New Releases | Self-Publishing Review

Bravely and Faithfully by Edward M. Hochsmann

Bravely and Faithfully by Edward Hochsmann A third high-seas thriller from the creative mind of Edward M. Hochsmann, Bravely and Faithfully adds stormy new flavor to his Cutter Kauai Sea Adventures series.

The fearless crew is tackling another covert mission near the Bahamas, in the aftermath of a violent storm, fresh off another heroic rescue. This time around, there is a new CO at the helm, and Captain Reardon’s introduction is a character shift that shakes up the bonds between crew members to keep the interpersonal dynamic fresh. Whether they are protecting the integrity of NASA rocket launches, intercepting high-payload drug drops, or acting as getaway […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-08-01T03:35:28+02:00August 1st, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Action and Adventure Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Mirror of Reality: Geb War Chronicles by Alexander Schmid

Mirror of Reality: Geb War Chronicles by Alexander Schmid The wildly magical imagination of fantasy author Alexander Scmid brings to life a hero’s journey of sword and sorcery in Mirror of Reality, a classic epic battle of wills, legends, and leaders with plenty of mythical beasts and lands to be explored in the Empire of Geb. Re-imagining many aspects of existing legends into a war of magnitudes, this novel’s impressive world-building and lore will be savored by fans of Arthurian fantasy.

Schmid’s writing style takes on the intricate, belabored pace beloved of many epic fantasy fans, similar to The Buried Giant or almost any Donaldson tome, with the […]

SPR2022-07-25T03:57:02+02:00July 22nd, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Journey to the Heartland by Xiaolong Huang

Journey to the Heartland by Xiaolong Huang A sprawling but delicate story of personal evolution, Journey to the Heartland by Xiaolong Huang expertly navigates the fine line between heartbreaking and inspiring.

Unpacking an abusive childhood as he strives for acceptance and perfection, Hanwei’s long journey away from innocence is remarkable in its stark detail. Juxtaposing the aspirational Chinese mindset of his youth with the free-thinking exploration of ideas in the west, this story is woven together on multiple levels, with themes of sexuality, cultural pressure, academia, and personal exodus, for a poignant meditation on freedom.

Examining whether we can ever truly be free of our past, Huang […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-07-22T03:15:15+02:00July 21st, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, International Fiction Book Reviews|

A Full Quiver by D.A. Callahan

A Full Quiver by D.A. Callahan A childless couple ends up taking in four youngsters in D.A. Callahan’s A Full Quiver, an affecting, poignant story about how parenting doesn’t have to be perfect.

Steve and Jennifer Mei Griffin run a security firm for the rich and famous in Washington, DC. They become guardians to their goddaughter after her parents’ untimely death, and through a strange series of circumstances, they end up housing three more kids over the next few months. Over the course of the story, the Griffins form a close-knit, unconventional family unit and must band together to fend off dangerous threats from the […]

Michelle Hogmire2022-07-11T06:19:30+02:00July 8th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Millie! The Last Chapters by Louis David Lavalle & Roseanne Lavalle

Millie! The Last Chapters by Louis David Lavalle Audiences will be inspired to hold their precious pets tight while reading Millie! The Last Chapters, the adorable true story of a cherished, special pooch by Louis David Lavalle and Roseanne Lavalle.

Louis and his wife Roseanne don’t call Millie a dog: they view her as a person and a special member of the family. Roseanne first spots the spunky Yorkshire Terrier in the window of a NYC pet store on a rainy Spring evening, the runt of a litter bred in St. Louis. With her big ears, left eye freckle, and resplendent gold and blue-gray coat, Millie soon […]

Michelle Hogmire2022-07-07T02:54:49+02:00July 7th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Pets Book Reviews|

Lucky Tom by Federico Muchnik

A crime thriller that feels ripped from the crises of today’s headlines, Lucky Tom by Federico Muchnik is a fast-moving and gritty peek into the streets.

The drug market in Boston is filling up with fentanyl, and bodies are beginning to drop on college campuses, bringing in Detective Del Vecchio to sniff out the murderous link in the chain. Lamont is a misguided young kid grief-stricken over his drug-sharing role in his own stepsister’s death. Tom is just an Uber driver who wants to make some extra cash dropping off deliveries for a slick French criminal named Francois Laax. Their […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-07-22T01:43:02+02:00July 5th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Sealed With A Lie by Brett Monk & McKenna Langford

Sealed With A Lie by Brett Monk & McKenna Langford Brett Monk and McKenna Langford do not disappoint with the thrilling continuation of their Moms Who Lie series, Sealed with a Lie.

This installment delivers mystery and action in equal measure as the main characters must unravel family secrets and murderous plots, in an expertly crafted whodunnit. Driven by a cadre of fascinating characters, their backstories sometimes go back decades, impacting the events unfolding in this small town, with the narrative hopping from one point of view to another, which adds layer upon layer to the mystery.

Readers will be easily drawn into the many angles of this complex […]

SPR2023-01-09T14:27:35+02:00June 24th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Mystery Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Tattered Coat by Mike H. Mizrahi

Tattered Coat by Mike H. Mizrahi A tense Tennessee drama set in the early 20th century, Tattered Coat by Mike H. Mizrahi is a powerful tale of Southern justice, racism, truth, and courage.

A ten-year-old already scarred by too much trauma and loss, Hickory Crabtree is the only witness to the violent murder of a young white woman in the woods. To save a wrongfully accused black musician from an inevitable lynching, Hickory must find his voice, speak truth to power, and overcome a lifetime of fear. Exploring not only the twisted tools of injustice that define America’s past, this book also strikes a contemporary chord, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-06-13T06:23:05+02:00June 10th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|