Book Reviews
Honest and comprehensive reviews of books by independent authors — historical fiction, dystopian, romance and supernatural stories, organized by month and year.
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Shelves of independent voices
Latest reviews
Every entry below was written by Leonard Tillerman. Click any title for the full review, including the author's notes and related posts.
December 2021
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Invincible By: Gemma Lawrence
Dec 7, 2021
A beautiful piece of historical fiction that brings a very human element to the brutal reality of warfare and death.
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Tyrker’s Tale By: Robin Ingle
Dec 4, 2021
Well-researched historical fiction with a touch of romance and adventure thrown in — the tale for fans of the genre.
November 2021
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Drunks: Love Through a Shattered Glass By: Ken Fry
Nov 27, 2021
A brutally raw portrayal of addiction and its consequences. Rated 5 out of 5 “Drunken stars” and described as an inspirational piece.
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Food Truck at World’s End By: Joe Chili
Nov 19, 2021
A dystopian story set in California with genetic alterations and survival, following Joe, who makes the best chili in the world.
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Mists and Megaliths By: Catherine McCarthy
Nov 13, 2021
A supernatural story of mystery and standing stones.
January 2021
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The Move By: Christopher McGoldrick
Jan 30, 2021
A short story about young love and the powerful emotions of first relationships, with a seventeen-year-old protagonist — a quick read and a blast from the past for romantics.
January 2020
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Traces of Home By: S.S. Bazinet
Jan 5, 2020
Open My Heart, Book 1 — romantic fiction following Lea as she navigates love and rock bottom, illustrating that sometimes hitting rock bottom is necessary to rise.
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2019
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Hotel Obscure By: Lisette Brodey
Nov 17, 2019
A heart-rending look at the human condition behind closed hotel curtains — a beautiful but gloomy look at life.
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Seventh By: Lewis Hastings
Oct 7, 2019
A thrilling novel about Jack Cade trying to escape his past in New Zealand, exploring moving on and the past catching up.
About these reviews
Leonard Tillerman has spent the last 25 years as an English teacher and School Principal, and has over 25 years of experience as a blogger, editor and freelance writer. The goal here is simple: honest, comprehensive reviews that help independent authors reach a larger audience.
Reviews were posted from March 2017 through December 2021, covering historical fiction, dystopian fiction, romance, supernatural stories and more.
Every review published here is written by Leonard Tillerman, a book blogger and reviewer who covers fiction across historical, dystopian, romance, and supernatural genres. Rather than skimming a blurb and assigning a rating, he reads closely and writes honestly, noting what is beautiful, what is broken, and what a story is truly trying to say. Reviews are grouped by month and year so returning readers can follow the shelves chronologically, and each entry includes the author's notes alongside related posts worth exploring next.
The collection leans heavily toward independent authors and small press voices, the kind of books that rarely surface in mainstream attention. Titles are introduced with a short verdict, a sense of the tone and stakes, and a clear recommendation for readers who enjoy strong character work, intelligent plotting, and emotionally honest prose. Reviewers of horror and suspense, romantic fiction, and speculative narratives all find something here, whether they are drawn to ghosts, secrets, or the human cost of war and death.
Reading the archive is a slow, deliberate experience, much like turning pages in a well-chosen novel. Some entries leave you convinced that a book is a masterpiece; others reveal flaws you would rather not name in public. That candor is the point. The site exists to help readers pick their next book with confidence, to celebrate the writers who deserve an audience, and to keep the conversation alive among people who genuinely love stories, hope, and the strange, shadowy corners of the imagination.
