Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Pride of Ashna (Foundra Book 2) by Emmanuel Arriaga

Pride of Ashna by Emmanuel Arriaga

The fate of the Huzien Empire is once again threatened by unknown cosmic forces in Pride of Ashna by Emmanuel Arriaga, a jaw-dropping and imaginative sci-fi adventure that expands and improves on the first installment of the Foundra series.

Neven Kenk’s humble heroics continue in this fast-paced sequel, particularly once he discovers that the woman he loves is onboard a pleasure cruise that has been taken over by merciless space pirates in the Outer Rim. A dauntless warrior scarred by the trauma of intense loss as a child, Serah’Elax is a new and incredible protagonist in this female-fronted second installment, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-04-08T06:02:36+02:00June 6th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Quantum Code by Mark Langlois

The Quantum Code by Mark Langlois

A slow-burning thriller that mixes modern science with ancient prophecy and philosophy, The Quantum Code by Mark Langlois is an ambitious novel that will leave readers with as many questions as answers.

Two physicians from Christ Hospital, Jason Dolan and Sabrina Hawthorne, become inexplicably tangled up in a sprawling plot after Dolan is falsely accused of stealing narcotics and selling them on the street. When the FBI arrives at the hospital after a terrorist attack, Dolan’s arrest seems imminent, pushing him into the desperate decision to clear his own name as a vigilante investigator. Following a rapidly expanding ring of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-06-07T07:30:32+02:00June 5th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Infiltrate by K.C. Ale

Infiltrate by K.C. Ale

Infiltrate is a surprisingly complex novel for its size, with robust character development and a storyline peppered with deceit and mystery. Contrary to what the front cover shows, together with the suggestive title and a synopsis that may seem a shade too reminiscent of Fifty Shades, this isn’t a steamy, sex-filled romp of no consequence, but a multilayered character-driven romance.

Ashley, a young girl-next-door, is tasked with infiltrating the office of Caden Martini, COO and heir to the legacy of Martini Oates, Inc. She is intelligent yet feisty and takes the role of Caden’s temporary Executive Assistant in an […]

Josh Machado Halcro2021-07-13T06:35:42+02:00June 5th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Romance Book Reviews|

Review: Dark and Light Verse by Allen Lee Ireland

Dark and Light Verse by Allen Lee Ireland

Allen Lee Ireland offers a panorama of human experience with sage observation enmeshed in rhyme and an enjoyably unpredictable viewpoint in Dark and Light Verse.

At times infused with irony, at times with surprising tenderness, this most recent assemblage of Ireland’s poems is divided into seven equally evocative segments. “Children of Light” includes the thorny perspective of “Two Men in Love” who decide to jump off a cliff while at the apex of their relationship, and the “Hate Crime” of someone knocked down on an icy pavement who freezes to death alone:

How terrible to die
Without a soul

[…]

SPR2021-10-19T04:53:52+02:00June 4th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews|

Review: The Book of True Believer by M. Funk

The Book of True Believer by M. Funk

Author M. Funk dives deep into religion, power, love and deception with The Book of True Believer: A Tale of Awakening, a fearless and unforgettable novel that speaks to the fundamental flaws of human nature, exposing them with sharp and rare insight.

On the verge of leaving the world of faith healing forever, the enigmatic Jeremiah Promise is rejuvenated by the unexpected support of True Believer, a woman he had miraculously healed years earlier. Reinvigorated in his faith, and believing that their meeting was the sign he’d long been waiting for, he easily convinces her to join him on […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-06-28T02:00:43+02:00June 1st, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Literary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Starlight in the Dawn by Naveen Sridhar

Starlight in the Dawn by Naveen Sridhar

A thrilling and dramatic epic from one of the cradles of civilization, Starlight in the Dawn: The Poetic Priestess Who Chose to Fight by Naveen Sridhar is both majestic and accessible, an ambitious and symbolic novel that will transport readers in a deeply powerful way to the ancient past.

Enheduanna (Hedu) may be the daughter of a Mesopotamian emperor, but she is also an outspoken and bold protagonist, a fiery individual, and one who respects liberty and justice more than tradition. This belief draws her into righteous conflicts and divisive arguments, with everyone from laymen to kings. Whether training for […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-06-22T04:13:11+02:00May 20th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Doomsday Machine by Erick Drake

The Doomsday Machine by Erick Drake

Take a raucous ride through endless space, dark humor, and epic strangeness with The Doomsday Machine (Space Scrap 17 Book 1), a wild debut novel from Erick Drake. Magicians, alien war machines, spiteful coalescing gods, and one fearless scrap scavenger collide for a uniquely tongue-in-cheek space adventure.

Admiral Daryl is a scatterbrained, entertaining, and tone-setting figure, as well as the father of Daisy Daryl, the protagonist, a brand new captain in Daryl’s less-than-impressive space garbage-hauling fleet. The main conflict of the novel is not with her potentially chaotic first mission through a wormhole, but rather the contentious relationship with […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-11-18T05:01:25+02:00May 11th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Space Opera Book Reviews|

Review: Boomerang Will Not Return by David Crane

Boomerang Will Not Return by David Crane

A time-bending, history-shaping novel of wartime bravery in a sci-fi frame, Boomerang Will Not Return by David Crane is an original and well-penned adventure. Combine a seemingly simple Air Force mission with a once-in-a-lifetime astral event, and the result is a generation-spanning survival thriller with the highest stakes imaginable.

Deana Crown and Linda March are dominant protagonists who mirror one another’s heroics in both the past and present, fighting to prevent the Nazis from getting their hands on six nukes, and working to prevent World War 3 from breaking out with Russia in the present day. This dual plotline means […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-11T04:07:21+02:00May 3rd, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Time Travel Book Reviews|