John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Two Sticks, One Path by Darrow Kirkpatrick

A ruggedly inspiring memoir and a love letter to the American wilderness, Two Sticks, One Path: A Journey Beyond Fear on the Colorado Trail by Darrow Kirkpatrick is a tale of fortitude, achievement, and living free on your own terms.

After a nearly lethal encounter in the Rockies when he was young, the author returns four decades later to complete the 28 segments of the legendary Colorado Trail. Patching the 500+ miles together over the course of 6 years, and supported by two Sidestix and some loyal fellow adventurers, his journey is about far more than backcountry bravado. Peppered with […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-08-14T14:02:47+02:00August 14th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: Salmon Swimming Upstream and Homebound by Stephen E. Johnson

Poignant and warming to the soul, Salmon Swimming Upstream and Homebound: Tales about Brotherhood from Bear Creek by Stephen E. Johnson is a reflective memoir, diving into the perennial power of family, place, and nature to help renew bonds and enliven the spirit.

Sliding decades backward into the past, readers are welcomed into the intimacy of a family still finding its feet out in the country, away from the tumult of city life. Three brothers gather in a beloved cabin for a weekend of escape and remembrance in the wilderness of the Cascades, falling into the comfort of siblings sharing […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-09T08:48:56+02:00August 13th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

House of Desolation by Alex Webster

An eerie supernatural thriller set against a haunted Regency backdrop, House of Desolation by Alex Webster is a chilling portrait of secrets, sanity, and the resiliency of family love.

When Sir Thomas Hargrave inherits a crumbling family manor, the unexpected windfall seems like an ideal foundation for him and his wife Eleanor to begin their new life together. Along with the financial burden of renovation, however, the young couple must weather mysterious occurrences and accidents on the estate, as well as the looming sense that a tragic specter of innocence remains trapped within the walls. As their marriage begins to […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-08-13T13:31:03+02:00August 13th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Horror Book Reviews, Paranormal Book Reviews|

Evil Eyes by Carlo Armenise

A wickedly macabre novella from the intense imagination of Carlo Armenise, Evil Eyes: A Story of Love, Hate and Witchcraft is a compelling story of seduction, manipulation, and the deadly power of desire.

After spending years as a world-famous photographer surrounded by beautiful muses, Andrew Wyler finally finds the woman he wants to marry, only to have her die under bewildering circumstances at their engagement party. That same night, he meets Isabella Rossini, an intoxicatingly beautiful model from Europe who quickly steals his heart and obsessively fills his mind. As the ageless vixen insidiously takes over his life piece by […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-08-12T15:31:31+02:00August 12th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Urban Fantasy Book Reviews|

Review: The True North Talks by John D. Kingston

A thrilling glimpse into the deadly backdoors of political power in Canada and beyond, The True North Talks by John D. Kingston crackles with contemporary tension and tongue-in-cheek critique.

A government whistleblower is shot dead on a tarmac before he can expose damning secrets about a shadowy cabal maneuvering for Quebec’s full independence. Six months later, a handsome movie star turned politician, Alex Archer, is sworn in as Canada’s newest Prime Minister, but his fervent views on unifying the country have put a target squarely on his back from Quebecois separatists.

Marcel Vanier is the Assistant Director of Canadian Counter-Terrorism […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-05T11:54:57+02:00August 12th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Political Thriller Book Reviews|

Mr. Fascination and the Fascination Machines by Michael Jasorka

An homage to a beloved piece of boardwalk history, Mr. Fascination and the Fascination Machines by Michael Jasorka is an eye-opening peek into the colorful history of electro-mechanical pinball machines. This niche graphic novel traces the century-long journey of the mechanized arcade game Fascination, telling the tale of its mysterious mob ties, cult classic fame, and underdog survival in that growing industry. Written in comic book style, there is an overreliance on expositional bubbles that can be difficult to differentiate, but the illustrations and obvious passion for the project elevate the book over some stumbles in presentation. Celebrating a piece […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-08-11T16:53:48+02:00August 11th, 2025|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

She Rises by Dorianne Ashe

A bold take on time-slip fiction that shines with timely insight, She Rises by Dorianne Ashe is a family drama that stretches across the centuries, presenting a fearless reflection of America’s lingering ghosts.

When Georgia is inexplicably invited to the reading of the will of a reclusive real estate titan, it redirects the course of her life overnight, and infuriates some very powerful people. With her precocious daughter Violet, Georgia explores her new estate and meets her new neighbors, before being mysteriously hurled into an enslaved past by those who would prefer to rewrite history, rather than face it. Aided […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-08-11T16:31:07+02:00August 11th, 2025|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews, Time Travel Book Reviews|

Review: The Floating Lake of Dressa Moore by George Allen Miller

A visionary and whip-smart fantasy, The Floating Lake of Dressa Moore by George Allen Miller is a whimsical adventure with a brilliantly off-kilter cast.

Lakes, towns, and entire chunks of continents are hanging inexplicably in the sky after an epic clash between the last dragon and the last wizard ripped reality asunder with a magical tsunami. The final moments of those two mystic titans remain immortalized in time, frozen by an explosion of magic. Fascinated and determined to unravel this enigmatic puzzle, two eccentric scholars, Jonathan Braxton and William Watts Worthwaddle, embark on a bold expedition to Dressa, the heart […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2025-09-04T16:52:27+02:00August 11th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|