Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: To the Sacred Valley with Koko by Ayyappan R. Nair

Writing a book that can hold a young person’s attention, while also guiding them on a healthy path is not always easy, but Ayyappan R. Nair manages to do so in the marvelous book, To the Sacred Valley with Koko. Cleverly blending science fictional elements with a relatable story and powerful underlying messages, this book is ideal for middle school readers, but holds wisdom for any age group.

A number of stories gradually interweave through the larger narrative, from the advanced robot-designing James’ family to Ankit, the primary character of the story, who lives in a state of constant […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-01-22T11:04:22+02:00July 29th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Middle Grade Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Candle Room by Daniel K. Gentile

One of the noblest of professions isn’t all it’s cracked up to be in The Candle Room, a gripping legal thriller by debut author, Daniel K. Gentile.

It doesn’t take long for rookie lawyer, Zachary E. Morgan, Esquire to realize that the gross over-billing practices of his Los Angeles insurance defense firm isn’t something he wants to be a part of – especially after four years of busting his butt in night school to obtain his law degree. So he quits, thinking that going into practice for himself is the better way to go. Convincing his wife, Sasha, isn’t […]

Marta Cheng2019-01-22T11:14:32+02:00July 25th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Legal Thriller Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Aura (The Senses Novels Book 1) by K M Aul

Shifting your perspective as a reader is one of the fundamental reasons to pick up a book, and great authors can immerse readers in worlds they couldn’t have imagined before the first page. In Aura, the first installation of the Senses Novels by K M Aul, the author does not hesitate to throw readers off the deep end of all they assume about the world – and about how it’s going to end.

The gifted young characters that sit at the center of the novel, particularly Jacob, must navigate their own inherent struggles in the larger world, while also […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-01-22T04:32:54+02:00July 25th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Christian Fiction Book Reviews, Fantasy Book Reviews, Religious Fiction Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: True North by Roger Rooney

While Vietnam has been a part of popular culture for more than five decades, there has always been a shadow hanging over that conflict, and many of the books, movies, commentaries, and documentaries haven’t always focused on the personal element of this savage period in Vietnamese and global history. In True North, author Roger Rooney tackles the Vietnam War with a fearless blend of history, romance, philosophy and, most importantly, brutal truth.

The unique approach to this conflict comes in the form of its two main characters, star-crossed accidental lovers on opposite sides of the battlefield. Rooney chose unusual […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-21T06:17:50+02:00July 24th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Military Book Reviews|

Review: Only Everything by Keith Martin-Smith

Broken dreams shroud middle-aged Logan, once a promising novelist, as he stiffly settles himself into a nine-to-five corporate life. Logan marches forward with a beautiful and brightly positive fiancé. He writes marketing copy. He pays his bills. He lives in a well-appointed home. But Logan feels weighted by a past that might be an anchor or a lifeline.

Only Everything by Keith Martin-Smith is a profoundly affecting work of fiction that explores deep truths. With the narrative opening between the present and twenty-something Logan’s life in New York City as he writes his first novel, we get bright future and […]

Greg Rideout2019-01-22T10:58:58+02:00July 23rd, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Literary Fiction Book Reviews, Men's Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Tree that Grew Through Iron (The Panagea Tales Book 1) by McKenzie Austin

In The Tree That Grew Through Iron, the first book in The Panagea Tales, McKenzie Austin has created a remarkably inventive and magical novel that transports readers to a future where the world as we know it is no more.

After the natural world is destroyed by the greedy hunger of men for industrial achievement and production, a new system of survival must be established. In the landmass of Panagea, Time Fathers rule over each of their divisions, ensuring that time flows smoothly and industry proceeds uninterrupted. Nicholai Addihein – a Time Father and the story’s protagonist – discovers […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2018-08-15T10:46:37+02:00July 19th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Dystopian Fiction Book Reviews, Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Last April by Belinda Kroll

Split-second decisions have life-changing consequences in The Last April, a gripping and thought-provoking work of YA historical fiction by Belinda Kroll.

It’s April, 1865 and in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, fifteen-year-old Gretchen Miller is in the garden of her family farm in rural Ohio when she’s startled by a Confederate soldier who falls in a dead faint literally steps from her feet. As Gretchen reaches his side, the feverish soldier mutters about his escape from Camp Chase, a training barrack/Confederate prison outside of Columbus. Realizing that the young soldier will die without her help, Gretchen reluctantly […]

Marta Cheng2019-01-22T10:54:07+02:00July 15th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Sex and God and Other Essays by William J. Cataldi

Sex and God and Other Essays is a curious collection of writing that sticks long after closing the book. Some of the subjects are so outrageous and so taboo, that at times it’s hard to believe they have been written. But thankfully, Cataldi has, given the instant impression of a brave author.

Considering the background of the writer, which he explains in the prologue in detail, the work is shaded with a whole other quality. A gay-Christian-Taoist-Leatherman who doesn’t agree with vegetarians? That’s about as niche a viewpoint you’ll ever get.

Never once does it feel thoughts are disingenuous, and […]

SPR2019-01-22T11:37:17+02:00July 14th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Essay Book Reviews, LGBTQI+ Book Reviews|