Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Ardent Wings on Jealous Skies by Z. Bennett Lorimer

An imaginative coming-of-age adventure that soars with epic potential for an entire series, Ardent Wings on Jealous Skies (Tales of Ciel #1) by Z. Bennett Lorimer is a timely tale of lofty dreams, destiny, and revolution.

A decade after Maug the Butcher’s brutal attack that orphaned Vanna, Effie, and Kai, the protective rule of the Celestial Armada perseveres, despite the tithes and conscription demanded of the inhabitants of the Zephyr Isles. However, not every Zephyrii is content with the Celestials’ rule, and the forced retirement of a legendary Wing Commander signals a powerful shift in the politics and power balance […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-10-10T17:30:34+02:00October 10th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Clinging to Hope by Glynda Howard McClure

A character-driven drama from the dawn of the 20th century, Clinging to Hope by Glynda Howard McClure is a meticulously crafted novel of loss, loyalty, and rugged survival against impossible odds.

When the sweltering East Texas summer is shattered by the horrific Galveston Hurricane of 1900, Willie Ann and her husband Gilbert are ill prepared for the deluge of disasters that lay ahead for their family. With their farm destroyed, the Wards are literally torn asunder, forced to rely on the kindness of community as they stubbornly rebuild. However, the loss of a home is just the first calamity for […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-10-03T16:03:59+02:00October 3rd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Vandemonian Spirit by Missy Birch

An intense period drama laced with the timeless theme of love lost and found, Vandemonian Spirit by Missy Birch is a powerful tale of feminine resilience and the relentless pursuit of joy in the face of systemic indifference.

After a selfless act of desperation to save her sister’s life, Hannah Fearn lands in the hands of the law, and she is sentenced to seven years of servitude in Van Diemen’s Land, the colonial name for present-day Tasmania. Forced to leave her life of squalor, she hardens herself to the inevitable cruelty of the years to come as she sails to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-30T11:56:07+02:00September 30th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Reluctant Bully by Gary Rivera

A second thought-provoking Smoochie adventure, The Reluctant Bully: A Smoochie Family Story by Gary Rivera continues Madeline’s journey as she navigates the high hopes and dramatic lows of middle school.

With her victorious lunch-money treasure hunt still fresh in her mind, Madeline, aka Lynn/aka Smoochie, turns her attention to the worrying drama going on in her brother’s life. B hasn’t been himself lately – he’s quieter and more disconnected, and it seems like one of his high school classmates, Jordan, may be responsible for the shift. As Smoochie asks more questions and digs deeper into the history of her friends […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-30T12:21:28+02:00September 29th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: No More 24/7 by Catherine Cowart Roe

A thorough guide to gaining your freedom as a dedicated business owner, No More 24/7: Entrepreneurs, Take Your Life Back by Catherine Cowart Roe is an invaluable resource for anyone who feels like they’re never truly off the clock.

Primarily focusing on the importance of running your own business without letting it overtake your life, this insightful guide touches on the most crucial aspects of entrepreneurial experience, from time management and delegation of responsibilities to self-care and mindfulness techniques, which gives the book the original pull of a self-help guide, rather than a by rote leadership or organization manual.

The […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-29T11:21:12+02:00September 26th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Review: The Young by Nicholas John Powter

A sword and sorcery adventure set in a vibrant and violent land, The Young by Nicholas John Powter is a compact father-and-son character drama in a wildly creative setting. In The Deluge, where gods of the day and devourers of the night are locked in constant struggle for the souls of the living, a grief-stricken warrior must once again don his armor to defend the realm against encroaching evil.

Sven’s pastoral retirement is shattered when a murderous cult leader attacks his home and nearly beheads his son, Fren, launching them both on an arduous quest to root out a sinister […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-23T16:05:27+02:00September 23rd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Ten Years and Then… by J.J. DiBenedetto

The story of two star-crossed lovers who can never get the timing right, Ten Years and Then… by J.J. DiBenedetto is an honest portrait of connection that transcends conventional coming-of-age romances.

As Daniel and Nora begin their collegiate careers, falling in love is far from a top priority, but as their orbits continue to serendipitously intersect, the magnetic attraction feels impossible to ignore. Friendship soon shifts to flirtation, and it doesn’t take long before they’re meeting one another’s families and talking eagerly about the beautiful future they could build.

After two infatuated years, their diverging directions pull them apart, leaving […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-10-20T12:04:22+02:00September 22nd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: New Adult Book Reviews, Romance Book Reviews|

Review: The Museum of Art and Other Things by Stephen Meltzer

A cherished art institute careens toward economic catastrophe amidst a slew of small-town drama in The Museum of Art and Other Things: A Novel of Art, Identity and Redemption by Stephen Meltzer.

When the board of trustees at a Midwestern art museum learn that their passion project is practically bankrupt, they face an existential dilemma that even their grandstanding patron, Mrs. Etta Stern, struggles to solve. Unbeknownst to these scheming overseers of culture, their salvation may lie in the prodigal return of C. Malveaux, a hometown hero with access to a highly collectible cache of artistic treasures.

Charlotte’s homecoming is […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-10-16T14:18:03+02:00September 18th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Literary Fiction Book Reviews|