John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Every Awful Thing by S.E. Bourne

Every Awful Thing by Sophia Bourne S.E. Bourne unleashes her life through language in the standout collection of flash fiction and poetry, Every Awful Thing.

This collection is an acknowledgment of struggle, a tour de force of vulnerability, and a celebration of life’s arcing flow. There is a gritty, matter-of-fact feel to Bourne’s early pieces, but the tone matures along with the writer as she moves through her own scattered memoir. From her youthful thieving antics and teenage chambermaid duties to Mexican road trips and cigars on the Mag Mile, the first half of this collection sparks with energy and potential in every direction. The flash […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-06-20T10:51:14+02:00May 25th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Poetry Book Reviews, Short Stories Book Reviews|

Review: The Zodiac Revisited, Volume 1 by Michael F. Cole

The Zodiac Revisited, Volume 1 by Michael Cole

Shining an updated light on one of the darkest cases in American history, The Zodiac Revisited, Volume 1: The Facts of the Case by Michael F. Cole is an exhaustive exploration of this infamous mystery.

After more than 5 decades, the identity of the Zodiac killer remains unknown, as does the true tally of his unfortunate victims. What sets this case apart, as Cole explains, is the brazen confidence of the killer in his communications with the press, his ability to remain uncaught for all these years, and the unique nature of his criminal profile. What sets this book apart […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-06-17T09:01:47+02:00May 25th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: History Book Reviews|

Review: What Happens on Outlook by D.F. Nightshade

What Happens on Outlook by D.F. Nightshade

Examining human nature under a thrilling magnifying glass, D.F. Nightshade has constructed an incisive and powerful read in What Happens on Outlook. Peering into the lives of seven eccentric characters living on Outlook Street, each with a potential bullseye on their back, this slow-burning thriller is both entertaining and far outside the box.

Birdy is a new-age guru with an inexplicably smelly apartment and a lifestyle deemed too “rainbow” by the uptight members of the Committee. Sakamoto is an honest shopkeeper on Outlook Street with a remarkably even temper, despite being forced out of his space by ugly, unfair, and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-06-17T09:00:49+02:00May 25th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|

Wolf Woman and Other Poems by Jo-Ann Vega

Celebrating a lifetime of creation and perpetual growth, Wolf Woman and Other Poems by Jo-Ann Vega is a poetic memoir that hums with ongoing curiosity. From examinations of the writing life and youthful betrayal to sage wisdom about connection and reflections on vulnerability, Vega’s free-verse style allows her to narrate her thoughts clearly, without forcing them into a meter or rhyme, so there is more room for vivid imagery and language. The third section, “Cronehood,” is the most confident and clear, evidence of the poet’s experience-filled life, but there are powerful and deeply personal pieces throughout this well-curated collection.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-05-25T04:17:21+02:00May 24th, 2022|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: There’s No Basketball on Mars by Craig Leener

There's No Basketball on Mars by Craig Leener

Author Craig Leener delivers an inspiring story of reaching impossible dreams, despite impossible odds, in his new YA novel There’s No Basketball on Mars, a stirring dream-fueled adventure.

Depicting a character on the autistic spectrum without falling into tropes or unfair stereotypes is challenging for some authors, but Leener approaches this protagonist with compassion, patience, grace, and humor. Lawrence Tuckerman is the sympathetic beating heart of this brilliantly told tale. Although his particular condition makes it more challenging for him to navigate a busy world of noise and people, it has made him a mathematical prodigy, a fact that […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-06-15T07:04:17+02:00May 23rd, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, YA Fantasy Book Reviews, Young Adult Book Reviews|

Predator/Nomad by Daniel Micko

Predator/Nomad by Daniel Micko A conspiratorial novel of progress, royalty, love, and betrayal that moves at a relentless pace, Predator/Nomad by Daniel Micko is a bold and breathless read.

A doctor on the edge of a species-changing breakthrough and the twin sister of a Saudi prince are an unlikely pair, and their deviant tryst is doomed from the start. Jordan’s work in the field of genetic manipulation and cloning puts her in bed with Afghani nationalists, and when the crown prince dies under mysterious circumstances, Saleh is forced to take his place in the royal spotlight. Presenting a behind-the-scenes look at the dangerous nexus […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-11-28T14:02:02+02:00May 20th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

The Secret of Four Notch by Tracy Sabin

The Secret of Four Notch by Tracy Sabin Danny, Jen, and Tabor’s lives are upended in The Secret of Four Notch by Tracy Sabin, a whimsical tale of change and growth.

When their parents abruptly move the family out of state, the siblings’ grand summer plans are ruined. However, they soon meet a pinecone-slinging friend, Kip Yotter, who is eager to find adventure, and maybe a bit of trouble. The new friends find a tree stump that allows them to travel back in time, and the siblings’ lives are shaken up once again, despite their resistance to change. The temptation of living in the rustic past collides with […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-05-17T06:25:50+02:00May 17th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Middle Grade Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Dead Beckoning by Mike Cobb

Dead Beckoning by Mike Cobb

Steeped in the charm, pace, and painful realities of a bygone era, Dead Beckoning by Mike Cobb is a stunning peek into late 19th century America, and the lives embroiled in a tragic mystery.

Baker Bass is a Georgia country boy with the heart of a gentleman, who finds himself in small-town high society thanks to the love of his life, Ella. His ambitions take their family to Atlanta, where they shift to being small fish in an ever-growing pond. Running a successful sundry shop in a Southern city is no easy feat, but when he is falsely fingered in […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-09-15T10:48:58+02:00May 16th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews|