Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The St. Paul Phantom by Gerard Gibbons

An epic American odyssey, The St. Paul Phantom: The Gibbons Brothers’ Fight for Glory, Volume I by Gerard Gibbons is an exhilarating look back at the guts, glory, and fiery spirit of the early 20th century through the lives of two brothers and boxers.

Recounting the story of his larger-than-life grandfather, Tommy Gibbons, and his brother Mike, the author gives readers ringside seats to their meteoric rise and unforgettable careers as heavyweight boxers and living legends. The two brothers with seemingly impossible dreams climbed out of obscurity in St. Paul, Minnesota to become titans of the ring in their corner […]

Review: Where Agency Belongs by Dr. Matthew Weinberg

A thought-provoking dive into the forces that drive us and subsequently move the world, Where Agency Belongs: How Control, Trust, and Authority Broke – And How to Place Them Again by Dr. Matthew Weinberg is a timely testament to individual strength and collective potential.

At its foundation, Weingberg’s engaging treatise asks us to interrogate the philosophies that govern our daily existence, what drives our decision-making, and our choices to speak up or remain quiet. In a destabilized world that is becoming increasingly authoritarian, more digital than personal, and more tolerant of willful ignorance, the strength and scale of personal agency […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-05-13T16:37:44+02:00May 13th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Self-Help Book Reviews, Social Science Book Reviews|

Review: Cicero James, Ardent Fool by Hal Emerson

A brash and brilliant slice of urban fantasy, Cicero James, Ardent Fool by Hal Emerson combines familiar societal stakes with immortal defenders and reality-shattering enemies that have been duking it out since time began.

Cicero James has come back to life – again – following his last torturous clash with Mallory Shrike and her defenestration to a nether realm. Dying is hard work, and resurrection is illegal, so he took a few days off to pen the first mad installment of this series, before plunging back into the mayhem as an immortal Miracle Worker, tasked with handling the foul forces […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-05-07T17:42:57+02:00May 7th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Urban Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Imber by Deborah Mistina

A thought-provoking parable about the uncertain future of life on Earth, Imber by Deborah Mistina is a serious sci-fi drama with a helping of psychic intrigue and existential stakes.

Centuries in the future, the population of a tectonically erratic and disaster-ravaged Earth has all but given up on their home planet. A charismatic but corrupt leader has risen to power on the promise of an interplanetary exodus, but this utopian quest seems much closer to a pacifying dream than a legitimate reality. Against this backdrop, an unlikely cadre of strangers discovers their potential role in Project Pioneer – the imminent […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-05-04T15:01:14+02:00May 4th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Dystopian Fiction Book Reviews, Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Heirs to the Kingdom by Michael Tlustos

A classic coming-of-age fantasy, Heirs to the Kingdom by Michael Tlustos is an adventurous tale of destiny with epic existential stakes.

Prince Aramys is the crown prince of Pallisar and destined for greatness, but nagging self-doubt threatens to dethrone his troubled spirit before he has a chance to prove his mettle. After witnessing the prophecy-fulfilling potential of the young prince, an aging magic maker named Symon is determined to become a guide for the future king’s untapped and immense power.

Rolf is the prince’s loyal companion and squire, well-muscled in both body and mind, and fiercely true to his lord, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-30T09:49:42+02:00April 29th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Magic Circle by C.F. Hayes

A shocking recollection of abuse, power, and repression in one tragically brief life, The Magic Circle by C.F. Hayes is a stirring portrait of emotional processing and the dark secrets we carry too often to the grave.

Following her sudden death, Mary Armstrong’s diary passes into the hands of an old friend, one who never expected to find it full of haunted memories, taboo secrets, and philosophical streams of intense exploration. Layered with intimate confessions about her earliest sexual experiences, including shocking revelations about her father, a prominent conservative Senator, this journal becomes a gateway to Mary’s imaginative and undeniably […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-29T11:27:54+02:00April 28th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Women's Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: From Woodstock to Wisdom by Vicki Thomas

A thoughtful reflection on choosing happiness and remaining relevant, no matter how many candles are on your cake, From Woodstock to Wisdom: A Boomer’s Journey to 80 by Vicki Thomas is a nostalgic and timely roadmap to the good life.

In this collection of “snackable” essays, the author artfully offers the wisdom she has gained through the trials, travels, and tribulations of a humbly impressive life, with a focus on maintaining a purposeful and satisfying existence in your golden years. Marked by sardonic humor and the willingness to laugh at her own expense, Thomas has a pitch-perfect narrative voice, making […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-28T13:31:32+02:00April 28th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Review: Salvation Reigned by Travis James Peterson

Unhinged, unfiltered, and unrelenting in its social commentary, Salvation Reigned by Travis James Peterson is a frightening vision of a species that has reached its tipping point.

A rogue planet is on a collision course with Earth, and the highest halls of power learn that humanity only has a decade before annihilation. Unfortunately, those same halls are filled with supercharged charlatans and corporate sellouts, stooges for the Global Corporate Conglomerate and its insatiable hunger for profits.

The President is an ignorant narcissist with a god complex, blindly determined to blow the offending rock out of the sky with every nuke […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-27T17:18:47+02:00April 27th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Dystopian Fiction Book Reviews, Speculative Fiction Book Reviews|