New Releases | Self-Publishing Review

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|

Elephant Crusher by S.E. Bourne

Elephant Crusher by S.E. Bourne Telling a strongly autobiographical story through a collection of short stories and other prose, Elephant Crusher by S.E. Bourne is a brilliant piece of diaristic writing. From Sophia’s childhood spent swimming in the polluted river by her house, to her travels as a middle-aged woman, the collection is a clear, honest, and original work of autofiction with a delightfully dark sense of humor.

Sophia always felt aloof, including with her family; distant and troubled, her parents and relatives rarely made her feel cared for, both economically and emotionally. The deep traumas that scarred Sophia’s life, however, didn’t stop her – […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-03-03T18:41:48+02:00March 3rd, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Short Stories Book Reviews|

Jane Austen Time Traveler by Rachel Dacus

Jane Austen Time Traveler by Rachel Dacus Capturing the elegant yet tongue-in-cheek storytelling of the titular author herself, Jane Austen Time Traveler by Rachel Dacus is an enormously entertaining installment of the century-hopping Timegathering Series.

The manipulative and artist-eliminating Optimalists are at it again, this time attempting to rip out a key root of the feminist movement by erasing a legendary female writer from the canon. Thankfully, George St. James – gifted protector of the past – steps in to ensure that the world knows Jane Austen’s name, catapulting the aspiring writer two centuries into the future. A young Jane comes face to face with her […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-02-03T22:02:25+02:00February 3rd, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, Historical Fantasy Book Reviews, Time Travel Book Reviews|

Saturday by Cindy DeFuria

Saturday by Cindy DeFuria is a gripping YA novel following a teenager’s journey through bullying. Showing the darker side of ambition, DeFuria plunges the reader into a competitive New York school for young talents where friendships are hard to come by, and some might even turn dangerous.

It’s on a Saturday that Jessica’s mom breaks the news that they’re moving to New York in a few weeks. Despite her sadness about leaving California behind, Jessica is excited: what better place to shine as an actress and singer? Famous for producing several stars, her new school is full of driven, highly […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-01-27T12:29:58+02:00January 26th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

Godsmack Part I: The Mother Earth by Josie Peterson

Godsmack by Josie Peterson

A moving novel weaving together crime and romance, Godsmack Part I: The Mother Earth by Josie Peterson explores what it takes to heal from a traumatic past and still find the courage to love.

Yahn’s years in the corrupt corporate world are taking their toll – the dirty power dynamics, secret handshakes, and soulless money-grubbing are all gnawing at him. When one of his clients gets involved with a dangerous crime group, Yahn is forced to leave his job, as well as his boss and lover, Gregory, and move to the countryside.

With the help of his best friend George […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-01-26T13:42:24+02:00January 26th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

A Date with Lima by Dr. Michael Abraham

A Date with Lima by Michael Abraham A sensational and gripping memoir, A Date with Lima: Dreams Not Surrendered by Dr. Michael Abraham recounts the author’s tireless efforts to find his two young daughters when he discovered that their mother abducted them.

In July 1997, Brigitte Abraham told her ex-husband, a doctor and recovering alcoholic twenty years her senior, that she was taking their two children – Stephanie, age 9, and Lia, age 7 – on a vacation to her native Germany. What she did not tell him was that with the help of her boyfriend, a Peruvian foreign diplomat, she planned to disappear with the girls […]

SPR2023-01-24T17:44:01+02:00January 24th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

Marco, Pablo, and Olivia: Bella The Alpaca by Ana Cortes

Marco, Pablo and Olivia: Bella The Alpaca by Ana Cortes

Recounting a nostalgic adventure with a magical creature looking for a home, author Ana Cortes spins another heartwarming tale in Marco, Pablo, and Olivia: Bella The Alpaca. The three siblings once again face their fears and learn valuable lessons in confidence, forgiveness, and friendship as they work together to find their way home.

Just a week into their new lives on the coast of Ecuador, the siblings at the heart of this colorful series think back to a fond memory of their previous home when they tried to adopt a magical alpaca they had discovered in their yard. Their […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-01-10T17:13:03+02:00January 10th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Children's Book Reviews|