John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Skyworld Saga Foundation by Alan Priest

A near-future burst of visionary fiction, brilliantly supported by deep research, history-crafting, and a detailed imagination, Skyworld Saga Foundation by Alan Priest is a bold launch point for a sci-fi series. Exploring the weight of innovation in desperate times, readers bear witness to the relentless drive of human nature when pushed to the ultimate brink to save the world’s first city in the sky. A fine-toothed editorial comb would polish the occasionally stilted dialogue or rambling prose that undercut the meticulous nature of Priest’s storytelling. Overall, however, the vivid world-building and expositional artistry make Sky City an immersive new idea […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-05-31T07:18:48+02:00May 29th, 2022|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Strung by Roske

The mysteriously-named Roske has summoned a magical land with their gifted pen in Strung, an ambitious and masterfully crafted story of forbidden love and the shattering of traditions.

According to Lysbeth Haywood’s ancestor, Alder, the magical and elusive Faye simply wish to be left alone, but the curiosity of humans is persistent and voracious, as is Lysbeth’s fascination with these supposedly mythical creatures. When an unwanted potential suitor, the Earl of Dorsit, brings an impossible treasure to her doorstep as an engagement gift, her heart is torn between curiosity and the fear of becoming another man’s wife.

The gift […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-07-11T03:47:31+02:00May 26th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Every Awful Thing by S.E. 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

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

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

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

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|