Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Chief and His Marine by B.A. Sherman

★★★★

Few can understand the horrors of war if they have never put their lives on the line for their country, but the family members of soldiers have an intimate knowledge of that stress and pain. In The Chief and His Marine, author B.A. Sherman brings some of the challenges and tragedies of war into stark detail, shedding light on a subject that is pushed under the rug, or tacitly avoided, far too often.

This novel wastes no time in getting into the action, introducing readers to the titular Chief Platte character, who appears to still be reeling from […]

Budland by Tom Kranz

While there is typically nothing funny about murder, author Tom Kranz manages to draw out more than a few smiles in his new novel Budland. The protagonist and a professional smart aleck, Bud Remmick, finds himself in jail after killing his intolerable boss, and he doesn’t seem to regret the choice in the least. The novel skips back and forth between life behind bars and the life Bud left behind, giving readers a better picture of why a seemingly smart and driven man would throw his freedom away for a single act of reckoning.

Bud is a fascinating character […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2018-12-07T10:12:54+02:00January 2nd, 2018|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

The Piketty Problem by Garth Hallberg

The Piketty Problem by Garth Hallberg is an engaging novel of social protest, which acts as both a warning and call to action about the state of the economy and mechanization. Suzanne Dealy is at odds with her husband, who aims to mechanize chains of McDonald’s with “McRobots.” She meets kindred spirit Steve Harris, who’s an equal devotee of the economist Thomas Piketty. Together they join together to thwart her husband’s misguided plans and put an end to income inequality.

The Piketty Problem (subtitle The Robots Are Coming, The Robots Are Coming) is an astute and well-written exploration of […]

James Grimsby2017-12-08T09:48:25+02:00December 8th, 2017|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Esperanza by Tommy Tutalo

★★★★

Understanding our identity, or at least tapping into our origins, is something that everyone can understand and relate to on some level. In Esperanza, an unforgettable novel by Tommy Tutalo, readers are welcomed into a strange and dangerous world – one of illegal immigrants, dangerous border crossings, FBI conspiracies, and a sinister criminal underworld that threatens to tear one young family apart.

Sarita is a young woman with a bizarre history, and a childhood that stretched her heart in different directions, imbuing her memories with fear, confusion, and loneliness. The three journals that she is given, however, will […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-07-22T07:30:07+02:00December 4th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: FAKE NEWS by David Hutter

★★★

FAKE NEWS: Strange Historical Facts Reimagined in the World of Donald Trump is a brilliant piece of satire by David Hutter, a young author with a sharp tongue and a unique perspective on the world at large.

The book makes clear that politics has always made for a strange spectacle, and much of it seems downright unbelievable, even in comparison with today’s political circus. Rather than rehashing the madness of the present political situation, Hutter attempts to inject anecdotes from history into the paradigm of today, offering a unique perspective on history and the present day.

What results is […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-07-30T15:36:38+02:00November 27th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Political Thriller Book Reviews, Satire Book Reviews|

Review: Wolf River Dreams by Patrick Sarver

★★★★

Still reeling from the tragic loss of his girlfriend in an accident in which he was driving, Jesse Hawkins has taken to the road, hoping to exorcise his demons while exploring the endless west on his motorcycle. However, every road comes to an end, and when Jesse finally returns home, he finds that the demons are more real than ever.

Thus begins Wolf River Dreams by Patrick Sarver, a tumultuous novel that blends surreal dream sequences with seemingly waking nightmares, as Jesse attempts to find some sense of normalcy in his haunted days. Regardless of how far he moves […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-12-19T13:16:25+02:00November 7th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: City of Angels by K. Patrick

★★★★

City of Angels by K. Patrick commands a reader’s immediate attention with a riveting story about the triumph of the human spirit.

Almost eighteen years old, Michael Connolly is a product of the Los Angeles child services system after the untimely death of his beloved father and sister had sent his mother on a downward spiral into depression and suicide seven years earlier. Unlike many young men in his situation, Mike has risen above his tragic circumstances and has carried on his father’s legacy as a boxer. Thanks to the devoted ministrations of Jerry, his coach, Mike has earned […]

Marta Cheng2017-11-02T12:04:30+02:00November 1st, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Sports Book Reviews|

A Select Group by Blaine C. Readler

Caleb signs up for a university study because, frankly, he has nothing better to do. He’s lost his girlfriend, lost his drive, and getting free room and board on top of a weekly stipend doesn’t sound too bad. When things start getting weird at orientation, he rolls with it. As their leaders take the volunteers into an isolated mountain retreat, he accepts his lot. He doesn’t even kick up too much of a fuss when he and his friends discover their “Spartan” accommodations aren’t even built yet. Divided into teams, however, the study’s participants slowly begin to turn on each […]