Book Reviews

The latest indie book reviews from Self-Publishing Review

Review: Blood and Tradition by Marc Keyner

 Blood and Tradition by Marc Keyner

An unlikely crew of allies must transcend all that attempts to divide them in Blood and Tradition by Marc Keyner, a thoughtful and entertaining fantasy escape into the fascinating land of Ylliora.

Desperate to give his unborn Half-Orc child a chance at survival, Mos plans to smuggle his still-pregnant partner, Ella, to a safe harbor and a new life with the help of an old seafaring friend. However, Captain Phara Everbloom has problems of her own, thanks to a power-hungry rival in town intent on squeezing her profits, sinking her reputation, and even assaulting her crew. Before Phara can sneak […]

2024-10-11T08:22:56+02:00September 6th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Children of Sorrow by Marc Keyner

Children of Sorrow by Marc Keyner

An unexpected showing of family unity amidst palace intrigue and shadowy secrets, Children of Sorrow by Marc Keyner is a thrillingly dark and suspenseful continuation of the Tales of Ylliora series.

Dawson has spent a year trying to make a new life as a hauler down at the docks, scraping together coppers for honest work and keeping a watchful eye on his chosen community. However, given that his father is the Master of Spies in a city like Moncragh, Dawson can never fully escape the past, nor the wide array of deadly skills in which he was secretly schooled.

When […]

2024-10-09T11:50:01+02:00September 6th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: The Evolution of Nora O’Brien Pacheco by Kevin O’Flaherty

The Evolution of Nora O'Brien Pacheco by Kevin O'Flaherty

An international coming-of-age novel, The Evolution of Nora O’Brien Pacheco by Kevin O’Flaherty tells the story of a brilliant and ambitious Basque girl whose life is upended by a startling revelation. Straightforwardly written, but still profound in its emotional scope, the novel can inspire young readers to achieve what they want in life, while also delving into important topics such as education, family, friendship, and grief.

Nora is a seventeen-year-old girl from Bilbao who, as the title suggests, is going through a time of great change not only in the plans she has for her own future, but also in […]

2024-10-02T09:26:49+02:00September 6th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Louis Pasteur Condemns Big Pharma by Stephen Heartland

Louis Pasteur Condemns Big Pharma by Stephen Heartland

A timely take on the current state of vaccination science and policy in America, Louis Pasteur Condemns Big Pharma: Vaccines, Drugs, and Healthcare in the United States by Stephen Heartland is an informative and potentially controversial guide for protecting your autonomy and health.

As the author reminds us in the opening pages, when it comes to pro-vaccine and anti-vax ideologies, people know where they stand, and the lines are pretty much set. Refreshingly, this book doesn’t attempt a complete takedown of Big Pharma, but is instead a well-structured presentation of arguments and potential solutions.

Beginning with an expositional chapter on […]

2024-09-27T12:22:07+02:00September 3rd, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Operation Nightfall: The Web of Spies by Karl Wegener

Operation Nightfall: The Web of Spies by Karl Wegener

Spiraling ever deeper into the historical tension, strategic alliances, and brinksmanship of Cold War politics, Operation Nightfall: The Web of Spies by Karl Wegener is a classic spy-vs-spy thrill.

A child of the Warsaw insurgency against the Nazis, Ada Bialik is a fearless and determined sleeper agent with a vengeful mission to complete, and she hopes her new position as a teacher in occupied Poland will be the last step in a painfully long journey. However, the sentiments of Ada’s new neighbors are mixed, to say the least, regarding the Soviet rule and communist policies now “stabilizing” their lives. Remnants […]

2024-08-30T16:45:31+02:00August 30th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

2102: Pretense, the Play by William E. Jefferson

2102: Pretense, the Play by William Jefferson

A lyrical and multilayered exploration of humanhood, intelligence, art, and the future of all three, 2102: Pretense, the Play by William E. Jefferson challenges form, function, and the rules of reality.

On a distant stage where technology and theatrical performance are inseparable, a scribe must attempt to capture what wisdom can be found in the tragedy of that time, and bring it back for those who might prevent it. Within that paradoxical premise, Quill is a writer caught in this “maddening drama,” but fortunately he has the sage company of a feathered friend, Loreto, to accompany him on his mission […]

2024-09-16T18:01:29+02:00August 26th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: The Gemini Project by Ian Moran

The Gemini Project by Ian Moran

Author Ian Moran paints a terrifying picture of moral collapse in the guise of progress in The Gemini Project, a timely dive into the worst fears of humanity’s fate.

In a climate-ravaged future, society has solved the problem of ecological destruction and greed through a severe yet subtle program of population control. For students at The Corpo Academy for Development, this means being separated from their fathers for the first eighteen years of life, avoiding any education that might inspire critical thought, and dedicating themselves to physical development in preparation for their post-graduation purpose.

Jan Ericson is not your […]

Review: The Velvet Hammer by Chief Judge Belvin Perry, Jr. and Amy Mitchell

The Velvet Hammer by Judge Belvin Perry Jr.

Bridging the traditional boundaries of personal and professional life, Chief Judge Belvin Perry, Jr. offers an eye-opening peek into the American justice system with The Velvet Hammer, a powerful memoir laced with revelatory insight about some of the most memorable, challenging, and heinous cases of his career, including the Casey Anthony case, which brought him intense scrutiny and notoriety.

Born in 1949 and coming of age in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, Perry developed a deep understanding of systemic fractures in America, but also recognized the life-changing leaps toward racial equality that were gained during his generation. […]

2024-08-19T12:59:45+02:00August 19th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |
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