Book Reviews

The latest indie book reviews from Self-Publishing Review

Review: A Grand Pause by Gary Santos

A Grand Pause by Gary Santos

Immersing readers in the tension, terror, and unpredictability of war, A Grand Pause: A Novel on May 14, 1945, the USS Randolph, Kamikazes, and the Greatest Air-Sea Rescue by Gary Santos is a uniquely penned blend of historical fact and well-informed fiction.

In the final months of World War II, with unimaginable losses on both sides of every battlefield, the Allied fleet has closed in on Japan, slowly choking the Empire as it island-hops toward a full-scale ground invasion. On May 14, 1945, yet another day that lives in infamy, flight squadrons are finally tasked to attack mainland Japan and […]

2024-09-09T11:25:35+02:00August 8th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: The Black Wall of Silence Part III by George H. Butcher III

The Black Wall of Silence: Part 3 by George H. Butcher III

In this third compelling section of George H. Butcher III’s The Black Wall of Silence series, readers are led from the macro issues of judicial impunity in previous installments to the micro level of a number of interlinked and particularly egregious cases in New York state. Examining specific judicial “conduct related to corruption” and utilizing an analytical approach to assess key decisions made by state, federal, and appellate court judges, this book is a methodical and relentless takedown of these “judicial monsters in a real-life horror story.”

While the previous two books in this three-part series addressed many of the […]

2024-09-06T15:54:04+02:00July 31st, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Critical Musings from a Traditionalist by Jocelynn Cordes

Critical Musings from a Traditionalist by Jocelynn Cordes

Delivering a wide-ranging and perceptive thesis on the state of American society today, Critical Musings from a Traditionalist by Jocelynn Cordes is a timely piece of social critique.

Presenting a kaleidoscope of anecdotes, events, and key issues reweaving the fabric of modern America, this collection of essays is a carefully crafted hot take on the things that divide us. Whether reflecting on the hidden agenda of recent protest movements, the fundamental shifts happening in our education system, governmental oversight and overreach, or the obsession with defining and defending patriotism, these hard-hitting essays run the gamut of social media, smear campaigns, […]

2024-09-06T15:52:26+02:00July 30th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Ira by Jason F. Boggs

Ira by Jason F. Boggs

Packed with dreams of vengeance, intergalactic scheming, and even some sci-fi levity, Ira by Jason F. Boggs is an unpredictable new chapter in the Devil’s Dragon series.

After her epic defeat at the hands of Nelson, Alene, Wong’s Pirates, and an alliance of fearless humans, the villain Ira Bilis has fled to the shelter of the stars, furiously plotting her next move in a war she refuses to abandon. After following a quantum-jumping orb through a sungate to a new star system, Ira finds an enigmatic but untrustworthy ally who sought her out to join forces and rule at her […]

2024-09-06T15:51:26+02:00July 30th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

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 […]

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

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 […]

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

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[…]

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

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 […]

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