John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Uncle Jed by Frank C. Senia

A sharply penned drama of growing up, guilt, and the frightening legacy of one’s ancestry, Uncle Jed by Frank C. Senia is an emotionally charged look into the secrets we bury, and the sacrifices required to unearth them. Excited by the prospect of spending a summer away from the city and her unapproachable parents, young Tomi has no idea what adventures, revelations, and wisdom await with her eccentric Uncle Jed. Their regular reminiscing over old memories leads to dark family tragedies being revealed, shedding light on painful truths in Tomi’s own life, and connecting the pair in ways neither could […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-12-09T17:32:00+02:00December 8th, 2022|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

The File by Gary Born

The File by Gary Born An accidental discovery in western Uganda summons monsters and memories from the past in The File by Gary Born, a thrilling international adventure.

Though Hitler may be long since dead, discovering the whereabouts of his golden treasure trove is a mission worth killing over, putting an innocent father/daughter team of researchers in the crosshairs of multiple countries. From the Deputy Director of the CIA and sinister Nazi sympathizers to deadly Russian operatives and an overly curious botanist, this novel is packed with colorful characters, and Born does an excellent job weaving each narrative together without losing readers in the weeds. […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-12-08T16:31:41+02:00December 6th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Action and Adventure Book Reviews|

Review: Tim by Daniel A. Sheridan

Tim by Daniel A. Sheridan

Transporting readers back to a legendary snapshot from the long tale of America, Tim: The Story of Timothy H. O’Sullivan as a Young Apprentice at Mathew Brady’s Studio by Daniel A. Sheridan is a stunning story of youthful determination and a nascent technology that would change the world.

Young Tim is unexpectedly apprenticed to the legendary Matthew Brady at his daguerrotype studio on Broadway, and his life is forever changed overnight. Walking through the heart of historical New York is a dramatic and eye-opening shift from the young boy’s expected path – following his father and brother as a carpenter. […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-01-12T17:24:50+02:00December 6th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Persecution by Ray Keating

Persecution by Ray Keating

Once again peeling back the shadowy layers of international espionage, author Ray Keating drops another explosive installment of his Pastor Grant series with Persecution.

When videos surface of Christians being executed in Iran, the American government and its intelligence agencies refuse to sit idly by, but geopolitical sensitivity is required, which means covert operations – and a blessing from the pope himself. With his sixth sense for danger and his penchant for finding himself in the midst of it, Pastor Grant and the secretive heroes of CDM are a natural choice for handling a deadly and top-secret mission. Quietly […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-01-11T10:42:43+02:00December 3rd, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: International Thriller Book Reviews, Religious Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Kidadkill by David Chick

Kidadkill by David Chick

Launching a scathing rebuke of the family law system in England, David Chick details his own harrowing battle against this secretive bureaucratic nightmare in Kidadkill: Spiderman of Tower Bridge.

More than 20 years ago, the author’s life was turned upside down when his relationship with his partner Jo began to break down. As an unmarried father to his beloved daughter Lauryn, he had very few rights to protect, house, and safeguard her. Instead, backed up by bogus claims of violence and abuse, Jo was able to control the narrative and prevent David from seeing his daughter for extended periods […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-01-09T13:45:09+02:00November 29th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Parenting Book Reviews|

Review: How to Stop Thinking And Not Get Eaten by a Bear by Dogu Densei, PhD

How to Stop Thinking And Not Get Eaten by a Bear by Dogu Densei, PhD

Author Dogu Densei, PhD shatters the stuffy traditions of academic texts with How to Stop Thinking And Not Get Eaten by a Bear: The New Cognitive Behavioral Mind Training. A deep dive into the realities and mysteries of the human mind, from out-of-body experiences and OCD to meditation, psychiatric disorders, and daily mindfulness, this tome is both whimsical and wise.

Broken up into three main sections, the book broadly focuses on turning off your mind, learning how to control and manage your thoughts, and then exploring how to escape the natural boundaries of consciousness. As the title implies, the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-11-30T14:20:39+02:00November 29th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Psychology Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Manning a Raptor by AA Freda

Manning a Raptor by AA Freda is a deft mixture of drama and high-stakes political thriller, centering on the tumultuous lives of Sam and James. Despite being in the midst of a massive business venture, and adding a new member of the family, the Coppi couple is foolishly hoping for a relaxing next chapter. However, their ambitions mean getting in bed with the American military, slick politicians, and dirty money from guerrilla fighters in Chile, which threatens to put them squarely in dangerous crosshairs. While this globe-trotting thriller peeks into the lives of the wealthy and the towering halls of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-11-29T17:56:18+02:00November 28th, 2022|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Earworms by Zack Duncan

Earworms by Zack Duncan

Blending character-driven drama and hometown heartache with a psychological crime thriller, Earworms by Zack Duncan is an addictive spiral of visionary sci-fi storytelling.

A lucid-dreaming journalist with a penchant for digging up truths people want to keep hidden, Max Barker has returned home after many years to bury his father. He hasn’t seen his old friend Oren West in over a decade, but the now-famous case-cracking PI is at the funeral with an unusual request: Oren needs Max to operate an illegal memory-accessing device in order to locate a missing 16-year-old girl. Still reeling from the shock and grief of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-12-23T14:21:20+02:00November 28th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|