John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Heirs to the Kingdom by Michael Tlustos

A classic coming-of-age fantasy, Heirs to the Kingdom by Michael Tlustos is an adventurous tale of destiny with epic existential stakes.

Prince Aramys is the crown prince of Pallisar and destined for greatness, but nagging self-doubt threatens to dethrone his troubled spirit before he has a chance to prove his mettle. After witnessing the prophecy-fulfilling potential of the young prince, an aging magic maker named Symon is determined to become a guide for the future king’s untapped and immense power.

Rolf is the prince’s loyal companion and squire, well-muscled in both body and mind, and fiercely true to his lord, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-30T09:49:42+02:00April 29th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|

Swanblade: Year One by D.K. Kristof

Blending the gritty imagery of The Dark Knight and the ominous edge of grimdark fiction, Swanblade: Year One by D.K. Kristof is an unflinching tale of legacy, power, and justice served. Since taking up her father’s legendary mantle as the vigilant protector of Radion Bay, Kayla McAllister has settled into her double life as Swanblade, but a vengeful harbinger of doom has been watching and waiting for his moment to strike. Dragged into the medieval brutality of a lawless battle for the city’s underworld, Kayla and her unlikely allies must face down a sinister foe willing to cut down anything […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-29T13:27:26+02:00April 29th, 2026|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: The Magic Circle by C.F. Hayes

A shocking recollection of abuse, power, and repression in one tragically brief life, The Magic Circle by C.F. Hayes is a stirring portrait of emotional processing and the dark secrets we carry too often to the grave.

Following her sudden death, Mary Armstrong’s diary passes into the hands of an old friend, one who never expected to find it full of haunted memories, taboo secrets, and philosophical streams of intense exploration. Layered with intimate confessions about her earliest sexual experiences, including shocking revelations about her father, a prominent conservative Senator, this journal becomes a gateway to Mary’s imaginative and undeniably […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-29T11:27:54+02:00April 28th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews, Women's Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: From Woodstock to Wisdom by Vicki Thomas

A thoughtful reflection on choosing happiness and remaining relevant, no matter how many candles are on your cake, From Woodstock to Wisdom: A Boomer’s Journey to 80 by Vicki Thomas is a nostalgic and timely roadmap to the good life.

In this collection of “snackable” essays, the author artfully offers the wisdom she has gained through the trials, travels, and tribulations of a humbly impressive life, with a focus on maintaining a purposeful and satisfying existence in your golden years. Marked by sardonic humor and the willingness to laugh at her own expense, Thomas has a pitch-perfect narrative voice, making […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-28T13:31:32+02:00April 28th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Self-Help Book Reviews|

Origami Dreams by Donna June Cooper

A taut environmental thriller with a sprinkling of sci-fi and romance, Origami Dreams (Books of the Kindling Book 2) by Donna June Cooper positively buzzes with timely energy and captivating characters. Tasked with interviewing a reclusive bee expert about a looming disaster for ecosystem stability, Mel Noblett sees her chance to finally unmask a villainous powerhouse of Big Agro. However, her relentlessly handsome whistleblower has an even bigger secret – waking visions and prophetic dreams, foretellings in which Mel soon begins to appear. Steeped in surreal drama and very real ecological stakes, this is an unpredictable and riveting read for […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-28T16:11:43+02:00April 28th, 2026|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Salvation Reigned by Travis James Peterson

Unhinged, unfiltered, and unrelenting in its social commentary, Salvation Reigned by Travis James Peterson is a frightening vision of a species that has reached its tipping point.

A rogue planet is on a collision course with Earth, and the highest halls of power learn that humanity only has a decade before annihilation. Unfortunately, those same halls are filled with supercharged charlatans and corporate sellouts, stooges for the Global Corporate Conglomerate and its insatiable hunger for profits.

The President is an ignorant narcissist with a god complex, blindly determined to blow the offending rock out of the sky with every nuke […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-27T17:18:47+02:00April 27th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Dystopian Fiction Book Reviews, Speculative Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Secret Code of the Gospel by Albert Seidel

A logic-based assessment of the earthly history of Jesus and the cornerstone events of the Bible, The Secret Code of the Gospel: The Earthly Story by Albert Seidel offers a refreshingly pragmatic perspective on faith-based mysteries.

Examining the Gospels as religious reflections on historical events, Seidel attempts to parse fact from fiction and clear up some of the core questions surrounding Christianity’s origins, primarily the life and death of Jesus Christ, beginning with whether he truly existed. The preface clearly states the author’s approach to interpreting the Gospels: Jesus was an actual historical figure, and the Gospels are religious interpretations […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-27T11:43:54+02:00April 26th, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Religion Book Reviews|

Review: Vendetta: Legend of The Iron Warrior Vol. 3 by T.V. Holiday

The third installment of a savagely unique series, Vendetta by T.V. Holiday holds nothing back as the Iron Warrior is drawn back from sabbatical for his greatest challenge yet.

When the titular hero receives a call that his crew needs help, he returns to the Seventh City for another clash of biblical proportions, heeding the call of his own loyalty to justice and peace. His time away was supposed to give him space to work on his faith and rid himself of any remaining demons; he has worked through the darkness and fear that once dominated his heart, and strengthened […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2026-04-21T16:28:38+02:00April 21st, 2026|Categories: Book Reviews, Latest Book Reviews|Tags: Religious Fiction Book Reviews, Urban Fantasy Book Reviews|