Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Prophase: A Present Tale by M. Street

An ever-expanding and engaging coming-of-age novel, Prophase: A Present Tale by M. Street takes readers on a wild ride past every boundary of our reality. A young girl with a mysterious lineage, and her heart firmly planted in the forest, must come to terms with an incredible destiny, while keeping her secrets safe and her family in one piece, in this magical, eye-opening story of growing up.

Piper Walker, the enigmatic protagonist of this imaginative story, may seem normal at first glance, with a solid core of friends, a steady boyfriend, and a busy schedule at school, but the circumstances […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-10-13T02:59:03+02:00September 21st, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy, YA Fantasy|

Review: Ferdinand’s Gold by Sheldon Charles

Family history, lines of honor, political instability and good old-fashioned greed collide in Ferdinand’s Gold, a new military thriller from author Sheldon Charles. Loosely based on a true story about four American Airmen robbing one of the most dangerous men in the world, this novel is fascinating in its historical detail, but also woven together with fictional elements that make the story leap off the page.

Dex Kevan may be an unknown Air Force grunt at the end of his deployment, sitting in a remote airbase in Guam, but when fate offers him a golden chance to solve his […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-10-12T06:07:27+02:00September 20th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Action and Adventure, Sheldon Charles, Thriller|

Review: The Art Stone by Jesse A. Ellis

An unlikely group of young heroes converges for an epic quest to defend an ancient artifact in The Art Stone by Jesse A. Ellis, the first book of the Echoes of Elybion series. In classic fantasy fashion, the stakes are infinitely high, and the odds of success are incredibly slim.

The transformation of these adolescent characters over the course of the novel is remarkable; managing a coming-of-age story for multiple main players is ambitious, but Ellis pulls it off well. As their mystical world continues to crumble, a long-lost stone – one of the first twelve creation stones from the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-09-16T09:08:44+02:00September 15th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy, YA Fantasy|

Review: Wayfinder: The Path from Pain to Purpose by Emma Bennett

Emma Bennett offers valuable insight and access to information about self-enlightenment and spiritual growth in her new book Wayfinder: The Path from Pain to Purpose.

Crossing boundaries into numerous genres, from memoir and philosophy to new-age spirituality and self-help, this book is compelling, challenging, and painful, at times, particularly for those who have experienced trauma of their own. Fortunately, Bennett is a sensitive, thoughtful, and confident writer, with a clear desire to help others change their lives, or at least their mindset.

Unpacking the apparent conflict between “sacred” and “logical,” and combining spiritual ideas with science and reason, this […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-10-12T02:34:29+02:00September 9th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Emma Bennett, Self-Help, Spirituality|

Review: Somewhere in Persia: Memoirs of a War Correspondent by Dward Lee Greenbird

The observations, writings, poems, photos and jokes created by his father, Sam Greenberg, in service overseas in World War II fill the highly readable biographical portrait by author Dward Lee Greenbird, Somewhere in Persia: Memoirs of a War Correspondent.

Greenberg, born in 1912, was a newspaper staff writer when the war broke out, enlisted and became a war correspondent stationed in an army garrison on the Persian Gulf in Iran. Described by his son as a “happy guy,” Greenberg saved and sometimes sent home photos of the foreign countries he inhabited or visited. The material in this memoir comes […]

SPR2020-10-06T06:32:58+02:00September 7th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir, World War II|

Review: The Secret Diaries of Juan Luis Vives by Tim Darcy Ellis

Steeped in court drama, forbidden love, and the tension of dark history, The Secret Diaries of Juan Luis Vives is the swirling, beautifully penned new novel from Tim Darcy Ellis. Based largely on true events and figures, this intense tale shines a new light on the motives and machinations of English royalty in the mid-16^th century.

Juan Luis Vives, a “New Christian” fleeing from the shadow of the Spanish Inquisition, and the anti-Semitism that flowed so freely in the 1500s, is trying to survive and stay outside of suspicion in Bruges. A chance encounter with Sir Thomas More upends […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-09-24T07:10:10+02:00September 3rd, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction, Tim Darcy Ellis|

Review: The Happiness Journal by Viet Hung

Author and entrepreneur Viet Hung offers an engaging collection of astute observations, motivations, and encouragements aimed at promoting a calmer, more enlightened perspective in The Happiness Journal.

As Hung reminds us in his Foreword, throughout our lives, we generally “plan to get one thing done, but then usually something different happens.” To accept the ever-changing array of events requires inner preparedness. Hung believes this can often be achieved through the practice of self-examination and mindfulness. The helpful selections he has chosen were originally composed for himself – mostly short essays or commentaries – divided into three sections: “Sensing Happiness,” […]

SPR2020-09-03T02:51:06+02:00September 2nd, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Self-Help|

Review: Dragon’s Mist by Randy Cruts, Art by Marco Cosentino

Author Randy Cruts and artist Marco Cosentino deliver a wickedly entertaining YA graphic novel in Dragon’s Mist, an unexpectedly riveting ride through the imagination of a young boy, Charlie. Imaginary friends and epic quests are a staple of childhood, making this book deeply relatable for young readers, and nostalgia-inducing for older ones.

After a chance encounter with an Irish priest – a water-loving cousin of dragons – Charlie’s imagination springs to life, spinning out an entire world of adventures to explore. The regular introduction of new characters, from god-like guardians and titanic best friends to shape-shifting villains and avian […]