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: SEER: The Ghosts of Gray Fable by Eli Bloom

★★★★½ SEER: The Ghosts of Gray Fable

SEER: The Ghosts of Gray Fable by Eli Bloom is a chilling and thrilling YA novel.

With a bold plot line and an unforgettable protagonist, SEER instantly stands out as a paranormal classic. Author Eli Bloom captures youth, innocence and courage within these pages, while brushing on topical subjects that will strike a chord in readers of any age.

While the premise of the book makes it seem as though this book focuses heavily on the events of the possible school shooting, and everything Gray Fable might do to stop it, the writer is more keenly interested in revealing […]

Review: The Unusual Second Life of Thomas Weaver by Shawn Inmon

★★★★★ The Unusual Second Life of Thomas Weaver: Episode One

The Unusual Second Life of Thomas Weaver by Shawn Inmon is a gripping story of the ultimate “What if?”

The time travel genre is populated by a number of standard premises, meaning that multiple authors have discussed many of the same philosophical and ethical issues over the years. In The Unusual Second Life of Thomas Weaver the classic time-traveling tropes are present, but they seamlessly weave between highly developed characters and an emotionally gripping story line that makes readers forget that they’re reading fiction.

Thomas Weaver has not had a particularly good life, and after 55 years on the […]

Review: In the Presence of Wolves by Erick Nason

★★★★½ In the Presence of Wolves by Erick Nason

In the Presence of Wolves: The Adventures of Ranger Jacob Clarke by Erick Nason is a rugged and action-packed adventure.

As military history in America goes, the French and Indian War is perhaps the least discussed, but as Erick Nason so expertly depicts in his novel, In the Presence of Wolves, it was truly a fascinating time in American history. Approximately two decades before the Revolutionary War broke out, America had a very different battle to fight – one against the French and their Indian compatriots. This novel is set in the lush upper forests of New York, […]

2016-09-05T10:05:35+02:00August 23rd, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: Strangers I Have Known by Melissa Kotler Schwartz

★★★★★ Strangers I Have Known by Melissa Schwartz

When people think back on the story of their lives, the “main characters” are typically family members, friends, lovers, children, co-workers and the myriad other people who receive Christmas cards or occasional texts. However, a large portion of our time as human beings consists of interactions with strangers. In Strangers I Have Known by Melissa Kotler Schwartz, the author takes readers on a journey through her everyday life, not depicting the time spent with family and friends, but rather her tiny interactions with cashiers, locals, passers-by and one-conversation friends that act as the glue tying all of humanity together.[…]

Review: The Hotel Westend by Ashley Lynch-Harris

★★★★ The Hotel Westend by Ashley Lynch-Harris

The Hotel Westend by Ashley Lynch-Harris is a classic mystery with plenty of twists.

With eccentric characters, an historic hotel with its fair share of secrets, and an innocent ingénue with a good dose of curiosity, The Hotel Westend is a slow-boiling thriller that will have you guessing until the very end. In the beloved style of Agatha Christie and other British suspense classics, this murder mystery pays homage to the genre in an impressive way.

The gradual introduction of the characters – all heading for the same destination for an unknown reason – has the same slow pacing […]

Review: Family Business by Colin Beckett

★★★★★ Family Business by Colin Beckett

Family Business: An Outer Banks Crime Mystery by Colin Beckett is a grim, thrilling mystery.

From this book’s cold-blooded opening, readers know that they’re in for a story told by a master of suspense. The patient, calculating and terrifying style that Colin Beckett puts on display in Family Business is unique and chilling, making it nearly impossible to put it down.

When a mysterious serial killer strikes fear in the heart of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, it will take two men to ferret him out from his horrific hole and bring him to justice. Sheriff Martin Tate and Paul […]

2016-09-06T05:20:35+02:00August 9th, 2016|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Find Your Voice As a Leader by Paul N. Larsen

Find Your Voice As a Leader by Paul LarsenFind Your VOICE As a Leader by Paul N. Larsen provides concise, clear and valuable leadership advice.

Without wasting a single word, Paul Larsen delivers a stellar guide to identifying and harnessing your personal skills as a leader, with wisdom that is applicable to a wide variety of power positions.  Find Your VOICE As a Leader presents the wealth of Larsen’s own experience and structures it in an easy-to-read and engaging collection of exercises, questions, and valuable instructions. The book does away with much of the typical how-to book structure, and instead moves quickly through important points that burgeoning leaders […]

Light at Play by Rachelle Thimote, Illustrated by Gary Wein

Light at Play by Rachelle Thimote Instilling wisdom and progressive thought at an early age is incredibly important, and this sort of profound message can come in may forms – from the most fundamental visual message to deep, meaningful advice. Within the pages of Light at Play: Foundations for positive self-image and self-esteem, Rachelle Thimote touches on the basic themes that drive creativity, mental development, alternative thought, happiness, kindness and cognitive flexibility in children.

While it is clear what she is trying to accomplish, it seems that the ideas are presented a bit too simply. While the length of the book is restricted by the […]

2016-08-04T07:36:53+02:00August 4th, 2016|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |
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