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.

Thief: Poetry and Prose by Bianca Bowers

Thief: Poetry and Prose by Bianca Bowers

A candid and unfiltered collection of poetry about the crowded and complex life of a writer, mother, wife, explorer, and keen observer of life, Thief: Poetry and Prose demonstrates Bianca Bowers’ piercing poetic insight. Drawing inspiration from all corners of her life and beyond – ghostwriting insecurities, Billie Eilish, the moons of Jupiter, ancient cities – the poet’s curation paints a dynamic portrait that is both personal and universal. The free-verse style allows for fluid and full-scale descriptions, as well as creative enjambment for greater impact. A more traditional font for poem titles would help the overall tone, as […]

2023-07-17T15:06:05+02:00July 16th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Captured Angel by Cynthia L. Clark

Captured Angel by Cynthia L. Clark

A gripping tale of romance, betrayal, and forgiveness, Captured Angel by Cynthia L. Clark is a brutally honest peek into the crucible of commitment, and the undeniable power of true love. After suffering a tragic rejection in Clark’s previous novel, Dirt Road Main Street, Holly Harris rebounds into a sure-thing engagement with a man who adores her, but she can’t deny the significance of her ex-lover’s unexpected return and the fear that she is making the biggest mistake of her life. Navigating the pressures of family, friends, society, and her own pragmatic mind, this well-drawn protagonist’s conflict is painfully […]

2023-07-13T12:31:06+02:00July 12th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Karl Myers by Jeff Lee

Karl Myers by Jeff Lee

An instantly immersive story of innocence lost and justice miscarried, Karl Myers by Jeff Lee is a patiently profound piece of 1950s fiction – a visceral, dark, and poignant drama, which offers a snapshot of a sinister time that America has yet to fully escape.

Karl Myers is a melancholic ex-Marine police chief with a stack of regrets, an unwavering hunger for justice, and a raised eyebrow at the backwards beliefs that still flourish in the town he calls home. Jerry Peterman is a scarred veteran with a quick temper and no tolerance for weakness, let alone disobedience, from either […]

2023-07-18T15:42:58+02:00July 12th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Canvas of Healing by Suzette Welling

Canvas of Healing by Suzette Welling

A raw and fearless story of overcoming grief, loss, and betrayal, Canvas of Healing (Journeys of the Heart Book 1) by Suzette Welling is an empowering novel celebrating the power of second chances. After finding that her marriage had been collapsing long before her unfaithful husband died, Megan Hart returns to a place of cherished memories to overcome the shock and pain. There she must battle with new feelings of desire, balanced with the regret she cannot deny for the life she once led. Weaving evocative flashbacks into Megan’s journey of self-acceptance and personal revelation, Welling unveils a carefully crafted […]

2023-07-12T12:53:03+02:00July 11th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Dinner at Tony Napoli’s by Edward Izzi

Dinner at Tony Napoli's by Edward IzziA hard-nosed Chicago mob thriller written with Edward Izzi’s signature grit, Dinner at Tony Napoli’s is the latest gripping novel from this skilled storyteller.

A legendary Italian restaurant in Chicago is set for demolition after more than five decades of serving the powerful, famous, and dangerous denizens of that underworld. Rather than die in prison, the restaurant owner, Tony Sorrentino, must break his code of silence and share the dark secrets of his place of business with his nephew – a no-nonsense CPD detective. Dennis Romanowski wants to protect the man he’s known all his life, while also being a […]

Ocellicon by A.G. Russo

Ocellicon by A.G. Russo

A chilling, thought-provoking vision of a militarized and chaotic future, Ocellicon: Future Visions by A.G. Russo is a dramatic work of military sci-fi that takes on tough issues, which reflect the current world. Continuing a lifelong battle against those who underestimate her, Annalisa, a military Investigator of scarred and controversial origins, boldly dives into a murky murder case that puts her reputation back in the crosshairs. However, when a far greater enemy than injustice reveals itself, she will have yet another chance to prove her merit, both inside and outside the courtroom. At times, the declarative style of the prose […]

2023-07-10T12:55:54+02:00July 10th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Alien Rebirth by Nick Snape

Alien Rebirth by Nick Snape

The fifth chapter in Nick Snape’s Weapons of Choice series, Alien Rebirth returns to its survival thriller roots as the heroic squad plunges into a new and dangerous world. While investigating an electromagnetic anomaly in a mining colony system seeded by the Haven, these liberators, warriors, and explorers are confronted by a faceless evil, one that has awakened from ageless slumber with a blind hunger. Navigating the political minefield of the Tiqsimuyu system, while fighting desperately against an annihilating force, this unexpected conflict could cost Finn, Zuri, Noah, and Yasuko everything, including their ship, their mission, and their lives, for […]

2023-07-06T12:19:31+02:00July 6th, 2023|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

The Missing Diary by Tasmin Turner

The Missing Diary by Tasmin Turner

Plunging readers into the gritty instability of a recovering war zone, The Missing Diary (Crime Scene Kosovo Book 1) by Tasmin Turner is a fast-paced legal drama that feels both timely and historically significant.

Lawyer Kit Chase eagerly leaps into a new position in Kosovo, unaware that the conflict there hasn’t exactly ended – just shifted battlefields into urban, cultural, criminal, and political realms. Learning to survive on the fly, while navigating the swirl of flirtation, insinuation, and intimidation all around her, Kit must nab a merciless mob boss who will stop at nothing to protect his ill-gotten empire.

Examining […]

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