John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

My Christmas Darling by Vivien Mayfair

Vivien Mayfair delivers a wholesome and heartfelt holiday gift with her new book, My Christmas Darling, a classic tale of unlikely lovers tumbling together. Laden with quaint charm and holiday cheer, this slightly predictable story is cozy and quick, with clever writing that will amuse throughout and enough heartstring-tugging to keep romance readers hooked. With Manhattan as a lively backdrop and a penchant for memorable narration, Mayfair’s book offers an innocent escape.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-08-12T12:48:54+02:00August 12th, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Chromatophobia by W.D. County

It feels like a struggle these days to find sci-fi or horror novels that don’t regurgitate old plot lines and rely on classic tropes to snag a bit of attention, but Chromatophobia, the new novel by author W.D. County, will cause fans of these genres to sit up and take notice. After a childhood living on the edges, isolated by his grey vision of the world, Miles Reardon has found his sweet spot in the military, where he turns tragedy into triumph as a precise and renowned sniper. From the very first scene, readers are given an intense dive[…]

Audiobook Review: The Weight of Smoke by George Robert Minkoff

Historical fiction is a genre founded on making the past come alive, and few authors in recent memory have done that with the skill of George Robert Minkoff, the masterful author of The Weight of Smoke. This is the first book in a trilogy that dives into the legend of Captain John Smith and the fascinating mythos surrounding the British Empire and its beginnings, and this audiobook brings alive the past in riveting detail. Blurring the lines between historical fiction and historical fact through linguistic acrobatics alone, it is impossible not to be drawn into this gripping slice of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-09-27T04:54:54+02:00August 9th, 2019|Categories: Audiobook Reviews, Book Reviews|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

When to Call a Therapist by Robert C. Ciampi, LCSW

Brimming with solid guidance and straightforward prose, When to Call a Therapist by author Robert C. Ciampi is a thorough examination of psychiatric options, mental health issues, and the necessary skills to self-identify when a person/couple should ask for help. Using relatable anecdotes and accessible language, this book is well-organized and intuitive, with sections that easily stand alone. If you’re struggling with a particular aspect of mental health, or just making your way through a rough patch in life, this book’s compelling advice will be a very important read.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-08-08T14:34:17+02:00August 8th, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Married to the Alien Doctor by Alma Nilsson

Author Alma Nilsson expands her thought-provoking and wickedly creative universe with Married to the Alien Doctor, the second installment of the Renascence Alliance series. The writing is witty and sharp, balancing sci-fi strangeness with clever plot lines, but Nilsson also flexes her philosophical muscle in a unique way. While the premise may initially seem limited or one-sided, the conflicts and meditations in these pages gradually reveal a much wiser angle being taken by this refreshing and compelling author.

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John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-08-05T07:22:55+02:00August 2nd, 2019|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Strange Quantum Souls by Chris Carvell

Scholars and thinkers have been seeking the substance of the soul since time immemorial, but author Chris Carvell proposes something entirely unique in his new book Strange Quantum Souls. Blending high-level mathematics with cognitive philosophy and quantum theory, this book is a wild and challenging dive into the realm of quantum consciousness.

Carvell’s argument combines ideas of micro-black holes and a Super-Ether that feed our brains information to form our thoughts and consciousness on an instantaneous level. If that single sentence is a struggle to unpack, you’ll have a truly tangled (and thought-provoking) time comprehending the rest of this […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-12-17T07:57:50+02:00July 31st, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Philosophy Book Reviews, Science Book Reviews|

Review: Sky Parlor by Stephen C. Perkins

A mind-bending thrill of a novel, Sky Parlor by author Stephen C. Perkins has set an impressive new bar in the historical science fiction niche. Tracing the age-old battle between Artemis and Apollonia, and its different manifestations throughout human history (and future), the novel delivers an action-packed escape pod from reality, while also challenging readers to examine some new philosophical ideas about what it means to be human.

Like pawns in an infinitely complex board game of the gods, this wildly creative novel suggests that human beings return to this world in future lives, playing out new roles in an […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-07-26T08:28:18+02:00July 26th, 2019|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Time Travel Book Reviews, Visionary Fiction Book Reviews|

Land of Kings (The Britannia Chronicles Book 2) by Virginia Weldon

The mythology and mystery of ancient Britannia are brought vividly to life in Land of Kings, the second installment of Virginia Weldon’s Britannia Chronicles.

A decade after Regan, Valerius, Cara, and Alana’s lives first collide, peace feels like a distant dream and there are still many battles on the horizon. Regan, having honed his impressive battle skills in the gladiator pits, returns to Britannia with his freedom intact, fire in his belly and a singular goal of reuniting with the woman he loves. Meanwhile, the rebel forces of the island nation are amassing under Queen Boudicca, and Alana and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-07-22T10:49:51+02:00July 22nd, 2019|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Historical Fantasy Book Reviews, Historical Fiction Book Reviews|