Book Reviews

The latest indie book reviews from Self-Publishing Review

Review: Behind the Paint by Marve Hendry

Behind the Paint by Marve Hendry

In his second poetry publication, Behind the Paint, Marve Hendry emphasizes the masks we wear to hide ourselves from a multitude of life’s quandaries, and occasionally, even from ourselves.

This emotive and engaging collection is divided into five sections, with each heading beginning with “Behind the…” In “Behind the I” the poet opens with “to whom it may concern” in which he examines and questions some common assumptions:

I can’t begin to imagine
where do beautiful things go
sometimes I can
but then I feel I shouldn’t

In “Diaries of an Insomniac,” the poetic protagonist tries to stay awake […]

2021-07-28T08:34:05+02:00July 9th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Human Rising by Roar Mikalsen

Human Rising by Roar Mikalsen

Author Roar Mikalsen has crafted a powerful argument against totalitarian thinking, the war on drugs, and other ills of a broken society in Human Rising: The Prohibitionist Psychosis and its Constitutional Implications. The title may be a mouthful, but this is a fascinating dive into the historical precedent, policy, and liberation from the prohibitionist mindset.

Beginning with a psychological and philosophical foundation for the status quo, and explaining how the masses are controlled with relative ease through a multifaceted strategy of fear and scarcity, the author wastes no time in reminding readers that they’re living in a carefully controlled […]

2021-07-12T07:46:05+02:00July 6th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: The Lost Princess of Story by Suzanne de Planque

The Lost Princess of Story by Suzanne de Planque

Author Suzanne de Planque weaves a marvelous new world for fairy tale and high-fantasy lovers alike in The Lost Princess of Story (The Chronicles of Story: Volume One). Blurring the lines between the hard and charming streets of Brooklyn and the mythology of Story, the place where all our fairy tales are true, this endlessly creative novel is an immersive new chapter to the tales we’ve known for generations.

Following a youthful band of unsuspecting heroes as they discover what a true adventure means, the Doors to Story begin to open, and these unsuspecting children are pulled back into […]

Review: To Right A Wrong by Roar Mikalsen

 To Right A Wrong by Roar Mikalsen

Unleashing a torrent of evidence and critical analysis on the concept of constitutional law and our troubled relationship to it, To Right A Wrong: A Transpersonal Framework for Constitutional Construction by Roar Mikalsen is a captivating read, and a critical argument for our times.

From the very first page, readers understand that this will be a unique book, one focused on deconstructing the status quo from the foundations through logic and innovative viewpoints, and break down the accepted paradigms of American life. The psychological influence that leads us to collective living, political rule, and ultimately subjugation, is explored in accessible […]

2021-07-12T07:44:31+02:00July 5th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Overboard Opportunities by Andy Simko

Overboard Opportunities by Andy Simko

Family values, joys, and crises form the framework for Overboard Opportunities, an engaging saga by debut novelist Andy Simko.

The Hutchfields – Grampa, Granma, and their daughter Emily, her husband Mike, and their two children Jacob and PJ – are close-knit and hardworking, but each one has small secrets and big plans. Their adventures begin when Grampa is building a sidewalk, helped clumsily by Jacob, who is most adept, it seems, at asking questions and arguing about the answers. But Jacob, if not a cement expert, is a baseball whiz and proud of it, and Grampa is supportive of […]

2021-07-26T02:43:00+02:00June 27th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Not Literary by Auriane de Rudder

Not Literary by Auriane de Rudder

Auriane de Rudder’s collection of short stories Not Literary is a showcase of an original narrative voice and gritty realism.

De Rudder’s stories are peopled with those you see at four AM, drinking like sunrise depended on it; the type of characters you partied with one night that you can barely remember. Reminiscent of Brett Easton Ellis, de Rudder explores many of the same themes – moving the time period from the eighties to the significant trials of this century. De Rudder has captured the aimlessness of post 9/11 youth, raised on cynicism and fear, when there wasn’t much else […]

2021-06-25T04:22:26+02:00June 24th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Sun Wolf (Space Unbound Book 2) by David C. Jeffrey

Sun Wolf by David C. Jeffrey

A stunning follow-up to the debut of David C. Jeffrey’s Space Unbound series, Sun Wolf is an invigorating shot of prophecy, elevating the stakes for this future world to a universal scale.

While the first book in the series sets the foundation of actors, alliances, advancements, and unique alien life forms, this sophomore serving delves deeper, exposing more complex enemies and a much larger conflict than mere resource squabbling. When the greatest discovery of Earth’s New Age of Space becomes unstable, everything humanity has fought for could be wiped out of existence.

The fearless Aiden Macallan, the eccentric Elgin Woo, […]

2021-07-20T06:07:33+02:00June 20th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Mommy, Daddy Please Teach Me! by Michael A. Brown

Mommy, Daddy Please Teach Me! by Michael A. Brown

A colorful, inspiring, and heartwarming children’s book, Mommy, Daddy Please Teach Me! by Michael A. Brown is a treasure trove of wisdom for young children. Exquisitely illustrated by Zoe Ranucci, this vivid storybook touches on some of the countless opportunities for learning that parents can share as their children grow.

From their very first lessons in life to more abstract ideas of self-esteem and joy, parents provide critical support for a child’s view of the world. Whether teaching a child how to cook, explaining the value and importance of money, or encouraging them to seek out professions that excite them, […]

2021-07-20T02:23:43+02:00June 20th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |
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