Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Stone Angel by Charles Buday

A raw and emotionally charged tale of loyalty, love, and the lives we hide behind the scenes, Stone Angel by Charles Buday is a conspiracy-fueled and captivating thriller.

Paige, a fresh-faced darling of Hollywood, starts an unwitting culture war with America’s conservative Christians, seemingly putting her in the crosshairs of the radical right. Her sister, Mitzi – photographer, publicist, advisor, and guard dog – is fiercely loyal and reliably fearless, while Paige’s absentee husband, Russell, seems more concerned with his career as a screenwriter than the frightening threat to his wife and daughter. Even so, he enlists the help of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-02-29T12:47:27+02:00January 6th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Hollywood, Thriller|

Review: Mask of Dreams by Leigh Grant

Mask of Dreams by Leigh Grant is a huge, sprawling achievement, a marvelous historical novel that brings together elements of the romance and adventure genres with grittier realism and acutely observed period minutiae. With its addictive plotting and believable characters backed up by clearly thorough research of the era, the novel is sure to linger long in the memory as an expertly woven, richly detailed, and thoroughly gripping work of historical fiction.

The title alludes to its period setting – Venice in its golden age around the year 1500, a city that is also an empire, and a world of […]

Marina Dora Martino2024-02-28T15:07:49+02:00January 3rd, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction|

Review: A Place of Vengeance by David Lafferty

Gypsy curses, gym class crushes and ghostly visions haunt the pages of A Place of Vengeance: Tales from Windward Cove by David Lafferty, a clever piece of supernatural teen drama.

An aspiring young psychic trying to find his way in life by getting in touch with the afterlife, Ben Wolf is the humbly cool protagonist of this wild tale, boasting the perfect blend of self-deprecation and untapped potential. High school is hard as a new kid in town, and while Ben’s noble nature and crew of summertime friends make things a bit easier, something paranormal is going on at Silver […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-02-18T15:42:58+02:00December 22nd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Paranormal, Young Adult|

Review: Harmony: The Saga of the Earth by Apala Banerjee

Harmony: The Saga of the Earth by Apala Banerjee is a moving collection of poems and illustrations celebrating nature and urging readers to take action to save the planet. The teenage poet focuses on issues ranging from pollution to war, animal cruelty to capitalism, while also imbuing her writing with a joyful and passionate approach to life.

As the title suggests, this book is about the balance of nature, something we have lost in our own relationship to the natural world. However, this work doesn’t only express the nostalgia and sadness for our loss as a species, it raises political […]

Marina Dora Martino2024-02-16T19:03:15+02:00December 15th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Poetry|

Review: In B’tween: The Wisp by Nandita Banerjee

Otherworldly, thought-provoking, and innovative, In B’tween: The Wisp by Nandita Banerjee is a novel that poetically plunges into the mysterious potential of the afterlife. Picking up after No. 7: They’re Calling leaves off, this sequel finds a dark legacy of magic and morbidity affecting a new generation of the family.

Ravi and Priya have tragically passed on after a fatal fire, leaving their children Sonya and Sunny behind, but death is not the end of life so many of us expect. As young Sonya embarks on a weekend trip with new friends, hoping for some space from her brother and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-02-06T12:25:54+02:00December 11th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: International Fiction, Nandita Banerjee, Visionary Fiction|

Review: An Eighth Grade Gay Straight Alliance by Daniel Micko

Hard-hitting in its honesty and authentic narrative voice, An Eighth Grade Gay Straight Alliance by Daniel Micko shines a light on the societal forces and peer pressures that shape growing up today.

When the enigmatic Brooklyn Jennings starts her own Gay-Straight Alliance at her middle school in Modesto, California, she makes her intentions clear: no adults, no teachers, and a vision to “shake things up.” Sydney Troller may be smitten by Brooklyn’s devil-may-care vibes, but she also doesn’t want to get involved in anything that could land her in trouble – or even jail. Testing the lines of privilege, purpose, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-12-15T15:11:56+02:00December 3rd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Daniel Micko, LGBTQI, Young Adult|

Review: Adi’s Animal Adventures by Julie Schanke Lyford, Illustrated by Mariia Luzina

Adi’s Animal Adventures by Julie Schanke Lyford is a fun and informative illustrated book that shows the great importance of inspiring younger generations to respect nature. Through vibrant illustrations, easy-to-follow text, and fascinating info, this book offers a colorful and accessible guide to many animal species and the environments in which they thrive.

Adi’s public school is truly unique – it’s the home to over a thousand animals, and Adi and her team take care of many different specimens in an entertaining and wild day at school, revealing fascinating facts about the animal kingdom along the way. Did you know […]

SPR2023-12-01T15:24:53+02:00November 30th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Children's Books|

Review: Things That Go Bump in the Night by JC Bratton

A collection of slow-burning psychological horror, Things That Go Bump in the Night, Volume One: Urban Legends by JC Bratton holds four chilling and unpredictable stories, originally published separately.

In “Who’s At the Door?” a young woman named Jamie is left at home while her parents go on vacation, but two weeks of enjoying an empty house quickly turn terrifying. Whether it’s a cruel prank or something even more sinister, bizarre things keep happening at 3:33 AM, from invisible front door visitors to ghastly appearances on empty country roads. With the help of Mark the heartthrob, Jamie continues peeling back […]