Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Stuff of Life by Asif Zaidi

Former Chairman of the Management Board of Citibank Kazakhstan, Pakistani author Asif Zaidi presents essays on a myriad of eclectic subjects in The Stuff of Life. Not hesitant to weigh in on such topics as philosophy, religion, social issues, anthropology, and even evolution, Zaidi is after finding the very meaning of life in this intriguing and wide-ranging collection of essays.

Zaidi spends a lot of time on the subject of religion, and how it defines or derails us. His focus may not always be popular, but it is certainly interesting. The expectation of the coming of a Messiah anticipated […]

Barbara Scott2019-02-11T09:26:10+02:00March 1st, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Essays, Non-Fiction, Social Science|

Review: Programming the Brain by Chandana Watagodakumbura, PhD

Educational neuroscience is a relatively new field, and one that is expertly explored in Programming the Brain: Pedagogical Practices and Study Skills for Enhanced Learning and Metacognition. A PhD engineer and academic who teaches computer science at Australia’s Central Queensland University, Dr. Chandana Watagodakumbar’s premise, intelligently and comprehensively set forth, is that just as computers are programmed to “learn” in a specific way, the principles of neuroscience can offer a useful modality for teaching humans.

Programming the Brain comprises an introduction to neuroscience and its implications for how we access knowledge; an examination of learning related concepts widely employed […]

Barbara Scott2020-08-27T04:03:12+02:00March 1st, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Chandana Watagodakumbura, Education, Non-Fiction, Science|

Review: Jerk Magnet: A Guide to Demagnetize by Dr. Bill Bunn

Many people (women especially) have said “I’m always attracted to the bad ones.” In Jerk Magnet: A Guide to Demagnetize, Dr. Bill Bunn shows that this is part of lifelong conditioning, and once people are able to identify these habits and their origin, they’ll by attracted to and attracted by healthier people. Far from blaming the victim, Dr. Bunn methodically lays out how these negative patterns arise, how to recognize them, and how to overcome them.

Dr. Bunn’s voice is is spirited and friendly – not so much doctorly, as a confidante wanting to help. What may be most […]

Lysa Grant2019-02-11T09:42:45+02:00February 16th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Non-Fiction, Relationships, Self-Help|

Review: Handful of Memories by Robert A. Cozzi

In Handful of Memories, Robert A. Cozzi continues his exploration of themes that frequent his work, particularly in regards to romantic, platonic, and familial love, about which he is a sincere and passionate writer. The book gathers together both poetry and prose from the period between the release of his first collection, Tide Pool of Words, and his most recent collection, Blanket of Hearts, making for an ambitious and affecting trilogy.

As with his other collections, Cozzi demonstrates his talent through a simple poetic style with short, sweet lines and sentences with the intention of evoking […]

James Grimsby2019-02-22T11:45:23+02:00February 14th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Poetry, Robert A. Cozzi|

Review: Choice and Consequence of “Normality” by Albert Oon

★★★

In Choice and Consequence of “Normality,” author Albert Oon challenges readers with a blunt and fast-paced tale of dangerous dreams and waking nightmares.

Rose, the heroine of this story, is having trouble sleeping through the night – what with the terrible nightmares that she’s been facing, which seem steeped in symbolism and prophecy, along with terrible monsters who seem determined to end her life. Reality and dreams begin to twist together, and this often-times terrifying story begins to get truly strange.

There are countless battles between Rose and unknown enemies, paranormal events and narrow escapes, set within a surreal […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-03-15T07:19:13+02:00February 14th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction|

Review: University of Life by Daley James Francis

★★★★★

It’s the summer of ’97: Prime Minister Tony Blair’s first year of office, Princess Diana’s unbeknownst final weeks, the year the Backstreet Boys were “back, alright.” When London crime boss Eddie Daniels unexpectedly loses his courier on the job during a car crash, it becomes his prerogative to recover the suitcase of cocaine about to be taken with him. Complicating matters is Chloe Holmes, university student and – all of a sudden – one of the most wanted people in the south of England as she flees the site of the accident after particularly egregious instance of someone taking […]

James Grimsby2017-03-13T05:16:31+02:00February 12th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Crime Fiction|

Review: Maybe God Was an Irishman by Bernie Donnelly

The complexities of religion, faith, love and tragedy tangle in the pages of Maybe God Was an Irishman, an entertaining and insightful novel by Bernie Donnelly. With an overflowing cast of peripheral characters and multiple story lines that brilliantly overlap, this is an expansive novel that stretches across oceans and philosophies, making it an addictive read for anyone who appreciates clever writing and heartfelt narratives.

Initially, it is difficult to determine who the protagonist of the story is, but that is Donnelly’s way of setting the stage for what is to come. Readers are soon introduced to Sean, an […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-05-28T10:12:35+02:00February 12th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Bernie Donnelly, International Fiction, Religious Fiction|

Review: The University of Corporeal and Ethereal Studies by Wolfgang Edwards

★★★★½

For readers who are looking for an exciting ride past the boundaries of the unknown, the wild tales of The University of Corporeal and Ethereal Studies are right up your alley. Author Wolfgang Edwards shows that his powers of creativity are not to be trifled with as he builds an unforgettable world of magic and supernatural science that rivals some of the great fantasy authors of the past.

The book is broken up into 8 stories centering around various students of this peculiar university as they face impossible challenges, life-changing decisions and their own unbelievable potential as practitioners of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-03-02T03:57:33+02:00February 10th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy, Paranormal, Steampunk|