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.

Naked Girl by Janna Brooke Wallack

Naked Girl by Janna Brooke Wallack

A lyrical and unflinching dive into a radical childhood, Naked Girl by Janna Brooke Wallack is an emotive novel about the meaning of home when it is fleeting and ephemeral. Jackson is an enigmatic whirlwind of a father more interested in leading a coastal commune than raising two children, which leads Siddhi and Sienna to form a profoundly independent sibling bond. Taking readers across oceans and friendships and wild years of formative exposure, Wallack’s prose is alive with the open-eyed curiosity of youth. Navigating clashes of belief and morality, as well as the storms of sex, fidelity, religion, and “traditional” […]

2024-06-26T19:03:01+02:00June 26th, 2024|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

The House of Laurel Lake by Ray Marcuss

The House of Laurel Lake by Ray Marcuss

Author Ray Marcuss challenges the lines of mortality, sanity and connection in The House of Laurel Lake, an emotionally charged novella about losing yourself and finding a way back. A career-ending event sends a detective into a new chapter of his life, but his respite in Florida with his niece is interrupted by a ghostly obsession that drives him to the edge of madness. Tightly packed with detail and elevated with an uncertain edge of the supernatural, this multilayered tale of tragic romance is a compelling tangle of complex emotions until the very last line.

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2024-06-26T12:32:30+02:00June 26th, 2024|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

From the Ashes by Shari Marshall

From the Ashes by Shari Marshall

Someone is manipulating the free will of powerful Spellbinders in From the Ashes by Shari Marshall, the thrilling third installment of the magical Ember Files series. Still reeling from the death of his twin, Kyson Adelgrief lusts for blood and vengeance against the Influencers, forcing them to embark on an offensive rescue mission, but he may not be the only threat in the shadows. Continuing to balance creative fantasy with tense relationship-building among the uniquely gifted but relatable protagonists, Marshall’s whip-smart writing and sinister themes make this novel a gripping addition to a wickedly creative and superbly plotted saga.[…]

2024-06-25T17:27:07+02:00June 25th, 2024|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Debauchery by Andy Bramley

Debauchery Part 1 by Andy Bramley

Creative, clever, and chock full of dark comedy, Debauchery: Part 1 by Andy Bramley is a witty and wise read from an unconventional storyteller.

A bizarre series of events brings together a disparate group of seven acquaintances, fans, friends, and strangers with big personalities and a hefty handful of bad habits. As their unlikely worlds spiral closer and casually collide, it becomes clear that their chance encounters are anything but coincidence.

Embodying the seven deadly sins – pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth – these seven souls have unknowingly become the target of The Community, a radically conservative […]

Spiritual Enlightenment by L. Owen Paxton

Spiritual Enlightenment by L. Owen Paxton

A gentle introduction to cognitive awakening and the power we all have to pursue mindful practices, Spiritual Enlightenment: A Guide to Awakening to Your True Self by L. Owen Paxton overflows with honesty, humor, lived experience, and relatable wisdom. Dissecting the oft-overlooked corners of our internal world, the book provides cognitive tools and strategies to achieve mental clarity, a stable identity, and a balanced relationship with ego. Though the book doesn’t break a lot of new ground for the subject, it is still a well-conceived and thought-provoking blend of philosophy, psychology, spirituality, and science, for a deeply compelling and perceptive […]

2024-06-21T13:50:52+02:00June 21st, 2024|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Subversion by Ray Keating

A dramatic and timely historical novel from Ray Keating, Subversion is a fast-moving international thriller rooted in faith and noble heroics in the face of evil. In pre-war 1930s, the violent scourge of Nazism is spreading on either side of the Atlantic, and the secretive Alliance of Saint Michael takes charge of protecting both the flock and the shepherds. This is thriller fiction with a purpose, featuring a balance of rapid-fire action sequences and thought-provoking exchanges on politics, philosophy, and morality. Keating has found another layer of thematic depth in this second installment of the Alliance of Saint Michael Novels[…]

2024-06-20T14:33:34+02:00June 20th, 2024|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Outcasts by Jonathan Staten

Outcasts by Jonathan Staten

A futuristic blur of sci-fi and dark fantasy, Outcasts, Book 3 in the Wardens Universe, by Jonathan Staten is a page-turning installment of this universe-jumping series. When a deadly enemy from the past unleashes a shadowy slaughter and a secret heist in the city of Sephria, the Augur-augmented Wardens of the Interstellar Space Association may be the only force that can stop their destructive plans. Elizabeth Stone will have to master her new abilities in the crucible of combat, and learn to trust her centuries-old comrades, or succumb to the wrath of a vengeful monster from another world. […]

2024-06-19T12:59:42+02:00June 19th, 2024|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Brisk Verse by Garrison Keillor

Brisk Verse by Garrison Keillor

The legendary storyteller of Lake Wobegon, Garrison Keillor, shows his inimitable skills once again with Brisk Verse, an acerbic and entertaining collection of inspired poetry. Simultaneously playful and profound, these clever, hopeful, and wide-ranging poems are imbued with perfect comedic timing and smirking irreverence.

As Keillor explains in the book’s foreword, he’s in the “age of gratitude,” meaning that he doesn’t have time to complain or spend his attention dwelling on the evils and pains of the world. For that reason, this collection isn’t driven by heartbreak, grief, existential crises, or loss, apart from the occasional brutal aside: Life […]

2024-07-29T12:43:00+02:00June 18th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |
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