Book Reviews

The latest indie book reviews from Self-Publishing Review

Review: Unverified by Kristin Giese

Unverified by Kristin Giese

Kristin Giese’s Unverified is a delightful romantic comedy that is both immensely funny and heartwarming.

Success has always been in the cards for Margo Valentine Melon, but after a failed stint with the holy grail of fashion magazines four years ago in New York, Margo returned to her parent’s house in L.A. with her tail between her legs. Ironically, her younger sister, Kirby, a dropout who’d started a resale fashion gig called Blush & Bashful, is now driving a Mercedes, with her gig landing her on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list. Kirby tells Margo that to find her own […]

2019-08-02T07:17:11+02:00August 1st, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |

Review: Sky Parlor by Stephen C. Perkins

Sky Parlor by Stephen C. Perkins

A mind-bending thrill of a novel, Sky Parlor by author Stephen C. Perkins has set an impressive new bar in the historical science fiction niche. Tracing the age-old battle between Artemis and Apollonia, and its different manifestations throughout human history (and future), the novel delivers an action-packed escape pod from reality, while also challenging readers to examine some new philosophical ideas about what it means to be human.

Like pawns in an infinitely complex board game of the gods, this wildly creative novel suggests that human beings return to this world in future lives, playing out new roles in an […]

Review: When We Were Brave by Karla M. Jay

When We Were Brave by Karla M. Jay

The stories of World War II often focus on battlefield heroics and the history-shaping decisions made by famous leaders. However, scaling this global conflict down to a more intimate level can also be immensely valuable, which is precisely what author Karla M. Jay has done in her new work of historical fiction, When We Were Brave.

Three very different storylines grow and artfully wind together in this sometimes harrowing read: a recently emigrated family sent back to Germany, an SS officer wrestling with a crippling crisis of faith, and a young Jewish boy just beginning to understand the cruelty […]

2020-12-02T04:21:48+02:00July 22nd, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , , |

Review: Tetrastatum by Tim Smith and Dr. Richard

Tetrastatum by Tim Smith and Dr. Richard

For those who think sci-fi is little more than futuristic space operas and allegorical cautionary tales, Terastatum, the new novel from Tim Smith and Dr. Richard, will certainly broaden your horizons. Inspired by the likes of other famous Richards – Feynman and Dawkins – this book is a wild and wise journey through time, space and some of the most complex fields of modern science.

The novel is founded on a truly boggling premise that there is another universe, just as massive and incalculable as the physical one, consisting of non-matter, known as a thotonic universe. Not only can […]

2019-09-06T06:42:41+02:00July 18th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , , |

Review: The Scream Behind Her Smile by Athena Daniels

The Scream Behind Her Smile by Athena Daniels

In The Scream Behind Her Smile, author Athena Daniels takes readers into the dark heart of emotional turmoil, and into the devastating picture of a toxic marriage, but also offers a slice of hope.

The novel centers around Claire, a woman who suffered too much at too young an age, and found herself locked in a loveless marriage following the loss of a child – a marriage where psychological manipulation and dangerous games were the norm. As Claire feels control in her life spinning away, she chooses to make a change, leaving Derek and his mistress behind. However, this […]

2019-08-22T06:11:41+02:00July 17th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , , |

Review: Kimberling Bridge by Jeffrey W. Tenney

Kimberling Bridge by Jeffrey W. Tenney

In Kimberling Bridge by Jeffrey W. Tenney, the savagery of life rears its ugly head once the fragility of America’s dominance is revealed and exploited. Unlike so many other post-apocalyptic thrillers, this character-driven story tugs at the heartstrings, but isn’t afraid to delve deeper into philosophy, delivering readers a rich and rewarding experience.

After an EMP attack destroyed America’s infrastructure, the rest of the world was soon to follow, leaving only those alive who knew how to hide – or fight. William is definitely classified as the former, only managing to eke out survival by staying well out of harm’s […]

2019-08-19T10:54:07+02:00July 15th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: Chasing a Flawed Sun by Daniel McGhee

Chasing a Flawed Sun by Daniel McGhee

In Chasing a Flawed Sun, author Daniel McGhee courageously exposes his experiences with addiction from his younger years in raw detail.  Anyone who has ever felt addiction touch their lives, either directly or indirectly, will find comfort and understanding in this addiction memoir, which is in turns beautiful and brutal.

Daniel McGhee was what most would consider an average kid, from a suburban background on the East Coast, where most of his immediate needs were taken care of, at least those that are most easily measurable. However, as his story unfolds, and he begins to lose his footing on […]

2019-07-11T05:58:43+02:00July 11th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |

Review: Humongous (& Cool) Words for Kids by SB Hilarion

Humongous (& Cool) Words for Kids by SB Hilarion

Part dictionary, part encyclopedia and utterly charming, Humongous (& Cool) Words for Kids, written and illustrated by SB Hilarion, is fun and educational for both kids and adults.

Hilarion’s unique text invites philomaths (those who seek knowledge and love learning) to pore over, analyze, spell, and pronounce over eight hundred strange and obscure words. However, this isn’t a standard reference book that includes a word and definition, or a dry encyclopedic description. Instead, Hilarion gives her reference book a narrative and two central characters who drive this educational journey along.

The second book in the Raising Young Scholars series, the […]

2020-02-21T07:51:25+02:00July 10th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |
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