Book Reviews

The latest indie book reviews from Self-Publishing Review

Review: Atom by Stephen C. Sutcliffe

Atom by Stephen C. Sutcliffe

In Atom by Stephen Sutcliffe, a young man named Michael is trying to find his place in the world – and make his mark on it – in dramatic fashion. His belief that atomic development will inevitably lead to the end of humanity drives him to plan an unforgettable attack – an undeniable statement about the risks of atomic proliferation that no one can ignore.

He and his friends, similarly young and wealthy white men with an axe to grind against nuclear weapons and modernity, devise a plan to make their own nuke and demonstrate the terrifying capacity on American […]

2018-03-16T10:12:15+02:00February 1st, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Coffee Shop University by Mario Kfoury

Coffee Shop University

Mario Kfoury’s debut work of nonfiction, Coffee Shop University, is a thought-provoking exploration of spiritual, philosophical, and intellectual self-discovery.

Divided into three parts, the book chronicles the arrival of the author in the U.S. in 1987 from war-torn Lebanon. Settling in Los Angeles, he and his friend, Elrob, quickly embraced the bodybuilding culture of southern California while working as security officers. It’s during this time that Kfoury attended a meeting of Native Americans where he was introduced to a spiritual smudging ceremony, which subsequently inspired him to read extensively on Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism, among others.

The second part […]

2019-02-11T09:52:19+02:00January 31st, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: , |

Review: Keiko by Bernie Donnelly

Keiko by Bernie Donnelly

When life slips into a deep, spiraling rut, pulling yourself out can be difficult, but it always helps when an exotic and unexpected stranger falls into your path. In Keiko by Bernie Donnelly, two people from opposite sides of the world find one another and find a fresh spark of possibility for happiness.

Bruce Stevens is an exhausted CPA with a marriage careening off the rails, while Keiko is a mysterious Japanese woman who needs some tax matters handled in the lonely town of Sarasota. This unlikely meeting intoxicates Bruce, who sees Keiko as a chance to start the next […]

Review: He Who Leads by M.A.N.

★★★ He Who Leads

The Akachi clan has a new leader, as Amare has taken the title of chief after the death of his father. No sooner has he accepted the role than problems begin to multiply. There are questions of succession to contend with, demons lurking in the night, and the basic needs of the clan to see to. If the clan is to survive, they must move as well. Their lands are no longer safe, but they face a hostile clan to one side and a pair of warring neighbors to the other. It doesn’t take long for Amare to find […]

2018-02-16T11:42:06+02:00January 29th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Revelations 12:12 by David de Freitas

Revelations 12:12

Blending family tragedy with possible Satanic forces and a brutal homicide makes for an exciting premise in Revelations 12:12 by David de Freitas. Through careful storytelling and a healthy dose of suspense, this novel is a slow-burning thriller with enough twists to keep even veteran readers guessing.

Simon is a young boy born under slightly mysterious circumstances to a kind and cursed woman named Martha, whose husband dies before the child’s first birthday. Shadowing the boy throughout his early years is Dr. Brockman, a quiet and eccentric character who seems cloaked in secrecy. From the day Simon was born to […]

2019-01-22T05:45:25+02:00January 23rd, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: Sky of Dreams by Robert A. Cozzi

Sky of Dreams by Robert A. Cozzi

Award-winning poet and writer Robert A. Cozzi has brought to the page an emotive collection that will warm the heart and challenge the mind in Sky of Dreams. The poems follow themes and motifs that Cozzi’s previous works have touched upon, such as lost chances, romance, and the wonder of his environment, using touchstones of senses, nature, and light to describe his feelings.

Cozzi opens this volume with “New Hope,” in which faith reappears with the rising sun, followed by the affirmative “Strength Beneath My Feet.” However, he is not always so optimistic. His heart, he says, is a […]

2019-02-22T11:45:04+02:00January 11th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: The Average Joe’s Guide to Success by R.C. Farrington

The Average Joe’s Guide to Success by R.C. Farrington

Author and entrepreneur R.C. Farrington has written a book for those he calls “average Joes and Josies” who may be wondering when, if ever, they can excel in The Average Joe’s Guide to Success: The Brilliant Overachievers Will Never See You Coming.

If you fall into this category, as Farrington says he does, you will probably realize it early on: you won’t make straight A’s in school, and perhaps, like him, you will be tested at some point and routed towards vocational work. You may feel undervalued and lapse into a pattern of underachieving, because it seems pointless to […]

2018-05-09T10:19:56+02:00January 10th, 2018|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , , |

Review: The Chief and His Marine by B.A. Sherman

★★★★ The Chief and His Marine by B.A. Sherman

Few can understand the horrors of war if they have never put their lives on the line for their country, but the family members of soldiers have an intimate knowledge of that stress and pain. In The Chief and His Marine, author B.A. Sherman brings some of the challenges and tragedies of war into stark detail, shedding light on a subject that is pushed under the rug, or tacitly avoided, far too often.

This novel wastes no time in getting into the action, introducing readers to the titular Chief Platte character, who appears to still be reeling from […]

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