John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

About John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Providing exceptional writing, editing and publishing services to hundreds of international clients, ranging from nutritional copywriting and long-form ghostwriting to substantive editing, assessment/analysis of academic texts and structural/content editing for bestselling novels.

Review: The Journey to Oclesedor (The Legacy of King Jasteroth Vol. 2) by S. L. Wyllie

 The Journey to Oclesedor by S.L. Wyllie

The second installment of S. L. Wyllie’s Legacy of King Jasteroth series, The Journey to Oclesedor is a high-fantasy feast for the senses and a thrilling adventure to boot.  Following on strong from Volume 1, Princess Ariella and other familiar faces are back with an epic quest before them, a desperate bid to outrun the insidious evil of King Jasteroth and live to fight another day. Overflowing with descriptive passages, vivid battle scenes, mythical monsters and innovative magic, this sophomore release from Wyllie delivers a classic, but visceral thrill.

The first part of the King Jasteroth saga set a wonderful […]

Crime Solution by L.R. Kerr

Crime Solution by L.R. Kerr

Outlining an ambitious plan to reform and evolve the criminal justice system in America, Crime Solution: 40-year journey finding the solution to the nation’s crime problem by L.R. Kerr is eye-opening and deeply informative. Having seen the failings in the system from every conceivable angle and level, this author is uniquely qualified to make such sweeping and bold recommendations, giving the book immense authority. Combining hard facts and statistics with an unexpectedly sharp narrative voice, this book is a compelling argument that simultaneously feels both personal and impartial. A dense but fascinating read with timely implications, Crime Solution persuasively demonstrates […]

2019-10-08T10:14:35+02:00October 8th, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Gimme Liberty I Can Smell! by J. Flaherty

Gimme Liberty I Can Smell! by J. Flaherty

In Gimme Liberty I Can Smell! (autonomy for ordinary personage), poet J. Flaherty kicks down the doors of poetical convention and rattles off a diatribe of thoughtful verse and bold demands that is difficult to put down.

A self-professed neobeat poet, there are certainly jazzy echoes of Kerouac and Corso in this collection, with urban references wildly blended with classical mythos, juxtaposing intensity and some timeless goofiness. While the topics of the poetry vary greatly, the voice is clear and consistent – he is a bold observer keeping his eyes peeled for the mystery and beauty of the world. […]

2020-10-06T02:39:14+02:00October 7th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Jaga’s Bones (Chronicles of Gloam Book 1) by Simon McHardy

Jaga's Bones (Chronicles of Gloam Book 1) by Simon McHardy Author Simon McHardy holds nothing back in Jaga’s Bones, a visceral and at times disturbing tale of sisterhood, sadism, and survival.

When Jaga’s father condemns her to a cruel sisterhood of necromancers where death is a constant threat looming around every corner, this young and tenacious heroine must find the will to rise above her captors, and the others she is competing against to live. When you worship a voraciously hungry god of death, however, gore and violence is a natural part of life, which gives this book a savagely dark edge.

This type of dark fantasy can easily […]

2019-10-09T05:42:28+02:00October 7th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Nexus: A Max Ahlgren Novel (Crucible Book 4) by Ryan W. Aslesen

Nexus by Ryan W. Aslesen Far from the Alaskan wilderness, North Korea, and the wilds of South America, author Ryan W. Aslesen brings back his favorite hero in Nexus, a fantastic addition to the Crucible series.

Max Ahlgren has been through hell and back a dozen times, facing down some of the most horrific creatures the world has ever known, but there are plenty of monsters lying in wait among mankind. Tasked once again with an impossible mission, this master of survival must put his revenge quest for his family’s murder on hold. With a new family to protect, along with one of the […]

2019-10-08T06:43:03+02:00October 4th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

If You Say So by James Sweigert

If You Say So by James Sweigert

Author James Sweigert offers a simple, but powerful approach for changing your perspective and improving your outcomes in life with his first book, If You Say So: My Story and How I Changed It To Save My Life. Inspired by his own journey from tribulations to triumph, Sweigert uses the extended metaphor of a train to dissect certain aspects of life, peppering in personal anecdotes between universal advice and sage wisdom. From finding what parts compose your “engine” to analyzing what “passengers” you are bringing along your journey, the metaphor may be somewhat basic, but Sweigert delivers his guidance with […]

2019-10-07T07:12:08+02:00October 4th, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Existential: The Mission: To Survive (Crucible Book 1) by Ryan W. Aslesen

Existential by Ryan W. Aslesen Combining sci-fi, horror and military-grade action in the same book – and doing it well – is a tall an order for many authors, but Ryan W. Aslesen delivers an undeniable knock-out with Existential, the first installment of his Crucible series.

When an alien craft buries itself in the Alaskan wilderness, a buzzing city of researchers and secretive government forces emerge around the greatest discovery in human history. However, the craft is anything but empty, and once the alien horror erupts to wreak havoc, Max Ahlgren and a veteran team of warriors are called in. With thrilling action sequences […]

2019-10-08T06:32:58+02:00October 4th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Call Numbers by Syntell Smith

Call Numbers by Syntell Smith

Keeping things quiet in a library is understood, but in Call Numbers by author Syntell Smith, the swirling secrets and constant drama are impossible to shoo away with a whisper, for a drama-filled romp through the stacks.

When Robin Walker arrives at the 58th Street Branch of the New York Public Library, he has no idea what kind of storm he’s strolling towards. Between power struggles at the top and a white noise of gossip to cabal-toppling coups and sassy clerks ready to throw the first punch, this is a much wilder story than a loyal library-goer may expect.[…]

2021-02-08T04:56:27+02:00October 3rd, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |
Go to Top