Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Lost Dagger by Thamir Essayyad

The Lost Dagger by Thamir Essayyad

Author Thamir Essayyad invites readers into a modern clash of medicine, reality, mortality, and mysticism with his stunning novel, The Lost Dagger.

Kanan Angler is a gifted emergency room doctor with a head for facts, symptoms, and science, but when tell-tale signs indicate that he’s losing his mind, the good doctor sets out on a truth-seeking journey across the ocean. However, searching for answers only leads to more questions about his newfound ability to see spirits, commune with the dead, and apparently look into the past.

From eloquent Spanish aristocrats and black-clad sword masters to secret Islamic societies and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-05-02T19:22:28+02:00March 27th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Boy from Three Worlds by Farida Mirza

Boy from Three Worlds by Farida Mirza

Boy from Three Worlds by Farida Mirza is a tender and acutely observed middle grade story of family and belonging, identity and self-hood, what it means to be a child and what it means to grow up, for an engrossing blend of social realism and adventure.

As the title indicates, the novel is about the meaning of home in a world where so many people find themselves torn between different countries, societies, customs, and worldviews. Within this swirl of cultures, the choices you make reveal who you are as an individual, and set your place within your family, bridging the […]

Review: Artefactum by J.E. Tobal

Artefactum by J.E. Tobal

Author J.E. Tobal combines sci-fi with some heavy inter-dimensional soul-searching in Artefactum, a cerebral and kaleidoscopic new thriller.

After coming into unlikely possession of Mictlantecuhtl, a powerful artifact that grants him the power to leap between realities, Sam’s semi-stable life spins into an epic quest for a timeless goal that spans the multiverse, and beyond. From mile-high death deities, living inside porn movies, and cross-dimensional betrayals to nightmare realms, rips in time, and existential quandaries, this book goes mind-bendingly hard into the endless possibilities presented by multiverse theory.

A bartender who defies the usual tropes, Sam may overindulge in […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-11T13:04:14+02:00March 22nd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Stumble and Fall by Amy Rivers

Stumble & Fall by Amy Rivers

Dealing with the effects of trauma both at a personal and community level, Stumble and Fall by Amy Rivers is a cuttingly honest and raw novel. Through the story of Kate and Tilly, Rivers dissects the emotions and fears that many abused people go through, exacerbated by finding themselves caught in events much bigger than themselves.

Kate and Tilly are sisters who deal with trauma both in their professional and personal lives. While Kate has been assaulted in her own house, Tilly has been the victim of sexual abuse all through her teens, opening a ridge between her and the […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-03-21T13:42:37+02:00March 21st, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Delaware Before the Railroads by Dave Tabler

Delaware Before the Railroads by Dave Tabler

A brief yet beautifully detailed journey through Delaware’s past, and the colonial history of America itself, Delaware Before the Railroads by Dave Tabler is a revelatory peek into an oft-overlooked state, reading like a love letter to one of America’s first and most forgotten colonies. Topping out at just under 100 pages, this is an easy afternoon read for residents of Delaware, those interested in colonial lore, or fans of historical photography.

Despite having moved to Delaware only a dozen years ago, Tabler writes with the familiarity and affection of a lifelong native; his state-spanning explorations and historical tracking certainly […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-03-21T13:03:00+02:00March 20th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: History Book Reviews, Photography Book Reviews|

Review: Sojourner to Stoner by Gordon Schwerzmann

Sojourner to Stoner: The Journal

Sojourner to Stoner: The Journal by Gordon Schwerzmann is the second exhilarating installment of the author’s travel adventures, a mix between a memoir, guidebook, and travelogue. This memorable piece of non-fiction feels like a visit to a far-off place, as the best travel memoirs do, full of enchanting and exotic anecdotes, and people who seem like fictional characters.

After Soldier to Sojourner, this book recalls the second phase of Gordon Schwerzmann’s longstanding relationship with traveling the world. Journeying through Southeast Asia in the ’70s, the author breaks down his journeys in snappy episodes, while also allowing himself to linger […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-04-07T11:28:15+02:00March 17th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|

Review: What Happened to Annabell? A Monday Night Anthology

What Happened to Annabell? A Monday Night Anthology

Ten talented writers contribute a creative storm of stories in response to a single question in the macabre and compelling collection, What Happened to Annabell? With a fascinating hook for these tales – an original writing prompt that is both straightforward and inherently intriguing – it is easy to be pulled into this entertaining and expertly curated collection.

After seeing a headstone from more than a century ago, bearing a female name that lacked a death date, a curious writing prompt was composed, imagining the fate of such a woman. The variety of clever and dark takes on the concept […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-06T16:37:49+02:00March 14th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Short Stories Book Reviews|

Review: The 14 Concrete (But Not So Hard!) Steps to Private Practice by Bonnie McKeegan

The 14 Concrete (But Not So Hard!) Steps to Private Practice by Bonnie McKeegan

For both veteran practitioners and new providers embarking on starting their own practice, author and practitioner Bonnie McKeegan delivers a wealth of valuable advice in The 14 Concrete (But Not So Hard!) Steps to Private Practice: A Guide for Licensed Clinical Social Workers and Licensed Marriage Family Therapists.

As McKeegan lays out, without the guidance and established procedures of a larger medical organization, launching into your own safe and effective practice can be a daunting and overwhelming prospect. Whether you are deciding on charting methods or choosing an insurance carrier, there are countless missteps that should be avoided, and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-06T07:51:17+02:00March 14th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Psychology Book Reviews|