Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Belonging to the World by Barry Hoffner

An emotional adventure that transcends borders and the boundaries of devotion, Belonging to the World: A Journey from Grief to Connection in Every Country on Earth by Barry Hoffner details the author’s epic journeys through love, loss, and healing.

In 2017, Hoffner’s life was upended when his wife Jackie died suddenly while travelling in Africa, leaving him heartbroken and drifting in the face of unimaginable loss. Beginning with the fateful trip that led to her death and the subsequent months of traumatic fallout, this memoir shifts back to the past, laying out the decades of chance decisions and international leaps […]

Review: Ophiuchus Flinched by Z. Bennett Lorimer

A riveting second installment from Z. Bennett Lorimer, Ophiuchus Flinched (Tales of Ciel Book 2) expands the fantastical realm of Ciel as one young woman’s destiny begins to unfold. In this high-flying realm of conspiratorial plots, airborne battlefields, and sociopolitical drama, a young generation of heroes persist in the fight for survival under an oppressive regime of elite overlords.

Following on the dramatic events of Book 1, Effie Strait leaves the only sky island she has ever known after proving herself to be one of the most Gifted plebiscites in a generation. As a result, she has fallen into the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-02-13T09:15:57+02:00February 12th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Ape Who Gazed Beyond by Fernando Reich

A heady exploration of our collective past, future, and the pathways in between, The Ape Who Gazed Beyond: A forgotten story of humanity guided by what has not yet occurred by Fernando Reich is an illuminating poetic reflection on humanity’s potential.

Penned by a tech veteran fascinated with quantum connections and species consciousness, this is a remarkably accessible and inviting collection of ideas on where we came from, where we’re headed, and how we’re actually going to get there. From walking upright and discovering the function of fire to developing language and sharpening the tools that would build our future, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-03-27T17:26:12+02:00February 10th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews, Social Science Book Reviews|

Review: The Soul’s Reckoning by Shireen Anne Jeejeebhoy

An inventive second chapter of Shireen Anne Jeejeebhoy’s post-life saga, The Soul’s Reckoning (The Q’Zam’Ta Trilogy Book 2) continues its creative swirl of speculative fiction and existential imagination.

Following her emotional sojourn through the Earth-Heaven Interdimensional Expanse, Charlotte Elisabeth has finally crossed the Barrier with the help of her soul family, and now faces the next step of her afterlife evolution: preparing to return to Earth. This unexpected stage of her heavenly track requires Charlotte to reconcile with her family, something that she was supposed to do before she abruptly chose to end her life. Accompanied by her soul family, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-03-26T19:23:46+02:00January 29th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Visionary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Because of His Heart by Stephen A Marvin

A gripping tale of personal sovereignty, soul-searching, and the need to speak our hardest truths, Because of His Heart by Stephen A Marvin is a slow-building masterclass in fractured romance.

When Dr. Erica Seames is surprised by her husband Charles during a shift at the hospital, he witnesses a moment of indiscretion that sends him spiraling into a fit of jealousy and mistrust. His violent reaction and the subsequent rift in their marriage lead Erica to flee, seeking comfort in her childhood home and the anonymous confessional of an online blog.

The thinly veiled truths she reveals through her writing […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-02-02T19:00:12+02:00January 23rd, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Houdini and Doyle: The Return of Jack by Leon Cygman

An untamed thriller that pits the bloodiest lore of England against a pair of legendary historical figures, Houdini and Doyle: The Return of Jack by Leon Cygman is an entrancing historical thriller.

Thirty-five years after Jack the Ripper’s murderous spree in the back alleys of Whitechapel, a vicious copycat emerges to continue his legacy of terror and gore. One of the city’s first female constables is on the case, along with DI Swanson and Chandler, but the investigation is further aided by two unlikely sleuths -legendary author Arthur Conan Doyle and the master of deception himself, Harry Houdini.

When Harry […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-03-24T10:59:32+02:00January 9th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fantasy Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Where’s Jackson Pollock? by Jim Davidson

A casually hilarious caper through the dirty end of the art world, Where’s Jackson Pollock? by Jim Davidson delivers a twisted plot and a swirling cast of cutthroat characters.

Russell Henderson is a charming white-collar criminal in dire straits, and with his offshore accounts drying up, he decides to liquidate two of his unexpected assets – a Mark Rothko and a Jackson Pollock that have been hanging in his bedroom for years. Despite their decidedly sketchy origins, his ex-art dealer girlfriend, Victoria Scarsfield, offers to help him move the high-end art through her old stomping grounds of Richmond, Virginia, without […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-03-10T15:02:20+02:00December 9th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: MIJO: We Bend, Not Break by Francisco Castillo

A stirring portrait of the immigrant tradition in America and the burdens of memory that can bury us, MIJO: We Bend, Not Break by Francisco Castillo is an absorbing tale of resilience and reinvention.

Capturing the intergenerational trauma and trajectories of one fearless Mexican-American family, the story depicts the diverse journeys of Joaquín, his son Alejandro, and grandson Gabriel. From the violent dead ends of rural Mexico and back-breaking work in the tomato fields of southern California to struggling up the white collar tower and assimilating into contemporary US culture, this sprawling narrative runs the gamut of the immigrant experience […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-12-09T09:50:37+02:00December 8th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, International Fiction Book Reviews|