John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Satisfied Introvert by Benjamin Plumb

Author Benjamin Plumb presents his own remarkable life as a case study in finding happiness and purpose in The Satisfied Introvert: A Life-Changing Story About Finding Safety in an Extroverted World.

Recognizing his introversion from a young age, and actively choosing a strategy to manage it, this book is a wildly honest and detailed recounting of the author’s lifelong journey towards self-acceptance and ultimate success. By looking back at his own experiences through a keenly analytical lens, Plumb examines common themes of friendship, family, morality, and relationships, as well as more nuanced dissections of power dynamics, educational systems, geopolitics, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-04-22T07:38:07+02:00March 25th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Review: The Southern Character by Mario Fabbri

A fascinating dive into anthropology, history, genetics, philosophy, and culture, The Southern Character by Mario Fabbri presents a strong argument and compelling explanations behind a fundamental “divide” – both geographic and genetic – of our species. In short, Fabbri proposes that those people residing near the equator are distinct from their northern counterparts in terms of personality, behavior, traditions, and ambitions. Importantly, he doesn’t argue that this results from any inferiority of culture or intelligence, but rather informed our collective genetic and migrational history.

In an effort to avoid criticism as being reductionist, prejudicial, or lacking in nuance, Fabbri begins […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-04-21T05:28:59+02:00March 25th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Social Science Book Reviews|

The Pystead Group by James Pryor

A twisting, near-future novel about freedom, destruction, and the existential struggle for survival, The Pystead Group by James Pryor is both a chilling and thought-provoking dystopian read.

Philip’s life takes a drastic turn when he accepts a job offer to join the Pystead Group, cloistered on the secretive isle of Nevis. Resembling a contemporary cross between a cult, a corporation, a country, and a next-gen army, this shadowy colossus promises a brighter future, and the resources to build one, but there are plenty who seek to tear down this elite colony – both from within and without.

Bearing watermarks of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-03-24T09:15:35+02:00March 23rd, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Speculative Fiction Book Reviews|

Secondhand Emotions by Will Entrekin

A romantic sojourn of an eager-to-please lover finding his way in the world, Secondhand Emotions by Will Entrekin is a steamy but unusual tale of sex and psychology.

Donovan Malone pulls readers through the personal experience of desire, depression, and “extreme empathy” of his collegiate years, but his hormonal throes of passion are anything but average. After discovering that he can sense the feelings and thoughts of his sexual partners, Donovan is driven to explore where this invasive power comes from, and how it can be controlled before it ruins his honest chance at happiness forever.

While many erotic-leaning reads […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-03-23T07:18:48+02:00March 23rd, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Romance Book Reviews|

The Partitioner by Zachary Aneiress

Author Zachary Aneiress delivers another attitude-laced adventure of mythology, magic, and self-discovery in The Partitioner, the eighth installment of his Athens Ophelia series. Taking their ever-expanding powers to a strange new world, meeting long-lost relatives, and learning more about their reincarnation as a timeless hero, Athens Ophelia faces more identity challenges and existential crises than ever before in this new chapter of the saga. Celebrating gender fluidity, modern ideas of heroism, unexpected brotherhood, and compassionate acceptance of those we don’t yet understand, this novel may be somewhat meandering, but it offers touching wisdom in bursts and sparks. The prose […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-03-22T05:12:17+02:00March 22nd, 2022|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Matters of Death by Norman Weeks

With the grace, curiosity, and relentless eye for detail displayed in the first half of this series, author Norman Weeks explores the shadow side of life in his latest book, Matters of Death.

Sifting through the sands of history and culture to explore the taboos and traditions surrounding death and the hereafter, these interconnected essays form a narrative arc of his own discovery. From the moralism of Judaic death rituals and the Christian theology of predestination to the ethics of Dr. Death, these essays are a kaleidoscopic review of death as a philosophy, practice, and aspiration of humanity.

The […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-03-21T09:19:46+02:00March 18th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Essay Book Reviews, Social Science Book Reviews|

A Ball With No Points by Stephen D. Reddy

An inspiring story of fearless belief in the face of impossible odds, A Ball With No Points by Stephen D. Reddy is a decade-spanning trip through the author’s deep love of basketball, specifically during one legendary season in 1971. Written with a remarkable level of detail, from pickup games on Gumbert Court 1 to the play-by-play recall of nail-biters during Westfield High School’s historic run, this memoir is both exciting and heartwarming. Watching the rust fall off the author’s memories, as well as his basketball skills, will be a pleasure for readers prone to nostalgia over their own long-buried passions.[…]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-03-21T08:35:44+02:00March 18th, 2022|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Caravan of Pain: The True Story of the Tattoo the Earth Tour by Scott Alderman

Caravan of Pain by Scott Alderman is a gritty and savagely honest account of the author’s epic dream come to life – a chaotic collaboration of metal’s biggest names and some of the most legendary tattoo artists on the planet. The author wasn’t just a backstage observer, but the organizer and originator of “Tattoo the Earth,” a tour like nothing that had ever been attempted. From the earliest brainstorming pitch sessions and potential disasters with scheduling to the chaos of rock star egos and downright raunchy tour anecdotes, this book covers ground you might expect – debauchery and all-around bad […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-03-15T01:57:04+02:00March 15th, 2022|Categories: Editorial Reviews|