John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Review: South Korea: The Price of Efficiency and Success by Dr. John Gonzalez and Young Lee

Uncovering the complex truths behind one nation’s remarkable transformation, South Korea: The Price of Efficiency and Success by Dr. John Gonzalez and Young Lee is a probing and edifying read.

A nuanced dissection of Korean culture and the factors influencing its renaissance as an economic leader on the world stage, this engaging portrait of a complex nation will appeal to a wide audience – travelers, business professionals, economists, and history buffs alike. Backed by research studies and citations from reputable sources of print and digital media, the majority of the text focuses on contemporary developments and conflicts, with some historical […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-06-03T14:49:04+02:00May 6th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|

Review: Dissonance Volume II: Reckoning by Aaron Ryan

Dissonance Volume 2: Reckoning by Aaron Ryan

Rebellious warriors defy power and the odds in Dissonance Volume II: Reckoning by Aaron Ryan, a hellish but hopeful vision of humanity’s future.

A raw and hard-nosed thrill from start to finish, this post-apocalyptic thriller features flesh-eating aliens with psychic paralysis weapons, and picks right up where the first volume left off – with Sergeant Cameron Shipley seething behind bars. He is a hurt and haunted protagonist, betrayed by the man he considered a father, reeling over the needless death of his beloved brother, and overcome with a desire for revenge against one of the most powerful humans on the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-05-30T15:50:59+02:00May 3rd, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Water Mage by T.J. Ripley

The Water Mage by T.J. Ripley

Whimsical and contemporary, The Water Mage by T.J. Ripley is a compelling first installment of the Lord of Chaos fantasy series.

After receiving a mysterious adventure pack on his doorstep, complete with a mind-focusing ring, Eliot Johnstone, a remarkably average high school student, finds himself plunged into a high-stakes medieval world of dwarves, imps, elves, and magic. While attempting to blend into his bizarre new surroundings – two-tailed cats and all – his previously unknown skills as a wildly powerful water mage are revealed.

Trouble is brewing in the Mage Palace of the kingdom, however, as the mighty Dominus is […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-05-03T14:03:51+02:00May 3rd, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The Black Wall of Silence Part I by George H. Butcher III

The Black Wall of Silence by George H. Butcher III

A searing takedown of the federal judiciary at its highest levels, The Black Wall of Silence Part 1: The Judiciary’s Immorality, Cruelty, and Arrogance About Corruption by George H. Butcher III is an impassioned argument worthy of widespread deliberation in the court of public opinion. While this first part of a longer series covers only a limited scope – the dynamic differences between judicial and police corruption, as well as the ways in which corrupt judges are protected by the Judicial Conference – it establishes an incredibly strong foundation for this four-part indictment, laid out in plain and provable terms.[…]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-05-30T09:12:10+02:00May 2nd, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Politics Book Reviews|

Court of Fey (The Rules of Magic Book 2) by Lance Horsman

A thrilling plunge into modern magic, Court of Fey by Lance Horsman is an innovative second piece of his ambitious series, The Rules of Magic. A new queen of the Fey has been chosen, which means that Eddie Burma and his loyal clan of mages must wade into the deadly political waters of the Unseelie Court, where scheming and backstabbing are as common as breathing, and a more sinister force than normal waits in the royal wings. The ease with which Horsman incorporates the real world into a fantasy universe is artful, clever, and gritty, giving the ancient regality […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-05-02T13:57:00+02:00May 2nd, 2024|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Quiet Quit and Fully Live by Matthew Hess

Offering a refreshing perspective on a controversial modern phenomenon, Quiet Quit and Fully Live: Take Back Your Time, Energy, and Life Through Ethical Disengagement by Matthew Hess guides readers through the psychological and behavioral steps of retaking control of one’s life and labor – the idea of doing the minimal requirements at work for maximum personal benefit. From healthy boundary setting and organizing priorities to improving time management, identifying motivations, and shaking off the mental pressures of work life, this book examines – and applauds – the recent trend that is unsurprisingly gaining popularity. With an academic but accessible tone, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-04-30T19:27:47+02:00April 30th, 2024|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: The Bear & the Rose by E.K. Larson-Burnett

The Bear and the Rose by E.K. Larson-Burnett

A haunted hero risks everything to break the curse of her violent calling in The Bear & the Rose by E.K. Larson-Burnett, a lyrical masterpiece of fantasy and creativity.

In a supernaturally crafted world of animalistic tradition, magic, and the looming specter of doom from bears both living and dead, one relentless Bearslayer is determined to free her people from fear and perennial oppression. As Springtide arrives, the festivities are interrupted by the first savage attack of the year, and rather than face another season watching innocents die beside her warrior-companion Nathaire, she vows to end the beastly threat once […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-05-29T11:03:14+02:00April 30th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: Two by Nathan Nicolau

Two by Nathan Nicolau

A pair of young strangers embark on an unconventional odyssey through Charlotte, North Carolina in Two, a quietly wise novel by Nathan Nicolau.

When Howl observes Ella reciting a passionate soliloquy to a statue in the park, he breaks out of his comfort zone to get some answers. As their day intertwines, small talk turns into big conversation, and an unlikely wander blossoms into something far more precious – an adventurous reinvention for them both. From art, philosophy, and aesthetics to books, people-watching, mental health, and overbearing mothers, the narrative weaves through myriad themes in the pair’s joint quest […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-05-28T12:15:35+02:00April 29th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|