Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Becoming the Wolf by R.H. Neil

★★★★ Becoming the Wolf by R.H. Neil

Certain thrillers have the ring of truth to them, which is often the case with authors who have had storied lives of their own. This is definitely true of R.H. Neil, the author of Becoming the Wolf – the first installment of a gripping new detective series.

The premise of a hardworking police officer who feels trapped by the rules of the badge is hardly original, but for JD Ward, the main character of this novel, giving up simply isn’t an option. When he realizes that some criminals simply can’t be brought to justice in a traditional way, he […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-01-31T12:40:24+02:00January 11th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Fused: A Memoir of Childhood OCD and Adult Obsession by Dr. James Manning

Any honest and open take on mental disorders can be a challenge to read and understand, as there is still so much that is unknown. These conditions can also be some of the scariest things to discuss, particularly for someone suffering through them, as they can open you up to harsh judgment and hard questions to which no one knows the answer. In Fused, Dr. James Manning strips away much of the mystery that still cloaks mental disorders – primarily OCD – by telling the story of his own life with the condition. Over the course of the book, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-02-11T09:40:26+02:00January 11th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Psychology Book Reviews|

Review: A Blaze of Beginnings (The Family Crest Book 1) by A.K. Rohner

★★★½ A Blaze of Beginnings by A.K. Rohner

It doesn’t take long for the excitement to start in A Blaze of Beginnings, the new novel by A.K. Rohner, as readers are dropped right in the middle of a family mystery that could change all of their lives forever. What unfolds is a coming-of-age tale with more than a few supernatural twists, as Aaron James, the intrepid teenage hero, is catapulted into a world of danger and intrigue where the only thing that can save him is a bold heart and one powerful talisman.

The crux of the plot is a magical ring that Aaron is given […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-07-29T05:46:57+02:00January 11th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Night Everything Fell Apart (The Nephilim Book 1) by Joy Nash

★★★★★ The Night Everything Fell Apart (The Nephilim Book 1)

Creating a compelling fantasy story with an original, solid plot line is no easy feat, and to combine that with rich, well-developed characters is even more rare. In The Night Everything Fell Apart, veteran author Joy Nash spins a fast-paced tale of partnership, loyalty, betrayal, lust, good and evil that will have readers hungry for the next installment. The premise is ambitious, the lead characters are impossible to forget, and the writing is a treasure trove of description and passion that defines a gifted writer.

In the eternal battle between angels and demons, there are many subplots and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-21T07:15:21+02:00December 23rd, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Paranormal Romance Book Reviews|

Review: Awakening: Bloodline Book One by Tiera Rice

★★★★½ Awakening: Bloodline Book One

Tapping into the paranormal and vampire market has been the goal for many YA and fiction writers in recent years, and while the genre feels full to bursting, certain gems stand out, like Awakening from Tiera Rice. The first book of the Bloodline series, this novel creates two gripping tales for readers to enjoy, separated by 600 years, but linked by mysterious and ancient powers.

The book is almost equally split between the Old World and the New; Antanasia is a Romanian vampire from the 1400s, while Nadia is the unsuspecting heroine in present-day NYC, wrestling with emerging powers […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-02-17T05:40:43+02:00December 23rd, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, Vampires Book Reviews|

Review: How to Befriend, Tame, Manage, and Teach Your Black Dog Called Depression Using CBT by Dr. James Manning

How to Befriend, Tame, Manage, and Teach Your Black Dog Called Depression Using CBT by Dr. James Manning is a thorough overview of the causes and solutions of depression. Both a sufferer from depression at a very young age, and now a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, with a number of books tackling depression and anxiety, Dr. Manning takes on this difficult problem from a number of angles in a way that should be helpful both to those suffering from depression and those who want to help.

The conceit of the book at least in the title is like a faux dog […]

Henry Baum2019-02-11T09:40:47+02:00December 23rd, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Psychology Book Reviews|

Review: Tide Pool of Words by Robert A. Cozzi

★★★★ Tide Pool of Words

Tide Pool of Words: Prose and Poetry from a Beach Chair Storyteller by Robert A. Cozzi is a collection of poetic musings with a general theme of the seashore and the ocean. Decorated with simple seashell designs, each poem or prose piece talks romantically about days at the seaside with loved ones.

Cozzi uses a simple and effective style, concentrating on various ideas related to the core theme, from quiet times on the shore to the occasional terror of nature’s wrath. He does this in a succinct way, with short pieces that frequently settle into a normal meter or […]

Cate Baum2019-02-22T11:45:30+02:00December 22nd, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews|

Review: Living Love: The Yoga of Yama & Niyama by Maetreyii Ma

Living Love: The Yoga of Yama & Niyama

There are many different reasons to practice yoga – for health and wellness, as a means of stress relief, or as a larger part of a spiritual belief system and path for your life. In Living Love: The Yoga of Yama and Niyama, author Maetreyii Ma takes readers on a journey through the self, blending yogic philosophy with practical techniques to help increase happiness, energy and personal power.

For some people, the way that many yoga enthusiasts speak can come across as irritatingly enlightened or even condescending, so it can be an extra delicate line to navigate as an […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-09-20T09:20:10+02:00December 22nd, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Health Book Reviews, Spirituality Book Reviews|