John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

The Matriarch by Frank Dravis

Intergalactic intrigue, forbidden romance, a missing agent from an advanced peace-keeping organization, and a primitive planet’s ultimate fate collide in The Matriarch, the second book of the impressive Dianis, A World in Turmoil series by author Frank Dravis.

A violent and self-serving mining company is threatening to take control of the precious aquamarine resources on Dianis, while Chief Achelous of the IDB has disappeared and is being hunted, but his son and wife may hold the secret to the planet’s powerful religious sect and the contentious world’s entire future. Heavy with military procedure, sci-fi drama, and remarkably detailed world-building, along […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-17T12:17:00+02:00February 14th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Social Work by Thomas Duffy

Social Work by Thomas Duffy

Author Thomas Duffy pulls back the curtain on mental health and overcoming trauma in a raw and challenging new novel, Social Work. The lines between any patient and healer can grow blurry, particularly in emotionally vulnerable spaces; this complex navigation takes center stage in the novel, leaning into discomfort and forcing readers to consider their own moral boundaries in authentic, thought-provoking ways.

Marc is an unemployed 28-year-old who recently failed to take his own life, while Lauren is a therapist who isn’t completely sure she has the heart for such an emotionally demanding job. Marc doesn’t think he needs help, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-03-03T05:11:24+02:00February 11th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

The Passive Aggressive Earner by Jeremy Kho

Author Jeremy Kho lays out an intuitive path to financial independence for anyone, regardless of career or socioeconomic status, in The Passive Aggressive Earner. From analyzing current income streams and behavioral patterns to leveraging modern avenues of wealth management and technology in creative ways, this book is a simple and widely applicable guide for those who want to change their present and prepare for the future. Structured logically and utilizing accessible language, even for those unfamiliar with the world of finance and investment, The Passive Aggressive Earner is a surprisingly easy read with the potential to dramatically change readers’ […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-12T09:56:34+02:00February 11th, 2020|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Dark World: Genesis by A.R. Kingston

Dark World: Genesis by A.R. Kingston

Tradition, magic, fear and a sinister plot to tear a kingdom apart collide in Dark World: Genesis by author A.R. Kingston, the first book of the Dark World Saga. Blending elements of classic fantasy with recognizable themes that feel starkly poignant in today’s divided times, this is a compelling start to an expansive new series.

In a kingdom once ravaged by war, leaders now rule with iron fists, forbidding pure-blood mages from mixing with any of the “grays,” ensuring that the magical bloodlines remain untainted. Alexandra Hamilton is the defiant young princess of Manevia, sequestered in her room like a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-03-02T08:10:12+02:00February 11th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews, Romance Book Reviews|

Casindra Lost by Marti Ward

Casindra Lost by Marti Ward The multi-author Paradisi Chronicles kicks off in celestial style with Casindra Lost by Marti Ward, in which Commander Jerome Sideris of the SS Casindra embarks on a solo mission across the stars – a lab rat on the first manned mission to the Andromeda Galaxy.

The front end of the book is exposition-heavy, introducing readers to a future universe of new technology and jargon, from nanorobots, cryochambers, and spider-like construction robots to Lagrangian points, wormhole theory, and EmDrives. The daunting vocabulary quickly becomes natural, however, so even readers new to the genre will quickly become immersed and comfortable.

The sci-fi […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-26T11:48:06+02:00February 7th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

A Game With Cooper by Debbie Gonzalez, Illustrated by Kate Fallahee

A Game With Cooper by Debbie Gonzales

A Game With Cooper by Debbie Gonzalez is a fun and visually engaging children’s book about a clever dog named Cooper who puts on his detective cap in search of hidden treats. What starts as a simple story slips into a whimsical adventure that unfolds in this hungry pup’s imagination. Supported by beautifully vivid imagery, this book is ideal for children expanding their vocabulary – from household words and item placement to environmental themes and movement descriptions. Combining a straightforward story with a clever and educational twist, A Game With Cooper is an excellent addition to any young child’s bookshelf.[…]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-10T09:19:44+02:00February 7th, 2020|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Where’s… Eli? by Alex S. Avitabile

Where's... Eli? by Alex Avitabile

The disappearance of a less-than-trustworthy lawyer kicks off a hectic crime-solving spree in Where’s… Eli? by author Alex S. Avitabile. This second book in the Al and Mick Forte crime series is just as authentically penned and suspenseful as the first, but can also stand alone as an entertaining piece of crime fiction.

Al and Mick are cousins who go way back, their childhoods, neighbors, lives and relatives tangled up in the complex social web of Brooklyn in the 50s and 60s. Having your bloodline brush up against organized crime is far from unusual, and despite Al now being a […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-28T04:45:24+02:00February 5th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Crime Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Review: A Thousand Miles to Nowhere by David Curfiss

A Thousand Miles to Nowhere by David Curfiss

Matt Tanner has already seen a lifetime’s worth of death and desiccated corpses, but his horrors are only beginning in the complex apocalyptic ride, A Thousand Miles to Nowhere by David Curfiss.

15 years after a zombie virus burns through the human population, leaving only a few scattered settlements in a gutted world, a new normal has been found, but uncertainty is the only constant left. When a wounded scavenger is brought back to Tanner’s camp deep in the Laguna Mountains, the ragtag survivors there have no idea they’ve opened the door to their own destruction.

With their bastion of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-28T04:40:24+02:00February 5th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Post-Apocalyptic Book Reviews, Zombie Fiction Book Reviews|