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: Stalker, My Love by Zack Scott

★★★★½ Stalker, My Love by Zack Scott

Small towns often provide the best settings for thrillers, as they are rife with secrets, suspicions, old grudges and hidden motivations. The process of watching detectives and suspects roil around in the same intimate space makes for high drama and excellent character development, as is the case in the excellent Stalker, My Love by Zack Scott.

In this cozy mystery, we see a town turn on some of its own, desperate for answers, in the search for a missing girl: Rosalyn Ray. Readers are first introduced to Rhett and Rosalyn in a strange way – during a confrontation where […]

2017-09-15T12:55:31+02:00September 13th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Island of the Assassin by Joseph Roccasalvo

★★★★½ Island of the Assassin by Joseph Roccasalvo

Most people don’t see a moral gray area when it comes to killing other human beings, but there are certain evils in the world that must be eradicated, whether or not the public is told about it. There are also those shadowy figures in our government’s Rolodex, agents who operate in the darkness, doing what “needs” to be done to protect their country.

In Island of the Assassin by Joseph Roccasalvo, loyalty, morality, and abstract ideas of the greater good collide in a stunning and revelatory novel about the fuzzy edges of good and evil.

Kai Landrie is a […]

2017-09-25T08:36:31+02:00September 7th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Incognolio by Michael Sussman

★★★★½ Incognolio by Michael Sussman

For readers who are eager to have their imaginations shattered into a thousand pieces, this bizarre and fascinating novel by Michael Sussman is sure to please. Incognolio, both the title of this novel and the ultimate goal of anyone trying to shed their conscious mind, is a strange journey with unreliable narrators who seem to be having a perpetual identity crisis.

From the very first page of this novel, you can tell that the read will be an unusual one to say the least. The subtle style of writing in surreal details, or breaking the fourth wall of […]

Lost Young Love by Bruce W. Perry

Lost Young Love by Bruce W. PerryHalf-tipsy confessions of old conquests and relationships aren’t entirely unique, but few authors choose to dedicate an entire book to the recollection of a romantic past. Lost Young Love, however, is a funny and sincere catalogue of the narrator’s cocktail napkin list of lovers, which may or may not be a semi-autobiographical confession from the author, Bruce W. Perry.

While this premise may seem on the surface like a by rote “kiss and tell” book, this brief peek into the mind of a man waiting behind a rotating door of women is actually quite fascinating. From the fumbling emotions […]

2018-09-10T03:44:17+02:00August 25th, 2017|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Review: The Demon King and the Boy Who Hardly Knew Anything by Pat Ellis

★★★★ The Demon King and the Boy Who Hardly Knew Anything by Pat Ellis

Although fantasy worlds are in abundance at the moment, there is always room for fantasy fiction as fresh and smart as The Demon King and the Boy Who Hardly Knew Anything. Pat Ellis may be a first-time writer, but this debut novel has the echoes of a much more mature and seasoned author.

In the generations-long struggle between the magic of Aranfeit and the technological brilliance of Morandia, there are countless stories to tell, and the riveting chunks of exposition throughout this novel welcome readers into this new land – one where “traditional” fantasy and futuristic sci-fi elements […]

2017-09-21T03:33:51+02:00August 24th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Surfing with Snakes & Dragons by Roger J. Couture

Surfing with Snakes and Dragons by Roger CoutureIn the land of eternal sunshine, life may seem smooth and simple, but there is conflict brewing beneath the waves. In Surfing with Snakes & Dragons: And Other Tales of Suburbia, author Roger J. Couture spins eight enrapturing tales of a freewheeling life that are imbued with energy, danger, and the confusing growing pains of youth.

At first glance, the stories are a procession of surfing, machismo, sex, booze, and rock ‘n roll, but there is more going on behind the façade of coolness. Passages of self-reflection and internal monologues convey the tumultuous spirits of these young characters, as […]

2017-08-23T07:14:18+02:00August 23rd, 2017|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Children of the Empire by Lara Nance

Children of the Empire by Lara Nance

In Children of the Empire by Lara Nance, a brilliant new science fiction universe is introduced that’s packed with intrigue, betrayal, deception, and redemption.

The plot structure of the novel is reminiscent of many fantasy sagas, where multiple destinations and increasingly difficult challenges lie in the path of the bold adventurers’ end goal. In the case of this novel, the key figures of Min and Ruffian are familiar, but they’re perfectly crafted and supported by a growing cast of detailed and original figures.

Aside from the clever premise of this novel, the writing is engaging and fast-paced. However, the dialogue […]

Review: Jake & the Dragons of Asheville by Brian Kacica

★★★½ Jake and the Dragons of Asheville

Writing a unique YA novel in this saturated genre can be a challenge, as dozens of new authors seemingly pop up every week. The key to finding a niche in the ever-crowded YA genre is a clever take on a popular theme, combined with interesting characters and an engaging plot. In Jake & the Dragons of Asheville, author Brian Kacica delivers a fun and memorable novel that both young readers and adults will enjoy.

As with many YA adventure stories, there is an unprepared hero, Jake Winston, who is living a relatively normal early teenage life in North […]

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