Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Operation Oversex by Anthony Robinson

Anthony Robinson envisions a bizarre female-fueled future in Operation Oversex, an updated homage to sexy and dystopian sci-fi literature of the past.

When Chad O’Connor and Tyrone Jackson sign up for a groundbreaking experiment in cryotechnology, they hardly expect to overshoot their wake-up window by more than five decades. They re-emerge in 2083, amidst a post-nuclear landscape, unaware that this new world is completely barren of men, though their strangely stoic caretakers immediately hint that something has gone terribly wrong.

After slipping free from the clutches of the all-powerful Union, Chad and Tyrone encounter the resistance army – battle-hardened […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-04-01T08:03:37+02:00February 21st, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Anthony Robinson, Satire, Science Fiction|

Review: Trouble Isla by Lynda L. Lock

Author Lynda L. Lock dives deeper into the murderous side of paradise in Trouble Isla, the second installment of her Isla Mujeres Mystery series. Following the treasure-laden introduction to this female-driven series, Lock’s sophomore offering is packed with new mysteries to unravel, new dangers to dodge, and new hangovers to survive.

The serial killer from Book 1 may be in custody, but it doesn’t mean that the lives of Jessica, Yasmin, or Carlos are getting back to normal. When Carlos disappears without warning and threatening notes begin to arrive, the pace kicks into high gear for an adrenaline-fueled romp […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-04-01T04:19:37+02:00February 21st, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Mystery|

Review: Tales from Ara 1: Into the Unknown by Gleem

Tales from Ara 1: Into the Unknown is a wild and tempting fantasy romp through a new world, penned by the unique writing team known as Gleem.

A young erotic fantasy writer named Harlette seems to be losing her creative spark when she is transported through a mirror into another dimension – the unbelievable realm of Ara. Once she realizes her new environment isn’t a dream, the high-spirited protagonist with a penchant for puppy love is thrown into the midst of chaotic power struggles in an elven kingdom.

However, Harlette and her trusty, occasionally chatty cat Bernard didn’t land […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-04-11T09:33:52+02:00February 20th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Erotica, Fantasy|

Review: Enok and the Womb of Gods by A. SkoroBogáty

A. SkoroBogáty’s motivating origin story from ancient sources twists established mythology and explores traditions of worship, gods, and legend in his evocative Enok and the Womb of Gods.

This epic fantasy explores politics, power, and belief in an ancient world, with added touches of mythology and fantasy expected in a story inspired by Old Testament verses and characters, as Enok battles from his life as a slave to a fighter, facing barbarians, pagan cults, and imprisonment. With a poetic touch to the fable-like writing that succeeds in convincing the reader the work could be written in Enok’s time, the […]

SPR2021-03-23T09:22:31+02:00February 15th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: A. SkoroBogáty, Fantasy|

Review: Foundra by Emmanuel M Arriaga

Timeless forces and fearless warriors collide in Foundra, a spectacular first installment of a new sci-fi series by Emmanuel M Arriaga.

When Neven Kenk, a genius-level engineer, is invited for a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with an ancient Founder at a legendary science institute, he has no idea the adventures that lie ahead of him. He is offered the chance the join the Founders’ Elite as a chief engineer, an incredible stepping-stone towards his aspirations of scientific glory. However, this job offer comes with some inherent risks to life and limb, not to mention having to be accepted by a crew […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-02-16T08:09:45+02:00February 9th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Emmanuel M Arriaga, Science Fiction|

Review: Playing Soldier by F. Scott Service

A riveting reflection on life, loss, service, and sacrifice, Playing Soldier by F. Scott Service is an original and intense memoir that shakes up one’s assumptions of a soldier’s life before, during, and after a conflict.

The majority of this book takes place during Service’s time in the military and while stationed in Iraq, but notably, most of the action takes place in his mind, in the gritty details of his internal monologue, the dark patterns of his thoughts, and the brutal conversations he has in the solitude of service; a soldier may not be allowed to speak his mind, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-02-17T08:47:19+02:00February 9th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir, Military|

Review: Waxing Pathetic by M. B. Clark

M. B. Clark plumbs the depths of her own life with dark humor in Waxing Pathetic: My Two Cents, For What They’re Worth. Detailing long-simmering stories from different seminal points in her life, as well as her contemporary thoughts on glass ceilings, self-erected brick walls, technology, and the elusive vapors of youth, this is far from your average memoir.

As the author humorously states in her introduction, this book attempts to “capture more precisely the actual conundrum of the inner workings of my so-called brain,” which is precisely what it proceeds to do. From the dissection of embarrassing childhood […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-03-15T09:01:30+02:00February 3rd, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Memoir|

Review: When A Rook Takes The Queen by Edward Izzi

When A Rook Takes The Queen by Edward Izzi is an intense urban thriller, taking its name from the Chicago Gambit, an opening used in chess that is widely thought of as a daring way to open the board for the game. The seamy streets of Chicago are the setting here, and the author weaves a set of similar moves into the story with his characters, creating an intriguing assassination puzzle for the reader to unravel.

When a Chicago Tribune reporter, the stubborn Larry McKay, investigates the murder of the city’s mayor, an African-America woman who had been seeking a […]

SPR2021-03-12T06:05:36+02:00February 1st, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Crime Fiction, Edward Izzi, Thriller|