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.

Loving Strays by Franco Cardiello

Loving Strays by Franco Cardiello

A truth-telling collection of poetry from Franco Cardiello, Loving Strays examines the highs and lows of love in the varied seasons of our unpredictable lives. From long-distance romance behind bars to surviving betrayal under the influence, the opening salvos of this reflective collection are raw and passionate musings of youth. The free-verse storytelling style gracefully matures alongside the poet, though lust and love remain his preferred subject matter. The struggles of writing, the dedication of siblings, and the compassion of breaking hearts gently are all explored with tenderness and nuance, despite the almost Bukowski-like grit that edges some of these […]

2023-09-21T15:34:11+02:00September 21st, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

The Dominant One by Michelle Ian

The Dominant One by Michelle Ian

Reality, memory, and the dark side of dreaming collide in The Dominant One by Michelle Ian, a spiraling work of supernatural horror that hooks hard from the very first chapter. A wise protector with a hidden power finds himself on a desperate rescue mission in the Arizona mountains, haunted by the fatal fallout of his own tragic heroics. With a hypnotizing plot and enthralling, suspenseful prose, this is a sinister masterpiece of modern horror, with surreal sequences of mind-bending descriptions, dream-world battles, a corpse-swallowing void, and a psychotic killer who can terrorize outside of space and time. A disturbing escape, […]

2023-09-20T13:38:30+02:00September 20th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Simon’s Dream by Jeremy Howe

Simon's Dream by Jeremy HoweA psychological and paranormal crime thriller, Simon’s Dream by Jeremy Howe is a gripping hunt for long-overdue justice. Surreal, spiritual, and undeniably creative, this slow-burning novel digs into powerful themes of unfulfilled purpose, vengeful justice, and the casual violence of our modern world.

Simon Verner is still figuring out his future in the waking world, but once he falls asleep, he has begun occupying the life and memories of John Stinson, a heroic Chicago police officer whose brutal murder has become a cold case. Compelled to find the cop-killers, if only to get a good night’s sleep, Simon enlists the […]

2023-09-20T12:37:41+02:00September 20th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Sun Tzu’s Art of War in Business Strategy by M.K. Langley

Sun Tzu's Art of War in Business Strategy by M.K. Langley

From building competitive intelligence to sharpening your instincts in the heat of conflict, Sun Tzu’s Art of War in Business Strategy: Mastering the Battlefield of Commerce by M.K. Langley is a close reading of the titular text for an ambitious professional generation. Breaking down the keys to corporate success before distilling them through Sun Tzu’s keen military lens, this is a straightforward playbook for behavioral efficiency, self-improvement, and corporate ladder climbing. While the association of war and business may be a bit strong for some readers, the author’s exploration of corporate strategy, interpersonal dynamics, high-stakes decision-making, and behavioral science through […]

2023-09-20T12:41:40+02:00September 19th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: The Helper by Jeff Lee

The Helper by Jeff Lee

Author Jeff Lee plumbs the depths of human darkness and resilience in his gritty, visionary novel, The Helper, an intersecting tale of disparate lives in the deadly orbit of fate. Scrawled across the endless canvas of New York City and far beyond to realms past reality in the Connecticut countryside, this is a spiraling story of redemption, destiny, and survival.

After the high society son of a priest is attacked by a gang of homophobic skinheads, his axe-wielding rescuers bring him home like a wounded animal, across state lines, where he embarks on a journey of healing and self-discovery […]

2023-10-30T14:43:53+02:00September 13th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Cyberama by Arthi Vasudevan, Illustrated by Jasmin Davis

Cyberama by Arthi Vasudevan

An addictive VR video game leads to surprising and challenging lessons about internet safety in Cyberama by Arthi Vasudevan, a clever children’s book laced with critical wisdom. Maya is a curious gamer with cyber-savvy parents working on a secret government project, but when bad actors attack via cyberspace, it will take fresh knowledge and clever defenses to save the day as the situation spirals out of control. Supported by AI-infused cyber pals that try to keep Maya safe as she ventures through the online world, this story of self-discovery, safety, and cybersecurity is equally entertaining and educational. Breaking down complex […]

2023-09-12T12:07:48+02:00September 12th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

The Blizzard’s Secrets by DJanée

The Blizzard's Secrets by DJanée

Power is rarely gained honestly, nor held gently, as author DJanée reveals in the stark novel The Blizzard’s Secrets, a fantasy parable of leadership and loyalty.

The Ruler of Taliver is acting strangely, asking the intrepid young Daia, future Commander of the Forces, to keep secrets from the Seer – a forbidden practice. Luring her into a trap, the Ruler sends her on a frigid mission into the unforgiving Tundra in search of a lost son, the one person who can reveal the truth of a murderous secret from the past. Selflessly determined to protect the current Seer from […]

2023-09-20T11:04:00+02:00September 12th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Invasive Species by Nick Snape

Invasive Species by Nick Snape

The intrepid Delta Squad of space commandos is back in Invasive Species by Nick Snape, the sixth book in his wildly creative Weapons of Choice series. In need of recuperation after their recent tragic losses, the team descends into the Stratan system, only to find a shattered society of regressed humanity where trust is rarer than resources, and violence reigns supreme. Snape’s wholly original characters play with readers’ contemporary preconceptions about life, sentience, and the purpose of human evolution, while also delivering an action-heavy thriller that will satisfy any fan of tech-driven sci-fi. After six books, the pace and intricate […]

2023-09-11T11:29:17+02:00September 9th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|
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