Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Shadow of the White Bear by J.W. Webb

Shadow of the White Bear by J.W. Webb

A high-fantasy feast for fans of the genre, Shadow of the White Bear by J.W. Webb is the perfect final chapter to the brilliantly crafted Berserker trilogy, part of the larger Legends of Ansu series.

Jaran Saerk continues his hero’s journey, returning with Savarna to face the sinister force that is Sheega the witch on Valkador. What neither realize is that the element of surprise is gone, and an even greater evil lingers in the shadows, waiting for its chance to strike a devastating blow. Desperate to find their friend Finvar, but also wary of the deadly dangers that await […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-07-19T02:42:49+02:00June 17th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Adopted Son by Claude Renaud

The Adopted Son by Claude Renaud

Unbreakable ties across time and a brilliant snapshot of untold history make The Adopted Son by Claude Renaud a gripping, perspective-shifting thrill.

A mysterious figure from Paul Quinn’s past appears in Sydney two decades after their fateful encounter in the days leading up to the fall of Saigon. After hearing Hao Tran’s story of struggle, and feeling sympathetic to the plight of Eric, her son, whose father was one of Quinn’s fallen military comrades, this retired spy’s quiet life turns upside down, and long-buried heroism bubbles to the surface.

Not only does he adopt a fatherly approach to this unexpected […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-08-02T03:51:28+02:00June 15th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Susan: A Jane Austen Prequel by Alice McVeigh

Susan: A Jane Austen Prequel by Alice McVeigh

Fans of Jane Austen and Victorian literature will be easily enraptured by Susan: A Jane Austen Prequel by Alice McVeigh. Honoring the original voice of characters more than two centuries old, and capturing the subtle tension and emotional complexity of youthful independence, this stylistic gem is an ambitious and memorable homage.

The novel delves into the untold story of one of Austen’s most original antagonists – Lady Susan – in her early years as a disruptive force. After her insolence gets her kicked out of a boarding school, it is decided that she will be sent away to become more […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-01-24T08:04:13+02:00June 15th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Generation AI by Katerina Thomas PhD

Generation AI by Katerina Thomas

Delivery a hard dose of reality, and a realistic path forward, author Katerina Thomas neatly outlines the monumental changes coming to our world in the form of artificial intelligence – and how it will affect all of life as we know it – in Generation AI: The Rise of the Resilient Entrepreneur.

Many may be vaguely aware of the AI storm brewing on the horizon – one that will make millions of jobs obsolete as they are done more efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively by hyper-precise machines, or executed expertly by intelligent algorithms. Like so many other looming crises in […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-11-08T16:21:57+02:00June 14th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Social Science Book Reviews|

Review: Summer of Haint Blue by Jimmie Martinez

Summer of Haint Blue by Jimmie Martinez

Author Jimmie Martinez captures the raw, beautiful, and painful truths of both the rural and urban South during the 1960s in his YA novel, Summer of Haint Blue. A long-form narrative study on race relations and a deep dive into that tumultuous decade, this novel is draped with Spanish moss and bayou personality, which help to top-dress the strong and compelling plot.

Told through the eyes of Justin Couvillion, a teenage boy coming to terms with his own family history and their Cajun roots, while also trying to understand the racism so embedded in Louisiana, even in his own […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-06-14T07:58:33+02:00June 13th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Apotheosis Now by Yanhao Huang

Apotheosis Now: Rabbit Hole to the Beyond by Yanhao Huang

For any embattled spirits looking for an honest path to self-understanding and happiness, Apotheosis Now: Rabbit Hole to the Beyond by Yanhao Huang is an excellent starting point.

As the title suggests, this book attempts to fast-track readers, or at least redirect them, to their highest form of self – their personal apotheosis – by explaining many of the obstacles, societal constructs, and mental blocks that prevent such a cognitive elevation. On this journey towards self-knowledge and self-examination, in which the ego is both ally and enemy, Huang asks many questions of the reader, which is potentially condescending in a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-07-15T02:03:08+02:00June 8th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Self-Help Book Reviews, Spirituality Book Reviews|

Review: The View from Breast Pocket Mountain by Karen Hill Anton

The View from Breast Pocket Mountain by Karen Hill Anton

Spanning decades and more than half the world, The View from Breast Pocket Mountain by Karen Hill Anton is a revelatory memoir like few others – a vibrant and unpredictable journey of perseverance, parenthood, and personal growth.

Navigating an unfair world as a young Black girl, the author was introduced early to the limitations of America, which set her gaze on the horizon from an early age. With her mother bouncing between mental institutions and nursing homes during her formative years, Anton became fiercely independent and ambitious, soon moving out and living in New York City to pursue her many […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-06-08T07:08:40+02:00June 8th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: Song of All Songs by Donna Dechen Birdwell

Song of All Songs by Donna Dechen Birdwell

Donna Dechen Birdwell has crafted an immersive and visceral vision of the future with Song of All Songs, a novel that begs to be savored like few others in recent memory. In an unspecified future Earth, after humanity has once again been decimated and reborn, this first installment of the EarthCycles series plays out as both a wonderful adventure and a well-crafted prophecy.

A rare treasure and a hidden gift leads Meridia on a journey that will uncover the truth of her past, her family, and the fate of the world as she knows it. After being separated from […]