Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Enok and the Womb of Gods by A. SkoroBogáty

Enok and the Womb of Gods by A. SkoroBogáty

A. SkoroBogáty’s motivating origin story from ancient sources twists established mythology and explores traditions of worship, gods, and legend in his evocative Enok and the Womb of Gods.

This epic fantasy explores politics, power, and belief in an ancient world, with added touches of mythology and fantasy expected in a story inspired by Old Testament verses and characters, as Enok battles from his life as a slave to a fighter, facing barbarians, pagan cults, and imprisonment. With a poetic touch to the fable-like writing that succeeds in convincing the reader the work could be written in Enok’s time, the […]

SPR2021-03-23T09:22:31+02:00February 15th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Foundra by Emmanuel M Arriaga

Foundra by Emmanuel M Arriaga

Timeless forces and fearless warriors collide in Foundra, a spectacular first installment of a new sci-fi series by Emmanuel M Arriaga.

When Neven Kenk, a genius-level engineer, is invited for a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with an ancient Founder at a legendary science institute, he has no idea the adventures that lie ahead of him. He is offered the chance the join the Founders’ Elite as a chief engineer, an incredible stepping-stone towards his aspirations of scientific glory. However, this job offer comes with some inherent risks to life and limb, not to mention having to be accepted by a crew […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-02-16T08:09:45+02:00February 9th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Playing Soldier by F. Scott Service

Playing Soldier by F. Scott Service

A riveting reflection on life, loss, service, and sacrifice, Playing Soldier by F. Scott Service is an original and intense memoir that shakes up one’s assumptions of a soldier’s life before, during, and after a conflict.

The majority of this book takes place during Service’s time in the military and while stationed in Iraq, but notably, most of the action takes place in his mind, in the gritty details of his internal monologue, the dark patterns of his thoughts, and the brutal conversations he has in the solitude of service; a soldier may not be allowed to speak his mind, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-02-17T08:47:19+02:00February 9th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Military Book Reviews|

Review: Waxing Pathetic by M. B. Clark

Waxing Pathetic by M.B. Clark

M. B. Clark plumbs the depths of her own life with dark humor in Waxing Pathetic: My Two Cents, For What They’re Worth. Detailing long-simmering stories from different seminal points in her life, as well as her contemporary thoughts on glass ceilings, self-erected brick walls, technology, and the elusive vapors of youth, this is far from your average memoir.

As the author humorously states in her introduction, this book attempts to “capture more precisely the actual conundrum of the inner workings of my so-called brain,” which is precisely what it proceeds to do. From the dissection of embarrassing childhood […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-03-15T09:01:30+02:00February 3rd, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: When A Rook Takes The Queen by Edward Izzi

When A Rook Takes The Queen by Edward Izzi is an intense urban thriller, taking its name from the Chicago Gambit, an opening used in chess that is widely thought of as a daring way to open the board for the game. The seamy streets of Chicago are the setting here, and the author weaves a set of similar moves into the story with his characters, creating an intriguing assassination puzzle for the reader to unravel.

When a Chicago Tribune reporter, the stubborn Larry McKay, investigates the murder of the city’s mayor, an African-America woman who had been seeking a […]

SPR2021-03-12T06:05:36+02:00February 1st, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Crime Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Falling by Marc Burgio

Falling by Marc Burgio

Author Marc Burgio weaves a tangled tale of desperation, murder, mercy and morality in his debut novel, Falling. A lifetime of missing memories, the sudden return of a long-lost cousin, and a stark confession of murder are the starting points for this wild revelation of a novel.

Multiple plot lines, timelines, and international adventures pepper this unpredictable story – the memoir of Julia, and the nearly unbelievable story that led back to her cousin’s door. Initially, we watch young Julia slog her way through California corner store jobs and retail prisons, wondering when the world will grant her a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-03-09T05:11:01+02:00January 28th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Who’s There? by Dimas Rio

Who's There? by Dimas Rio

Author Dimas Rio delivers a gut-twisting gathering of slow-burning horror in a new collection Who’s There? Taking readers into the traditions and mindset of Indonesia, these stories vary widely in their subject matter and characters, but they’re bound together through terror, skillful narration, and the collective fear of the unexplained.

Authors with a firm grasp on horror know how to imbue every page with creeping dread, coupled with the delicious instability of an untrustworthy narrator and the promise of a grim demise. The titular story is perhaps the strongest in the collection, but the others are also striking in their […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-02-26T11:27:51+02:00January 26th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Horror Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews|

Review: Swarm (Voidstalker Book 4) by John Graham

Swarm (Voidstalker Book 4) by John Graham

John Graham spirals deeper into the realms of high sci-fi with Swarm, the fourth thrilling installment of the Voidstalker series.

Gabriel Thorn’s daring and unauthorized behavior from previous books has put him in hot water with Red-Eye, the cold and calculating Director General of the DNI. Despite being manipulated and punished at seemingly every turn, even when his breaches of conduct serve the greater good, he remains a loyal voidstalker. He may be on administrative leave, but when an ancient evil is stirred up during a routine geological survey on a barren planet, threatening the DNI’s future, Thorn is […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-02-26T11:24:04+02:00January 24th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|