John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Sky Parlor by Stephen C. Perkins

Blending epic mythology and historical fiction with clever philosophy and sci-fi thrills, Stephen C. Perkins delivers a stunning new read in Sky Parlor. The ancient struggle between Artemis and Apollonia rages on within these pages, bouncing from the dramatic assassination of Abraham Lincoln to the grim bureaucratic reality of the 24th century. Perkins weaves an incredibly dense and detailed future-scape, bolstered by an unpredictable plot that is both oddly relatable and wildly creative. Questions of spirituality, mankind’s destiny, the illusion of freedom, and the overreach of science make this wickedly clever mystery a vivid and thought-provoking pleasure to read.[…]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-01-02T09:34:54+02:00December 30th, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

From Now to The End of Time by Brian T. Sluga

A kaleidoscopic existence blooms to life on the pages of poet Brian Sluga’s new collection From Now to the End of Time. Self-described as stories, these widely varied poems create an eclectic dreamscape, blending recollections of youth with glimpses of romance and mythology, half-remembered nights out and elusive descriptions of emotion.

Moments of ecstasy are woven through self-reflection and painful losses, offering an unfiltered view of life through an honest, straightforward lens. “Virtue in My Heart” begins How do I always pour my heart out / then it gets trampled / a lingering feeling / on my journey. This sort […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-12-20T07:45:07+02:00December 20th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews|

Abducted: A Kate Pomeroy Mystery by Linda Watkins

Linda Watkins delves even deeper into the darkness with Abducted, the third installment of the Kate Pomeroy Mystery Series. The previous books are standouts in the modern mystery genre, and this psychological race against time may prove to be Watkins best yet. This lengthy read may be a touch long-winded at times, but it is also rife with pulse-pounding tension, so these pulp fiction pages fly by. The tone of the writing is consistently gritty and evocative, and Kate Pomeroy once again proves herself to be a worthy heroine at the heart of this exciting series.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-12-20T06:35:43+02:00December 20th, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Transference by B.T. Keaton

Transference by B.K. Keaton

Overflowing with futuristic drama and suspenseful action, Transference by B.T. Keaton is a debut gem in the sci-fi genre.

Set in some nebulous near-future, a powerful theocratic order on Earth – the Church – gains possession of an alien technology that gives them untold control over the hearts and minds of those on the planet. Not all is as it seems, and those who know the truth of the Church are seen as a threat to the new world order.

Thaniel Kilraven is one such man, putting him firmly at the heart of this dangerous dystopian tale. Years earlier, Kilraven […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-01-24T17:33:25+02:00December 19th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Water is Wider by Marie Green McKeon

Water is Wider by Marie Green McKeon Two seemingly unconnected lives swirl around each other in Marie Green McKeon’s emotive second novel, Water is Wider.

Phoebe is an impulsive 11-year-old determined to solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance, and sets off on a dangerous journey to Connecticut to find the truth. Sidney is a middle-aged proofreader mourning the loss of her mother and the emotional challenges of life after death. Already wrestling with grief, the slow demise of the publishing house that employs her may be too much to bear, leading Sidney to seek unlikely and potentially dangerous company.

These two stories initially lie very […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-12-20T07:19:08+02:00December 19th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

The Heartless Divine by Varsha Ravi

Author Varsha Ravi weaves a magnificent tale of secrets, gods, love, and fallen kingdoms in her enthralling debut novel, The Heartless Divine.

When an immortal with amnesia named Kiran nearly bleeds out in the doorway to Suri’s apartment, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever, nor that the young man could hold the key to all her tragic pasts.

Leaping between Suri’s modern-day existence and her life centuries ago as an assassin princess, this novel is a time- and mind-bending plunge into mythology, family, the power of memory, and the tangled web of destiny […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-12-19T07:21:32+02:00December 19th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, Visionary Fiction Book Reviews|

Time Travel Rescue by Tom Kranz

Time Travel Rescue by Tom Kranz Author Tom Kranz catapults readers through two wild futures in Time Travel Rescue: Escape from the 21st Century, a new science fiction novel that feels timely and unexpectedly relevant.

Rick Stein is flung 150 years into the past, landing in the year 2055, rather than 2212, and must find a way to change the world so he can save the future. The future Rick comes from is bleak, with Earth’s inhabitants being crowded into the few livable areas that remain as the planet collapses around them. The mid-21^st century, by contrast, is an entrancing place of temptation and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-12-18T11:58:27+02:00December 18th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Time Travel Book Reviews|

Kicked in the Head by a Horse by Ronnie Cassano

Human history is peppered with periods of extreme darkness and abject evil, eras of injustice and cruelty that forced people to confront their own morality, and Ronnie Cassano taps into this grisly fodder for his new story collection, Kicked in the Head by a Horse.

These stories criss-cross the globe and leap between centuries, tied together by simmering conflict and characters exposed to crises of faith and times of trouble. From a foreigner battling his way through the brutal violence of Scandinavian culture to a beloved regular drinking away his sorrows and poverty, this is not a hopeful collection, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-12-18T08:21:31+02:00December 18th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Short Stories Book Reviews|