Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

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 […]

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|

Review: The Green Living Guy by Seth Leitman

A timely graphic novel about the need for living sustainably to preserve the future, The Green Living Guy by Seth Leitman is an accessible introduction to protecting the planet.

Supported by a team of eco-warriors around the world, the Green Living Guy helps communities and individuals understand the impacts and opportunities of sustainable living. From making shifts in your individual life and purchasing sustainable products to the large-scale changes in energy generation and international attitudes towards the environment, this is a quick, colorful, and broad review of what we need for a greener planet.

Reminiscent of Captain Planet and his […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-04-10T12:16:18+02:00March 21st, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Children's Book Reviews, Comics & Graphic Novels Reviews|

Review: The Drax (Rangers of the Realm Book 2) by Ron Blacksmith

A second galaxy-spanning thriller in Ron Blacksmith’s Rangers of the Realm series, The Drax is a riveting second installment.

When a distant starship of colonists sends out an emergency signal for aid, Captain Mik Rogan and his illustrious crew of Rangers aboard the Rockne are the first responders on the scene. The carnage they find leads them to a much more dangerous culprit than common space pirates – an unknown enemy with advanced weaponry, possible bioweapons, and a seemingly impenetrable underground base. The unwitting colonists had been looking for a fresh start, but they tragically chose a star system inhabited […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-05-06T12:43:51+02:00March 10th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|