John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Kurdish Episode by Joseph E. Fleckenstein

The Kurdish Episode by Joseph E. Fleckenstein

The Kurdish Episode by Joseph E. Fleckenstein is a sparkling example of the “everyman with a shadowy past” who proves his mettle. What begins as a simple, yet mysterious task for an everyman quickly swells into an emotional rollercoaster of love, loyalty, and the determination to survive.

Running a small gun shop in the backcountry of Pennsylvania is exactly the type of slowed-down life Sean McDougal is looking for after his recent tour in the Army. At least, that’s how he feels at first, but as the weeks run into months, his old hunger for action and adrenaline creeps to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-08-13T10:37:43+02:00July 1st, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: International Thriller Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

A Guide on How to Calm Down by C. J. Kruse

In A Guide on How to Calm Down, some of the most effective methods for self-control and emotional management are explained in clear, concise terms, interspersed with real-life examples and engaging anecdotes. While many of these strategies may come across as common sense, they are presented in digestible and memorable ways, making this book appealing and worthwhile for those readers who occasionally struggle to keep their cool, which may describe most everybody.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-06-27T11:19:39+02:00June 27th, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

The Lost Epistle by Jane Ritzenthaler

Rare is the book that can combine history, mystery, and philosophy in an engaging way, but The Lost Epistle by Jane Ritzenthaler manages to hit the high notes in this blend of genres. Delving beyond religious dogma into the grey space of legend, the book is a thought-provoking ride through those brackish waters of religion and fact. Ritzenthaler has no fear of challenging accepted norms, but also has a graceful pen and a penchant for strong storytelling. Regardless of your stance on religion, this book proposes timely thoughts on truth, zealotry, history, and the plasticity of shared beliefs.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-06-25T10:17:55+02:00June 25th, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: All the Big Ones Are Dead by Christopher A. Gray and Howard E. Carson

All the Big Ones Are Dead by Christopher A. Gray and Howard E. Carson

If we have learned one thing as a species, it is that evil can come in many forms, but the higher up the chain of criminality you go, the more things become interconnected in a murky, sinister web of corruption, greed, violence, and lies. In All the Big Ones Are Dead by the talented writing team of Christopher A. Gray and Howard E. Carson, the seedy underworld linked to the illegal animal trade is exposed in brilliant and disturbing detail.

When it comes to the illegal trade of ivory from elephant tusks and rhino horns, the first sin is the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-06-24T10:06:56+02:00June 23rd, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: International Thriller Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Grace in the Wings by Kari Bovée

Dripping with 1920s swagger and enough twists to trip up a flapper, Grace in the Wings by Kari Bovée is a romance-fueled mystery with Manhattan skylines, unfettered ambition, and plenty of murder to go around. Grace Michelle is an entrancing and magnetic dynamo of a character that carries this book on her ingenue shoulders. This roaringly good novel is a loving homage to an era, a captivating story of painful growth, and a twisted mystery that will leave you wanting an encore.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-06-25T10:02:44+02:00June 23rd, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Silent Spring: Deadly Autumn of the Vietnam War by Patrick Hogan

Silent Spring: Deadly Autumn of the Vietnam War by Patrick Hogan

There are those non-fiction books and memoirs that transport readers back in time, and then there are books like Silent Spring Deadly Autumn of the Vietnam War, which change one’s view of both the past and present in one fell swoop. Detailing the personal experience of the author, Patrick Hogan, a Staff Sergeant who served in Vietnam for three years, and the decades of his life that followed, this book is a shocking and eye-opening account of American military tactics and blatant disregard for human rights.

Most readers may already be aware of the stories of napalm and Agent […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-02-21T06:17:33+02:00June 19th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: History Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews, Military Book Reviews|

Review: The Capsule by Olga Loukianova

The Capsule by Olga Loukianova

As our world continues to be increasingly reliant on technology, the fear of losing one’s individuality is similarly growing. Author Olga Loukianova presses hard on that slow-burning wound with her dystopian novel, The Capsule, a chilling take on the fate our species.

During the so-called “Age of Perfection,” life has been simplified and streamlined. People exist within perfect capsules, where all their physiological needs are met and managed by Systema, the technological savior of humanity. Interaction with reality outside the capsules is discouraged, and in most cases, unnecessary, as you can instead exist in Net City, which offers all […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-07-19T05:11:28+02:00June 19th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Dystopian Fiction Book Reviews, Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Dolph the Unicorn Killer and Other Stories by Martin Lastrapes

Dolph the Unicorn Killer and Other Stories by Martin Lastrapes

For anyone tired of vampires that glitter and werewolves who are really just confused about their identity, Dolph the Unicorn Killer and Other Stories by Martin Lastrapes is right up your alley. This award-winning author has stepped away from his hit novels and into the realm of raucous short stories, and this is a collection of high-fantasy weirdos with a healthy dose of drugs, sex and rock ‘n’ roll tossed in for good measure.

Set in modern-day Las Vegas, this madcap stream of stories has everything that a horror fan would love, but certainly doesn’t miss a beat for fans […]