Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: After Olympus by Santiago Xaman

After Olympus by Santiago Xaman

Dabbling in mysticism, quasi-fiction, conspiracy theories, shadowy geopolitics and a healthy dose of mystery, After Olympus by author Santiago Xaman spans a broad and bizarre gamut of genres, making this an undeniably unique read in an age of carbon-copy thrillers.

The book is largely told directly from the mind of the apparent author, Santiago Xaman, with the novel presented as unearthed journal entries and scraps of memory. A screed of truth from a time in the past, these pages bear a secret that stretches from the 1960s to the modern day and beyond.

A downed Soviet spycraft bearing three mysterious […]

Review: Holding On: Stories of Furnass by Richard Snodgrass

Holding On by Richard Snodgrass

Brimming with rustic energy and written in an authentically American voice, Holding On by Richard Snodgrass is a surprising collection of stories that capture the rise and imminent fall of Furnass, a small American town like so many others.

In the industrial boom of the 20^th century, mill towns were enjoying their heyday, driving the great machine of the nation forward. Given the perspective of time, however, modern readers know that this would be a temporary golden age, one still gasping out its death rattles to this day. Within this framework of transient prosperity and bold hope for the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-12-03T10:48:06+02:00October 29th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Literary Fiction Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews|

Review: The Nawie by Alex J. Knudsen

The Nawie by Alex Knudsen

From the twisted depths of memory comes The Nawie, a haunting psychological thriller by author Alex J. Knudsen that will make you keep the lights on.

When Marcelina Bajorek and her boyfriend take a trip back to Poland to reconnect with her family, she has no idea what horrors from the past she is about to unleash. As Marcelina is soon to learn, secrets aren’t the only monstrous things left behind in her childhood.

The opening of this novel sets a tragic tone, with a mysterious midnight terror in rural Poland envisioned through the five-year-old eyes of Marcelina, on […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-11-21T08:01:06+02:00October 23rd, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Horror Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: Jacob’s Ghetto by Travis Peagler

Jacob's Ghetto by Travis Peagler

Rising above adversity is the powerful theme in Jacob’s Ghetto, the emotionally-charged story written by Travis Peagler for middle-grade and young adult readers.

Ten-year-old Jacob Kingsman was born with the cards of life definitely stacked against him. Living in the notoriously tough south side ghetto of Chicago, Jacob’s mother is a junkie who does nothing to provide the daily necessities for him, forcing Jacob to ask the owner of the corner market for a banana every day so that he has something to eat at night.

He and his best friend, Kenny, are harassed by Ja’heve, second in command […]

Marta Cheng2019-11-19T08:24:04+02:00October 22nd, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Exploration’s End: A New Orleans Mystery by George Sanchez

Southern charm and an old-fashioned mystery make for a great duo in Exploration’s End by George Sanchez.

After returning home to New Orleans, actor Jeff Chaussier has put his mediocre acting career on hold in order to find out what’s going on with his cousin, Cal. Rumor has it that his cousin is in the theater and is even dating an actress.

After some roundabout digging, Jeff suspects that drugs or sex may be involved but he also has other problems he has to deal with that involve facing the beautiful Bryna – who family and friends call his girl […]

Marta Cheng2019-11-14T08:28:33+02:00October 21st, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Mystery Book Reviews|

Review: The Legend of Deputy Jim by Dan E. Hendrickson

The Legend of Deputy Jim by Dan Hendrickson

Brimming with the rustic energy of the west, The Legend of Deputy Jim by author Dan E. Hendrickson is a story within a story that will rope you in faster than a rodeo show.

Founded on unusual storytelling exposition, this book details the long-winded legend of Jim Edwards, who begins this story as a superstar athlete and humble young graduate with his eyes on one thing: law enforcement. However, his journey is far from easy, and anything but typical.

Before he even begins his time on the force, Jim has mixed it up with the local biker gang that runs […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-11-06T11:15:57+02:00October 17th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Western Book Reviews|

Review: Simon’s Mansion by William Poe

Simon's Mansion by William Poe

Running from your present and confronting your past speak to the heart in Simon’s Mansion, a moving work of LGBT literary fiction by William Poe.

Not long out of rehab, Simon Powell returns to his hometown of Sibley, Arkansas, eager to leave behind his destructive life in Hollywood. Given his relatively young life, Simon is a man with many ex’s to his name – ex-husband of Masako, a Japanese woman he had briefly married, ex-cult member and former follower of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, and ex-junkie, with cocaine and crack his drugs of choice.

He’s also a former […]

Marta Cheng2019-10-14T11:42:43+02:00October 13th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, LGBTQI+ Book Reviews, Literary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Restrained Justice by Christopher Molleda

Restrained Justice by Christopher Molleda

Set a decade after the divisive pain of the Civil War, Restrained Justice is an intimate slice of history from Christopher Molleda that strikes hard at old American wounds, while still hitting plenty of modern nerves.

Though this is a work of historical fiction, the issues at hand and the drama that unfolds in the small Texas town of Seguin expose the dark legacy of racism and injustice in the United States. With expositional tact and narrative flair, Molleda sucks readers into another world – the true Wild West – forcing them to reflect on the past, and look in […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-10-11T10:07:10+02:00October 11th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Western Book Reviews|