Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches from Outer Space! by I. S. Noah

A conspiratorial comedy of delectable proportions, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches from Outer Space! (A 21st Century Fairy Tale) by I. S. Noah is a whimsical and wise work of YA sci-fi for a new generation of compassionate leaders.

When Violet is burdened with babysitting her two younger brothers at the last minute, she begrudgingly brings them along on the hike she had planned for the afternoon. As if running into a scientist hunting for Bigfoot in the forest outside Bend, Oregon isn’t strange enough, her brothers stumble across a mysterious spaceship stashed away in a hidden cave. Even more […]

Review: Finding Frances by Kelly Vincent

A young woman transcends a tragic loss to uncover the truth about her own life in Finding Frances by Kelly Vincent, a gripping YA thriller from a masterful pen.

Stepping out of her sheltered life for the first time, Retta is nervous and eager for a normal high school experience, real friends, and the chance to literally run free on the cross-country team. Having lost her father and all four of her grandparents in a mysterious accident years earlier, Retta struggles under the weight of grief and isolation, but she begins to blossom in this new social soil.

However, unsatisfied […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-04-28T22:44:32+02:00April 2nd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Looking for Tennessee Williams by George Sanchez

George Sanchez’s evocative novel, Looking for Tennessee Williams: A Novel of New Orleans, November 1963, is a captivating literary excursion into the sultry, historical atmosphere of New Orleans during the tumultuous week surrounding President Kennedy’s assassination. Deftly intertwining personal drama with broader social tensions, the novel uses the backdrop of a Tennessee Williams Theatre Festival as both metaphor and catalyst for exploring complex personal relationships.

The plot revolves around a university theatre group’s journey, both literal and emotional, to perform Williams’ iconic play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Central to the story is the intense and fraught […]

Arthur2025-04-24T11:44:24+02:00March 31st, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Literary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Matriarch Messiah by Maxine Trencavel

Destinies are questioned and family secrets are finally revealed in The Matriarch Messiah by Maxime Trencavel, a spectacular second installment of the Mystery of the Matriarchs saga.

Still stunned by the knowledge that they are the rebirthed souls of an ancient matriarch and her husband, unlikely hero Peter Gollinger, and his battle-tested partner Zara Khatum, have welcomed a new member into their relationship – the voice of God in Zara’s head. Driven by an ancient force to find the mysterious cavern of blue light, Zara is compelled to fulfill the mission of her lineage, but her success depends on Peter’s […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-04-24T11:25:05+02:00March 28th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: You Don’t Know Sh*t About Leadership by G. Damon Wells

An impressive exploration of decision-making by both organizations and individuals, You Don’t Know Sh*t About Leadership: How Smart Leaders Leverage Biology, Behavior, and Complexity to Build Exceptional Organizations by G. Damon Wells is an unapologetic guide to self-knowledge and long-term effectiveness in whatever life direction you choose.

In a world where thought leaders have become more public-facing and accessible, it has become clear that being in charge doesn’t necessarily mean being the right person for the job. This book attempts to identify and bridge the disconnect between traditional leadership methods and contemporary efficacy in positions of authority. Wells explains the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-04-23T14:51:35+02:00March 26th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Leadership Book Reviews|

Review: Magda Revealed by Ursula Werner

Setting the record straight on the life and legacy of Jesus Christ through the words of his truest companion, Magda Revealed by Ursula Werner is a revelatory work of fiction.

After two thousand years of watching Christianity morph into a carnival mirror version of itself, Yeshua tasks his most faithful follower with revealing the truth to the world. With that mission in mind, Mary of Magdala details her life-changing journey at Yeshua’s side, clarifying murky points of history around the disciples’ true colors, the ulterior motives behind the severely edited Gospels, and the eradication of the feminine legacy at the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-03-26T13:04:53+02:00March 25th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Religious Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Brood 17: The Grooming of Misty Dawn by SE Reynolds

A haunting spree of psychological horror, Brood 17: The Grooming of Misty Dawn by SE Reynolds is a visceral and graphic plunge into psychosexual trauma.

Misty Dawn McCafferty is being held in a mental institution after ritually sacrificing her boyfriend, claiming that an insidious infection was to blame for her burst of brutal violence. Although Misty was discovered by the police in a pool of her partner’s blood after a halfway successful murder-suicide, she insists that her cicada-derived infection is what drove her to homicide. Ivan, a forensic psychologist working on the case, has two weeks to decide between insanity […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-04-11T19:19:42+02:00March 25th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Horror Book Reviews|

Review: Hodie Mihi, Cras Tibi by Nasser Khadjenoori

A haunting visual journey through buried stories around the world, Hodie Mihi, Cras Tibi by Nasser Khadjenoori is a reverent and revealing book about the unbreakable bond between life and death. Taking readers on a poetic and photographic travelogue through final resting places from El Paso and Salem to Budapest and Buenos Aires, the creation of this book is a sociological and emotional endeavor.

The author and photographer focuses on the unique aspect of cemeteries as a place where life and death meet, where transitioning and transformation occur beneath our feet, and during active grief. Cemeteries act as a connection […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-03-24T13:51:03+02:00March 23rd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Photography Book Reviews|