Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Friendship City by Carl H. Mitchell

Friendship City by Carl H. Mitchell

A terrifying fling fifty years in the future, Friendship City: Hanging by a Thread by Carl H. Mitchell is a twisting, breakneck thriller that feels uncomfortably realistic. Following on directly from the events of Mitchell’s first novel, Sundown, this high-stakes story is riveting, conspiratorial, and seemingly ripped from the current state of the world.

While the sinister World Council schemes to wipe out half the human race (at least) with a deadly virus, Nick Garvey is fighting to keep the new President safe from all sides, watching his daughter fight to find her memories after coming out of a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-08-26T04:40:30+02:00August 26th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Dystopian Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Morgan, KCB by John D. Gazzelli

Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Morgan, KCB by John D. Gazzelli

The massive strategic plan known in the annals history as Operation Overlord, which resulted in the final defeat of Nazi Germany, was the vision of a man who, author John D. Gazzelli insists, has been largely overlooked and almost forgotten by those same annals, as chronicled in Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Morgan, KCB: The Planner Who Saved Europe.

By 1943, Hitler’s forces had assumed increasing control of Europe, and it rested on the British and American armies to resist and overcome German domination. However, the two nations were not in agreement about how this could and should be accomplished. […]

SPR2021-10-13T03:13:37+02:00August 25th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Biography Book Reviews, History Book Reviews, World War II Book Reviews|

Review: Alchemy of Revenge by Athan Noel

Alchemy of Revenge by Athan Noel

In Alchemy of Revenge, author Athan Noel unleashes a visceral and unpredictable homage to vengeance.

When a lustful mistake spins out of control into obsession, harassment, and even costlier consequences, it seems that Leo Vitali’s life is falling apart before his eyes. His lawyer and father figure has a heart attack and he confesses his misdeeds to his wife, but that’s nothing compared to being arrested for a murder he didn’t commit. Betrayed by those closest to him, the perfect life of this Miami shot-caller is teetering on the edge, as his beloved family is fed poisonous lies by […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-10-12T03:26:50+02:00August 24th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Godfrey’s Crusade (The Griffin Legends) by Mark Howard

Godfrey's Crusade (The Griffin Legends) by Mark Howard

Sacred duties to kings, brothers, and the gods of war collide in Godfrey’s Crusade by Mark Howard, the dynamic first installment of The Griffin Legends series. Blending Arthurian-style questing with riveting battle sequences and a deeply developed world history, this detailed fantasy realm is overflowing with monsters and magic.

Godfrey may be the son of a Duke growing up among the royal court, but he was also raised on tales of bravery and noble sacrifice, and the proud knightly traditions of his family. After earning his sword and knighthood in heroic fashion against wights, vampires, and orcs, he embarks on […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-08-23T02:47:45+02:00August 23rd, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Celtic Mist by C.L. Nightjar

Celtic Mist by C.L. Nightjar

An epic and erotic journey of youthful adventure, Celtic Mist by C.L. Nightjar is an immersive experience that will thrill historical fiction, romance, and fantasy lovers alike. Driven by honor and desperation, this is a deeply moving tale of loss, grief, redemption, and revenge, all set among a stunning depiction of Ireland’s rough-hewn beauty.

Declan is a charmingly naive protagonist, at least at the beginning of the novel, but readers see him mature quickly into a rugged hero. An unexpected promotion to the Captain’s Crusaders gives him the sudden pride of belonging, perhaps for the first time in his life. […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-08-22T10:42:27+02:00August 19th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Romance Book Reviews|

Review: Kelly is Unbreakable by Jackson Keller

Kelly is Unbreakable by Jackson Keller

A surprisingly deep musing on trust, power, truth, and friendship, Kelly is Unbreakable by Jackson Keller is a unique and suspenseful YA thrill. Exploring personal boundaries, and perhaps even finding the edge, this super-powered debut novel takes adolescent exploration to an inventive new level.

Kelly has grown up in the shadow of what’s “wrong” with her, and while age has taught her discretion, her superhuman strength is starting to show, just as it did a decade earlier, when her only friend Chris discovered her dangerous secret. After a lifetime of hiding, Kelly may finally be forced to come into the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-09-29T02:51:26+02:00August 17th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: YA Fantasy Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Surviving the College Admissions Madness by Kevin Robert Martin

Surviving the College Admissions Madness by Kevin Robert Martin

An unflinching and savagely honest review of the college admissions process and modern-day higher education as a whole, Surviving the College Admissions Madness by Kevin Robert Martin is a must-read for those who are entering the convoluted system of university life.

Unlike so many other books on the admissions process, this revelatory read begins with the author’s simple premise – that elite colleges don’t care about their applicants or future students, seeing them merely as investments. Martin argues that the process of gaining admittance has become so cutthroat and competitive that it is genuinely traumatic for tens of thousands of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-09-28T03:02:10+02:00August 15th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Education|

Review: The Wolf Lords by F.T. McKinstry

The Wolf Lords by F.T. McKinstry

A masterfully detailed second installment of the Fylking series, The Wolf Lords by F.T. McKinstry is an immersive fantasy novel mixing well-known mythology with complex layers of magic, political intrigue, ancient traditions, and noble heroes.

Vaethir, the immortal warlock and destroyer of the Math Gate, has gathered an army on the other side of the Veil, but his single-minded drive for revenge against the woman who permanently wounded him means returning to Math by other means. Then there is Leofwine, a ranger and apprentice to the Order of Fenrir, who bears a mountain of grief for his dead lover and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-09-27T09:22:08+02:00August 14th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|