New Releases | Self-Publishing Review

Unafraid: A Survivor’s Quest for Human Connection by Niyati Tamaskar

Unafraid: A Survivor's Quest for Human Connection by Niyati Tamaskar Niyati Tamaskar boldly tells the story of her cancer journey in unabashed and fearless detail in Unafraid: A Survivor’s Quest for Human Connection.

For this active, healthy, happy and high-functioning author, the shock and impact of a breast cancer diagnosis is depicted with intense authenticity, but there is also an impressive matter-of-factness about the prose that doesn’t lean heavily on emotional musing. Beautiful moments of reflection are supported by displays of indomitable strength, which make it an essential read for anyone whose life has been touched by cancer.

Not only is this a viscerally descriptive narrative of a daunting […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-06-01T08:39:07+02:00June 1st, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Health Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Leo the Liar by Bernie Donnelly

Leo the Liar by Bernie Donnelly With a disagreeable and dishonorable, yet vaguely charming lout at its core, Leo the Liar is an amusing and unpredictable family drama from Bernie Donnelly.

After not seeing his father for decades, Leo decides to make the jump from Dublin to Florida and reconnect with the long-lost Milo. Awkwardness aside, Leo has grown up to be a smooth-talking liar, a charmer with a silver tongue, a conman with motives that are difficult to suss out. Not only that, but an attraction from Leo’s new stepmother threatens to rock the boat of familiar normalcy. Peppered with clever turns of phrase and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-06-01T07:57:53+02:00May 30th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Alpha (The Hierarchy Book 1) by I. Ogunbase

The world is divided between a decimated human race and roving bands of vampires in Alpha, the first book of the Hierarchy series by author I. Ogunbase.

In this hellscape of a near future, there are different breeds of vampires with different hungers and abilities – the Stalkers, the Mirrors, and the Ferals – immediately adding more complexity and originality to this crowded genre. As the seemingly mindless monsters grow more organized, representing a new challenge for walled-off defenders around the world, a key to humanity’s success is kidnapped, driving a crossbow-toting guard from the once-great city of London […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-05-29T09:22:57+02:00May 29th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Horror Book Reviews, Vampires Book Reviews|

When Life Was Like a Cucumber by Greg Wyss

When Life Was Like a Cucumber by Greg Wyss Author Greg Wyss expertly transports readers to the chaotic 70s with remarkable ease and charm in When Life Was Like a Cucumber. Following Jeffrey Hesse’s fiery split from his wife, this is a hilariously unpredictable story of his self-exploration, healing, liberation, and growth.

For those who lived through the 1960s and 70s, this book is a nostalgic plunge that practically exudes the whiff of patchouli, illicit substances, and motor oil. Couched in the tumultuous Watergate era, there is an unmistakable weight to this story as well, giving the book a relatability for modern readers who may have not lived […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-05-18T10:06:19+02:00May 17th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

The Court of Capricorn by Christopher Range

The Court of Capricorn by Christopher Range Sparkling with wit and a Shakespearean tongue-in-cheek style, The Court of Capricorn by Christopher Range is an inspired work of theatre with a backstory as grand as the cosmos.

When Capricorn summons the other twelve constellation-oriented individuals to his court, it is proposed as a time of celebration, but the reality of this cosmic convention may be something quite different. Half fairy-tale and half-allegory, there is a brilliant simplicity to the eccentric story, but the mind of the playwright perpetually shines. With clever allusions and elbow-nudging references throughout, as well as memorable personifications and precise character development, this reads like […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-05-11T09:29:01+02:00May 10th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, Theatre Book Reviews|

Invasion of Consecrated by Paul Slutsky

The manifest destiny of humanity expands to the stars in Invasion of Consecrated, an expansive, creative, and thrilling ride.

With his visionary Life Farms scattered across the galaxy, promising an untold number of new habitable worlds, Alan Norton has helped to drive the species forward. However, in the vast expanse of space, there is plenty of room for sinister scheming, power grabs, and the unpredictable response of the universe itself. On both a grandly cosmic scale and the level of petty human minutiae, this book explores what makes us human, and what gives life meaning. Action-packed but confident in […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-05-06T04:22:44+02:00May 4th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Micro Democracy by Aaron Ran

Micro Democracy: The Democracy Revolution of the Information Era by Aaron Ran Author Aaron Ran pens a passionate and thoroughly considered guideline for the future in Micro Democracy: The Democracy Revolution of the Information Era.

Given the rise and rapid evolution of communications technology, and the seemingly boundless capacity of the Internet, and soon quantum computing and AI, the author believes that a fundamental shift in terms of government, authority, justice, and decision-making must occur if we are to prosper and reach our potential as a global species.

Not only does he propose a new plan, but also analyzes and deconstructs the old broken systems, so while some of his ideas […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-04-30T07:08:54+02:00April 30th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Politics Book Reviews, Social Science Book Reviews|

Arklight: Task Force Crusader by J.M. Myrick

Author J.M. Myrick delivers a conclusive masterstroke to his high-octane, eon-spanning series with Arklight: Task Force Crusader. Following on from the non-stop action of Operation Nightfall and Force Interdiction, the Spear and Alsos Teams work in tandem, but in different timeless, towards the same goal: stopping the horrific vision of the Fourth Reich and the Order of the Black Sun.

All of the loose ends and shadowy mysteries from the first two books are wrapped up in this intricate and riveting read. From Switzerland and Belgium to Okinawa and England, this book bounces between diverse landscapes, complex plot […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-04-22T03:07:26+02:00April 21st, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Time Travel Book Reviews|