Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Matrix Opal by Stella Atrium

Youthful heroes face the unforgiving burden of duty and legacy in The Matrix Opal by Stella Atrium, a hard-edged coming-of-age story in a sprawling new sci-fi/fantasy realm, setting off The Duchy Wars series in spectacular fashion.

Ariseng, a young and unassuming force of nature, embarks on a risky quest in possession of the titular talisman, along with a ragtag cadre of companions. Shouldering the weight of a legendary responsibility in a time of social unrest, Ariseng must determine friend from foe and outsmart those who would seek to control the mysterious powers of the whispering people. However, Arisent is linked […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-07-01T16:58:34+02:00May 19th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: A Guide to Jazz in Japan by Michael Pronko

A thorough overview for jazz fans anywhere in the world, A Guide to Jazz in Japan by Michael Pronko is a thoughtful music guide that casually swings across the line into storytelling.

Beginning with the author’s disclosure over his passion for Japan and the powerful connection he has to the jazz scene there, the book then proceeds into a recognizable guide of 40 jazz clubs, categorized by vibe and style, with detailed but succinct information on cost, expectations, location, history, and other standout features. Each is accompanied by the author’s more subjective account of his experience in each spot, offering […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-06-16T15:17:03+02:00May 14th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Music Book Reviews|

Review: Blue Thunder Across the Shattered Stars by Gregg R. Overman

An interplanetary drama that sets the fate of two planets in the hands of one fractured family, Blue Thunder Across the Shattered Stars by Gregg R. Overman is a stellar slice of sci-fi adventure.

Following the traumatic loss of their father on Phagea, young Jered and Gracely are separated for years, but their sibling bond is never broken. Gracely has a wild and rebellious streak that gets her in plenty of trouble on Phagea, and even more once she’s piloting a ship, while Jered lives under the strict control of a god-fearing household on Earth, where he is indoctrinated to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-05-07T12:19:53+02:00May 7th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Toxic Minds by Anthony Lee

An ominous and timely collision of medicine and murder, Toxic Minds by Anthony Lee exposes a shadowy side of alternative healing and the deadly power of disinformation.

Just hours after an appointment with a young pregnant mother, Dr. Mark Lin is an unwilling witness to her murder at the hands of a suicide bomber. While initial clues and assumptions point to an anti-abortion extremist group, Mark was uniquely privy to the bomber’s chilling last words: “Purity is Mine.” Recognizing the ominous phrase from some of his patients who had been treated by a secretive healing cult called the Path of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-05-07T12:20:27+02:00May 6th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: The Outlander by Nolan Zaren

An epic fantasy designed for the male gaze, The Outlander: Harem Stories for Men by Nolan Zaren is an unapologetic plunge into the heart of masculinity.

Raylan feels like a ferocious wolf in sheep’s clothing, but he is harassed, castrated, and oppressed by the policy officers and judges of the System who restrain his true nature. There is also his vindictive ex-wife who bleeds him dry of every dime in child support, and has turned his kids against him. As he nears the end of his rope, he reaches out to God, begging for clarity on his life’s purpose, and […]

SPR2025-06-04T16:22:50+02:00May 2nd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Romance Book Reviews|

Review: Words by Katherine Davis-Gibbon, Illustrated by Anne Berry

A wonderfully imaginative book for early readers, Words by Katherine Davis-Gibbon, with illustrations by Anne Berry, is a colorful and creative guide about navigating language and reading.

As the story explains, words are all around us all the time, and as a young person begins to explore this wide world of language, it can be an exciting and uncertain adventure. Through the lens of a day out at the park, readers learn about some of the relationships between words, how they work together and separately, and where things can get confusing when we’re speaking, writing, and reading. Whether you’re […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-05-29T12:01:24+02:00April 29th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Children's Book Reviews|

Review: The Haunted Artist by Larry Witham

The death of a rising star in the art world launches a cross-country hunt for dark answers and old secrets in The Haunted Artist by Larry Witham, the fourth installment of the Julian Peale Art-Crime Mystery series.

When reclusive painter Sam Mason is found dead from an apparent overdose, eccentric denizens of the art world mourn the loss of a potential legend gone too soon, but Colleen Mason isn’t sold on the classic tragic ending for her younger brother. She enlists the services of Julian Peale, art crime investigator extraordinaire, who soon discovers a bizarre trail of suspects and clues […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-05-28T07:37:34+02:00April 29th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Detective Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

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|