Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Awakening: Bloodline Book One by Tiera Rice

★★★★½

Tapping into the paranormal and vampire market has been the goal for many YA and fiction writers in recent years, and while the genre feels full to bursting, certain gems stand out, like Awakening from Tiera Rice. The first book of the Bloodline series, this novel creates two gripping tales for readers to enjoy, separated by 600 years, but linked by mysterious and ancient powers.

The book is almost equally split between the Old World and the New; Antanasia is a Romanian vampire from the 1400s, while Nadia is the unsuspecting heroine in present-day NYC, wrestling with emerging powers […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-02-17T05:40:43+02:00December 23rd, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy, Vampires|

Review: How to Befriend, Tame, Manage, and Teach Your Black Dog Called Depression Using CBT by Dr. James Manning

How to Befriend, Tame, Manage, and Teach Your Black Dog Called Depression Using CBT by Dr. James Manning is a thorough overview of the causes and solutions of depression. Both a sufferer from depression at a very young age, and now a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, with a number of books tackling depression and anxiety, Dr. Manning takes on this difficult problem from a number of angles in a way that should be helpful both to those suffering from depression and those who want to help.

The conceit of the book at least in the title is like a faux dog […]

Henry Baum2019-02-11T09:40:47+02:00December 23rd, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Psychology|

Review: Tide Pool of Words by Robert A. Cozzi

★★★★

Tide Pool of Words: Prose and Poetry from a Beach Chair Storyteller by Robert A. Cozzi is a collection of poetic musings with a general theme of the seashore and the ocean. Decorated with simple seashell designs, each poem or prose piece talks romantically about days at the seaside with loved ones.

Cozzi uses a simple and effective style, concentrating on various ideas related to the core theme, from quiet times on the shore to the occasional terror of nature’s wrath. He does this in a succinct way, with short pieces that frequently settle into a normal meter or […]

Cate Baum2019-02-22T11:45:30+02:00December 22nd, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Poetry, Robert A. Cozzi|

Review: Living Love: The Yoga of Yama & Niyama by Maetreyii Ma

There are many different reasons to practice yoga – for health and wellness, as a means of stress relief, or as a larger part of a spiritual belief system and path for your life. In Living Love: The Yoga of Yama and Niyama, author Maetreyii Ma takes readers on a journey through the self, blending yogic philosophy with practical techniques to help increase happiness, energy and personal power.

For some people, the way that many yoga enthusiasts speak can come across as irritatingly enlightened or even condescending, so it can be an extra delicate line to navigate as an […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-09-20T09:20:10+02:00December 22nd, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Health, Maetreyii Ma, Spirituality|

Review: The Fairytale Chicago of Francesca Finnegan by Steve Wiley

★★★★

Growing up and getting trapped in adult life is something that most people eventually face, but while reading The Fairytale Chicago of Francesca Finnegan, a charming and magical book by Steve Wiley, it is almost possible to forget about the inexorable progress of time. With a main character who is teetering on the edge of forgetting about magic forever, this novel is a touching and thought-provoking ride through nostalgia, memory and the promises of youth. Wiley’s sharp, tongue-in-cheek style of writing makes the pages fly and the Chicago skyline makes a stunning backdrop for this mystical romp.

Richard […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-01-21T07:03:19+02:00December 19th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy|

Review: The Policewoman by Justin W.M. Roberts

★★★★

Most novels set in the future have some element of distance to them, where the technological advancement or dystopian elements are so far removed from the present that the book becomes escapist in nature. However, there are also those books, like The Policewoman by Justin Roberts, that paint a portrait of the world that may lie in our not-so-distant future. The dramatic, over-the-top elements of this novel are certainly evidence of the author trying to make an impact, but there is still a grisly realism to the tale that will leave readers haunted and jumpy long after they finish […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-01-13T09:00:48+02:00December 15th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Thriller|

Review: A MouseKeeper Christmas: The Beginning by Jenny Deason Copeland

★★★★

A MouseKeeper Christmas: The Beginning by Jenny Deason Copeland is a highly original Christmas story about Sara, who solves a very big problem for Santa and the North Pole. Mice are running rampant in Santa’s workshop, slowing down production, so Santa and the elves hold a contest for children to find a solution. Sara has the best idea: every child on the “Nice” list will adopt a mouse during the Christmas season so Santa can get his work done. Sara’s plan goes off without a hitch, and the “Nice” list even grows, as all the children want to take […]

Lysa Grant2019-01-23T12:26:19+02:00December 15th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Children's Books|

Review: Born in Raindrops by Danny Callahan

★★★★

When writing a novel, there is a clear beginning, middle and end, and most authors have a vision of what that overall arc will be. However, poetry is an entirely different world, and curating a powerful collection with an underlying message or mood can be an incredible challenge. Within the pages of Born in Raindrops, Danny Callahan reveals his variable mind, diverse poetic styles and sensitivity to the plight of human nature.

The poems in this collection range hugely in their subject matter, touching on everything from sexual assault on college campuses and nostalgic reflections on past love […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-01-12T11:07:40+02:00December 13th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Poetry|