New Releases | Self-Publishing Review

Predict Your Success by Joseph Olaoye

Drawing on a broad spectrum of fields and perspectives, Predict Your Success: Simple Strategies to Help You Discover Your Strengths, Change Your Thinking, Create Your World and Change Your Life by Joseph Olaoye is an intuitive and impactful guide for discovering your authentic path and remaining resilient through life’s storms.

Broken up into three areas – Discovery, Succeed, and Perennial Success – this book is designed for those at any point on their personal journey. Beginning with the basics of overcoming internal obstacles, recognizing self-worth, and understanding the chaotic global context within which we live, Olaoye offers seemingly simple wisdom […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-12-30T05:06:08+02:00December 26th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Self-Help Book Reviews|

Death Honk: Nine Tales of the Macabre by JP Mac

Death Honk: Nine Tales of the Macabre by JP Mac A dark and unpredictable collection of truly strange stories, Death Honk: Nine Tales of the Macabre by JP Mac is gritty and nerve-wracking, shifting from psychological terror to classic creepiness with ease.

From brief vignettes of paranormal scenes to longer stories that hit hard with shock value, there is no clear continuity in these tales aside from their grim and horrific style. “Mark of the Bruja” is one of the strongest stories, with visceral characters, a well-formed plot, and a unique cultural perspective on the supernatural that may be new to many readers. “Devil Reef” is another memorable piece, and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-12-28T05:13:04+02:00December 26th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Horror Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews|

The Night Sender by Christina Tsirkas

A fantastical, erotic, and revelatory journey into self-discovery, The Night Sender by Christina Tsirkas is the story of a bold young woman who dares to challenge societal norms and cultural expectations at every turn.

A secretive coming-of-age ceremony brings together the free-spirited and open-minded Rose with the curious and daring Roosha, a mystical Night Sender whose only purpose in life is to deliver pleasure. However, their unique and surprising connection draws them both into a forbidden affair that will put their lives – both present and future – on the line.

Overflowing with blush-inducing language and perplexing emotional puzzles, this […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-12-21T06:15:47+02:00December 21st, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Erotic Book Reviews, Fantasy Book Reviews|

Katie: The Daughter Of by EM Green

Katie the Daughter Of by EM Green

A clever, thought-provoking, and unpredictable story of life as the teenage daughter of a grim reaper, Katie: The Daughter Of by EM Green is an original YA adventure.

Katie Death is used to her father being Immortal, and technically dead, but after countless moves, she is ready to find some sense of normalcy and connection. This amusing high school drama is predictable in certain ways – the struggles of fitting in, developing a crush, finding a tribe – but Katie also has to deal with the cosmic battles of good and evil that are commonplace under her roof. Bolstered by […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-12-17T02:54:51+02:00December 17th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

The Mob Zone by Joseph DeMatteo

The Mob Zone by Joseph DeMatteo A wise-guy wonderland of seedy deals, savage violence, and loyalty to the family, The Mob Zone by Joseph DeMatteo is a bold and entertaining collection of stories from the world of organized crime.

The three stories are unique in their own way, but fall in line with classic gangster narratives: untouchable tough guys with sharp comebacks and quick trigger fingers. These surprisingly complex, small-cast tales are driven by intense, multilayered dialogue – or other forms of communication, as in the case of the two mute assassins from “Driving in Silence,” one of the standouts in the collection. Perfectly polished for […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-12-08T07:13:50+02:00December 5th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Crime Fiction Book Reviews, Noir Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews|

It Happened in Silence by Karla M. Jay

It Happened in Silence by Karla M. Jay Embedded firmly in the past, but echoing eerily in our present, It Happened in Silence by Karla M. Jay is a novel ripped from the American shadows, a visceral peek at the darkness.

Willow Stewart is a mesmerizing and relentless main character, though her relationship with her brother, Briar, is the unbreakable engine that drives this slow-brewing story. This interwoven tale of family, resilience, betrayal, and the moral evolution of a nation is powerful and stirring, but also subtle and humble in its storytelling. The novel is a striking meditation on America of the past and present, particularly when it […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-12-04T05:50:25+02:00December 2nd, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Literary Fiction Book Reviews|

Cloud Thoughts by Daniel Strong

Cloud Thoughts by Daniel Strong A visceral and heartfelt work of lyrical poetry, Cloud Thoughts by Daniel Strong explores the trials and tribulation of everyday love, loss and living, for an intimate, confessional collection.

Without the typical adornments of romantic poetry, these pieces, with titles ripped from the heart of the verses, are more reminiscent of song lyrics, or stream-of-consciousness recollections. From the endless longing of unrequited love to whimsical musings on drunken nights out, these poems range widely in both subject matter and seriousness. That sort of flexibility works well in these primarily narrative pieces, giving readers a multi-dimensional view of the poet’s heart […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-11-20T04:52:43+02:00November 19th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews|

The Shade Under the Mango Tree by Evy Journey

The Shade Under the Mango Tree by Evy Journey The Shade Under the Mango Tree by Evy Journey is a dazzling, globe-spanning tale of two interconnected lives, bound in an unlikely way, but forever changed by the connection.

From a simple lost notebook comes an unusual storybook romance, a tale of growing up and seeing the world, of saying goodbye and remembering lost things. Luna and Lucien are the star-crossed protagonists whose lives are dissected with intimate, in-depth character studies, making their unpredictable bond a pleasure to unravel.

Lucien’s discovery of Luna’s journal, and the eventual crossing of their paths, feels like the plot of a familiar romance, but […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-10-26T07:04:49+02:00October 23rd, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Romance Book Reviews|