New Releases | Self-Publishing Review

Who Cares? by Dr. Melita J. Murray-Carney

Who Cares? by Dr. Melita J. Murray-Carney A helpful guide of spiritual writing prompts, Dr. Melita J. Murray-Carney’s Who Cares? is a relatable devotional journal that strikes a realistic balance between optimism and practicality.

Dr. Murray-Carney, a licensed clinical psychologist, grounds her work in both individual experience and scientific consensus, discussing her own success with journaling while examining the research about the therapeutic benefits of writing. The book is divided into well-organized themed sections called “seasons” that address subjects like personal growth, success, and change, covering the gamut of self-help issues. Readers are prompted to respond to specific questions of reflection, statements of positive affirmation, or direct […]

Michelle Hogmire2021-10-14T06:12:33+02:00October 14th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Religious Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Giving Back: Memories, Reflections, and Lessons Learned by Edward A. Joseph

Giving Back by Edward A. Joseph Wisely worded recollections from slightly simpler times, author Edward A. Joseph bares his soul in Giving Back: Memories, Reflections, and Lessons Learned, a heartwarming, powerful, and easy-to-read collection.

With an impressive career as a published storyteller, these personal and previously published stories are healthy, honest, and unafraid to probe the deeper meaning behind the simple joys and moments of life. From cinematic childhood misadventures as a caddy to his brief but hilariously recounted time as a car salesman, Joseph peels back his losses, victories, and discoveries with a smirk and a shrug.

Summoning full-bodied characters, eras, and visceral moments, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-10-13T08:05:25+02:00October 13th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

The Night Sky by C.A. Cordova

The Night Sky by C. A. Cordova A delightful and heartwarming adventure into a bitter winter world of precious narwhals, evil antagonists, missing grandfathers, and sacred duties, The Night Sky by C.A. Cordova is an innovative work of YA visionary fiction.

In a dystopian future, one young girl embarks on a journey to discover her birthright as she searches for someone she loves after he mysteriously disappeared in a vicious blizzard. However, she won’t be alone in her search – not after learning that her grandmother was once a legendary protector of the narwhals, just like her missing grandfather. As Nadia’s heroic young eyes are opened to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-10-11T05:56:54+02:00October 11th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: YA Fantasy Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Handing Down Hope by Nate Slaymaker

Handing Down Hope by Nate Slaymaker A refreshing and generation-spanning guide towards healthier communication and a brighter future, Handing Down Hope by Nate Slaymaker is a relatable map for the mighty task of parenting, coaching, or managing teenagers.

Through his own experiences with foster children, generations of students, and other assorted teenagers coming in and out of his life – some with significant challenges and unfair amounts of baggage – Slaymaker has constructed a succinct catalogue of lessons learned. The chapter framing is intriguing, laying out both the common errors and more effective strategies as binaries – rather than acting purely as a “how-to” book, it […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-10-07T06:53:17+02:00October 7th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Education, Parenting Book Reviews|

Lilly Of The Mountains by D.L. Yoder

Lilly of the Mountains by Daniel Yoder

Tragedy, greed, desire and freedom collide in Lilly of the Mountains by D.L. Yoder, a 1940s period novel of Colorado homestead life and the sweet satisfaction of self-discovery.

The fearless widow at the heart of this story is unrelenting in her quest for independence and true liberation – from money, from men, and from societal expectations. The forces that conspire to control her, woo her, or continue the patriarchal reign of her recent years, are no match for the cleverness and sheer will that this entrancing protagonist brings to every scene.

From the gossipy nature of small mountain towns to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-01-14T07:33:56+02:00October 5th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Women: Down Through the Ages by Jerry Schaefer

Women: Down Through the Ages by Gerald Schaefer

Women: Down Through the Ages by Jerry Schaefer is a sweeping, millennia-spanning study of how women have been categorically, intentionally, and cruelly excluded as equals in society. Whereas women were once revered as life bringers, worshipped as goddesses, and deferred to in matters of leadership, which drastically changed over the course of the past 2,500 years, this book outlines how and why that evolutionary regression took place.

In a raw and brutally honest historical review, Schaefer addresses a laundry list of areas where women have been forbidden from progress – from religious customs that have metastasized to define social and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-12-07T03:49:14+02:00September 30th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Social Science Book Reviews|

Starlight Legend by Alana Lee

Starlight Legend by Alana Lee An emotional allegory with flairs of Greek mythology, romance, and sci-fi, Starlight Legend by Alana Lee is a heartfelt novel about growing up, finding love, and staying true to yourself.

Elliana is just a high school senior trying to end her romantic drought with a dreamy date to the spring formal, but destiny has other plans for this heartbroken heroine. Born as an “old soul in a new world,” it isn’t long before Elliana summons herself to the fantasy realm that has filled her dreams.

After passing through the Tree Portal into the Seeking Realm, she embarks on an existential […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-09-27T08:20:40+02:00September 27th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: YA Fantasy Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

The Mills Kept Grinding by Martin Smallridge

The Mills Kept Grinding by Martin Smallridge is a harrowing depiction of World War II that fleshes out characters in stark detail – both the good and the brutal – in which readers can eerily see themselves on every side of the conflict. By the end, it is hard to imagine such a brutal and sadistic Europe, which acts as a grim recollection of the past, and a reminder of what humans are capable of in the present and future.