th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: The Wolf Lords by F.T. McKinstry

The Wolf Lords by F.T. McKinstry

A masterfully detailed second installment of the Fylking series, The Wolf Lords by F.T. McKinstry is an immersive fantasy novel mixing well-known mythology with complex layers of magic, political intrigue, ancient traditions, and noble heroes.

Vaethir, the immortal warlock and destroyer of the Math Gate, has gathered an army on the other side of the Veil, but his single-minded drive for revenge against the woman who permanently wounded him means returning to Math by other means. Then there is Leofwine, a ranger and apprentice to the Order of Fenrir, who bears a mountain of grief for his dead lover and […]

2021-09-27T09:22:08+02:00August 14th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: The Venus World by Hywel Richard Pinto

The Venus World by Hywel Richard Pinto

A femme-dominated future falls into fracture and peril in The Venus World by Hywel Richard Pinto, a sprawling slice of post-apocalyptic and speculative fiction.

Men are reduced to reproductive necessities after a freak biohazard virus is unleashed on the world, wiping out males across the world in staggering numbers. With their population diminished and their power contained, it seems that the future truly is female, but not all are in agreement about the way forward.

Six queens rule over this new world, and each of their regions has its own supplies and demands, leading inevitably to conflict and decidedly bad […]

2021-09-17T06:54:42+02:00August 13th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: Pike’s Passage by John J Spearman

Pike's Passage by John J Spearman

Taking an unexpected turn in the Sandy Pike series, Pike’s Passage by John J Spearman is a stellar second installment of his sci-fi saga. Capturing the same authenticity in terms of detail and world-building, this follow-up turns inwards to a more adventurous and character-driven drama, rather than a sprawling epic.

When Sandy Pike sees his lifelong dream of being a starship captain slipping away as the Alliance stumbles into an unthinkable cosmic defeat, he refuses to let the mistakes of other men steal his shot at happiness. The idea of entering the freight business means a smooth transition away from […]

2021-09-16T03:50:24+02:00August 12th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: Eudora Space Kid: The Great Engine Room Takeover by David Horn

Eudora Space Kid by David Horn

A precocious little rebel with her eyes on the stars makes a name for herself in dramatic fashion in The Great Engine Room Takeover by David Horn, the first book in the Eudora Space Kid series. A fun-fueled tale of a young girl chasing down her dreams at light speed, this is an accessible and entertaining start to the series.

With a gentle bipedal wolf for a mother and an octopus-headed humanoid father, Eudora Jenkins’ family is anything but normal. She also lives on Athena, the flagship of AstroFleet, and has a very hard time staying out of trouble, meaning […]

2023-05-02T10:54:59+02:00August 10th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: Pandemic by Dieter Gartelman

 Pandemic: How Deadly Will It Get? by Dieter Gartelmann

A novel that strongly argues the point that reality is stranger than fiction, Pandemic by Dieter Gartelman is a fictional retelling of the pandemic still wreaking havoc around the globe, and a hypothetical fate we all may still face. Blending true history with semi-hysterical visions of the future is a storytelling gamble, but Gartelman hits the mark in this prophetic and troubling portrait of America.

Having a diverse range of protagonists provides a uniquely well-rounded perspective on the global crisis at the center of this story. Michael Thompson’s expertise in public health, his wife Dorothy’s intrepid reporting skills, John Othallo’s […]

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