John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Prompt Excursion by Lewis S. Kingston

Prompt Excursion by Lewis S. Kingston

A Weapons System Officer wakes up to fractured memories on a devastated and nearly lifeless experimental warship in Prompt Excursion by Lewis S. Kingston, a creative and original work of science fiction.

Johansson is a captivating and fearless protagonist from the very first page, showing a relentless drive to survive, despite nearly impossible odds. As she navigates the clutter and chaos of her slowly returning memories, she begins to piece things together – a mission gone wrong and an explosive attack, which has left her alone on a strange ship, lost in the vastness of space. Sending calls for aid […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-01-12T13:09:49+02:00October 30th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

The Lost Souls of Guayaquil by Brian Gibb

The Lost Souls of Guayaquil by Brian Gibb Spectacularly creative and emotionally gripping, The Lost Souls of Guayaquil by Brian Gibb is an original and thought-provoking novel about life, death, and what defines us in between.

In a clash of beliefs, destinies, and capitalist ambitions, a young woman is torn between fighting beside her oppressed people and staying loyal to her supernatural calling as a healer. An intrepid journalist pushes back against the Ecuadorian government’s sinister manipulation of the press, even if that means landing a target on his back. The reluctant souls of the dead, frustrated at the fate of their still-living loved ones, and unwilling to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-30T13:14:12+02:00October 30th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: International Fiction Book Reviews, Visionary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Magi Apprentice by Dan E. Hendrickson

Magi Apprentice by Dan E. Hendrickson

A narrative clash of mysticism, science, geopolitics, and biblical lore, Magi Apprentice by Dan E. Hendrickson is a unique piece of historical fiction, exploring the religious sects, governments, and individuals who likely played a part in the star-driven journey to the birthplace of Jesus.

Rassan is a young military officer and friend to Prince Phraates, heir to the Parthian Empire. When a rogue magi embarks on a secret pilgrimage to Jerusalem, through Parthian lands, Rassan is sent to meet him on the road, only to find that his caravan has been attacked by bandits. The magi’s final wish sends Rassan […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-25T11:22:59+02:00October 24th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Religious Fiction Book Reviews|

Reasonable by K.T. Carlisle

A recently jilted designer wakes up confused and covered in her best friend’s blood in Reasonable by K.T. Carlisle, a dark and dramatic first installment of the What Happened to Mia Davis? series.

As Cat is dumped into the unforgiving justice system and her inexplicable brain fog begins to clear, she begins to realize that she may be an alcoholic, but she’s not a killer. However, proving her innocence from behind bars won’t be easy, particularly for her surviving business partners, considering that her guilt seems impossible to deny. Digging into her own past and facing her laundry list of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-24T11:06:50+02:00October 24th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Through An Emerald Gale by Jordan Riley Swan

A grown-up retelling of two classic stories, Through an Emerald Gale (A Snowfall in Oz Book 1) by Jordan Riley Swan is an epic collision of magic and royalty in the whimsical land of Oz. A sinister queen has her malevolent sights set on ultimate youth and eternal power, but the infamous Wicked Witch will go to war before she bends the knee. Leo, Nik, Crow, and Dorothy are a nostalgic group of familiar heroes, while Swan’s dextrous and deliciously clever pen makes this darkly entertaining story come to shimmering life with vivid scene-setting and an unpredictable storyline. Deftly melding […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-23T12:52:55+02:00October 23rd, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

The Perilous Journey of Gavin the Great by Don Gutteridge

Reframing the scope of existence with comforting charm and emotional weight, The Perilous Journey of Gavin the Great by Don Gutteridge is the deceptively whimsical story of an unavoidable animal exodus in the face of environmental disaster, and the collisions of fear and ambition that inevitably arise. Peppered with compelling black and white illustrations, the richly told story is brought even more vividly to life through these visual additions, for a beautifully conceived fable both visually and lyrically. A hard-hitting allegory for a readership of “Tallwalkers” on the precipice of their own macrocosmic catastrophe, this novel succeeds in teaching empathy […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-10-19T17:23:20+02:00October 19th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Naimera: Sapient Quest by Michael Ganzberger

Naimera: Sapient Quest by Michael D. Ganzberger

A gritty work of sci-fi that feels ripped from a near-future headline, Naimera: Sapient Quest by Michael Ganzberger is the thrilling second piece of his biosynthetic space saga. After proving their incredible capabilities in bringing down the world’s most dangerous man, the NAIMERA program is enlisted once more for a task that just might end up saving the species.

On Earth, reports of mirage-like flying saucers and Unidentified Aerial Phenomena with impossible abilities have become harder to hide or explain away, heating up an already dangerous arms race for the recovery of this presumed alien tech. Under the guise of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-01-08T11:02:12+02:00October 19th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: From Bonham to Buddha and Back Again by Clementine Moss

From Bonham to Buddha and Back Again by Clementine Moss

The rare kind of memoir that makes one forget it’s not a novel, From Bonham to Buddha and Back Again: The Slow Enlightenment of the Hard Rock Drummer by Clementine Moss is an exhilarating and enlightening read.

Slowly revealing the autobiographical puzzle of her own music-infused life, from wild leaps to NYC, meditative mountain retreats, and early romance over drum kits to cross-country tours, sleepless benders, and bittersweet final shows, this book is laced with reckless adventure. Taking readers backstage in every sense of the word, the prose lays everything on the table – beliefs, passions, secrets, dreams, and the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-12-22T19:20:07+02:00October 18th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Music Book Reviews, Spirituality Book Reviews|