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: Tales from Bombast’s Bookshelf by Steve Michael Reedy

Tales from Bombast's Bookshelf by Steve Michael Reedy

From the creative depths of author Steve Michael Reedy comes Tales from Bombast’s Bookshelf, an insightful collection of fantastical children’s stories. These six tales are overflowing with moral lessons and immersive symbolism, not only providing wonderful narratives, but also a foundation of common sense, wisdom, and compassion.

Fairy tales have long been a part of children’s literature, and these refreshing stories are a wonderful new addition to that tradition. With amusing fictional characters, magical woodland realms, and memorable turning points, Reedy imbues every page with a sense of innocent wonder, but also a fair amount of realistic struggle. Like […]

2020-05-22T03:17:52+02:00April 5th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Hard-Easy by Arthur F. Coombs III

Hard-Easy by Arthur F. Coombs III

Author Arthur F. Coombs III explicates his lifelong philosophy of behavior and personal choice in Hard-Easy: A Get-Real Guide for Getting the Life You Want, a helpfully straightforward manual for self-improvement.

The title of the book is also its philosophical structure:  the idea that there are two modes of behavior – Hard-Easy and Easy-Hard. The former basically means doing the hard work first, and easily reaping the rewards later, while the latter means making the easy choice, and leaving the hard part for later. While this may seem like a rather simple premise for an entire book, Coombs has […]

2020-04-03T07:40:14+02:00April 3rd, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Gravy by Patrice Jones

Poet Patrice Jones blends real-life experience and imagination to craft her powerful, non-traditional verse in Gravy, a deeply personal and provocative collection. Most of these pieces are free verse and narrative, touching on classic poetic themes: the struggle for meaningful love, the loss of innocence, familial nostalgia, and childhood longing. However, Jones isn’t afraid to delve into darker issues, such as suicide and abusive relationships, boldly exploring what was once taboo. The work is quite literal, with a fair lack of poetic description, but there is great intention behind the words. Overall, Gravy is an eclectic mix of pain […]

2020-04-03T07:22:21+02:00April 2nd, 2020|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: The Jealousy of Jalice by Jesse Nolan Bailey

The Jealousy of Jalice by Jesse Nolan Bailey

Childhood friendship, tribal loyalty, and the bonds of magic are tested in The Jealousy of Jalice, a riveting and brilliantly penned novel from author Jesse Nolan Bailey. This female-led fantasy adventure features visceral descriptive language, an endlessly creative new world, uniquely relatable characters, and a fine balance of emotional intrigue and enrapturing action.

Annilasia, Delilee, and Jalice were once childhood friends, but the years have taken them in very different directions. Annilasia has become a tillishu, a skilled assassin with a shadowy past, Jalice is the revered wife of the Sachem, the chief of all tribes, and Delilee is […]

2022-02-28T05:43:25+02:00April 2nd, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Terribilita by Ben Wyckoff Shore

Terribilita by Ben Wyckoff Shore

The powerful ties of blood and an ardent desire for vengeance fuels Terribilita, a strong new work of historical fiction by author Ben Wyckoff Shore.

Enzo Ferrando has lived in the shadow of his legendary father for three decades, but has managed to carve out his own place in the sun as an instigator and freedom fighter. Unfortunately, his rebellious behavior brings swift retribution, catapulting he and his son Lucca into new journeys taking them far from home – and the possibility for revenge.

Lucca is temporarily safe as a deckhand on a merchant ship under Captain Bartolo, set […]

2020-04-02T10:49:49+02:00March 31st, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: A True Map of the City by J Guenther

A True Map of the City by Jeff Guenther

Horus Blassingame travels from Albion to Deresthia for a business conference that will change his identity forever in A True Map of the City by J Guenther. The fictional setting of this twisted novel creates tangible discomfort on every page, and the tragic spiral of Horus from suspicious stranger to local legend makes for a quick and bizarre read.

As Horus attempts to navigate his surroundings in a foreign land, he encounters a colorful stream of characters, but it is difficult to determine help from harm in such a backwards place. Only a handful of people speak Anglic (English), and […]

Review: The Rez: An American Love Story by G. Michael Madison

The Rez: An American Love Story by G. Michael Madison

Author G. Michael Madison offers an authentically deep plunge into reservation life in the 1960s and 1970s with his powerful novel The Rez: An American Love Story. The first in a trilogy of books, this is a profound examination of an oft-overlooked culture during a historically tumultuous time.

The most notable thing about this novel is the patience and care that has gone into its construction. It sets an immediate tone of intimacy in the storytelling, followed by a gradual introduction to the fraternal pair at the heart of this story: Jonny and Caj. The former – younger, introverted, […]

2020-04-29T06:16:21+02:00March 25th, 2020|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

The Long Way Home by D.L. Norris

The Long Way Home by D.L. NorrisAuthor D.L. Norris invites readers to slow down and enjoy the view, and perhaps spin a story or two, in The Long Way Home, an insightful and memorable novel about family, grief, and growing up.

Maggie Davis stands like a proud pillar at the heart of this tale, a recently widowed mother running a bed and breakfast in an out-of-the-way corner of Nebraska. Guests come and go, with their stories and burdens, grateful for a home-cooked meal and conversation, but small-town life for Maggie is far from simple. In addition to her own battle with loss and loneliness, she […]

2022-12-14T12:42:12+02:00March 20th, 2020|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |
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