John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Review: An Eighth Grade Gay Straight Alliance by Daniel Micko

An Eighth Grade Gay Straight Alliance by Daniel Micko

Hard-hitting in its honesty and authentic narrative voice, An Eighth Grade Gay Straight Alliance by Daniel Micko shines a light on the societal forces and peer pressures that shape growing up today.

When the enigmatic Brooklyn Jennings starts her own Gay-Straight Alliance at her middle school in Modesto, California, she makes her intentions clear: no adults, no teachers, and a vision to “shake things up.” Sydney Troller may be smitten by Brooklyn’s devil-may-care vibes, but she also doesn’t want to get involved in anything that could land her in trouble – or even jail. Testing the lines of privilege, purpose, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-12-15T15:11:56+02:00December 3rd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: LGBTQI+ Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Mysteries of a Middle Schooler by Dr. Tonmar Johnson

A time-travel adventure packed with mystery and hard lessons, Mysteries of a Middle Schooler: Let the Adventures Begin by Dr. Tonmar Johnson is a thrilling hyper-modern fantasy for middle grade readers. The start of fifth grade for tech-savvy Marcus and warrior-poet Evie Wilkins is exciting, but their ChatGPT-fueled plan to crack time travel takes them where they don’t expect. Redefining the concept of extra credit, Evie’s trip back to 1862 gives her everything she could ever need for their history presentation, but the lessons learned extend far beyond the classroom. Exploring deep concepts of bloodlines, inequality, loyalty, and the uncomfortable […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-11-30T13:23:55+02:00November 30th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Things That Go Bump in the Night by JC Bratton

Things That Go Bump in the Night by JC Bratton

A collection of slow-burning psychological horror, Things That Go Bump in the Night, Volume One: Urban Legends by JC Bratton holds four chilling and unpredictable stories, originally published separately.

In “Who’s At the Door?” a young woman named Jamie is left at home while her parents go on vacation, but two weeks of enjoying an empty house quickly turn terrifying. Whether it’s a cruel prank or something even more sinister, bizarre things keep happening at 3:33 AM, from invisible front door visitors to ghastly appearances on empty country roads. With the help of Mark the heartthrob, Jamie continues peeling back […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-11-29T19:35:15+02:00November 29th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Horror Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews|

ChatGPT Hacks for Teachers by Keshav Jha

Demystifying a revolutionary technology in both the classroom and the broader realm of teaching, ChatGPT Hacks for Teachers: A Comprehensive ChatGPT Guide for Educators for Teaching and Learning with Step-by-Step Instructions, Practical Demonstrations, Examples, Prompts, and Video Outputs by Keshav Jha is a thorough and useful guide for this new paradigm of education. Harnessing the power of AI for better educational outcomes of students and teachers alike is the utopian goal for many fans of ChatGPT, but understanding how to use the program effectively is the important first step. Whether you are seeking to develop more interactive learning modules, multilevel […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-11-27T16:17:39+02:00November 27th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Our Cats Are Plotting to Kill Us by Jim Tilberry

Our Cats Are Plotting to Kill Us by Jim Tilberry

Peeking into the wild internal world of house cats, Our Cats Are Plotting to Kill Us by Jim Tilberry is a witty wander to the edge of the absurd.

When Julie signs up for Elon Musk’s new Cat Chat app, she and her doubtful husband find themselves able to spy on the telepathic communications of Oliver and Wendell, their two feline friends. Not only have their pets given them a variety of insulting nicknames, but they also have a laundry list of grievances, from their hatred of closed doors and being picked up to “Blondie’s” awful perfume and “Dagwood’s” tacky […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-02-01T13:24:48+02:00November 22nd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Humor|

The Lost Family Robinson by Alan Priest

A wild homage to time travel fiction, The Lost Family Robinson by Alan Priest is an engrossing, dialogue-driven drama about survival and loyalty in truly strange places. When a DIY time machine drops ten members of the Robinson family sixty years in the past, they will have to put their fraternal fighting aside to get back to 2028, but their fiddling with sacred timelines doesn’t go unnoticed by the Vatican’s holy-rolling watchdogs. A creative caper with a strong spine of theoretical and quantum science, this is a cleverly penned and paradox-dodging adventure in rugged recent history, with tender nods to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-11-22T12:09:20+02:00November 22nd, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Across the Kentucky Color Line by Lee Durham Stone

Across the Kentucky Color Line by Lee Durham Stone Exploring racial dynamics in the context of Kentucky’s complex history, Across the Kentucky Color Line: Cultural Landscapes of Race from the Lost Cause to Integration by Lee Durham Stone is a brilliant work of sociological study.

From the color-blind struggle of miners and the gruesome history of public hangings to manifested visions of emancipation and the generations of psychic damage enacted on people of color in America, this is a relentless account of prejudice, trauma, and resilience at the dark heart of the American Dream. Interrogating the whitewashed legacy of an oppressed people through the lens of personal anecdotes, historical […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-11-21T14:09:14+02:00November 21st, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: History Book Reviews, Social Science Book Reviews|

Unforgettable by David J. Cook

A celebration of resilience, family, and joy in the face of life’s greatest challenges, Unforgettable by David J. Cook is a fearless testament to loyalty and love.

Overcoming heartbreak and tragedy as children, Althea, Gabrielle, and Stephanie are adopted by a gifted couple who devote themselves to raising smart, healthy, and independent daughters. The young women’s lives aren’t always easy, as illness, scandal, and abuse painfully find them, but they perpetually rise above, relying on the strength of their family and community. With life experiences emphasizing numerous overlapping social crises that are raging today, this is a contemporary and nuanced […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-11-20T13:54:20+02:00November 20th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|