Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Soldier On by J.D. Wynne

★★★★

Soldier On by J.D. Wynne shows the behind the scenes action and emotional toll of war on those in uniform.

The September 11, 2001 attacks impacted the lives of so many in the United States, including Molly McKinney. Molly wanted to be a doctor and had joined the Army Reserves to help pay for college. After the terrorist attacks, she was deployed to Bagram airbase in Afghanistan as a Military Police (MP) specialist, forcing Molly to put her dream of becoming a doctor on hold.

War, even when not serving on the front lines, is a harrowing experience. Thousands […]

Review: Prasvapa by Chand Svare Ghei

★★★½

Prasvapa by Chand Svare Ghei is a dreamlike collection of short stories that’s part fantasy, part crime, part universe entirely of Ghei’s vivid imagination. A Norwegian author writing in English, Ghei has created a fantastical world that has little relation to our own, past or present. Each story is introduced with an abstract epigraph, which invites the reader to explore the story’s deeper meaning. The word “Prasvapa” is Sanskrit for “dream,” and that dreamlike quality permeates each one of these evocative and mind-bending stories.

Ghei is a highly inventive writer. Without question, you won’t find another book of short […]

Henry Baum2019-01-22T11:12:19+02:00April 29th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Short Stories Book Reviews|

Review: In the Valley by Jason Lambright

★★★★½

In the Valley by Jason Lambright is a sci-fi military adventure that hits close to home.

It’s 2333, and Captain Paul Thompson faces terrorism in the Baradna Valley far from home on the planet Juneau 3. The crazy men he serves with in his battalion are wild and brutal – will he manage to hang onto his mind while fighting the enemy, and his companions?

The premise of this future world is unraveled slowly, allowing new tech and post-Earth jargon to slowly become natural and accepted by readers, making the premise far more accessible and enjoyable. Many futuristic or […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-21T06:19:01+02:00April 28th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Military Book Reviews, Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Daddy Dearest by Paul Southern

★★★★★

Daddy Dearest by Paul Southern is a sinister thriller with countless twists.

By the time you finish reading Daddy Dearest, you’ll have shivers down your spine and a new appreciation for the dark depths through which an author can drag you. This chilling novel tells the story of a father who is far more than he seems, and the sinister series of events that end up forever changing his life – and the life of his young daughter.

From the outset of this endlessly twisted story, it’s clear that the authorial voice is a unique one, and the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2016-06-02T04:55:22+02:00April 27th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Finders Keepers (The Jane Barnaby Adventures Book 1) by J.J. DiBenedetto

★★★★½

It’s the start of a new life for archaeology student Jane Barnaby. Away from her home and her father back in the States, she follows the spirit of her mother’s wishes all the way to Oxford, England, and her dream school of Magdalen College. When her respected mentor at the college, Professor Welldon, asks for a favor, Jane jumps at the chance. However, fate strikes as her delivery, a box of pottery shards, is mixed up with a box of precious ancient Egyptian artifacts.

When it becomes clear that nefarious elements are in pursuit of the unintended cargo, it’s […]

James Grimsby2016-05-23T05:14:17+02:00April 27th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Action and Adventure Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Abednego by Devanye Hansen

★★★★

Abednego: Book 1 of the Guardians Series by Devanye Hansen is a mythical adventure through forbidden love and the unseen world around us.

The fascinating world of Abednego centers on the drama of the Pegasi, Fae, Guardians, Hunters and keepers engaged in an otherworldly power struggle. This novel is an ambitious and exhilarating ride through a fantastic new realm, replete with action, romance, mind reading, betrayal, suspense, and a fair dose of humor. The depth and complexity of the story is impressive, and the author, Devanye Hansen, has an obvious talent for world building within her deep well of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2016-04-25T10:20:23+02:00April 25th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Girl Soldier by T.R. Horne

★★★★½

Girl Soldier by T. R. Horne is a page-turning action and adventure novel with heart.

Rain Wilson grew up in a small Colorado farming town. Her mother left ten years ago, but Rain never stopped loving her. When Rain learns that her mother is missing, she realizes that she doesn’t know everything about her father and mother. The young woman sets out to find her mother. Can Rain handle the truth, lies, and the forces who don’t want her mother found?

The prologue of Girl Soldier makes a few things clear. Rain is compassionate and respects life. Yet, she’s […]

T B Markinson2019-01-22T05:55:31+02:00April 25th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Action and Adventure Book Reviews, Spy Thriller Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Trust in the Unseen (The Edge of the Known Book 2) by Seth Mullins

★★★★½

Trust in the Unseen is the second book in Seth Mullins’ cerebral and inspiring Edge of the Unknown series. The first installment of the series found Brandon Chane in a band on the way up, Edge of the Unknown, and seeking spiritual counsel from the enigmatic Saul.

The second volume finds Brandon reeling from a break-up, even as his band is on the rise, and as visionary as ever. His mentor, Saul Mason, is having personal issues of his own, and may not be the spiritual rock he purported himself to be. One thing remains true through the turmoil: […]

Henry Baum2018-02-16T11:46:37+02:00April 25th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Music Book Reviews|