John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Kana Wu carves out a new niche in the romance genre with No Romance Allowed, a lighthearted, witty, and insightful novel about the struggles of being single, and the secrets we struggle to keep. Watching a different type of relationship blossom in such a traditionally predictable scenario is refreshing, while the first-person narration gives readers carte blanche access to the protagonist’s mind in a compelling and slightly voyeuristic way. There are some stumbles in the writing, and certain passages that could be more descriptive, but these are the exception, not the rule. Boasting realistic dialogue, slow-burning suspense, and a […]

His 7 Deadly Kins. by The R-n-R Hour™ is a thought-provoking novel about taking advantage of life’s surprising opportunities, and taking control of your destiny. With elements that are thrilling, contemplative, spiritual and downright unbelievable, readers are pulled into an eye-opening journey of self-reflection and salvation. The author succeeds in weaving philosophy throughout this fast-paced narrative, but it can make the dialogue feel somewhat stilted. Fortunately, the pervading themes of reconciliation and redemption are strong and well-developed. Though the narrative doesn’t quite convey natural colloquial speech, the book delivers a powerful story from a unique perspective, for an unusual and […]

A deadly warrior raised in a crucible of blood must fight her way through family, fear and a galactic conspiracy in Crestahn Kingdom by Dartanyan Johnson, the entertaining first book in The Crystal of Life series. Action, betrayal, sci-fi tech, and savage battle scenes dominate this intense, genre-bending family drama. The plot is occasionally hard to follow, as the slower, narrative-heavy scenes can feel tangential, and the vying motivations and schemes of secondary characters get tangled, but the prose is still gripping and well-edited. Driven by a striking female lead who is multilayered, sharp-tongued, independent, and wickedly good in a […]

Authors Elizabeth Walter and Debra Thro break down the critical elements of financial aid, scholarships, hidden costs, and resources for university students in Pay Less for College: The Must-Have Guide to Affording Your Degree. Organizing crucial information in intuitive ways and eliminating unnecessary narrative chaff, this is a reliable resource that can be read in a single sitting for an in-depth overview, or returned to at any point, given the encyclopedic amount of information. Bolstered by real-world examples, easily understandable graphs, hard numbers, and an informal, yet authoritative tone, this book is packed with accessible guidance that will help […]