John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

Review: Water and Air by Neill

We all wish to have the strength to find our own inner happiness and the peace we require to survive and thrive. However, there are times in life when we need a nudge in the right direction, or a calming whisper in our ear. For moments like that, Water and Air, the first two meditation guidebooks in a new 5-part series, can help quiet the raucous world around you.

Coupled with an audio CD, Water and Air are distinctly different books, but both seek to achieve similar goals. Water is Book 1, and the accompanying disc taps into musical […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-02-11T09:52:28+02:00November 13th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Music Book Reviews, Spirituality Book Reviews|

Review: Wolf River Dreams by Patrick Sarver

★★★★

Still reeling from the tragic loss of his girlfriend in an accident in which he was driving, Jesse Hawkins has taken to the road, hoping to exorcise his demons while exploring the endless west on his motorcycle. However, every road comes to an end, and when Jesse finally returns home, he finds that the demons are more real than ever.

Thus begins Wolf River Dreams by Patrick Sarver, a tumultuous novel that blends surreal dream sequences with seemingly waking nightmares, as Jesse attempts to find some sense of normalcy in his haunted days. Regardless of how far he moves […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-12-19T13:16:25+02:00November 7th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Contemporary Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Past Obsession by Richard Keith Taylor

★★★★

In Past Obsession by Richard Keith Taylor, a number of surprising twists, and an entertaining hero, make this novel stand out from other books in the genre. Taylor creates a powerful mood throughout the novel, and readers will be inevitably drawn into this time travel thriller that doubles as a shadowy L.A. noir tale.

Jim Mercer, freelance writer for the LA Times, is handed a puff piece on a gifted artist – Emily Torrance – whose life was snuffed out seven decades earlier. While the story isn’t out of the ordinary, given his professional realm, his instant captivation […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-01-22T05:49:15+02:00October 31st, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Thriller Book Reviews, Time Travel Book Reviews|

The Spy Who Hated Me! (A James Spillaney Casefile) by Shaun Chapman

The Spy Who Hated Me! by Shaun Chapman is a rip-roaring race through a shadowy noir world of dames and danger, with a healthy dose of technological surrealism that gives this world a slightly unpredictable edge.

James Spillaney epitomizes the stereotype of private detectives, and the novel is an immersive and enjoyable dive into this dramatic style. The colloquial speech and affectations are constant, but within a few chapters, it becomes easier to read – and believe.

The high-speed nature of the novel keeps you interested, even if some of the plot points seem superfluous – a little too much […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-01-22T05:32:45+02:00October 27th, 2017|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Crime Fiction Book Reviews, Detective Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Court of Crusty Killings: A Captain Space Hardcore Adventure by Michael Ronson

★★★★

In the realm of the surreal, silly, and downright hilarious, The Court of Crusty Killings by Michael Ronson is an unexpected delight, packed with more tongue-in-cheek humor than one book should ever hold.

Captain Space Hardcore is a character torn from sci-fi pulp thrillers of an older age, but the sharp wit and unique personality of this unforgettable leading man makes him eternally contemporary. His manservant and sidekick, Ebeneezer Funkworthy is an equally entertaining complement to the heroic central figure, and their adventures are truly the stuff of a bizarre imagination.

The premise of Captain Space Hardcore – the […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-11-29T07:49:02+02:00October 12th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Humor Book Reviews, Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Srepska by Lucas Sterling

★★★★

In a world ravaged by international turmoil and uncertainty for the future, author Lucas Sterling presents Srepska, an intense and politically charged novel that is both timely and terrifying.

Fredric is a German intelligence agent that becomes embroiled in the search for Srepska, a mysterious organization that is a cross between organized crime and a global cabal. Somehow this group is instigating chaos around the world, and taking advantage of the turmoil they create. Their name alone strikes fear in the hearts of those in power, but Fredric isn’t one to be cowed away from his duty. However, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-11-16T04:50:14+02:00October 11th, 2017|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Airliner Down by John Etzil

Blending high-stakes action with realistic, engaging characters, author John Etzil delivers a gripping thriller in Airliner Down. Kevin McSorley, the charming off-duty pilot at the core of this story, is the one man who can save a jet with hundreds of people on board from crashing in the middle of the ocean. With such an adrenaline-filled premise, and a shocking first chapter, readers know they are in for a page-turning treat, and Etzil makes good on that promise throughout.

In the tradition of blockbuster action movies, the writing in Airliner Down often falls by the wayside in exchange for […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2019-05-02T06:34:32+02:00October 10th, 2017|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Thriller Book Reviews|

Kilian: A Broken Prophecies Story by S.A. McClure

The classic fantasy story of “unwitting hero discovers his much larger destiny” gets a new twist in Kilian: A Broken Prophecies Story by S.A. McClure.

Like so many heroes before him, Kilian Clearwater is a humble and unassuming hero that is forced into a world of magic, intrigue and danger that he never imagined before the opening pages of the novel. While McClure does fall back on some stereotypical elements of this genre niche, there is a simple grace to the writing, and a unique new world for readers to explore.

Unlike overly wordy and description-heavy fantasy novels, the author […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2017-10-09T10:25:27+02:00October 9th, 2017|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Fantasy Book Reviews|