New Releases | Self-Publishing Review

Undead: A Max Ahlgren Novel (Crucible Book 2) by Ryan A. Aslesen

Undead: A Max Ahlgren Novel Undead, the new novel by Ryan A. Aslesen, and the second in the Crucible series, is a refreshing take on zombie fiction in a crowded genre.

Max Alghren narrowly escaped in Alaska when he first crossed paths with the alien life form that could threaten all of humanity. When he is presented with a way to uncover the truth about his painful past, he once again puts his life on the line and leaps into the alien fray, this time in North Korea, with even higher stakes and more unbelievable monsters.

With graphic and gruesome descriptions, terrifying creatures, and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-05-21T11:30:48+02:00November 2nd, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Horror Book Reviews, Zombie Fiction Book Reviews|

Inevitable Dreaming by Dave Dröge

In Inevitable Dreaming, the new novel from Dave Dröge, readers are pulled into a heartfelt story of loss and redemption.

When Waldemar van Splunteren’s life collapses in dramatic and tragic fashion, he finds himself with few friends and no idea how to move forward. As a forensic psychologist, Waldemar understands how complex and dangerous the human mind can be, but when a friend of his late wife suggests a cutting-edge form of digital therapy, he agrees, desperate for closure and peace. Quite the opposite happens, however, and he gradually begins to uncover the truth behind his painful past, launching […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2018-11-02T11:40:22+02:00November 2nd, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

A Child is a Piece of Paper by Lance Crossley

A Child is a Piece of Paper by Lance Crossley Raw… gritty…no single adjective can sufficiently describe the intensity of A Child is a Piece of Paper, Lance Crossley’s stark novel.

The year is 1960. Six-year-old Wanisin Blackwill and his older sister, Mitena, are forced to leave their Indian reserve outside of Fort Hope to attend a Catholic-run live-in school for Native American children. Once at the school, Wanisin and Mitena become Wally and Mabel, their former lives beaten out of them due to the relentless ministrations of their headmaster, Father Paxton. Childhood innocence is quickly replaced by humiliation, constant fear, and something much worse until the only recourse […]

Marta Cheng2018-11-02T10:09:18+02:00November 1st, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Literary Fiction Book Reviews|

A Bullied Reunion by Chris Ponici

In A Bullied Reunion by Chris Ponici, readers are brought into the tragic narrative of Cristiano Leuca, a young boy who was mercilessly teased throughout the entirety of his high school years. Ponici tells the story of Cristiano in graphic, awkward detail, making it impossible not to sympathize as the character stumbles through cliques, lost love, embarrassment, abuse and self-doubt.

For people whose high school memories are distant and fading, this book is a striking reminder of the cruelty that some children still experience at the hands of their peers, and the mental fortitude required to simply survive the school […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-21T05:54:17+02:00October 19th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|

Summer Girl by Linda Watkins

Summer Girl by Linda Watkins Summer Girl by Linda Watkins is a poignant coming of age novel that asks whether it’s possible to forget one’s first love.

It’s the summer of sixty-five and sixteen-year-old islander Jake Chambers meets the ferry bringing the newest crop of summer people to Cutter Island. Fifteen-year-old Andrea (Andi) Martin is unlike the other summer girls and immediately captures Jake’s attention. Over the Fourth of July lobster bake, they become fast friends and soon their friendship blossoms into first love. It seems like they’re destined to be together – until one fateful night, a lapse in better judgment leads to tragic […]

Marta Cheng2019-01-22T04:35:51+02:00October 16th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Young Adult Book Reviews|

Searching for My Heart: Essays About Love by Dawn Downey

Searching for My Heart: Essays About Love by Dawn Downey Searching for My Heart: Essays About Love by Dawn Downey is filled with beautiful and personal stories of the different types of love one can encounter in the world, as well as the fight with one’s self to find that place we can call “home.” Following the author on her journey from adolescence to adulthood feels in a way like reading her diary, an intensely personal and honest examination of one person’s journey through life.

Downey’s focus is not necessarily on romantic love, but on the larger concept of love for all things, especially oneself. This is not a book […]

SPR2019-01-11T14:50:22+02:00October 14th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Essay Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Farewell to Follies by Xingu Fawcett

Farewell to Follies establishes Xingu Fawcett as a formidable short story writer with a firm finger on the pulse of human nature, as well as the natural world.

These stories vary wildly in their subject matter, but the underlying themes are universal – wrestling with death, balancing nature and the city, exploring unknown places, and the long-term impact of trauma. With an artful, yet sensitive approach to these issues, the stories are both harrowing and heart-warming. Fawcett understands the dynamic nature of life, and seamlessly presents complex characters from different times, social backgrounds, and life paths.

Whether writing about Parisian […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2018-10-15T06:38:57+02:00October 8th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Short Stories Book Reviews|

A Monk’s Tail by Kyle Spencer

If you’re looking for a wondrous escape into a whimsical new world, A Monk’s Tail by Kyle Spencer should sit firmly at the top of your reading list. The world-building alone in this action-packed novel makes it worthy of a read, while the unique characters will leave you hungry for a sequel.

Bow is far your typical hero, but beneath his gruff exterior is a noble and loyal protagonist with recognizable character traits, despite being a firefox. The fact that all the characters are animals makes this novel initially seem childlike, but the themes being explored by Spencer – oppression, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2018-10-02T10:29:41+02:00October 1st, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|