Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: In the Shadow of the Sun by Poli Flores Jr.

A touching tale of brotherly devotion and the life-altering consequences of war, In the Shadow of the Sun by Poli Flores Jr. is an outback California drama that echoes across small-town American life.

In the shifting cultural landscape of the Vietnam era, a young man named Curt leaves for war as a musclebound titan, but returns as a troubled and broken soul, unprepared for the very different battles that still lay ahead. When a respected member of the community is bludgeoned to death shortly after his return, the clues and suspicions all seem to point toward Curt.

With corrupt law […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-09-29T12:18:09+02:00September 29th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Expraedium by Armen Melikian

Expraedium by Armen Melikian

Defying structure, narrative decorum, and often logical thought itself, Expraedium by Armen Melikian is a hero’s journey like no other, a radical adventure of reinvention, leading to a reframing of language and the very nature of storytelling.

In search of Urmashu, a legendary republic of immortals, Brathki embarks on a surreal quest, without apparent destination or clear purpose, baffling the reader as much as the protagonist, as the narrative plays with the boundaries of reality and time. Melikian’s writing blurs prose, poetry, and inscrutable languages of sign and symbol, and if bold readers can decipher the paradoxical gymnastics of this […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-11-14T12:58:43+02:00September 28th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Literary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Beginning of Arrogance by Bryan Cole

Beginning of Arrogance by Bryan Cole

Author Bryan Cole debuts his A Paladin’s Journey series in stunning style with Beginning of Arrogance, a page-turning sword and sorcery adventure that will thrill devoted fantasy fans. The freshly imagined realm of Baltorc and Watford’s dramatic denizens set a coastal stage for the rise of a sinister new evil in this creative and compelling origin story.

An aspiring hero taking the first steps of his warrior’s journey, Krell is an ambitious and readily likable protagonist at the core of this novel. Bearing a heavy secret – the voice of the sea god ReckNor in his mind – Krell […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-09-25T17:26:00+02:00September 25th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Helper by Jeff Lee

The Helper by Jeff Lee

Author Jeff Lee plumbs the depths of human darkness and resilience in his gritty, visionary novel, The Helper, an intersecting tale of disparate lives in the deadly orbit of fate. Scrawled across the endless canvas of New York City and far beyond to realms past reality in the Connecticut countryside, this is a spiraling story of redemption, destiny, and survival.

After the high society son of a priest is attacked by a gang of homophobic skinheads, his axe-wielding rescuers bring him home like a wounded animal, across state lines, where he embarks on a journey of healing and self-discovery […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-30T14:43:53+02:00September 13th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Visionary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Search for Complete by Stephen G. Hardy

Poetic, philosophical, and imaginative, Search for Complete by Stephen G. Hardy is a novel about love, loneliness, and friendship within a delightful fantasy framework.

As Christopher, Laura, and David strive to find their own paths to happiness, the reader is guided through a whirlwind of emotions and insightful examinations of each character’s psyche. Both lyrical and symbolic, this book manages exactly to do what its title suggests – not give straightforward, easy answers on how to achieve “completeness,” but rather to beautifully describe the twists and turns of the journey towards happiness.

Christopher has just moved away from Seattle for […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-10-20T10:49:30+02:00September 6th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Visionary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: An October’s Journey: Poe’s Final Gift by James McKenna

Luring readers into a carefully crafted tale of supernatural mystery, author James McKenna delivers a profoundly puckish novel in An October’s Journey: Poe’s Final Gift.

On October 1, 1849, on the occasion of his 22^nd birthday, Jonathan Brandt’s party is graced and haunted by his father’s old friend “Eddy,” though the world better knows him as Edgar Allen Poe. In addition to his attendance, Poe also presents Jonathan with a macabre gift, an unbelievable story of witchcraft, and an invitation to join Poe on a nebulous (and undeniably dangerous) adventure.

Poe is trying to figure out the ending to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-04-18T12:35:39+02:00September 5th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Eternal Heir by Liv Viola

The Eternal Heir by Liv Viola

A dark, gripping work of vampire fiction, The Eternal Heir is Liv Viola’s remarkable debut novel, and an exceptionally strong first installment of the Risen World series.

In a world in which even immortal, powerful vampires have to endure cruel rulers, this is also a story about love, family, and belonging that is emotionally challenging and rewarding. As the title suggests, family history, inheritance, and the passing down of power are all a pivotal focus of the novel. Ava is an orphan and her heritage is a mystery to her, which prompts her to investigate her roots, but little does […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-10-19T11:27:13+02:00August 28th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, Vampires Book Reviews|

Review: The Clock in the Water by Crissi McDonald

The Clock in the Water by Crissi McDonald is a startlingly original take on magic realism – a mixture of mythic fantasy and romance. Set in the present day on an island in the Pacific Northwest, the novel uses the ocean in all its depth and mystery as a backdrop for a story about love, family, trust, and friendship.

The characters in this story have a profound connection with the ocean where they live – a connection that transfers to the reader, drawing you into their mystical connection with the sea. The Keykwin, an ancient people who are both men […]

Marina Dora Martino2024-03-22T17:47:35+02:00August 24th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, Literary Fiction Book Reviews|