John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Review: A Devil’s Tongue by Richard J. Blanco

A Devil's Tongue by Richard J. Blanco

A young man on a dangerous road with one end in sight finds a final chance at redemption in A Devil’s Tongue by author Richard J. Blanco. Readers are brought into the juvenile yet unexpectedly mature mind of Robert, a young man who has seen far too much already in his young life, in this heartbreaking story of second chances.

The traumatic premise of this novel gives it a harder and more visceral edge than other stories of kids going down a dark path and finding salvation. Watching Robert attempt to be “normal” while wading the waters of addiction and […]

Review: The House and the Doormat by Sherry Martin, Illustrated by Lynda Farrington Wilson

The House and the Doormat by Sherry Martin

A lovely house on a hill learns what it takes to become a home in The House and the Doormat by author Sherry Martin, illustrated by Lynda Farrington Wilson. This simple story accompanied by stunning visuals is a charming children’s book with lessons on acceptance, appreciation, communication, self-respect and recognizing the work of others.

Ramona is a proud and beautiful house, sparkling from roof to root cellar, and isn’t afraid to brag about her appearance to anyone who will listen. Dusty, on the other hand, is the lowly doormat, often overlooked as people wipe their feet on his face before […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-06-19T07:11:22+02:00June 1st, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Children's Book Reviews|

Unafraid: A Survivor’s Quest for Human Connection by Niyati Tamaskar

Unafraid: A Survivor's Quest for Human Connection by Niyati Tamaskar Niyati Tamaskar boldly tells the story of her cancer journey in unabashed and fearless detail in Unafraid: A Survivor’s Quest for Human Connection.

For this active, healthy, happy and high-functioning author, the shock and impact of a breast cancer diagnosis is depicted with intense authenticity, but there is also an impressive matter-of-factness about the prose that doesn’t lean heavily on emotional musing. Beautiful moments of reflection are supported by displays of indomitable strength, which make it an essential read for anyone whose life has been touched by cancer.

Not only is this a viscerally descriptive narrative of a daunting […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-06-01T08:39:07+02:00June 1st, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Health Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Leo the Liar by Bernie Donnelly

Leo the Liar by Bernie Donnelly With a disagreeable and dishonorable, yet vaguely charming lout at its core, Leo the Liar is an amusing and unpredictable family drama from Bernie Donnelly.

After not seeing his father for decades, Leo decides to make the jump from Dublin to Florida and reconnect with the long-lost Milo. Awkwardness aside, Leo has grown up to be a smooth-talking liar, a charmer with a silver tongue, a conman with motives that are difficult to suss out. Not only that, but an attraction from Leo’s new stepmother threatens to rock the boat of familiar normalcy. Peppered with clever turns of phrase and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-06-01T07:57:53+02:00May 30th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

The Invitation Series by Raven Simmons

Author Raven Simmons has summoned strange and supernatural worlds to explore in The Invitation Series, a collection of short tales overflowing with eroticism, mystery, danger, and the unexplained. From sinister voices in the mind to dark masters of seduction, this is a mix of fantasy and fear, boasting prose carefully edited to be powerful and enthralling. The dense narration is often juxtaposed with weaker dialogue, but each of these four sections is complex and rife with tension. Though some of the language veers to the clichéd, Simmons wields the pen well, delivering an eerie and evocative read.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-06-01T09:13:39+02:00May 29th, 2020|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Alpha (The Hierarchy Book 1) by I. Ogunbase

The world is divided between a decimated human race and roving bands of vampires in Alpha, the first book of the Hierarchy series by author I. Ogunbase.

In this hellscape of a near future, there are different breeds of vampires with different hungers and abilities – the Stalkers, the Mirrors, and the Ferals – immediately adding more complexity and originality to this crowded genre. As the seemingly mindless monsters grow more organized, representing a new challenge for walled-off defenders around the world, a key to humanity’s success is kidnapped, driving a crossbow-toting guard from the once-great city of London […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-05-29T09:22:57+02:00May 29th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Horror Book Reviews, Vampires Book Reviews|

The Story of Me by Raven S. Simmons

Religion, family values and finding a higher purpose come to the forefront in The Story of Me by Raven S. Simmons. Readers are granted intimate access to Ariel’s mind as she navigates the complex waters of adolescence, faith, early romance, and identity within a strict Christian upbringing. The stream-of-consciousness style takes some acclimating, but it soon makes this an immersive and powerful read. The narration could be slimmed down to improve the pacing of certain scenes, but as a whole, this is a raw and unfiltered glimpse of a young woman making mistakes, finding new truth, and growing up on […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-06-01T09:24:17+02:00May 28th, 2020|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Her Eyes Underwater by Romona Simon

A patient and intense psychological thriller, Her Eyes Underwater weaves a sense of impending doom from the opening pages. Balancing the voyeuristic pleasure of a budding romance with the creeping fear that something terrible awaits, this true crime-inspired novel is a revealing peek at the addictive and potentially dangerous nature of love. Some of the dialogue feels unnatural, and there are some sections of overworked description, but the pacing is strong and the delicious tension is perpetual throughout. Touching on themes of abuse, dominance, and obsession, Her Eyes Underwater is a powerful start to this new series.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-05-28T10:02:48+02:00May 27th, 2020|Categories: Editorial Reviews|