John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

About John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Providing exceptional writing, editing and publishing services to hundreds of international clients, ranging from nutritional copywriting and long-form ghostwriting to substantive editing, assessment/analysis of academic texts and structural/content editing for bestselling novels.

Review: Extraterrestrial Noir by Rich Leder

Extraterrestrial Noir by Rich Leder

A sardonic mixture of science fiction and snarky suburban drama, Extraterrestrial Noir by Rich Leder is a hilariously original genre mashup.

Maggie Devine is drowning in the suffocation of suburban competition and an embarrassingly stagnant marriage with her husband, Connie. Along with the three other couples and their children who call Hope Circle home, life is a predictable and increasingly dull rerun of picket-fence perfection that doesn’t quite live up to that American dream. All of that changes, however, when a mysterious silver box rockets down through the atmosphere and crashes neatly through the couple’s roof.

The box quickly begins […]

The Ring Fold Chronicles Book 2: Blood of Time by Scott Swisher

The Ring Fold Chronicles Book 2 by Scott Swisher

In this neatly crafted Book 2 of The Ring Fold Chronicles by Scott Swisher, the youthful time-jumping heroes of The Ring face off against their own descendants in an epic showdown that threatens the integrity of reality and the timestream itself. Jordan again carries this action-packed tale as the epically powered but reluctant leader, while the multilayered storyline is driven by rich character development, fascinating theoretical science, and myriad ethical dilemmas – the kind that make superheroes and science fiction such an irresistible canvas to portray humanity’s very real underlying issues. The prose could use a further edit for tone […]

2025-06-10T14:15:03+02:00June 9th, 2025|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Archer’s Moon by J.W. Webb

Archer's Moon by J.W. Webb

Divine worlds collide and hunting hearts tangle in Archer’s Moon: Dawn of Legends (Legends of Ansu Book 1) by J.W. Webb, a high-fantasy adventure that explores the unique essence and emotional depths of human nature.

From her celestial perch above the planet of Ansu, Argonwui peers down in wonder and longing at the world of humans, a recent creation of her grandfather, the Weaver. However, her mother Elanion, the Emerald Queen, is the custodian of Ansu, and forbids her daughter from any such meddling and mixing with mortals; her roving father Oroonis does enough of that for the whole family.[…]

2025-06-06T10:28:30+02:00June 6th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Long Term Surrender by Patty Almond

Long Term Surrender by Patty Almond

A cruise ship thriller packed with sun, secret agents, and one savvy schoolteacher, Long Term Surrender by Patty Almond is a dramatic and romantic escape. When Katelyn agrees to a Caribbean cruise with her sister and brother-in-law, she unwittingly becomes a mule in a high-stakes handoff with one of the most feared drug cartels in Mexico. The holiday gets even more hectic when sparks start to fly with her tall, dark, and sexy tablemate, who also happens to be the undercover fed tasked to take her down, resulting in a pulpy and page-turning vacation adventure. Paced to perfection, this novel […]

2025-06-06T10:20:55+02:00June 6th, 2025|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Turning Rental Properties into Passive Income Profit$ by Dustin Roberts

Turning Rental Properties into Passive Income Profit$ by Dustin Roberts

A conversational guide about maximizing the potential of real estate investment, Turning Rental Properties into Passive Income Profit$: The Beginners 10 Step Real Estate Investing Book for Early Retirement and Creating Wealth by Dustin Roberts is an insightful primer for current and future investors. Whether you need to establish realistic financial goals, identify your risk tolerance, learn the pros and cons of investment properties, or sharpen market research skills, this book is a thorough roadmap for the entire process. Using real-world examples from his own experience in the market, and clarifying the more confounding aspects of buying profitable rental properties, […]

2025-06-05T11:31:21+02:00June 5th, 2025|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Dancing in Freedom by Angie Hanlon-Toth

Dancing in Freedom by Angie Hanlon-Toth

An inspiring memoir about transmuting existential obstacles into developmental stepping stones, Dancing in Freedom: From Bondage to Jubilee by Angie Hanlon-Toth is an enlightening mixture of autobiography and self-help. Encouraging readers to accept their imperfections as opportunities to walk more humbly on the path of faith, this vulnerable personal account is a testament to the power of spirituality to be a motivator and guide for every facet of life. From myriad strategies for boosting self-awareness to novel practices for healthy emotional processing, this unique work of self-help is honest about people’s inevitable weaknesses, but profoundly optimistic that anyone can transcend […]

2025-06-05T11:24:48+02:00June 5th, 2025|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: The Remembering by Peter Kennedy

The Remembering by Peter Kennedy

A timely reflection on the profound and sometimes painful process of becoming who you need to be, The Remembering: A Journey Back to Self by Peter Kennedy is a reminder that personal transformation is unavoidable – and endless.

Kennedy’s story begins with an intense account of his participation in a sacred ritual – a temazcal ceremony in a traditional sweat lodge in Brazil. After being spiritually stripped bare, and concentrating on how to achieve emotional freedom, his existence feels irreparably changed, “as if a veil had been lifted.” Through the lens of his sacred experience in the jungle, he is […]

2025-06-05T08:29:57+02:00June 5th, 2025|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: The Mini-Quest Mindset by Esmond Lee

The Mini-Quest Mindset by Esmond Lee

A common-sense companion for the overwhelming modern world, The Mini-Quest Mindset: Master Your Focus, Manage Priorities, and Achieve More by Esmond Lee is an innovative guide for taking back control over your priorities, attention, and productivity.

Burnout is a growing and worrying trend – the point when a person reaches a point of physical, mental, emotional, or occupational exhaustion, compromising their ability to perform tasks or live their life in a healthy and sustainable way. There are certain seasons in any life when responsibilities and pressures relentlessly pile up, and the subsequent to-do lists can feel overwhelming, or even paralyzing. […]

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