Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Return of the Dragon by Alex J. Webster

★★★★½

Return of the Dragon by Alex J. Webster is a bloody good ride from start to finish.

Vampires have no doubt made a comeback in popular fiction, but some critics have noted the toned-down nature of these depictions, as opposed to the more sinister and terrifying versions of generations past. Alex Webster is clearly a student of those older varieties, as his eccentric vampire novel, Return of the Dragon, boldly shows. Readers are given a small glimpse into reports that hint at the vampire’s bloody history, eventually stopping off in the 1950s, in Soviet-policed Romania, where there are […]

Review: She Let Go of My Hand by John D. Wattson

★★★★

She Let Go of My Hand: A Father’s Memoir of His Divorce Journey by John D. Wattson is a heartbreaking and honest tale of troubled times.

The hard truth that relationships take time and effort should come as no surprise to any reader, but rarely is the brutal collapse of a marriage put on such bold display. In She Let Go of My Hand, an honest and heart-rending memoir by John D. Wattson, we witness a husband pouring out his confusion and pain on paper, either as penance or in an attempt to better understand the path that […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2016-08-10T10:41:23+02:00July 21st, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Parenting Book Reviews|

Review: Ghost in the Park by Ray Melnik

★★★½

Ghost in the Park by Ray Melnik fits into a category all its own – one could call it paranormal science mixed with some romance. Sami has just long his young wife, a woman with a turbulent past. Meanwhile, Noah Braxton is working on a scientific experiment, which leads to some unpredictable results – the main outcome is loved ones coming back from the dead in a nearby park. Sami is able to reconnect with Amber and express his great loss to her, only before Noah’s experiment becomes even more unpredictable.

The strongest element in the book is its […]

Henry Baum2016-08-09T03:51:17+02:00July 15th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Paranormal Book Reviews, Romance Book Reviews|

Review: Kiss of the Assassin by Jayla Jasso

★★★★★

Kiss of the Assassin by Jayla Jasso is an exciting and emotional fantasy romance centering on Jiandra and Yajna, two people on very different paths in the country of Villeleia – one who’s trying to save the people of Villeleia, and one who’s trying to start a war.

Jiandra Stovy isn’t your typical revolutionary, but she’s got a huge heart, so when a magical stone comes into her life, she knows that it’s her ticket to saving her queen and country. Meanwhile, Yajna has very different plans: to murder the queen and start a war. When these two cross […]

Lysa Grant2019-10-04T07:36:05+02:00July 14th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, Romance Book Reviews|

Review: Ganesha’s Temple (The Temple Wars #1) by Rohit Gaur

★★★★½

Ganesha’s Temple by Rohit Gaur is a masterful and meaningful adventure.

Escapism is one of the basic reasons why people read, so books that transport readers to completely new worlds, or rarely seen corners of this one, are particularly compelling. Ganesha’s Temple by Rohit Gaur is the first installment of a brilliant new series that perfectly blends mysticism and adventure.

Tarun is a young boy in Kashmir, the son of the country’s chief minister, who is thrown into the wilds of nature following a horrific attack on a local festival celebrating Ganesha. The vivid depiction of the attack sends […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-01-24T19:45:06+02:00July 13th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Action and Adventure Book Reviews, Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: City on a Hill (Vol 1: The City) by Ted Neill

City on a Hill by Ted Neill is an epic tale of belief, chaos and conflict.

While many post-apocalyptic, dystopian novels center on the ravages of atomic fallout, the wasteland lifestyle of survivors, unholy abominations or alien overlords, there are few books in the genre that have placed religion as the focal point. City on a Hill is the bold and provocative tale of Lysander and Fortinbras, the Twin Cities, the last two havens in a world destroyed by violence and religious conflict. Following the Cataclysm, the new leaders of the world, the Head Ministry, have outlawed religion in all […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-02-11T06:59:54+02:00July 12th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Apocalyptic Fiction Book Reviews, Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Leadership Wisdom by Bob Vanourek

★★★★★

Leadership Wisdom: Lessons from Poetry, Prose, and Curious Verse by Bob Vanourek is an enlightening collection of sage and timely advice.

Books about leadership and self-improvement seem to be a dime a dozen, which makes it difficult to know who to heed and where the best advice actually comes from. Sidestepping that common failing, Bob Vanourek’s new book, Leadership Wisdom, instead relies on great minds and wise figures from human history to support his unique perspective.

While it can be easy to dismiss the occasionally condescending lessons from modern leaders and success stories, it is far harder to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2016-07-12T09:29:58+02:00July 12th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Leadership Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Review: New Age Lamians (The Lamian Trilogy Book 1) by Didi Oviatt

★★★★

New Age Lamians (The Lamian Trilogy Book 1) by Didi Oviatt is a unique and addictive YA adventure.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a new angle on the post-apocalyptic genre, as the recent popularity of this topic has led to hundreds of new books trying to capture the horrors of a dystopian future. The YA genre has been less inundated with these types of stories, however, and Didi Oviatt’s new novel, New Age Lamians, stands out as a truly creative and engaging story. The premise of the novel is bleak – a planet that has been […]