New Releases | Self-Publishing Review

Song of Lilith by Andrew Chiniche

Song of Lillith by Andrew Chiniche Fiercely retelling the oldest chapter of Christian mythology, Andrew Chiniche has created an evocative and poetic epic with his newest work, Song of Lilith.

Representing the sinful, lustful, self-aware, rebellious, and untamed nature of humankind, specifically womankind, Lilith and her ilk have long been cloaked in biblical shadows and mystical rumors. Beginning with her deflowering by Adam in the Garden of Eden, finding refuge in the arms of Samael the archangel, and her legendary manipulation of Eve’s appetite, this is a biblical story few have ever heard. However, Chiniche’s portrait goes much further, with Lilith existing in different forms […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-12T11:23:44+02:00April 11th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews|

Shades of Thorne Creek by Alan Havorka

Shades of Thorne Creek by Alan Havorka is a fascinating social novel following the fate of a small town population in the mid-1970s trying to survive in the midst of industrial decline, for a searing and emotive portrait. Havorka brings to life the provincial frustration against a period backdrop, teasing out the delicate personal relationships that define people and the paths they take, with sometimes tragic consequences.

Our unnamed narrator arrives in Emery, South Dakota, a perfectly normal if somewhat barren Great Plains town that has clearly seen better days, organized around a local grain elevator. Having noticed with a […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-04-11T15:13:59+02:00April 11th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Artefactum by J.E. Tobal

Artefactum by J.E. Tobal Tapping into the endless possibility of multiverse theory, author J.E. Tobal mixes up a gritty sci-fi masterpiece of lost love, desperation, and cross-dimensional adventure in his new novel, Artefactum.

A grief-driven antihero with a dimension-leaping talisman and a drinking problem is about as unlikely a protagonist as one could imagine, but Sam is irresistible, oddly charming, and admirable in both his principles and passions. Seeing a character depicted in true love, and then facing devastating loss, is instantly bonding for the reader to follow this character wherever he goes, even beyond the bounds of reality itself. This quixotic quest […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-11T13:04:19+02:00April 7th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Once Upon a Wonderland by DJ Stoneham

A swirling return to the dark whimsy of a familiar setting, Once Upon a Wonderland by DJ Stoneham details Alice’s fourth adventure to the time-spinning world of Cheshire cats and mad queens, and is as inventive and immersive as all of her previous trips.

As ever, the lessons learned on the other side of the looking glass have impacted her normal life. Her lost love, Jack Door, the black-feathered boy from her third trip, has never had an equal among Alice’s real-world suitors, so she longs to return. A tense family trip to the seaside yanks this older and wiser […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-07T11:56:02+02:00April 6th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

The Kitchen and the Studio by Mallory M. and John A. O’Connor

The Kitchen and the Studio by Mallory M. and John A. O’Connor The Kitchen and the Studio: A Memoir of Food and Art by Mallory M. and John A. O’Connor is a unique take on the memoir – a life told not just through words, but also through paintings, photos, and recipes, for an enchanting combination of media. The O’Connors share their original journey across the years and places of their lives, punctuated by artwork by themselves or their friends, and by recipes taken from a moment or incident at a specific point in their enduring story.

Mallory “Mal” O’Connor narrates the book, covering her early life on a California ranch in […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-04-05T16:20:08+02:00April 4th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Art Book Reviews, Cookery Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Cobra Pose by Susan Rogers & John Roosen

Cobra Pose by Susan Rogers and John Roosen Two amateur sleuths unravel a viciously clever scheme to destabilize Australia and rob it blind in Cobra Pose by Susan Rogers and John Roosen, the second installment of their fast-paced Yoga Mat Mysteries series.

When Elaina’s father drops off the map following a cryptic phone call, she turns to her freshly returned lover, Ric, for his specialized help. Their hunt soon reveals that her father’s disappearance is linked to an imminent cyber-attack that could ravage global markets. Elaina’s courtroom-sharpened wits and enlightened yogi mind combine well with Ric’s pragmatic perfectionism and spycraft-level problem-solving, making their interactions authentic and charming, while […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-05-08T18:24:55+02:00March 20th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Mystery Book Reviews|

Hold Circulation by Syntell Smith

Hold Circulation by Syntell Smith A character-driven drama that spotlights the beauty of banality, and the shushed secrets that form the foundation of life, Hold Circulation by Syntell Smith is the third installment of his compelling Call Numbers series.

A story of redemption and personal revelation, bouncing around the stacks of a surprisingly drama-filled library, this novel peers into the pages of a dozen or so interconnected lives, revealing Janelle Smith’s plunge into parenthood, Gerry’s questionably criminal life choices, Angie’s late-night DJ dabbling, Heywood’s spiritual crises, and much more. Stretching far beyond the shelves of the 58th Street Branch, these are richly tangled tales from […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-03-16T14:31:18+02:00March 16th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

As Day Alights by Emma Mnaya-Buzy

As Day Alights by Emma Mnaya-Buzy Sagely addressing spiritual, societal, personal, and hopeful themes, Emma Mnaya-Buzy delivers a multifaceted and empowering work in her sophomore collection of poetry, As Day Alights.

Peppered with profoundly unique and powerful poems, such as the ominous and surreal “Quivering Light,” and the mystical “Kumbikumbi,” this collection defies classification and comparison. Mnaya-Buzy is boldly unafraid of slant rhymes, and cleverly blends rhyme patterns to create an unpredictable yet elegant rhythm in many of these pieces.

“Let Verse Pretend” is a particularly striking piece, with each stanza deserving deeper inspection, though the final hits hardest. There is no telling where […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-03-08T12:19:00+02:00March 7th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews|