Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Broken Sky by John Harvey

Broken Sky by John Harvey

Pushing the boundaries of YA science fiction, Broken Sky by John Harvey is the spectacular first installment of the Cirrus Chronicles saga.

A young mechanical genius who prefers the company of machines far more than people, Jack Scatter is a classic sci-fi protagonist – an outsider youth with untapped but impressive skills pulled into an epic adventure that will decide the fate of two worlds. One of those worlds is Cirrus, a massive Earth-like space station positioned on the opposite side of the Sun, where Jack lives, and the other is humanity’s home world itself, which is prophesied to end […]

Review: Karl Myers by Jeff Lee

Karl Myers by Jeff Lee

An instantly immersive story of innocence lost and justice miscarried, Karl Myers by Jeff Lee is a patiently profound piece of 1950s fiction – a visceral, dark, and poignant drama, which offers a snapshot of a sinister time that America has yet to fully escape.

Karl Myers is a melancholic ex-Marine police chief with a stack of regrets, an unwavering hunger for justice, and a raised eyebrow at the backwards beliefs that still flourish in the town he calls home. Jerry Peterman is a scarred veteran with a quick temper and no tolerance for weakness, let alone disobedience, from either […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-07-18T15:42:58+02:00July 12th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Light Within Darkness by David C. Jeffrey

The Light Within Darkness by David C. Jeffrey

Pushing the sci-fi adventure genre and this ambitious series into uncharted space, The Light Within Darkness by David C. Jeffrey is a tremendous third chapter in the Space Unbound saga.

The voidoid portals may be safe from destruction for now, but the greatest threat to humanity has fled into the unknown chasm of space, gathering power and hiding from the Alliance. Aiden Macallan is more than the intrepid mission commander sent to find this existential enemy – he is also seeking his own long-awaited revenge against Cardew, the monster responsible for his mother’s death.

The scrappy crew of the Sun […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-08-29T13:43:01+02:00July 3rd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Across the Divide by Elizabeth Bernays

Across the Divide by Elizabeth Bernays

A charming memoir by entomologist and writer Elizabeth Bernays, Across the Divide: The Strangest Love Affair explores new forms of love later in life. Joyful, but also profound and reflective, the book is an enchanting and memorable read that mixes levity with deep emotion.

With eloquent and engaging prose, Bernays tells of her complex and beautiful relationship with a married woman in her 50s. Linda and Elizabeth fell in love despite their differences, after both had been married to men. Both of them led successful careers and had experienced loving marriages, but they couldn’t be more different as people, and […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-08-24T13:31:57+02:00June 29th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: Searching for Charles by Stephen Watts

Searching for Charles by Stephen Watts

Taking readers on a historic journey across the Atlantic and into the burgeoning American continent, Searching for Charles: The Untold Legacy of an Immigrant’s American Adventure by Stephen Watts is a stunning portrait of the past.

In 1835, Charles Watts left the oppressive gloom of Dickensian London in search of a better life in the nascent nation of the United States. What followed were years of curious exploration, keen observation, and diligent letter-writing that captured the energy, emotions, and events of that formative period in American history.

This book serves a number of purposes, and will appeal to a variety […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-08-23T12:11:00+02:00June 20th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Biography Book Reviews, History Book Reviews|

Review: Unlock Happiness by Mastering the Self by Shobeir Shobeyri

Unlock Happiness By Mastering The Self by Shobeir Shobeyri

A spiritual meditation focused on achieving balance, harmony, and self-control, Unlock Happiness by Mastering the Self by Shobeir Shobeyri is an original and comprehensive take on self-help. Deploying an accessible and aphoristic style, Shobeyri details his philosophy on life with the same clarity and control he recommends readers put into their own lives.

The book begins with Shobeyri’s vision of the human self as divided into body, soul, and mind. The body is the locus of action: physical wants push us to achieve, and satisfy the needs of remaining alive. The soul has more elevated desires, which in its turn […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-08-17T10:01:06+02:00June 16th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Self-Help Book Reviews|

Review: Kingdom Society: Broken Reality by Nathan Helm

Kingdom Society: Broken Reality by Nathan Helm

Author Nathan Helm delivers a strong second chapter of his Kingdom Society series with Broken Reality, an endlessly creative fantasy with some hard-edged twists.

The idea of a “chosen one” who must come to terms with his destiny is a rather common premise in sci-fi and fantasy sagas, but Helm manages to put a unique spin on the character development and journey – in part through the use of so many different environments and settings. Alyeth’s growing powers are impressive, and he will need those “God mode” abilities, considering that sinister forces of the universe are conspiring to eradicate […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-06-13T13:39:43+02:00June 12th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: May We Learn From the Earth by Robert J. Tiess

May We Learn From the Earth by Robert Tiess

With this stunning observational record of the natural world, poet Robert J. Tiess has curated a brilliant collection in May We Learn From the Earth: Nature Poems and Reflections on the Environment.

A self-described ecopoet with a remarkable eye for the secret beauty and subtle wonders of nature, this is both an homage to the Earth and a desperate plea for a shift in collective consciousness. From academic and allusion-laced verses to thoughtful personal poems that reflect the writer’s own experience, this broad-ranging book feels both contemporary and timeless.

“Ecclesiastes of the Earth” is one of the strongest poems […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-06-12T13:09:13+02:00June 11th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews|