New Releases | Self-Publishing Review

What Your Therapist Is Really Thinking by Mirel Goldstein, MS, MA, LPC

Though the title may not suggest it, What Your Therapist Is Really Thinking is a work of fiction that aims to answer questions patients may have when entering into therapy.

Shira, a single mom, begins therapy with Dr. G. after the breakup of her marriage to an abuser. The doctor observes Shira’s different moods and aspects – sometimes open and affable, at other times silent, hostile, or frozen. Shira’s parents, with whom she lives, are overbearing, immediately seeing the negative “what-ifs” in every situation. Dr. G helps her see that she is accustomed to feeling guilty and inferior, and Shira […]

Barbara Scott2018-04-17T11:49:04+02:00April 17th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Psychology Book Reviews|

Masculinity is Our Future by Tim Patten

In his new book, Masculinity is our Future, Tim Patten argues that the most fundamental ideas of being “a real man” remain critical to the future of society, but must also be dynamic and progressive. This book digs into the cultural and traditional definitions of masculinity, pointing out the toxic elements, but also reminding readers of its importance, for a well-rounded and provocative examination of gender dynamics.

Patten is not ashamed to be a man – far from it – and appreciates that many masculine traits have driven progress and success for thousands of years. That being said, he […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2018-04-16T11:38:55+02:00April 15th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Social Science Book Reviews|

The First Conception: Rise of Eris by Nesly Clerge

Envisioning the end of the world seems like a common pastime for modern writers, but Nesly Clerge takes a very different approach in his new novel, The First Conception: Rise of Eris. Humanity hasn’t been subjected to a zombie outbreak or devastating climate change, but rather the inability to reproduce – not so much as a mysterious malady, but as an act of revenge.

After a lifetime of being abused and disrespected – physically, emotionally, mentally, and professionally – and seeing it happen to other women across the world, Dr. Katherine Eris Barnes decides to take matters into her […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2018-04-16T10:08:37+02:00April 14th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Dystopian Fiction Book Reviews|

Operation Troy: The Reinvention of You by Christina Namakorn

Operation Troy: The Reinvention of You Whether you’re lost and desperate or comfortably on track in life, anyone can enjoy “reinvention,” as described in Operation Troy: The Reinvention of You, an enthusiastic self-help manual by Australian author and professional mentor, Christina Namakorn.

Using the language of war (Troy, ammunition, mission) is purposeful for Namakorn, who states: we may all sometimes find ourselves at war with ourselves, and are all potential leaders and soldiers in that battle. There are four stages of reinvention: Acceptance, Forgiveness, Improvement, and Enjoyment.

The author suggests missions to accomplish reinvention: Alpha (Me-time), Beta (exploring topics of personal interest), Gamma (examining beliefs), […]

Barbara Scott2018-05-09T10:19:42+02:00April 8th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Non-Fiction Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Over the Mountain by Katherine P. Stillerman

Over the Mountain is an engrossing work of YA historical fiction by Katherine P. Stillerman, set in the volatile early sixties.

It’s 1961 and sophomore, Harriet Oechsner, has just learned that her minister father had been forced to resign amid parishioner complaints over his liberal views. He’s accepted a new position in Mountain Brook, an affluent suburb of Birmingham, Alabama – where being white and wealthy insulate against the struggle for civil rights taking place on the other side of the mountain. Knowing her father’s outspoken views on racial equality, Harriet secretly wonders how long it’ll be before her family […]

Marta Cheng2024-09-24T10:31:02+02:00April 6th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

A Firm Tree Does Not Fear the Storm by Jennifer Morris

Life is a series of chapters in A Firm Tree Does Not Fear the Storm, a poignant and entertaining work of women’s fiction by debut author, Jennifer Morris.

On the heels of her beloved Grammy’s death, Beth feels as though her life has lost its purpose, with her daughters both away at college and her husband constantly traveling for work. However, thanks to the unexpected gift of her Grammy’s house and after going to Florida to see her childhood friend, Amber, the seed for a potential new chapter to her life quickly takes root…

Evocatively titled, A Firm Tree […]

Marta Cheng2018-04-06T10:35:23+02:00April 5th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Women's Fiction Book Reviews|

The Fog of Faith by Dr. Leona Stucky

In an emotionally charged memoir, The Fog of Faith: Surviving My Impotent God, author Dr. Leona Stucky suggests that religion may indeed offer hope, though not always in the ways we expect.

Raised in a Mennonite farming community, and one of seven children, the author began questioning religion in her late teens. Her loving mother contracted MS, becoming wheelchair-bound, and her father struggled to cope without his wife’s participation; farm work was grueling, and money was scarce. Stucky tried repeatedly to escape her abusive and threatening boyfriend, discovering that the law often sided with her abuser. She felt hopeless, […]

Barbara Scott2018-05-09T10:16:12+02:00April 4th, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Book Reviews, Religious Book Reviews|

Paradise Girl by Phill Featherstone

What dark places can a mind go when it is left alone in a world that is falling apart? This is a core question of Paradise Girl, a soulful and innovative work of YA post-apocalyptic fiction by Phill Featherstone.

This work is an intensely personal book detailing the inner thoughts of Kerryl, a young girl who has survived the death of her entire family. As a virus ravages the human population, Kerryl chooses to detail her experiences in what she assumes will be her final days. Written in the form of extended journal entries, diatribes and stream-of-consciousness ranting, this […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-01-22T05:36:42+02:00April 2nd, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Apocalyptic Fiction Book Reviews, Post-Apocalyptic Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|