John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Through the Test of Time II by D. Angel

An unfiltered look into the author’s long road to recovery and stability following his prison sentence, Through the Test of Time II: As Time Went On… by D. Angel is a revelatory confession and a visceral memoir.

As Angel tries to piece together the shattered parts of his personal relationships, parental arrangements, and financial foundations, the hits keep on coming, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into the slippery slopes of post-incarceration life. Though many of his problems seem driven by struggles with self-control, this narrative also examines common triggers of PTSD, steps of recovery after a variety of trauma, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-08-17T11:16:54+02:00August 16th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Prison Book Reviews|

Review: The Great Flip by Donald J. Fraser

The Great Flip by Donald J. Fraser

Excavating an often overlooked but massively significant change in American political consciousness, The Great Flip by Donald J. Fraser is a brilliant examination of how the United States became so divided. The timeless dialectic of minimal government and individual capability vs. big government and collective responsibility is the foundation of American partisanship, and the crux of this meticulously crafted text.

The modern political landscape has turned into a battleground over the intended ideals of the founders 250 years ago, and this book brings readers back into the conversations, conflicts, and watershed moments that are still being referenced as precedent today. […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-06T12:45:50+02:00August 14th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: History Book Reviews, Politics Book Reviews|

Marching with a Broken Shadow by Dyson Russell

Marching With a Broken Shadow by Dyson Russell A haunting and heavy anthology of emotionally driven poems, Marching with a Broken Shadow by Dyson Russell is a wide-ranging collection that tackles romantic ironies, universal agonies, and the simple pleasures of existence.

From reflections on nature’s nuanced beauty to kaleidoscopic analyses of true love and loss, these poems are unafraid to expose the unadulterated marrow of human experience. There is an exploratory and questioning undercurrent, and while musings on death, purpose, and love are common, Russell has a uniquely experimental voice that will make readers sit up and take note.

The diversity of the poems’ subject matter, length, tone, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-08-14T12:03:10+02:00August 11th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews|

Xenome by Vivek Pravat

A sci-fi thriller that examines if humanity would stand a chance against a hostile alien force, Xenome by Vivek Pravat is a terrifying and fast-paced ride. An intrepid biologist finds herself in the heart of a rogue experiment gone wrong, and as secrets from her own past come to light, she must uncover the key to humanity’s survival. Though some of the character development is familiar action fodder, the exposition is richly detailed for science fiction fans, and just the right amount of frightening for a post-pandemic audience willing to suspend their disbelief for an extraordinary premise. With long bursts […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-08-10T13:31:57+02:00August 10th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Remember Us by E.T. Gunnarsson

Remember Us by E.T. Gunnarsson

A post-apocalyptic road novel with a strong pair of protagonists in a richly described dystopia, Remember Us by E.T. Gunnarsson adds a fascinating new layer to his Odemark series.

Two years into his time on new-world Earth, Simon is ready to brave the wasteland, leap into frontier life, and see what beauty the recovering planet still holds. However, when a starship falls out of the sky, just as Simon dreamed that it would, he convinces Anna to join him on a quest to find the craft, and their relationship is entertaining from the start; Anna’s vague annoyance at his naïveté […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-08-08T17:26:16+02:00August 7th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Post-Apocalyptic Book Reviews|

Review: Legends of Earth by David Gwinn

Legends of Earth by David Gwinn

A science fiction adventure with some downright Shakespearean twists, Legends of Earth by David Gwinn is a breathless mash-up of police procedural and space opera that is a page-turner from the first page.

When a seasoned cop is pulled into a mind-boggling new case – a woman single-handedly cutting the power and knocking over banks in broad daylight – Officer Sharpe has no idea how deep this new rabbit hole will go. He certainly doesn’t expect it to carry him to the other side of the galaxy – to a planet that seems to desperately need his help.

Tass, the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-09-29T12:01:43+02:00August 3rd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

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

Where Martyrs Rise Snowflakes Don’t Fall by Albert 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 Book Reviews, Religious Book Reviews, Social Science Book Reviews|

Murphy’s Luck 4: Jinx vs. Fate by Benjamin Laskin

Murphy's Luck 4: Jinx vs. Fate by Benjamin Laskin A laugh-out-loud punchline of a read, Murphy’s Luck 4: Jinx vs. Fate by Benjamin Laskin continues the tongue-in-cheek tradition of this brilliantly strange series.

Murphy’s accursed reputation has spread far and wide, drawing the curious and the conspiratorial, as well as the Fed-Uppers, who would rather his jinx be kicked out of their lives forever. However, a secret society suspects that he might be their prophesied Impossible Man, and Murphy will have to use his universe of hobbies and merit badge skills to keep himself alive and find out their true intentions at Camp Orpheus. His exceptional daughter, Phaedra, is […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-07-27T14:42:34+02:00July 27th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Humor|