Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Water Lust by Gerhard Pohle

Water Lust by Gerhard Pohle

A revealing and eidetic tour through the life of a perennial adventurer, Water Lust by Gerhard Pohle is a meticulously crafted and inspiring memoir for weekend warriors and veteran wanderers alike.

Bouncing from India and Madagascar to Indonesia, Germany, and more, the author’s life began as an “international vagabond,” forcing him to adapt and make connections quickly, as his father’s work took their family across the world. Navigating the troubles of high society, boarding school isolation, early romantic interests, and the emotional topography of his own family, the first half of the book takes an unflinching look at a truly […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-09-06T15:51:54+02:00July 29th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: Making Money Real by BJ Chippindale

Making Money Real by BJ Chippindale

A mind-expanding thesis on the vital overlap of human nature and natural law, Making Money Real: The Radical Anti-Capitalism of Thermodynamics by BJ Chippindale deconstructs the concepts of currency, debt, ownership, and capital, presenting a compelling manifesto for a new generation.

In this radical and essential mixture of economics and natural science, Chippindale asks if the energetic exchange of atoms in the cosmos or food in our digestive system is all that different from the churn of currency through a society or community. Basing his cogent argument on the alignment of thermodynamic laws with the creation and perpetuation of money […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-09-04T16:34:54+02:00July 25th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Economics Book Reviews|

Review: Ugliest by Kelly Vincent

Ugliest by Kelly Vincent

Following the powerful YA novels Ugly and Uglier, author Kelly Vincent takes readers on a profound journey through the tumultuous life of seventeen-year-old Nic Summers in Oklahoma City in Ugliest, the final chapter of The Art of Being Ugly series. In this inspiring, empowering, and emotional novel, Vincent intricately weaves themes of identity, resilience, and social justice into the strongest installment of the series.

Continuing to delve into the intricacies of self-acceptance and societal perception, this installment builds on the strong foundations laid by its predecessors. Where Ugly introduced readers to the harsh realities of self-image and Uglier[…]

Jeyran Main2024-08-27T07:51:10+02:00July 25th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews|

Review: Pearls: Parenting Practices by Lisa Guy, Illustrated by Cameron Shields

Pearls - Parenting Practices by Lisa Guy

A beautifully constructed guide aimed at navigating parenthood, Pearls: Parenting Practices by Lisa Guy is a thoroughly unique combination of parenting memoir, self-help aphorisms, and actionable steps for raising children.

Layed out in part like a children’s book with exquisitely rendered illustrations by Cameron Shields, each chapter begins with a short stanza about the next stage of a child’s life before Guy expands on her personal experience, talking freely about the process of trial and error that helped her raise her five children. From sleep to breastfeeding, solving parental tensions to devising kids’ games, the book answers practical questions about […]

Marina Dora Martino2024-08-20T12:18:01+02:00July 23rd, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Parenting Book Reviews|

Review: The Citadel by Frank Dravis

The Citadel by Frank Dravis

Power-hungry corporations, priestly pirates, extraterrestrial warriors, benevolent guardians, and the ghosts of ancient aliens collide in The Citadel by Frank Dravis, the explosive third installment of his Dianis, A World in Turmoil series. A female-led epic that brilliantly blends classic and contemporary sci-fi themes, this adventure of cosmic protectors and priceless planetary bounty is a meticulously written marvel.

Disguised as a simple Dianis trader, Achelous has been captured and is now being shipped to the heart of the Nak Drakas Empire, where he faces a potentially gruesome fate for his supposed crimes, but one of his clever captors suspects that […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-07-24T13:00:29+02:00July 23rd, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Paradox by Michael Woudenberg

Paradox by Michael Woudenberg

The essence of humanity is challenged by the sentience of technology in Paradox by Michael Woudenberg, a timely and ominous first installment of The Singularity Chronicles.

Apparent heirs to a world-changing legacy, Kira and Noah are first linked to the field of AI by the loss of their mother and the potential of their absent father’s genius to extend her consciousness beyond death. Kira gravitates to the academic realm, excelling in her studies and research as she tries to shed the unavoidable shadow of her father. Noah instead pushes back against the technology that “stripped his mother of her […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-08-19T12:39:09+02:00July 23rd, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Good Pastures by Sylvia Anne Pollard

Good Pastures by Sylvia Anne Pollard

Steeped in contemplation and the solace that only time can bring, Good Pastures: A Place to Feel Ones Deepest Heartaches by Sylvia Anne Pollard is a moving testament to the human spirit and the healing power of the divine. As a devoted mother and a powerful warrior of faith, this resilient poet has alchemized pain into stark and empowering verse.

The loss of a child is an unimaginable tragedy for parents, and the weight of Pollard’s loss is heavy on these pages. The poet’s stated purpose is to transmute the grief over Payton’s death into words of comfort and encouragement […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-07-15T11:36:23+02:00July 14th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews, Religious Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Dissonance Volume Zero: Revelation by Aaron Ryan

Dissonance Volume Zero: Revelation by Aaron Ryan

Humanity falls under a shadow of doom when a mysterious alien force arrives on Earth in Dissonance Volume Zero: Revelation by Aaron Ryan, a revealing and suspenseful starting point to this riveting series.

In this dramatic prequel, hundreds of thousands of tentacled aliens descend into the atmosphere, hovering ominously for months, spreading a blanket of fear and dread across the world with their unspoken intent. Within this reality-redefining invasion, Andrew Shipley, a dedicated firefighter and devoted family man, must navigate his personal terror about keeping his beloved wife Melissa and their three children safe from the unfolding apocalypse.

Most readers […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-08-08T18:18:29+02:00July 11th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|