Utopia? by R.A. Rowlingson - REVIEW
Phil Bowne Phil Bowne

Utopia? by R.A. Rowlingson - REVIEW

Dystopian fiction has long fascinated readers with its ability to reflect the cracks in our own societies through exaggerated, often terrifying, futures. In Utopia?, R.A. Rowlingson takes up this challenge with remarkable assurance, offering not merely another bleak vision of tomorrow but a layered narrative that combines political intrigue, social critique, and deeply human storytelling.

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The Oak and the Eagles by Patrick Tooban - REVIEW
Phil Bowne Phil Bowne

The Oak and the Eagles by Patrick Tooban - REVIEW

Patrick Tooban has achieved something rare: a historical novel that feels at once grand in scope and intimate in detail, scholarly in grounding yet poetic in telling. The Oak and the Eagles is not just a story about a forgotten figure of Celtic history — it is an invitation to step into a world where oak and eagle, prophecy and memory, flesh and spirit, are woven into the fabric of life. Readers who accept that invitation may well find themselves lingering by the fire, listening for the echoes of Calgach’s tale long after the book is closed.

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No Free Speech for Hate by Stephen Ford - REVIEW
Phil Bowne Phil Bowne

No Free Speech for Hate by Stephen Ford - REVIEW

No Free Speech for Hate is a work of conviction, scholarship, and humanity. It is bold without being strident, rigorous without being dry, and urgent without being alarmist. In the current climate—where words have never carried more weight, and where democracies everywhere are being tested—it feels like essential reading.

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A Dying Titan by Mike Connor - REVIEW
Phil Bowne Phil Bowne

A Dying Titan by Mike Connor - REVIEW

Jack Landon, a thirteen-year-old Goth with a knack for getting into trouble, is sarcastic, stubborn, vulnerable, and instantly sympathetic – the kind of protagonist you root for even when he makes questionable decisions. His life is turned upside down when he finds himself pursued by a mysterious man, stunned by a robot, and whisked into a completely unfamiliar reality. Here he meets Dorothy, a so-called Guardian Angel who is equal parts wise, chaotic, and hilarious. She offers Jack biscuits, sweets, and tambourines as if these are the essentials for surviving both adolescence and interdimensional crises.

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Aftermath by Patrick Smart - REVIEW
Phil Bowne Phil Bowne

Aftermath by Patrick Smart - REVIEW

At first glance, Aftermath might appear to be a straightforward war story — paratroopers dropping into enemy fire, crackling radios, the weight of a revolver in a soldier’s hand. But Patrick Smart isn’t writing a soldier’s adventure yarn. He is writing about what happens after. The title itself is the clue. This is less about glory on the battlefield and more about the scar tissue left behind: the fractured psyches, the attempts to find routine after chaos, the sense that violence has bled into everyday life in ways that no discharge papers can erase.

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Book Review: Trust Me, I’m a Care Worker by Chris Bulteel
Phil Bowne Phil Bowne

Book Review: Trust Me, I’m a Care Worker by Chris Bulteel

Chris Bulteel‘s life has been somewhat exceptional. Alongside a career in catering that lasted 30 years, he also became Mayor of two different towns and gained the extremely rare accolade of Sheriff in one of them. But arguably most remarkable, is his career in the care sector, where through a great deal of hard work he reached a senior position before humbly retiring.

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Book Review: Unleash The Magnificent You! by Christopher Bradbury
Phil Bowne Phil Bowne

Book Review: Unleash The Magnificent You! by Christopher Bradbury

Do you have goals in life but can’t seem to get on the right path? Or maybe you have problems and aren’t sure how to solve them. The good news is you are not alone, and fortunately, there is a book that just might help you with these conundrums and a great deal more beyond.

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The Importance of Book Reviews
Ash Jacob Ash Jacob

The Importance of Book Reviews

Book reviews are a vital part of publishing and always will be. Ash Jacob tells us a few obvious, and not so obvious, reasons why book reviews continue to exist, and why they should not be taken for granted.

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