John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Halorum by Serdar Aydemir

For fans of old-school sword and sorcery with a splash of modern spice, Halorum by Serdar Aydemir is a bold start to a new series. Despite leaning heavily on the classic fantasy dichotomies of dark/light, gods/men, and past shadows/present deeds, the novel sparkles with originality and memorable characters who are easy to root for, and against. With a deft pen, Aydemir has constructed a terrifically dark and fascinating world of Reaper Knights, romance, and high-level fantasy that will draw fans from Tolkien to Salvatore.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-08-27T09:12:36+02:00August 27th, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

The Hub of Hell by Beverly Porter

Tales of murder, scandal and injustice from the rugged end of the 19^th century in America hold a perennial appeal, and The Hub of Hell from author Beverly Porter has all of these aspects in spades. The book is a shocking glimpse into law enforcement of the past, and an impressively complete account of the strange autumn and winter of 1887.

Inspired by a single newspaper article, this true story is a well-researched reconstruction of the dramatic events and players surrounding a trio of imprisoned brothers in Minneapolis more than 130 years ago. Pete, Tim and Henry Barrett sit […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-08-22T06:04:25+02:00August 21st, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: History Book Reviews|

The Healer’s Daughters by Jay Amberg

The Healer’s Daughters is a complex and gripping new novel by author Jay Amberg, bridging mysticism and truth, as well as time and space. Tying together ancient cultural beliefs, insightful flashbacks, mystical practices, and enough treasure hunting to satisfy a Clive Cussler fan, this tangled tale is difficult to put down both for its originality and skillful storytelling.

From the ancient trials of Galen, the second century’s most famous physician, to the terrors of the modern day in Turkey, this book is sweeping and ambitious, but also carefully penned, culturally sensitive, and finely polished. After a terror attack rips through […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2021-01-21T03:49:28+02:00August 20th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Action and Adventure Book Reviews, International Thriller Book Reviews|

This Ain’t My Life by Bilal Alaji

The American immigrant experience, particularly for those of Muslim descent, has become a front-page topic in recent years, giving This Ain’t My Life by author Bilal Alaji a true sense of import, for a timely and poignant read.

Recounting his life from childhood to the present, this is a brutally honest and precisely recorded story, one that feels very naturally told, but also framed within larger social issues and beliefs the author wants to highlight. The author’s youthful success and whimsy were dampened by brutal familial expectations, run-ins with the law, and self-professed mistakes in judgment. Despite repeated stumbles and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-08-20T14:27:36+02:00August 20th, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

Shadow Work by Daniel Warner

Shadow Work is a haunting collection of pensive poetry that should garner Daniel Warner both attention and respect in the world of verse. He blends the modern and the mystical, offering up eloquent metaphors and thought-provoking, gut-shot lines that resonate and build through each poem. This collection is an existential carousel and a dark love note to life, with the occasional slice of humor between reverent pondering. Bouncing from the mundane microcosm to the deepest mysteries, Warner asks hard questions, demanding attention and patience, but rewarding both, as only good poetry can.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-08-19T12:11:23+02:00August 19th, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Ramona’s Man by D.L. Yoder

Flipping the script on the classic tale of Pygmalion, author D.L. Yoder presents a quirky and unpredictable novel with Ramona’s Man. Tackling issues of parental control, societal expectations, and the half-blind nature of love, this book is an intriguing dive into family psychology and has plenty of squirm-worthy moments to which younger readers will relate.

There is always some pressure when you bring a person home to meet your family for the first time – this pressure is much greater when that person is a homeless man named Harley you picked up less than an hour earlier as a stand-in […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-01-14T07:34:04+02:00August 17th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Hot Solar (Cold Solar Book 2) by Anthony Robinson

In the not so-distant future, the remains of Earth and the Martian colonists are locked in a bloody battle for control of resources, the destiny of their planets and the ultimate fate of mankind itself. This is the sci-fi premise of Hot Solar, the entertaining second installment of the Cold Solar series from Anthony Robinson. Balancing well between suspense and action, the author draws readers into a number of mysteries in his twisted future vision.

While the first book set up this dystopian world and the major players within it, this sophomore of the saga allows for more intense […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-09-26T07:59:19+02:00August 16th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Education from a Deeper and Multidisciplinary Perspective by Chandana Watagodakumbura

Most people believe that a strong education provides a foundation for the future, but there are also those who believe our educational philosophy in the 21st century is outdated and limiting, if not downright harmful to coming generations. In Education from a Deeper and Multidisciplinary Perspective, author Chandana Watagodakumbura presents a bold new vision for the future of education, an individualized and customized approach that could alter communities, populations, entrenched infrastructures, and global society as a whole.

Rather than arguing over the merits of the current educational system, or presenting small adjustments to improve standardized test scores, this book […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2020-08-27T04:03:00+02:00August 14th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Education|