Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Clock in the Water by Crissi McDonald

The Clock in the Water by Crissi McDonald is a startlingly original take on magic realism – a mixture of mythic fantasy and romance. Set in the present day on an island in the Pacific Northwest, the novel uses the ocean in all its depth and mystery as a backdrop for a story about love, family, trust, and friendship.

The characters in this story have a profound connection with the ocean where they live – a connection that transfers to the reader, drawing you into their mystical connection with the sea. The Keykwin, an ancient people who are both men […]

Marina Dora Martino2024-03-22T17:47:35+02:00August 24th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy, Literary Fiction|

Review: Pondering the Mystery of Life by Audrey C. Shields

Offering a thorough and unbiased portrait of spiritual origins and belief throughout history, Pondering the Mystery of Life by Audrey C. Shields addresses some of the greatest questions we face as human beings with consciousness and self-awareness. With an engaging tone, impressively deep research, and a stated desire for clarity and good-faith exploration, this is a unique read in the increasingly crowded genre of spiritual guidance.

Beginning with early analyses of the religious instinct to create religion as a means of putting order to chaos, and the counterpoint of seeing God as a concept, rather than an omnipotent, immortal, or […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-18T14:04:02+02:00August 24th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Spirituality|

Review: Alpha and Omega: Awakening by Peter J.D. Woodruff

A collision of realities, times, gods, and demons makes Alpha and Omega: Awakening by Peter J.D. Woodruff an eye-opening and mind-bending work of dark fantasy.

When the fabric of reality rips apart, Earth becomes a divine battlefield, and an apocalyptic hellscape of otherworldly fiends with a hunger for human flesh. As the world plunges into darkness, new heroes will be forced to rise, unlikely as their chances of victory may be, but some of the survivors feel more connected to this unearthly crisis than others.

Xavier is hearing things, seeing visions, and being called by an indescribable beacon. After meeting […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-16T12:35:17+02:00August 22nd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy|

Review: Delaware From Railways to Freeways by Dave Tabler

A photographic and curiosity-inspiring tour through the “First State” during the bustling 19^th century, Delaware From Railways to Freeways: First State, Second Phase by Dave Tabler is the second installment of his eye-opening series about an oft-overlooked state.

Like Tabler’s first book in this deep-dive state trilogy, each turn of the page reveals stunning images and well-penned anecdotes lined with historical intrigue, surprising revelations, and carefully chosen details that many tourist guides would lack. The 19^th century was marked across much of America by massive developments in industry, social progress, and bitter conflicts, and the history of Delaware […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-08-22T13:54:14+02:00August 21st, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Dave Tabler, History, Photography|

Review: The Fantastical and Mysterious Tale of Sweetpea of Monsterville by Corey Wolff

Rhyming its way through monstrous lands and otherworldly mommy issues, The Fantastical and Mysterious Tale of Sweet Pea of Monsterville by Corey Wolff is a strange and visionary work of fantasy.

Sweet Pea may be a resident of Monsterville – and heir to the throne – but his personality is anything but horrifying, and his mother is far from happy about it. The Queen of the Monsters is one sadistic mother, and has no mercy for humans or sons who are unwilling to scare them. Her cruelty forces Sweet Pea to discover the strength he has always possessed, and stand […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-13T16:50:03+02:00August 17th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: YA Fantasy, Young Adult|

Review: Wonders in the Waves by Jennifer Collins

Heartwrenching, honestly written, and challenging, Wonders in the Waves by Jennifer Collins is a novel about family, love, grief, and courage, and a compelling sequel to Comfort in the Wings. Striking a delicate balance between the intimacy of first-person narration, and the excitement of a rich plot full of relatable characters and twists, this multilayered book is at once intimate and page-turning.

Larissa is a 51-year-old mother that is at risk of getting lost in grief. Her sweet daughter Emma, 21, passed away less than a year prior, leaving a gaping hole in her life, and that of Emma’s […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-08-16T13:07:24+02:00August 15th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction|

Review: The Great Flip by Donald J. Fraser

Excavating an often overlooked but massively significant change in American political consciousness, The Great Flip by Donald J. Fraser is a brilliant examination of how the United States became so divided. The timeless dialectic of minimal government and individual capability vs. big government and collective responsibility is the foundation of American partisanship, and the crux of this meticulously crafted text.

The modern political landscape has turned into a battleground over the intended ideals of the founders 250 years ago, and this book brings readers back into the conversations, conflicts, and watershed moments that are still being referenced as precedent today. […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-06T12:45:50+02:00August 14th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Donald J. Fraser, History, Politics|

Review: Remember Us by E.T. Gunnarsson

A post-apocalyptic road novel with a strong pair of protagonists in a richly described dystopia, Remember Us by E.T. Gunnarsson adds a fascinating new layer to his Odemark series.

Two years into his time on new-world Earth, Simon is ready to brave the wasteland, leap into frontier life, and see what beauty the recovering planet still holds. However, when a starship falls out of the sky, just as Simon dreamed that it would, he convinces Anna to join him on a quest to find the craft, and their relationship is entertaining from the start; Anna’s vague annoyance at his naïveté […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-08-08T17:26:16+02:00August 7th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: E.T. Gunnarsson, Post-Apocalyptic|