Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Book Endings by Syntell Smith

Book Endings by Syntell Smith Workplace drama, emotional tragedy, and the winding roads of reconciliation abound in Book Endings: A Call Numbers Novel by Syntell Smith.

Following on the heels of this series’ first installment, readers once again find Robin Walker in the surprisingly dramatic muddle of mid-90s life in New York City. Despite the traditionally quiet atmosphere of a library, Robin’s world is packed with opinionated and argumentative peers who add color, conflict, and energy to this character-driven workplace drama. Managing the emotional exhaustion of his declining grandfather, navigating the patchwork alliances and fleeting loyalties among his colleagues, and even testing the waters of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-02-08T08:18:12+02:00February 8th, 2021|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Waxing Pathetic by M. B. Clark

Waxing Pathetic by M.B. Clark

M. B. Clark plumbs the depths of her own life with dark humor in Waxing Pathetic: My Two Cents, For What They’re Worth. Detailing long-simmering stories from different seminal points in her life, as well as her contemporary thoughts on glass ceilings, self-erected brick walls, technology, and the elusive vapors of youth, this is far from your average memoir.

As the author humorously states in her introduction, this book attempts to “capture more precisely the actual conundrum of the inner workings of my so-called brain,” which is precisely what it proceeds to do. From the dissection of embarrassing childhood […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-03-15T09:01:30+02:00February 3rd, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: Falling by Marc Burgio

Falling by Marc Burgio

Author Marc Burgio weaves a tangled tale of desperation, murder, mercy and morality in his debut novel, Falling. A lifetime of missing memories, the sudden return of a long-lost cousin, and a stark confession of murder are the starting points for this wild revelation of a novel.

Multiple plot lines, timelines, and international adventures pepper this unpredictable story – the memoir of Julia, and the nearly unbelievable story that led back to her cousin’s door. Initially, we watch young Julia slog her way through California corner store jobs and retail prisons, wondering when the world will grant her a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-03-09T05:11:01+02:00January 28th, 2021|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: The Pebble Champion by Alan David Pritchard

The Pebble Champion by Alan David Pritchard

Author Alan David Pritchard delves deep into trauma and loss, as well as identity and self-discovery in his new novel, The Pebble Champion, a stirring tale of sadness and self-discovery.

After the tragic loss of his mother, 15-year-old Chris Elliot finds his world turned upside-down, and his sense of home torn asunder. This novel traces his path forward, and details the nuances of teenage life and development with remarkably clear and agonizing accuracy. Not only is the story touching, but also widely relatable; though no reader will have experienced exactly the same struggles, the humanity on display as Chris […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-02-26T13:57:33+02:00December 18th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Review: Luck by Chris Coppel

Luck by Chris Coppel

Luck, lies, and the weakness of human nature collide in Luck by Chris Coppel, an entertaining and savage satire that circles the strange birth and even stranger life of Daniel Trapp. Boasting a power that most would consider a blessing, good fortune seems to follow the main character like a shadow, but there are darker forces at work, and prices that must be paid.

As the title suggests, luck is a persistent theme from start to finish, frequently driving the plot twists and inexplicable events of the story. Daniel Trapp’s seemingly miraculous gift is another character in itself, an aura […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-01-11T06:54:30+02:00December 2nd, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Satire Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: The Actor by Mharlyn Merritt

The Actor by Mharlyn Merritt

Bizarre worlds collide with even wilder consequences in The Actor by Mharlyn Merritt, a non-stop ride through the realms of fame, sex, regret, and redemption. A burst of spontaneous brilliance from the first page to the last, this novel is a love note to the weird edges of celebrity, and a homage to a golden era of Hollywood that may have never existed outside the tabloids.

Known only as The Actor, the enigmatic protagonist finds himself in hot water after his lover mysteriously disappears, but that doesn’t stop him from shacking up with the next lit fuse of a person […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-11-02T04:20:29+02:00November 1st, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Literary Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller 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|

Review: The Curs of Curzon County by Thea Verdak

The Curs of Curzon County by Thea Verdak

Thea Verdak unleashes a swirling storm of a story in The Curs of Curzon County, a rapid-fire tale of acute dangers and chronic pain, growing up and leaving home, and all the obstacles along the way that can derail a young life. Richly layered with an original and unforgettable narrative voice, this gritty short story will leave your heart pounding.

All the crises and conditions of Lucretia’s young life distill themselves in this well-penned crucible; the ramshackle pound at the end of the airstrip is the closest thing she has to a home, yet it is also a source […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-11-05T09:58:32+02:00October 4th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews|