Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Fanny Berk Strikes Back by Avi Luxenburg

An uplifting and original story about the power of heroism, discipline, and self-knowledge, Fanny Berk Strikes Back: The Misadventures of a Reluctant Hero by Avi Luxenburg is a hard-hitting YA novel layered with wisdom.

Fanny Berk is doing what she can to overcome the antisemitic horrors of her past, namely learning karate and avoiding the various predators and sharks that roam the halls of her high school. Her kindhearted instincts make it difficult to turn away from someone in need, and after unlocking a new realm of cognitive Flow, Fanny starts taking matters into her own hands. Relying more and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-05-27T19:04:08+02:00April 28th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Cataclysm: Legend of the Iron Warrior Vol. 2 by T.V. Holiday

A shattered antihero must return to the spiritual battlefield and defeat a devilish plan to dominate humanity in T.V. Holiday’s Cataclysm: Legend of the Iron Warrior by T.V. Holiday, the second book in this inventive series.

Carnage Coast is on the brink of its downfall and the Iron Warrior is a grief-stricken shell of his former self, so Lucifer enlists the help of Monsoon and the Crimson Queen to secure victory over the limbo city once and for all. With its destruction, the last obstacle to Lucifer’s dominion will fall, the Black Sun will rise, and eternal darkness will mark […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-05-20T09:39:25+02:00April 24th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Urban Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: A Place to Lodge by George Sanchez

An international hunt for a missing man turns into a breakneck whirlwind of intrigue and sinister stalking in A Place to Lodge by George Sanchez.

Years earlier, Jeff came across the Atlantic in search of Bryna, but the tables have turned, and now she is the one to jet off to Europe and locate her vanished partner, along with a dynamic posse of interlinked pals and in-laws. What follows is a manic mash-up of frenetic sightseeing, narrow escapes from mysterious men, vulnerable moments of self-reflection, and more than a few vicious hangovers, drawing this wild bunch of revelers and investigators […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-05-16T10:19:43+02:00April 23rd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Hoplite Ridge by Sean Patrick Sayers

A masterful blend of speculative science fiction, allegorical mythology, and visionary fantasy, Hoplite Ridge by Sean Patrick Sayers is a sparkling and original glimpse into the past, present, and future of humanity.

The timeless conflict between mortals and gods has reached another apocalyptic turning point, and on the blasted world of Elysium, humanity’s fate once again hangs by a fraying thread. Osiris, a ruthless god of destruction, arises once more to wipe mortals from existence, convinced that they have once again reached too close to heaven, with their technology threatening to tear a hole open into the realm of the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-05-05T10:51:04+02:00April 23rd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Errors of Mankind by Curt A. Canfield

Timely in its message and poignantly packed with revelations, The Errors of Mankind by Curt A. Canfield is an essential historical critique framed as a fictional reunion.

While exploring the sprawling roots of his family tree, ex-US Marine Will discovers that a distant relative not only lives a short drive away, but also fought in World War II on both the eastern and western fronts – on the side of Nazi Germany. Will (“Willi”) is initially repulsed by Johann’s biography, but that initial reaction is tempered by curiosity, compassion, and lingering doubts about his own righteousness, attempting to draw similarities […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-04-16T16:24:08+02:00April 15th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Military Book Reviews|

Review: Dancing on the Edge by Tyrone Polastri

Welcoming readers into a lifelong journey of inner mastery, confidence, and awareness, Dancing on the Edge: Moving Through Life with Power, Dignity and Effectiveness by Tyrone Polastri takes a bold and original line on self-improvement and expansion of the self.

Exploring the complex challenges that lie at the edge of uncertainty, the author lays out critical tools and thought processes for decision-making and offers advice for increasing trust in our instincts and ourselves. Via a detailed but concise array of training tips and assessment tools, readers can navigate this difficult edge of self-doubt, which requires dedicated practice, a consistent vision, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-04-30T10:14:36+02:00April 11th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Self-Help Book Reviews|

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 […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-04-29T15:50:50+02:00April 8th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Middle Grade Fiction Book Reviews|

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|