Contemporary Fiction | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Our Cats Are Plotting to Kill Us by Jim Tilberry

Peeking into the wild internal world of house cats, Our Cats Are Plotting to Kill Us by Jim Tilberry is a witty wander to the edge of the absurd.

When Julie signs up for Elon Musk’s new Cat Chat app, she and her doubtful husband find themselves able to spy on the telepathic communications of Oliver and Wendell, their two feline friends. Not only have their pets given them a variety of insulting nicknames, but they also have a laundry list of grievances, from their hatred of closed doors and being picked up to “Blondie’s” awful perfume and “Dagwood’s” tacky […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-02-01T13:24:48+02:00November 22nd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Humor|

Unforgettable by David J. Cook

A celebration of resilience, family, and joy in the face of life’s greatest challenges, Unforgettable by David J. Cook is a fearless testament to loyalty and love.

Overcoming heartbreak and tragedy as children, Althea, Gabrielle, and Stephanie are adopted by a gifted couple who devote themselves to raising smart, healthy, and independent daughters. The young women’s lives aren’t always easy, as illness, scandal, and abuse painfully find them, but they perpetually rise above, relying on the strength of their family and community. With life experiences emphasizing numerous overlapping social crises that are raging today, this is a contemporary and nuanced […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-11-20T13:54:20+02:00November 20th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction|

Review: Marie’s Nutcracker by Margaret Marie Klenzing

Marie’s Nutcracker by Margaret Marie Klenzing is a fun and refreshingly honest novel about the hardship that ambitious ballet dancers must face in their pursuit of perfection. Set in the snowy Northeast, this beautifully written novel will charm readers with its genuine and gentle prose and enchanting wintry landscape.

Marie is a teenager for whom dancing is her whole life, and she’s set to participate in the annual production of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” run by her town’s dance studio at Christmastime. As the title beautifully encapsulates, this production of “The Nutcracker” is more than a simple show to Marie, but it […]

Marina Dora Martino2024-01-24T19:27:50+02:00November 15th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction|

Audiobook Review: The Eyes of Penn by Richard Carlton London

Surprising in its sensitivity, creativity, and heart, The Johnsons: The Eyes of Penn by Richard Carlton London is an entertaining and innovative literary experience about a resilient group of passionate musicians navigating the tricky landscape of success, happiness, and morality. Beyond the engaging plot, this audiobook is specifically tailored for those with listening and cognitive challenges, giving it an added level of appeal.

A local rock bank in Philadelphia, The Johnsons have four very unique members – Charts the bass player, JJ on guitar, Frankie on lead vocals, and Hoss the drummer. With a huge payoff on the table from […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-01-15T16:39:24+02:00November 13th, 2023|Categories: Audiobook Reviews, Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction|

The Fred Parker Show by Vincent Glen

Following the adventures of a group of talking animals trying to make it in show business, The Fred Parker Show by Vincent Glen is a wildly inventive and original novel with a theatrical structure.

On the stage of the Magic Rainbow Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, the Fred Parker Show is about to commence – the audience cheers the entry of Fred, a St. Bernard dog who is not only able to talk but is also a talented comedian. With a series of raunchy jokes, Fred introduces the main act of the show, a two-act play that tells the […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-10-06T12:40:08+02:00October 6th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Humor|

Review: Wonders in the Waves by Jennifer Collins

Heartwrenching, honestly written, and challenging, Wonders in the Waves by Jennifer Collins is a novel about family, love, grief, and courage, and a compelling sequel to Comfort in the Wings. Striking a delicate balance between the intimacy of first-person narration, and the excitement of a rich plot full of relatable characters and twists, this multilayered book is at once intimate and page-turning.

Larissa is a 51-year-old mother that is at risk of getting lost in grief. Her sweet daughter Emma, 21, passed away less than a year prior, leaving a gaping hole in her life, and that of Emma’s […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-08-16T13:07:24+02:00August 15th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction|

Review: The Four Year Hitch by Don Cox

A heartwarming novel that plays with narrative stereotypes about love and happy endings, The Four Year Hitch by Don Cox is an affecting work of romantic contemporary fiction. Although the main characters are clearly destined to be together, circumstances and individual mistakes keep them apart for a long time, making this tender piece of fiction feel as romantic as rooted in reality.

Joshua and Julie have been best friends since they were seven years old. They know everything about each other, all the little quirks, dreams, and secrets, starting from their big life aspirations all the way down to […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-09-14T16:14:46+02:00August 1st, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction|

Review: Where Martyrs Rise Snowflakes Don’t Fall by Albert M. Jabara

A fictional manifesto plumbing the lyrical depths of spirituality, the horrors of history, and the contradictions of human existence, Where Martyrs Rise Snowflakes Don’t Fall by Albert M. Jabara is a confident and belief-challenging read, offering an eye-opening blend of religious theory, philosophical narrative, poetic exploration, and historical analysis.

Yunus Nef’i is the main protagonist of this novel – a philosopher, scholar, poet, journalist, and author – who has spent his life fighting for the oppressed and overlooked, examining the faults of the world with his caustic and fearless pen. Some chapters read as a memoir, digging into Yunus’ experiences […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-09-06T16:05:17+02:00July 30th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Religion, Social Science|