Fantasy Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

The Moonscorn Mandate by Sahar Radosz

Bridging the gap between YA fantasy and grimdark drama, The Moonscorn Mandate by Sahar Radosz is a sinister plunge into the cutthroat world of witchcraft.

An elitist initiate at the Radcliffe Academy of Magic, Ria Moonscorn is accustomed to servants and serfs catering to the whims of her cold and predatory heart. However, that scornful superiority doesn’t help in the realm of magic-wielding, where she fails in everything from summoning fireballs to making friends. Though she would never admit it, the best things in her life are her irritatingly kind roommate Cassandra, and the beautiful grimoire she borrowed from a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-17T12:50:00+02:00April 17th, 2026|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Mark of Cain by Z. Bennett Lorimer

The spectacular conclusion to a standout saga, The Mark of Cain (Tales of Ciel Book 3) by Z. Bennett Lorimer caps off a dramatic clash of duty and desire, which tears friends, lovers, and family apart in a battle for the future of Ciel’s skies.

Effie has been branded on the Anvil of Caste and elevated to the role of Patrician in the Aquilon Court. The loved ones left behind are now her subjects, further stretching the loyalties of her heart between the Crystal Throne, the citizens she is duty-bound to protect, and her own secret desires. A charming and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-08T16:27:42+02:00April 8th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Ophiuchus Flinched by Z. Bennett Lorimer

A riveting second installment from Z. Bennett Lorimer, Ophiuchus Flinched (Tales of Ciel Book 2) expands the fantastical realm of Ciel as one young woman’s destiny begins to unfold. In this high-flying realm of conspiratorial plots, airborne battlefields, and sociopolitical drama, a young generation of heroes persist in the fight for survival under an oppressive regime of elite overlords.

Following on the dramatic events of Book 1, Effie Strait leaves the only sky island she has ever known after proving herself to be one of the most Gifted plebiscites in a generation. As a result, she has fallen into the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-02-13T09:15:57+02:00February 12th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Seven Days of Mercy for the Apostatic Priest by Z. Bennett Lorimer

An imaginative plunge into battle for the very soul of a mystical realm, Seven Days of Mercy for the Apostatic Priest (The Divine Heretic Book 1) by Z. Bennett Lorimer is a uniquely captivating novel to launch a new series.

Tasked by her order to slay a reborn G-dling, Ruxindra is a cold and calculating weapon made flesh. Upon arriving at Mahakalpe to carry out her grim task, she discovers that the city hides even more secrets, including ancient wards linked to Eldritch arcana, and who or what they are remains an ominous mystery.

There appears to be a conspiracy […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-03-09T17:58:21+02:00December 2nd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Vold Book’s Oceans of Curtains by John T. Trautman

A parable wrapped in a fantasy, complete with an eclectic soundtrack, Vold Book’s Oceans of Curtains: A Novel Set to Music by John T. Trautman is a delirious plunge into a mystical new world.

The realm of Ksevia has been harmonious and unified for generations, largely because its people have maintained “homeostasis of the communal anthos,” a group-mind version of their collective spirit, achieved through the widespread use of a stabilizing drug. It is widely believed across society that sustaining this shared homeostasis “provides nourishment to the soul of the universe.”

However, a radical faction of the citizenry who have […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-01-27T11:14:39+02:00November 21st, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, Music Book Reviews|

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 Reviewer2025-12-02T11:52:13+02:00October 10th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy 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 Reviewer2025-11-21T16:47:27+02:00September 23rd, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Born of the Gods by Craig Zeppelin

An inventive fantasy tale fronted by a hard-hitting heroine, Born of the Gods: Origins Book One (The Resin Chronicles) by Craig Zeppelin delivers an action-laden plunge into a paradise lost.

Grieving the loss of her deity, and cursed with mystical abilities after a suicidal clash of the gods, Arleia seeks a new divine master, rather than wandering as a high priestess without anything to worship. Venturing into the realms of scheming gods and facing down the monstrous mortals who serve as their playthings, Arleia is determined to unravel the mystery of her matriarch’s murder, no matter how many times she […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-10T17:28:40+02:00September 10th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|