Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Where’s… Eli? by Alex S. Avitabile

Where's... Eli? by Alex Avitabile

The disappearance of a less-than-trustworthy lawyer kicks off a hectic crime-solving spree in Where’s… Eli? by author Alex S. Avitabile. This second book in the Al and Mick Forte crime series is just as authentically penned and suspenseful as the first, but can also stand alone as an entertaining piece of crime fiction.

Al and Mick are cousins who go way back, their childhoods, neighbors, lives and relatives tangled up in the complex social web of Brooklyn in the 50s and 60s. Having your bloodline brush up against organized crime is far from unusual, and despite Al now being a […]

Review: A Thousand Miles to Nowhere by David Curfiss

A Thousand Miles to Nowhere by David Curfiss

Matt Tanner has already seen a lifetime’s worth of death and desiccated corpses, but his horrors are only beginning in the complex apocalyptic ride, A Thousand Miles to Nowhere by David Curfiss.

15 years after a zombie virus burns through the human population, leaving only a few scattered settlements in a gutted world, a new normal has been found, but uncertainty is the only constant left. When a wounded scavenger is brought back to Tanner’s camp deep in the Laguna Mountains, the ragtag survivors there have no idea they’ve opened the door to their own destruction.

With their bastion of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-28T04:40:24+02:00February 5th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Post-Apocalyptic Book Reviews, Zombie Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Void Revealed by Stephen J. Ethier

The Void Revealed by Stephen J. Ethier

Power struggles abound in the city of Windhold, the entrancing setting for Stephen Ethier’s new science fiction and fantasy novel, The Void Revealed.

Centuries have passed since the last winds of Fury blew through the basin, scorching and burning all that lay in its path. Safely atop the Spire, the city of Windhold now braces for another period of devastation as the Void beneath their feet again turns into a violent realm of death and destruction.

However, there is far more to the Fury than meets the eye, and the tenuous balance of power between the Brotherhood of the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-05T05:34:22+02:00February 4th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Pattern Maker by Richard Snodgrass

The Pattern Maker by Richard Snodgrass

Murder and mysticism weave within the turbulent times of the 1970s Rust Belt in Richard Snodgrass’ new novel, The Pattern Maker. Subtle thematic elements of media consumption and the blending of reality and fantasy swirl around a violent spate of murders in Pittsburgh, a troubled city with a strange allure and a powerful heartbeat that permeates these pages.

Paul Slater, the honorable center point of this story, is a restless mill worker who returns to his hometown of Furnass after years of haunting military service. Perennially ready to fight for the underdog and put his life on the line […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-25T11:39:48+02:00February 2nd, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Aetherstorm (Songs of Sarin) by Alexander Ferrick

Aetherstorm (Songs of Sarin) by Alexander Ferrick

An eclectic group of warriors are each drawn to an epic tournament to the death in Aetherstorm (Songs of Sarin), the blistering new novel from author Alexander Ferrick.

A horde of demons has decided to challenge the dominion of the elven royalty by luring the greatest warriors of the land to a battle royale. Everyone traveling to the tournament, and their subsequent storyline, is driven by very different aims. There are the orphans Garron and Luca, who are seeking to avenge the death of their magical mentor and fully test their burgeoning powers. Prince Maronir, however, is determined to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-19T07:21:10+02:00January 29th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Saga of Ol’ Rausch by Nick LaTorre

The Saga of Ol' Rausch by Nick LaTorre

Author Nick LaTorre beckons readers into The Saga of Ol’ Rausch with a mischievous and knowing Cheshire Cat grin. This trilogy celebrates the immortal escapades of Rauschmonstrum, the greatest being in human history, capable of true miracles and magic unmatched on Earth. This aptly named saga stretches from Jerusalem to the White House and everywhere in between, delivering a fictional tongue-in-cheek history of the world as we know it.

Beginning back in the time of Jesus, Ol’ Rausch details how it was he who elevated Jesus of Nazareth to such heavenly heights, describing the Savior as nothing more than a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-18T10:55:34+02:00January 24th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Satire Book Reviews|

Review: Joe’s Odyssey by Nick LaTorre

Joe's Odyssey by Nick LaTorre

Sent on a seemingly harmless client meeting for his boss, Joe Kerson has no idea that his life is about to take a wild turn in Joe’s Odyssey by Nick LaTorre. Dreaming of making a drastic change in life is something to which most readers can relate, giving this wild and unpredictable adventure broad appeal.

Joe Kerson is used to people walking all over him, but with a single shove, he finds himself the new owner of a luxury yacht, and eight suitcases overflowing with mob money. The only problem is that he has no idea what to do next, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-17T08:20:54+02:00January 24th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Lamellia: The Wizard in the Forest by Gloria D. Gonsalves, Illustrated by Silja Schüler

A young mushroom heroine is the protagonist of Lamellia: The Wizard in the Forest, a whimsical and meaningful children’s book by Gloria D. Gonsalves. Family revelations, magical/musical defenses, and a heartwarming resolution round out this parable, which is accessible for a wide age range.

Tiara is the strong-willed protagonist of this beautifully illustrated children’s book. The princess of Lamellia, Tiara embarks on a quest to find a missing friend and discover the secret of her own past. Tiara was born a human, but was taken in by King Polipoli and Queen Nobilia after being orphaned in the forest […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-17T08:18:19+02:00January 14th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Children's Book Reviews|